This is my favorite question to answer, because if there are a bajillion web designers out there, at least half of them (if not way more than that) have no idea how to actually care for customers and manage a web design project.

Think:

• Disappearing in the middle of projects.
• Leaving clients with a website they have no idea how to update and charging crazy fees to make the smallest of changes.
• Delivering a website that’s basically a cast member of the Real Housewives – looks good but doesn’t do anything.

Name a nightmare scenario and I’ve heard it.

And you know what that means?

You have the opportunity to serve your clients at a higher level, knock their freaking socks off and get paid well to do it.

Nope! While that’s what my expertise is in, you do not have to use WordPress to execute the strategies I teach in the Web Designer Academy. We have students that build client sites on Wix + SquareSpace too!

Where you might need to do some extra research is when I teach time-saving development processes that are WordPress-specific, but I can assure you that there are ways to do the same thing on other platforms.

If that’s you and you get stuck, that’s what the Web Designer Academy Facebook Group is for – you and I will put our heads together to figure out the best way forward for you.

If you are happy with the clients you are getting, how much you’re making, your processes and how you interact with your clients, then yes, the Web Designer Academy is going to be too beginner for you.

But if you’re getting clients and you’re not happy with how your projects are going, you struggle to get content and feedback from clients and you end up working more hours than you’re getting paid for, the Web Designer Academy can help you with that.

If you’re really clear on your ideal client and you’ve been in business awhile, then you’ll be able to move a little bit faster through some of the marketing modules than people who are newer to freelance web design.

There is no such thing as being behind.​

I’m going to send you a weekly email for 12 weeks introducing each module and the action steps for that module, but you can totally move at your own pace.

The course is designed to be highly structured – you move through it in order, you complete your action steps in order and that can totally be done on your own timeline, as fast or slow as you want to go!

I’ve bought a lot of online courses too (I love learning!!) and what I’ve found is that I’m always going back to them to hone a specific skill I need to learn to as I’m taking action in my business.

The trainings inside the Web Designer Academy are specific to web designers, but the mentorship is what sets it apart from the other courses you’ve likely taken.

When you put together all the pieces of your web design business inside the Web Designer Academy, that foundation can help you start taking action on things you’ve already learned in other courses.

And those other courses can be an awesome resource for you as you move forward in marketing and growing your business!

One word: Mentorship.

What other program can you find that gives you a WordPress expert in your back pocket that can help you navigate any sticky or tricky situation you may find yourself in with a client or project.

Like…

• My client got hacked and they are panicking! How do I get their site back?
• My client is asking me to do something that I have no idea how to do. What do I do?
• My client won’t give me the content I need to finish her website. What do I do?
• My client wants me to drop everything to handle her emergency project. What do I do?
• My client keeps adding to our project but wants the same launch date and there’s no way I can get this all done in time. What do I do?

But beyond mentorship, since The Web Designer Academy is specifically for web designers, every marketing lesson is going to be relevant to you.

I’ve taken premium business courses too, and they’re one-size fits all.

And if you’re anything like me, one-size-fits-all never actually fits you.

I’ll be giving you marketing strategies designed for web designers so that you don’t have to get lowballed on those freelancing websites (that also take a big cut of your fees) or advertise on Craigslist and field more inquiries from creepers than actual clients.

But beyond just marketing strategies, we go deep into how to confidently turn web design consultations in to clients – without feeling like you’re begging for work or being pushy.

And what’s really different than any other business-building course out there is that you’ll walk away with an effective process to onboard your clients and manage your web design projects (which is really how to train your clients in disguise).

The icing on the cupcake? You’ll understand how to create passive income with your web design skills so you have money coming in that’s independent of clients.

It makes sense that you’d think you’d need to show potential clients a gallery of websites you’ve designed and built to prove to them that you know how to do it…

But that’s what everyone else is doing and that’s why they’re clawing at each other for clients.

And that type of competition puts clients in a position to negotiate on price, leaving you feeling frustrated and resentful after booking a new client rather than excited and empowered.

Inside the Web Designer Academy, I’m going to teach you a totally different way to position yourself in the market so that you’re not competing on price – and it does not require a portfolio.

If you have a portfolio full of designs that you’re proud of – and you want to design and build more sites just like that, great! If not, no worries. You don’t need a portfolio.

Great question, and I get it. You’ve already got a million things (and maybe even a day job) on your plate.

You get instant access to all of the lessons the moment you enroll, so you can go at your own pace. I’ll send you an email every week that introduces the next lesson, but you don’t have to go at that pace. Just save them in a folder and when you have a free weekend, just start at the beginning and move through each module in order.

All of the modules are also inside a private student podcast so you can easily listen on the go, and then when you have time to sit down, you’re actually doing the action steps instead of watching videos.

And then you just need to set aside one hour every other week (Thursdays at 3PM EST) for the mentorship portion of the course. That’s where I’ll help you get unstuck and answer your questions, no matter where you’re at in the lessons.

Beyond that, it’s up to you how much time you put into every week.

Because it’s not time that you’re dedicating to the Web Designer Academy, it’s time you’re dedicating to building your business – and it’s different for everyone based on their goals.

You have lifetime access to the trainings, the Facebook group and replays of the all of the Group Coaching Calls. You get the mentorship piece for a full year.

But I can tell you this – your time won’t be wasted spinning your wheels feeling unsure if what you’re spending your time on is worth it. You’ll feel confident that every minute spent is helping you build a strong foundation for your business.

There are so many other awesome courses out there that will teach you the fundamentals (I recommend Skillcrush) so if learning to code is your main goal right now or you don’t already know how to build a website, you’re probably not ready for the Web Designer Academy just yet.

But before you go to sign up for a coding class, here’s a confession:

I’ve never taken a formal coding class. *Gasp*

In fact, I don’t really like to code. Yep, that’s right. I’m a web designer who codes as little as possible.

What you’ll do inside the Web Designer Academy is develop your own unique repeatable design/build process that you can customize to your clients so that you’re not coding every site from scratch.

In fact, you’re barely coding at all.

Because when you custom-code sites for clients, they are beholden to you for LIFE.

And not in a good way.

Like in a “I despise having to email you to ask you to make this change for me…” way.

And on the flip-side, you’re like “I can’t believe I have to stop what I’m doing to change this color on one word for her.”

So I teach you a strategy for building websites for your clients that leave you BOTH empowered at the end of the project.

I know this answer will turn off the people that think their coding skills make them superior to all other humans and want to trap their clients into paying them for life, but the Web Designer Academy isn’t for them. It’s for you.

The dedicated, driven web designer who wants to take care of her clients. The one who feels like a proud parent as she watches her clients soak up all the love from their customers on launch day.

And if you’re still getting a little imposter syndrome from feeling like your coding or graphic design or copywriting skills aren’t up to par, that’s okay! I teach you in the Web Designer Academy how to partner with other people who have the skillset you’re lacking to design dreamy websites!

The bare minimum you need to successfully implement what you learn is a website, an email service provider (there are free and paid options) and graphic design software (Canva has free and paid options).