Headlight is a development forward studio balancing aesthetics and taste with clean, maintainable implementation.
Our emphasis on engineering exceptional websites is built upon parallel expertise in design — with craft taking central focus.
Whether while collaborating with a design partner, or when delivering an end to end website ourselves, we work to ensure quality, speed, and value.
Headlight is a development forward studio balancing aesthetics and taste with clean, maintainable implementation.
Our emphasis on engineering exceptional websites is built upon parallel expertise in design — with craft taking central focus.
Whether while collaborating with a design partner, or when delivering an end to end website ourselves, we work to ensure quality, speed, and value.
Practice
With & For
Access Clean California
ABC Carpet & Home
Eli Technologies
Grid Alternatives
Overhead Architecture
Wildflower Schools
& countless startups
Headlight is led by Taylor Zanke, a designer and front-end engineer with nearly 15 years of experience imagining, designing, and building websites.
He got his start designing products for startups in real estate tech, fashion, fitness, and fundraising (among them YC alumni) in New York City before serving as co-founder and Head of Design at a specialized product agency for cause driven organizations. He holds a BFA in Design & Technology from Parsons and studied Architecture at Columbia.
At Headlight he is focused on blending design and development to launch websites for clients large and small with a focus on interaction and craft.
Approach
Entrepreneurial Spirit
From early-stage startups to fast-moving teams and e-commerce leaders, we've helped turn ideas into reality. Bringing something new into the world takes speed, focus, and clear execution. We know what it takes to build from zero to one—and to do it right.
Flexible & Iterative
No rigid processes, no unnecessary friction. We move fast, adapt to your goals, and work collaboratively to get things done right. Our process is built for iteration—favoring feedback and refinement over big reveals—so we can stay focused on what matters: launching a great website.
Seamless Design to Build
Design intent shouldn't get lost in development. We've worked as both designers and developers across countless projects, allowing us to anticipate, iterate, and execute with precision. Whether collaborating with a design team or delivering an end-to-end build, we ensure the final product stays true to its vision.
Quality & Craft
Performance, clarity, and refinement matter. A great site should feel effortless, fast, and polished from the first interaction to the last. In a world where attention is scarce, only the best work stands out. We sweat the details to create something exceptional.
Kind Words
Taylor simply gets it. He's one of the rare breeds of designers who can build what he designs, who understands 0-1, who has led teams, shipped products, and can tie a bow on it. He is communicative, effective, and delivers to a higher standard than most regardless of whether he is designing or writing code. He is particularly exceptional at bringing everything together in a way that ensures a polished final product.
Adrian Del Balso
Eli Technologies
Co-Founder, Head of Product
Working with Taylor for the past three years has been a highlight of my 7 years with Wildflower. In terms of skills, it feels like Taylor has it all! As both a designer and frontend engineer, he's able to listen to the user's needs, design elegant solutions, build, and ship. But what I appreciate most about Taylor is how he approaches his work with a balance of curiosity, creativity and flexibility.
Maggie Paulin
Wildflower Schools
Program Director