Thoreau said, simplify, simplify. Realized I have been carrying around a bag full of tools, when a Swiss Army knife would have sufficed.
Background: I was chatting with a very kind and interesting man at last week’s WordCamp US in Philly (so much fun, so educational, and really excellent mid-afternoon snack). He was talking about force multipliers for the entrepreneur who is a one-person shop. Basically, you need to use tools or methods that make the best use of your time – for example, finding a trusted web host and steering all of your clients to them; you know their downtime is minimal, their support is excellent, they handle all updates and security patches and you already understand how their system works. That is the crucial part.
In our professional lives today, we are increasingly specializing. We are experts in our area, constantly acquiring more knowledge and experience…but that takes time and energy. To succeed in one’s field, you need to cut away the distractions and time-sucks. Making a site is no different.
I have been experimenting with several frameworks for themes, but this gentleman urged me pick just one, whichever works best for me, and stick with it and become an expert. Likewise, find a host with great support, find a company that makes great plugins or tools, and stick with them. You can do so much more with your time, and actually do so much more for your clients, if you are deeply familiar with your system for making a site and completely knowledgeable with the tools you choose to use.
It is also a heck of a lot easier!
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