The Changing of the Guard

The past six months or so, I’ve been tracking more and more conversations in the web design community that Photoshop just isn’t the right tool for web design anymore. I’ve heard that Photoshop is outdated and irrelevant for the web designer’s needs and that we should be creating directly in the web browser instead. While I don’t usually jump on the latest thought bandwagon (I’ve seen these types of discussions before) I do believe there is some merit to these discussions about the need for change.

Photoshop has provided me with the opportunity to make a great living in design, but it’s not been without it’s problems, and it seems that working with Adobe products has slightly taken a downturn. The software pain points in this Smashing Magazine article ring true. I’ve spent more time with the pinwheel of death and crashed software the past two years than I ever have before. It’s frustrating, especially when you spend so much on their software.

The Changing of the Price Structure

A few days ago, Adobe announced that they will no longer offer stand alone software purchases and will instead, move their entire software suite to a subscription based model called the Creative Cloud. This means you will no longer be able to purchase a disk for upgrades and are forced to go to a monthly fee for their software. I understand the reasons and strategy behind this move. It will make their development process easier and will be quicker to deploy updates. It provides better security against piracy and is being built for the way the things will be in the future. I get that and appreciate the value it can bring to the people who “use” Adobe software.

My problem with this move is that sometimes people don’t want to upgrade — they are perfectly fine with the current version (I use CS5) and don’t need all the new features. I can continue to use my existing platform, but eventually I will have to pay a monthly fee in order to use the software, because at some point I will have to upgrade. Plus, there will be no more single software purchases available. What if I only want to use Photoshop? I don’t like the approach that Adobe is taking and I know there are others who feel the same.

What to Do?

I want to be honest in that I view my investment into Adobe and other apps as that – an investment. I may classify software as a business expense, but if the software allows me to make a profit or make my business process more efficient, I don’t have a problem with spending the money. The other side is that as more and more software businesses transition to SaaS (software as a service) or cloud based applications, the cost of doing business increases. I’m no longer able to pay a one-time fee for a product that gives me several years of worth from it. Instead, I will have to pay monthly fees for the rights to use the service or product. Again, this isn’t always a bad thing because there are benefits, but these benefits do add up. How will this affect small business owners? It is something to be concerned about.

I don’t know that there is a great solution for either situation, but these two developments have definitely caused me to rethink my love for Adobe products at the moment. Maybe I am off base.

What do you think? 

I am Extremely Proud of Tyler

I imagine most parents would say this of their children, but for me it’s more than just Tyler graduating from high school. I am proud of the young man he has become.

Tyler is smart and has a quick, witty sense of humor about him. He is quiet and reserved, but given the chance to say what’s on his mind, he can make you cry with laughter. My son is a very good artist and I’ve been teaching him the “family business.” He  amazes me with his understanding of what makes great design great. He just gets it, which is exciting. Tyler loves soccer as much as I do, and in all the years he has played, he definitely became a better player than I ever was – as a goalkeeper and midfielder. It has been so cool watching him progress over the years!

All that being said, it’s not his perfect grade point average or the many goals he has scored that makes me a proud parent. Those things have never really mattered to me. What has been the most impressive is the Godly character and wisdom he has shown for a teenager of only seventeen years of age. Tyler is a way better person than I was at his age — and I am extremely thankful for that. In fact, there are days where he shows more character and wisdom than adults. That speaks volumes to me.

Congratulations Tyler!

You are the best son that a father could ever ask for and I have been blessed to be your dad. You have brought incredible joy to our family as well as much laughter. Your mom and I want the best for you in your journey and we are here for you if you need it.  We are proud of you for everything you have accomplished and for the Godly man you have become. I love you very much!

DO or DO NOT

Let me get straight to the point without sugar coating my message. You either need to DO or DO NOT when it comes to following through on those ideas. Maybe you’ve had an idea to launch a new eBook or to start an online course. Perhaps you want to launch a lifestyle business or build a WordPress product. Whatever the case is, there might be something you’ve planned to do for a while that you have failed to act on. It’s time to crap or to get off the pot! Totally abrasive way to say it, but being bluntly honest.

There is No Try.

In the United States, we live in a society that has been taught we are all winners … as long as we try to make an effort. This is the most asinine belief and is not true. People win and people lose. You will never achieve business success or launch that product idea with a lackadaisical attitude towards trying. It is only when you have the absolute determination that you are either going to do it or die trying that will make a difference in the outcome. Wishful thinking and excuses are where the losers hang their shingles.

There is No Wait.

We are waiting for the perfect time. I need the capital to get started. Lets keep talking about the possibilities. I want my product to be perfect before launching …

There is a pattern that I see in people who DO or DO NOT. People who DO, will act on their ideas and make things happen. They don’t sit around thinking of the many reasons why they shouldn’t do something. They don’t wait for miraculous signs or market conditions or collaborative partners to step up. They perform and launch, even if it means the end result is failure. And they will repeat the process over and over again. People who DO NOT, well, they just talk and wait. Crap or get off the pot. That’s what I say.

You have everything, I have nothing.

This has been said to me in a variety of ways over the last ten years. From family members to friends to colleagues to people I’ve coached. To be honest, I’ve even said it to others myself in the course of my lifetime. How shameful! As long as you are able to breathe, you have something.

Years ago I had a family member tell me how rough it must be to be in my shoes. Recently someone told me it must be rough to be able to take the trips I’ve taken and will take this year. This is painful because not many people know all of my story.

My grade-school teacher told me I would never make anything of my life because I drew in class all the time. I went through abuse as a kid. Over ten years ago I was a drug addict and an alcoholic. I’ve gone through bankruptcy and losing almost everything I owned. I lost my dad at an early age in life and it was the most absolute hell I’ve ever gone through. I watched several friends die as a teenager due to alcohol related accidents. I sucked so much at business that I had to feed my family MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and Ramen Noodles because I couldn’t charge what I was worth. I was depressed, suicidal, and without hope. Yeah, it must be rough.

If anyone has excuses to DO NOT, I would certainly be first in line as a candidate. And there are many of you who have been through worse. The only reason I have it so “rough” besides God’s blessing in my life is because I refused to let ANY of these circumstances stop me from doing.

What are YOU going to do?

I’ve been totally transparent with you through this entire post because I am sad to see how many people refuse to do. Hell, so many people don’t even try. I hear their stories, I hear their dreams. But they will never experience what they desire because they simply DO NOT.

My story isn’t special at all, but I will tell you what I’ve told others — if I can do it, you can do it too!

The truth is that all of us have opportunities in our lives every day to make a difference or to fulfill a dream. There is nothing truly holding you back other than your desire to make it happen at all costs. I’ll tell you another piece of valuable advice … success never happens overnight and never without failures. Ever.

When you are tired of your situation or ready to complete that idea, you just need to do. You need to take action every single day to see your goals realized. You need to tune out the rest of the world and the excuses holding you back.

Raise the X-Wing out of the swamp, Luke. You must unlearn what you have learned. Do or Do Not. There is No Try!

It’s a simple saying that I’ve heard countless times throughout my life. There’s really no rocket science to the advice. You just follow your natural instincts when it comes time to make a big decision, whether the decision is personal or professional. Nine times out of ten, your gut feeling is right.

But why do we avoid it then?

I think that sometimes going with our gut feels too easy. It’s not normal to make a decision based on a feeling. We want to conduct research, talk with friends, make pros and cons lists, stress over the details, and shake the magic beads to see if our instinct is right. It’s not that doing these actions are bad, it’s just not alway necessary. Sometimes we need to trust that God-given ability that will lead us down the right path instead of second guessing.

Just Follow Your Instincts

I’ve been burned in several business partnerships. Every time a failure has happened, I knew in my gut that something wasn’t right, but I pushed that feeling aside because on paper or in theory, the deal pointed to success. When I didn’t listen to my instincts, I ended up in a mess. This is why you can’t always base your decisions off of a pros and cons list or market research. What works on paper may not work in reality.

Maybe you have a business idea that you feel will be amazing but you keep trying to substantiate it with evidence. Perhaps you’ve been approached about collaborating on a cool project but your gut is telling you to say no. It could be that your soul is screaming to get on that new adventure in life but your friends think you’re crazy. Whatever the situation might be, be true to what you feel inside your gut. There IS a reason for it. There may not be that scientific evidence behind it, but sometimes even science can be wrong.

I just watched your video, How to Make Six Figures in Web Design, and I feel pretty inspired to go on and charge what I am worth. I understand charging for the value that I bring to a customer, but a problem I constantly run into is finding customers who are wanting to pay next to nothing for my work.

I am a good networker and get a lot of leads, but as soon as I start talking figures with clients, they tend to be scared off and go and find someone else to do it for half the cost, no matter how well I have presented myself. I’m stuck with having to do the small ‘put the food on the table’ type of work  or getting paid cheaper prices. I feel like it’s too difficult to jump up to the next level to be able to charge what I am really worth.

Is there any advice you can give me on this?

The Problem

This is a common situation that web design professionals find themselves in. They know that they need to charge more for their services and that their work brings value to the client, but the potential client doesn’t understand the true value offered or is only concerned with getting the bottom dollar pricing.

Getting away from this problem is a tough challenge, especially when you have to put food on the table. I personally understand this delicate situation because I’ve lived through it. But you must remember one thing – you are never stuck with having to do work that is free or cheap. That doesn’t mean you should put yourself in a worse situation by not doing any work at all, but that you can must begin a mind shift in winning the right clients for the right fees.

The Solution

There are several pieces of advice I can give for this situation:

Always Pre-Qualify

There are potential clients, that no matter what song and dance you do, will never invest any money with you. Don’t waste your time or energy with them. Some people will disagree with me and say that eventually these people could become clients in the future. Great … let them be someone else’s client. You’re objective is to start separating the wheat from the chaff. You want clients who understand and appreciate the value you bring to them and who are willing to invest in that value.

Begin with asking questions about their needs, their desires, and their budget. You can do this by email, phone, or a questionnaire on your website. Whatever the method, the idea is to discover if they are looking for a great solution or a cheap fix. When you get your process down, you will know in ten minutes if the potential client is right for you.

Provide Education

Clients don’t know what they don’t know. Educating clients on the true value of your product or services will not only benefit them, it will also increase your opportunity to win profitable work. I will also say that education should go beyond the mentality of what you can do for them. Share your wisdom and insights because you genuinely want to help others.

Learn to Say No

This will be the most difficult piece of advice to actually put into practice. If a potential client is not willing to pay you what you are worth, you need to say no and walk away. I understand that this is scary when you are trying to put food on the table, but the reality is you will reap what you sow. The more you lower your standards in order to just get work, the more you will find yourself always saying yes to projects that are not worth your time. You actually train yourself that you are only worth bottom dollar pricing, and this my friend, is not good.

Invest in Finding the Perfect Clients

The most valuable advice I can provide to you is this … start focusing on finding the perfect clients. They are out there and they are waiting for you! Learn how to sell on value. When you make the decision to only start working with people who value what you do and are willing to invest in the products or services that meet their needs, your business dynamic will change. You will start making a great living and doing work that you enjoy.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning from getting by to making a great living is never an easy one. It can seem like an impossible achievement, but you can do it! Start working through these steps and it will definitely get you to the point of where you are charging what you are worth. The more you do these things, the more confident you become. The more confident you become, the more successful you will be.

What I Learned Working From Home

I have never regretted starting my business from home. It has been one of the best decisions of my life because I’ve been able to be present and available for my family. If you have children, you know that they grow up so quickly and that our time with them is shorter than you think. I wouldn’t trade my experience for any amount of money or industry prestige.

All that being said, as wonderful as the experience has been, there are challenges of working from home. There are considerations you must evaluate and there are tips that can improve your health and sanity. I want to share the seven best pieces of advice that I could ever share.

1.  Set up a separate work space:  It is very beneficial to have a specific area in your home dedicated to your work or business. You need your own space, preferably in a spare bedroom or the garage. But whatever you do, don’t set up shop in your bedroom.

2. Define healthy boundaries: It’s important to have rules and guidelines when working around family or friends. You have to stay focused when it’s time to produce and be able to say no to situations that will keep you from completing your work. Define guidelines for yourself and the people around you to keep you on task. Note: Distractions that always should be allowed are hugs from your children or a “nooner” with your spouse … just saying!!

3. Be ergonomically correct: You owe it to your health to set up a workstation that is comfortable and ergonomically safe for your body. This means buying the best chair you can afford, investing in a stand up desk, purchasing larger computer monitors, and having proper lighting. Whatever you can do to avoid health issues is a must! I’ve spent over 20 years behind a computer screen and it’s not been without significant health issues – issues that easily could have been avoided by being ergonomically correct.

4. Take regular breaks: You. Are. Not. A. Machine. It may seem you get more work done when you sit for 10 hours straight, but the reality is you accomplish more with regular breaks. I suggest a ten minute break for every hour that you work. Get up and walk around. Do jumping jacks. Look outside. Whatever it is, just take a break.

5. Exercise daily and eat right. You can have all the ergonomically correct devices on the planet, but if you work behind a computer to make your living and consume massive amounts of Red Bull and microwavable foods daily, you will have some serious health problems. My life has changed dramatically since I took up eating healthier and exercising daily – to the tune of losing 21 pounds and feeling way more energetic.

6. Make friends and invest in relationships: Looking at the walls all day long when doing web design or development work will drive you crazy. You may even start having conversations with yourself. I know I have! Take time away from your work to talk shop or life with your friends – and I don’t mean surface conversations on Twitter or iChat. Having deep human connections is what will keep us moving forward and sane in a home based business.

7. Get away from it all! Being a workaholic is NOT something you should be proud of. It’s great to love what you do or to have the mindset about working hard, but you really do need time away from your business. Turn off your phone and shut down the computer. Get away on a regular basis and be sure to take extended periods off from your work.

None of these tips or best practices are earth shattering, but applying them to your daily life will make a huge difference to you and your business.

I recently had the opportunity to try out Flywheel, the new WordPress website hosting service focused solely on designers. Now, before you read my review here is one thing that you need to know — this review is ONLY based on the User Experience angle and not on the technical aspects of the service. I am not qualified enough to give you a rating based on those requirements.

Flywheel: Elegant WordPress Hosting and Management

From the very first interaction I had with Flywheel, I was extremely impressed. The service is currently in beta mode and you can only test it out through a special invite code. I asked for some help via Twitter and within minutes, co-founder Rick Knudtson contacted me about a walk through demo. After a quick review and Q&A session, I was on my way to test the waters.

USER INTERFACE

The User Interface is beautiful and well thought out. Getting around the dashboard is not complicated and you can start launching your site within minutes, without the confusing cPanel options that other website hosting providers might offer you. The whole experience with Flywheel is straightforward especially for the technically challenged.

SPEED

We all know that speed is important when it comes to web hosting. While I haven’t conducted in-depth speed testing research on Flywheel, I can tell you that my initial website set up was fast and that working through the WP dashboard on the site was significantly faster than when I work on my HostGator sites. I hate waiting because it kills my productivity and I don’t think this would be an issue with Flywheel.

AUTO BACKUPS AND RESTORE

I highly value Backup Buddy from iThemes and prefer to have it installed on all my websites, but I am not able to use it with Flywheel. However, this is a standard restriction with many WordPress hosting providers and I understand the reasons behind limiting what plugins can be used on a hosting platform. Since they offer auto backups and restore, this would not be a deal breaker for me.

ONE SINGLE LOGIN

This is a huge benefit! For a designer with over 30 websites in my care, tracking all of those login and passwords is a real pain. Access your client sites with one login and password.

FREE DEMO SITES

Another great benefit I see for designers is the ability to create as many demo sites as they need without paying additional fees. You can set up a beta site, have your client review and approve it, and then make the payment to launch their website live on the web. I realize I can do the same with my HostGator account, but it requires me to go through several steps to launch a beta site. Flywheel offers a faster and more efficient way to achieve this objective.

FREE WEBSITE MIGRATION

Yes, yes, and yes!  I absolutely hate migrating sites and the offer to do this for free definitely is a hook for me. I have better things to do with my time than to deal with technical frustrations and services I am not equipped to do.

REFERRALS

There are some personal reasons why I usually don’t offer affiliate links, but Flywheel offers an affiliate program that I like. You can earn a 20% of monthly fees for any sites created by customers that were referred by you, and earn 20% off off all of those customers’ direct earnings. You can also earn 20% when you create a site for a client and transfer payment to them – and receive that commission every month for as long as they are a customer.

CLIENT PAYMENTS

The last selling point that I really appreciate is that I don’t have to ask clients to go sign up with a HostGator account or other hosting plan and then provide me with their information. I can easily create a website for my client and seamlessly transition the payment option to them without all the messiness that is common in this procedure.

PRICING

So what does it cost to set up shop with Flywheel? The plans currently are $15 per month for the Tiny Plan, $30 per month for the Professional Plan, and  $75 per month for the Business Plan. Each has their limits on bandwidth, storage, and other features, but I am less concerned with cost (I believe great hosting is an investment) and more concerned with dependability.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall I am very impressed! I think this is a perfect solution for creative types who don’t want to mess with all the technical details and complexities that can come with hosting websites or in just getting their clients signed up properly for a website hosting account. The ease of use is definitely a perfect “10″ on a 1-10 scale.

My only concern at this time is that Flywheel is new in the game. Website hosting can present a wide range of potential problems and when I refer a client or set up their site on a hosting platform, I like to have as much assurance as possible that their experience will be a great one. However, I have had hiccups with every hosting provider I have ever used, so I don’t believe that there is one perfect solution or that any hosting company is bulletproof.

Check out Flywheel for yourself and ask for a test drive. 

I don’t want to spend three hours reading an instruction manual or fishing around in a support forum. An eight hour video series on setting up your WordPress theme is unacceptable. You will lose my business with complicated pricing and support levels. When I spend my time and money to purchase what you are selling and it only ends up in days or weeks of frustration, I am going to tell hundreds of my friends. Again, you will likely lose my business forever.

It’s not that I am demanding or have over the top expectations. I just don’t have time for complexities that could and should be avoided. To be fair, there are times where I am just dumb – the solution is right in front of me but I just didn’t look hard enough. I also know that I have to do my part and that life doesn’t have an “easy button” that will make everything happen magically for me right now. But some products and services just over complicate everything. If I feel this way, how many of your customers or clients feel this way?

Make Simplicity a Priority in Your Creation Process

Whether you create WordPress themes or plugins, you should always consider how you can make your product easier to use for your customers. If you provide web design or web development services, you need to make your packages or services easier to understand for potential clients. Remember that you understand what you are doing because you are the creator. The end user doesn’t always see things how you see them. Put yourself in their shoes.

I’ve been experimenting with some WordPress products over the past couple of months and there are those that I love and those I really hate. One plugin I’ve tested is so complicated and bloated with features that it would take me months to set it up and configure it to work with my project, yet it’s billed as an “easy to use” product. Not even close! I feel the developer wanted a solution that meet everyone’s needs — and it turned into a disaster to use.

Simplicity will make more fans for you and your business. 

Easy Digital Downloads. WP101. Pagely. Freshbooks. Dwolla. All have built a great fan base because they solve a problem and make using their products or services really easy. It’s why I love Apple. They design for the simple, yet powerful, experience.

I want to challenge you to really look at your products and services the next week or month. Question yourself or your team if what you have created or will be launching is designed for simplicity. Ask if you can build raving fans around your business because you are so awesome at being simple. If you achieve this, I promise you I will be a fan.

SIGN PAINTERS (OFFICIAL TRAILER) from samuel j macon on Vimeo.

Why It Resonates with My Soul

I was in my element. And this was it … just to feel that; that brush and just a little bit of drag in the paint. You could make that brush do anything that you wanted to. I mean that’s power. It’s real power. – Keith Knecht

Long before the days of computers and digital technology, my dream was to be an illustrator and cartoonist. I simply loved to draw whatever my mind could dream up. It was a feeling of real power. I launched my first business venture by customizing Chuck Taylor All Stars and Levi’s 501s with a Sharpie pen and airbrush. It’s around that time that I first came to know the art of sign painting.

One Shot Lettering Enamel. Pinstriping Brushes. And No Limits.

I don’t think many people, even my family, knows that I used to do hand-lettering and sign painting. I would apply One-Shot to signs, tire covers, banners, and windows. Eventually I even started doing murals. Sign painting and lettering was different than most of the other methods I used to explore my creativity. I liked it because it was about the craftsmanship and the power of creating something lots of people would see. Fine art is great, but it’s limited in who might view the masterpiece. Art that graced the side of a building or an automobile, now that was something!

Back then, the creations were never about money or commercialism. Like so many other artists that I knew, we only wanted to create art for the passion we had for it. Making money was secondary to the feeling of pride in craftsmanship. It was all about the art. Period.

Video Killed the Radio Star

I remember the computer technology movement beginning. I remember when I first plotted out my first design on a vinyl cutting plotter. And I remember when I transitioned from true craftsmanship and passion-filled artwork to commercial design and graphic art. Technology changed the world, for better and for worse.

There is no doubt that the transition benefited my life. Had I continued to focus on airbrushing, sign painting, or cartooning as my craft, there is no telling if I would be able to make a living today. Some of the “old school” ways of doing things have become obsolete in the digital age and thank goodness they have. I cannot tell you how many times I screamed because burnishing type for advertisements went wrong or how many architectural blueprints I had to redo because my Rapidograph pen threw up ink onto my drawing. It was maddening!

Yet, I do miss the days when creating was about that passion for craftsmanship – especially as how it relates to sign painting and hand-drawn lettering.

A Spark. A Hope. And a Why.

It’s possible that this entire post is just boring artistic romanticism to you, but to me it’s something else. The video reminded me that the ideals of artistic passion and craftsmanship are not dead, nor will they ever die, if we don’t let it. The story isn’t so much about the trade of sign painting, as awesome as it is, but being able to manifest this same feeling of power no matter what tool or method we use to create. I’ve honestly felt dead in design. I want to live again.

Several times lately I’ve heard we need to discover our “why” — the reason behind our efforts in doing something. This applies to our personal and professional lives. We must know our why for business in order to keep us on track, moving towards our goals. I guess it is similar to discovering your purpose. I now know my why …

To inspire others and change the world around me through creativity and craftsmanship.

I’ve had a dream and a vision for over a decade that got smothered by the complexities and commercialism of life. The video was a spark that I needed. Perhaps it’s time to let that fire grow again. Thank you for allowing me to share the craziness of my life with you!

Finding a Niche in WordPress is Critical

It may seem that drilling down your business model on a smaller target market would limit you in building a profitable, sustainable business but it doesn’t! In fact, it does the opposite and provides you with more opportunity than you could ever imagine. Launching a WordPress based company within a niche will do way more for you than the shotgun approach where everyone is your target. Here are just a few awesome businesses who thrive by niching down.

• Page.ly: They were the first to launch WordPress specific website hosting.
• Happy Tables: Websites for restaurants.
• Sucuri Security: Website security for WordPress.
• Hotel Propeller: Web design for hotels and Inns.
• WordPress.com for Weddings: Just one vertical business model from WordPress.
• Maintainn: WordPress maintenance and support.

These companies have found success by defining a smaller market and then being the best in that arena. Companies who offer every service under the sun and to every type of client will likely find themselves struggling for work.

The Smaller Your Focus, The Larger You Become

Over ten years ago I helped launch a web design company with my friend called Church Plant Media. No one thought we could ever make a living doing websites for churches, especially for church plants that are just like many bootstrapped startups in the business world. We focused on more progressive church plants with leaders who understood the value of technology and professional marketing. And it worked! It worked so well that we had a waiting list for three months shortly after launch. Church Plant Media exploded and became THE company for church websites all by niching down.

What Niches Exist for You in WordPress?

If you want to be a small niche business in the world of WordPress, you can end up being huge. The problem you have now is deciding where to focus and where to place your bets. I can’t tell you exactly what the right niche is for you – only you know what resonates in your heart or meshes with your abilities. However, I will share some ideas with you.

Skills or Services

• Content Writing
• Video Production
• Maintenance
• Coaching
• Education
• Training
• Membership Sites

Target Markets

• Tattoo Shops
• Rock Bands
• Dentistry
• Financial Advisors
• Book Authors
• Sports Teams (Little League to High School)
• Martial Arts
• Spas and Gyms

There are plenty of niche markets available that you can establish and build your name in. Spend time researching where there is a need or an itch to scratch. Determine if that model fits your interest and then go for it.

Does this mean you can never broaden out into other markets? Not at all. If you can build a great system for delivering consistent and professional results, you can find other vertical markets like WordPress.com has done or Brian Casel who has launched both Hotel Propellor and Restaurant Engine. However, if you do decide to operate in more than one market, you have to be sure that you never kill off your core business. It is easy to forget to keep the main thing, the main thing.

So get out there. Find your niche business market in WordPress. And then dominate at it.