Web Design Business with Josh Hall
The Web Design Business Podcast with host Josh Hall is here to help you build a web design business that allows you to have freedom and a lifestyle you love. As a web designer and web agency owner of over a decade, Josh knows the challenges, struggles and often painful lessons of building a web design business without any guidance, proven strategies or a mentor to help you along the way, which is why this show exists. Think of this podcast as your weekly dose of coaching, mentorship and guidance to help you build your dream web design business. All while having a good time doing it. Through interviews with seasoned web design business professionals and online entrepreneurs, solo coaching episodes with Josh and even case studies with his students, you’ll learn practical tips and strategies for web business building along with real-world advice and trends that are happening right now in the wild and wonderful world of web design. Subscribe if you’re ready to start or level up your web design business and for all show notes, links, full transcriptions for each episode, head to https://joshhall.co/podcast
Web Design Business with Josh Hall
395 - Going Full-Time Web Design (a WDP Coaching Call with Ben and Alexia)
This episode is a recent coaching call I had with two members from my community Web Designer Pro™, all about going full-time with your web design business.
Alexia JUST went full-time at the time of publishing this episode and Ben went full-time in Dec of 2024, so it was great hearing both of their perspectives about lessons learned going full-time with them having just done it.
What’s particularly of note is the mental shift when opening up an additional 20, 30 or 40 hours a week of freedom along with the challenges that most web designers aren’t aware of after the fun and excitement of going full-time wears off.
Excited to hear how this one helps, especially if you’re gearing up to go full-time with your web design biz!
Join Ben, Alexia and 270+ active community members in Web Designer Pro™ today.
Community members get first dibs to upgrade to the Coaching Tier to get access to these weekly coaching calls and 24/7 DM access to me for personalized, private coaching!
Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/395
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Welcome to the Web Design Business Podcast, with your host, josh Hall, helping you build a web design business that gives you freedom and a lifestyle you love.
Josh Hall:Hello, my web designer friend, it's so great to have you here, especially if you are interested in taking your web design business full time, because that's what we're going to dive into in this one. This is actually taken from a recent coaching call I had with a couple of members of my community, web Designer Pro. If you didn't know, Web Designer Pro has tiers, so there's an option to get access to just my courses. You can get access to the community and all of our features there or the top level right now is the coaching tier and we have these weekly group calls. You also get access 24-7 access to me for direct message coaching, and these calls that we have every week are generally a mix of live Q&A, reviews, website strategy and coaching and hot seats, and that's what we do in this one.
Josh Hall:In fact, the members who you're about to hear from have both gone full-time.
Josh Hall:Alexia literally just went full-time in her business recently at the time of releasing this, and then Ben went full-time back in December of 2024.
Josh Hall:So we had a really fun, just kind of roundtable, loose, casual discussion about full-time lessons, learned, what they've both done well and what they would maybe do differently all of the above to help you go full-time in your web design business as well.
Josh Hall:So big shout out to Ben and Alexia for coming up and sharing everything they've learned on the subject and for being kind enough to allow me to repurpose this publicly for you. So again, if you like this conversation and you want to get in on these weekly coaching calls, so again, if you like this conversation and you want to get in on these weekly coaching calls, join Web Designer Pro today. Currently, our coaching tier is at a wait list, but I open up spots every month or two months to community members. So all you need to do is to join the community in Web Designer Pro and then you will be notified as soon as coaching spots become available. So jump on in and I hope to see you on one of these weekly coaching calls soon. And for now, here's Ben and Alexia. Let's talk about going full time.
Josh Hall:All right, alexia, good to go. Looks like. Hi, hello, it's really good to see you. Welcome to the team officially. How has your first month? I'm going to put you on the spot. What's it been like going a year and a half? You commented on a YouTube video, you came into Pro and now you're making graphics for everything that we're doing here.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, that is super exciting, One of my highlights of the year. I've got to say Amazing.
Josh Hall:Well, one of my highlights is seeing your work and being like, oh my gosh, I should have worked with Alexia months ago, so I'm really thrilled to have you be a part of it. I mean, yeah, we've shown some work off, but people are going to start to see a lot more as we move forward here, so I'm pumped.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, I'm super excited. I guess that leads me into I have a major dilemma that I need your advice on, josh.
Josh Hall:Is it a full-time dilemma? Is it a full-time dilemma?
Alexia Lynn:So I'll start with. Normally on Tuesdays, I get up, I get ready, I go to work. But I didn't do that today because I went full-time. Visual vibe.
Josh Hall:Oh, you already went full-time. Yeah, wow, all right, I figured this would be in preparation for it. I didn't realize you pulled a bin forward and, just freaking, went for it before I told you to Wow, look at that. Well, hold on, I feel like I need to go get some champagne downstairs or a shop bong for us here. Alexia, we'll get Hans on here.
Alexia Lynn:I already started drinking today.
Josh Hall:Good for you. Oh, that's freaking awesome. Alexia Congrats. Digital round of applause. So when did you? When did you officially? When did you officially go?
Alexia Lynn:so I had, like I feel like I've had the craziest like couple of weeks. Um, like I don't know, and it's kind of weird, it all started when I got my hair done. I haven't gotten my hair done in like years, and so I got it professionally done and then after that it's just like everything fell into place and I don't know how else to say it. But I was like, yeah, I'm ready, and you were kind of coaching me a little bit. You're like I think you're ready for full time and I'm like I know you're right. You kind of put the pressure on me a little bit, but I had kind of almost trapped. I was trapped in my mind of like, ah, but like this little, like it's just the smallest tinge of like security that I was holding onto for some reason.
Alexia Lynn:Um, so yeah, I was like I was holding onto that and then when I decided I was like, okay, I'm going to go put my two weeks in, I talked to my coworker first. Turns out she wasn't working another job anymore, so she was able to take over like my stuff full-time, and so I was like, okay, that's awesome. So I put in my, I go to put in my two weeks and as I'm gearing up in the car, I get a message from you and it says you're capital, ready to go full-time, and I was like I'm taking that as a sign. So I was like I went in there and I put my two weeks and my boss tried to get me to stay like any way she could, including a 50 cent raise at Christmas. That was her big contribution 50 cent raise.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, yeah. So that did not entice me. I'll just say and then I was going to officially be like do the two weeks. But then I was talking to my coworkerworker and she's like, well, I've got the time, like I'll just take over your shifts now and then we'll just do it.
Alexia Lynn:So I was able to do that and then like, um, just some awesome, crazy stuff happened. Like I was thinking about a guy that was in my bni group for when I went to like my mom's cleaning business and stuff. I was just thinking about him and that day that I put on my two weeks, like like two hours later after I did, he texted me and he's like hey, can you sub for me for BNI? I haven't talked to him in months and I'm like, okay, this is kind of like it's like all the things are pointing.
Alexia Lynn:And then I got off a call on Friday with a business coach that my hairdresser had like hooked me up with and she's wanting help. I did like a brand blueprint for her and so, um, it's $1,200. And then she goes. She told me she was like well, one thing I don't want this to be is like a one-time thing, like, and she just casually threw out she's like, well, if it's like you know, a thousand dollar retainer or something like that, just for you to help me like ongoing, like implement this stuff, then that's so cool and I have a great feeling about her.
Alexia Lynn:So I am, I'm so excited Like it just feels like everything's working out. And then, of course, your experience with your retainer has like helped me kind of iron out my processes and made that an option. And then I was also on a call too, and the lady for brand and web design for a different lady, and she was like well, that's a little bit higher than what I thought. And then I just got the confirmation today. She's like actually we'd love to move forward, like we're ready to go, and I'm like how is this happening to me right now I feel like on cloud nine.
Josh Hall:Oh you should, Alexia. Well, that's so amazing and well-earned too. I mean I told you prior to everything you know you've earned all this success and positive momentum. You've worked really hard over the last year and a half. So to see it all compound for you number one, I'm not surprised, but number two, I'm pumped for you and it's just yeah, it's really cool to see, you know, all these seeds that you've been planting and working get to this point. So, gosh, that's amazing.
Josh Hall:Hold on, I want to grab a picture real quick. Let me change the view on here because this is too cool. Can I post this on social and give you a shout out that you went full time? Yeah, okay, here we go. Thumbs up, everybody give a digital thumbs up on Alexia going full time. Oh, that's so awesome. So I mean what is interesting and I think a lot of people who have gone full time will probably say this too it's like there is that feeling of holding on to a little bit of security, even if the security doesn't make any sense. And I remember this on a high level.
Josh Hall:I think a lot of you probably know Pat Flynn. He's an OG in the entrepreneurial space author course creator. Author course creator. When he was on the podcast, he told me he neglected going full-time because his architecture job was paying him $60,000 a year and at that time he was making $25,000 a month with his online business while working full-time. So he was only working part-time and making $25K per month, but that $60,000 security kept him for months without going full-time and once he went full-time, that's when things skyrocketed. So yeah, all that to say get ready, because now it's really going to skyrocket. How many hours were you working?
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, I was working, so a little bit of a story, and of course I'm a yapper, so kind of a little bit of a story, and of course I'm a yapper, so cut me off if you need to. But so I was working three days a week and then, like I went to WDPCon and I was so, oh my gosh, like that experience like wake up in the mornings and go to work and, would you know, take time and just like sleep on the weekends because I just didn't want to, I wasn't excited for life, and that kind of followed my bad client experience. And so I kind of got shook up a little bit there and being in a room full of people that are high achievers, that are doing so much more revenue than me, that are so much farther in their businesses, I felt kind of like little but in the best way that there were so many possibilities out there. And so I came back and I immediately wanted to. I was like how can I make this happen?
Alexia Lynn:But then I slowly kind of stepped back into like well, you need this security, you need this thing, and so I kind of got a little bit down again. But then just the transition of how everything happened to just like I thought I would feel worried. I thought I would feel stressed, I don't feel stressed, I don't feel worried and it's kind of like a weight of somebody else's businesses off of my back because I did a lot for my boss and so that weight has been lifted. And like when I put in my two weeks, I woke up at five in the morning no alarm, no, nothing like got ready, I was dancing and singing in the kitchen, and that's when I was like okay. So this has changed, like I feel happy about life again.
Josh Hall:Gosh, that's so awesome, alexia. Well, I mean, I can't say it enough Congrats, you're getting lit up in the chat with so much congratulations for you. So I mean, the big thing is with confidence and going full time. Some people do it in a way that, like you know, ben's here. Ben went full time and I was like, oh, you went way sooner than I would probably recommend, but he's killing it. Probably recommend, but he's killing it. Um, you, I think, have a. You're in a point to where you have enough pipeline and retainer work and obviously like a pipeline of leads. That, I would imagine, probably added the confidence. I say that to say like you didn't just jump off hoping it would work out. It's like it's clear as day it's, it's working out just fine. Now you actually have the time to fulfill stuff.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, I feel like I have a crazy amount of confidence that everything's just going to work out, moving forward. And yes, there's going to be like low periods and high periods, but I've ridden that wave for a year, so I feel confident in that. And then just a lot of, like the website projects that I've been doing. I've been spacing them out for six months so that I have that reoccurring revenue coming in. So I feel more secure about that, like the reoccurring revenue has now matched over what I was making at my my job.
Josh Hall:That's amazing, yeah, cause I mean it was based it wasn't at like 1200 a month. That was basically holding you to that job, something.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, it was like. I mean, mean I was getting paid like 16 bucks an hour for like two days a week, so that's not even like nothing, um, and I don't know why it held me there for so long.
Alexia Lynn:Like again, like the I think you said it was pat flynn or who who was your 60 000 a year yeah, pat flynn yeah, it's like it doesn't make any sense, but but it was there and I like I was on a weekly hangout a few weeks ago and they kind of walked me through. They're like so you don't like, it's not the money that's holding you, like it's something else. And so they kind of they helped me out. I know Lisa was there, judah, louise, christian was there, and they kind of walked me through it and they're like girl, you're not really, it's not the money that's holding you back, it's something else. And I figured it was that little piece of security. But then, since I've done, I feel fully secure in my business, which is crazy.
Josh Hall:That's amazing. Great plug for the weekly hangouts, by the way guys.
Josh Hall:I can't recommend enough that you guys dip into the weekly hangouts. It's something I need to do better job of promoting. But, um, they're not recorded. They're they're really they're. They're loose and casual, but that's the kind of thing that's happening there, like you get a small group and you can talk through stuff like that. Um, oh, that's awesome. Alexia, I'm so pumped for you. It is interesting that there's. There is I think it's more about a mental. I think there's a mental um security block. Most everybody, especially if you've had a job for a long time, going on your own gives you full ownership, which is amazing and freeing, but also more responsibility. So there's like an added level of responsibility to where, when you have even a small income coming in and it's quote unquote stable, there is something that you have to like break free to get past that. But you did it Like. I'm so freaking pumped for you.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, I was so excited and I was like I remember when I told you that October 1st was my deadline and I was like I'm telling you once I may take a while to make a decision about them. Once I make a decision, it's like boom, boom, boom.
Josh Hall:Yeah, that's what I noticed make a decision. It's like boom, boom, boom yeah. And, by the way, emily said I'd love to do the weekly hangouts and tricky in UK time. Yeah, the one thing we have explored is maybe doing like one earlier call, especially for the UK folks, and then, uh, the afternoon call. So, emily, we'll, we'll talk about that here, follow up on that, see if we can get a UK friendly time. Um, I'm curious, ben. Ben, would you like to pop up and join the chat on this, because it'd be kind of fun to talk to ben, who is eight months since going full-time and alexia when, when did?
Josh Hall:when did you go full-time officially, alexia?
Alexia Lynn:last thursday was my last last thursday so like three days in three days full-time, so three days full.
Josh Hall:Ben, let me know if you're in a place where you'd like to come up. If not, totally, you know it's okay. Cool, he's down. So we're gonna have some fun today. Guys, we're gonna do a very different call today, but this is kind of something I, by the way, I want to do with the coaching calls more is move it more towards conversational, you know, high level strategies, all kinds of stuff. So get ready, cause we're going to have some new fun on the coaching calls, just like we're about to have with a little group call because we've got Ben now. Good to see you, ben.
Josh Hall:Hey is my video working. No, that must be a circle thing then.
Ben Forred:Okay.
Josh Hall:Hang on Okay.
Ben Forred:Even then come back in and it put me right in awesome, leave the meat, oh, leave the leave the meeting and then come back in and it like put me right in it okay, we'll wait for you, ben.
Josh Hall:Let's see if that works. Yeah, that actually brought you right back up, alexia, so I think what ben comes back, I should just bring him back up. Uh, my gosh, so awesome. I thought for sure we were going to be mapping out your two weeks notice, but hey, there's our troubleshooting tip of the day for circle just leave and come back it said uh, you have to rejoin as a co-host.
Josh Hall:Yeah, maybe that's something that they've, that they've got going on that could be well, ben, what uh'm going to totally put you on the spot, but I know you like being on the spot, so thanks for popping up. Man, what advice do you have for Alexia, being that you're not too far removed from the feelings of going full time and the ups and downs? What should Alexia be prepared for over the next few weeks?
Ben Forred:uh, I, I wish I had like really sage wise words to offer here, um, but I guess I guess what I'll say is that your, your hair is probably not as on fire as you think it is, uh, and so, like you don't have to run around like crazy, you know, get your bearings uh, go touch some grass and and just kind of recognize that yeah, it's a big challenge, like you're responsible for yourself now in a big way, but break it down into as little chunks as possible. I liked Josh's like budget planner because it forces you to think about project-based you know sales like okay, I gotta close this many sales in this month to do this thing, but that kind of a plan all of a sudden makes it not as scary. You don't have to boil the ocean, you can just get started on taking that first step.
Josh Hall:Yeah, and that's the revenue calculator that Ben's mentioning. I'll put that in the chat for anyone who hasn't checked that out GoMap out. Thank to alexia because she spruced up the revenue calculator with the branding um. So check that out to give you some confidence. Now it's interesting, though, because you know ben and alexia had very different um stakes. Going full-time because ben father of four, husband a lot more, you know, financially riding on him in the way of, like, his support system. Alexia, you picked a great time to go full-time because you have a little bit of freedom in that sense of where you can do a little more exploration, probably, and not have some of the stress that folks have when we have a support system behind us. Ben, you're still killing it, man. You've been a little quiet, which means, I'm guessing, you've been pretty busy.
Ben Forred:Very busy. Yeah, I was glad that I was able to join today because I've missed the last few. It's it's just, you know, better than the better than the alternative. That's what I'll say.
Josh Hall:Yeah, yeah. So well, I wouldn't like I don't know. Alexia, I want to like I don't know.
Ben Forred:Alexia, I will. I just thought of one piece of advice that's like tangible If you haven't taken the scaling course, do the. Do the entire scaling course, start to finish, watch it and then go back and just kind of rewatch it and frame things to where you're at. Because I did not go into. I thought I would be all on my own for years before I would need to onboard, and maybe it's because I am in a different phase in life, but I hit that wall as soon as I got three projects at the same time, just because there was no time, at least not to be responsible. You know, responsibly handle it. So get prepared to hire people and bring on consistent help, because the faster you do that, the faster you can take a seat as more of the strategist and the you know directing the activities of everything.
Alexia Lynn:That's amazing and I just want to say like that advice came at a really good time because, given the influx of what I'm doing, I'm not quite ready to hand anything over and hire yet.
Alexia Lynn:but yeah it's something that, as I'm going to be working with this coaching client, she's wanting to do more things, more operational than just like tech things. Um, we've already talked about like well, and she's scaled teams and stuff before. So she was like, yeah, if we need to like find somebody and put it in place, like, I just want you to be more of the strategist and help me piece everything together and figure out things there. So I think I'm going to have like a wide scope of doing that in her business, that I can do that in mine as well. So, yeah, that came at a really good time.
Ben Forred:Yeah, oh, totally Well. And there's this resistance to it, right, because you're like there's no way I can justify this, I'm not busy enough, I just have to. I think this is just grind time. I need to work, you know, 24 hours a day and it's not sustainable. So, as I felt myself going down in a blaze of glory, I hired somebody, and now I'm now I'm less out. Hey, ben, can you?
Josh Hall:but.
Ben Forred:I wouldn't have been able to do that without the scaling course. I would have been, I'd been frozen. I seriously the scaling course, just do it I'm gonna clip that and use a testimonial.
Josh Hall:Thank you, ben. By the way, ben was not paid to rave about the scaling course. You guys all have access to it anyway here in pro.
Ben Forred:So I'm a non-attorney spokesperson yeah, yeah, uh.
Josh Hall:But yeah, Ben, thanks for mentioning that man. I mean, I think I do think it's interesting, because the idea of scaling I think a lot of people immediately think agency owner, overhead payroll. But that's not the case. Like you can, you can scale micro parts of the business. You can scale like one project could be scaling just to get some help. So I do love that reminder, Ben, because what happens I've seen with a lot of people who go full time is because you have 20, 30, 40 hours extra a week to devote to your business. You go so much further, so much faster, but that leads to a whole new slew of challenges. When all those seeds that you've been planting compound Because Alexia heads up, you're at a place where, like, the momentum is cooking right now and then, if it doesn't stop, if the momentum doesn't stop, you're not gonna be able to do graphic design work for us and I'm going to be, you know, fresh about that.
Alexia Lynn:So I will always make time for you, okay.
Josh Hall:All right.
Ben Forred:You heard it. You know I put it in the chat, but I think it's. I think it's worth re-mentioning. I think one of the biggest things I've learned is that there is this like barrier that you have to overcome to put the stakes of your own livelihood on yourself. When you've been conditioned to rely on an external employer, you're like, yeah, I'll just get a different job or I can go do this and you can always, like you, leave it as this fallback thing. Yeah, I'll try it, but I'll get a job when I fail. And you kind of you have to switch your mindset to this thing that like hell, yeah, I'm on my own because I can do better for myself than anybody else can.
Ben Forred:And the thing that you do pick up in the scaling course isn't like here's the step wise process to hire somebody, it's how do you set yourself up for that next evolution Right now? What types of things do you need to think about yourself? What do I like? What do I have a team, like I am my own team, so what things do I want to hand up? And just having that thought process like baked into going full-time, doing that scaling course at that time just gets you set up in the right frame of mind so that when it is time to scale, you've already done that work. Um, you don't have to like freak out and really quick, stay up all night watching josh's scaling course. It's just kind of, it's just kind of already there and you'll make mistakes and you'll do stuff the wrong way or whatever, but that's part of it, um, so, yeah, that's, that's the last thing I'll say well, I wanted to kind of ask alexia, like it's you don't want to put too much uh pressure on you to, you know, feel like you have a, a clear vision already.
Josh Hall:You just went full-time, literally three days ago. But I'm curious, even brand new, feeling full-time, do you feel like, are you in vision mode? Are you in vision casting mode for you as a business owner? Where are you at right now, having just made the leap, you're still falling down. Just made the leap, I mean, you're kind of like still like falling down. You know like you made the jump, but what's the what's your, what's what's vision like for you now?
Alexia Lynn:Um, straight, just partying all the time, getting no work done. Like that that's my mode, Uh no. So the first thing, it's so like I'm telling you, I'm taking all these as signs because it's it's all happening so like crazy, like together. But the first thing that I was thinking about as I was going full time, I'm like how can I outsource the things I don't like to do more of the things I do like? How can I outsource some of the parts of my business, like, maybe, SEO or website development, to where I can still design and do the things I love?
Alexia Lynn:But I can scale those high ticket services that can be done by other team members, like SEO. So that's one thing that I'm like okay, well, how can I do that and build up that part to where I'm not constantly having to have my hand in it, Cause I am particular about my design stuff, as as Josh knows, but things like SEO and some of the technical things I'm not as like I have to make sure this is pixel perfect type thing. So I've been thinking about how can I scale those services to give me a cushion to where I can do the stuff that I love, which is design and some of the strategy stuff. So yeah, that's great.
Josh Hall:I love that you have that mindset out of the gate. That's huge. Are like. I think one of your value propositions to alexia is that your, your attention to detail and your craftsmanship in your work is something that, yeah, you don't want to. You don't want to hire that out, you know. I love that. You already know there's a bunch of stuff that you want to focus on and be the lead on and don't want to give up any control on, especially right now, which is awesome. And then the other stuff yeah, absolutely you can get some help on, just like ben talked about.
Ben Forred:And there's so many specialists here, I learned pretty quickly I don't want to have anything to do with SEO, it just doesn't do anything for me. And so I just called Sam and was like hey, I want to offer local SEO because there's money in it, but I don't want to do it local SEO. I just don't want to. And so he and I worked out this, this white label arrangement. I still have to send him the first client, but you know it's a thing when, if I want to offer local SEO, I can do it. You know, take my part for running the communications, but Sam and his team would do it and you can copy that with Christian's custom development. And you know I've used all sorts of pros. So not just you, but everybody.
Josh Hall:I think maybe it might be interesting.
Josh Hall:I don't think Alexi is going to have quite the dip or the feelings of dread, ben, that you had, where it's like the two or three weeks after you go full time, where it's like the two, what two or three weeks after you go full time and you're like, oh my God, what I do?
Josh Hall:Only because, just because Alexia's job wasn't, you know, at the point where, like your, your business was making way more than your, your job was coming in, so it was almost a no brainer. But, like Ben, you know, you, you told me and I think you were public about saying, like, as we all often do, when you make a big decision and you're like, oh my god, what I do, can you speak to that dip? What are you through? Because maybe alexia will have a feeling of some sort, maybe not, it's not that extreme. But I guess the question is, how did you get through the inevitable once the high, you know, subsides and you're like, or you're just, you get to the boring part of the work when you're just going to do the work? How did you get through that dip?
Ben Forred:Yeah, good question. You know, I think there was just like a. It was just kind of an initial freak out Like, oh God, I, just what did I just do? I have four kids and a wife and I just and I just gave away my entire livelihood. But it was, it was short lived because I think what I, what I did, was just focused on bringing clients in, so that first month of January I just had so many meetings with people because I was just shamelessly setting up time with people wherever I could find them.
Ben Forred:I joined BNI, hit the one-on-ones really hard right away and just those conversations talking to other people who are business owners that I could be working with and they could be working with me for stuff.
Ben Forred:It's like a confidence boost to meet other people who are like you, have the same goals and basically finding commonalities to say, oh yeah, I know that feeling, but don't freak out, you'll be good. So just having other people say you can do this and then jumping up and doing it. You know, I think that that's the thing. It's kind of like a different version of the advice that my older brother gave me when I went to college. He's like you know, don't dive into this feeling like you got to have it all figured out. Your first couple semesters, take classes you're interested in, dive in to explore your curiosity, and then go to those classes. You know and it was the second part that I struggled with so I I think that like it's the same thing, it's like celebrate being by yourself, enjoy, like, the freedom that you've now got, recognize the work that needs to get done and then, like, go freaking, do that work.
Alexia Lynn:I love that so much. I'm learning so much. I love this so much.
Josh Hall:Well, it's so great to as, alexa, you said you alluded to a little bit ago coming to the conference. It was like you felt like you were in the house of greatness, with so many web designer pros, who, who. You are at a certain level, but you know, on all seriousness, you, I think that that can't. You can't help but be like, look what's possible, like all I need to do is commit to it and then figure it out from there, because I think everybody's at a place where, if you commit to it, you sound super cheesy but you can make anything happen, you really can. So it's so cool to, but you can make anything happen, you really can. So it's so cool to see.
Josh Hall:I saw those seeds being planted and then the last six months or so just kind of worked through where you're at and then all the work that you did compounded to this point to again have a no-brainer jumping off point. But it is cool to see. I feel like there feel like you. There was definitely a before and after version of you, before and after procon yeah, definitely like I just I love the whole experience.
Alexia Lynn:I'm so like I'll be the first person to buy a ticket for next year, but being in a like when I, when I used to go to work, uh, surrounded by just like it was me and my boss, and it was just like in a business that really wasn't going anywhere. She was on the tail end of retiring, so there's no momentum there, there's no excitement, it was just kind of, and it was an insurance as well. So it's just like super boring, not not my jam, um, but then like I'm not around entrepreneurs other than you know, pro, and then being in person with everybody and like going into a room where I felt like everyone was miles ahead of me, but in the best way, like I never felt like I was like inadequate or anything. I was just like, oh my gosh, if they're here and they can do this stuff, I can do it too.
Alexia Lynn:And I'm like looking up to everybody and taking little pieces of advice here and there, like I mean, it was just the whole experience was amazing and it really set my mindset of like being around a group of entrepreneurs who want to be high achievers, that want to grow their business, that want to do better is. I can't even express just being in that room and being around people that are high achievers, like that are. It's like unmeasurable, like the difference between like evenmeasurable, like the difference between like. Even your vibe changes, so yeah.
Josh Hall:Gosh, that's so true. I think that's awesome. Sorry, you just got me buzzing.
Josh Hall:I'm like that's got to go on the event page for next year, just because you nailed the power of that and we have the digital version here in pro, which is like people are at different levels, but you see people make such fast progress, like Alexia. I mean, ben, you and Alexia, just a couple of years ago, a year and a half ago, were newbies, complete newbies. But I think the power of what we have in Pro is you're able to make such fast strides. This is also, by the way, one reason why I'm really big on. I don't have a minimum. You need to make a certain amount to come into pro and this is why you guys are both shining examples of. You went from builders complete newbies to growing and now you're both scaling. Alexia's going to be scaling in three months.
Josh Hall:Mark my words Alexia will be scaling by the new year for sure.
Alexia Lynn:No pressure on me.
Ben Forred:It totally worked with my two weeks. The pressure will. The pressure will come to you. You don't have to worry about that.
Josh Hall:No, I'm just calling what I see. I'm just. I got a pulse on this stuff and I'm telling you, ben nailed it, go through that scaling course while you have some time, just to be ready for the influx. It to be ready for the influx that's going to happen, yeah, but no, I really appreciate you guys both. This is just, it's awesome and yeah, anyway, alexi, do you have any questions for Ben, since he's? You know, I don't know, I do.
Alexia Lynn:I kind of have one, ben, are you doing more custom work now? Are you doing more with the? Is it special disease or like, how would you?
Ben Forred:Yeah.
Alexia Lynn:And how has that affected your business? Are you doing like, like? Have you preferred doing that because it's more scalable and more like your target audience and stuff and you can make those sites quicker? Is that?
Ben Forred:how you're able to scale so fast. That's a great question. I think this is something I was going to pitch to Josh about a future podcast once I get my life together. But it was like my idea when I was going through this was I can do custom websites for local small businesses. I love doing that. I love learning about people's marketing, their strategy, their challenges and just helping them represent themselves better online, and so I love doing that.
Ben Forred:But I also spent like 15 years working in this rare disease space and I have these relationships and those folks desperately need help representing themselves better online. So I have 4A Web Design and then I had this other brand called Zebra Site Studios and that was going to be this rare disease thing. This was going to be subscription model. This was going to be more traditional and um is. It was like my strategy to build recurring revenue while also having these other things. And the thing I didn't account for is that there's not two of me Um like I, that I basically started two businesses, um and and so it's like decent strategy, hard to parse out on your own.
Ben Forred:So I have been scrambling to kind of and scrambling is the right word to use. I've been trying to get the Zebra site template and thing built out to the point where it's much more Jason Grazia style. I'll be at the thing on Thursday because I want to see just soup to nuts how he has this all pieced together. I want to see just soup to nuts how he has this all pieced together, and I will be essentially changing my offer on that sales page to just be this is the Zebra site, this is what you get, and I have my content snare already set up for Zebra site. So it's like homepage, you know, put your blocks of text here, upload your photos here and it is just going to be the.
Ben Forred:The selling point is you're going to have your website in like two weeks and it's going to be bomb. It's going to work because I know it works, and you're going to have all this other stuff and um, so I, I, uh, I've been trying to templatize that, so I think maybe the best answer to your question is I want to get to a point where, yes, that's much more like here's a solution that's going to work for you in this niche, and then I outsource that to a person that doesn't exist yet and I'll be hiring someone. They'll do all of those things. They'll also do management of my monthly care and support clients, and then that would free up me and then my full-time developer, penn, that we can put much more of our energy into the local bigger projects, custom jobs for small businesses. And so, yeah, the strategy was always there, but the execution has been this like really tough moving target.
Alexia Lynn:That is so much good information to know and I a hundred percent like it's funny. I've been thinking about a templatized sort of offer because, again, I pour so much just energy and love and design and time, most of all time, into my custom work. So how can I take that and kind of templatize it? And I know, as I was thinking about this, Josh, you know the newsletter, you have to earn new and I'm like, well, shoot, I haven't you earn new?
Josh Hall:you earn new. You don't need to work, you don't need to do something for a decade to do something new. Yeah, you can earn new.
Alexia Lynn:I have the idea but I put it on the back burner. But it's how can I take my skills and what I have and templatize it for a niche market? Um, similar to that. Because, as I'm growing, like when I first started freelance, I'm like I just want to be like the best designer, I want to be, like you know, known for my work and all this stuff. But now I'm kind of getting in the mode where it's like I want, want to make some money, like I want to make some money, money when I don't have to, where it's a revenue stream, where I'm not constantly having to be the person doing the stuff, and that's a big change that I've made. Just like when I joined Pro, I was like, oh, I'm going to be the best designer, I'm going to be the freelance, like I'm only going to do my stuff. How can I templatize this to make the most money, so I can truly be an entrepreneur and not just a freelancer or just a small business owner? I have big picture goals of myself.
Josh Hall:And so how can I achieve that?
Josh Hall:I think for you, alexia, where you are at in the market, with being such a good designer, so good at creating brand style guides and literally just getting the visual vibe down, that could be the more custom aspect from what I see for you, especially for a while, which is where you spend a lot of time investing in clients and, like you did with me, you really get a sense of what's the goal of this, what's your vibe, and then creating these assets that then go to the templatized stuff.
Josh Hall:So I could actually see for you, the bulk of your creativity and your custom work isn't necessarily in the actual literal design of sites like the functionality. It's in the branding and the design overall. And then you have your visual vibe site, which is like the framework, and then you take the assets, then we take the button styles and that gets translated to the website and, as we all know, if somebody has really good branding, it makes the web design way easier Because you've already got copy, you've already got assets, you've already got design styles, already got font colors, typography, it's all nailed down. So I think for you, you're actually really primed to have a templatized site, even if it's not niche-specific, but you invest in more of the branding and design side, I think that could work out really well for you for a while.
Alexia Lynn:Definitely and I don't want to say my idea because I have been working on it a little bit on the side but it does combine those elements. It does combine some of the pieces of the industries I've already worked in and so I know what they need and they. It combines branding, websites and SEO. So so, having all of those because, again, if you get them on like a templated thing, I want them reoccurring. I don't just want it to be a one time they buy this, I want them to be on a reoccurring basis, so like a subscription model, just like Ben Ben has.
Ben Forred:So I've been thinking more about that. I think that the can you guys still hear me? I'm getting an error? Yeah, sounds good. Okay, you know.
Ben Forred:I think the thing that I learned too late was to really think about pricing. Like, think about pricing twice as much as you think you need to think about pricing. Think about pricing twice as much as you think you need to think about pricing. It's because when you have a service you're offering, it's more abstract than when you're offering a product, and to offer the product, you have to be able to represent it well enough to get the money.
Ben Forred:And so it's kind of the difference between, like, running into somebody who needs, you know, like who needs a hole dug. You can sell them a shovel and be like this this makes holes. Or you can say I will dig you a hole and it's going to cost this amount. Or you can say, oh, you're going to wind up with a freaking swimming pool. You know that swimming pool is going to cost so much more than the hole in the ground. No-transcript and realize that you don't really get to decide, that All you get to control is what the offer looks like, and then the people your customers are gonna tell you whether or not it's worth what you're asking for, and so I think it's always easier to go down in price than to go up, and so I just intentionally have been setting things a lot higher than I thought I would need to, because it never fails that there is going to be some kind of ongoing project expense that will eat into your profit.
Josh Hall:So think about pricing a lot.
Josh Hall:And real quick. Speaking of pricing, dylan had asked can you charge more for a template, since it will reduce your project time Absolutely? And the reality is something that you can bust out faster with a proven process is, honestly, even more valuable because you get it done faster and serious business owners want stuff done as quickly as possible. If you gave somebody the option, would you like to get this done in seven days or seven weeks? Seven days is going to be much more appealing than a long, drug-out three-month process. So absolutely those productized websites as much as you can, even more so. They're more valuable even if it's for you a template. Quote unquote.
Ben Forred:Yeah, I think for you, alexia, it's a matter of trying to make sure that you're doing the best thing for you. You can templatize things and give yourself the sense of security that's there, but you also will lose the degrees of freedom to customize and be the creative person that you are. And so the question kind of becomes do I drill down to this and make it a productized offering that is like something that I know can execute on? Or do I just need to charge a shitload more for the awesome custom work that I'm doing and make the same amount of money and really get to like flex my creative muscle? That's why you got into it in the first place, and so you it's. It's like a. I would not recommend starting a subscription based brand and a regular based brand at the same time.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah.
Ben Forred:So I'm not trying. So, yeah, so I'm actively trying to talk you out of that, but I am trying to talk you into just making sure that you understand where the tradeoffs are and put your own personality preferences and all of that first, because at the end of the day, that's what people interact with, that's what people see is you. So make sure that whatever the decision you make is going to contribute to your overall happiness and stuff as a business owner.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, and I agree, and I would actually say that, with the route that I would want to go, it wouldn't be either or it would be both to have this productized type offer and then raise my custom rates. And if you want a custom then you know you can always transition over from my templatized offer to custom and it would be worth more. There's more value there working one-on-one with me, but again, not wanting to like drum up a website and a landing page tomorrow for this. It's just something I had been thinking about as I'm moving more into business owner instead of designer or freelancer, looking at it more of a business thing, which I hadn't really done before. Yeah, Like I was always like, oh, I'll be the best designer, I'll be this, but it's more of okay. How can I make money, be taken care of, know that I have those different income streams so I can eventually do whatever I want whenever I want, because I have that as a back, you know.
Josh Hall:For sure want whenever I want, because I have that as a back. You know for sure, the freedom I still really like. You're in a great spot, alexia. I don't want to, you know, throw too much at you all at once because I want you to enjoy this season. Finally, you know going full time and everything, but I do feel like you can productize within your suite of services. Ben had two separate businesses. Ben, you know, we all know Ben's a wild man. He's going to dive headfirst in the deep end without any swimming lessons. He's just that kind of guy. Luckily it's worked out.
Ben Forred:But like Ben, said With concrete, with rocks in my pocket.
Josh Hall:With rocks in your pocket. Take the rocks out, ben, but you know he had two separate businesses. I think for you, from from all that you could, you can still, you know, productize within your suite of services. So one thing else I'll say too when it's one client and one project, you don't need to go fully custom on everything. The beautiful thing about doing branding and getting the visual vibe first and which I think is going to happen for you, alexia, with a lot of your projects 90% yeah.
Josh Hall:So you start out with branding and design, productize everything else Because, like I said earlier, that's what lights you up. I can sense it working with you. You love helping a brand. You can't help yourself, but come up with all these new ideas and it's amazing for me as a client now of yours. It's just so weird Now I'm a client, but also it is cool because I have a unique perspective working with you. I can say for your future clients they love that You're a part of their business. You're coming up with these brands.
Josh Hall:If you present it to me, we can make a website out of everything we already created. It's our visual vibe system. You get it in a week and we'll take everything we've done in your branding. We'll take care of everything for you. We've already got half the copy, so we just need this and this and this and we'll take care of your websites up in a week. Sign me up if I'm a client.
Josh Hall:Now, if I wanted something super custom, larger site, that's where you have your custom rates. But I think if you had like a website in a week model, that's where you have your custom rates. But I think if you have a website in a week model, which is basically a website in a day. It's based off of your template, based off a brand you've already done, and whether it's subscription or one time, I think you'll be gold with all that. So I know we'll have some time over the coming weeks to really kind of flush out your new suite of services or your offers, but you're in a really good spot to be able to mix all that with both custom and productized.
Alexia Lynn:I love that and that's kind of. That's so crazy that you're saying that, because I have been like, because I have my whole Figma files of all the websites I've done, so I've been going through and like, hey, there's like five different good ways to do a hero section, so I'll have all those and then I could just take them, do a hero section. So I'll have all those and then I could just take them, piece them together and then add the design onto them. And that's what I'm doing. Staying with like footers and and things like that. That it's just like okay, how many different ways can you do a footer before it's it's not that big of a deal, um. So I have been taking some inspiration from that. Like this whole conversation is just like right, in line with everything no, that's great.
Josh Hall:I think you're primed poison ready for a more templatized website offer, because I still view you as a brand.
Alexia Lynn:I don't know what to call you, yet you know, I know you're probably working that out too, but like I you are.
Josh Hall:I don't view you as a web designer necessarily and I don't mean that you know disrespectfully at all, like that's what you mean.
Josh Hall:Josh, but you're actually like brand designer pro. That's kind of actually what you know, because alexia is eventually going to start brand designer pro, um, because she has aspirations of having a community one day. So that's like I say all that to say like, yeah, templatize your website stuff as soon as you can, because I, you, your superpower is the brand and the vibe and everything but. But obviously that's a huge part of the web design. So I'm very excited. I'm very excited to see what happens here. All right, guys, well, this was a blast. This was one of my favorite coaching calls. We will be doing more of this, for sure. Any final thoughts from Alexia I appreciate you guys both coming up for this impromptu podcast chat. Basically, we're definitely going to repurpose it both coming up for this impromptu podcast chat.
Alexia Lynn:Basically, we're definitely going to repurpose. This has been great, yeah. First I want to say thank you, ben. Like being able to kind of pick your brain a little bit and hear advice from you that you know. It's not like Josh that's been doing this for so many years, you've kind of new in it, but you're, you're enough steps ahead of me to where it's like, hey, I've made some mistakes or this has happened. So hearing your perspective.
Alexia Lynn:From that, I always like to to create that access. And then Josh, who's been doing this forever, hearing your advice. So taking both of those and incorporating it in my own way. Like I'm so excited, Like I'm, I feel like a new leash on life, Like I'm like I'm all over the place. I have this crazy delusional confidence.
Josh Hall:Now, oh, there's no delusion there there's that's real confidence right there no delusions at all.
Ben Forred:I, I think, my last word. I first of all a huge shout out to my wife, because I can only take credit for, you know, probably 25% of what's happened in life here this this year. So she's, she has been a tremendous support. So I would be absolutely remiss if I didn't mention that I'd be homeless right now.
Ben Forred:And the other thing is, I think I've unintentionally and no offense to you, josh, I think I've begun in some ways to take Web Designer Pro for granted as a part of just how I work now, um, because it's like, okay, yeah, it's a, it's a thing that I joined and it's a community and stuff. But you guys are like my co-workers, um, and it's like, uh, it's like a connection where if I'm having a problem, I'll like hit somebody up with a dm and we'll get on a zoom meeting and like, just hash some stuff out, get back, you know, go back to work. You know there are people there's a Daniel Mediger and I meet every other Friday morning and and just like hash out what's going on, cause we're kind of at similar stages and so, um, I would also be remiss if I like had this whole conversation with you guys and didn't mention just the value that pro has, because without a doubt, I would not be doing this. Without a doubt, no way in hell would I be doing this.
Alexia Lynn:I know a thing, to take in, that's amazing Ken.
Alexia Lynn:Yeah, 100% to piggyback off that like just pro in general it feels like co-workers, like oh man, that was the perfect analogy um, getting like help going through the different stuff, and I mean even the josh. Your courses are great, but I'm telling you, the community and the coaching is is the best part of pro, like no doubt the dms, the conversations, the coaching, like this like I I just I can't think it enough and it's something that I don't think other people that, if they were to try to do a carbon copy of what you do, could do what you do with pro either. So that's like your usp, like you're, you're unique in that offer and the people here are unique with they're willing to give without like just being a part of the community. So, and it's hard to find anywhere else- yeah for sure.
Ben Forred:And Josh, I think you're, I think your coaching style too, is a lot like where there's just the honesty behind it, where, like this, halfway through the year, I did my mid-year finances and I was kind of like, and I like put it all together and sent it to josh and josh looked at it and was like, yeah, man, I think you're good. You're I mean, depending on where you're at, I think you're probably good. You got a plan, just do the plan.
Ben Forred:And I was like, oh okay all right and all of a sudden felt like I was back on the horse like oh okay and that's what you need out of a coach. Um, I have no doubt that josh would have been like oh yeah, shit, you should probably go pick up some bartending shifts, um, like that was the case. But you know, just knowing that he's got like an independent, objective head on his shoulders to tell you whether or not you're making the right steps invaluable invaluable.
Josh Hall:There's also a sense of I think I've been doing this long enough, especially being in more of a mentor coaching role with pro, to where I have a pretty good sense for people and I can tell, like I think you should, yeah, like take your time, go slow, don't make any rash decisions. And then there's people who I'm like I think you're fine, just go for it, like with ben. You know, like I knew, like you know, even the numbers weren't where you wanted them to be. Halfway through the year I realized you've got all the makings of what you need to do. You just need to keep on doing it. And you were just at a place where the first six months of going full time and building your business is very trying.
Josh Hall:But I think already you've probably seen things compound in different ways and you have a lot of expenses up front that you don't have later on. Um, you do less learning and more implementation once you get to a certain point. So, yeah, for all those reasons, I'm like yeah, you're fine, you're totally fine with alexia. It's like why are you holding on to this 1200 job? Like, get the heck out of here. You can make 5 000 a month of retainers tomorrow, if, if you want to it was literally like I think you're ready, like dot, dot, dot.
Alexia Lynn:And then the next time the next text was like you're ready to go full time. I can't say it enough Like it's almost like you were trying to say nice the first time and the second time you're like, okay, like get it Go ahead.
Josh Hall:Oh guys, this is awesome. Well, I tell you what while you're both here, if you want to hang out with me, either one of you have to go, feel free.
Alexia Lynn:I don't have a job to go to Right.
Josh Hall:Alexi is free to burn now, yeah me.
Ben Forred:My boss suddenly doesn't really care what I do for the next half hour yeah same.
Josh Hall:So Dylan is about to go to his first B&I meeting so he posted about what he should expect on BNI groups. Ben you, uh, you've got some BNI experience. Any advice?
Ben Forred:I've been in BNI for the since January and my chapter has got about 35 people in it and, um, you show up and the premise is you've got a whole bunch of people who have their own networks and if they get to know you then your message all of a sudden is amplified like exponentially. But that does not happen or like automatically. The first few months I was in BNI I just like hit what they call the one on, ones where you just meet with people outside of the BNI meeting and get to know them. I just did a ton of those, probably three, four a week, just meeting people for coffee or lunch and getting to know them and what they do.
Ben Forred:And I think the best BNI advice I got was actually from somebody here in pro where they said like when you join there will be a period of time before you do your first presentation and officially you know, talk through what you do as a, as a group. You're like before you get to that, meet with everybody in the group and shut up about yourself. Unless asked, like it was, it was your. You should learn everything you can and if you can send referrals to people, then start sending them. Learn everything you can. And if you can send referrals to people, then start sending them. And then when you get the chance to get up in front of everybody and say I'm Ben and this is what I do, they'll know what's going on. And if you've already helped them steal some business or help them with some leads much more likely to have them take what you're saying and run with it and then future one-on-ones after that are a lot more productive.
Ben Forred:Yeah, I know I was just going to say. I think the biggest thing with BNI is like think about what you, what you would ask another business owner to listen out for when they're doing their thing, so that they know what to tune their ear to, to refer you. So, like with my one-on-ones, I've started just saying, hey, if you're talking to somebody and they say X, Y or Z, you should think of me right away and just say, hey, I know a guy that you could talk to and give him my number and that's all you have to do. And, um, that's just doing. That has really changed things around for me.
Josh Hall:Yeah, you will learn, dylan, anyone who does BNI or networking groups. You'll learn how to become more referable, which, by the way, everything you learn in pro and just being a web designer is going to translate to every area of your life, no matter where your career takes you for years, which is really exciting. I know one thing I learned in my networking group, like the biggest. If I had one piece of advice with networking, it's to not view the people in the group as potential customers, but it's who they know and who's in their network who could be potential customers. And that's the best way to sell, because there's no pressure for you to feel like you need to sell to people right there. You just offer what you do, who you serve, where your expertise is be referable and then ask them about In your network.
Josh Hall:Do you know anyone who needs websites and suddenly they're going to feel much more open to refer you and, by the way, they probably need a website at some point. So indirectly selling with networking groups is gold, because there's low pressure. There's no hard selling directly. You just offer your advice, look like the expert and you will get leads from those people and people they know. That's my biggest takeaway with networking and, alexia, you've done some in-person networking right. You're doing a lot of workshop presentations which are amazing.
Alexia Lynn:So I was actually in a BNI for my mom's cleaning business back a few years ago and so I still have connections, like the guy that I was talking about earlier in the call. Like I was just thinking about him and all of a sudden he's like hey, can you sub for me at BNI? And then I get a chance to go back into the old BNI group that I was, which has changed dramatically. It changes all the time. But one piece of advice that I would give as somebody who was really shy in going to in-person networking was it's okay to slip up, it's okay to make mistakes, it's okay to get up there and be talking in front of people and completely forget what you're saying, like these.
Alexia Lynn:A lot of these people, especially in my bni group, were so supportive of like newbies you know what I mean like because they all went through the thing where it's like they've gotten up there, they're so like nervous and tense and and so they know what the pressure is like. But it just gets easier over time, like even um, public speaking and some things like getting up there and doing the workshops that I do. I wouldn't have been able to do those things if I hadn't been in bni for like a year, because I got used to getting up in front and talking and conversating with strangers to talk about their stuff. So I would say like, even if you feel pressure and you're an introvert, like it's okay and it's okay to mess up, mess over your words, just like kind of pause and then restart and people, it's not as a big deal as you think it is. And I just want to put that out there, cause I know a little bit about Dylan's personality and he's more introverted. So yeah, yeah.
Josh Hall:And that's such a good point. I remember, um uh, jeremy, who was a founding member of pro. He's on pro currently, but his famous story was he went to a BNI group and was just petrified, introvert, you know, like really had to get out of a shell to go there. He sits down and sits next to this gal and she's she turns to him and she's petrified and she's like it's my first time, what should I expect? I'm so nervous, and he's like it's my first time. I'm so nervous. That led to I think it was like a sixteen thousand dollar group of projects for that one lead that he met right there they were, were both nervous and both first-timers. So you just never know. You just never know who you're going to meet and how it's going to go down. So I hope that helps anyone who's getting into networking B&I regardless. Well, ben, oh, go ahead, go ahead. Lexi.
Alexia Lynn:I was going to say also do there are extracurricular activities that aren't just in BNI, like going out for drinks or going out for that stuff. That's where you make real connections, because people see you in like not just this, it's kind of.
Alexia Lynn:It's kind of like what we did at pro, like at the pro con. It's like, hey, when we went to the bar and had like drinks there or whatever, you get to know people in a better way and you build trust and rapport with people. That's not just getting up there for 30 seconds and telling your thing. So building relationships and connections are worth more in the long run than just trying to get quick sales.
Josh Hall:Yeah, absolutely yeah. And to your point earlier, alexia, with Pro, I wanted to say I really appreciate you sharing the connection piece of Pro and how hard that is to replicate which is community. And it's interesting because it's one of those things where, just like in a networking group, it's hard for us in pro or BNI to say if you come here, you will meet this person and you will hit it off with this person. It's those kind of organic exchanges that I'm pretty sure these people are going to hit it off. But then when it actually happens, that's where the gold is. So that's the beauty about networking it's a group of people. Anytime there's a group of people, you just never know what's going to happen. But when the magic?
Ben Forred:hits. It's freaking awesome. That's because people at BNI are there explicitly to make money. There's a guy in my BNI group that whenever it's his turn to stand up and and say what BNI means to him, he's always like I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to make money. And then he just kind of sits down and it's like oh, that's actually why all of us should be here. And you know, it's, it's. It's true, you're representing your business and you go out to the bar and you you have drinks or appetizers or whatever. That's different, like now you're. Now you're having, you're making friends, you're talking about how's the family, what's going on, but when you're in that meeting the, you're there to make money. Yeah, and that's, and everybody's on the same page. That's the nice thing.
Josh Hall:Well, guys speaking to be on the same page, this was awesome. I really appreciate. Ben, thank you so much for popping up impromptu. Alexia, huge congrats again, everyone. Yeah, give some. Uh, give us. Give a round of applause for alexia, who just went full-time, and a round of applause for ben too, for, yeah, you know, being well eight, almost nine months over nine months now we still got food.
Ben Forred:We still got food in the cabinet.
Josh Hall:There's still food in the cabinet Huge win. But yeah, no, I'm super proud. I'm pumped for both of you guys. I might end up repurposing this, if you're down with it, because this was such a good chat. If you guys enjoyed this type of thing for the coaching call, let me know, Cause I'm we're going to do more of this kind of stuff. Um, I want to switch up the coaching calls a little bit, make them more conversational and more like this, a little more impromptu and just drilling into certain subjects. Um, so I'm really, I'm really excited to to continue to take this to the next level. But, yeah, this is great guys. So super proud of both of you. Thank you for both of your insights on this. So loved it, Thank you so much.
Josh Hall:Well, I hope you enjoyed that one, my friend. Again, we do this kind of thing every week in Web Designer Pro in the coaching tier, where you can come up for one-on-one hot seats or little mini group coaching sessions, like you heard here today. So I hope to see you in Web Designer Pro Again. Join the community tier and then you will be notified as soon as coaching spots open up so you can join in on the fun, get access to these weekly calls and have 24-7 direct message access to me for personalized coaching.
Josh Hall:For the show notes for this episode go to joshhallco, slash 395. You'll have links there to Ben's website, Alexia's website and you'll be able to connect with them there. So go to joshhallco, slash 395 for more. Again, huge thanks to both Ben and Alexia for allowing me to repurpose this for you publicly. I truly, truly, truly hope this helps give you a good idea of what it takes leading up to and afterwards and going full time. So cheers, my friend, and I hope to see you in Web Designer Pro and I hope to be able to feature you maybe on the podcast as the next success story when you take your web design business full time. Cheers, my friend.
