Starting a web design business but my mindset is horrible.

[kronen]

I'm sorry, this is an unconventional introduction, I recently discovered the Fastlane forum and have been trying to soak up all the value I can. One common piece of advice I've seen is "Just start". I really want to, but I cant commit.

Having done freelance graphic design in the past, and being fascinated with websites from a young age, I decided that starting a web design business would be a good idea.

Websites are in demand. A lot of businesses have bad websites, if improved, they could increase their number of sales, customers, etc...

Keep in mind I'm a high school student, therefore have a lot of time when I'm not at school, a decent amount of money saved from freelancing, and no financial responsibilities yet.

So, excited about the future business, I bought a domain name, made a half-done business plan, gathered 15 leads and stopped. I did a single cold email, haven't built a website for myself, and have been slacking off. I created an email, but its messy with marketing newsletters and software promotions.

I feel like I just gave up. I want to commit, but I feel as though I don't have the motivation. If anybody has been through this before, what are you doing or what has helped you get past it?

 

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[Shadow237]

I'm sorry, this is an unconventional introduction, I recently discovered the Fastlane forum and have been trying to soak up all the value I can. One common piece of advice I've seen is "Just start". I really want to, but I cant commit.

Having done freelance graphic design in the past, and being fascinated with websites from a young age, I decided that starting a web design business would be a good idea.

Websites are in demand. A lot of businesses have bad websites, if improved, they could increase their number of sales, customers, etc...

Keep in mind I'm a high school student, therefore have a lot of time when I'm not at school, a decent amount of money saved from freelancing, and no financial responsibilities yet.

So, excited about the future business, I bought a domain name, made a half-done business plan, gathered 15 leads and stopped. I did a single cold email, haven't built a website for myself, and have been slacking off. I created an email, but its messy with marketing newsletters and software promotions.

I feel like I just gave up. I want to commit, but I feel as though I don't have the motivation. If anybody has been through this before, what are you doing or what has helped you get past it?

Hey there,
Welcome ! There's nothing bad in having an intro like this
Although I'm a newbie in web design too, I believe a good place to start is to shift your mindset relative to web design business. Example : what comes to your mind first when looking out for clients ? profits or helping their business grow ?
Keep in mind that this is just an example. I've been following Rob's FWS program for 3 weeks and it has helped me improve the way I should perceive a web design business.

Hope that helps.
Je te souhaite beaucoup de courage camarade

 

[Gabbe18]

Totally agree with Shadow237! Rob's web design school is great! He also has some great stuff in terms of mindset. I would recommend you check out his YT channel first though since there is some great info there to get started.

https://www.youtube.com/c/FoxWebSchool

Chris from A Nerds World also has some great web design content

https://www.youtube.com/c/ANerdsWorld/videos

 

[GuestUser4aMPs1]

If you need some small wins and you can't be accountable to yourself, learn enough programming to make a couple sites and then try to work for someone else for a time period. They'll force accountability on you, and you'll get paid for it.

After some time you can branch out to do business once you've capped out earnings at your job.
It's a stepping-stone process. But by all means check out Fox, he's got great resources.

 

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[whyphilip]

For motivation, pick up Steven Pressfield´s The War of Art. It'll be at your library. I found I kept putting it down to do work. But high school is mostly a full time job already, especially if you're trying to get good grades, so don't be too hard on yourself.

For the business, follow Blair Enns (The Win Without Pitching Manifesto) and his business partner David C. Baker.

I heard of them from other consultant's consultants but they will all tell you the same thing: find a niche and be the best at it. The customers come to you. "Web design" is way, way too broad.

Also, you can save time and make yourself a Behance portfolio rather than building a site. All design is about the portfolio.

 

[NeoDialectic]

I'm sorry, this is an unconventional introduction, I recently discovered the Fastlane forum and have been trying to soak up all the value I can. One common piece of advice I've seen is "Just start". I really want to, but I cant commit.

Having done freelance graphic design in the past, and being fascinated with websites from a young age, I decided that starting a web design business would be a good idea.

Websites are in demand. A lot of businesses have bad websites, if improved, they could increase their number of sales, customers, etc...

Keep in mind I'm a high school student, therefore have a lot of time when I'm not at school, a decent amount of money saved from freelancing, and no financial responsibilities yet.

So, excited about the future business, I bought a domain name, made a half-done business plan, gathered 15 leads and stopped. I did a single cold email, haven't built a website for myself, and have been slacking off. I created an email, but its messy with marketing newsletters and software promotions.

I feel like I just gave up. I want to commit, but I feel as though I don't have the motivation. If anybody has been through this before, what are you doing or what has helped you get past it?

It sounds like maybe your goal is too overwhelming to you to do all at once. Break it up into more palatable bite size chunks. The most fundamental part of a website design business is designing a website!

So instead of trying to have some grandose vision and work on 1000 things that go into a web design business... Start with the fundamental one. Find someone you can design or redesign a website for.

One of the biggest advantages you have as a young person is that you live with your parents and have zero financial pressure. Use that. Do you know anyone that has a business? It doesn't have to be some huge company. Aunt a dentist? Uncle own a laundromat? etc. If not, do you interact with groups or people that may benefit from a website? Part of a chess club? Maybe they need a website to try an recruit more kids. Friend want to become a writer but doesn't know how to start a blog? Maybe you can help him do that and design something. You can charge the people, but honestly for your first one that may not even have to be the point.

The point is that you will start moving. You will start learning what it's like to have a client. You will hopefully do a good job and have future referrals. You will have an example to put in your portfolio on your future website. Or maybe the website sucks and you learned that either you have to keep learning or you decide this isn't the right thing for you and dodged a bullet.

 

[kronen]

It sounds like maybe your goal is too overwhelming to you to do all at once. Break it up into more palatable bite size chunks. The most fundamental part of a website design business is designing a website!

So instead of trying to have some grandose vision and work on 1000 things that go into a web design business... Start with the fundamental one. Find someone you can design or redesign a website for.

One of the biggest advantages you have as a young person is that you live with your parents and have zero financial pressure. Use that. Do you know anyone that has a business? It doesn't have to be some huge company. Aunt a dentist? Uncle own a laundromat? etc. If not, do you interact with groups or people that may benefit from a website? Part of a chess club? Maybe they need a website to try an recruit more kids. Friend want to become a writer but doesn't know how to start a blog? Maybe you can help him do that and design something. You can charge the people, but honestly for your first one that may not even have to be the point.

The point is that you will start moving. You will start learning what it's like to have a client. You will hopefully do a good job and have future referrals. You will have an example to put in your portfolio on your future website. Or maybe the website sucks and you learned that either you have to keep learning or you decide this isn't the right thing for you and dodged a bullet.

Thanks for taking the time to respond in depth. It means more than you could imagine.

So far, I've managed to get one client (not paid). It wasn't an existing connection, so a complete stranger. I've done 85% of the landing page but am getting demotivated and want to stop. Just trying to push through and finish it. After this I'll try to find ways to streamline it and or design sites for people in my existing network.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

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[NeoDialectic]

Thanks for taking the time to respond in depth. It means more than you could imagine.

So far, I've managed to get one client (not paid). It wasn't an existing connection, so a complete stranger. I've done 85% of the landing page but am getting demotivated and want to stop. Just trying to push through and finish it. After this I'll try to find ways to streamline it and or design sites for people in my existing network.

Thanks again for the advice.

That's very exciting to hear! The first step is always the hardest.

Good luck!