Work From Home: Web Designer

I absolutely love working from home, but I have only done a select few jobs myself. So, I set out to learn about new ways to earn money from home either part-time or full-time in this Work From Home Interview Series. Today, I am going to share with you how you and interview I did with my friend Laura from Pixel Me Designs so that you can learn about working from home as a web designer.The number one way that I make money from home is through blogging. It has completely changed my life. Even though it only started as a hobby it has now turned into my own business. I am truly passionate about blogging, so if you are interested in learning more or want to know how you can get started with your own blog then you can check out my guide on how to start a blog or watch the video tutorial. 

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 The questions below were answered by Laura from Pixel Me Designs. She is a 30 something mom, wife and web designer from Gainesville Georgia. I specialize in custom blog design and small business design built on WordPress. I started an online deal site in early 2009 and quickly turned it into a profitable business that I ran for three years. In early 2012 I decided to sell and indulge in my other passion… website design work and Pixel Me Designs was born.  1. What is your work from home job and how did you get started?I have been a website designer since 2012. I first started in the entrepreneur field in 2009 when I was laid off from my office job and needed to take care of my ailing grandmother full time. I had run a part time deal blog in that time frame and decided to take a chance and go at it full time. It was very successful before the "big blog boom" but I found myself spending more time learning code and redesigning it than actually blogging on it. It was through that where I found my true passion. In 2012 my daughter was due to be born and we decided that was a great time to take a chance, sell my blog, and start designing full time (this was a huge leap of faith for us with a newborn on the way). Thankfully it has prospered beyond my wildest dreams thanks to many amazing clients and has been a true blessing. 2. Why did you decide on this position?I really think this position chose me, it's what I love and it comes more naturally than any other career choice I've made in the past. It has also allowed me to spend the first two years with my daughter, something I never saw us being able to do and most mothers are not able to do, I am immensely grateful for that! 3. Is this job full-time, or part time? How many hours a week would you say you spend working?Too many! It's full time and then some and I still never feel caught up haha. I work early mornings, all day and late at night after bedtime. Though I do make sure to take weekends off to spend family time with no distractions. 4. How do you find time to work with your other everyday obligations?It's a hard balance, late last year I had to make the decision to finally put my daughter in daycare. I was spending sun up to sun down trying to balance a business, work, clients, being a mom, wife and somehow have me time in there. I wasn't getting anything accomplished and everything and everyone was suffering. After choosing to put my daughter into daycare full time I felt organized again. I was able to give work it's full attention, give my daughter full attention and finally have a little me time to refresh every so often. It was the hardest decision I've made but also the best for all of us. 5. What is your favorite part about working from home?The freedom. I have the ability to work my hours around and take the morning off if I choose and work that night or vice versa. Though I feel like I work from sun up to sun down there is still a lot of flexibility there. That and, as mentioned above, being able to spend those years with my daughter. 6. Did you need any training or experience for this position? Any particular qualifications?I received no training, I am completely self taught. I am a curious person in general, I want to know how to do things.. why they do it.. how to fix something if it breaks.. and I think all of those helped me learn rather quickly in this field. 7. What affect does your income have on you and/or your family?Many people aren't aware that I am a high school drop out with a GED and no college training. with those elements my job prospect in a standard career were low as far as income goes so we were always barely getting by on paying the bills for the first 5 years of our marriage. My income now has allowed us to pay off debt we were once drowning in, we were ready to file bankruptcy four years ago and now we are almost debt free and bringing in more income than we ever did before. 8. Would you recommend this position for someone who is looking for a work at home job?-Yes and no. I will admit it's draining, creatively and mentally but it's also just as rewarding if it's something you love. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication to your client and continuous research of new code and design fads. It is not an easy job and you don't get paid without doing the work but I would recommend it for anyone who's creative, curious and determined. Websites are not going anywhere any time soon... 9. Any advice for other people who are looking to get started with this positionWith this field you really have two options. Go to school and learn how to code or start a site, break things and figure out how to fix them (no joke) the later is how I learned and it's served me well. Code is continuously improving, changing and evolving so you will need that drive to keep up. The only thing you can't learn is the creative aspect, if you don't feel you're a creative person there are many other fields related to web design such as standard development, app coding, plugin coding, programs, etc. 

Thank You Laura!

Check out other interviews in this series and keep checking back for more posts on different work from home jobs. Some of the positions you can expect to see include daycare, tutor, web designer, photographer, freelance writer, laundry care and more!