Creation and maintenance of websites
POPULARITY
Categories
When Divi came onto the scene and introduced the visual builder (in 2016), it became THE most popular visual builder for WordPress.But now, it's a decade later, and what was revolutionary back then isn't cutting it in 2026.Divi has been in a transition over the last couple of years since the announcement of Divi 5, which was a complete, modern rebuild.Many others and I, who were early adopters (I started using it in September 2024), have had to show patience, persistence, and perseverance through the many updates, bug fixes, UX and builder changes. Many Divi designers didn't last through the transition and abandoned the Divi ship for other WordPress page builder alternatives…, but like me, many Divi designers have grown to embrace and even love the new Divi 5 experience, for many reasons.One of those designers is my good friend Ania Romanska with Divi Lover.In this episode, we dug into our experience with transitioning from Divi 4 to Divi 5, what we love about it, what we're excited about, and what we're still frustrated with/hoping they address soon.And speaking of Ania, she is one of THE BEST Divi designers I know and has a real knack for not only designing websites, but creating a “Design System” that you can replicate and build on site after site after site after site, making website builds faster, more efficient, and more fun.She's hosting the next Divi 5 Design System Workshop Sept 7th-9th, 2026!The value you get for only $97 is absolutely wild, but as a listener of the show, you can use my code JOSHHALL at checkout for 30% OFF! Only $67 to learn how to master Divi 5 with a complete, workable design system that you can use over and over again.Head to joshhall.co/workshop to secure your seatAgain, use coupon code JOSHHALL at checkout for 30% off.P.S. I'll be there learning right beside you because I'm taking this workshop as well as promoting it! I know Divi 5 pretty well but have not kept up with the recent updates so I'm excited to learn from someone who may know Divi 5 better than anyone I know.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/439
Chris has Jacob Miller on the show, who is building a tool called DiffUI. The big idea is that it uses a diffusion model to do prompt-to-website design rather than an LLM, because image-based models are more interesting and creative. So stay there for a while, producing really detailed visual mockups and plans, then head to the LLM. Time Jumps
Grab our High-Converting Web Design Proposal Template and start confidently charging a lot more for custom web design projects, without hustling, overworking, or losing all your clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposal #208 - Why Web Designers Need to Think Like Conversion Strategists, Not Just Designers, with Cathy Olson I sat down with Cathy Olson, co-founder of Funnel Gorgeous and FG Funnels, to talk about the thing that actually separates a web designer charging a thousand dollars from one charging fifty thousand dollars for the same skill set, and it comes down to understanding the psychology behind why design sells and being able to explain it. Cathy spent years running a high end web design studio before she discovered sales funnels and completely shifted how she thought about her work. In this episode we get into why explaining the "why" behind your design decisions builds trust and lets you charge more, what a sales page can teach you about conversion psychology even if you never build a funnel, why she thinks AI is actually good news for designers willing to level up, and what it took for her to walk away from a business community that turned on her when she made a decision that was right for her company. What you'll learn... Why explaining your design decisions is the difference between a $1,000 website and a $50,000 one How to study a sales page like a masterclass in conversion psychology Why testimonials work as trust buffers and what an offer stack is really doing for a buyer How Cathy uses AI inside her own business without losing what makes her work valuable Why the courage to walk away from what isn't working almost always opens up something better Resources mentioned... FG Society, Cathy's membership community for marketers and designers, starting at $67 a month Cathy's new solo Instagram account for conversion design tips: @cathyfunnels Funnel Gorgeous on Instagram Related episodes... Episode 180: The Truth About Pricing with Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business Podcast, https://webdesigneracademy.com/180 Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects with Shannon Mattern, https://webdesigneracademy.com/189 Episode 202: Is AI Ruining Web Design? (Or Making It Better?) with Diane Whiddon, https://webdesigneracademy.com/202 About Cathy Olson: Cathy is the co-founder of Funnel Gorgeous and FG Funnels, where she and her business partner Julie Chenell help online business owners build profitable, ethical marketing funnels. Website: funnelgorgeous.com | Instagram: @cathyfunnels About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom. For Web Designers: webdesigneracademy.com For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: shannonmattern.com Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner
In my community, Web Designer Pro, we're wrapping up a challenge on “Creating an AI Policy” for our web businesses. This is based largely off of frustrations and challenges that members have been having with clients bringing them AI designs that they want them to code and host, or taking their hard-earned and human-first designs, then using AI to manipulate them into generic slop.That's what led us to recently kick off this community challenge, and in this episode, I'll walk you through the AI Policy starter template that we came up with so you can use it for your web design business!It's below. Completely free, on me. Again, please do not copy and paste it verbatim…use it as a starting point and add your own flare without using AI, ideally!!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/437
Brandon Fix is a Division General Manager at Renuity Home, where he leads one of the company's largest operating divisions. A former U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Officer, he brings a systems-driven approach to leadership, translating military decision-making, operational discipline, and team development into managing complex businesses and P&Ls.Topics:Why Special Ops Make Elite OperatorsThe Military-to-P&L Mental ModelBuilding a Sales Org That ScalesWhat Servant Leadership Means...and so much more.Top TakeawaysGreat operators see people behind every line item. Brandon doesn't treat a P&L as a spreadsheet to optimize. According to his military-to-P&L mental model, marketing is intelligence, sales are the first team into the field, operations deliver the mission, and support functions enable execution. When conversion drops, he looks at sales leadership before the sales report. When marketing underperforms, he asks whether the team has the right intelligence. Financial performance to him is the outcome of how well those teams are led.At scale, your biggest lever is talent. As Brandon's organization grew to a 1,000-person, $350M division, he couldn't be everywhere at once. His job shifted from solving problems to making sure the right leaders were solving them. That meant hiring leaders who can operate independently, coaching them well, and making tough people decisions before small leadership gaps become big operational problems.Don't just build skills, learn to communicate them. Brandon believes his military experience gave him the leadership skills to run a business. But earning that opportunity required learning the language of finance, operations, and private equity so employers could connect his experience to the role. His advice: learn to translate your experience into the language of the role you're pursuing.About Renuity HomeRenuity Home is one of the largest home improvement platforms in the U.S., providing replacement windows, doors, bathrooms, kitchens, garages, closets, and other remodeling services through a family of national and regional brands. The company operates across 40 states, employs 1,000+ people, and has served over 300,000 homeowners, making it a notable example of building scale through acquisitions while preserving strong local operating brands.Investors & Operators is brought to you by 51 Labs51 Labs is a marketing agency for the lower middle market. We offer full-service digital marketing for PE, portfolio companies, IB, VC, hedge funds.Brand Identity, Marketing Strategy, Marketing & AGM Video, LinkedIn Strategy & Execution, Web Design & Development, Growth Support & more400+ videos100+ projects#1 content creator on LinkedIn in the lower middle market
Text a question to Victoria!Have you been told you need to “build trust” with your audience, but you're left wondering what that practically means? Want a peek behind the curtain of BrandWell's hiring process and what it's like to work with us—both as a team member, and as a client? Ariana Ramstad is the founder of My Media House, an upscale marketing and PR agency in Virginia Beach. She builds household names and gets your brand noticed, remembered, and booked. She also runs the socials and email marketing efforts for BrandWell!In this episode, Victoria and Ariana have a candid conversation about her experience working with BrandWell as a member of the team and as a website design client. They talk about both sides of the hiring process and cover the importance of building trust on social media—and what that looks like in practice.If you're feeling stuck with your social media strategy, or you're just a little nosey about what it's like to work with BrandWell, this episode gives you a full behind-the-scenes look. Whether you're out on a solo walk or tackling the pile of dishes in the sink, this episode will leave you with some fresh ways to build trust with your audience, insight into whether or not to build in public, and motivation to make social media a priority.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Watch The Video on YouTubeConnect With Ariana on InstagramFollow My Media House on InstagramVisit My Media House's NEW WebsiteWork With BrandWell For show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link!Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!
I tried. I really did. I tried to find a chink in Bailey Collins' process armor…but I failed.She really does have the most thorough, well-thought-out, and proven process for building websites in a day. And in this episode, she's back on to tell us the ins and outs of how she's built over 500 websites in a day using this process.If you're catching this episode the week it drops, be sure to check out her “Process Like A Pro” challenge happening live, Aug 10-14! Use my link joshhall.co/challenge to get 50% OFF the challenge (only $47)!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/435
Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template Have you ever thought, I just need more clients, I just need to book more projects, and then I'll be okay? But here's the thing - you have real costs associated with running your web design business, and it's not just your time - and if your pricing doesn't cover ALL of your costs, booking more clients doesn't fix your problems - it just means you lose more money faster. That's the conversation fractional CFO and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast Pam Jordan and I had on the podcast just a couple days ago. We also talk about money trauma - where it comes from, how it's influencing your pricing decisions, and what it takes to break through your subconscious pricing ceiling. Pam is the founder of Pivot Business Group and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and she has spent 10 years helping entrepreneurs actually understand their finances after watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy early in her career. In this episode, she breaks down why "money in the bank" isn't the same as a profitable business, what your P&L and balance sheet are actually telling you, and why doing more work at your current prices could be making things worse, not better. Shannon also pulls back the curtain on the Package Matrix™ Method and how it helps web designers charge two to three times more than they ever thought possible... even when their own nervous system is working against them. What You'll Learn: - Why bank balance accounting is one of the most dangerous habits a service provider can have - The 3-part pricing formula (target profit + direct costs + overhead) that shows what you actually need to charge - Why it's a pricing problem, not a volume problem, when your business can't get ahead - The money trauma patterns that create an income ceiling - and how to start breaking through them - How the Package Matrix "benevolent bait and switch" gets web designers to close projects at 2-3x their old prices Key Timestamps: [03:01] The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with their numbers [07:13] What profitable pricing actually looks like for service providers [10:34] The 3-part pricing formula [21:39] It's not a volume problem. It's a pricing problem. [22:34] Money trauma: where it starts and how to work through it [27:01] The Package Matrix and the benevolent bait and switch Resources Mentioned: Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://pamjordan.com/podcast Related Episodes: Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-price-custom-web-design-projects-with-shannon-mattern/ Episode 168: Confident Pricing and Overcoming Mind Trash with Jen Davis - https://webdesigneracademy.com/confident-pricing-overcoming-mind-trash-with-jen-davis-of-better-the-brand-designer-podcast/ Episode 102: Six-Figure Pricing and Money Mindset with Austin L. Church - https://webdesigneracademy.com/six-figure-pricing-and-money-mindset-with-austin-l-church/ About Pam Jordan Pam Jordan is the founder of Pivot Business Group, host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and a fractional CFO who helps entrepreneurs understand their numbers, increase their profitability, reduce their taxes, and grow their wealth. After watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy court early in her career, Pam spent the last decade building a team of bookkeepers, CFOs, and tax strategists who support entrepreneurs at every stage - from cleaning up messy books to implementing tax strategy to forward-looking CFO advisory. Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://www.pamjordan.com/podcast About Shannon Mattern Shannon Mattern is a pricing strategist, creator of the Package Matrix™ and the founder of the Web Designer Academy, where she helps experienced women web designers package, price, and sell their services so they can build profitable, sustainable businesses without burnout. Website: webdesigneracademy.com For Service Providers: https://shannonmattern.com IG: @profitablewebdesigner YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner LinkedIn: shannonmattern
Text a question to Victoria!Does the thought of having kids while growing your business feel intimidating? Or perhaps you are a mom and business owner who struggles with comparison because everyone else seems to “have it all together”. Either way, you'll feel seen, heard, and encouraged during this solo episode where Victoria opens up an honest conversation about motherhood, entrepreneurship, and what her life actually looks like behind the scenes.Victoria answers some burning questions her community asked on Instagram about her daily routine, prioritizing health, building a flexible business, and more. This episode is a coffee chat, heart-to-heart and a reminder that we're all just doing our best. Whether you're catching up on laundry or out for a morning jog, this episode will remind you to embrace the season you're in and remember that no one is perfect.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Work With BrandWell DesignsFor show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link!Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!
Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template Have you ever thought, I just need more clients, I just need to book more projects, and then I'll be okay? But here's the thing - you have real costs associated with running your web design business, and it's not just your time - and if your pricing doesn't cover ALL of your costs, booking more clients doesn't fix your problems - it just means you lose more money faster. That's the conversation fractional CFO and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast Pam Jordan and I had on the podcast just a couple days ago. We also talk about money trauma - where it comes from, how it's influencing your pricing decisions, and what it takes to break through your subconscious pricing ceiling. Pam is the founder of Pivot Business Group and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and she has spent 10 years helping entrepreneurs actually understand their finances after watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy early in her career. In this episode, she breaks down why "money in the bank" isn't the same as a profitable business, what your P&L and balance sheet are actually telling you, and why doing more work at your current prices could be making things worse, not better. Shannon also pulls back the curtain on the Package Matrix™ Method and how it helps web designers charge two to three times more than they ever thought possible... even when their own nervous system is working against them. What You'll Learn: - Why bank balance accounting is one of the most dangerous habits a service provider can have - The 3-part pricing formula (target profit + direct costs + overhead) that shows what you actually need to charge - Why it's a pricing problem, not a volume problem, when your business can't get ahead - The money trauma patterns that create an income ceiling - and how to start breaking through them - How the Package Matrix "benevolent bait and switch" gets web designers to close projects at 2-3x their old prices Key Timestamps: [03:01] The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with their numbers [07:13] What profitable pricing actually looks like for service providers [10:34] The 3-part pricing formula [21:39] It's not a volume problem. It's a pricing problem. [22:34] Money trauma: where it starts and how to work through it [27:01] The Package Matrix and the benevolent bait and switch Resources Mentioned: Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://pamjordan.com/podcast Related Episodes: Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-price-custom-web-design-projects-with-shannon-mattern/ Episode 168: Confident Pricing and Overcoming Mind Trash with Jen Davis - https://webdesigneracademy.com/confident-pricing-overcoming-mind-trash-with-jen-davis-of-better-the-brand-designer-podcast/ Episode 102: Six-Figure Pricing and Money Mindset with Austin L. Church - https://webdesigneracademy.com/six-figure-pricing-and-money-mindset-with-austin-l-church/ About Pam Jordan Pam Jordan is the founder of Pivot Business Group, host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and a fractional CFO who helps entrepreneurs understand their numbers, increase their profitability, reduce their taxes, and grow their wealth. After watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy court early in her career, Pam spent the last decade building a team of bookkeepers, CFOs, and tax strategists who support entrepreneurs at every stage - from cleaning up messy books to implementing tax strategy to forward-looking CFO advisory. Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://www.pamjordan.com/podcast About Shannon Mattern Shannon Mattern is a pricing strategist, creator of the Package Matrix™ and the founder of the Web Designer Academy, where she helps experienced women web designers package, price, and sell their services so they can build profitable, sustainable businesses without burnout. Website: webdesigneracademy.com For Service Providers: https://shannonmattern.com IG: @profitablewebdesigner YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner LinkedIn: shannonmattern
Join me this Thursday, July 30th from 12pm - 1:30pm EST for my What's Working Now (in web design) 2026 Workshop! RSVP for free → No theory. No guessing. No endless AI ideas that lead to overwhelm and uncertainty...Just proven examples of pricing, offers, models, marketing, and sales strategies that are working TODAY for Web Designer Pros killing it in 2026.Save my seat →
Want to know something that's working great for web designers today? Offering AI Search + Local SEO. Especially if you're working with local service providers in blue-collar industries.Back that up with solid, conversion-based website design (plus hosting & maintenance) and you've got a winning recipe of growing monthly recurring revenue and results-based for years to come.That's exactly what Web Designer Pro member Shane Vigeant of tonewoodmarketing.com has discovered, because even though he's building up his web design business on the side, it's growing so much that he's seen the light of going full-time in the near future. Especially at this rate.That's exactly what we discussed on a recent coaching call inside Pro that Shane was kind enough to allow me to repurpose for you here!It's a great convo to tune into if you want to know what's working today for a web designer early in the journey with a focus on AI search + local SEO.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/434P.S. Our resident SEO/Copy expert Michelle Bourbonniere also joins this one halfway through!P.S.S. joshhall.co/workshop to register for my free, upcoming “What's Working Now (in web design)” workshop happening Thursday, July 30th!P.S.S.S. webdesignerpro.com/coaching to lock in the current rate before we move to an application-only model Aug 3
Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template What to Do When Web Design Proposals Go Silent In this replay of our June 2026 live Q&A, I answer four real questions from web designers on some of the most common business challenges that come up again and again. We cover why proposals stall after discovery calls (and what to actually say in your follow-up), how to apply the Package Matrix Method to VIP day and sprint-based offers, how to bring in subcontractors without it becoming a client issue, and how to position the value of a website when local business clients want you to do everything. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why proposals go silent after great discovery calls and the follow-up framework that actually moves people to a decision How to incentivize a decision without pressure-selling or closing on the call How to apply Package Matrix thinking to sprint and VIP day offers when your deliverables don't change How to handle subcontracting and outsourcing when clients expect you to do all the work How to position a conversion-focused website to local business clients who want it all The leaky bucket analogy that shifts clients from cost-based thinking to value-based thinking KEY TIMESTAMPS [00:00] - Welcome and overview [05:30] - Q1: Proposals stalling after discovery calls (Sonya) [25:30] - Q2: Package Matrix for VIP days and sprints (Jess) [44:00] - Q3: Outsourcing and subcontracting (Alyssa) [52:00] - Q4: Selling a website to local business clients (Kristin) RESOURCES MENTIONED Web Designer Academy: https://webdesigneracademy.com Next Level Mastermind: https://webdesigneracademy.com/next-level-mastermind The Package Matrix™ Method: https://shannonmattern.com/package-matrix-method/ RELATED EPISODES Episode 198: How to Make More with Less Web Design Clients - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-make-more-with-less-web-design-clients/ Episode 194: The Daily Habit for Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor - https://webdesigneracademy.com/the-daily-habit-for-building-a-full-web-design-client-pipeline-with-julia-taylor/ Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block of Tiny Marketing - https://webdesigneracademy.com/stop-waiting-for-referrals-and-get-booked-out-with-sarah-noel-block-of-tiny-marketing/ About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method, and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom. For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern
What if you could turn a rough idea, a handful of inspiration images, or even a back-of-the-napkin sketch into a professional design or promotional video—in seconds rather than days?Today's AI design tools can help you create mood boards, photorealistic rooms, 3D objects, architectural visuals, marketing assets, product advertisements, and videos without mastering a long list of complicated creative platforms.The key is to stop treating AI as a one-off image generator. Instead, build repeatable workflows that move from inspiration to finished asset—while dramatically reducing the time, cost, and manual effort involved.In this episode of the Leveraging AI Podcast, Isar Meitis walks through practical AI-powered design workflows that can be applied far beyond interior design.Whether you need visuals for a website, presentation, brochure, proposal, product campaign, architectural project, or social media post, these methods can help you create more options and move from concept to execution faster.In this session, you'll discover:The difference between free 2D-to-3D tools and more detailed paid alternatives.How to move a 3D asset into tools such as SketchUp and create a photorealistic render.How to transform a collection of inspiration images into a professional mood board with ChatGPT.How to preserve a room's layout while changing its furniture, lighting, materials, and atmosphere.How Figma Weave can turn a manual creative process into a repeatable visual workflow.How to place products realistically into new environments with the correct angle, lighting, and shadows.How AI can generate multiple advertising concepts for the same product automatically.How these workflows can support web design, architecture, brochures, proposals, presentations, product marketing, and other business needs.About Leveraging AIThe Ultimate AI Course for Business People: https://multiplai.ai/ai-course/YouTube Full Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Multiplai_AI/Connect with Isar Meitis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isarmeitis/ Join our Live Sessions, AI Hangouts and newsletter: https://services.multiplai.ai/eventsIf you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!
Text a question to Victoria!If you've ever been curious about lip filler and the world of medical aesthetics, then this episode is for you! Lisa Campbell is a nurse practitioner and the Founder of Unveil Aesthetics, an aesthetics and wellness practice based out of Wilmington, Delaware. She specializes in cosmetic injectables, Botox filler, bio stimulators, and more.In this episode, Victoria and Lisa discuss her journey from spending 10 years as a nurse to eventually opening her own aesthetics practice. They talk about medical aesthetics as a field of medicine, rebranding and shifting into a premium brand, advice for new business owners, being a forever student, and how every unique experience you have helps you build the skillset to run your business. Lisa also answers your burning questions on skincare and trendy wellness topics with a fun "do it or ditch it" rapid fire.Whether you work in aesthetics or are simply curious about health and wellness practices (including red light therapy and salmon sperm facials), this conversation is for you. Pour yourself a sparkling water or big mug of coffee, and enjoy this fun girl chat episode with Lisa.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Watch the Episode on YouTubeBook With Unveil Medical AestheticsConnect With Lisa on InstagramWork With BrandWell DesignsFor show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link!Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!
Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template How to Get Web Design Clients Through Cold Email (Without Feeling Gross About It) with Laura Lopuch If you've been putting off outreach because it feels pushy, awkward, or just... wrong, this episode is going to shift that for you. I sat down with Laura Lopuch, founder of the Warm Client Method™, to talk about how web designers can use cold email to get clients without a big following, a referral network, or a full content calendar. Laura has been using cold email to build her business for 11+ years, working just 11 to 13 hours a week. She signed her very first client through a cold pitch, and she used her own system to pitch me to come on this podcast. We get into what makes a pitch land, how to reach out to potential clients without criticizing their website, and why outreach actually feels better than waiting for clients to find you. What You'll Learn: Why the fear of standing out is the #1 thing blocking web designers from outreach The 7 types of cold emails (and why most people only think of one) How to pitch a potential web design client without criticizing their current site Why you don't need a big audience to get clients through outreach What makes a collaboration pitch land vs. fall flat How AI-powered research tools are making cold email faster and less overwhelming Resources Mentioned: Laura Lopuch's website + email list: lauralopuch.com Shannon's High-Converting Proposal Template: webdesigneracademy.com/proposal Related Episodes: Episode 194: The Daily Habit For Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block Episode 197: Building Visual Trust in an Artificial World with Pippa Tanko About Laura Lopuch: Laura Lopuch is the founder of the Warm Client Method™ and Cambium, systems that help online service providers book consistent clients through outreach without content marketing, ads, or referrals. Website: https://lauralopuch.com About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method, and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom. For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern
This episode is one of our Greatest Hits interviews, originally released about two and a half years ago with my close colleague and good friend, Jason Gracia.Jason has built one of the most incredible productized web design businesses I've seen through his company, SWYFT Sites. Since this conversation first aired, he has sold the same core website more than 700 times and generated nearly $2.5 million through the system he created.He's also shared this model inside Web Designer Pro and recently presented his $2 million sales system at one of our ProCon events. This original interview was the conversation that first introduced his system to the world, which is why I wanted to bring it back as one of our Greatest Hits.And the timing couldn't be better.Jason is hosting a completely free Million-Dollar Website Workshop on Thursday, July 16 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern, where he'll pull back the curtain and walk you through the entire system behind SWYFT Sites.I'm a proud partner of Jason's, and this model has helped so many web designers move away from being stuck in daily production and step into the role of business owner.This is especially helpful if:You're tired of being the person doing every part of every website projectYou already serve a specific niche—or want to choose oneWebsites are only one part of a broader marketing or digital agencyYou want to build a productized wing of your existing servicesYou're looking for a more scalable and repeatable business modelJason's approach is one of the best examples of how to turn web design into a systemized offer that can be sold and delivered repeatedly without reinventing every project.In this one, we cover:How Jason built a seven-figure productized web design businessHow SWYFT Sites sells the same proven website system repeatedlyWhy choosing a niche made the model possibleHow he moved from custom projects into a scalable serviceThe systems behind selling and delivering websites at volumeHow productization can help you step out of daily fulfillmentWhy this model works for both web designers and broader agenciesHow Jason generated nearly $2.5 million from one core systemThe difference between owning the business and being the web designerHow to create a productized division without changing your entire companyThis was originally Episode 312, so head to the original show notes for all links and resources mentioned, along with the full transcription at joshhall.co/312.
Send us Fan MailAre traditional websites dying, or are they just changing shapes? Hosts Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal catch up with serial entrepreneur and Mozilla VP of Product Raj Singh to discuss how AI search friction is changing the local web. Learn why small businesses must lean into "trust artifacts," how APIs and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) will surface local businesses to AI agents, and why human-in-the-loop authenticity is your best defense against algorithmic spam.Subscribe to our newsletters and other content at https://www.nearmedia.co/subscribe/
This is part 2 of our “Buy or Sell” series!In part 1 (ep 432), we focused on what it looks like to acquire/buy a web business or their book of clients. In this one, we'll step into the selling shoes and dig into what it looks like to create a sellable web design business.Hans Skillrud is back on and has experience selling his agency in order to go full-time with Termageddon. Jake and John Wooten are building one of the most “sellable” agencies I've seen and have a wealth of experience with creating a productized/systematized web agency.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/433
Text a question to Victoria!What if the biggest breakthroughs in your business aren't found in the milestone moments but in everything that happens in-between?This episode originally aired on The In-Between Podcast With Kassidy Lynne Social, where Victoria joined host, Kassidy Lynne, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, branding, and the difference between being liked and being chosen. Together, they explore the surprising parallels between training for a HYROX competition and building a sustainable business, reminding us that the consistency, resilience, and character developed in the "in-between" are what prepare us for the moments we've been working toward all along.Victoria shares the story behind building BrandWell from a side hustle into a thriving all-female branding agency while raising her three daughters, along with practical insights on brand positioning, creating a website that actually converts, leveraging social media to build trust, and why clarity is what truly sets businesses apart. Whether you're in a season of growth, feeling stuck between milestones, or simply needing a reminder that your daily work matters, this conversation will leave you encouraged to embrace the process instead of rushing toward the finish line.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Watch The Video on YouTubeListen to The In-Between Podcast With Kassidy Lynne SocialWork WIth KassidyFollow Kassidy on InstagramWork With BrandWell DesignsFor show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link!Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!
Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template Have you ever had to wait on a client's photos to finish your web design projects? Like, you've done everything else... the strategy, the copy, the layout... and then you're just stuck, waiting for your client's photo shoot, waiting for the photographer to get the photos processes, for the client to choose them, and then when you finally do get them - you don't even have the sizes or orientations you need to make your designs work? Or the vibe is just all wrong? But what if you could just create the photos yourself - AI portraits, brand photo shoots, the whole thing - and turn it into a profitable add-on service that makes your projects move faster AND gives your clients better images than they'd ever get from a traditional photo shoot? In this episode, I talk with Diane Whiddon, founder of AI Designer's Academy, about how web designers can add AI portrait and brand photo shoot services to their offerings. We dig into how to price these services, the ethics of AI imagery, why clients ask for more wrinkles (not fewer), and what Diane calls "visual claims" - using AI images strategically so your clients' websites build trust and convert before a word is read. What You'll Learn: How to add AI headshots ($600/package) and brand photo shoots ($3,300) to your web design services Why 90% of clients say yes to headshots when you ask at the end of a discovery call The ethical framework Diane teaches inside AI Designers Academy (what you can and can't do) Who is actually buying AI imagery - including clients who can't be served any other way How "visual claims" let designers use imagery to build trust and handle visitor objections strategically Why AI is not going to kill web design - and what IS changing for designers who stay ahead Resources Mentioned: AI Designers Academy: aidesignersacademy.com Swayrise Creative (Diane's agency): swayriscreative.com Web Designer Academy Programs: webdesigneracademy.com/programs Related Episodes: Episode 197: Building Visual Trust in an Artificial World with Pippa Tanko Episode 198: How To Make More With Less Web Design Clients Episode 191: How To Choose the Right Web Design Business Model About Diane Whiddon: Diane Whiddon is the founder of AI Designer's Academy, where she teaches designers how to use AI with the eye and judgment of a creative director. She is also the owner of Swayrise Creative, her boutique Squarespace web design agency. aidesignersacademy.com | LinkedIn: Diane Whiddon About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method, and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom. For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern
Ever thought about acquiring (i.e. buying a web design business) or their book of business as a way to get clients and grow your biz fast?Well, you'll be thinking about it after this conversation with Hans Skillrud, now co-founder of Termageddon, but previously an agency owner who acquired a large book of business, which helped catapult his agency's growth and revenue.We also have Jake Kramer with Artillery Media, who, on the podcast recently, shared that they're in the web business acquisition game, having just purchased a book of business from a web design freelancer. This is part 1 of 2 of our "Buy or Sell" series. Next episode, we'll focus on selling a web design business and what it takes to make your web design business "sellable" one day.Show notes and all links mentioned at joshhall.co/432
Text a question to Victoria!Have you ever felt like you need to live in a big, thriving city to build a premium brand? Do you struggle with wanting to discount your services every time your business hits a slow season? Emily Bartel is the founder of West Medical Aesthetics, located in Oklahoma City, and a Sciton Luminary. She has over 13 years of experience in the aesthetics industry and has worked in several of Oklahoma City's leading medical aesthetic practices, specializing in laser treatments, injectables, and medical-grade skincare.In this episode, Victoria and Emily sit down at the mic to discuss what it actually takes to build a premium aesthetics brand, no matter where you're located. They talk about how Emily built her business strategically, so that she was positioned as a luxury brand from the start. If you'd love to build a more premium reputation for your business but don't know how to get there, this episode will give you practical steps on how to move forward more intentionally. You'll walk away with the foundations you need to build a premium brand with a strong reputation, regardless of where you're located. Whether you're in the carpool pickup line or running off to your next meeting, you don't want to miss this honest and actionable conversation.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Watch The Episode on YouTubeVisit & Book at West Medical AestheticsConnect With Emily on InstagramLearn More About Sciton Work With BrandWellFor show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link!Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!
Get on the waitlist to find out when Shannon's hosting her next open Live Q&A session answering your web design business questions at https://webdesigneracademy.com/qa In this week's episode, hear Shannon answer six questions from real web designers on getting clients, handling scope creep, transitioning to retainers, getting visible without social media, managing AI overwhelm, and rebuilding after a business break. What You'll Learn: How to follow up with networking contacts without feeling pushy or salesy What to say when a project becomes more complex than you originally quoted Shannon's free consultation - paid discovery - package matrix process for avoiding scope surprises How to plant seeds for retainer work before a project even ends Why you don't have to keep up with every AI and technology change to serve your clients How to rebuild your client pipeline after a business break (and why you're not behind) Resources: - Package Matrix™ Template: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template - Web Designer Academy: https://webdesigneracademy.com/program - Next Level Mastermind: https://webdesigneracademy.com/next-level-mastermind - 90-Day Shift Coaching: https://webdesigneracademy.com/private-coaching/ - Open House https://webdesigneracademy.com/tour Related Episodes: Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block Episode 194: The Daily Habit For Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor Episode 198: How To Make More With Less Web Design Clients About Shannon Mattern Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ and the founder of the Web Designer Academy, where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout, and break through to their next level of income and freedom. Website: webdesigneracademy.com Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner TikTok: @profitablewebdesigner YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner LinkedIn: shannonmattern
Well, I'll be. I just recently crossed 1 million in lifetime revenue to date with my community Web Designer Pro.While it was never an exact goal and there was no rush to get to the 7-figure mark, it is a cool milestone and boy howdy have I learned a lot.And that's what I'm sharing with you here in this solo episode of the podcast.More specifically, 7 secrets (and 1 important bonus), that helped me get to the Milly Mark in 5 ½ years.Note, these are not community builder-specific secrets. They're important for all entrepreneurs, web and brand designers in 2026.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/431
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works
Jacques Spitzer is a 4x Emmy® award-winning creative agency founder who was named to AdWeek's Agency Vanguard as one of the top 20 leaders shaping the future of advertising. His agency, Raindrop, has generated billions in campaign sales for powerhouse brands like Dr. Squatch, Native and Grüns and insurgent brands like Good Culture, Hello Panda, Magic Spoon and more. Raindrop's creative force has been showcased by their work on three Super Bowl campaigns and their recent execution of the largest brand launch in Procter & Gamble history for Spruce. As a champion for the next generation of disruptive companies, Jacques serves as a strategic advisor to high-growth CPG brands that Raindrop Ventures has uniquely helped launch and invested in, including Grüns, Laundry Sauce, ForAll, VitaWild, Maeva and Magic Mind. With a trophy case boasting over 50 advertising awards, Jacques' work is consistently recognized for its rare blend of viral creativity and massive ROI. His insights have been featured in Forbes, AdAge, and Entrepreneur Magazine. He was recently named one of the “most influential people in San Diego” by the San Diego Business Journal and one of “California's most visionary CEOs” by the Los Angeles Times, who noted: “Raindrop's creative success and results have put San Diego on the map for creative work across the country.” In addition to his work in advertising, Spitzer helped produce the full-length documentary Wampler's Ascent, which won over 38 international film festival awards. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:43] Scaling Ecommerce through storytelling [04:41] Maximizing current growth channels first [08:14] Managing multiple priorities as a founder [10:11] Shifting from product to customer worth [15:26] Callouts [15:36] Overcoming a leader's limiting beliefs [24:03] Taking balanced risks to protect equity [25:17] Combining math with strategic stories Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Marketing that people love raindrop.agency/ Follow Jacques Spitzer linkedin.com/in/jspitzer5/ If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works
Text a question to Victoria!Have you ever felt like your entire business lives in your head? Do you know you need to start outsourcing, but worry about being the bottleneck? Jessica Frigon is a Fractional COO and Strategic Operations Architect. She's the founder of HavenOaks, a full-service operational partnership for creative women who are ready for their business to match the standard of the work they deliver. In this episode, Victoria and Jessica have a conversation about what it looks like to get operational support in your business, and why it's so important as you grow. They cover signs your business could be founder-dependent and step-by-step how to build a strong business architecture.If you don't know where to start when it comes to streamlining your business operations, this episode is for you. After listening, you'll be able to identify which systems your business is missing in order to scale—without being the bottleneck. Put your feet up, pour yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea, and get out your notepad for this one, because Jessica is bringing you a crash course on business operations.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Watch The Video on YouTubeListen to Victoria's episode on the At Home With Founders PodcastConnect with Jessica on InstagramWork With HavenOaksListen to the At Home With Founders PodcastWork With BrandWell DesignsFor show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link!Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works
Alexia Lynn is a brand strategist, world-class designer, and rock star Web Designer Pro® member who 10x'd her revenue last year after going full-time in August 2025.A huge aspect of her success (other than being an amazing designer and an awesome person) is how she's learned to offer and sell both brand and web together.In this chat, she shares her exact sales process and mindset around how leading with strategy makes selling design, branding and web so much easier.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/430
Angela Clark - Mubarak is a senior digital and eCommerce executive with 30 years of experience building and transforming digital businesses at some of the world's most recognized consumer brands — including Patagonia, Levi Strauss, eBay, elf Cosmetics, Williams-Sonoma, True Religion, and Eddie Bauer. Most recently VP of Digital at Patagonia, Angela now leads Eclipse Advisory Group, a consultancy focused on helping PE-backed brands, legacy retailers, and DTC startups unlock digital growth. She serves on the board of the California State Park Foundation, is an incoming Fellow at the Graham School at the University of Chicago, sits on the Total Retail Advisory Board, and has been recognized as a Direct 60 Honoree and CommerceNext 2024 Leader to Watch. She is based in LA, where is an avid cycler and dog mom to Maximus and Chloe and super auntie to her 12 yr nephew Evan. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:31] Adapting old strategies to new mediums [07:33] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:39] Measuring success beyond simple revenue [14:23] Sponsor: Intelligems [16:24] Resisting trends that mismatch your brand [19:14] Sponsor: Electric Eye [20:19] Investing resources where they matter most [24:25] Moving away from the promotional drug [29:27] Callouts [29:37] Defining your target market sweet spot Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Retail Legacy Meets Digital Disruption eclipsemedia365.com/ Follow Angela Clark - Mubarak linkedin.com/in/angclrk/ Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works
⛓️ SOFTWARE FOR HOME SERVICE BUSINESS: https://home.works