377 - Lessons from a Web Designers' First Year in Business with Megan Fletcher

Having a ton of maintenance plan clients is awesome - especially for the recurring revenue. But with ongoing support clients come with ongoing support requests.Managing this with a dozen or so clients is pretty easy. And as we all know – not all clients ping you every month with requests. But once you get to 30, 40, 50, 100 + maintenance plan clients, you’ve got to have a system for support.That’s why I’m pumped to share this chat I had with Phil Storey, founder and CEO of Glow. This one is interesting because, not only did Phil have some solid advice for handling support requests but it was also a chance for me to learn more about his platform.I’ve been using ManageWP since 2016 and while it’s still my preferred tool for managing multiple WordPress sites, you can’t link in non-WordPress sites and there’s no native support ticketing system.That’s one of the big value-props of Glow as you can add non-WP sites and their big differentiator in the market is the native support ticketing system.We dig into all of that and more!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/378

Do you remember your first year in business as a web designer? Are you there now?One thing is common for all of us in the first year…it’s a rollercoaster of highs and lows, ups and downs, incredible days and perhaps dreadful days. But if you can survive that first year, chances are you’re going to make it.I’m so excited to bring onto the podcast Megan Fletcher who just crossed her first year official year in business and at the same time, had her biggest revenue month to date pulling in over 8k!She’s now got her sights set on a 6-figure business and has an incredible foundation to get there in year 2.In this chat, she shares all her lessons learned (both good and bad) from the first year of her business and most importantly, how she weathered a couple storms and got through the tough times.As a member of my community Web Designer Pro, I have to say these success stories are some of my favorites because I often see all the challenges, hardships and coach members when they’re in the thick of it…but I know there’s always a brighter future right ahead if they just stick with it!! And that’s exactly what Megan has done.Enjoy!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/377

Jump into Web Designer Pro™ for your first month at 50% off with code APRIL50 at webdesignerpro.com. This special offer expires at the end of April 2025, so don't miss your chance to access all courses and join our thriving community!In this Q&A session, we dive deep into what's working right now in the web design industry, answering listener questions on topics from SEO to networking strategies, CRM systems, and leveraging AI effectively in your business.• SEO fundamentals remain largely unchanged despite AI advancements with core principles of good structure and quality content still driving results• Local networking is most effective when you focus on accessing others' networks rather than directly selling to group members• CRM systems like 17hats can dramatically improve workflow efficiency through automation of proposals, contracts and client onboarding• Adding quarterly strategy calls to maintenance plans can generate significant additional revenue while strengthening client relationships• White label services require consistent value demonstration in communities rather than simply asking for work• AI is most effectively used beyond just site building – leverage it for business development, finding networking opportunities, and streamlining operations• The most successful designers focus on helping clients grow their businesses with websites as a tool rather than just delivering websites• Raising your rates regularly is essential for business sustainability, especially as your skills and results improveWatch the full replay here

Josh here popping in with a special bonus episode on my thoughts on Ai for web designers. This was taken from a recent panel discussion about Ai on the Small Business Sweet Spot podcast.For the full episode and to hear other opinions on the good and bad of Ai for small businesses in 2025, check it out at:Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ByyAcRHME1WiPNvrt0dqz?si=7c07b8e44dfe4673Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fight-it-or-friend-it-ai-use-for-the-solopreneur-ep57/id1728291369?i=1000704431752Blog Post https://compassdigitalstrategies.com/podcast/fight-it-or-friend-it-ai-use-for-the-solopreneur-ep57/

Web designers do a lot more than just web design…It’s not uncommon for us to be graphic and brand designers, photographers, strategists, copywriters, etc…So, should we call ourselves more than just a web designer?Award winning branding and design studio founder Jacob Cass, who’s worked with Disney, Nintendo and Jerry Seinfeld, has done it all and has some invaluable experience and perspective to share when it comes to how web designers can position themselves nowadays.One of the many things I learned from talking with Jacob is – if you position yourself in a way that’s right for you, you’ll watch your revenue climb, you’ll attract better clients and enjoy your work more.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/376

There’s nothing better than talking to a web designer who’s enjoying their work, loving their clients, making good money and who’s just all around thriving. And that’s why I’m pumped to share this recent convo I had with Kristin Adkins of Crash Design Co who’s found a suite niche by becoming the trusted “web designer for speakers”Kristin was on the podcast (ep 143) when she had just gone full time and I thought it was a good time to catch up because now, 5 years later, she’s grown her business, nailed her niche and continues to love every minute of it. A lot of web designers get burned out, take too much on or have goals that lead to stress and growth pains but Kristin’s done it right by building a business around her lifestyle goals and mid-west pace.This was a hard one to title because we get into everything from:NichingScaling/hiringBuilding a referral networkRaising ratesSticking with Elementor (and not having shiny object syndrome)The value of sending clients “website launch packs”And so much more. But it’s all the things that have led to her having an amazing first 5 years so that’s what we get into in this one.P.S. Wouldn’t it be cool to see her website launch pack examples and process? Kristin will be doing a special guest training inside Web Designer Pro™ this summer so jump on in to connect with her!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/375

I'm doing a first for my business in 2025...sharing quarterly recaps and income reports!In this first-ever quarterly income report, we'll get into how we achieved $115,655 in revenue with over $88,000 in profit while building Web Designer Pro to $346,459 in annual recurring revenue.Highlights include:• Moving course sales pages from joshhallco to webdesignerprocom, including transferring all course reviews using Senja• Launching Web Designer HQ, a centralized directory for all SOP templates, email scripts, and resources• Creating audio versions of three courses available as private podcast feeds for Pro members• Introducing Brock, an AI agent for Web Designer Pro that helps members find resources and get coaching• Planning course revamps for DNS and SEO courses plus developing a new model site• Celebrating nearly selling out the first Web Designer Pro conference with 36 out of 40 tickets sold• Breaking down revenue streams: $85,000 from Web Designer Pro memberships, $15,000 from sponsorships, $8,186 from affiliate income• Maintaining a lean business model with just $27,600 in quarterly expenses, including team costs and taxesI definitely challenge you to look at your own business numbers quarterly, even if you don't share them publicly. Take time to celebrate your wins and analyze what's working and what's not!- Josh

The social media video and reel game is a hard one to play (and win) when it comes to landing clients. Every platform is beyond saturated, the competition is only growing and unless you’re getting quality leads fairly quick, it can be difficult to stick with.But as Roberto Blake has recently been quoted in saying:”While there may be saturation in a market, there’s not a saturation of “quality.”This could not be more timely for you if you’re wanting to market your web design business with videos and reels. And there may be no better example of this than my guest in this chat, Blaze Smith Blaze, who at a very young age, started getting clients immediately through Instagram and TikTok reels. Many of them with big brand CEO’s, founders and marketing directors.We get into his process from planning, to recording, to the proven strategies and blueprints he follows for all his videos which have not only brought in quality leads, but have also built up his social media following to tens of thousands in a matter of months.If you’re wondering how to stand out and get clients with reels, here ya go.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/374

Ok web designer – tell me if this sounds familiar…You sign on a new client for a website project!But then, they send you their atrocious logo…Now what?Do you design the website based on their terrible logo/existing brand?Do you try to upsell an unexpected logo/brand package?Do you pause the website project and tell them to hire a new logo designer first?This is a very common challenge for web designers but there is a solution!Repeat guest and branding expert Jamie Starcevich has really dialed in a nifty solution for this situation which is, in short, to offer a “Light Branding Package.” In this chat, we get into all the details of how to offer it, what constraints to put on it, how much to charge for it and more!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/373

Broc (named “Broccoli” by my daughter Annie) is our new Ai assistant in Web Designer Pro™ and it's available now as a part of your membership to Pro!▶️ Watch the video walkthru of Broc hereIt'll help you find lessons, resources, posts, threads, members, past calls, etc. It pulls from strictly from Web Designer Pro™ source material so everything you’re getting is straight from Pro.And apart from using it to help you find resources, you can use it as your own “Josh Ai Coach” to ask it any questions about pricing, offers, scaling, etc!Join at WebDesignerPro.com to get instant access to Broc!Available on the Community and Coaching Tiers.P.S. If you're on the Courses Tier, you can upgrade here