business

In a way, AI has been taking jobs from me for a long time.

AI didn’t sneak up on my job – it’s been pickpocketing for decades. Before “artificial intelligence,” there was Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) quietly automating much of what small developers once built by hand.

Early Days

I started building web pages as a high-school student in the early ’90s, mostly experimenting with simple HTML and making funny stuff.

By 1997, I was creating business websites and configuring hosting servers as an approved aside at work.

It was clear that JavaScript and CSS were going big. That same year, I got into Linux and soon had become a quiet advocate for free software – free as in freedom.

Sticking With It

I’m not a typically artistic or business-savvy person. I’m not even that smart… but I’ve outlasted trends by solving real puzzles.

I’ve worked hard, learned a lot (sometimes more slowly than most), and taken good care of clients and friends with an aptitude for problem solving. I stuck with computers and have a lot of gratitude for what I’ve been able to do.

Learning Business the Hard Way

By 2010 – business school? No. But I started learning about business intentionally the way I was used to – seeking good advice and lots of trial and error.

By then, I had two young kids underfoot while my wife battled a major disability. Trying to hold on with too few clients wasn’t a viable plan, but it’s what I had. And that continued for years.

I was seeing and feeling the obvious: the ground under our industry is always shifting.

From SaaS to AI: Another Great Outsourcing Shift

Over time, I found myself being passed over for projects that once came easily.

It wasn’t because my work got worse – it was because easy-to-use tools kept getting easier, faster, and cheaper. And marketing for those tools kept getting better.

Remember when a custom CMS gig paid the bills? Now, drag-and-drop templates close deals overnight.

Things seemed simpler back in the day. Today, if you run your operation without some business sense and marketplace essentials, staying visible and relevant is harder than ever.

I don’t recommend sticking to principles without a plan. Principles are my north star, but without action to market them? You’re invisible.

Most web designers and digital marketers outsource a lot more than you might think.

I don’t blame them.

Business is about meeting needs in the marketplace, and outsourcing “fulfillment” frees up resources for other revenue-producing activities – like doing the work to market yourself.

Behind many agencies and freelance web designers are teams of underpaid but highly skilled developers, system administrators, and customer support representatives – the people who quietly solve the hard problems – and, as it turns out, the easy ones too.

I’ve seen this firsthand working as tech support – freelancers and agencies calling in for emergency help with DNS, email, SSL, performance, security, backups, you name it – reselling that expertise under their own brand.

I don’t see reselling as evil or illegitimate – it’s one of the ways work gets done at scale. Staying billable and responsive is its own skill, and the support teams can make that possible.

Many of those agencies and designers are great at what they do. Many of the people backing them are brilliant and under-recognized. Together, they deliver value and fill real needs – which is exactly what business is supposed to do.

Looking at all this, I’ve learned things about myself.

Why I Still Lean Into DIY & Transparency

We’ve been at this long enough to know what we value most:

• Transparency about who’s doing the work.
• Integrity in how that work is delivered.
• Care for the people who trust me with their business — and for everyone else.

While others might be working behind automation or anonymous outsourcing, I still prefer to take personal responsibility while sticking with the tech work I enjoy – as transparently as my customers want.

When you work with me, you can always know who or what is behind the work. Sure, many people have to stay laser-focused on ROI, not the who. They run a business, not a social club.

But as more black-box tools glitch and web designers go dark, transparency is becoming the smart sell. More and more people are seeing it as valuable in the marketplace – and that helps me stand out.

So, I’ll stick with my simple approach: I take care of people transparently – clients and colleagues alike. It keeps me grounded. With transparency, I also respect privacy – including my own – and I’m happy to discuss details when a request is made in good faith.

As I’ve posted on my business website: We make the web easier while advocating for your ownership – domains, content, data, hosting, and methods you rely on – secure, portable, and independent of any single developer, including us.

Transparency and privacy are powerful together. I’ll think about outlining more in a future post.

Adapting Without Losing Integrity

Now AI has entered the picture, accelerating what automation and SaaS started years ago.

I’m not worried. I’ve had an adaptive mindset for years.

I’ve got ideas cooking, always with ethics in mind. I’m determined to move faster toward new opportunities.

I see more opportunity than ever. For me, and for you. If you’d like a hand, I’m happy to help.

For my customers, if and when I employ AI or any outsourcing, I’ll offer it transparently.

Technology evolves, and I’m evolving, still guided by the values that got me here.