Plain talk on platforms.
Notes from the engine room — WordPress, performance, automation, and running a business platform that doesn't fall over. No fluff, no jargon, no "10 hacks."
5 signs you've become your business's accidental IT manager
You started a business, not an IT department. If three of these five signs sound familiar, your tech is running you — not the…
Jun 2, 2026Stop treating updates like a chore
Updates aren’t housekeeping — they’re the immune system of your website. The trick isn’t doing them bravely. It’s making them so routine they’re boring.
May 28, 2026Flat-rate vs hourly: what website care should actually cost
Hourly billing makes you hesitate to report problems with your own website. That misaligned incentive — not the rate — is what website care…
May 24, 2026The CRM you already have is probably enough
Before you buy another CRM, an honest look at why the tool was never the problem — and what wiring up the one you…
May 14, 2026The real cost of downtime (and how to never pay it again)
Downtime’s invoice arrives in five currencies — lost sales, lost trust, lost rankings, panic rates, and your weekend. Here’s the real math, and the…
May 12, 2026When to fire your website
Some websites deserve a fix. Some deserve a severance package. Five honest tests for telling the difference — before you spend another dollar on…
Apr 30, 2026WordPress or Shopify for your store? An honest take
We build on both, so we have no horse in this race. The honest version of WordPress vs Shopify — who each one is…
Apr 30, 2026What "proactive monitoring" actually means
“We monitor your site” can mean almost anything. Here’s what it should mean — the six layers, what each one catches, and the questions…
Apr 18, 2026Core Web Vitals, minus the panic
Three metrics, plain English, no doom. What Core Web Vitals actually measure, how much they matter (some), and the fixes that move them —…
Apr 16, 2026How we got Urban Southern a 900% sales lift
Fewer than ten sales in two years, then a 900% lift and an acquisition. The Urban Southern playbook, step by step — and which…
Apr 3, 2026Block themes, one year in
A year of shipping client sites on block themes: what genuinely got better, what still bites, and who should (and shouldn’t) build on them…
Apr 2, 2026Why we quote fixed fees
Hourly billing rewards slow work and punishes honesty. Why we quote fixed fees instead — and what that forces us to do well before…
Mar 19, 2026The five-minute performance audit anyone can run
No tools to install, no jargon to learn. Five checks, one minute each, and you’ll know more about your website’s health than most owners…
Mar 5, 2026Automations that quietly save us a day a week
No AI hype, no platform migrations — seven small automations we actually run, what each replaces, and how they quietly add up to a…
Feb 19, 2026Using AI and Automation to Transform Membership Engagement
When our client Aurras approached us about revamping their membership model, we knew we had a lot of pre-work. We knew we needed real,…
Nov 11, 2024Getting Started with Bricks Builder: An In-Depth Guide.
Bricks Builder has been getting much more attention in recent months, and I think it’s good. I’ve gathered some thoughts on new users coming…
Jan 15, 2024Breakdance Page Builder Review: Is it Any Good?
Recently, I provided my thoughts on several WP-focused page builders that are currently available. Breakdance is one of them from that current crop that has my…
Jun 27, 2023Building a Membership Website
Membership websites are all the rage. You’ve seen people run Patreons and Only Fans pages and similar. These websites offer a path to creating…
Jun 20, 2023One useful email. Twice a month.
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