Jessie has been running her own creative business since 1995. What started in print design eventually expanded into political marketing, agency-style operations, and, finally, a shift to the work that truly fuels her: building websites for nonprofits and small businesses.
In our chat, Jessie shared how she built a business that allowed her to raise her three kids on her own terms, why she’ll never go back to a traditional 9-to-5, and how she structures her schedule to stay flexible for the important stuff (like grandkids and art!). Her story is a reminder that success isn’t just about making money—it’s about creating a life that works for you.
What got you into WordPress and how long have you been using it?
I began my creative business in the print industry in 1995. In about 2005, my clients (mostly political in nature at this point) wanted websites, or at least a landing page, to enhance their branding. Since these were usually temporary setups, I just learned to do it myself (before WordPress).
Eventually, the demand for online presence grew, as did my interest and ability to build websites. In 2012, I was asked to take over a website that missionaries had used to share large files with each other (sermons/outlines and other resources for their work in Spanish) because email couldn’t handle those files back then. The site was built in WordPress. Thus began my journey. By the time I took over the site (that started in 2010), there were over 8,000 resources (posts), almost a million organic visitors, and horribly unorganized with no way to track downloads. We now have a full team in Mexico managing the resources, including the ministry’s publishing company. This publishing company owns the rights to many theological works translated to Spanish (over 50 years of work). Work has begun converting these out of print classics to digital works made available on Amazon. The website has links to the publisher’s books.
I still oversee some of the work on this site and I’ve dropped all political clients (I tell them I retired from politics… way too stressful… ten years was enough for me). I now serve non-profits and small businesses, helping them to have websites that their staff and volunteers can safely and easily add content to without disrupting their brands.
Back in the political marketing days of my business, I operated more like an agency. I had a sales/client handling department, college interns, and contracting partners for different services as necessary. My kids were all in school in Dallas (we lived an hour away out in the country), so I had an office space downtown to make it convenient for after school practices, client meetings, and such.
I was making tons of money, but it was very stressful with most clients having the same deadlines. When I stopped the crazy, I kept only the small businesses, schools, and non-profits who I had been working with long-term. I went into ministry (moved to Mexico for a year to teach English and art in a community center ministry). I was able to maintain my clients remotely.
Now that I’m back in North Texas, I’ve added quite a few new clients. I’m still considered a “supported” missionary and I work on the main office’s (Kansas City) communications team handling the development of the different language versions of their missionary training websites (currently WordPress). But I still have my freelance biz. I don’t make nearly as much money, but life is much “healthier” now.
What part of the website creation process is your favorite to work on and why?
I love to problem-solve. So creating websites that help clients be more efficient within their budgets with sufficient ROI sparks my motivation. I am a creative brain first, so naturally I want the websites to look great. But the other side of my brain wants efficiency, accessibility, and usability on both the front-end and admin areas.
What motivated you to start your own business, and what keeps you going when things get tough?
My motivation was my desire to raise my three kids myself and not put them in daycare and/or rely on someone else to pick them up from school. I was married for a while, but my husband was rarely present and eventually left. So I considered myself a single mom (even when married). I originally had a hair salon (8 years in that biz) and I was moonlighting in print design. But the design business quickly took over and I couldn’t keep up with both.
So I retired my scissors and upgraded my computer equipment. I have never regretted it. Now my kids are grown, and flexibility is still my motivation. I have grandkids and I love that I am available for them regularly and randomly. There have been times I felt I needed a more stable income, but every single time, I was miserable. Unless there is a major reason, I will never go back to a 9 to 5.
What do you do to keep a healthy work/life balance as a business owner?
I rely on a calendar system. I don’t limit my workday to traditional work hours. I review my personal schedule, and assign times to work around those events. My “new” (ten years now) husband works from 5:00 am to 1:00 pm, so I try to keep on that same schedule so our personal life is in line. But I also babysit the grandkids on Tuesdays. Teach a women’s class on Thursdays, and I currently work remotely for the ministry that had the original site I worked on in 2012. So I work some later in the day as needed. I don’t know if this is “healthy” since I allow myself to work at odd times. But it’s what keeps me available for the rest of life… for the important stuff.
The idea is being aware of what needs to be done and being flexible about the scheduling. I schedule it all with the understanding that I can easily move things around. The key is prioritizing and knowing that rearranging doesn’t mean it won’t get done. For me, this has lowered the pressure I put on myself to do everything within a certain time period.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten and how has it affected your business?
My Dad always told me to do what I love. And if you have a hobby you love, find a way to make money doing it. So that’s where my brain goes first! I love being creative.
I love helping people. Since people are very willing to pay for my websites, it’s a win! I do wish I could focus more on traditional art (painting with oil and acrylic are my passion). I’ve sold some work, but not enough to make it a business for the amount of time it takes. I have had a few mural gigs. I totally love doing that, but my doctor frowns on it… I have to have physical therapy after each one.
What’s a WordPress plugin everyone should know about?
Admin Menu Editor Pro if you deal with clients who add their own content.
What’s your favorite non-WordPress tool or software?
iPad pro with Apple pencil for creative stuff away from the computer.
What’s your favorite tool, accessory, or gadget on your desk?
It’s actually my electric stand/sit desk!
