I started my small web business 2 years ago. I had to save money for few months to be able to pay for all the taxes to establish my small “web entity” into a real business one. Work was hard, as it still is, but the results started showing. My family had some more money for the every day life, while I was able to spend some more online to get better hosting plans, maybe a new script for a new site etc. As you can imagine most of the people who knew me started getting ideas. The ‘best” one … Continue reading →

Some days ago I read an article about people who start a web business and might want to get investors interested in their project. The number used there was 200,000 USD (we can take less or more, in the end we talk about money we don’t have and need others to give it). For a new web business this capital is important: you can develop faster and, with a good business plan, you can also re-pay and then develop “solo”. My question to myself and now to you (since you stumbled across my article) would be: “Would I really want … Continue reading →

Would you like to drive this car? What of you had access to it from the moment you take driving lessons? Would you like to learn how to drive on such a car? I have a client who is a driving instructor in my city and he taught me how to drive too. He would be our example of the best way to drive clients to your door as a business. He’s done it and maybe we can learn from his experience too, about how to offer our clients something that would make them COME to us and WANT to … Continue reading →

Years ago I started a small site about Karate. It was called Dojo.ro (from that I created my brand: Dojo Design) and was just a small creation of a woman with too much time on her hand. After 6 years Dojo.ro has a lot of brothers and sisters (new sites in the network) and 1 year ago Dojo Design became the name of a small web design firm. MINE. I recall years ago a thread in one of the big webmaster forums I like to be a part of, when someone made fun of another member implying how pathetic a … Continue reading →

I seem to have started posting quite some messages in here. Maybe I’ll make it a good habit Anyway .. back to the task at hand. I just started a topic in the forums about ways people present sites in their online portfolios. To quote my list: 1. each site has his own page in the portfolio, some description, clickable link to it and a snapshot (that’s how dojodesign.ro will have them in few days when I have the time to finish redesigning it) 2. a list with information and clickable links 3. just a list of links 4. just … Continue reading →

Most web businesses start from 1. One person, one idea .. not 1 Dollar, but not too much money either. For a small business venture it’s a good idea to not make too many expenses from the day one, this is why most of the time the owner is also the one to work on the projects, meet clients, advertise. It’s something like a “one man band”. As time goes by the businessman (or woman for the political correctness) gets swamped .. too many projects, too many things and yes, the time is still the same. Not sleeping for days … Continue reading →

The web today is a place to do business. Good business, especially if you have a good content site. There are banner places to be sold, links and other advertising options. This is why more and more people think about selling advertising on their own, even if many are still using advertising networks. But how can you advertise your site in an elegant manner that would most likely convince your business partners to use your site(s) for promotion? By creating a media kit. Let’s try to see some of it’s uses and the resons it’s a good choice when it … Continue reading →

I think this kind of motivational article is always good. There are many good things into getting on your own and stop working on that 9 to 5 program. There is money to be made and happiness to be found. I like such articles. It makes people understand that a bit of a risk is OK. And that they can do MORE than just working “for the man”. What I totally dislike is the fact most such articles just brag about the positives and don’t tell their readers about the possible problems they might run into. Working on your own … Continue reading →

I was approached few days ago by a woman who claimed she represents a Real Estate Agency. The thing that sent some signals was the fact she used a yahoo.com email address. In the end I might understand this since, if they need me to design the site, it means they don’t have it, so no chances for a site related email address. The message I got looked something like this: “Hello, I represent a Real Estate agency. I would like to know how much a web site would cost”. Here are some of my reasons to not disclose pricing … Continue reading →