How this Website Designer Created Work that Feels ‘Fun, Creative and Joyous’
Real-Life Relaunch
Rebecca Eisner, Website Designer + Entrepreneur
“The choice to start this business was almost not a choice at all—I knew I needed to go on this path.”
When I was creating my website earlier this year, I reached out to Rebecca Eisner on the strong recommendation of our mutual friend. Working with Rebecca was a great investment! She helped me to be intentional about what I wanted to achieve with my website, who I wanted to serve, and how I would help them. She is also very organized and had systems to help me stay on track.
As a career coach, I couldn’t help but get curious about how Rebecca ended up as an entrepreneur. What I love about her pivot is that she zeroed in on one aspect of her digital marketing jobs that she liked—website design—and got really good at it. Then, she chose a niche—creatives and healers—that made it easier to get the types of clients she loved working with.
Read on for more on how Rebecca created a successful, sustainable business on her own terms.
Q: What were you doing before launching your business?
I was a digital marketing director and strategist working with a mental health nonprofit and several startups. During that time—a period of about seven years—I worked on website-related projects: I managed them, oversaw redesigns, wrote website copy, designed and optimized landing pages and sales pages, spearheaded search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, managed complex website integrations... The short of it was that I worked extensively with websites, and designed aspects of websites, but didn’t technically design entire websites.
Prior to my digital marketing career, I worked in the film and television industry, taught yoga, and studied massage, healing arts, and spirituality. My background in wellness and the arts eventually informed my business niche—creative and wellness entrepreneurs.
Q: How did you choose this path?
A year before I started my business, I was in a job where I was learning a ton, but it was too technical—I wasn’t able to be creative in ways that fulfilled me. I wanted to choose my clients, the nature of the projects, and do work that felt fun, creative and joyous—on my terms.
When that job ended, I took a sabbatical to practice being creative in ways that felt good to me. I wrote and painted. I got in touch with what made me ME. I knew that I needed to do something for work that utilized my existing digital marketing expertise, fed the artist in me, allowed me to work on my terms, and connected me to a sense of purpose.
When it was time for me to get a job again, I made a portfolio website on Squarespace to serve as a digital resume. While I was designing the website, I noticed that I really enjoyed it, and furthermore, I knew how to design it. I realized in that moment that most people attempting to make a Squarespace website would probably feel frustrated, not know where to start, and need to hire someone to help them—especially my friends and acquaintances in creative and wellness fields. It was an aha moment!
The choice to start this business was almost not a choice at all—I knew I needed to go on this path.
Q: How did you get your first clients?
I offered a free website to two close friends who had their own wellness businesses; this way I’d be able to experience having website design clients, as well as create relevant samples for my portfolio. They also gave me testimonials that I could use on my own website, and they promoted their new websites widely, which got the word out to their likeminded friends.
I posted the websites to social media and let my network know what I was up to. After that, people started coming out of the woodwork—someone from my high school cheerleading squad, a former boss from when I worked in the kitchen at a retreat center— it was as if all the things I had done up until that point were supporting me in this present endeavor. Eventually, after building up my portfolio and marketing my business, clients came that weren’t connected to my network.
Part of getting my first clients was choosing a niche. For me it came easily—”creatives and healers” rolled off my tongue because those were my people. They were the people I went to film school with, the people I studied yoga and massage with, and frankly, they were the ones I want to spend time with. Having a niche helps people think of you for a particular job.
Q: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned from making this leap?
That I’m capable of more than I had previously imagined. And my perception of what I’m capable of grows the longer I’m in business.
Q: What did you wish you knew before you launched?
Have a plan. Hire before you think you need to. Find entrepreneurial buddies so you can lean on each other when it gets tough—being an entrepreneur can get lonely! Charge more than you think you should, because you’re probably underpricing yourself.
Q: What would you tell someone who is considering going freelance or launching a business?
You can do this. Aim high, dream big, and have a plan! As Steven Covey said, “Begin with the end in mind.” Be clear about what you do and who you do it for. Make sure you’re driven by something more than money–that’s what will help you succeed. Go all in—commit fully, treat your business like a business, and see what happens!
Learn more about Rebecca and apply to work with her in 2022 on her website.