We All Broke Bro

You’re broke.

I mean I already knew this but now I am actually broke. Like calculating how much money I can spend to the penny every week. Like, living paycheck to paycheck broke.

As a college student you are very comfortable with being broke because everyone around you is broke as well. It’s like living on “Broke Island.” Everyone gets together and strategizes how to make the most of their money while bonding over the commonality of “broke-ness.”

I knew starting a business would have a price tag, but I had no idea how much money you are investing. Nothing is free. Domains, logos, log in services, website support, analytics, apparel, registration of business, becoming a LLC, certification, education, advertisement, and so much more services.

I was back to the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Luckily, education saved the day. At Penn State, I took many “gen-eds.” These are classes that you take just to take; each major has a requirement that you take classes outside your major to fulfill your major (sounds weird, I know).

Amongst these classes, I had taken 4 courses of a mixture of classes that had website design or had an element of web design in it. I was the key to me saving money.

Website creation is an intense project. Not only do you need to make the information for the website but you have to have a keen eye for layout and make it mobile optimized. It is a tedious process of constant change and iteration.

I, however, knew how to make a website. Did I want to? No, but my wallet was now in control of my life. I began creating my website on a blank slate. No template, no pre-made design, just me trying to put the ideas in my head on paper.

The results: frustrated creation palooza.

I worked at a salon in Nyack, NY called “Pink Entourage” every summer, for 3 summers, and on winter break. My boss, had allowed me help her redesign the website for the salon. I would suggest, she would do it. This process was fun, as I would suggest something and magically it would appear on the website.

Making my website however was not the same.

Embêtant is the best synonym for how I felt (french for annoying). It was so difficult in the beginning to make my ideas come to reality.  My lack of technological knowledge, was stressing me out more. Coding is no joke. But, after months of creating, I have a website actually done. I am impressed with myself.

My website is exactly what I wanted it to be from the color scheme to the content on it. Writing content has never been a problem for me as I am a journalist and understand how to use rhetoric. But writing for a website takes a different talent; it takes you away from being a writer and makes you think like a consumer. What would you want to read if you were visiting your own website?

Sneak peak of my website

This was a challenge. I would write a page then realize that as a consumer I would never be interested in reading paragraphs on high intensity interval training. Uhm no.

I made my own little process. I would write what I wanted to say first. Then read it as a consumer make changes and then read it as an uninformed, busy adult who has 1 minute to get as much information as possible. Complex but doable.

I understand that not everyone has the abundance of technological professionals ready to help and not everyone has education in website creation.

“Fiverr is the world's largest marketplace for digital services. Get logo design, marketing services, whiteboards and more, starting from only $5.” (1)

Fiverr®️ is a website that takes freelancers in various technological fields and makes them accessible to anyones use. From website design, digital marketing, advertising, programming and other categories, they got you covered.

I originally went to Fiverr®️ to get my website made but decided that it was economically smarter to create one myself. However, I got my logo made on this website and received great customer service and an amazing logo. (This is not sponsored content, I promise.)

My logo created by a Fiverr user. (It's trademarked)

I would highly recommend going to Fiverr®️ or other sites similar to it, to get help with any technology services at a cheap cost.

Along with my website, I also have created the template for my actual program and designed all my pages.

Sigh.

If you can afford to get someone else to do it, then get them! Unless you have the time to learn it yourself and create it, I would definitely take the burden off of yourself and ask for help.

 I also encourage everyone to learn about all aspects that their business incorporates. Whether it is marketing/accounting or how to do basic coding, when you somewhat understanding of business, you can lessen your chance of getting ripped off.

Just me doing a basic search, I found so many fraudulent or over-priced website and logo creators that offered the same exact thing as I found on Fiverr®️. Do not allow frauds to con you into paying more than you should or giving you trash services.

I am almost 100% competent in website creating and I can now add that to my skillsets. 

“Unnecessary” classes prevail once again.

P.S. Launching in 13 days. *Initiates fear and anxiety*

Song – Difference (Culdesac)

“No time to respond, time is money, life's a debit card. Spend it on the right stuff, these people want you overdrawn.”

-  Childish Gambino