EETemplates

How to get started in the Web Design business

I often wish there was a master document for starting a web design business. You know… the one that if you followed every rule would guarantee success? Well I am not guaranteeing success but I wanted to create a no holds barred write up of what I feel it takes to get started in Web Design. What should I consider? What will some of the hurdles be? What resources are out there? What should I focus on?

These are all based on my personal experience so YMMV. But I have had a number of people that know me from my previous life as a Senior Systems Engineer for a Federal Contractor ask me how I got started and what suggestions I might have.

So this is part biography and part helpful manifesto. It is fluid and will change as I grow into this mess of a career that I have started. I imagine it will take me awhile to get through all of the material. I sat down the other night and wrote out the following for a table of contents. What do you think? Any other topics you think would be helpful?

1. How do you get started? Local or Interweb based? Events? Chamber?
2. Getting your first couple of clients. Trade 4, Build 5, Master 6 and Ninjitsu 10
3. After you’ve started then what? Tracking Time, Setting Goals and Continuing Education.
4. What should my focus be? Design? Programming?
5. What should my pricing look like? Project? Hourly? Contracts? Spec work?
6. How do I set up an S corp, LLC or ??
7. What Equipment do I need? Equipment is probably the largest expenditure when starting a new business. How do I manage this?
8. What are some resources I should keep up with? SCORE? Internet? Other?
9. Business Plan - Say what? How can you plan for anything in this business?

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I actually had 3 pages of notes but I limited it down to this. Each of these items is something I felt was extremely important and actually shows the progress of someone from a noob to experienced freelancer.

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this. And more importantly I hope it helps you build your business.

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