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I used to make websites for $5, crazy how things change over time.
I made my first video for $5 too 😃
I actually had a request for a refund once... funny enough it was cheaper than a cup of coffee. 😂
Hahaha, same brother. After making my first video for $5, he requested refund
My first freelance task was for $20 and got $5 tip back in 2016. it was a WordPress fixing.
I could've made you a website back then for that tip 😂
Oh Sorry, it was 2017. But I will not forget my first client.😊
$5 websites is a wild place to start. Was there a specific project or client that made you realize your rates needed to catch up with your skill level, or was it more of a gradual creep?
Getting traffic to my gig was 0 back then so I wanted to accumulate some quick reviews. It actually worked! With some extra growth tricks.
+ I was getting $25 through my Shopify partner account and the monthly fees if they kept paying.
But yeah that was maybe 8 years or so ago. 🙌
Right, as the famous quote says - the best thing about time is that it changes. 🙌 🚀
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Two hero section directions for a client site- same headline, different visual approach. which one lands better?
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More of this over on X, in real time ideas, questions, and the people building cool stuff https://x.com/rightnextstep?s=11
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The reason I chose Hero 1 is that the design style feels fresh and modern. I also think the image beneath the hero text complements the message really well, which makes the whole section feel more cohesive. That’s my perspective.
Veranda, a luxury residential concept landing page
Veranda is a concept build I created for a fictional luxury residential brand. It is not client work or a real property. The images and hero motion were generated with AI as part of the creative process.
I wanted to explore something that matters when building high-fidelity landing pages: after several rounds of changes, how do you make sure the final page still looks like the design that was approved?
The site is built in Next.js with responsive layouts, self-hosted fonts, GSAP motion and an interactive walkthrough. I also built in a proper QA process around it, not just checking that the page loads and the buttons work.
It compares 12 sections across five screen sizes against approved visual baselines. It flags visual drift, missing baselines and changes that have not been reviewed. I also tested interactions, accessibility, contrast, performance, browser behaviour and reduced-motion states.
The main lesson for me was simple: a page can pass functional tests and still no longer be the page that was agreed.
Building a QA process that flags visual drift against approved baselines is such an underrated skill, most people just eyeball it after changes go in. What first made you start checking for that instead of trusting the build looked right?
I’ve been exploring motion and design for Gambo Café's hero: a danish pastry / colombian beans café in Copenhagen... and I ended up liking both concepts for completely different reasons. Now I genuinely can’t decide which direction feels stronger!
Which one would you choose, 1 or 2? Feedback is always appreciated!
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Image driven is the way to go for me, it suits the caffe industry. Nice work on both.