eWebscapes / WebDevStudios :: Small Business Merge

Lisa will share with us the process and outcome of her decision to merge with Web Dev Studios.

Transcript

1. Lisa Sabin-Wilson
   Joining Forces
   WebDevStudios - www.webdevstudios.com
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

2. @LisaSabinWilson
   Custom Design & Development Solutions for WordPress
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

3. @LisaSabinWilson
   Custom Design & Development Solutions for WordPress
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

4. Me Them
   The PLayers
   @LisaSabinWilson
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

5. Yes,
   There
   were
   Lawyers The lawyers helped us spin up a new entity and
   make sense of bringing our various properties
   and assets under the new WD3, LLC.
   @LisaSabinWilson
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

6. Yes,
   There
   were
   Accountants Accountants helped us navigate tax
   implications, money management and did a lot
   of paperwork that we needed to sign.
   @LisaSabinWilson
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

7. Yes, there
   were lots
   of planning
   sessions.
   There might have been a few beers involved,
   too.
   @LisaSabinWilson
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

8. How did you make the
   decision?
   @LisaSabinWilson
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

9. Why did you make the
   move?
   @LisaSabinWilson
   Friday, October 18, 13
   

   View Slide

10. why did they do it?
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

11. Brad, Lisa, Brian
    2009
    WordCamp
    Chicago
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

12. 2007
    WordPress
    For
    Dummies
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

13. 2006
    SXSW
    Interactive
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

14. July 13,
    2004
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

15. My first $5,000
    project came in
    February 2007.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

16. Lisa Sabin-
    Wilson
    Sales Department
    The sales department really stepped
    up on this project to land the contract!
    Sales
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

17. Lisa Sabin-
    Wilson
    Legal Department
    Our legal department developed a great
    contract and worked with the client to
    understand it and get it signed.
    Legal
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

18. Lisa Sabin-
    Wilson
    Project Manager
    Our project manager worked with the
    client throughout the process from
    initial scoping, throughout the active
    project phase.
    Project management
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

19. Lisa Sabin-
    Wilson
    Designer
    Our design department developed the
    initial concepts and build out the PSDs
    and then did all the front end development
    (CSS, HTML, WP templates, etc).
    Front End Design
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

20. Lisa Sabin-
    Wilson
    Accountant
    Our accounting manager kept track of
    payables and made sure the client
    paid on time in order to keep the
    project moving forward.
    client accounts
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

21. Lisa Sabin-
    Wilson
    Developer
    Our developers created custom solutions
    for this client - - custom widgets, plugins
    and optimization.
    Back end development
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

22. It was exciting!
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

23. I made it.
    I was doing my
    own thing!
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

24. Projects got
    bigger.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

25. clients got more
    demanding.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

26. Outsource. ‣ started using freelancers
    ‣ outsourced to WebDevStudios
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

27. Wordpress
    grew.
    As the platform grew - so did my business and
    my work load.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

28. ‣ Not enough time in the day.
    ‣ Opportunities multiplied.
    ‣ Reliability of contractors
    ‣ Change needed to happen.
    What I was
    doing was no
    longer
    sustainable.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

29. 2010
    freelancer
    seeks team
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

30. ‣ Looked at existing teams.
    ‣ Debated hiring my own.
    ‣ Evaluated my needs.
    something
    needed to
    give.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

31. if you want
    to go far
    go together
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

32. A boat in harbor
    is safe, but in time
    its bottom will
    rot out.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

33. Don’t be afraid to
    go out on a limb.
    That’s where the
    fruit is.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

34. ‣ Independence.
    ‣ Creative Control.
    ‣ Successful Projects.
    ‣ Work Ethic.
    ‣ Contributions.
    ‣ Community.
    ‣ Humility.
    ‣ Passion.
    Things I value
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

35. Brad, Lisa, Brian
    2009
    WordCamp
    Chicago
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

36. Lisa and Brad
    We spent a
    lot of time
    together
    over the
    years
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

37. culture
    team work
    talent
    webdevstudios
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

38. 2012
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

39. wordcamp chicago
    2012.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

40. what if we had a
    sober conversation
    about it?
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

41. wd3
    Brad Williams
    Brian Messenlehner
    Lisa Sabin-Wilson
    2013
    i could not
    have made a
    better
    decision
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

42. Judge your
    success by the
    degree that you’re
    enjoying peace,
    health and love.
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide

43. thanks!
    @LisaSabinWilson
    Friday, October 18, 13
    

    View Slide