Websites Made Simple: How to have a successful website design business

Holly Christie (Website Design Business Mentor)

Welcome to Websites Made Simple, a podcast helping you become more successful in your website design business. Most small website design business owners are working hard. Really hard. At the same time they feel like they’re winging it. And their online presence isn't helping them. This podcast is here to change that for you. Holly Christie is founder of website companies, This Demanding Life and Simply Sites. Holly will walk you through the common factors that are stopping you from making a success of your website design business, and how to overcome them, in a way that feels authentic to you. If you’d like to learn more about Holly and her work you can find her at: https://thisdemandinglife.com/ or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollycchristie/

  1. 1d ago

    You're Not Doing Web Design Wrong — You Just Weren't Told This

    Nobody handed most of us a manual for this. Web design is a self-taught industry, so we all arrive from different angles, with different tools, and it's far too easy to decide you're "doing it wrong" the moment a louder voice tells you their way is the only way. *whispers in your ear* - if this episodes sparks your interest, check out my mentoring group: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments. Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. In this episode, I'm talking directly to designers and developers in their first few years, sharing the practices that helped me build confidence, better websites, and a stronger business, without pretending there's one "right" way to do it. We get into: How investing properly in your setup (themes, insurance, compliant contracts) slowly builds your confidenceWhy "spend money to make money" applies to web design more than you thinkPicking one area to go all in on each year, from accessibility to SEOBuilding a rigid onboarding process so content arrives before the build startsGetting known for one or two things instead of being "just another designer"Why staying in your lane beats watching the competitionCollecting reviews properly (and actually following them up)Why a mentor pays dividends long before you feel you can "afford" one If you're early in your web design journey and just want a bit more support in your corner, this one's for you. Come and find out more at - https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk Or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk If you'd like to talk about mentoring for new website designers and developers, come and say hello. Skip to the good bits (Chapters): 00:00 Who this episode is for 00:33 Web design is a self-taught industry (and tech shaming) 02:02 Invest in your web design business 05:57 Pick one area to master each year 08:54 Get your onboarding right — content up front 11:29 Marketing yourself and the know, like, trust factor 12:17 Get known for one or two things 14:36 Stay in your lane, ignore the competition 15:59 Collect reviews and actually use them 17:17 Why you should get a mentor

    You're Not Doing Web Design Wrong — You Just Weren't Told This

  2. Jun 29

    How to sign off a website project properly: a free checklist

    A messy sign-off leaves a messy memory — and it’s one of the easiest things to fix with the right checklist in place. Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. Check out: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments. In this episode, I’m walking you through my full website sign-off process — the checklist I use every single time to make sure projects end cleanly, clients are set up properly, and I can actually close the project and move on. We get into: Holly’s website “pack-down” checklist and why you need oneCookie notices, GDPR, and what to check before you go liveWhy you should run a Page Speed Insights report and screenshot it every timeSetting up admin accounts (the step Holly has forgotten more than once)Website manuals: why every client should get one and how to create themHooking up analytics, pixels, and code tracking before handoverHow to test on incognito browser and mobile before you call it doneGetting written sign-off from your client — and the wording that mattersMigration, SSL certificates, and enforcing HTTPS after moving a siteContact form testing, SMTP, and GDPR-compliant database savingHow to organise client training and what Holly’s personalised video manuals look likeSetting up client logins and making sure they know how to run WordPress updatesAsking for reviews at exactly the right momentWhat is and is not your responsibility once a project is signed off If you want every project to end with a clean, confident handover — this one will help you build that process. Grab Holly’s sign-off checklist at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sign-off-checklist Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk And here’s the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/ Skip to the good bits: 00:00 The sign-off feeling and making sure clients come back for the right reasons 01:46 Build your website pack-down checklist 02:50 Cookie notices and GDPR compliance 03:53 Run a PageSpeed Insights report and save the results 06:20 Create an admin account for the client 06:55 Website manuals and why every client needs one 07:37 Hooking up code tracking before handover 08:48 Testing on incognito browser and mobile view 10:27 Getting written sign-off from your client 11:10 Tying sign-off to payment 11:35 Migration, SSL certificates and enforcing HTTPS 14:21 Contact forms, testing and GDPR compliance 15:39 Organising client training 16:17 Holly’s personalised video walkthrough manuals 17:12 Getting the client logged in 17:58 WordPress updates and making sure clients know how 18:40 Ask for a review at the right moment 19:09 Your responsibilities after sign-off

    How to sign off a website project properly: a free checklist

  3. Jun 15

    Stop Tech Shaming: What Actually Matters in a Website Build

    If you’ve ever been made to feel that your tech stack is wrong, or that using a page builder makes you less of a “real” developer, this episode is here to give you a reality check. Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. In this episode, I’m talking about tech stacks, tech shaming, and why the platform you build on matters a whole lot less than what you’re actually delivering. We get into: What we’re actually being hired to deliver — and why the tools are irrelevantWhy client ease of use should drive every tech decision you makeThe difference between a proper handover and abandoning your client at the doorWhy locked-down websites cause problems for everyone, including youHow imposter syndrome fuels tech shaming in the web design industryWhy personality and trust win clients over tech stack every single timeThe disappearing developer problem and how to be the designer clients return to If you’ve been tech shamed, or you’ve been second-guessing your tools, this will help you refocus on what actually builds a sustainable web design business. Check out my mentoring group offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments. Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk Skip to the good bits: 00:00 What really matters about your tech stack 00:36 Welcome to Websites Made Simple 00:50 Holly’s experience of tech shaming on LinkedIn 01:50 Sparks Group Mentoring explained 02:36 It’s not about the platform — it’s about the results 03:41 Why client ease of use should come first 04:24 Page builders, locked-down sites, and client access 05:26 Clients should always be able to access their own website 06:25 The disappearing developer problem 07:11 How to sign off a website properly 07:48 Client training, Zoom handovers, and user manuals 08:24 Building for two people: your client and their visitors 09:11 Why tech shaming is really just imposter syndrome 10:03 Why clients choose you for personality, not tools 11:30 “In 20 years, I’ve never gone back to the same designer twice — until now”

    Stop Tech Shaming: What Actually Matters in a Website Build

  4. Jun 1

    Why you need to outsource in your website design business

    If you're putting in the work, showing up, doing everything you can — and still turning over the same amount of money year on year — this episode is for you. Check out my popular group mentoring programme: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments. Hi and welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. In this episode, I'm talking about the money mindset patterns that can sometimes keep web designers stuck, what it actually means to outsource and invest in your business, and how to get out of your own way so you can finally start earning what you deserve. We get into: Why so many web designers drop their prices before the client has even had a chance to respondThe power of the pauseWhy payment plans for hosting and maintenance are non-negotiable recurring revenueWhat a money mindset ceiling looks like, and why it keeps you stuck at the same figureThe real maths behind outsourcing to a VAWhy website designers bottleneck their own businessesMy personal story of working every evening after the kids went to bedHow to get out of your own way, stop doing everything yourself, and start running a business that actually works for you If you're working hard but not seeing the financial results to match, this episode will show you exactly what's holding you back — and it might just be you. Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk Skip to the good bits: 00:00 What's really holding back your web design business 01:17 Turning over the same money year on year — why it happens 02:00 What levelling up really means 02:44 Self-sabotaging behaviours — do any of these sound like you? 05:47 Why even getting a client on a call earns your seat at the table 07:27 Money mindset ceilings: stuck at the same income figure 10:03 Outsourcing to a VA: the real numbers 12:19 "You're halving your hourly rate" — the hard truth from a good friend 13:55 Get out of your own way and earn what you deserve Mentioned in this episode: Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass! Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass Blogging masterclass

    Why you need to outsource in your website design business

  5. May 18

    Website Designers - You Think You've Got SEO Covered? Think Again!

    If a client has ever asked you "When will my website be found on Google?" — and you didn’t quite know how to answer — this episode is for you. Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments. Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. In this episode, I’m talking about where your role as a web designer ends and where an SEO specialist’s begins — and why knowing that difference could genuinely change the quality of the websites you deliver and the reputation you build. We get into: The difference between building an SEO-friendly website and delivering SEO servicesWhat you ARE responsible for in every build (and where the line is)How to find an SEO specialist you actually like working withWhy you should bring them in before the build starts, not afterWhat an SEO specialist actually produces and how to show clients the valueHow to handle clients who don’t want to pay for SEO supportWhether to build the SEO cost into your website priceWhy the relationship goes both ways — and how SEO specialists can become a referral source for you If you’ve ever felt unsure about where SEO fits in your process, this will help you get clear, get confident, and start building better websites with the right people around you. Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk And here’s the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/ Skip to the good bits: 01:15 “When will my website be found on Google?” 01:41 What web designers ARE responsible for in SEO 02:34 SEO-friendly ≠ SEO services 02:57 Nikki Pilkington 03:44 Find an SEO specialist you vibe with 04:44 Bring them in before the build starts 05:03 What your SEO specialist will actually produce 06:14 When the client won’t pay for SEO 07:03 Build the SEO cost into your website price 08:24 It goes both ways: the referral relationship Mentioned in this episode: Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass! Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass Blogging masterclass

    Website Designers - You Think You've Got SEO Covered? Think Again!

  6. May 4

    Cheap £99 website builds are killing your website design business

    If you’ve been tempted to move to a £99 a month website model — or you’ve been quietly cutting your prices just to get work through the door — this episode is a direct intervention. Psst! Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments. Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. In this episode, I’m talking about why the £99 website model isn’t the sustainable business move it might look like on paper — and what to do instead when the market feels slow. We get into: How the maths of volume pricing simply don’t add upThe burnout that comes with trying the modelWhy ongoing payment plans are bad newsThe hidden costs that slowly erode client trustWhat to do instead If you’re a web designer wondering whether dropping your prices is the answer, this episode will give you the confidence to hold firm. Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk Skip to the good bits: 00:00 Why the £99 website model doesn’t work 00:35 Meet Holly: Websites Made Simple 00:46 Who this episode applies to 01:45 The volume problem: you’d need 30 clients for £3,000 04:14 Burnout is baked into this model 04:38 Scope creep and the ongoing payment trap 06:32 Hidden costs and eroding client trust 08:34 Email hosting, DNS, and the chaos that follows 11:19 Content collection in a low-cost model 12:26 Hold your nerve: panic pricing makes it worse Mentioned in this episode: Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass! Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass Blogging masterclass

    Cheap £99 website builds are killing your website design business

  7. Apr 27 ·  Bonus

    How AI and Vibe Coding Puts Your Website Design Business At Risk

    AI is everywhere — and so is everyone telling you to use it for everything. But when it comes to your website, your plugins, and the work you ship for clients, the wrong AI shortcut can quietly become a serious liability. Check out my Sparks Group Training for anyone and everyone involved in the publishing of websites, from copywriters to SEOs: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments. Welcome to a special bonus episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. (Quick note — my podcast mic was misbehaving for this one, so the audio is not quite up to our usual standard. My producer Neal at Podknows has worked his magic to clean it up, so please do stick with it. The conversation is genuinely worth your time.) I am joined by senior developer Rob Fisher to talk about where AI actually helps in web design, where it absolutely does not, and the security and stability risks nobody is being loud enough about. We get into: Why vibe coding is not a shortcut, it is a stack of technical debt waiting to break How LLMs really work, and why they hallucinate when you let them Why your prompt boundaries matter as much as your prompt The chatbot that gave a customer 85 percent off a 10,000 dollar order What the October 2025 AWS outage tells us about AI first dev cultures Why AI tools are junior developers, not senior ones, and what that means for your business Why vibe coded WordPress plugins are a house of cards How a “safe” plugin can become a Trojan horse with one auto update What is actually changing in WordPress 7 If you are a designer or developer trying to work out where AI fits into your business without putting your clients at risk, this one is for you. Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk Skip to the good bits: 00:00 Bonus episode intro and audio note 01:18 Where AI fits in running a web business 02:34 Vibe coding and why it is a shortcut too far 05:12 The flip side, vibe coding as a learning tool 06:48 Tech debt: your vibe coded site is a liability waiting to break 07:45 What AI cannot do for user journeys and design psychology 09:20 How LLMs actually work, probability engines not brains 11:30 Hallucinations and the suspiciously short prompt 13:05 Prompt boundaries and staying on topic 15:10 What system prompts at OpenAI and Anthropic actually look like 17:00 The chatbot that gave away an 85 percent discount on a 10,000 dollar order 19:40 AI first dev houses and the October 2025 AWS outage 22:15 Microsoft layoffs and the AI replacement myth 24:30 Why generative AI is a junior developer, not a senior one 26:20 Vibe coded plugins, the house of cards problem 28:50 The WordPress plugin ecosystem and what it lets in 31:00 How a safe plugin becomes a Trojan horse overnight 33:15 WP Rocket, All in One Migration and the malicious update problem 34:50 WordPress 7 and the new AI APIs, and why it will not feel revolutionary 37:00 Block editor improvements and the abstraction layer problem 38:40 Final thoughts and how to get in touch Mentioned in this episode: Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass! Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass Blogging masterclass

    How AI and Vibe Coding Puts Your Website Design Business At Risk

  8. Apr 20

    Every Website Designer Feels Like a Fraud Sometimes. Here's What To Do About It

    Imposter syndrome doesn’t care how good you are. It shows up anyway — making you hesitate before you send a contract, stumble over your words on a call, or scroll past someone else’s work and quietly wonder if you’re good enough. In this episode of Websites Made Simple, Holly Christie gets honest about imposter syndrome in web design. Why it hits so hard in a self-taught industry. Why tech shaming on LinkedIn makes it worse. And what you can actually do to push through it, level up, and stop letting self-doubt quietly run your business. We talk about: Why imposter syndrome affects experienced and award-winning designers tooThe problem with tech shaming (and why the tool you use doesn’t define your worth)Why there’s a seat at the table for every web designerHow to stay in your lane and focus on your own growthWhat to do when your processes feel messy or your designs feel staleHow to push outside your comfort zone and keep developingWhy you’re probably doing much better than you think Chapters: 00:00 Imposter syndrome — it comes for all of us 04:28 When LinkedIn chips away at your confidence 07:35 Stay in your lane and look forward 08:20 Tighten up your processes and onboarding 09:30 What to do when your designs feel stale 10:45 Pushing outside your comfort zone 12:05 You’re doing better than you think 💡 Want Holly’s Sparks Group Mentoring? Find out more here: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ 🌐 Website: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk 📧 Email: hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollycchristie/ Mentioned in this episode: Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass! Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass Blogging masterclass

    Every Website Designer Feels Like a Fraud Sometimes. Here's What To Do About It
See All (65)

Trailer

About

Welcome to Websites Made Simple, a podcast helping you become more successful in your website design business. Most small website design business owners are working hard. Really hard. At the same time they feel like they’re winging it. And their online presence isn't helping them. This podcast is here to change that for you. Holly Christie is founder of website companies, This Demanding Life and Simply Sites. Holly will walk you through the common factors that are stopping you from making a success of your website design business, and how to overcome them, in a way that feels authentic to you. If you’d like to learn more about Holly and her work you can find her at: https://thisdemandinglife.com/ or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollycchristie/

Information

You Might Also Like