When should you scale your web design business?

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what scaling actually means in a web design business. And more importantly, how do you know when (or if) you’re ready to do it?

I feel like there’s this constant pressure online that tells us we should be chasing 10k months or building six-figure agencies. And while I’m so happy for anyone doing that, transparently, that’s not where I am. And actually, money wasn’t even my main reason for going freelance.

I think a lot of people scale because they feel like they should. Like if you’re not hiring, not selling a course, or not launching a second offer, you’re somehow falling behind. But I’d rather grow slowly and sustainably than scale quickly and realise I don’t even want the business I’ve built.

Growth doesn't mean overpricing

Pricing has been the hardest thing for me to figure out. I’ve changed mine so many times and I’m really trying to stick with my current structure for a while so I can properly evaluate how it’s working.

Yes, I’m charging more now than I did at the start. But those earlier projects taught me so much about my strengths, my processes, and what services I want to offer (and what I absolutely don’t). I could probably charge more right now, but I also want to get better before I raise my prices again. Because pricing higher and struggling to land clients isn't growth growth either. It's definitely a tricky balance between knowing your worth and always learning, and I've not nailed it yet, but of course pricing is a big part of growing your business.

The best advice I have is to go with the price that you can confidently say on a discovery call, and walk away from the potential client if they can't afford that. If you're immediate reaction is to lower your price so they work with you, or to try to over explain why your price is that amount, you're probably not confident enough in it.

Courses are not the only way to scale

Let’s talk about courses. It feels like every web designer eventually launches a course... for other web designers. And while I love that people want to share what they’ve learned, I have mixed feelings about the price points. A lot of these courses are aimed at people just starting out, and £2k+ feels like a huge ask for someone in that position.

Right now, that’s not how I want to grow. Maybe that’ll change in future (never say never), but I’d rather share my knowledge in smaller, more accessible ways. It just feels more aligned with where I am.

It genuinely is possible to scale whilst sticking with your primary income being your services. But if you want to do that, then that brings me onto my next point of how you may then need a team to help you take on more work.

Is expanding your team a dream or risk?

One thing I do want to explore is building a small team. I’d love to hire a graduate web designer who can support with implementing the designs once I’ve nailed the strategy and first page direction. That way, I can focus more on the strategy and creative direction side of projects, which I love most.

But it’s a risk. I'd likely start by hiring someone freelance to make sure it works for both of us. It’s a big leap, and I don’t want to take it lightly. I want to be turning away work consistently, and ideally have more than one income stream, before I make that move.

Stability first, scale second

Right now, 100% of my income comes from client services. I’d love to add a second stream - like blog ads or a low-cost DIY product - to give me a bit more stability and scale my web design business that way. I recently read You're the Business by Anna Codrea-Rado, and she talks about 7 different income streams. I’m not trying to tick all seven just yet, but even having two would feel like a stronger foundation. So that if I had a poor month in one area, I have a sort of 'extra' stream to still support paying my team member and myself.

Public speaking is a long-term goal of mine too. But I’m not rushing to get there. I want to make sure that when I do scale, it’s because I’ve built something I love and that’s working well, not because I feel like I “should.”

Are you looking to scale your web design business?

Are you thinking about scaling your business too? What does that actually look like for you? I’d love to hear if you’ve been navigating the same questions lately.

P.S. If you’re in a phase of starting out your business rather than scaling, a well-strategised website can help you work more effectively with the clients you want. You can check out my web design services here.