Most technologists who build websites for local businesses should stop doing so.
They in the main cannot afford professional labor, and should move to platforms like Shopify, site builders, etc which can amortize engineering costs over 100,000 similarly situated accounts.
They in the main cannot afford professional labor, and should move to platforms like Shopify, site builders, etc which can amortize engineering costs over 100,000 similarly situated accounts.
I struggle mightily when talking to people who have optimize their freelancing practice to expose them to e.g. locally run coffee shops, cranking out $250 or $500 websites.
This is a poor business decision relative to serving firms who can comfortably budget professional labor.
This is a poor business decision relative to serving firms who can comfortably budget professional labor.
"But what about the local cafe?"
I am in favor of the local cafe! Spend your money there! Even teach a pro bonus Get Started With Shopify Or Whatever office hours weekly, underwritten by being a successful local business owner yourself.
I am in favor of the local cafe! Spend your money there! Even teach a pro bonus Get Started With Shopify Or Whatever office hours weekly, underwritten by being a successful local business owner yourself.
An extremely common failure mode is running a business as a charity. This is self-evidently a bad business; it's also a bad charity.
(If you were to rank order all people in the world in need of charitable help, where would local business owners in America be on that list?)
(If you were to rank order all people in the world in need of charitable help, where would local business owners in America be on that list?)
"But I don't live in the big city."
Yes, but you live on a big Internet, connected to all the big cities, and the viability of consulting remotely was fine in 2010 when I was doing it and has only increased since then.
Yes, but you live on a big Internet, connected to all the big cities, and the viability of consulting remotely was fine in 2010 when I was doing it and has only increased since then.
*pro bono
(For international audience: this is a Latin phrase in common currency in US English, shortened from "pro bono publico", which means "for the common good."
It's used when professionals, most commonly lawyers, donate labor to those who couldn't afford market rates.)
(For international audience: this is a Latin phrase in common currency in US English, shortened from "pro bono publico", which means "for the common good."
It's used when professionals, most commonly lawyers, donate labor to those who couldn't afford market rates.)
