From Myspace to Squarespace: Empowering Entrepreneurs Through Web Design

This month is our 8th year business anniversary and we're celebrating with a series called Into the SQSP Metaverse: 33 Portals Through Web Design And Entrepreneurship. This is Portal #1.

"I became passionate about helping other people launch their websites—individuals who weren't necessarily designers but were entrepreneurs eager to share what they love with the world."

-Promise Tangeman (CEO and Creative Director GoLive)

The sound of laughter and excited chatter filled the room as Promise Tangeman, CEO and Creative Director of GoLive, welcomed a group of eager entrepreneurs to her live workshop. The atmosphere was electric, as these small business owners had traveled from all over to learn how to build and launch their websites in just two days.

Promise's journey to this point had been an interesting one. It all began with her love for customizing MySpace profiles back in 2007, which eventually led her to start her own design agency, Promise Tangeman Creative. As demand for her unique design aesthetic grew, she found herself maxed out with projects and searching for a way to scale her business.

The solution came in the form of website templates, which allowed Promise to help more people launch their businesses online at a lower cost. She started with the web design platform Showit and eventually moved on to Squarespace, embracing the challenge of creating templates for the popular platform.

As her business continued to grow, Promise rebranded to GoLiveHQ and focused on building a team of designers who shared her vision and aesthetic. This allowed her to step back from micromanaging and trust her team to create beautiful designs for their clients.

Throughout her journey, Promise learned valuable lessons about the importance of niching down and clearly stating what a business offers on its website.

Lesson 1: The Importance of Niching Down

One of the first lessons Promise learned was the importance of niching down and focusing on a specific target audience. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, she discovered that honing in on a particular niche allowed her to become known for her unique style and attract more clients who were looking for that specific aesthetic.

Lesson 2: Clearly Communicate What You Offer

Another crucial lesson Promise learned was the importance of clearly communicating what her business offered on its website. She realized that many entrepreneurs, including herself, often struggled to plainly state what they did or what made them different. By crafting a concise, one-sentence statement that clearly explained her services, Promise was able to attract more clients and grow her business.

The solution to scaling her business came in the form of website templates, which allowed Promise to help more people launch their businesses online at a lower cost. She started with the web design platform Showit and eventually moved on to Squarespace, embracing the challenge of creating templates for the popular platform.

Lesson 3: Utilize Byproducts from Your Service-Based Business

As her business continued to grow, Promise rebranded to GoLiveHQ and focused on building a team of designers who shared her vision and aesthetic. During this process, she learned the value of utilizing byproducts from her service-based business to create additional income streams. For example, she turned scrapped website designs into templates, allowing her to generate more revenue without additional effort.

"When your business focuses on serving others, you'll consistently have ample work." 

-Promise Tangeman

With these lessons in mind, Promise was able to successfully scale her business and empower entrepreneurs through GoLiveHQ. As the workshop attendees eagerly began working on their websites, Promise couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in how far she had come. From her humble beginnings customizing MySpace profiles to empowering entrepreneurs through GoLiveHQ, her journey was a testament to the power of passion, hard work, and a willingness to adapt and grow.

Key Takeaways

1. Niching down: Focus on one specific area or service to become known and stand out in the online space.

2. Clear website messaging: Create a one-sentence statement on your website explaining your unique offerings and target audience.

3. Utilize byproducts: Identify byproducts of your service-based business and find ways to package and utilize them for additional income.

4. Create sustainability: Turn byproducts into digital products to create a consistent and scalable income source.

5. Serve others: Make your business about serving others to ensure long-term success and ongoing work.

6. Turn competition into clients: Share your knowledge and processes to potentially serve peers within your industry.

7. Be adaptable: Continually refine and adjust your approach to your business based on the lessons you learn and the market's needs.

In the chapters to come, we'll dive deeper into these lessons from the perspectives of other SQSP entrepreneurs. Join us as we journey further into the SQSP Metaverse and uncover the secrets to success in the world of web design and entrepreneurship.

Listen to Promise’s story here.