SQUARE SECRETS™ &
SQUARE SECRETS BUSINESS™

STUDENT SUCCESS

STORIES

a page dedicated to the exceptional stories of those who committed and dedicated to creating their dreams

Considering a COURSE BUT Looking for a LITTLE PROOF of what’s possible?

This page is all about celebrating my incredible students and their amazing success stories!

MEGAN BUTCHER

“My first paid website was $500. Now we can tack a zero onto that, and $5,000 is usually about the average investment.”

MEGAN’S JOURNEY

I did a bunch of things before and after college—retail, banking, marketing—but my degree was actually in songwriting and music business. I wanted to be a songwriter in Nashville, and I did all the things: writing, recording, performing. But it wasn’t paying the bills. While figuring out the music industry, I started helping friends with websites in exchange for things like pizza.

Eventually, I took a job with the Air Force in their marketing department and started using Squarespace for their sites, just like I had done for friends. One day, I stumbled across your website while trying to customize something. I never thought being a website designer would become a full-time job—but it all just sort of fell in my lap. Everything happens for a reason, and here we are.

NOW EARNING

My first paid website was $500. It was very exciting for me at the time. Now we can tack a zero onto that, and $5,000 is usually about the average investment.

I had a lot of credit card debt when I started this business—just from living life—and I used this business to help pay all of it off. That was a really, really big thing for me.

Now the goal isn’t so much about paying off debt. It’s about saving, investing, and maybe even buying an investment property by the beach and turning it into an Airbnb. I paid for our entire wedding in cash, and I don’t have any business debt. Just a car note, and that’s it.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

You just have to do it. If it’s on your heart and you really want to make this a business, set yourself up the right way. There are other courses out there, but yours spoke to me—it felt attainable to get from point A to point B, and then from point B to point C.

I didn’t tell anyone I was doing this until I finished the course, set the business name, and put my website up. When I finally announced it to the world, it was exciting because I felt legit. I felt like I had my stuff together. I had all the opportunity in the world ahead of me because I had the foundations in place.

MEGAN’s advice

If you’re on the fence, just go for it. Rip off the band-aid. That’s the most painful part—being stuck in the ‘what if it works, what if it doesn’t’ mindset. I can tell you, it’s always going to work if you just go for it.

You're not supposed to know everything. I didn’t feel like I could charge more because I thought I had to be an expert in everything. But you learn. You grow your skills. And every time a client said, ‘I got my first inquiry from the website you built,’ it gave me more confidence.

Trust the process. There will be bad days and great months and slow seasons, but if your intention is good and you put in the work, everything is going to fall into place.

ALEX SALL

“Within two months I made back my course investment. I got three clients and made back my investment, and now I’m into the six figures and don’t even blink at that.”

ALEX’S JOURNEY

I went to school for journalism, and I adored working for Oprah shows like the Nate Berkus Show. When that show got canceled, I moved to LA to work on the Queen Latifah show, but I eventually came back and became a producer at Madison Square Garden.

Thankfully, on the side for many years, I had been taking coding and digital marketing classes because my family and friends always wanted websites. I loved being creative and wanted to do more with branding and strategy.

NOW EARNING

I'm into the six figures now, and I don’t even blink at that. I am helping people, I’m making the money I want to be making, I’m making my own hours.

I’m able to take my daughter to class in the morning, come back for a meeting, meet a friend later, and then go to date night with my husband. I’ve created this beautiful life now thanks to you and your courses.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

We’re dream makers for people. People have these dreams, and we bring them to life. We execute. There are a lot of business strategists out there and business coaches, and they don’t execute.

They tell you what you need to do and maybe help you become more profitable in a certain way, but we are business coaches, business strategists, and we execute for people. That’s what we do, and that’s why I love this work so much.

ALEX’S advice

Don’t think twice. If you are really considering being a web designer, it’s an absolute no-brainer. And even if you’re not considering being a web designer, there’s so much value to taking Paige’s courses just in life.

Say I didn’t end up becoming a web designer, but I helped my husband build his business, and I used so much of what I learned from your courses to help him grow. Any business you are in, you will learn things. It is endless what Paige teaches—from Canva hacks to branding and marketing strategy. You will get back in spades what you spent.

JENNA GILBERT

“The first website I did was $400. After the course, I charged $2,100 for my first real client—and the most recent project we did was over $6,000.”

JENNA’S JOURNEY

My husband and I used to run an online reselling business. We started on eBay and Amazon, importing products, designing our own graphics—so we had a bit of background in digital work.

But when the pandemic hit, we got really sick, lost his father unexpectedly, and our business tanked. It was a tough time. I have some health challenges, so we were looking for something we could do from home.

I’ve always loved layouts and making things visually appealing. I was considering something in real estate, but it didn’t feel right. Then I saw your course, walked into my husband’s office, and said, ‘I know we don’t have the money… but I feel like this is going to be worth it.’ I bought it that night.

NOW EARNING

My first website was $400. Then, after taking the course, I charged $2,100 for a client I didn’t know—and it worked. Then I kept raising my prices. Our last project was over $6,000.

In 2023, I more than doubled my profits. Last year, I was almost double and a half of that. It’s cool to look back—especially considering I started without much confidence that I could even learn something new.

I find most of my clients through Upwork, and I treat it like my main marketing channel. I record Loom videos, give feedback before I’m even hired, and hop on Zoom calls. That personal touch has made all the difference. I’ve also gotten a lot of client referrals from there.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

Taking your course gave me the confidence that I could do it.

I’d grown up not really thinking I could learn new things, and I was used to giving up when stuff got hard. But I just got to a point where that wasn’t an option anymore.

Now I’ve built a smooth process, learned how to price myself, and created a business I run from home with my husband. We work together—he does copy and video, I do the design.

I still work part-time as a bookkeeper, and I balance that with web design. But now I have the freedom to go work in the yard on a nice day, or take a Zoom call with a dream client. That balance means everything.

JENNA’s advice

If you put your mind to it and put forth the effort, you can learn and do new things.

In the beginning, I struggled with mindset. I would start things, and when it got hard, I’d quit. But I got to a point where that wasn’t an option anymore. I had to try—and once I did, I started to see what I was capable of.

The confidence from doing it once helped me do it again. That’s what keeps you moving forward.

STACEY ERDMAN

“That first client—I did her website, logo, and branding… and only charged $500. Now I charge $2,400, and I made my course investment back in 6 months.”

STACEY’S JOURNEY

Before getting into my business, I was working in a nonprofit—helping them with social media. They needed a new website, so I created one from scratch on Squarespace. That’s when I got the itch for design.

When the pandemic hit, I started diving into graphic design and taking courses, and eventually left my job in 2022. I thought I’d become an Enneagram coach, but coaching didn’t feel fulfilling.

What I really loved was helping other Enneagram business owners with the marketing side. I pivoted from coaching to calling myself a marketing consultant—and the one thing people kept asking for was a website. So that’s what I leaned into.

NOW EARNING

I charge $2,400 now. It’s such a big jump from $500, but people are paying it.

Most of my clients find me through word of mouth in the Enneagram community—especially from the certification program I took. I still attend events, and it was as simple as saying, ‘I’m a website designer for Enneagram entrepreneurs.’ From there, it snowballed.

I now run two-week projects, and I even dabble in VIP days. I’ve built sites for Enneagram coaches, therapists, authors—it all feels so aligned.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

Going through the workshop, I was already like, ‘Oh my god, this is so helpful.’ Just the simple tasks each day—I was literally waiting until the day your course went live to buy it.

The business course especially helped me narrow my title and get clear. I was calling myself a marketing consultant before, but once I started saying ‘website designer for Enneagram entrepreneurs,’ things took off.

STACEY’S advice

If you’re thinking about it—just do it. There is a way to do this.

Having a clear process makes all the difference. The structure, the client timeline, how to find clients—your course laid all of that out.

And raising your prices? People will pay them. You just have to show up confidently and follow the steps.

SAMARA BORTZ

“The first project I quoted was $500—and she didn’t even book. Now? My projects now start at $6,500 and go up to $9,000+.”

SAMARA’S JOURNEY

I had been doing design projects for a while but mostly for friends, for another business that I was running, and for a couple nonprofits—so it wasn’t very formalized.

I was really enjoying it and looking for something I could do from home during daytime hours because my other job was all evening work and was completely shut down during the pandemic.

I really loved the design work, wanted to go deeper, but also realized that I wanted it to be a sustainable business. What I loved about your course—and what motivated me to sign up—was that business aspect, that I’d be able to not only hone the actual design skills but take it from something informal to bringing in consistent income.

NOW BOOKED OUT & TEACHING CREATIVES

If we’re just doing a website-only project, I price starting at around $6,500. A full investment with brand as well is around $9,000 for a package.

A lot of projects I do include a brand package and either Squarespace, Showit, or Shopify as the actual website platform.

I also start each project with a mini coaching container or brand strategy session. And I offer one-to-one mentorship for other creatives—designers or just women who are creative entrepreneurs.

I also launched a course focused on email marketing for creatives using Flodesk. It covers both the tech side and some strategy with growing a list and creating a really impactful freebie.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

For consult calls, I like to have a really clear structure—that's really helped me. Just thinking of it more as a conversation, and to be asking permission all the way throughout. Like, if I keep those things in mind, I find it takes some of the stress of having to show up in this business-y persona away.

I’m showing up on a call with someone who I'm just going to get to know a little bit better. And I'm going to check in with them all the way throughout the call and say, ‘Okay, is it okay now that I ask about your business? Is it okay that I share about mine?’ That sort of thing.

Having that framework has really helped me a lot as someone who doesn’t consider themself to be super extroverted.

SAMARA’s advice

Just go for it and invest in support earlier than you think you might be ready.

If someone’s watching this and thinking, ‘I didn’t go to school for this but it feels exciting and aligned,’ then listen to that voice. You’ll learn so much as you go.

For me, taking the course and working with a one-to-one coach really helped me get started and go from just starting to actually creating the business I was envisioning.

KACEY MUSICK

“That mindset of “I don’t know where this is going, but I’m going to follow it anyway” is honestly the thing that’s gotten me here.”

  • Founder: Dev By Jupiter

  • Previous Job: A sommelier in a restaurant

KACEY’S JOURNEY

“Like a lot of folks, I was a pandemic-induced designer/developer. Before that, I was working in restaurants—had been my whole life. I’d just moved and was working in wine as a sommelier when lockdown hit.

I started doing virtual assistant work, which quickly turned into helping clients with their websites.

I supported a Squarespace designer, checking links and helping behind the scenes.

She suggested a few courses, and that kicked things off.

It’s been a slow snowball ever since.”

WHERE DO CLIENTS COME FROM

“Most of my best clients haven’t come from Instagram—they’ve come from courses.

Sometimes they’re live cohorts or mastermind-style programs. Other times they’re self-paced, but with an active online community. Either way, what ends up happening is simple: I make real connections. Not from pitching. Not from promoting. Just… showing up.

I engage in the community. I give feedback. I ask questions.

We talk shop, share ideas, and start to recognize each other’s names.

Eventually, someone reaches out and says, “Hey, I think I need your help with development.”

I’m not trying to sell—I’m trying to learn, grow, and connect. And that naturally leads to people trusting me with their projects.”

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

“Before diving into development, you should understand what’s possible inside Squarespace. That way:

You can build what people actually want—quickly and cleanly.

You won’t waste time on fancy features no one’s asking for.

You’ll know when (or if) you even need custom code.

I love code—but most real-world projects are about spacing, alignment, responsiveness, SEO-friendly tags… not spinning animations. Good structure matters more than flashy effects.”

KACEY’S advice

You can’t sell a bottle of wine to someone who doesn’t drink. So don’t waste time pitching to the wrong people. Instead, focus on serving the right ones really well.

That’s how I approach my work now. If I’m building your site, we’re basically best friends for two weeks. I want to know you, your story, your vibe. I get excited about your brand colors. This isn’t a cold, transactional thing—it’s fun. It’s collaborative. It’s personal.

SHANNON CASEY

“$3K is less than half of what I charge. And looking back, I wish I had stopped underselling myself sooner.”

  • Founder: Luminary Studio

  • Previous Job: From zero professional experience and no formal design background to a six-figure web design business

  • Now Earning: $6K+ per project

SHANNON’S JOURNEY

Honestly, I was just working at a company answering phones. And I’ve never been the type to just follow the rules and do what I’m told. I like to dig in and figure things out for myself. So, when they told me, ‘Hey, feel free to browse through our company drive to get familiar with things,’ I took that literally.

While poking around, she landed on their website. And that’s when Shannon took a bold leap.

I just blurted out, ‘I can redesign your website!’ even though I had never built a website before in my life.

NOW EARNING

Shannon quickly realized… VIP Days were not for her.

"I cannot do that. My stress levels go through the roof, and knowing I have a hard stop in one day actually hurts my creativity instead of helping it. It just doesn’t work for me."

So instead, she focused on a simple, scalable offer structure that works for both her and her clients. The Genius Two-Tier Website Package Shannon’s offer suite is brilliantly designed to build a natural client funnel.

She now scaled beyond $6K+ per project.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I designed websites for local businesses, a nonprofit gym, and a few friends. And yeah, I wasn’t getting paid, but they were helping me just as much as I was helping them. I was learning. I was figuring things out. And every project made me better. 

And then I told myself—cut out distractions. Stop treating this like a side thing. Go all in and build this before worrying about anything else. And once I did that… everything started falling into place.

Shannon’s advice

Shannon added one simple sentence to the final email she sends after every project. “If you loved working together, referrals are always appreciated!” And just like that… everything changed.

“I cannot tell you how many clients immediately emailed me back saying, ‘Oh my gosh, yes! I have this person and that person I need to refer to you.’” Now, 2025 is fully booked with referral-based projects.

ERIN ROMANO

“Then I discovered Squarespace. I was actively looking for a better platform, and after a bunch of trial runs with other tools, I landed on Squarespace and thought: This is it. ”

  • Founder: Porta Blu Design

  • Previous Job: A graphic designer turned web designer who followed her heart

  • Now Earning: Website package now $5,000

ERIN’S JOURNEY

Before I got into web design, I was actually doing graphic design. My background is in traditional art and art history. After I graduated, job options felt pretty limited, so I started picking up small design projects here and there through family and friend referrals. It was mostly logos, print materials, and that kind of thing—but it was slow going and definitely not a straight path.

Over time, that planted the seed: Maybe I could do this on my own.

NOW EARNING

When I first started on Squarespace, I was charging more in the $1,500–$2,000 range. But my prices went up pretty quickly. With each project, I gained more experience and more confidence. And when you’re taking on a couple of projects a month, it really adds up. It’s a great way to work.

These days, my average client investment is just under $5,000.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

While I was Googling how to use Squarespace, I found your content. I found others too, but your site stood out immediately—the sheer amount of free content you offered, the quality of it, and your story really resonated with me.

It felt personal, and I could tell right away that you had genuinely been through this journey and knew what you were talking about.

The free content alone built so much trust. I thought, If the free stuff is this helpful, then the course must be next-level. And it really was.

ERIN’S advice

After going through the course and fine-tuning my systems, I immediately felt more confident. One of the things I really loved was how you helped streamline the process specific to the platform. I’m already an organized person by nature, but this helped me dial it all in even more—which made every project smoother and faster.

So when I landed my first client post-course, I didn’t hesitate to charge what I knew I was worth.

That project alone brought in more than enough for me to pay back the course. From there, it just kept building.

JANESSA PHILEMON-KERP

“I wanted to make a real impact on people who were just starting out or making big changes.”

  • Founder: JPK Design Studio

  • Previous Job: A freelance event producer, mainly with corporate clients.

  • Now Earning: Charging up to $7,500 per project.

JANESSA’S JOURNEY

Once I felt ready with launching my website, I announced it on Facebook to my personal network first, and then on LinkedIn.

The response was amazing—friends and connections flooded in, saying they needed a website.

I think I got about ten inquiries initially and landed four clients from that first announcement. They were mostly busy professionals who needed a website but hadn’t had the time to set one up.

It was a great start and made me realize there’s room in the industry, even though it sometimes feels saturated.

NOW EARNING

I work quickly, so I’ve structured my services around that.

For the one-week website build, I usually handle 3 to 5 pages. It’s perfect for clients who need a streamlined website quickly.

If someone needs more features or pages—up to 10 pages—I offer a two-week build. That gives us more time for things like strategy and additional customizations.

The VIP day sessions are for clients who want specific tasks handled in one day.

I recently started offering template customizations too, where a client buys a template and I help them fine-tune it to make it their own.

I am now charging up to $7,500 per project.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

It’s not about intelligence or talent; it’s about showing up every day and being willing to learn.

There’s so much value in finding an industry where your natural skills align with the work. For me, things like project management, strategy, and organization come easily, so I build on those strengths and focus on getting better every day.

In the end, intelligence doesn’t guarantee success, but resilience and dedication do.

JANESSA’s advice

When things get tough, it’s easy to feel like giving up or deciding that you’re “not good enough.” But I’ve seen that if I keep working and learning, the rewards come. One thing that really helped was taking your courses.

SHANNON BORG

“My mission is to empowering artists to have complete control over their online presence. They shouldn't need to call someone every time they want to update their website.”

  • Founder: Shannon Borg

  • Previous Job: An artist turned web designer who followed her creative heart

  • Now Earning: Website package now $2,400

SHANNON’S JOURNEY

I've kept things intentionally simple with just two core offerings, both centered around my Metaphor Mindset Studio concept, which stems from my podcast of the same name. The goal is helping artists approach their business creatively while maintaining practical foundations.

My mission is helping artists move past limiting financial stories.

NOW EARNING

One-on-one coaching program: recently increased to $1,000

Website package: now $2,400

I offer payment plans and intentionally keep my pricing accessible. My focus has been on building value and expertise rather than maximizing revenue.

With my current business model and incremental price increases, I'm projecting $125,000 - $150,000 next year.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

Rather than rushing to social media like many do, I took a different approach - I went local.

Living on an island with just 2,500 people, I started with the arts community right in front of me:

Local Arts Community, Non-Profit Organizations, In-Person Workshops, Local art schools, Chambers of commerce, Regional organizations.

SHANNON’S advice

What I especially appreciated was the balance - I'm naturally a risk-taker, but the courses provided structure and safety nets. They gave me the confidence to keep going even when I felt confused or apprehensive.

The courses helped me work through crucial questions like: How to choose my niche, Whether artists would pay and How to structure my services

JENNIFER MAGER

“Having my own business in web design allows me to work the way I want, with people I genuinely want to work with.”

  • Founder: Jennifer Mager Creative

  • Previous Job: Direct Sales

  • Now Earning: Full custom projects ranging from $7,500 - $25,000. VIP Day: $2,250.

JENNIFER’S JOURNEY

I have a background in interior design and ran an interior design practice in Canada for years.

Then I moved to the States, and without the same connections—vendors, contractors, all those relationships—it was challenging to continue in that field.

I moved to Mount Rainier, where it's just me, some elk, and the deer around, so interior design wasn’t a feasible option here.

But I loved being creative and running a business, so web design just felt right.

NOW EARNING

Whenever I submit a proposal, I include a video walkthrough. It’s a game-changer because clients can see and hear me explaining each part of the proposal, which adds a personal touch.

I recently raised my prices, but here’s a breakdown of what I offer, including some popular add-ons.

Custom Website Package: Previously, my average price for a full custom website, including add-ons like SEO and copywriting, was around $6,500.

Two-Week Website Refresh: This option is for clients who already have a website and content but want to refresh the look and functionality.

Design Day: For smaller updates—like adding a page, updating branding, or making minor tweaks—I offer a design day. It’s a cost-effective solution for clients who need changes without a full redesign.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

Not everyone has a referral to give, but it’s important to keep the lines open, especially in a service-based business like web design.

I’ll reach out and ask, “Is there anything you need from me right now?” This keeps the conversation open and shows I’m here to support them, not just sell to them.

I might casually mention, “I have an opening in my calendar,” and let them know I’d love any referrals if they know someone in need of a website. It’s a light, non-pushy way to put the idea out there.

I don’t do a formal referral program, but when a client sends someone my way, I send a small gift to say thank you. It’s a nice way to show appreciation and encourage them to refer me again.

JENIFFER’s advice

I decided to narrow my focus instead of working with just anyone. I actually had a lightbulb moment during the Square Secrets™ course when you demonstrated the power of niche messaging through a side-by-side about page comparison.

Seeing the difference, I realized that refining my message would help me attract the right clients.

HELEN HERS RAJAN

“I charge around $1,600 (€1,600) for a VIP day, which typically involves 7–8 hours of work.”

  • Founder: Rising Tide Creatives

  • Previous Job: Running a dive and yoga center

  • Now Earning: $150/Hour as a Web Designer

HELEN’S JOURNEY

Before I became a web designer, I had quite the adventure! Immediately beforehand, I was running a dive and yoga center on a tiny island in Indonesia with my boyfriend (now husband). Before that, I had a completely different career as a charity director. So, you could say my journey has been a mix of scuba tanks and spreadsheets!

My only design experience was dabbling in Canva to redesign some dive menus and yoga schedules when I was running the dive shop. It was a leap of faith, really.

NOW EARNING

This year, I made around $35,000 from client work while only working 4–5 hours a week on average.

When I broke it down, I realized I was earning roughly $150 an hour from client work

(which includes everything—design time, review calls, setup calls, emails, and admin).

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

The key difference isn’t the time spent but the value provided. For the $10K project, I focused on creating a brand and web presence that could help the client land their own high-ticket clients and significantly increase their revenue.

It was about helping them meet their goals, which made the project much more valuable than just completing admin tasks or designing something visually appealing.

HELEN’S advice

One thing I do that’s been very effective is incentivizing referrals. For example, I’ll offer past clients a bonus or a thank-you gift if someone they refer ends up hiring me. I’m pretty generous about it, especially with clients I loved working with—those who had similar budgets to the ones I want to work with now.

BECCA WOOD

“Nobody has the confidence or know-how to start a business at first. You learn as you go. You don't need to know everything upfront; you just need to know how to figure things out when challenges arise.”

  • Founder: Alto Design Co

  • Previous Job: Corporate work in the wedding industry, nonprofits, tech, product management, and more.

  • Now Earning: $1,200 for 1-page sites, $4,000 for 4-page sites, and $300+ per page for development work

BECCA’S JOURNEY

My corporate journey spanned from the wedding industry to nonprofit work, tech, product management, and everything in between.

But web design wasn't actually my idea—I started a blog on WordPress years ago, got thoroughly frustrated trying to edit it, and discovered Squarespace. I spent three days completely immersed in building my own blog. Then, a friend saw my work and asked if I could help with hers. When she offered to pay me, suggesting others would too, something clicked.

NOW EARNING

I have two versions of custom sites—a one-page website ($1,200) and a four-page website ($4,000). These are for entrepreneurs, typically teams of one to three people.

Then there's my development work for Squarespace designers. They mock up sites in XD or Figma, and I implement their designs in Squarespace, adding any necessary code or special effects. For this work, I charge $300 per page, with a $500 fee for complex sales pages and a $500 global CSS setup fee for special features.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I started preparing during pregnancy because I knew my usual fast-paced work style wouldn't be sustainable with a baby. I extended my timelines to two weeks for both custom and development sites. I also shifted my focus to development work because it means repeat relationships rather than constantly finding new clients. Now the baby stays home with me full-time!

The course really helped me see that there's no one right way to run a web design business. Your business can change and evolve with your life, and that's perfectly okay. It doesn't mean the old model failed—it just means you're growing.

Becca’s advice

Nobody has the confidence or know-how to start a business at first. You learn as you go. You don't need to know everything upfront; you just need to know how to figure things out when challenges arise.

The beauty of Square Secrets Business™ is that it gives you information in such an organized, succinct way. You don't have to know more than the next designer; you just need to know more than the person who's paying you.

You start where you are and work your way up until you reach the level where you want to be.

SARAH BUSSE

“I’m working about 10 hours a week, averaging $100 an hour, and I’m making the same salary from my 9-5, but in a quarter of the time.”

  • Founder: Magdalene Design Co.

  • Previous Job: Legal assistance for a corporate company, then a receptionist

  • Now Earning: $2,400 from semi-custom sites, and $4,000 for fully custom sites.

SARAH’S JOURNEY

Before I became a web designer, I actually worked as a legal assistant for a hot second before I realized that corporate life wasn't for me. I had a small existential crisis, and then I became a receptionist, making about $20 an hour.

That's when I first dipped my toes into Squarespace web design. I built their website for them. I actually built two of their websites, and I didn't think that was like a career you could have. The CEO was like, "I know someone that wants a website, you want to do that?" And I was like, "Someone would pay me to do that? What?"

NOW EARNING

I have a two-week website, which is kind of like what you teach in the course, except that I do those as semi-custom, so I don't do those from a template. Those are $2,400, and they take me anywhere from 10 to 20 hours of work.

Then I do custom at $4,000.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

When I took your course, I wasn't a mom. I was 23 years old and just knew I didn't want to be a receptionist/ marketer forever. Now I'm like, wow, what a blessing that I have this!

I work during nap times and then some evenings. If I'm really busy, I'll go to my parents' for a couple days to get some focus work done. But primarily I just work around my little one's schedule.

It's such a gift to be able to be home with him and not have to put him in daycare. I love that, and there's not a day that goes by that I'm not really grateful for that.

SARAH’S advice

I had a really hard time niching, and I know a lot of people do. It took me three years to get to the point where I'm making a full-time income, and I think that's probably because I didn't niche right away.

DIANE WHIDDON

“I started at $2,000 for web design project, and after every few clients, I’d raise my prices by $500, then $1,000.”

  • Founder: Swayrise Creative

  • Previous Job: Agency owner for WordPress website design

  • Now Earning: $5,500 for a basic website package, $1,750 day rate.

DIANE’S JOURNEY

I was a WordPress website designer, but it was honestly not fun at all, and I hated it. From 2006 to 2015, I ran that business, and I didn’t even go to school for design! I just kind of fell into it. But by 2015, I hated the work, so I sold the business.

I started thinking, What do I really know?

And it hit me—I know web design and online marketing. That’s when I discovered Squarespace, just two days after they released Fluid Engine. It was a game-changer.

NOW EARNING

My basic website package starts at $5,500.

I also offer a day rate of $1,750, which is seven hours of work in one day.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I found your work, read all your blog posts, and thought, I can do this again in a way that won’t exhaust me. No more code, no more hosting headaches, just design and marketing, which I love.

I’d been in the WordPress world where sites took forever, and here you were saying you could do it in two weeks! That approach really resonated with me, especially the one-client-at-a-time model.

DIANE’S advice

The biggest thing is, there’s no one right way to build a business. You’ve got to do it in a way that works for you.

I’ve built the business I want. And I’ve been really careful about how I pace myself. If I start feeling that burnout creeping in again, I’ll stop. No hesitation. Every process I have now, I’ve designed around me.

No phone calls, no in-person meetings, and minimal Zooms. We use Loom videos a lot, which is my favorite tool ever. I can communicate effectively without draining my energy.

Being my own boss means creating a business that doesn’t drain me but energizes me instead.

KELLY PORTELLI

“Now I’m working 2 days a week, which is my choice, and earning twice than I was at my advertising day rate.”

  • Founder: Potting Shed Online

  • Previous Job: Account Director in advertising for creative agencies

  • Now Earning: £600/Day ($760 USD/day)

KELLY’S JOURNEY

Before I was a website designer I was in advertising - I used to be an account director for creative agencies so we were doing big campaigns like TV websites and I was handling the client liaison and selling the ideas not actually being the creative person. I used to work very very long hours - I had dinner in my office all the time and I used to commute in so I'd get up at six to get to the office for nine and then some days I wouldn't be home until 10 at night, it was like that for months and months and months you know projects and weekends.

Then at 38 I had a little girl and I was working in an agency in London Bridge and I thought I don't know how I'm going to do these hours with this thing growing inside me! So I need to either go back to it part-time but that doesn't really exist in that world or come up with an alternative side hustle or something and that's when it all started.

NOW EARNING

Every school holiday I take off so I just book the projects in where it suits me and I’m quite strict with people booking in. I tell them “this is the window, if you miss it I'm not working that month so you're gonna miss your spot” but if people want to work with you then they’ll respect that.

I’ve tracked my time & worked out that that I'm earning an average of £600 GBP [that’s $760 USD/Day].

I think with web design as well, it’s very scalable. Once I’ve got both children in school I can just scale it up you know, instead of working with one person across five weeks I could easily be two people across those five weeks because I'll just up a day or two.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I've now managed to build a process where I only work two days a week. So every project that I do is spread across five weeks and I only work with one client at the time. I go to all of the assemblies, all the school trips and I can be around for essentially anything that the kids need. I don't need to send them to after school clubs or anything like that. For me the most important thing is the flexibility and earning more money in less time.

KELLY’S advice

I think it takes you a long time to realize that you can have a niche because at the beginning you just want to take everything because you’re still not that confident so you just take on whatever gets thrown at you. But once you've got your confidence in building a website and how to talk to the people that you want to get through the door I think at that point is where you realize that these are the people that you need to attract.

SHAYA REED

“Now I have a way bigger business, team and more revenue…I think this year, we will make around $200,000 as an agency with the team.”

  • Founder: Virtuwell Balance

  • Previous Job: Online health and wellness coach as a nutritionist and yoga teacher.

  • Now Earning: Around $200,000 per year as an agency and profiting around $50-$60K.

SHAYA’S JOURNEY

My background is actually in health and wellness. My first business was being an online health and wellness coach, as a nutritionist and yoga teacher. I also worked full-time in a hospital in health care administration.

That full-time job was killing me. I really wanted to work online, travel, and do my health and wellness business. 

I was running my health and wellness business and was focusing on social media, email marketing, starting a blog, did my own branding, and building my website. So I took Square Secrets™ in order to learn how to design my own website but in the process noticed I actually loved web design.

NOW EARNING

So first year I made around 10K, then in my second year, I made about $50K. At this point it was still just me, like solopreneur doing website design, mostly still figuring things out as I went along. Then in 2021, I started hiring. So that was when I brought on my copywriter, and then later my brand designer.  I was basically hiring for things that I didn't do or I wasn't good at.

In 2023, I also brought on an SEO specialist, a virtual assistant and a website designer. That year the business made around $150K. 

Now, even though my business makes $150-$200K a year, my profit is still probably about $50-60K a year. I have a lot of expenses with my team, but that’s fine because I'm still doing the work that I enjoy. Plus I'm working less hours. Now I have a way bigger business, team and more revenue. I'm still making the same amount of money, the difference is that I’m working less hours.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

In 2023, there’s 5.4 million new businesses registered in the USA alone. So in my opinion, probably 95% of those businesses, if not more, are going to need websites. That’s 5.4 million businesses in one year in the USA alone.  So I do not think that website design is oversaturated cause like I can't serve that many people. So if you're a website designer wanting to get started, there's so many businesses out there who are going to need your help and support.

SHAYA’S advice

Niching is important and it’s going to make your life a whole lot easier just in terms of talking about your services and creating and selling content.

Also people will still come to you. Don't be nervous that people outside of your niche won't work with you. They'll work with somebody else and you're going to have the people who want to work with you pay more to work with you because you're a specialist in that industry or niche that they want to work with. 

HOPE HIMEL-BENSON

“I offer a custom design from scratch, which is $5,000, and a tailored design using premium templates, which starts at $2,500.”

  • Founder: Dreamtime Marketing

  • Previous Job: Marketing Consulting, Communications Director

  • Now Earning: $5,000 for custom websites, and $2,500 for premium templates

HOPE’S JOURNEY

Before starting web design, I was actually doing marketing consulting, which I started in March 2020. Back then I left my corporate job as a communications director because I wanted to prepare for what I call the “second half of life”.

I craved freedom and flexibility, so I thought, why not start my own business?

For some background, I'm actually a licensed clinical social worker, but at the beginning, I intentionally decided not to market to my social work profession because I needed a break. But while working on their social media strategies, I realized something…

Every client who came to me either had no branding or needed a website update, and I was essentially giving away something valuable by not offering website services myself.

NOW EARNING

When I announced my services, I offered special pricing for the first three clients—75% off for the first one, 50% off for the next two. This helped me get started without offering free work, and since then, I’ve been charging full price, and I’ve even raised my rates.

I offer two main packages:

A custom design from scratch, which is $5,000, and a tailored design using premium templates, which starts at $2,500.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

One thing I quickly realized is that my clients don't care what platform I use—they just want a website that works.

HOPE’S advice

At some point, you can’t do everything and learn everything on your own, and investing in a course is an investment in yourself.

The course gave me a whole business model in a box. The Square Secrets Business course I took was incredibly helpful because it laid out the entire process, from building a website in two weeks to launching it. That quick turnaround is exactly what I love—helping people get things done efficiently.

LINDSAY DELONG

“There's days where I'm like, holy crap, I just got paid $16,000 in a day. My first year being a flight attendant, I probably made $19,000 in my first year. And now I send out proposals for this much, and 24-year-old Lindsay worked for a year for that."

  • Founder: City Living Network

  • Previous Job: Flight Attendant

  • Now Earning: $3,200 for a basic website, ranging up to $14.5K for a full 30-day brand package.

LINDSAY’S JOURNEY

I’ve never had a nine to five job. Like I’m not the type of person that can do it. When I graduated college, I became a flight attendant because I was like, I need something to pay my bills because writing doesn’t because I was writing for every publication in Southern California for free, just to get my name out there.

And so I’ve never had a nine to five job. I need to be able to fly somewhere on a whim or, you know, go do something in the middle of the day. I need that kind of freedom. And so I’ve just really loved that Laguna Beach Living and web design and City Living Network have provided me this opportunity to work as much or as little as I want.

NOW EARNING

So for my general web design packages I have one that will take me less than a week, and that’s starts at $3,200, but it’s just for the most basic website. But if you want any add-ons like a shop page it will be this much more. So it ends up being around $5,000, depending what you want, if you want blog articles or whatever. Then I have whole kit and caboodle package and that starts at $6,000. That one comes with a bit more stuff.

And then I have created a business called The City Living Network [...] which is way more than just a web design.  

That package, is $11,5k. It’s a 30 day process. So in 30 days it’s launched and ready to go. [Update: Lindsay is now charging $14,5k for this project!!]

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I like to wake up pretty early because I’m so excited. Yesterday I got invited to a press trip up in Santa Inez valley, which is for three days and I get to go horseback riding. And I got invited on an Alaska cruise.

Every day is so different and you never know who’s going to pop in your inbox and be like, I need a website about this. Or I want to highlight my city here in London or wherever, you know? So it’s just exciting to be able to wake up and not know what kind of thing is going to happen.

LINDSAY’S advice

Someone that’s looking to get into a career where they can be their own boss, where they can easily get to $10,000 a month if they want, and spend the same amount of time that they’re spending at college, they can get there by buying an online course! I learned so much from yours. I’ve taken some other courses before, but I feel like I’ve learned the most from Square Secrets™ and Square Secrets Business™.

I loved your teaching style. I loved how classy you are and how, the modules, the videos, the PDFs and the documents that you give are so streamlined and professional. And I became a huge fan.

EMILY PELIAN

"In December, I booked in and finished a project for $5.6k and that was my first $10K month ever. And that was also the end of my first year as a designer."

  • Founder: Aroha Visuals

  • Previous Job: Corporate job as a Tax Consultant

  • Now Earning: Over 6 figures after her second year as a web designer!

EMILY’S JOURNEY

I studied accounting and business and I actually had a corporate job as a tax consultant. And at some point I decided that wasn't giving me joy, so I left it, booked a one way ticket to Europe.

I had also fallen in love with a German boy somewhere around this time. And so I sort of moved to Germany for him and I was a freelance photographer and I was a travel blogger. Because I wanted to do something creative, but also online. And that was my thought of how I could pair the two together.

And basically I would say my website design started when I created my own travel blog website, and I loved creating it so much.

NOW EARNING

I was proud of the $2,000 websites and I slowly creeped that up and I think my first milestone that I hit was when I had a project booked in for $5.6K and that was that very year.

And there wasn't even a full year and I was just beyond stoked. The second year I had a couple more 10K months and I booked in a project for branding, a website, email marketing things and SEO as well and that was 10K.

And then a couple weeks ago I booked in a project again, a full one, and that was a 12K project.

And this is an e-commerce one, so super stoked about that. If you told me this like even three years ago, I wouldn't believe you, you know that this is possible. And I just feel really grateful that clients trust me with this amount of money and trust that they're gonna make it back or more obviously.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I finished my second year as a web designer in 2021 surpassing 6 figures in New Zealand dollars! I think it was like a hundred thousand something. So a little bit over.

It was the most amazing feeling, and also like a middle finger to my corporate salary

and also just to everybody who, including some people in my family who just didn't believe that you could do this and make this creative job, digitally online while traveling with no degree within your second year. 

EMILY’S advice

I'll preface this by saying trust is the currency of business. If you don't have trust, people aren't going to invest high amounts in you. And trust often comes from somebody else's referral or recommendation as well. So when you're starting out, you're probably not gonna get these clients because you haven't built up that rapport.

You haven't built up a line, a network of people who trust you. But I would say, when you are starting out, keep in mind if you do want those kinds of clients to start networking and building trust through communication and then through good work as well.

P.s. I chatted with Emily again and if you’re interested in learning her take on the difference between $2k vs $10k Web Design Projects, check out this video too!

KATELYN DEKLE

“I’ve made more this year than I ever had at my 9-5, and I’ve had time freedom and location freedom while I did it. ”

  • Founder: Launch the Damn Thing!

  • Previous Job: Receptionist at a medical practice

  • Now Earning: $1.5K per day offering VIP days!

KATELYN’S JOURNEY

I was actually a receptionist at my (now) Father-In-Law's medical practice at the time. I was going to school but I had no idea what that was going to look like! Then I went off to interior design school and that's been the last 14-15 years, but then my day job needed a website! I decided to try my hand at that and I’ve been all about websites ever since!

NOW EARNING

By June, I'd already matched what I would have made if I was still working my 9-5. Now I’m booked out for the next 3 months solid, and I’m still getting inquiries! 

I’ve made more this year than I ever had at my 9-5, and I’ve had time-freedom, and location-freedom while I did it.  

And I charge $1,000 a day for it. (Update: 1,5k!)

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

The biggest thing is just to do it!

The thing I come across most frequently is [business owners] who are like, “I've been sitting on this idea. I'm too afraid to take action. I don't know what to do. Who am I to do this?” I get it! But none of that matters! You'll never know unless you try!

katelyn’s advice

If you don’t know what you’re doing, the Square Secrets™ & Square Secrets Business™ are gonna dive into all the things that you didn't even know that you needed to know!

Paige interviews all these guest experts…and you haven't started yet so you can kind of like live through their experiences and how they answered questions that you didn’t even know to be asking!

NADINE CHARLESON

Nadine is doing $1,200 day rates as a web designer on the side! “I do a VIP design day on a Saturday. It's all day and that's it! I book two of those a month and I'm happy!”

  • Founder: Center Stage Design

  • Previous Job: Actor working side day jobs

  • Now Earning: $1,200 a day for VIP day rates

NADINE’S JOURNEY

I'm an actor by training and so I've worked a ton of side day jobs. And I built websites on the side for years and I'd seen your course around for years. So I'd been like stealing stuff off your blog for years, in my own personal designs! And then one day I was like, you know what?

It's kind of always been like in the back of my mind, maybe, maybe I would try this.

And so after enough months of being like, I need to do something, I was like, I'll give this a try. I bought Square Secrets™, and then I think a week after I bought Square Secrets Business™, I was like, should have bought the bundle, but better late than never!

NOW EARNING

When I started I was charging way too little. Like I’d say I'll revamp this page for a hundred bucks, and it would take me hours and hours. But I was just learning. So I was okay with that. Then I would slowly, raise my prices, $200 every time I book someone. For the first kind of six months, and everyone just kept booking.

So if someone booked, I was like, sweet, I guess I can charge more!

My VIP days started at $800 and now they're $1,200 a day!

And most impressively, Nadine hit a very exciting financial goal last year. $17,000 as a side hustle is incredible side hustle money! Plus she works only 20h/month!

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I just knew that investing in the course was worth it in terms of my sanity and time of getting running, and it did in literally within two months, I had made back all my money.

I can't tell you how much time I wasted rewriting emails, tweaking forms, going back and trying to find something, trying to track where a project was, at what point, like so much time because half of running a business is the admin side of it and just managing the project, not even just the design or the fun creative part!

So the more that you can automate that, and have that set up and good to go the better.

NADINE’S advice

I chose my niche right away. It was nerve-wracking because you do, you're like, oh, but I could just be a web designer for women and you don't really wanna pigeonhole yourself, but it's a hundred percent true with all the advice people give you, is to niche down as much as possible!

Because when you are really specific, you’d be surprise how many people need that very, very specific thing!

KENNIQUA JONES

“The great thing about website design is that it doesn't take that many clients in order to be able to reach your goal. You can do a few websites for $5,000. That is a substantial amount of income for a lot of people that are getting into this, either you're doing a part-time or full-time.”

  • Founder: K&D Jones Client Services

  • Previous Job: Virtual Assistant

  • Now Earning: $6,000 for projects

KENNIQUA’S JOURNEY

Before I became, I would say, a full-time website designer, I was doing a lot of virtual assistant work. So I was doing inbox management, calendar management, things of that nature, odds and end things like creating social media graphics. I always had a design aesthetic. And I like messing around with different systems and tools and things of that nature. And so when I came across Squarespace. I'm like, okay, this is definitely something I could do.

And then there were some different design elements that I saw on others' websites. And I'm like, I don't know how to do that. How did they get this to overlap or how did they get this to move and do these different things? It probably was around then that I came across a blog post of yours and stumbled across your course. And I'm like, okay, I need to get into this because I need to know how to do these other things that I've been looking for.

NOW EARNING

So we are actually in the process of doing a rebrand or completely overhauling our website. We're repackaging our prices and adding in a lot of different things. Because one thing that I've found over the years is that though I do website design, I'm also a business consultant and system strategist.

So I'm hoping that that's going to obviously increase the price. So we are going to be changing our prices over and things of that nature. But I think that is going to create an even greater experience for our clients to kind of make it like a one-stop shop.

Kenniqua is now charging $6k for projects and looking to hire 3 new people for her business!

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I think website design is one of those things where it's enough for everyone. I don't think it's an oversaturated thing.

I think that when people sometimes come to you for a website, it's not always because they don't know how to do it themselves. sometimes it's purely because they don't have time to do it. And so they rather just go through and outsource that work to you. So with them knowing you and again, you being the expert in that field, a lot of times people just kind of come to you because they have crossed paths with you somewhere on the internet.

Or someone referred you, maybe a past client of yours or maybe a family or friend. They come to you because they know you or know someone who has gotten services from you. So it's definitely enough for everyone.

KENNIQUA’S advice

I started out knowing a little bit about Squarespace already and found the Square Secrets™ very useful. So if you're starting from zero, you're definitely going to find it useful because I was already getting some clients with the skills that I already had. And then I feel like if you're going to get into it, you might as well just go the whole way and just get Square Secrets Business™.

That’s what I did. Cause even though I was already booking clients, I'm like, I know there's a better way that I could be doing this and have a clear layout of the marketing, the other marketing techniques I could do having what type of contracts, what type of things should I input.. It’s all laid out.

CARLY KERNDT

“In terms of what the agency brings in, it's probably like 9x my corporate salary!!

I run an agency, so it's me, and then I'm sending out an offer letter for my 7th hire today. So things have grown really fast and I'm super excited about that.”

  • Founder: FlyDog Digital

  • Previous Job: Virtual Assistant and Social Media Management

  • Now Earning: $3,500 for a 6-page website

CARLY’S JOURNEY

I got started with my business in September - October of 2020. I started after I got laid off from my full-time job due to Covid. My boss at the time told me that she wanted to set up a call and I thought she was setting up a call with me to give me a promotion because I'd been promised a promotion for six months but she was like, you're laid off, and I was like "WHAT??"

After roughly a month of this nightmare of applying for jobs, I said to myself if nobody is going to hire me, then I will hire me. And I started a business and I started just offering virtual assistant services because I knew I could do that & I was mostly offering was social media management because I have a degree in marketing.

NOW EARNING

When I started my business I think I was charging around 20 or $30 an hour. I started the business because I needed to make money.

Right now we're charging about $3,500 for a six-page website. It will likely go up in the very near future as you should always continue to raise our rates as we get better and as we have better designs and better processes.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I'm excited to get up. I love all the clients that we work with. I feel very fulfilled in helping small business owners sort of reach their dreams too.

I also like being able to set my own schedule. I like being able to take my dog on a walk in the middle of the day. I like being able to go to doctor's appointments whenever I need them.

For me, it feels like exactly where I'm supposed to be in my corporate career.

CARLY’S advice

I had no idea what I was doing. I have a marketing degree, but I don't know anything about design best practices. I knew the basics because I watched some free videos, but I didn't know the strategy behind website design, writing copy or anything else I've learned in Square Secrets Business™. So when I was looking for courses to take, I wanted yours because it was exactly what I needed.

KATLYN SLOCUM

“Right now I charge between $8,000 and $12,000 a project, and I would like that average to be like $15,000 to $20,000 per project!”

  • Founder: Katlyn Slocum Design

  • Previous Job: Marketing company in Vancouver, Washington

  • Now Earning: Over $100,000 in annual revenue!

KATLYN’S JOURNEY

I got my first big girl job at a marketing company in Vancouver, Washington, and that was going really well. The day I found out I was pregnant with my second son, the company went out of business. I had worked there for a year and a half, was really comfortable, was making good money. So that came as a shock and I was like, holy cow… what am I going to do?!

My husband and I still needed both of our incomes to kind of make ends meet. So I started waitressing and then we had a family friend who owned an independent consulting firm who I did social media for […] and who encouraged me to start a business.

So I started my business as a VA, offering all these different services, but I quickly realized I didn't like doing anything except for the website part. The first thing I invested in was Square Secrets Business™.

NOW EARNING

This past year Katlyn also crossed the exciting milestone of six figures (that’s $100,000!!) in revenue!

And most impressively, she managed all of this while working no more than 3 hours a day!

“I can be at home with my kids and I work 20 hours or less a week.”

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I guess it can maybe be easy to think that [the market] is oversaturated, but if you're just yourself you’ll find a space - clients get a choice of who they work with and it is based on your personality and what unique benefit you have for them!

KATLYN’S advice

I feel like a lot of people think like, oh, for these projects, which are $10,000 plus, I need to be offering like seven other services in order to command that price but it’s not the case!

It’s less even about design or deliverables and a lot more about like what problem are you solving for the business.

EMILY JANE LEE

“The website build package is around $5,000 and for higher-end luxury and education space, it is around $10,000!”

  • Founder: By Emily Jane

  • Previous Job: Part-time job and photography on the side

  • Now Earning: $500 for a 2-hour workshop, $1,100 for a website plan, $10k for full website builds

EMILY’S JOURNEY

I had always just worked part-time jobs because I have chronic pain and full-time jobs basically, are just not an option for me. So I was always kind of doing this dance between part-time jobs and photography on the side for a long time.

And then eventually, unfortunately, I was not able to do photography either because it was still too physically demanding for me, and so that's when I was like, well, I have to figure out how to make my website.

So that's when I found you and learned everything I could about Squarespace and just building a website that converts in general.

NOW EARNING

I came across Upwork, which is a freelancing platform so I literally just created a profile and put in every single thing that I knew how to do. And one of those things was, I know how to use Squarespace. So that was the skill that kind of took off more than anything else that other business owners ended up asking me for. And it evolved from there!

I probably started with like $10 an hour, because I had no concept of like business costs. I was just like, oh, this is like about what I made at my part-time job. So like, that's fine!

And now I charge $500 for a workshop that takes like two hours. The website plan is $1,100 and it takes me about a week.

And then after that, we have the website build, which is totally customizable to whatever we decided earlier on that you needed, and the price range varies, but I would say right now the average client is still kind of comfortable with that $5000 and below mark the majority of the time, unless they're like I said, maybe in that higher-end luxury and education space.

And then I think most of them are comfortable with around $10k!

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

A, I wake up whenever the heck I want, which is like my favorite thing!

B, I can take naps and snack breaks as many times as I want.

C, I've gotten to the point where I will not work past like five or six hours every day!

So it's really like a lifestyle business. And it's completely built around my needs.

EMILY’S advice

The number one thing is not actually your design skills most of the time. I mean, at a certain point, like if you want to charge, you know, like that $10k range that I was talking about, then that's something that's going to be a high priority for those clients. But if you just want to get in the game, it’s all about relationships.

But I could not have build a business charging $10k without the Square Secrets Business™ course.

Everything I learned about Squarespace itself and building website that converts was also from Paige, and there's a course on that too (that’s the Content + List Academy if you’re wondering!).

So I feel like everything from the client experience to creating your unique process of like what your packages are going to look like, and how you're going to actually deliver that to the legal side of a business is there. I think it really helped me jump ahead, like by at least a year or two!

ALIYYAH ANSHAN

“I raised my rates to $10k and above per project as a SAHM web designer!”

  • Founder: Aliyya Anshan Website Design

  • Previous Job: Virtual Assistant

  • Now Earning: $10,000 and above for website design

ALIYYAH’S JOURNEY

I actually started as a virtual assistant. I had already had my first baby and I didn’t want to commute back to a big city. And so I thought, how can I make this work? What skills do I already have?

While working with a therapist postpartum who needed help with her website I kind of threw it out there; Hey, I’m a virtual assistant so I can do like anything! And she needed help with her website and that’s what kind of got me thinking that I could totally do this! I can work from home and still have time with my baby and not miss out on any important milestones.

NOW EARNING

On average [my prices] are about $5,000. That would be for the homepage, about page, services page and contact page – so the main pages.

Anything above that, depending on who I’m working with and how expensive you want to get, the price can go up. And I did feel like I was over delivering even on those projects at that price point.

That’s why I raised my rates to $10k and above!

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I think the best part is being able to take time as I need to or want to, whether it be for me or my kids, my family, or even taking a little bit more time for my personal life or my business. I have that control and I don’t think I could get that anywhere else.

ALIYYAH’S advice

If I’m going to make a serious go at [being a website designer], why not prepare myself, not just the design aspect, but the business aspect, which I had no experience in. And it was really scary to invest in myself. It was the first online course and I was really nervous about it. I remember researching everything.

But when I got into the design part of the course, it was like night and day. I can’t think of any other course that could better prepare you as a designer and then on the business side – the ins and outs and the best practices of how to build yourself a successful website design business.

You will learn something at every point, every module, even in bonuses. I don’t even know where to start, but it’s just jam packed with things you wouldn’t think you needed. You’ll just be so happy that you invested in that way in yourself and in your business.

AYESHA SANTOS

“At just six months in on my side hustle, I was already matching my full-time job’s income. Now, I’ve just hit my first $10k month as a web designer!”

  • Founder: Ayesha Santos

  • Previous Job: Attending culinary school to become a Pastry Chef

  • Now Earning: $5,000-$8,000 for website design packages

AYESHA’S JOURNEY

I have a little bit of an interesting ‘career graph’ you might call it. I actually went to culinary school! So I used to be a pastry chef 👩‍🍳 but I quickly realized that lifestyle just didn’t fit!

NOW EARNING

In a year, I was already reaching my first $10k month as a designer.

My web design packages are now starting from $5000-$8000.

OUR FAVORITE WORDS

I’m so grateful I was able to take the courses…it opened up so many opportunities and the possibility that I could do something that I really love, make a buttload of money, AND have so much purpose in my life!

AYESHA’S advice

After taking Square Secrets™, I realized that it was so much more than just a design course! There was strategy in there - which I didn't realize I needed at the time but now really appreciate!

I think as a designer, you need to work on the strategy portion, and learn why things get laid out the way they do, and how you can make your designs more effective while also bringing that aesthetic value.

Browse the courses students are thrilled about!

Square Secrets™

Square Secrets™ is my flagship course designed to help design-curious entrepreneurs create stunning, custom-looking websites on Squarespace. This course is perfect for anyone who wants to enhance the look and reputation of their business through their website’s design and functionality or who wants to learn & perfect their web design skills in hopes of becoming a designer themselves.

✓ Website Strategy

✓ Squarespace Tutorials

✓ Design Principles

Square Secrets Business™

Square Secrets Business™ is the essential companion to Square Secrets™, focusing on the business side of being a web designer. This course covers everything from client management to pricing strategies, helping you build a sought-after, sustainable and profitable web design business.

✓ Business Plan

✓ Marketing

✓ Systems

✓ Processes

DISCLAIMER:

The testimonials and success stories shared on this page are from actual students and clients. While these individuals have achieved notable results, their experiences are not guarantees of what you will achieve. Your results may vary depending on a variety of factors including your effort, experience, background, market conditions, and implementation of the program materials. We do not promise or guarantee earnings, business success, or specific outcomes. These stories are provided for illustrative purposes only.