I started my online life just as a hobby. The idea to make money online is interesting to explore. Almost no reason, just ’cause.
I created my first blog on blogger and purchased my first domain from Google Apps. Register to Google Adsense and think that I’ll start making $$$. I was wrong. It’s tough, need a lot of dedication. I need to learn SEO, content research, etc.
Then I start to know WordPress, create bunch of niche sites for Adsense, learning basic CSS and PHP to modify my own sites. I don’t know much about graphic design, so I ask my designer friend to teach me Photoshop. He taught me for two hours about basic Photoshop functionality. A week later I start making money designing site headers, logos, and banners. A month later, I decided to resign from my job as salesman to focus more in growing my business.
I start to dwell in WordPress universe of unlimited possibilities. Register and joining several WordPress community to learn more, and that’s how I join Theme Hybrid by Justin Tadlock, mostly as silent member. But overtime I get a lot of road block in learning WordPress development, and naturally ask for help there. And it’s almost magical.
Justin almost never say no to all support questions. Even for questions not related to his themes and plugins. When I ask “How to do this.. ” he almost always answer with “This is the code…”. And not just about code. How to better structure the site, explaining the pro and cons for a feature, even give better alternative to do stuff. Theme Hybrid quickly become my central place to ask anything about WordPress.
Then I try to create WordPress themes for my sites and brag about to my clients and several online communities. That’s how I got my first theme development job.
I don’t even know how much to charge. Considering a lot of themes available for free, so I don’t really know. So I ask “How about $50 per theme?” and he said “Sure !”.
I’m afraid that I overcharged my service so I ask at Theme Hybrid community and surprised that it’s actually too low. I got tons of advice from Theme Hybrid Community in how to set price, create better service, and write better code.
Fast forward today, I charge $2000 for site development. I know it’s not much compared to other developer, but it’s a lot for me who started at $50.
I have to say, the one who’s responsible for growing my WordPress services from $50 to $2000 is Justin Tadlock, and Theme Hybrid Community.
So thank you.