Have you read “Rework” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson? I have. It’s an interesting read. The gist of it is: get started; nothing is perfect; go. I agree with a lot of it. It talks about creating a minimally viable product, put it out there, and then reworking it until you get it right. This is how I feel about most things in life and especially about business.
I was “forced” into action when I was laid off from my old job. That day remains in my mind as one of the best days of my life. I hated that job but, didn’t have the nerve to jump ship. I’d been planning on it for years. I had put in a ton of thought and time and sweat and tears, even created my Llc almost a year before I got canned. But, I didn’t have balls to pull the trigger. If I hadn’t been let go, I would probably still be there. Hating every day of it.
Life works in mysterious ways…
Anywho, I was really lucky. I was let go and given a bit of severance pay. It allowed me to work fulltime on getting FDL up and running instead of trying to run it as a side hustle like I had been. I realize most people don’t get an opportunity like that but, you have to start somewhere. It doesn’t have to be
I know this sounds weird from somebody who wants to sell you a website but,
Goals and Pulling the trigger
When you sit down and think about your goals, think both long-term and short-term. Yeah, long-term you might need a site with 100 pages of awesome content. You may need forms, a store, events, ways for people to schedule appointments with you, all sorts of cool nifty charts and images but, take a minute and think about what you need to get started right now. You need a domain name, a landing page, maybe two, and a contact form.
When you’re out shopping for a web designer/agency, don’t let them talk you into something you don’t need. Pick a platform you can grow into. WordPress is great for that. You can add and build until your heart’s content. If you’re on WordPress, pick a theme that can grow with your needs. Chances are, you don’t need a custom theme. They’re going to try to sell you one but, do you actually need it? No. That’s why I like Divi (our theme of choice). It’s cheap, it’s flexible and you can make it do anything you want. It can, literally, be the last theme you ever need. Can we build you a custom theme? You betcha! But, you probably don’t need it.
If you are interested in getting started, just your name out there or your foot in the door, putting a little time and money up front can save you A LOT of time and money down the road. Create a road map of your current and expected/desired future needs. Take that with you when you meet with an agency. Ask how you can create what you need now and make sure it’s flexible enough to fit your future goals. Meet with a couple of agencies. Find someone who gets where you’re trying to go and not pressuring you into the direction of their profits. Have them create a plan. It might cost a little for a consultation but, it’s better to know your options up front. You’ll know what is realistic and can plan accordingly. Don’t get overwhelmed. If you feel pressured, move on. They aren’t the right agency for you.
Take away…
Just get started. Pull the trigger. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Perfect is unattainable. It needs to get started. You can work on it as you go. Plus, if it’s out there, it’s real. It’s your dream and it’s really happening.
P.S. If you need someone for a consultation, I happen to know a nice little company that is more than happy to help.