Nontraditional entrepreneurial success

We start creative entrepreneurship because we want freedom and control.

Chances are, however, a lot of the time it doesn’t feel this way. We get lost in the allure of entrepreneurship… and it’s hard to know what success looks like. Thankfully in the age of the internet, there are plenty of examples of success.

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One of them is Josh Hall- a former cabinet maker at a tour bus company. After getting laid off, he built, grew, and sold a web design agency. His content and message focuses on helping people found and scale profitable, creative, web design services. If that wasn’t enough- he did it again. Starting a web design coaching business and scaling THAT to SEVEN FIGURES. He also has a balanced and happy family life with three kids, two dogs, and a wife.

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If anyone is a successful freelance entrepreneur.. It may be this guy.

Read on to learn about how to transition from Graphic to Web design, how to refine your services as a creative, and how to be in control of our own freelance destiny.

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Sell Care, Not Just Websites: Refining Services for Success

The essence of Josh's philosophy lies in selling care, not just websites. For graphic designers venturing into web design, Josh's insights provide a roadmap to not only meet client needs but exceed expectations, ensuring a freelancing journey that is not only lucrative but deeply fulfilling.

However... you need to do it the right way.

When Josh conducted a live "Hot Seat" of my design business, it was incredibly eye-opening. Most creatives offer everything in the bag- which isn't always a bad thing, especially when you first start- but can lead to issues.

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I think it's okay in the early days to have quite a few offerings as your services- but the sooner you can start to refine those, or at least package those up into different categories, the better because it is really tough for a client to envision a purchase when they don't know who they're talking to. A web designer? A Social Media Designer? You have to know so they can know.

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Especially in Josh's case- he likes to tell the story of how he used to advertise drum lessons on top of all other creative services- which, in hindsight, stuck out like a sore thumb. It's a funny story- but the more I think of it, it's kind of like being a fish in water. Personally, I couldn't see that offering "video" could be construed to mean something totally different than short-form content editing. I could have gotten an inquiry for a full-production photo-shoot, having never done something remotely close to that. Yikes.

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Yup, that was me. Graphic Design, Website Design.... and Drum Lessons. Heck, I should have stuck lawn-mowing on there as well. Couldn't have hurt.

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Six... then seven figures

Beyond financial success, Josh exemplifies the delicate balance between professional achievement and personal fulfillment. Managing to harmonize a thriving career with family life, he proves that entrepreneurial triumphs need not come at the expense of cherished personal moments. Central to Josh's mission is the Web Designer Pro™ community, a collaborative hub of 200+ members dedicated to mutual growth. This community-driven approach underscores the significance of support and collaboration in the entrepreneurial landscape, emphasizing the transformative potential of a like-minded network. Needless to say, business and success do not come at the expense of how we treat others and build a lifestyle we love. It doesn't always mean burnout, and it certainly doesn't come at the expense of how we treat others.

A big theme of Josh's coaching centers around creating a recurring revenue model for your service. No matter your industry- freelance is an lifestyle of ebbs and flows, of abundance and poverty. Josh's method of creating recurring revenue has allowed him, and other creatives, to build a lifestyle out of their craft and help hedge against lean months. He goes more in depth on this in his maintenance and hosting course. Absolute game-changer.

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The Entrepreneurial Art of Transition

Embarking on the journey of creative entrepreneurship often involves navigating uncharted territories. In my recent podcast interview with Josh , we delved into his transformative shift from a cabinet maker and metal drummer to a successful web designer. Josh's trajectory showcases the art of transition, demonstrating that with passion and dedication, one can pivot from graphic design to the expansive realm of web design.

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Josh's story really resonates with me because it proves the concept that the nice guy can win. Simply by offering the most value and caring the most, regardless of his skillset, he was able to offer the most value available on the market. This is why people come back to you over and over as a creative- regardless of the service you provide.

Don't sell your services...

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Sell Care.

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grow your business. grow your mind.

The ability to learn from others, especially those you admire, is truly a superpower. That's why I started this show- and it's also why I created the Business Owner's Essential Reading Database to succinctly keep notes, find books at the cheapest price online, and use the information of those more successful than me to level up.

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