Studio Talk 5・Cody Juhnke
Cody is the designer behind Moov Labs and Ghost Plugins, the latter being a great resource of amazing FREE plugins for Squarespace. I first met Cody in a Squarespace Mastermind group that we both joined in the summer of 2019. He’s a super nice guy and an amazing entrepreneur with a sharp mind and vision for what the market needs. I am really impressed by the business he’s built and he’s only 31! One of my favorite parts of these interviews are the 5 tips at the end and I especially like Cody’s tips #3 and #5.
Cody is an Orange-county based web designer and developer. He’s the founder of Moov Labs and Ghost Plugins, both of which support designing on Squarespace. Through a unique pricing model, Cody empowers small businesses to create a beautiful online presence on a budget.
1) What is your professional background and how did you get into Squarespace web design?
Originally, I was never interested in website design and, believe it or not, I fell into it by accident. I had a bad experience with a designer I hired for a side project of mine and ended up having to build it on my own in Squarespace. That’s when I discovered a completely new passion. I wanted to learn more about designing websites, so I started reading online articles, watching online videos, and getting my hands on anything else that would help me learn more about it. I became really intrigued and invested in this new thing I just discovered. One thing led to another and now years later I have two design companies under my belt and love what I do.
2) What was your safety net (e.g. a partner, another job, savings etc.) when you first started out and how did that help you?
I was in the restaurant industry for about 15 years and was climbing the corporate ladder. I never thought about leaving the company I was with, but my professional focus shifted when I became really interested in website design and building a business out of it. Eventually I left the restaurant industry to focus on growing Moov Labs, which then eventually helped launch Ghost Plugins.
I couldn’t fully say goodbye to restaurants though! I’m actually opening a restaurant in the Orange County, California area very soon – which I’m very excited about!
3) How many websites did you design during your first year, and how did your clients find you?
Between 8 and 10. My first year was definitely my slowest, but that’s normal when starting out.
I was really eager to get clients, so I would search Yelp for businesses that seemed to have a good reputation and high reviews (this told me they were doing financially well and might have a strong budget). I would pick up the phone and say, “Hi. My name’s Cody, do you need a website?” Surprisingly, this actually worked sometimes. Once I landed a few clients and finished the projects, the referrals started coming in. Giving my clients a great experience was the best marketing tool because they then, in turn, told their friends who also needed a website.
4) Do you have a niche market, or a speciality, or are you more of a generalist?
Hmm… that’s a little tough because both Moov and Ghost do two completely different things – even through they both revolve around Squarespace and design.
Moov Labs is on the design agency side of things and was my first venture. It provides small businesses a beautiful, clean, and simple website within their budgets through a unique model.
Ghost Plugins is more geared towards designers who use Squarespace because it offers a growing library of more than 300 free plugins, templates, a design assist service and more just for Squarespace.
5) What are your five top tips for starting your own business?
1. Be patient
Things don’t happen overnight. I wish I knew this at the beginning because I’m very impatient. *eye roll* Once I took a step back, things just started to work out.
2. Be very consistent
Treat your business like a living, eating, breathing thing. Give it the necessary attention it needs in all areas. Especially with being communicative with clients and having a good turn around on answering emails. Not only will this help with consistency, it will also give your clients a good experience. Good experiences = them sending you referrals.
3. Stand out but be authentic
Write out what can help you stand out to potential clients. This can be from design aesthetic to unique digital offerings. It’s important to be authentic when building your business – don’t try to carbon copy somebody else’s concept, business model, or ideas. This will never work and only hurts you in the end.
4. Get enough sleep
It sounds silly, but enough sleep helps the mind and body. You’ll be more productive, less stressed, and your creativity will prosper. I learned this the hard way! You never want to experience the burn out.
5. It’s okay to say no
The thought of a new client is exciting, but sometimes they aren’t always the best fit for what you do. If you’re not passionate about the project or don’t think you can reach the client’s expectation, it’s okay to say no. Simply let the client know that you might not be the best fit, but refer them to a friend or colleague who might be. Don’t leave them high and dry – you still want to grow and maintain a positive reputation.
Cody is kindly offering a 10% discount on all products at Ghost Plugins - use the code KERSTINMARTIN at checkout.
