How Daily Habits Can Transform Your Freelance Business

How Daily Habits Can Transform Your Freelance Business 🔗 **Source:** [How Daily Habits Can Transform Your Freelance Business](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcFAOwmeErc) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [freelancing, web-design, wordpress] > author: The WP Minute > source: YouTube > reference: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcFAOwmeErc] > date created: 2024-12-28 10:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: How Daily Habits Can Transform Your Freelance Business >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Set up automated billing with annual payments — reduce bookkeeping overhead #billing - [H2] Create email templates and scheduling system — limit client communication to 3x daily #productivity - [H3] Offer targeted strategy sessions to existing clients needing redesigns #business-development ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Web Designer Habits Newsletter](https://webdesignerhabits.com) - [WebCammy Cafe](https://webcammycafe.com) ## 📝 Summary - Cammy McNamara shares 23 years of freelance web design experience focused on building sustainable daily habits - Key strategies include personal client relationships, care plan services, AI integration, and structured business practices - Emphasizes small actionable habits over overwhelming courses or major changes - Demonstrates how to maintain client relationships through economic downturns and industry changes - Bottom line: Success in freelance web design comes from consistent daily practices, not just technical skills ## 📖 Main Content Cammy McNamara, a Seattle-based freelance web designer with 23 years of experience, discusses how daily habits transformed her business from struggling with basic business practices to managing over 200 websites monthly. Her approach centers on incremental improvements through weekly actionable tips delivered via her Web Designer Habits newsletter. Key business strategies include charging $3,000-$6,000 per website, offering care plans since 2015, and maintaining personal relationships with clients. During the pandemic, she only lost 2-3 clients temporarily and continued growing by providing exceptional service and understanding client needs. Her habit-focused approach addresses common freelancer challenges: inconsistent billing practices, email overwhelm, lack of client outreach, and neglecting self-care. Rather than comprehensive courses that take months to complete, she advocates for small weekly improvements that compound over time. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=0) — [H1] Introduction and Background - Key idea: Cammy McNamara runs Web Designer Habits newsletter with actionable weekly tips - Evidence: "provides actionable advice for web professionals, which I find very incredibly useful" #### ⏱️ [04:30](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=270) — [H2] Career Origin Story - Key idea: Started with HTML for Dummies to share kid photos, discovered calling - Evidence: "my light bulb went off like this is what I'm supposed to do with my life" #### ⏱️ [07:15](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=435) — [H2] Early Business Development - Key idea: Built business through volunteering and networking, particularly BNI for 15 years - Evidence: "I started volunteering around my community, you know, my son's preschool, every team he was on" #### ⏱️ [09:30](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=570) — [H1] Pandemic Business Resilience - Key idea: Maintained growth during pandemic by serving smaller businesses and offering care plans - Evidence: "I only had like two or three clients that said they wanted to cancel because they couldn't pay for it" #### ⏱️ [12:45](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=765) — [H2] AI Integration Strategy - Key idea: Uses AI daily for business operations, coding help, and automation - Evidence: "I use it every day. It's open right now in my other window because that's what I'm always using it all day long" #### ⏱️ [15:20](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=920) — [H1] Client Retention Philosophy - Key idea: Maintains backups and welcomes clients back after they try other providers - Evidence: "I always make a backup of clients website when they leave me, throw it into Dropbox, and keep it in case they ever want to come back" #### ⏱️ [18:10](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1090) — [H2] Personal Service Approach - Key idea: Picks up phone calls and provides immediate response unlike larger agencies - Evidence: "I try to run the business like I am part of their team without being their employee" #### ⏱️ [21:30](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1290) — [H1] Habit-Based Newsletter Purpose - Key idea: Weekly newsletter focuses on small, actionable business improvements - Evidence: "they are things I practice. And part of having the newsletter is helping me manage my own business" #### ⏱️ [25:45](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1545) — [H2] Billing Practice Analysis - Key idea: Regular review of billing systems crucial for business efficiency - Evidence: "analyzing what you're in, deciding what you're in is going to work and making it work" #### ⏱️ [29:20](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1760) — [H2] Daily Walk Habit - Key idea: Physical movement essential for mental clarity and problem-solving - Evidence: "you can break through barriers that you're having. You know, sometimes just stepping away is what you need" #### ⏱️ [32:15](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1935) — [H1] Strategy Session Success - Key idea: Free 30-minute client sessions generated immediate redesign projects - Evidence: "within 3 hours, the first day was gone and then the the next day was totally gone" #### ⏱️ [36:30](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=2190) — [H2] Email Management System - Key idea: Checking email only three times daily with scheduled responses maintains boundaries - Evidence: "I use something called Cloud HQ inside of my Gmail and it allows you to create tabs" ## 📚 References - [Web Designer Habits Newsletter](https://webdesignerhabits.com) - [WebCammy Cafe Blog](https://webcammycafe.com) - [WebCammy Cafe Facebook Group](https://facebook.com/groups/webcammycafe) - [The WP Minute](https://thewpminute.com) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Small daily habits compound into significant business improvements over time, making them more effective than overwhelming courses or major system overhauls - Personal relationships and exceptional service create client loyalty that survives economic downturns and competitive pressure from larger agencies - Strategic use of AI and automation tools enhances rather than replaces human expertise, allowing freelancers to focus on high-value client interaction and creative work ## 📰 Newsletter **Transform Your WordPress Freelance Business with Daily Habits** Struggling to balance client work with running your business? Cammy McNamara's 23-year journey from corporate analyst to successful freelancer offers a practical roadmap. Her secret isn't complex systems—it's small, weekly habit improvements. From automated billing to strategic client outreach, these incremental changes compound into significant business growth. Key takeaways: maintain personal client relationships, leverage AI for efficiency, and prioritize self-care practices like daily walks. Most importantly, focus on consistent small improvements rather than overwhelming overhauls. **Resources:** - [Web Designer Habits Newsletter](https://webdesignerhabits.com) - Weekly actionable tips - [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/) - Official training resources - [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) - Command-line tools for efficiency Join the conversation in WordPress communities where freelancers support each other's growth and share practical business strategies. ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer education: Create workshop series on freelancer business practices and daily habit formation - Community management: Facilitate freelancer networking groups and mentorship programs - Developer experience: Document WordPress business tools and automation workflows #### WordPress - Community: Support freelancer meetups with business development content beyond technical training - Training: Develop business skills curriculum covering client relations, pricing, and sustainable practices - Documentation: Create freelancer-specific guides for client management and business operations #### Community - Contributors: Onboard business-focused contributors to create non-technical resources - Maintainers: Support plugins that help freelancers manage clients and automate business processes - Ecosystem: Foster connections between freelancers and complementary service providers ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Small daily business habits create more sustainable freelancer success than major system overhauls - Personal client relationships provide competitive advantage over larger agencies in small business market - Weekly habit-focused content is more actionable than comprehensive courses for busy freelancers - AI integration enhances rather than threatens freelancer value when combined with personal service ### 📊 Methodology - Survey freelancers on habit adoption rates and business impact measurement - A/B test weekly tip emails versus monthly comprehensive guides for engagement - Interview long-term freelancers to identify common successful daily practices - Track client retention correlation with personal service metrics ### ❓ Questions - How do freelancers prioritize which business habits to implement first? - What metrics best indicate freelancer business health beyond revenue? - How can WordPress community better support freelancer business development? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study of habit implementation impact on freelancer sustainability - Analysis of AI tool adoption patterns among successful WordPress freelancers - Investigation of client retention strategies in economic downturn conditions ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Freelancers should focus on incremental business improvements over technical skill development alone - Education: WordPress training should include business development alongside technical curriculum - Community: Support networks need both technical and business-focused resources for freelancer success - Tools: WordPress ecosystem should prioritize plugins that support freelancer business operations ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 8th Grade (Conversational interview format) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Newsletter examples, client communication screenshots - Improve: Business workflow diagrams, habit tracking templates, client relationship mapping #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Podcast-style interview format with natural conversation flow - Improve: Audio summaries of key habits, client conversation examples #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Clear definitions of business terms, analogies to traditional employment - Improve: Glossary of freelancer business terminology, story-driven case studies #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Actionable weekly tips, hands-on business practices - Improve: Step-by-step checklists, interactive habit trackers, client onboarding templates #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: 23-year timeline, clear cause-and-effect relationships - Improve: Business metrics dashboards, decision trees for client situations #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Facebook community, networking emphasis, peer referrals - Improve: Habit accountability partners, group challenges, peer review systems #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual habit implementation, self-reflection prompts - Improve: Personal business assessment tools, private journaling templates ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Well-structured interview format with clear speaker transitions - Improve: Timestamped sections need better heading hierarchy for navigation #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard video player controls - Improve: Transcript with interactive timestamps, skip-to-section links #### Contrast and readability - Present: Clear audio, good video quality - Improve: High-contrast transcript formatting, adjustable text size options #### Media and captions - Present: Full transcript provided - Improve: Professional captions, audio descriptions for visual elements ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Seattle-based perspective, small business focus - Improve: Global freelancer perspectives, diverse economic contexts #### Inclusive language - Present: Gender-neutral business advice, accessible terminology - Improve: Recognition of different freelancer circumstances, economic barriers #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Structured habit approach accommodates different working styles - Improve: Multiple implementation strategies, sensory considerations #### Representation - Present: Female freelancer perspective in male-dominated tech industry - Improve: Diverse freelancer voices, various business models represented ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Inductive strength: Builds general principles from 23 years of specific experiences - Causal reasoning: Links daily habits to business success through concrete examples - Analogical strength: Compares freelancer challenges to other business contexts #### Fallacies - Survivorship bias: Success story may not represent typical freelancer experience - Anecdotal evidence: Heavy reliance on personal experience without broader data #### Tone of voice - Overall tone: Conversational, supportive, practical with authentic vulnerability about business challenges ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - Deny: No defensive patterns observed - Attack: No attacks on critics or competitors - Reverse victim/offender: No victim/offender dynamics present - Emotional cues: Positive, supportive tone throughout with genuine enthusiasm for helping others ## 🎯 Conclusion Cammy McNamara's 23-year freelance journey demonstrates that sustainable business success comes from consistent daily habits rather than technical expertise alone. Her approach of small, weekly improvements proves more effective than overwhelming courses or major system overhauls. Key practical next steps include implementing structured email management, offering strategic client sessions, and prioritizing self-care practices like daily walks. The broader implication suggests WordPress education should expand beyond technical training to include essential business development skills for freelancers. This conversation reinforces that personal relationships and exceptional service remain competitive advantages in an increasingly automated world, providing a roadmap for freelancers to thrive alongside technological advancement. ## 🧱 Refactor Appendix ### 📚 Literature Split Pad ### [H1] Daily habits create sustainable freelancer success > [!quote] [How Daily Habits Can Transform Your Freelance Business](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc) by [[Cammy McNamara]] via [[The WP Minute]]. Published 2024. Accessed 2024-12-28. > "they are things I practice. And part of having the newsletter is helping me manage my own business" Weekly habit implementation more effective than comprehensive courses for busy freelancers managing client work. [view highlight](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1290#H1) #freelancing #habits ID:rw_001 ### [H2] Personal service differentiates from agencies > [!quote] [How Daily Habits Can Transform Your Freelance Business](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc) > "I try to run the business like I am part of their team without being their employee" Small freelancers compete through immediate response and personal relationships rather than scale. [view highlight](https://youtu.be/jcFAOwmeErc?t=1090#H2) #client-relations #competition ID:rw_002 --- ### 🔖 Atomic Split Pad (Zettel Candidates) #### [Z1] Email scheduling maintains professional boundaries - Scope: Freelancers managing multiple client communications daily - Pointer: 36:30 timestamp on email management - Links: [[Client-Communication]] [[Professional-Boundaries]] #### [Z2] Client backup strategy enables relationship recovery - Scope: Freelancers losing clients to competitors temporarily - Pointer: 15: --- ## Full Transcript [00:02] This episode of the WP Minute is brought [00:03] to you by Pressible. You know what the [00:06] best hosting feels like? Nothing. No [00:08] panic alerts. No mystery downtime. No, [00:11] hey, is the site down? Slack messages. [00:14] That's the pressable experience. [00:16] WordPress hosting so reliable you forget [00:18] it's even there. We keep your site fast, [00:21] secure, and up 100% of the time so you [00:24] can get back to building, selling, [00:26] blogging, or binging cat videos. No [00:29] judgment. Whatever you want to do, go to [00:31] pressible.com/wpmin [00:33] and try hosting that disappears in all [00:35] the right ways. Pressible.com/wpmin. [00:39] Pressible.com/wpmin. [00:43] Thanks pressible for supporting the [00:45] show. [00:49] Hi everyone and welcome to another [00:51] episode of the WP Minute. I'm your host [00:54] Eric Caravac. Today I'm joined by Cammy [00:57] McNamera. Cammy is a freelance web [00:59] designer based in Seattle, Washington, [01:02] and she's also the author of a terrific [01:04] newsletter called Web Designer Habits [01:06] that provides actionable advice for web [01:09] professionals, which I find very [01:11] incredibly useful. Uh, Cammy, welcome to [01:13] the WP Minute. [01:15] >> Hey, thank you, Eric. I'm so happy to be [01:17] here and it's it's nice to hang out with [01:20] you uh on on video and not just on [01:23] social media. So [01:26] >> yeah, I feel like we we connected on [01:28] Twitter many years ago and it's just [01:30] kind of like been a [01:31] >> a back a back and forth connection over [01:34] the years. So it's nice to finally have [01:35] a real conversation with you. [01:38] >> Um [01:38] >> yes, [01:39] >> cuz I'm a big fan of the content you [01:40] create. Um and of course I think I think [01:43] we have a lot in common. We both like to [01:46] write about our journeys in this [01:48] industry and we also kind of write about [01:51] um [01:52] >> you know how to help clients as well [01:54] which I I notice you do on your blog. So [01:57] that I think that's awesome. [01:59] >> Yeah. I'm always trying to be their [02:01] hero. That's my goal, you know. [02:04] >> And that's that's part of the that I [02:06] think that's part of just adding value, [02:08] right? I mean, you're um you're not only [02:10] just doing the job for them, you're [02:11] informing them, you're educating them, [02:13] you're helping them make the right [02:14] decisions. [02:16] >> Yeah. You know, so my most of my clients [02:18] are small businesses or nonprofits. I [02:22] kind of work in that arena and they're [02:24] all overwhelmed running their business, [02:27] which is something we all experience if [02:30] you are a freelancer and you're running [02:31] your business. And I know that whenever [02:34] somebody helps me, I'm so grateful. So, [02:37] that's kind of how I come at uh helping [02:39] my clients out. [02:40] >> Yeah, that that's awesome. I mean, that [02:42] that's part of the job that not [02:44] everybody realizes right away when you [02:46] start freelancing. And speaking of that, [02:48] I How did you decide that you wanted to [02:50] to do this for a living? Like, were you [02:52] working for another company at the time [02:54] you started your business or was this [02:56] just something you you you decided from, [02:58] you know, like a young age, I'm going to [02:59] go do this? [03:01] >> Well, okay. From a young age, uh I I was [03:04] a little strange as a kid. I wanted to [03:07] be Darren Stevens on Bewitched. So, I [03:10] grew up in the 70s watching old reruns [03:14] of shows like that. And if you remember, [03:16] Darren Stevens had a giant pad of paper, [03:19] which I'm not going to lie, there's a [03:21] giant post-it note right over there [03:22] because I loved that. And so, I made [03:26] advertising signs for my parents' [03:28] business. They were self-employed and [03:31] making handbags. And so I and I was like [03:35] yearbook editor and I had all these [03:36] artsy habits when I was a kid. Um but [03:40] when I went to work as an adult, I [03:43] worked in corporate retail as an [03:44] allocation analyst. So I was working on [03:47] a computer. I was working with database [03:50] bases and Lotus 123, you know, like I'm [03:53] talking way back in the 90s. And I [03:56] became a mom and I didn't want to work [03:58] those hours. So, [04:01] um, I quit working. I had a a business [04:05] partnership for a while, um, with some [04:08] other women who were stay-at-home moms, [04:10] and that didn't really work out. And I [04:12] picked up HTML for dummies because I [04:14] just wanted to make a website to share [04:17] photos of my kid. And it was my light [04:20] bulb went off like this is what I'm [04:22] supposed to do with my life. So, I [04:24] enrolled at a community college, got [04:26] certification, [04:28] and got my business license in 2002, and [04:31] I've been going strong ever since. [04:35] >> Well, that's that's awesome. It's [04:36] amazing how sometimes you have those [04:38] little moments like that. You're just [04:39] looking at HTML because you need a [04:42] website. You don't necessarily have the [04:44] funds to hire someone else to do it. [04:46] >> And look where look look where that got [04:48] you. So, congratulations. [04:50] >> Yeah. No, I knew that it was what I was [04:52] supposed to do when I found myself like [04:54] just like, you know, you're taking care [04:56] of a young kid, they wake you up in the [04:58] middle of the night and I would like run [05:00] down to the computer to try to figure [05:03] something out. So, I really enjoyed it [05:05] and I just knew it was my calling after [05:08] that and it it really tied the computer [05:11] skills I had learned as an allocation [05:13] analyst. I did that job for about seven [05:15] years and uh you know, it just was the [05:18] best of both worlds. So, I started [05:20] volunteering around my community, you [05:23] know, my son's preschool, every team he [05:26] was on. I even did two of the major um [05:30] uh elementary schools here in Seattle. I [05:33] used to have FTP access to the Seattle [05:36] public school district. I I can't even [05:39] believe that that was a thing, but you [05:41] know, it's just kind of like snowballed [05:44] into a business after that. I've been in [05:46] BNI, which is Business Networking [05:48] International, for 15 years now. That's [05:52] been a huge way for me to get business. [05:54] And so, yeah, I sort of I fell into what [05:58] I love to do. So, I I consider myself a [06:01] designer more than a developer, and [06:04] that's what I really enjoy. And then all [06:06] the client interaction is something I [06:09] enjoy as well. So how would you say you [06:12] know you've been you've been doing this [06:14] for a while now over 20 years right [06:17] >> 20 yeah 23 years so [06:19] >> okay so I I am on 26 years of [06:22] freelancing 30 in web design overall [06:25] >> wow I know [06:28] >> thank you well say to you I know things [06:31] have changed so much like how would you [06:33] say like the last five years or so have [06:36] have um changed your business with you [06:39] know we had pandemic we have all this AI [06:42] stuff everywhere. Like what has changed [06:44] most for you? [06:45] >> Well, you know, I I'm going to say that [06:49] in terms of of getting clients and [06:51] everything, I have only continued to [06:53] build [06:55] even during downturns, I found that in [06:58] my price range for for clientele. So, [07:02] I'm charging between three and $6,000 [07:05] for a website. people that I am I'm hit [07:08] less than I think an agency that's [07:11] charging $50,000. [07:13] So, also during downturns and slowdowns, [07:18] I really worked on taking care of my [07:21] clients. So, I have been offering care [07:23] plan services since 2015 and I manage [07:26] over 200 websites a month now [07:30] and I offer them at a low price. So, [07:33] even during the pandemic, I only had [07:35] like two or three clients that said they [07:37] wanted to cancel because they couldn't [07:39] pay for it. And I just comped them a [07:42] free year and at the end, you know, they [07:45] they were back to wanting to pay. [07:48] So, I haven't really experienced a [07:51] downturn or a change that way. And I [07:54] only I find that AI is helping me with [07:57] my business. it's helping me run all the [08:00] stuff in the background and using Zapier [08:04] and things like that have only been a [08:06] plus. So, you know, knock on wood. I [08:08] know that that isn't, you know, it may [08:11] not be the case forever. Like, it could [08:14] totally replace us someday, but for [08:17] right now, I think it's a it's a plus. [08:20] Like, get in there, know how to use it. [08:22] Uh, I use it every day. It's open right [08:25] now in my other window because that's [08:28] what I'm always using it all day long. [08:31] >> Yeah. I Well, I I congratulate you on be [08:33] able know it being able to, you know, [08:35] maintain your client base and continue [08:36] growing it through the pandemic, through [08:38] all that because [08:39] >> I I think when you create that personal [08:42] relationship with the client, right? [08:43] They they value what you do and they [08:45] they trust your advice. I think that [08:47] that is kind of the key to getting them [08:49] to come back even when [08:51] >> they're going through a rough time. you [08:52] know that I I I I applaud you for you [08:56] know understanding that and and you know [08:59] giving them a a chance to kind of come [09:02] back and you know get through that tough [09:04] time and and then you know [09:06] >> yeah even when a client if when a client [09:09] does let's say a client gets a new [09:11] provider and this will happen sometimes [09:13] because I only offer web design I'm not [09:16] offering uh s search engine optimization [09:19] packages and a lot of times a client [09:22] client will move on, hire an SEO [09:24] company, and then that company will want [09:27] to redesign their website. And I can't [09:29] tell you how many times a client has [09:31] done that. And I always make a backup of [09:34] clients website when they leave me, [09:36] throw it into Dropbox, and keep it in [09:39] case they ever want to come back. And [09:41] sure enough, you know, half the time, [09:44] two years later, they're like, "Cammy, [09:46] this is not working. Can we come back?" [09:48] And it's like, "Sure." you know, so that [09:51] does happen all the time and I really do [09:53] think it's the the personal relationship [09:56] and you know, I still pick up the phone [09:59] if somebody calls me. Um, you know, I [10:03] try to run the business like I am part [10:08] of their team without being their [10:10] employee. So, I think that's key as [10:12] well. [10:12] >> Yeah, that that's um boy, picking up the [10:14] phone. I dread doing it, but I still do [10:17] it when when the phone rings. Ah, I do [10:19] too. Now, I don't do it for unknown [10:22] numbers, but I try to get my clients [10:24] names in there and when they do call me, [10:27] um, texting is a big black hole, so [10:29] they've kind of learned not to do that [10:31] because then they don't end up on my [10:33] task list and a few things like that. [10:35] But I think people really appreciate [10:38] that in this day and time because they [10:40] just don't they don't get that level of [10:43] service, especially from, you know, tech [10:47] things that they subscribe to or [10:49] they're, you know, more and more it's [10:51] all ticketing and um the average [10:54] business owner in my clientele just [10:57] doesn't have time for that. [10:58] >> Yeah, that that's a good point. And I [11:00] mean we even like with some of the [11:02] larger agencies. I mean, you know, I' [11:04] I've gotten clients because their agency [11:06] wouldn't look at their problem for a [11:09] week. So, you know, what are they [11:11] supposed to do in the meantime if [11:13] something's broken? Um, you know, well, [11:15] I'll get back to it next week. Well, I'm [11:16] losing sales. I'm losing conversions, [11:19] >> you know. So, so that personal touch, I [11:22] I think even with everything we do with [11:24] AI these days, yeah, the personal touch [11:26] is what's going to set all of us apart, [11:28] I think. And and if you can continue to [11:30] do that, then you know, you're going to [11:32] survive um you know, the great bot [11:34] uprising of 2026. [11:37] >> It's true. And and if you're harnessing [11:39] it to help you with I use it a lot to [11:42] help run my business. I use it for [11:44] coding errors. I you know, just I use it [11:47] to, you know, help me figure out using [11:50] Zapier, things like that. So it [11:54] definitely is something to take [11:55] advantage of. Now, you know, it might be [11:58] different later. [12:00] >> Yeah. I mean, the coding aspect of it, I [12:02] mean, it has helped me tremendously. I [12:04] get things done so much faster. I have a [12:06] faster start on my projects, which I [12:09] think gives me more time to work with [12:11] clients and actually do some of the [12:13] things that I read in the web designer [12:15] habits newsletter that you send out [12:17] every week, [12:18] >> which I I I I encourage everybody to [12:21] look at this. It's um [12:22] webdesignerhabits.com, [12:24] right? [12:25] >> Yes. you can sign up right there and [12:27] I'll hit your inbox with just one tiny [12:30] tip for the week. It's something that uh [12:33] they're they're all usually easy to do. [12:36] Some are bigger tasks than others, but [12:40] um they are things I practice. And part [12:43] of having the newsletter is helping me [12:46] manage my own business and reminding [12:49] myself every week of all these habits [12:51] that I really need to hone in on to have [12:55] a good workday. I think so much of what [12:58] we think about as web designers is being [13:01] a designer and being good at coding and [13:04] all the things that go along with that. [13:06] >> But if you're a freelancer running your [13:08] own business and you are struggling day [13:11] in and day out to just make it through [13:13] the day, having a small little habit [13:16] that can help you make make it easier is [13:19] something that I really um take to heart [13:22] myself. I'm just going to come clean on [13:24] on my situation because I started out um [13:28] as a freelancer after working for a few [13:31] firms. Um I started out as a freelancer [13:33] when I was 21 and all I thought about [13:36] was HTML and Photoshop and and that kind [13:40] of thing back in the day. I had no idea [13:43] how to run a business. I had no idea [13:45] what to charge or what to do anything. [13:48] >> And I got into a lot of bad habits. And [13:51] as I'm getting older, as I've been doing [13:53] this longer, I start to see, oh man, [13:56] I've really buried myself with this [13:58] client with this pricing structure or um [14:02] you know, and we'll get to some of the [14:04] specific tips you have because just [14:06] things I wanted to bring up, but just [14:08] the way I respond to things and and [14:11] conduct business, I I've kind of buried [14:14] myself with that, right? So, when I read [14:16] these tips, they come into my email box [14:18] every Monday morning and I look forward [14:20] to them. It kind of gets me [14:23] >> Well, you're welcome. I'm glad you write [14:24] them. U and that's what I love about web [14:26] design. We all share with each other. [14:28] This is not like [14:30] >> um you know car dealers or no no shade [14:33] to Matt Maderos whose family was in the [14:35] car business but [14:37] >> but we have you know these different [14:39] industries that are so you know [14:42] cutthroat and they want to you know [14:43] throw each other under a bus. Web [14:45] designers help each other and so that's [14:47] kind of why I like doing what I'm doing [14:50] >> and I imagine it's something that [14:51] appeals to you as well. [14:53] >> Yes, I do. I really enjoy it. You know, [14:56] I um I have a small online Facebook [14:59] community called Webcammy Cafe, and it's [15:02] basically friends I've made along the [15:04] way going to word camps, and you know, [15:07] we all refer to each other. We're all so [15:09] helpful in just trying to help each [15:11] other grow and and deal with the day in [15:14] and day out of of running a web design [15:17] business. It can be overwhelming and it [15:20] can also be overwhelming to sign up for [15:22] a course and I have taken some fabulous [15:24] courses but I find that it takes me a [15:27] year to make it through a course that [15:30] might be a 12week course because I don't [15:33] have time. So that's why those tiny [15:36] habits really work for me and I thought [15:38] they might be helpful to other people. [15:42] Yeah, if you dig into these these um [15:45] these posts and these emails, [15:48] the great thing about them is they're [15:49] short. They are not 2,000word essays. [15:53] They are just cleanly delineated and you [15:56] can read them very easily. They and they [15:59] have actionable advice. I'm just going [16:01] to go through a couple of them here just [16:03] to get your opinion on them. But like [16:05] the last one um I I see on your site is [16:07] the analyzing your billing practices. [16:09] And that has killed me for years. And [16:12] I'm finally starting to [16:13] >> to get into the point where like, okay, [16:16] I'm charging people on an annual basis [16:18] now. I'm trying to get away from the [16:20] hourly work when I can. Even just [16:22] opening it up to to to Stripe or [16:25] something like that. I mean, [16:26] >> how did you come to that decisions to [16:29] say, "Okay, I'm not going to just take [16:30] checks anymore and wait by the mailbox [16:33] all day." [16:33] >> Right. Well, you know, when I send these [16:36] out, it's usually I want everyone to [16:39] know it's usually a habit that I'm [16:41] dealing with right at the moment. So, I [16:43] have a plan for the whole year. And I [16:47] each year I'm going to try to introduce [16:49] 16 new habits and keep like core habits. [16:52] So, that's kind of like how I'm going to [16:54] keep this newsletter just going because [16:57] there's always a new habit. But the [17:00] state of Washington, where I live, just [17:02] made web design a taxable service [17:06] >> after 23 years. And so I went down the [17:10] rabbit hole of meeting with my [17:12] accountant. She's like, "You really [17:13] should switch to QuickBooks because it [17:16] will automatically populate those tax [17:19] rates." It's not the tax rate where I [17:21] am. It's the tax rate where the client [17:23] lives in Washington State. Out ofate [17:26] clients are not affected. So, I have [17:29] probably spent 80 hours since July [17:32] setting up QuickBooks and just last week [17:37] I was in tears and said, "I can't do [17:40] this." Like, I can't switch from what I [17:43] was in, which is Fresh Books, which is a [17:46] equivalent or similar program. And um [17:51] yeah, analyzing what you're in, deciding [17:54] what you're in is going to work and [17:56] making it work because I uh is so [17:58] important and I don't think we put [17:59] enough thought into it. So I prefer the [18:03] annual payments versus monthly. I do [18:05] have like, you know, more than 50 [18:07] clients on a monthly p plan, but I [18:10] encourage annual plans because it's less [18:13] time doing your bookkeeping. So, you [18:16] know, charging an annual rate easier [18:19] than charging hourly. So, all those [18:21] little changes and we don't take time to [18:24] look at that stuff. And making time in [18:27] your schedule to analyze your business [18:29] practices, whether it's financial or [18:32] your social media use or whatever you're [18:35] doing. Um, it's really time that's [18:38] valuable. So, [18:39] >> yeah, that that that's a that's a good [18:41] point. you definitely need to to look at [18:43] these things because we're, you know, [18:45] we're designers and developers. We don't [18:47] necessarily sit there and think about [18:49] our bookkeeping habits. We just kind of [18:51] it's a thing we have to do at the end of [18:52] the month or whatever. [18:54] >> We don't necessarily prioritize it. [18:57] >> And I will tell you being an accountant [19:00] or a bookkeeper would not be my first [19:02] choice of things to do especially after [19:06] the last few months. But, you know, I [19:08] finally came to uh met with my [19:11] accountant again and just said, "I got [19:13] to do something different. This isn't [19:14] going to work." So, we made a plan. And [19:16] it it is always good though to have [19:18] those professionals in your back pocket. [19:21] >> Absolutely. [19:21] >> Um Yeah. And for those people who have [19:24] it together enough to hire somebody to [19:26] just take care of all that for you, more [19:28] power to you. [19:29] >> Yeah. That that's one thing I learned I [19:31] did learn early on starting a business. [19:33] It is like I do not want to do my own [19:35] taxes. I do not trust myself to do my [19:37] taxes. [19:37] >> My own taxes. [19:38] >> I will keep track of the numbers, but [19:40] then I will feed them to my accountant [19:42] who will do that for me. [19:43] >> Me, too. That that's what I do as well. [19:47] >> So, the next one I I want to talk about [19:49] is a little different because it's not [19:51] necessarily a business practice. It's [19:53] more of a self-care practice. And that [19:55] is just taking a daily walk, which Yeah. [19:58] >> I I mean, I work 10 hours a day. I'm [20:00] here in this little room. Taking a walk [20:03] is like going on vacation. [20:05] Yes. Yeah, it's true. Well, I don't [20:08] know. I have a dog, so and he's a a big [20:11] giant yellow lab that will come and bark [20:14] at me. [20:15] >> He comes in and barks. I had to have the [20:17] door shut for our recording session here [20:19] because he will pop in and tell me it's [20:22] time for a walk. So, at a minimum, I'm [20:25] getting out with him. But I I at least, [20:28] you know, when it's not raining like [20:31] crazy here in Seattle, I'm out every [20:33] morning for at least 20 30 minutes [20:36] um just to get my head in a different [20:39] space. And I think it's a, you know, you [20:42] don't have to go out there and and, you [20:45] know, sprint or anything like that, but [20:47] it is super helpful for us because [20:50] sitting behind a computer for 10 hours [20:53] is not something that we should do every [20:56] day [20:57] >> uninterrupted. [20:59] >> Yeah. That I mean, honestly, just even [21:02] going outside, I find for a few minutes, [21:04] I'll find like, okay, I I can kind of [21:06] refocus when I get back inside. Mhm. [21:08] >> And and the longer you sit there and [21:10] stare at that screen, I think the harder [21:13] it it is to maintain your focus, [21:16] >> right? And you can break through [21:18] barriers that you're having. You know, [21:20] sometimes just stepping away is what you [21:23] need to figure something out that you're [21:25] having trouble with or you're not liking [21:28] the way a design is looking. Well, the [21:30] more you look at it, the less effective [21:32] you are. So sometimes just taking that [21:35] break is so helpful and it just keeps [21:39] our stress levels down. Running your own [21:41] business is very stressful. So anything [21:44] you can do to manage it is good. [21:46] >> Hey, I've only got two more for you [21:48] because I know you're you have to get [21:50] out. [21:51] >> Offer free strategy sessions, which [21:53] seems like a really nice way to get [21:55] clients to um come to you with uh new [21:58] projects. [21:59] Yeah, this was like this was too [22:02] effective for me. Like I did not plan [22:05] this well enough. And all I have a [22:07] client newsletter that I send out once a [22:10] month and it's really uh it started out [22:13] my my folks uh passed away in 2022 [22:17] within 11 months of each other. I was [22:20] very helpful in caregiving with my [22:23] sister for them. So during co I flew to [22:25] California 20 times and I started this [22:28] newsletter to tell my clients that I was [22:30] leaving and it turned into like you know [22:32] it it's not like I'm offering them many [22:35] things in the newsletter. It's just like [22:37] here's my travel schedule and you know [22:39] watch out for this fishing email that's [22:42] going around. It's more helpful. So and [22:45] at the bottom I have a a link that says [22:48] book a meeting with me, right? Like just [22:50] standard. They never do that. So I I [22:53] wrote a a newsletter that said basically [22:56] like I'm going to open up my calendar [22:58] for two days and you can have a free 30 [23:02] minute session. They're limited. Well, [23:05] you know, and please book. Well, within [23:07] 3 hours, the first day was gone and then [23:11] the the next day was totally gone. And I [23:13] I'd only put like five meetings per day. [23:16] That's really the max I can do. The next [23:19] day it the next day they were all gone. [23:21] So I added a third day and so I ended up [23:25] having like 15 meetings and getting like [23:28] I don't know eight redesigns like it was [23:31] too much. [23:32] >> So I have kind of decided that [23:36] when I do that I won't send it to the [23:38] entire mailing list. I'm going to target [23:41] it. So, I've been working on um [23:44] categorizing in my mailing list the [23:46] clients that I know that really need a [23:49] redesign and maybe I just send that [23:52] version to five of them, right? [23:56] >> Well, that makes sense. [23:58] >> Yeah. But it it is a super effective and [24:01] I shared like the the wording that I had [24:03] in that email and it it did really work, [24:06] man. whatever it was, it was it was an [24:09] effective way of doing things. [24:12] >> I I'll tell you that that's one of the [24:14] lessons I've learned and your emails are [24:17] part of that that you know I've always [24:20] expected clients to just come to me [24:22] whenever they need something, right? [24:23] Because they just email me and say, [24:24] "Eric, I need this. Hey, do you want to [24:26] do a redesign?" [24:28] But often you have to reach out. You [24:30] have to be the one to reach out because [24:31] they're, as you said, they're busy. [24:33] They're not necessarily [24:35] thinking like that is a priority at that [24:38] very moment. They're just trying to get [24:39] their business taken care of. So when [24:42] you actually reach out and you offer [24:44] something like that, they will often [24:46] take advantage of it, [24:48] >> right? And you know, they look at their [24:50] website. I have clients that are in um [24:53] Genesis themes [24:55] from Studio Press that are on their last [24:58] leg, right? like, you know, they're not [25:01] block editor. They're just they need to [25:04] go. But the client looks at their [25:06] website and thinks, "Oh, it looks great. [25:08] I'm still it still works. It still works [25:10] on the front end for me." And so when [25:12] you get a meeting like that and you say, [25:14] "Well, I can't update your PHP from 7.4 [25:18] to in the eights where it needs to be [25:21] because everything breaks and this is a [25:24] security risk." And you start to explain [25:26] those things to them. [25:29] uh they'll listen to you because they [25:31] trust you because you've, you know, been [25:33] a good communicator and helped them out [25:35] in the past [25:37] 100%. But they're not going to reach out [25:39] to you about that because in their mind [25:42] they liked it 12 years ago [25:45] and they still like it now. [25:48] >> Well, speaking of communication, the [25:50] last one is only check emails three [25:52] times a day. I do not know who does [25:54] this, how you do it. Do you really do [25:57] that? Well, I don't do it every day. I [25:59] do it most days, though. I do it because [26:02] I created I use something called Cloud [26:05] HQ inside of my uh Gmail and it allows [26:11] you to create tabs. So, your various [26:14] things coming in your that you've tagged [26:16] go in. And I have one that's empty. And [26:19] I put my email on the empty tab and I [26:24] don't move from there. So that is how I [26:28] have the most success and I would say my [26:31] success rate is 70% or higher. I have [26:35] those days where the incoming is so much [26:39] that I just can't can't let it go and [26:42] and you know get to the end. And I'll [26:45] admit sometimes on a Saturday my inbox [26:48] is so full from the entire week of of [26:52] being really good at that that I'll go [26:54] to a coffee shop with my laptop and just [26:57] triage email while I drink coffee and [27:00] look at the view. So [27:02] >> that's one I'm going to have to work on [27:03] because I'm I'm you know all day all [27:06] night emails open. Probably not the [27:08] >> You know something that you can do [27:10] that's kind of like a cheater way of [27:12] doing it? So I use Mixmax which is a [27:16] email templating program and it also [27:19] does sequences and but I have I have [27:22] hundreds of email templates. I it allows [27:25] me to schedule. So if I'm breaking my [27:28] own rules, I will send the email during [27:31] the window that I'm supposed to be [27:34] checking it so the client gets that. [27:39] You know, maybe they're not paying [27:40] attention. Maybe they are. But if they [27:43] email me at 9:00, they don't get a reply [27:45] until 1. If they email me at 1, they [27:49] don't get a reply until 4:30. If they [27:51] email me at 3, they don't get the reply [27:54] until the next day. [27:56] >> And I have already replied and scheduled [27:58] it. [27:59] >> I like that. I'm going to have to look [28:00] into that. Yeah, [28:02] >> that's one of those things that that [28:03] just, you know, you can spend an awful [28:06] lot of time just answering emails [28:07] furiously like I do and not getting your [28:10] work done. So, [28:11] >> yes, it is. It's like you you make your [28:14] whole job uh answering email. That's not [28:17] good either. [28:18] >> No. So, I I know you have to get going. [28:21] So, I I I want to thank you so much for [28:24] being on the WP Minute. Um, where can [28:26] people find you online? [28:29] So they can find me at well [28:31] webdesignerhabits.com [28:32] is where to sign up for that newsletter. [28:35] webcammycafe.com [28:36] is where I kind of blog about running my [28:39] business in general. It's where [28:40] webdesigner habits was born and I have a [28:43] Facebook group called web webcammy cafe [28:46] that you can join where you'll meet a [28:48] bunch of other WordPress web designers. [28:50] A few there's a few Squarespace ones and [28:53] you know I dabble in that a little bit [28:55] too. Um, but WordPress is where my heart [28:59] is and where my community is. So, those [29:01] are two great places to find me. I'm [29:03] over on Blue Sky these days. Uh, not so [29:07] much Twitter anymore. So, and I'm I'm [29:10] webcamy everywhere. So, you can [29:12] LinkedIn, you can just Google webcammy [29:15] and it'll come up. [29:17] >> Well, well, thanks again for being a [29:19] part of this. We It was great to have [29:20] you on and finally get that opportunity [29:22] to to speak with you face to face. I [29:24] just loved your I love your blog [29:26] writing. You're like my blog writing [29:28] hero and it's just really an honor to [29:32] meet somebody who has put out so much [29:34] great content and to get to chat with [29:36] you in person and I hope we get to chat [29:38] at an in-person event sometime in the [29:41] next, you know, year or so. [29:43] >> Absolutely. That would be wonderful. [29:45] Well, Cammy, thanks again for being on [29:46] the WP Minute. And for those of you that [29:49] listening and watching today, thanks so [29:51] much for being a part of our audience. [29:53] Visit us over at the [29:55] wpminet.com/subscribe [29:57] where you can get our newsletter, become [29:59] a member, and even support the work we [30:02] do. And oh yes, we also have opened up [30:04] our Slack community to everyone. You can [30:07] just go to the site and register. You [30:08] can get to chat with myself and Matt [30:10] Maderos and all of your favorite hosts [30:12] at the WP Minute. So, thanks a lot [30:14] everyone and we'll see you next time. [30:18] Thanks for listening to the WP Minute, [30:20] part of the Matt Report Media Network. [30:22] This episode wouldn't be possible [30:23] without our amazing pillar sponsors, [30:25] Pressible, Kinsta, GoDaddy, 20I, and [30:28] Elementor. These brands are supporting [30:30] WordPress media and helping us invest in [30:32] your future as a WordPress professional. [30:35] Our Foundation Plus sponsors like [30:37] Hostinger, Big Scoots, StellarWP, [30:39] PersonalizedWP, Wiglot, and Patch Stack [30:41] help us keep the lights on. Thanks to [30:44] all of our members in the WP Minute [30:45] Slack channel, which you can join, too. 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