Trailblazer FM: WordPress without the drama

Do you get anxious when updating your client's WordPress website, wondering what will break? Do you spend hours running tests in staging, before finally pushing everything live? In this episode, we explore WordPress maintenance and look at a solution designed to help developers and designers catch issues before they cause a real problem. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/streamlining-wordpre...

Meet Michelle Frechette, a trailblazer in the WordPress community who is bridging gaps and building connections in ways you wouldn't imagine. Michelle, the Director of Community Engagement for StellarWP at Liquid Web, takes us on a journey from her first encounter with WordPress to her current role as a community leader. She shares her insights on the power of inclusivity, the thrill of her first...

Find yourself ignoring newsletters you receive? Think that having your own newsletter is therefore a waste of time? Think again. I was challenged when our guest Shiven shared insights into building your own newsletter and audience that I had never considered. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/newsletter-success/

Fed up installing fresh copies of WordPress to test themes, plugins or code? What if you could spark up a blank WordPress instance directly in your browser in seconds, without even needing a host? Watch the video: Today we dive into the exciting world of WordPress Playground with special guest Adam Zielinski, a WordPress core developer at Automattic . Learn how this web-based development environme...

Introducing ChatGPT to our entire team has been a game-changer! While some folks worry AI will take their jobs, our team is thriving with enhanced productivity and an improved work-life balance. Discover how we're leveraging AI to supercharge our efficiency in coding, content creation, email management, translations, and beyond! Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/chatgpt-in-a-web-agency

As an agency owner, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands of running your business. But what happens when your work starts to take a toll on your health and happiness? For many agency owners, the answer is a frustrating cycle of too much work and not enough time for self-care. But it doesn't have to be this way.  Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/fit-with-small-steady-steps/

Feel like the internal communication at your agency is a little bit of a mess? Perhaps you're missing deadlines, upsetting clients, or duplicating your efforts internally. In this episode, Lee shares how stand-up meetings in his agency help solve these problems. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/implement-stand-up-meetings

Imagine a mastermind group that catapults your business to new heights, helps you make bold moves, and pushes you to reach your full potential. Lee shares his own incredible journey of growth and transformation, thanks to the power of these game-changing meetups.  Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/mastermind-effect-agency-transformation

Ever felt swamped, stressed, or on edge due to tough clients? In this honest and unplanned episode, our host Lee gets real about how his mental health has been impacted by tricky client relationships. Tune in to hear his personal story, insights, and advice on dealing with toxic clients and safeguarding your well-being in the digital world. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/toxic-clients-men...

Are you having a tough time providing top-notch support to your clients? In this episode, Lee spills the beans on how his agency, Event Engine , turned their messy support system into one with a perfect 100% client happiness rating. Discover the super simple process they put in place to bring order to their support system, improve communication, and take a more proactive approach to helping their...

Have you ever been excited to receive a new lead in your inbox, only for the communication to fizzle out over time? As a web agency owner, this can be a frustrating experience. In this episode, Lee shares his agency's solution to this problem. By implementing a simple process using a CRM, they were able to track their communications and convert more leads. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/t...

Are you tired of trying to sell your web design services to potential clients, only to be met with hesitation and skepticism? It can be difficult to convince someone to invest a large sum of money in your services when they don't really know you yet. But what if there was a better way?  Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/selling-value-not-just-websites/

Are you tired of constantly comparing yourself to others in your industry? Do you struggle with defining success for yourself and staying motivated to achieve your goals? In this episode, Lee and Candy dive into the world of pricing, money, and success in the agency and freelancer space.  Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/defining-success-for-your-agency/

📈 Candy explores hiring and compensating employees. It's all over the news; countries are entering or on the brink of recession. We've teamed up with Candy Phelps to explore essential financial skills freelancers and agency owners should flex during these times. In this episode, we discuss hiring, including when to hire, alternatives to full-time hiring, and preparing ahead to avoid stress. Full...

📈 Candy shares how to develop a business plan. It's all over the news; countries are entering or on the brink of recession. We've teamed up with Candy Phelps to explore essential financial skills freelancers and agency owners should flex during these times. In this episode, we discuss the common struggles of business planning and financial management. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/busin...

📈 Candy shares how to price for web design projects. It's all over the news; countries are entering or on the brink of recession. We've teamed up with Candy Phelps to explore essential financial skills freelancers and agency owners should flex during these times. In this episode we break down how to calculate your rates and price for projects. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/pricing-for-w...

📈 Candy shares the effects of macroeconomics on freelancers and agencies It's all over the news; countries are entering or on the brink of recession. We've teamed up with Candy Phelps to explore essential financial skills freelancers and agency owners should flex during these times. In this episode, we discuss how macroeconomics and personal finances affect our businesses, how to plan our finance...

🎃 A visual builder that produces fast-loading WordPress websites. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/an-otherworldly-site-builder Join the conversation: https://tra...

🎃 Protecting content within WordPress for members only. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/conjuring-membership-magic Join the conversation: https://trailblazer.fm/...

🎃 No-code animations and effects in WordPress. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/adding-hocus-pocus-to-a-website Join the conversation: https://trailblazer.fm/addi...

🎃 Moving a large WordPress website from one host to another. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/attack-of-the-clones/ Join the conversation: https://trailblazer.fm/...

🎃 How to manage SEO in WordPress. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/supernatural-search-engine-optimization Join the conversation: https://trailblazer.fm/supernatu...

🎃 How to clean a slow and bloated WordPress database. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/battling-a-gruesome-wordpress-database Join the conversation: https://trail...

🎃 Make it easier to access and sort data in the WordPress admin. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Full show notes: https://trailblazer.fm/cobwebs-in-the-wordpress-admin Join the conversation: https://tr...

🎃 How to provide a more accessible website. In this series, Lee looks at a range of WordPress tools that can add value to both the development process and client interactions. For each episode, Lee will define a problem, discuss his agency's solution, and share a use case. Notice: This is a re-record due to discovering the third-party tool that we believed was providing people with a better brows...