I’m Michael Savage, President and Owner of MDS Web Studios in Lilington, NC. I started creating websites when I was thirteen years old. I’m currently 18 and I’m a sophomore at Campbell University. I started MDS Web Studios my junior year of high school but didn’t seriously pursue work until my senior year.
A few notes for the young entrepreneurs that are still in school. I know how it feels to be a “businessmen” while still stuck in a classroom for 6 hours a day. Point out to your teachers that you work and manage your own business. Some teachers will understand and give you some slack when you are tired and running a little slow some days. But that is no excuse to take advantage of that and not all teachers will cut you slack or believe you. It is still worth pointing it out even if they don’t cut you any slack.
Now, moving on to business in general. Business is a weird creature. You have to approach each client differently because each has different views about their web site and different ideas. Do research. Take an hour out of each day and find informational sites. Add them to an RSS feed reader.
Some great sites to subscribe too: (Note these are only a few. I recommend you do some digging and find some you like as well)
and of course the one you’re reading
To name a few popular RSS Feed readers:
- Google Reader (My Choice)
- Mail.app (Mac Only)
- NetNewsWire
Once you get started reading and realizing that in no way can you be a jack-of-all trades, sit down and start evaluating. This is what I call an S&W analysis which simply stands for Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis. Start with your strengths and then you can weed out your weaknesses. Remember only include real strengths, not things you plan to learn or coding languages that you’re not skilled at. For reference I’ve included one below.
Strengths
- Personable
- Website Management/Updating
- xHTML
- Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization
Weaknesses
- Server Side Coding
- Designing for Print
- Taxes
*Note this is not a good S&W but just for sake of example I kept it short my real S&W Analysis is almost a page long.
Once you have built a list you feel really covers all your strengths and weaknesses start thinking about how you will fill those gaps. Are you going to learn how to code a language like PHP? Are you going to study the tax code? It’s very important to remember that you will never be able to do it all.
What I have done to offset my weaknesses is build what I call a “Down List” (this list is a great help and should not be viewed negatively!), a list that I can call upon at any time I need a particular skill set. For example, when I am preparing a project proposal, I do a “needs assessment” for the prospective website. If I can’t do something the web site needs in-house, I immediately grab my down list, locate the category I can’t satisfy, and call up the first person on my down list in the category. I give them the details and get a quote from them and reaffirm all the details including timeline, revisions, and etc.
I have a list of contacts and not just one because what if one of my contacts doesn’t have the time or ability to fulfill what I need. If not, I move on to the next name on the list. That’s why it is key to make sure your down list is a list and not 6 names in one category on a piece of paper.
Owning and running a business is very much a learning experience and mostly trial and error. Think through your decisions and make sure what you do is in the best interest of you, your client, and your company.
Great article Mike, going to have to get you as a guest author on my site too at this rate!
Thanks man!
Ha. I don’t know if I’m that good but I’ll try.
Nice article Mike!
I too am considering pursuing this on a more than free-lance basis, how much would you estimate you make per month with MDS? Is it worth the time and effort?
Thanks,
Jeremy
Like the article Michael, looking forward to part 2
@Jeremy – I don’t really like to disclose that kinda information openly but we do well. It is absolutely worth doing it I’d suggest starting out with getting some clients before you go full time the John O’Nolan blog is a great resource as he just made the jump to self-employed.
@Craig – Thanks so much! Really glad you enjoyed it!
Nice article.
Just a little note. I did business studies as a subject at A Level which for Americans would be seniour year. There is a type of document I was taught called a SWOT analysis. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opertunities and Threats. It may be worth looking up as an extention to your S&W.
This is a great help for me as I am in the initial phases of planning my freelance career. Looking forward to part 2.
@rich97 – SWOT analysis are a businessman best friend. We conducted a SWOT analysis to create our marketing & business plans. I could go days on the topic of a SWOT analysis. But tried to gear this article just for the S&W side I might do part two on assessing you Opportunities and weaknesses. Thanks so much for you comment and kind words!
Most these points can be applied to any profession, we just need reminding of them, so thanks.
Not to sure about the RED shirt and tie though…
@Jacob.R – Absolutely! Glad you liked it! Haha. Red, at that time, was one of my company colors.
Great article Michael, I enjoyed the read. I love the idea of an S&W, never heard of that before! You had some good advise!
Thanks, and looking forward to part 2.
A little rushed though, has potential but the article itself doesn’t cover anything useful it feels like you just sent this in for self-promotion, either way..curious to see part 2.
Jeremy
@Jacob Haug – Thanks I’ll be working on it soon!
@jeremy – Thanks for the feedback man! I’ll be sure and try to slow it down a little in the next article. I didn’t intend for it to seem like I was all about self-promotion (sorry about that) I just didn’t have any good pictures to put in to break up the post to make it a little more readable.
I agree with Jeremy, not a very good article, however if you research some of the things mentioned on google you will find much better information.
Love the new article by Luke and this is a great site, looking forward to many new articles but perhaps the site shouldn’t just let anyone post articles.
Regards,
Kyle C.
“Point out to your teachers that you work and manage your own business.”
The perspective of an 18-year old is often a hilarious one.
This article is as shallow as they come.
@kyle – Wish you would have elaborated a little more on whats wrong with it but thanks for your comment.
@Gary – That seemed to help me but I’m sorry you fellow it was shallow?
Good article. Don’t pay attention to the negative comments. I’m not sure but it seems like some older people on here might feel a little threatened by a successful 18 year old web developer.
@Joe – Thanks for the kind words. I don’t mind the negative comments I just wish they would give me some sort of feedback on how to improve. But oh well. Thanks again man!
I’m sorry but I have to admit, I don’t understand what the big fuss is about. I had a glance at your twitter and it seems as if the whole world has gone crazy. How can this man offer advice to anybody?
I have looked at your portfolio and you have designed under 10 websites, all of which look like they have been designed by a beginner!
You talk as if you have lived a whole life of business, but in reality you don’t have the first clue, I get it, you’re young and you want to make a name for yourself, but lets not go overboard. This is a very useless article, it has nothing informative at all, it’s just you attempting to show off.
Please wait a while longer before giving suggestions to others, especially when you have just begun. Usually people want to learn from those who have made it in the field, not someone who has made a couple websites and now sees themself as the next Obama.
Just my two cents, I’ve been a longtime fan of the site but this article is very off-putting.
Thanks.
There has been some very strange activity on this comment thread. Double posting under two separate names and stealing my identity? I smell a rat.
Either way Dave/Chris. Your analysis was way too harsh unless we were looking at two separate sites It seems that mdswebstudios was very professional looking. Plus, a portfolio should only have a few entries. You should never place all of your work into your portfolio.
Finally this article is aimed at a begginer, not a seasoned professional. Such as yourself.
@Chris – I’m sorry.
@rich97 – Thanks.
Since my article wasn’t so well received I may or may not do part two. I might just try to sharpen my writing skills and apparently my business skills and try again later. I surely don’t want to discredit The Web Squeeze as it seems I may be doing. Thank you all for the comments and I’m sorry if you didn’t find my article helpful or useful.
I sincerely want to thank everyone who left nice/encouraging comments. Also I’d like to thank The Web Squeeze for the opportunity.