Increasing Diversity and Normalizing Sustainable Work Habits in Web Design with Rob Howard EP 37

Profitable Web Designer with Shannon Mattern

Welcome to Episode 37 of the Profitable Web Designer Podcast, where we’re committed to helping web designers to stop undercharging, overdelivering, overworking, overworking and create profitable, sustainable web design businesses.

I’m Shannon Mattern, your host and founder of the Web Designer Academy where we teach the business side of running a web design business, and if you wanna make a consistent, full-time income as a web designer but you’re struggling with things like pricing, boundaries, mindset and marketing and you’re EXHAUSTED from going it alone… well, my friend, you’re in the right place.

Love the show? Tap here to leave us a rating and review!

This week I’m talking with Rob Howard about increasing diversity and normalizing sustainability in web design!

Rob Howard is the founder of HDC, a digital agency headquartered in Denver, Colorado. His team is behind one of the most popular WordPress newsletters out there, Master WP, and they're also the creators of EveryAlt, which is a new AI powered tool that instantly creates accurate alt text for your images.

Key takeaways from my chat with Rob:

• Prioritizing mental health and sustainability in the workplace, and ultimately deconstructing the rigidity of corporate structure creates trust and balance among employees.
• Be proactive in making the change you want to see, building your company based on transparency and rewarding talent and skills for retention. The gender gap can be at play when negotiating rates even if we don't realize it because of social constructs.
• Taking small, uncomfortable steps is a great way to take risks while validating your product and moving up the ladder with your pricing without devaluing your work.
• There's no set pricing for web design, so you get to determine where you want to be based on where your skills are at and the scope of work. Your pricing can change based on the client - not everyone has to pay the same amount for different projects.

We also talk about how Rob:

• Grew a team out of wanting more freedom to be available for his family and based his company around the environment he would want to work in and enjoy being a part of, rather than copying the corporate culture he wanted to escape early in his career.
• Built his company around breaking down barriers to equity through recognizing that he could use his agency within his own sphere to invest in diversity in the industry rather than perpetuate the "tech bro" culture.
• Created an AI plug-in called EveryAlt for generating accessible alt text for images to help websites be ADA compliant.
• Uses value-based marketing to grow and engage with his audience and inspire change.

Connect with Rob:

Newsletter: https://masterwp.com

EveryAlt: https://everyalt.com

PS - Get exclusive insider strategies from the Web Designer Academy and advice from our five-figure month earners on how to make at least $10k every single month as a web designer by adding your name to the WDA waitlist now.