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Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

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Re: Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

#31
“But I am a big Peter Thiel fan, and he and everyone says, "Do things that don't scale." So I try to do that by selling website design as a luxury product. This means I will make the Rolex of websites.”

That’s platitudes and truisms not a strategy or business plan.

Your number one leveragable asset is your network and sales skills not your design/technical chops.

If you haven’t got a network already then you are never going to find the kind of clients who can afford to pay for luxury websites. Or even need them, or even be aware enough to know they need them.

Please tell me you have a deep network, sales skills, and clients ready to go.

Re: Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

#32
post #6

As someone who has owned (and technically still does, but it's a side gig for sure) a web design company: Let me say this: Your sentiment of "95% are terrible at it" is simultaneously probably true and completely pointless. Here's what I've discovered. Let's assume that you really ARE making the Rolex of websites, deep down you KNOW you're the best of the best. Too bad. It doesn't matter, because the general public c…

This

That wasn't very thoughtful, Chris.

Re: Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

#33
post #15

Thiel also said : "competition is for losers". He was right

The thing is, I have to do what some might consider "loser" activities right now because I come from a third-world country. If I want to build a startup or do something extraordinary one day, I need some money to support myself. I don't come from a poor background; on the contrary, I come from an upper-middle-class family. My parents can fund my studies abroad, but that's it. After that, they don't have much money le…

Have you considered getting a work visa + a tech job in western Europe ?

Re: Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

#34
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing is, I have to do what some might consider "loser" activities right now because I come from a third-world country. If I want to build a startup or do something extraordinary one day, I need some money to support myself. I don't come from a poor background; on the contrary, I come from an upper-middle-class family. My parents can fund my studies abroad, but that's it. After that, they don't have much money le…

Have you considered getting a work visa + a tech job in western Europe ?

The thing is, I want to take a risk. I want to see if I have it in me. I’ve always wanted to start a small business without being too worried about revenue. I envision a small team with creative freedom, where we ship projects we enjoy. In general, I want to have fun doing something I love.

Let me give you an example. Look at this agency, https://klioh.com/. It is run by very talented women, and I checked their pricing—it ranges from $10k to $30k. They don't have many clients, but they enjoy what they do. I had a chat with the founder, and she told me that they travel most of the time, have a small team, and enjoy great freedom in where they can work from.

I don't plan to copy her—that would be foolish—but I want to take on more complex projects while providing equally good service. The market is and will always be competitive. Startups are also inherently competitive, especially now. The job market is tough. I’m competing with Ivy League kids for internships, and I don’t like to complain about the fact that I come from India. If you’re from India and from a tier-3 college, you're likely to be ignored. It’s not their fault, but my profile doesn’t speak credibility. There are thousands like me.

Despite this, I don’t get demotivated. I still try to build projects and apply for opportunities. If I work in tech in the future, I want to do it for the purpose, not for the money. I also have a bad habit of overthinking decisions in my life. To cope with it, right now, I’m doing nothing. Even if I work, I keep thinking about it. These days, all I do is cook new things, watch TV, and after dinner, I check this thread to see what people are saying and try to understand it. Writing this long paragraph gives me more clarity for my future, so thank you, stranger. Have a great year.

Re: Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

#35
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered getting a work visa + a tech job in western Europe ?

The thing is, I want to take a risk. I want to see if I have it in me. I’ve always wanted to start a small business without being too worried about revenue. I envision a small team with creative freedom, where we ship projects we enjoy. In general, I want to have fun doing something I love. Let me give you an example. Look at this agency, https://klioh.com/ . It is run by very talented women, and I checked their pric…

Fair enough, however if your top idea is to start a web design firm 2024, this indicates that you perhaps haven't been exposed to more promising problems in any other industry. Maybe taking a job for a couple of years, in some field you are curious about, would change that.

Re: Am I stupid to start web design agency in 2024

#37
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My agency does both, that's a false dichotomy.

I wasn’t presenting an either or. I said some people are motivated by doing the thing for pay but not owning / running it. This is truth and many of the best agency people I’ve known are like this.

I understand, it just came off that way. Take care!
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