Patricia Johnson
Creative Director / Marketing Consultant
Founder of Cultivation Creative
Squarespace Design Course
Alumni Review 2020
View her full Creative Profile for availability and rate.
What made you decide to take the course?
Last year, I was laid off from a social media agency job and had to stop my yoga teaching because of the pandemic. I realized I didn't want to go back to a corporate job — I wanted to freelance.
In that process, I made myself a website on Squarespace and it reignited this excitement for web design from my Angel Fire / GeoCities days.
I started thinking, if I'm going to do a whole website redesign, maybe I should just GO BIG and make it a business. So, I hired a business coach.
I enrolled in the course to invest in my skills and get better at design, something I wasn’t as confident in.
How long did the course take you?
About 6 months total (including breaks!).
Level 1: 1-2 months. I was able to apply the skills from Level 1 to my second ever paid client, which was really cool and validating!
Level 2 & 3: I paused for a little while over the summer, then it took me about 3 more months to work my 3.2 site and finally, on Cultivation Creative (my business). I launched in December 2020!
“Taking this course was one of the best decisions I could have made for myself. It was the bright spot of 2020.”
Watch Puno's Level 3.3 design critique for Cultivation Creative.
What was a course highlight for you?
Those design critiques! Puno made me cry because her feedback was so good. I spent so much fricking time on this website that to get feedback from Puno...
Also, I love when something finally clicked. What I love most about Squarespace design is tinkering through code, you know, that detective work.
How has this course helped you as a freelancer?
So I started off at $800 per site before the course, and then I went to $1500. I did two websites at $1500 and then I went to $2,000. It still feels a little low to me. Every time I design a website, I'm thinking I could bump this up even higher.
So I think for the next one, I would charge $2,500 to $3,000.
Pricing is still a headache though. Imposter syndrome always pops up and there's all this fear in seeing that huge number, especially as a new female business owner and entrepreneur.
🚨Update: As of June 2021, Patricia charges $3,500k - $4,000 per site!
“Puno made me cry because her feedback was so good. I spent so much fricking time on this website that to get feedback from Puno... ”
Patricia's Instagram Story reaction to Puno's feedback!
Patricia’s site map — designed and created in the Squarespace Design Course.
“A couple of weeks ago, I signed the biggest project I’ve gotten to date for $5,000. At this point, l know I have the skills. I can design you a cool website and I feel pretty confident in that. So to ask for that much money, I’m like, yeah, I can do that. ”
What’s next in store for you and Cultivation Creative?
A couple of weeks ago, I signed the biggest project I've gotten to date for $5,000, which is a combination of social media and web design. At this point, l know I have the skills. I can design you a cool website and I feel pretty confident in that. So to ask for that much money, I'm like, yeah, I can do that.
🚨Update: As of June 2021, I've actually signed a bigger project for $6,900, which includes branding and website design!
What's one thing you couldn't have finished the course without? Matcha lattes? Screaming into a pillow?
The community for sure. Every time I was stumped on something, I would post a question and someone would help me out. I've made friends through the Squarespace Slack channel. We had a zoom call once just to chit-chat and talk about freelancing.
Also, Live Office Hours! If you really want to learn the most, participate in as much as you can.
Yogi’s choice — any last thoughts?
Taking this course was one of the best decisions I made for myself. It was the bright spot of 2020 in such a god-awful year. It's incredible to look back and see how much I learned just over the course of six months!
This interview has been edited for grammar and clarity. We spoke with Patricia in January 2021.
View her full Creative Profile here.
For more samples of her work, check out these sites:
If you’re ready to enroll in the Squarespace Design Course, click here.