Lee Drozak operates WP Site Success, a WordPress-focused agency based in rural Pennsylvania. Catch up with Lee on Twitter and LinkedIn.
The who:
Given a business name is so central to a brand, we tend to put a lot of importance on it. How did you arrive at a name, and how do you feel about it now that you’ve been in business a while?
WP Site Success was born out of a need to let people know more about websites and WordPress. It’s about making your website key to your marketing and brand. That means the success to enjoy a website that works.
Nailing the name that reflects the business's mission was a key point moving forward because it encompasses and is the cornerstone of the messaging.
With some brands, location is a key component. Is there anything about the place you live and work that’s shaped your own brand?
We are in a small rural Amish community that has helped us shape the brand's minimal, simplistic aesthetic. The work ethic of those in the community and the tie to that community feel like the perfect fit for our business. But we are also a remote business that embraces travel and working in an environment that suites the spirit, which is also part of our culture.
How would you describe your professional experience and background?
I have been working remotely since 1999 when the only way to connect was through dial-up. This gives WP Site Success and LeeDrozak.com a unique perspective on the evolution and changes of remote working and digital business.
Couple that with strong roots in coding and technology, and it gives us a different perspective on the solutions we provide to our clients.
We can take the geek speak and break it down into plain English for our customers. This allows us to better serve the business owner who needs to understand the digital space and often do some of the work themselves.
Could you describe the scope of your operation?
We focus on care, maintenance and growth, but our client relationships' core scope is uniqueness. Every business is different, and while there are solid processes in place for everything we offer, it really is about a personalized approach to your business needs.
We don’t believe in the one size fits all approach, whether it's a care plan, maintenance plan, or complete redesign of your site.
We also feel that you need more than a static website because your web presence is the cornerstone of your marketing and visibility.
Some entrepreneurs describe an aha! Moment, the instant they decided it was time to take things into their own hands. Could you describe any of those moments you’ve had?
We wanted the freedom to work rurally but still be of service to our community. At that moment, we realized to do that, automation and online connectivity was the key to success.
To match our lifestyle, we would need to write our own rules, and therefore the business plan was changed and embraced how these choices could help others build a business that supported such a lifestyle.
The what:
What kind of projects do you prefer to work on?
WPSS prefers to work on the growth of a website. Care and maintenance are our bread and butter, with our ability to troubleshoot issues as one of the strengths.
Redo or redesign is another avenue that we love to work on with our clients because it allows us to get to know the business so that a new design does not.
Could you describe your typical client (if you have a typical client)?
The typical client who works with WPSS is a micro or solo business, usually coaches, consultants, or creatives in e-learning or membership-based spaces.
We love DIYers, and many of our core clients do work on their own sites but need the support of the more complicated or technical aspects of the website.
Because we are not a one size fits all company, we work with all budgets and needs. Our only criteria for working with new clients is their ability to be open-minded and make suggestions as they come.
Sometimes we’re in a position where it’s necessary to turn down projects. What do those situations look like for you, and how do you manage them?
We often turn down a project for the simple reason of the client wanting to micromanage all the project aspects. We are collaborators and partners, not assistants or employees. We will also turn down a project if the client does not respect our boundaries and processes.
Performance is always important, but sometimes we have to pay close attention to value as well. How do you position GoDaddy products and services for your clients?
Our care and maintenance services begin with the Hub by GoDaddy Pro because we have confidence in the backup, monitoring and dashboard services. We also believe in a customer’s right to guide the choice of the best option. Sometimes that is ManageWP, and other times it is another solution. GoDaddy does have choices for business at all levels, from getting started to maintaining and growing.
Could you describe a project that you feel exemplifies you at your best?
A project in our lane is to look at the performance of a website and make recommendations for improvements. Sometimes it’s an increase to server resources like adding a CDN or caching.
Other times it’s looking at the assets used like themes and plugins. We focus on usability and how we can make this the best with the options at hand. We also make sure that fail-safes are in place, like adequate backups and the use of the staging area to improve.
The how:
An obvious metric for measuring our own success is how much we got paid versus how much time it took. In your experience, what are the advantages and drawbacks here?
All of our projects are fee-based and not per hour, which allows us to concentrate on the solution and not the billable time. We believe that it takes as long as it takes to provide the correct outcome and not how much money is in our pocket. The advantage is that the client gets the solution, but the drawback is the extra time to find that solution could affect us.
How does GoDaddy Pro fit into what you do? Could you recommend any ways to get the most value out of it — especially to someone just starting?
As a GoDaddy Pro, we have the advantage of getting notifications of new or improving products like the new Hub. We also know that the services provided as a Pro are geared to our business needs and the support we provide to our clients.
We also benefit from some sharing of information.
It’s easy to set up and request access to client information. It’s a simple process and getting access to the customer credentials is safe with no exchanging of passwords or account details.
Imagine you could travel back in a time machine to a point where you were like, Forget this. I’m done! What advice would you give yourself?
Don’t give up! Technology can be a tough space sometimes, but only because it rapidly changes and information from yesterday may differ from today. Still, the foundation always remains the same, and you’ve got this. Look at the big picture and not the minutia.
What’s your parting shot for people who want to be like you when they grow up?
Be yourself, don’t compare yourself to others, and don’t ever forget that you are an expert at the stage you are in. There is enough business for everyone to go around, and while you'll say yes a lot, it’s okay to say no.
More time = happier clients
When you use the Hub by GoDaddy Pro, suddenly there’s more time in your day to focus on what matters most. Forget about juggling admin tasks. Reclaim your time and use it to make clients feel like the center of your universe.
