Something I’ve learned over my 16 years of being self employed is the importance of designing your business around you. Not designing your life around your business.

That’s exactly what Lindsey Freeman, founder and creative director of Designed to be Human, and I dive into in this episode.

It’s easier said than done of course. And there are times where you need to do what you need to do in order to pay the bills but if you’re intentional about setting your business up (services, operations, clients, calendar, partnerships, etc) around things that actually GIVE you energy and not take it away, that’s success in my book.

Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/385

WordPress is in a tricky spot…and while still over 43% of websites on the internet use it, other platforms and builders are picking up steam and gaining in market share.

My big questions are:

• Has WordPress reached it’s potential?
• Is WP just for old dudes?
• Will Gutenberg (aka the block editor) EVER improve?
• Do people care more about WordPress or their page builder of choice?
• Is the WordPress leadership team secretly a commune outside San Fran?

All of that and more is covered in this episode with repeat guest Kevin Geary.

Kevin has been on the leading edge of making products for WordPress which help designers build faster, best practice sites that are focused on maintainability and sustainability.

His new venture etchwp.com has loads of potential to not only rival and overtake the cumbersome native block editor, but many page builders as well.

If you know Kevin, you know there’s no fluff, no hiding opinions or stepping around honest thoughts. I always love talking to folks who are 100% transparent and that’s what you should expect in this one.

Head to the show notes to get all links and resources we mentioned along with a full transcription of this episode at joshhall.co/384

Here's the replay from the most recent live Q&A that was held on my YouTube channel!

Special offer extended to you as a podcast listener 👇

Use code JUNE50 to get 50% off your first month of Web Designer Pro, either for the courses or community tier. This offer expires at the end of June 2025.

https://webdesignerpro.com

In this one, we covered:

• Reading recommendations for web design business owners include "Atomic Habits," "Built to Sell," and "Sponsor Magnet"
• WordPress site migration strategies from platforms like Blogspot should consider domain authority, metadata, and using migration tools
• Despite Google AI overviews potentially reducing clicks, SEO remains crucial as these tools cite quality content
• A former Web Designer Pro member shares their success landing a $10K website project through BNI networking
• White label partnerships require clear payment terms - agencies should pay contractors regardless of client payment status
• The "Automatic for agencies" offer appears to be competing with WP Engine amid ongoing tensions in the WordPress ecosystem
• Divi 5 works well for simpler sites now, but complex sites with third-party plugins should stay on Divi 4 until fall 2025
• Productizing web design services works best when creating template "buckets" based on complexity levels
• New designers can build portfolios through charity work or passion projects using terms like "featured work"
• In-person networking remains highly effective for landing quality clients, even in the digital age

⏯️ Watch this replay on YouTube here