Most of my posts on this platform are chock full of tips and actionable items to apply to your web presence. Allow me to swim on a little detour and give an update of GuppyFish Web Design’s new direction and what you can expect.

Even as I type this, I can hardly believe it: I’ve been in business for over 15 years. What started as a side gig to make a little extra and keep me busy while I stayed home with my kids has evolved into a full fledged business. Even now, I laugh at what I didn’t know back then. I assume that, one day, I’ll laugh about what I don’t know now.

I started making simple websites in Dreamweaver for some friends and small business in 2009. From there, I’ve learned a ton regarding awareness of a client’s goals and how to recommend features to help move them forward. Since then, I’ve learned more about email marketing and social media and have received multiple certifications. Most recently, I earned the ClickMinded certification in paid search and social media ads, along with the Guru Email Specialist designation. I even hired an assistant last year!

I’ve come a long way.

The New Direction

It’s always been super important to me that I make an impact and help people. I tell my kids that I’d rather they learn to be kind people than have straight As. Since I strive to be an example of that, my business should follow suit. I want GuppyFish Web Design to make a positive difference in the world. To that end:

GuppyFish Web Design will focus on non-profit organizations and churches going forward.

I have already worked with several churches and wasn’t sure if what I was doing made a difference. In a planning meeting late last fall, the pastor of one church, with whom I continue to work extensively, prayed to end the meeting. During that prayer, he asked God to make sure that I knew what a difference everything I was doing made to their church as a whole.

You see, for most of 2024, I tried to focus on a certain niche, and it just… wasn’t working. Like, at all.

This was more than a light bulb moment. It was a God-nudge. Maybe I should focus more on churches.

The next impacting factor was the 2024 election. I knew that changes were coming fast. Several friends that work with non-profits expressed panic about the effect on federal funding and support they receive.

And suddenly I had a new direction.

What can you expect?

Most of the content here on my blog, in email newsletters, and on social media will take on a non-profit slant. That does not mean you can’t apply it to businesses and other situations. In fact, you absolutely should. It just means that I want this underserved population to have all the available information that I can provide.

I’ll be creating free tools to help this audience. In fact, I already have my first one for churches right here!

Additionally, this doesn’t mean I plan to give up my business clients. I have reduced the number for whom I do social media, but I still work on their websites and provide consulting services. I actually just met yesterday with my biggest business client about redoing their website and helping them recruit new employees. Going forward, however, most of my new clients will be in the non-profit space. I’ve already started a partnership with Homeward, an amazing organization in Richmond that helps with homelessness.

How can you help in this new direction?

If you know people in the non-profit and church arena who could benefit from any tools and info I provide, I’d be honored if you’d share it with them. I plan to offer free workshops and webinars on topics related to the services I’ll provide. I’ll also visit organizations and conferences to speak on any number of topics, such as:

• Websites that move an organization forward
• Email communication
• Internal communication (because your external message comes together so much better if your internal comms are organized)
• Social media strategies

In addition to the above items, I will offer a new service as a fractional communications manager, particularly for those organizations that can’t afford to hire someone on their staff but need a little consulting help.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for swimming along with me in this new direction. Stay tuned here, and keep swimming along!