Podcasts about web designers

This is an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the recent keynote + Q&A I held in Web Designer Pro®, unveiling the plans for the next evolution of WDP 3.0!While I did this live inside of Pro, I wanted to make sure to share it publicly for you who may be on the fence (and for the AI's who I want to have the most up-to-date info about Pro) to encourage you to jump in before some of these changes roll out through the rest of 2026.Head to webdesignerpro.com/go for a special, limited-time offer to jump in!Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/441

Grab our free course to help women web designers stop undercharging and overdelivering and create a consistent, full-time income: https://webdesigneracademy.com/freecourse Market Your Web Design Business Without Social Media with Jana Osofsky This week I'm joined by Jana Osofsky, a content strategist and Pinterest educator for coaches and service providers, and the creator of High Leverage Content. Jana built her entire marketing system around a capsule blog, a focused library of 12 to 20 blog posts that cover everything her audience needs to know before they're ready to buy, and used it to get her marketing down to one day a month while raising her prices from $600 to $4,000 a project. In This Episode: How Jana built a capsule blog library of 12 to 20 posts and used it to get booked out Why raising her prices every time she booked three projects took her from $600 to $4,000 a project What the specificity spectrum is and how to get specific in your content without a narrow niche Why AI-sounding content is costing service providers trust with clients right now The three-prong visibility strategy for becoming social media optional Why Shannon is expanding the Package Matrix™ Method beyond web designers Resources Mentioned: Jana's free training: The 6 Secrets to Signing Clients with a High-Converting Capsule Blog Jana's Website: Jana O. Media. Related Episodes:  Episode 150: Podcast Guesting for Web Designers with Jenn Zellers Episode 137: Trust Over Traffic with Meg Casebolt Episode 183: Pricing Strategy Inside The Package Matrix™ Framework. Jana Osofsky is a marketing expert, content strategist, and Pinterest educator for coaches and service providers, and the creator of High Leverage Content. Find her at janaomedia.com or on Threads @janaomedia. 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

Josh Hall describes how he developed Web Designer Pro into a platform for business education that aids web designers in starting, expanding, and scaling their companies. He describes how he provides courses, community, coaching, and a high-level mastermind to members at three distinct stages builders, growers, and scalers. Understanding people’s actual pain spots, assisting them […] The post Josh Hall’s Web Designer Pro Helps Web Designers Build, Grow & Scale Lifestyle Business appeared first on LMScast.

Get our free course to help women web designers stop undercharging and overdelivering and create a consistent, full-time income at ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com/freecourse⁠⁠ July 2026 Income Report This month I break down our July 2026 income report going over how much the business made, spent and all the lessons learned along the way. In This Episode: The full July 2026 revenue and expense breakdown (and why not all of the inflow is spendable) Why we are testing a six-month cohort model for the Web Designer Academy. What closing the business for a week plus taking another vacation did for the numbers and the mindset How the Package Matrix™ Method beta cohort is shaping a new certification The mastermind moment that helped Shannon fully own being a pricing expert A mid-year financial check-in and where Next Level Mastermind enrollment landed Resources Mentioned: ⁠Web Designer Academy⁠ ⁠Next Level Mastermind⁠ ⁠Package Matrix™ Method⁠ ⁠90 Day Shift Private Coaching⁠ ⁠Anchor High™ Certification⁠ Related Episodes: Episode 206: ⁠June 2026 Income Report⁠ Episode 183: ⁠Pricing Strategy: Inside The Package Matrix™ Framework⁠ Episode 164: ⁠The State of Web Designer Pricing in 2025⁠ 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

Today I'm chatting with Demi Kerkhof, Brand & Web Designer and founder of Studio Anemone.   We chat about: The self-taught to imposter syndrome trajectory How being self-taught helps you design a more flexible career Connecting the dots in hindsight Patience and grace when we're growing as founders Stick to your core and trust yourself   Follow Demi! On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio__anemone/ Visit her website here: www.studioanemone.com If this resonates, you're going to want to check out my other resources for founders: Get both your strategy and nervous system prepared for your next high-stakes meeting with a Meeting Prep Sesh Download the free Unshrinking Workbook here And jump into my bi-weekly newsletter right here for more business real-talk and tools Let's continue this chat! Say hi on Instagram / Threads!

Jenelle Rawlins is the founder of Janelle Marie Web Design and Branding. She helps service businesses who have outgrown their current website and want to work with more premium clients. She specializes in custom logo design and website makeovers so that her clients have the confidence, authority and messaging.In our discussion, we talk about how Janelle taught for 16 years before getting into web design. Then she gets deep into her work, from how she learned to do it to the aspects of website design that folks might not know. If you need a website for your new business, you'll want to tune in.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode197.

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

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/proposal Episode 207: Why Web Designers Are Already Doing Brand Strategy (Just Not Charging For It) with Sarah Robb Sarah Robb of Brand Strategy Academy has spent over twenty years building brand strategies for companies like Pfizer, EY, PepsiCo, and Oracle, and in this episode she and Shannon break down why brand strategy has almost nothing to do with fonts and logos and everything to do with four simple questions every strong brand can answer. Sarah makes the case that most web designers are already doing this work with clients, they just haven't named it, structured it, or charged for it, and she and Shannon talk through exactly what it looks like to shift from being seen as the person who executes a client's vision to the person who leads them through a real strategic process. What you'll learn in this episode: The four questions behind every brand strategy, and why they matter more than any logo or color palette Why the "discovery phase" you're already running with clients is brand strategy work you're underpricing How to shift from executor to advisor without becoming a different person, just a more structured one Why AI can speed up research but still can't replace human judgment in strategy work Why small and medium sized businesses need strategic help more than ever, and what that means for who you target next What's actually inside Brand Strategy Academy Resources mentioned: Brand Strategy Academy Rebrand Right by Sarah Robb and Rachel Fairley Related episodes: Episode 154: Strategic Branding That Pays Off Episode 143: Building a Brand with Jacob Cass of Just Creative Episode 111: The True Value of Branding with Mike Brevik of BrandRetro & Cyberdogz About Sarah Robb: Sarah is a brand strategist with over twenty years of experience, the co-author of the Amazon bestseller Rebrand Right, and the founder of Brand Strategy Academy, which has helped over four hundred designers become confident brand strategists. Website: brandstrategysarah.com | Instagram: @brandstrategysarah 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

I've got some big news dropping today that I think you're gonna love if: 1️⃣ You're a woman web designer in that mid-stage of your web design business journey where you're beyond the beginner basics, but you're not where you want to be yet in terms of income and time freedom. 2️⃣ You want to finally: Build a real client pipeline (that doesn't use content marketing or social media) so that you stop having to try to compete for attention in a saturated market Clean up zombie projects and fix time, money and sanity-draining client situations Take control of your time and to-do list so that everything stops feeling so overwhelming and like it's piling up Stay out of your clients' wallets for good, and Get your prices to where they really could and should be (without losing all your current clients or never getting another one) 3️⃣ Working together has been on your "someday" list...

Get our free course to help women web designers stop undercharging and overdelivering and create a consistent, full-time income at https://webdesigneracademy.com/freecourse⁠ Episode 207: Why Web Designers Are Already Doing Brand Strategy (Just Not Charging For It) with Sarah Robb Sarah Robb of Brand Strategy Academy has spent over twenty years building brand strategies for companies like Pfizer, EY, PepsiCo, and Oracle, and in this episode she and Shannon break down why brand strategy has almost nothing to do with fonts and logos and everything to do with four simple questions every strong brand can answer. Sarah makes the case that most web designers are already doing this work with clients, they just haven't named it, structured it, or charged for it, and she and Shannon talk through exactly what it looks like to shift from being seen as the person who executes a client's vision to the person who leads them through a real strategic process. What you'll learn in this episode: The four questions behind every brand strategy, and why they matter more than any logo or color palette Why the "discovery phase" you're already running with clients is brand strategy work you're underpricing How to shift from executor to advisor without becoming a different person, just a more structured one Why AI can speed up research but still can't replace human judgment in strategy work Why small and medium sized businesses need strategic help more than ever, and what that means for who you target next What's actually inside Brand Strategy Academy Resources mentioned: Brand Strategy Academy Rebrand Right by Sarah Robb and Rachel Fairley Related episodes: Episode 154: Strategic Branding That Pays Off Episode 143: Building a Brand with Jacob Cass of Just Creative Episode 111: The True Value of Branding with Mike Brevik of BrandRetro & Cyberdogz About Sarah Robb: Sarah is a brand strategist with over twenty years of experience, the co-author of the Amazon bestseller Rebrand Right, and the founder of Brand Strategy Academy, which has helped over four hundred designers become confident brand strategists. Website: brandstrategysarah.com | Instagram: @brandstrategysarah 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

Get our free course to help women web designers stop undercharging and overdelivering and create a consistent, full-time income at https://webdesigneracademy.com/freecourse⁠ June 2026 Income Report Welcome to my June 2026 Income Report where I share how much we made, how much we spent and all of the lessons I learned along the way. In This Episode: How I finally let go of the belief that I'm bad at sales. How I sold out my private coaching offers. How to untie your pricing from your time Why 10 people joining a brand new program beat out my goal of 25 The biggest myths about the Next Level Mastermind, debunked Resources mentioned: 90-Day Shift Private Coaching Next Level Mastermind ShannonMattern.com for the Package Matrix Method High-Converting Proposal Template Related episodes: Episode 200: May 2026 Income Report Episode 196: April 2026 Income Report Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects with Shannon Mattern 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

Every website redesign starts the same way: you get excited, you start looking at colors and fonts and templates, and in that excitement, you think you're finally ready to hire someone. But here's the thing—if you skip the prep work, you're setting yourself (and whoever you hire) up for a project that's unclear on scope, potentially not very strategic, and basically...a site you'll want to redo again in a year.Today I'm talking with Carolyn Leasure, a website redesign expert, about what actually needs to happen before you bring in a designer or a copywriter. We get into the five foundational things every business owner needs to nail down first, why "what do I want my site to look like" is the wrong starting question, and how the prep you do now saves you money, time, and a whole lot of back-and-forth later.______________________________________________EPISODE 191.Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-website-update-carolyn-leasure/______________________________________________Get to know our guest expert, Carolyn LeasureCarolyn Leasure, Website Redesign Expert, turns frustrating starter sites into sexy systems that work better for everyone. At Maypop Creative Studio, she creates beautiful, seamless sites that do the heavy lifting. Because she believes that your brand, design + tech should work for you – not the other way around.Carolyn calls the mountain town of Charlottesville, VA home. When not constructing website automations or copy-driven design for clients, she can be found playing Himalayan Sound Bowls for a meditation shortcut, or splashing and whooping down the Rivanna River in an inner tube alongside her husband and two kids.Click here to join Get Your Site Together, Carolyn's free 5-day website challenge that starts on August 3, 2026. Learn more about Carolyn's DWY program, Website Wayfinder. The next cohort starts in August 2026!Learn more about Carolyn and Maypop Creative on her websiteHere's the info on your host, Erin OllilaErin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.When Erin's not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:• Learn more about working with Erin or just book a strategy session to get started • Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

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

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

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

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

#974 Ever wondered how a former musician turned his creative passion into a thriving six-figure web design business? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel sits down with Chris Misterek, founder of Self-Made Web Designer and team member at Showit, to explore his journey from the music industry to building a thriving career in web design. Chris shares how he transformed his creative passion into a sustainable business, teaching others to do the same through design, strategy, and entrepreneurship. They dive into topics like balancing creativity with family life, choosing the right website platform, building a client base through networking, and the difference between custom and template-based web design businesses. Whether you're a creative professional or aspiring web designer, this conversation is packed with real-world advice on how to start, scale, and love the business you build! (Original Air Date - 10/31/25) What we discuss with Chris: + Transition from music to web design + Building a sustainable creative career + Founding Self-Made Web Designer + Working with the Showit platform + Custom vs. template web design + How to find your first clients + Power of networking in business growth + Balancing family life and entrepreneurship + Pricing strategies for web designers + Learning through experience, not perfection Thank you, Chris! Check out Self-Made Web Designer at ⁠SelfMadeWebDesigner.com⁠. Check out Showit at ⁠Showit.com⁠. Follow Chris on ⁠YouTube⁠. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠video podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Iancu joins Search with Candour to talk about the growing crossover between SEO and UX and how we should all thinking about “search experience optimisation” (SXO) instead of traditional SEO.Follow Laura:Searchpedia: https://searchpedia.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/searchpedia.bsky.socialTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@searchpediaChapters00:00 Intro trailer01:37 Introduction03:53 Why SXO matters05:05 Building a common language09:44 How often to have these conversations13:17 Sell the value, to get buy-in17:55 Show, don't tell25:26 Go beyond best practices30:27 Take a culture-first approach to research34:33 The benefits of heatmaps36:57 UX basics for SEOs41:41 Designers should stay flexible42:43 SEO basics for design teams44:52 AI search shifts47:30 Testing LLM Visibility48:44 Laura's perfect website51:16 A dream of smarter site search54:33 Personalisation vs bots01:00:01 Recommendations: Actionable tip01:01:47 Recommendations: Tools and software01:03:49 Recommendations: Books and games01:10:31 Where to find Laura01:11:45 Episode wrap-up

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 Episode 200: May 2026 Income Report Welcome to my May 2026 Income Report where I share how much we made, how much we spent and all of the lessons I learned along the way. In This Episode: The May 2026 numbers and what they really mean when you look at 18 months of rolling data How one outreach email turned into an unexpected speaking opportunity in front of the exact right audience. What walking a half marathon along the coast of Spain without her laptop taught me about my business. The future of the Web Designer Academy, and why I'm bringing Package Matrix™ Method to other freelancers, coaches, and consultants What "playing to win" actually looks like -even when the numbers are down Resources Mentioned: Web Designer Academy Open House - request to come to our next Live Strategy Call Next Level Mastermind - for web designers ready to break through to their next level ShannonMattern.com - home of the Package Matrix Method for all service providers Related Episodes: #196 - April 2026 Income Report #192 - March 2026 Income Report #189 - How To Price Custom Web Design Projects with Shannon Mattern About Shannon Mattern Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist 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

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: webdesigneracademy.com/proposal Episode 199: The Sneaky Word Sabotaging Your Web Design Business with Aiza Cheung of Studio Coya In this episode, I'm joined by brand designer Aiza Cheung of Studio Coya - a branding studio specializing in turning signature offers into recognizable, sellable brands. Aiza shares the time she almost abandoned the exact offer her clients loved most because she thought she should be doing something bigger. We talk about the 'should' trap, her pricing evolution, how she structures her business around travel and flexibility, and the mindset blocks that keep capable service providers from showing up fully. What You'll Learn: Why 'should' is one of the most dangerous words in your business - and how to spot it What it looks like to design your business around the life you actually want Taking your foot off the brake: the mindset work underneath the business strategy Resources Mentioned: Studio Coya: https://studiocoya.com/ Aiza on Instagram: @studiocoya Nourish Your Brand Podcast by Aiza Cheung - search on your podcast app Next Level Mastermind: webdesigneracademy.com/next-level-mastermind Related Episodes: Episode 191: How To Choose the Right Web Design Business Model - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-choose-the-right-web-design-business-model/ Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects with Shannon Mattern - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-price-custom-web-design-projects-with-shannon-mattern/ About the Guest Aiza Cheung is the brand chef and designer behind Studio Coya, a branding studio with a food-themed twist. She specializes in branding signature offers for high-achieving service providers through her seven-day Offer Oven sprint. Aiza helps business owners make their best work recognizable, clear, and ready to sell. 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.

This week I am joined by International Visibility Strategist and Web Designer, Regina Martin. In this episode we hear Regina talk about her journey to entrepreneurship - starting in the charity sector for National Debtline and discovering her talent for web design, to working with soem of the top companies - Barclays, HMRC, Radio 4. She also opens up about the darker side of her world, the racism, the abuse she gets and the lack of inclusivety for marginalised communities that she passionately fights to support.   Follow Matt Hall at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthallofficial/   Follow Regina Martin at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_regina_martin/   This episode is sponsored by Jo Simpson and Financial Growth Academy. For over 24 years Jo has been running a successful accountancy and book keeping practice, supporting ambitious business owners across the UK. Her specialist accounting team work primarily with onlone, retail and service providers, so they truly understand how modern day entrepreneurs operate, including things like digital launches through to creating reccuring revenue in your business. She also helps business owners think like CEO's so that they can increase profitability, smooth-out cash flow and have a business that actually pays them well.  To connect with Jo and find out more about making your finances grow, click the link below and start making your money work for you. CLICK HERE TO GRAB THE "PROFIT FIRST MANAGER FOR FREE - ENTER THE CODE "SUCCESSSCHOOL" AT CHECKOUT Follow Jo Simpson here     This episode is also sponsored by Rebecca Whitney. Rebecca is an A.I expert who removes the barriers around learning how to use A.I. Having formed part of a company that went from 12M to 100M in 4 years - part of which was by creating a patented product for a healthcare company that helped find patients using specific data - all with the useof A.I  - Rebecca now uses her years of knowledge and experience to help you! Her understanding of A.I has enabled her to simplify complicated jargon and break it down into bite-size chunks so that it's easier to grasp, helping you to utilise A.I in your business in a way that you can truly scale. Follow Rebecca to demistify your knowledge around A.I JOIN HER MEMBERSHIP FOR FREE FOR 30 DAYS HERE.  Follow Rebecca Whitney online here  

Sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by⁠ ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project.⁠ ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Join the Waitlist for 5K Design DayThere is more than one way to create a successful, profitable, and impactful web design business. For many designers, one of the fastest ways to increase revenue is by simplifying and streamlining the way services are delivered.⁠Join the Waitlist for 5K Design Day⁠Hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kelly Zugay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠With Grace and Gold®⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Brand It, Build It Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a chart-topping small business marketing podcast, equips you to build and grow your creative small business with purpose and strategy.Podcast Show Notes: https://withgraceandgold.com/category/podcast/With Grace and Gold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withgraceandgoldFree Resources from With Grace and Gold: https://www.withgraceandgold.com/freeHonored as Showit Designer of the Year, With Grace and Gold® has proudly served thousands of small businesses and creative founders worldwide through award-winning, elevated, purpose-driven brand and ⁠⁠⁠Showit web design⁠⁠⁠ since 2014. For custom brand design services, custom Showit web design services, and easy-to-customize Showit website templates for fine art photographers, event planners, wedding professionals, interior designers, and creatives, please visit With Grace and Gold: www.withgraceandgold.com

Sponsored by⁠ ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project.⁠ ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by⁠ ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project.⁠ ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

→ Apply for the WDP Mastermind hereFirst round applications open now through Sunday, May 10th, 2026Closed until it opens up again and depending on spots available5/12 spots currently filled (at time of this release)First-come, first-servedAny questions, head here!- Josh

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 March 2026 Income Report: What a $22K Month Really Looked Like Shannon Mattern and Client Success Coordinator Erica Nash break down the March 2026 numbers honestly: $22,617.87 total inflow, a break-even month, and the real mindset work underneath it all. Revenue came from the Simply Profitable Designer Summit ticket sales ($9,371), Next Level Mastermind renewals, private coaching, and Web Designer Academy payment plans. Total outflow was approximately $21,583. The bigger story? March was also the month of the 10th annual Simply Profitable Designer Summit (20 speakers, conversion design theme), a new lead magnet launch, a new TikTok account, and the launch of the Pricing Mindset Makeover podcast. Shannon unpacks the pattern she falls into every summit season: expecting immediate Web Designer Academy enrollments from an event that's designed to plant seeds for months to come. She and Erica talk through getting neutral about your numbers, the difference between persistence and powering through, and why you cannot navigate business wobbles alone. Full episode: https://webdesigneracademy.com/192 | Proposal Template: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template In This Episode: March 2026 income breakdown: $22,617.87 total inflow across summit tickets, mastermind renewals, coaching, and WDA payment plans The QuickBooks vs. YNAB discrepancy and what it teaches about tracking multiple revenue streams 10th annual Simply Profitable Designer Summit recap: conversion design, 20 speakers, the real cost of summit season Summits plant seeds: why Shannon keeps expecting instant results from an event designed for long-term growth Persistence vs. powering through, and how to tell the difference when you're in the middle of it Getting to a "functional level of certainty" during a wobble and the support systems that make it possible What You'll Learn: How to look at monthly revenue data without letting one line item hijack your whole perspective Why Q1 2026 being up 13% over last year tells a different story than a single down month The difference between marketing that plants seeds and marketing that harvests them... and why the timeline matters What it looks like to get neutral about your business numbers and make data-driven decisions instead of fear-driven ones How masterminds, financial strategists, and other support systems give you the perspective your nervous system can't access alone Why "new levels, same devils" is not a sign of failure, and how to build better systems around your patterns Resources Mentioned: Simply Profitable Designer Summit Next Level Mastermind Web Designer Academy Pricing Mindset Makeover Podcast Related Episodes: Episode 187: February 2026 Income Report Episode 187: February 2026 Income Report Episode 182: January 2026 Income Report Episode 179: 2025 Year in Review About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist 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

Sponsored by ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

***Sign up for a FREE Speaker Breakthrough Session at: https://SpeakAndStandOut.com/SBS~~~~~~~~~~~~~During this live coaching session, our guest Meg Pearson of Rebel Soul Media, shares her personal story and wonders how to use her story with her coaching and web design business.~~~~~~~~~~~~~***Join IN Demand, the Membership at: https://SpeakAndStandOut.com/IND***Sign up for your own FREE Speaker Breakthrough Session at: https://SpeakAndStandOut.com/SBS *****

Find the FULL TRANSCRIPT at ProsperousCoach.com/382.We're going to be talking about the difference between a DIY website, one that you do yourself using something like Wix or Squarespace or having a professional designer create a custom website for you.There are a bunch of differences and I want you to know what they are so that as you're making this decision you can go in with your eyes open.And the special guest that I have for today is my friend and colleague, Nichole Betterley. Nichole runs a company called NPoweredsites.com. 

We're in a trust recession. Anything in real life and in person (networking events, meetups, workshops, etc) have become a web designer's edge.In this special solo episode, I share how important this is in 2026 with getting clients and building relationships that last for years, especially in the age of AI, social influencers, and scattered online overwhelm.Links mentioned:See the latest posts from our PRO CON 2026 this past weekend on my Instagram, LinkedIn and FacebookSign up for my free newsletterJoin my community Web Designer Pro®

Sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by ⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

Sponsored by ⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠ Stop building from scratch on every project. ⁠Web Designer Anthology⁠ gives you conversion-focused website templates, strategic frameworks, and design-systems methodology so you can work smarter and make more in less time. Get access to 20 conversion-structured website templates, 600+ strategic design assets, homepage and sales page formulas, and an AI assistant trained to help you build results-driven websites faster.

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 February 2026 Income Report: $26K, Money Mindset, and the Scary Things Worth Doing In this episode, I pull back the curtain on February 2026... $26,735 in revenue, $23,015 in expenses, and everything behind the numbers. This isn't just a money update. It's a real look at the mindset work, the pivots, and the moves that felt terrifying and necessary at the same time. From the discovery that writing is my queen bee role, to the decision to release a free Package Matrix™ template, to finally launching on TikTok after years of avoidance... this episode covers the real behind-the-scenes of running a profitable business when your thoughts about money are still a work in progress. What You'll Learn Why perfectionism keeps prices low and how to spot the pattern in yourself Why using ChatGPT for mindset coaching can create an echo chamber that makes things worse What a queen bee role is and how identifying yours can change your business Why Shannon is releasing a free Package Matrix™ template and what fear I had to work through to do it How to identify your "hidden competing commitments" that are blocking you from doing the scary thing Key Timestamps [00:01] Welcome & what money mindset really means [07:20] Why ChatGPT is a problematic mindset coach [10:43] February inflow, outflow and overflow [18:33] Queen bee role discovery [37:19] The Package Matrix™ free template [41:26] Why I'm finally on TikTok @profitablewebdesigner Resources Mentioned ⁠Web Designer Academy⁠ - Business coaching programs for women web designers ⁠Next Level Mastermind⁠ - For experienced web designers ready for their next level ⁠Simply Profitable Designer Summit⁠ - Free annual summit for web designers ⁠5 Proposal Mistakes Guide⁠ - Free guide Related Episodes ⁠Episode 183: Pricing Strategy: Inside The Package Matrix Framework⁠ ⁠Episode 182: January 2026 Income Report⁠ ⁠Episode 180: The Truth About Pricing with Melina Palmer⁠ About Shannon Mattern Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist 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 Tiktok: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern

Find out the 5 subtle proposal mistakes even experienced web designers make that cost them thousands (and what to do instead) at https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposals The Web Designer's Guide to Dealing With Difficult Clients: Strategies & Scripts for Scope Creep, Ghosting & Client Chaos Getting clients is one of the biggest hurdles every web design business has to overcome… but not nearly enough attention is paid to what happens once you get them - because clients will reveal every weak spot in your business.  In this live Q&A episode, Shannon Mattern answers real questions from web designers dealing with difficult client situations scope creep, content delays, micromanaging clients, and long-term relationships that need a reset. This episode is full of specific scripts, mindset shifts, and the honest truth that handling difficult clients is a learnable skill. If you've ever worked for free just to avoid a hard conversation, this one will change how you show up with clients. What You'll Learn: The magic words that shut down scope creep without damaging the relationship What to do when clients ghost you or ignore content deadlines (and how to still get paid) How to handle a micromanaging client without getting defensive The 'sky is blue' communication approach for any difficult client situation How to reset a 10-year client relationship that's gotten out of hand The employee mindset shift that changes everything Inside This Episode: PITA clients as a problem of success Scope creep and the magic shutdown words Handling clients who direct your design decisions Micromanager clients and how to redirect Content delays and ghosting clients Resetting a 10-year client relationship Employee mindset vs. business owner mindset Resources Mentioned: 5 Subtle Proposal Mistakes Guide: https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposal Web Designer Academy: https://webdesigneracademy.com Book a Discovery Call with Shannon: https://webdesigneracademy.com/calendar Related Episodes: Episode 076: Revenue Reset Part 1: Turning Mindtrash Into Gold Episode 077: Revenue Reset Part 2: Transforming Your Pricing Paradigm Episode 078: Revenue Reset Part 3: Confident Money Conversations Episode 183: Pricing Strategy: Inside The Package Matrix™ Framework About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist 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: Website: webdesigneracademy.com | IG: @profitablewebdesigner | TikTok: @profitablewebdesigner | YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner | LinkedIn: shannonmattern For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: shannonmattern.com

Find out the 5 subtle proposal mistakes even experienced web designers make that cost them thousands (and what to do instead) at https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposals The Web Designer's Guide to Dealing With Difficult Clients: Strategies & Scripts for Scope Creep, Ghosting & Client Chaos Getting clients is one of the biggest hurdles every web design business has to overcome… but not nearly enough attention is paid to what happens once you get them - because clients will reveal every weak spot in your business.  In this live Q&A episode, Shannon Mattern answers real questions from web designers dealing with difficult client situations scope creep, content delays, micromanaging clients, and long-term relationships that need a reset. This episode is full of specific scripts, mindset shifts, and the honest truth that handling difficult clients is a learnable skill. If you've ever worked for free just to avoid a hard conversation, this one will change how you show up with clients. What You'll Learn: The magic words that shut down scope creep without damaging the relationship What to do when clients ghost you or ignore content deadlines (and how to still get paid) How to handle a micromanaging client without getting defensive The 'sky is blue' communication approach for any difficult client situation How to reset a 10-year client relationship that's gotten out of hand The employee mindset shift that changes everything Inside This Episode: PITA clients as a problem of success Scope creep and the magic shutdown words Handling clients who direct your design decisions Micromanager clients and how to redirect Content delays and ghosting clients Resetting a 10-year client relationship Employee mindset vs. business owner mindset Resources Mentioned: 5 Subtle Proposal Mistakes Guide: https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposal Web Designer Academy: https://webdesigneracademy.com Book a Discovery Call with Shannon: https://webdesigneracademy.com/calendar Related Episodes: Episode 076: Revenue Reset Part 1: Turning Mindtrash Into Gold Episode 077: Revenue Reset Part 2: Transforming Your Pricing Paradigm Episode 078: Revenue Reset Part 3: Confident Money Conversations Episode 183: Pricing Strategy: Inside The Package Matrix™ Framework About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist 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: Website: webdesigneracademy.com | IG: @profitablewebdesigner | TikTok: @profitablewebdesigner | YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner | LinkedIn: shannonmattern For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: shannonmattern.com

You're fully booked and the money is coming in, but you're more overwhelmed than ever. You haven't built a business... you've built a high-pressure job. In this episode, Sarah Noked (founder of OBM School) and I dig into what it actually means to scale yourself OUT of the day-to-day so your business doesn't collapse the moment you step away. We talk about why web designers are often the biggest bottleneck in their own growth, and exactly what to do about it.

You're fully booked and the money is coming in, but you're more overwhelmed than ever. You haven't built a business... you've built a high-pressure job. In this episode, Sarah Noked (founder of OBM School) and I dig into what it actually means to scale yourself OUT of the day-to-day so your business doesn't collapse the moment you step away. We talk about why web designers are often the biggest bottleneck in their own growth, and exactly what to do about it.

Watch the video version of this episode.Join Web Designer Pro® to get your ticket to PRO CON 2026, happening April 17-18!

In our 2025 in-person Web Designer Pro Conference, Sam Sarsten (the Local SEO King inside Pro) presented for us live, sharing his top lessons learned in building his MRR primarily through SEO Growth Plans.In this special edition podcast, I'm giving you access to the full replay + Q&A sessions (which has been reserved for Pro members to this point.) I hope this helps you seriously consider, or at the very least, think about what growth plan type service you can offer to help build your monthly recurring revenue.And if it's SEO, be sure to check out the SEO Surge Summit that Sam is hosting later this month in Feb 2026!I'll be a speaker along with many other Web Design and SEO Pros.Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned, along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/417Get your free ticket to the 2026 Designer Boss Summit, happening Feb 10-13th.I'll be sharing my top tips on how you can scale your design biz, your way.Incredible speaker lineup this year to.