Hi friends,
It’s been several months since I’ve written a newsletter to y’all, and several more since I’ve shared a “personal note” edition.
Well, strap in folks, we can skip the preamble and jump right in.
Adding a new family member
My wife, my son, and I welcomed a new addition to our family this past May.
We were fortunate to have extended time off to bask in the new dynamic.
Our oldest continues to be a trooper and a supportive big brother.
My wife is a juggernaut – deeply patient and brimming with love for our boys.
A growing family means more responsibility and also the need to maintain and grow income.
Although I reserved a majority of my paternity leave for family time, I couldn’t completely let work leave my headspace.
As it’ll become evident in the following sections, SEO and the digital space is difficult to forget amidst current trends.
🎤 Listen on Spotify: Ep.20 where I chat about the addition of a new family member
A change of pace in new business
In Q3 and Q4 of 2023, I started noticing a decline in leads compared to the previous year.
As an independent consultant specializing in Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) SEO and website migrations, this shift stood out to me.
Trend # 1
The decline was mainly due to trends within the Salesforce SFCC space.
While my SFCC SEO guide has been a strong lead generator, adoption of SFCC has declined.
The upside? I’ve built a strong network and, as you’ll see in a moment, there is opportunity elsewhere.
Trend #2
There’s been a rise in agencies and consultants offering website migration services, likely driven by brands updating their site solutions.
As technology evolves, platforms like Shopify have attracted more brands, leading SEO professionals to market themselves as migration specialists.
Has this shaken my confidence? Not at all. My experience and skillset keep me confident in my role as a migration consultant.
Trend #3
There’s been macroeconomic uncertainty beyond my control.
In 2023 and 2024, whispers of a recession, combined with the 2024 election year, have led many brands to pull back on their budgets.
Preparing for income disruption
Client Retention
I started seeing the writing on the wall in Q3 2023—it became clear that to maintain income, I needed to shift from sales to client retention.
This meant focusing on quality customer service and staying ahead of industry trends, though some things remain out of your control.
For example, I lost a client after hitting roadblocks with SEO implementation. Did I push hard enough? I think so. Was it enough? Sadly, no.
On the flip side, I’ve kept working with brands on new projects, staying top of mind as an SEO resource.
Revisiting my finances
One of the key steps I took to prepare for potential income disruption was revisiting both my personal and business finances.
I cut unnecessary costs, from SaaS subscriptions to frequent coffee shop visits, and focused on optimizing my savings. This involved:
- Shifting from major banks to high-yield savings accounts (HYSA)
- Investing in treasury bills
- Allocating funds into index funds in the stock market
🎤 Listen on Spotify: On Episode 18 I discussed performing a personal financial review.
Moving from service to products
This has been my biggest challenge yet, completely outside my comfort zone.
Over the past few quarters, I’ve been brainstorming ways to leverage digital products—eBooks, courses, and more.
This involved analyzing website data, repurposing assets, and tackling pain points in familiar areas. It hasn’t been easy.
So, where has it led me? To two funnels I’m building around website migrations and SFCC:
Where will this take me? Hopefully, to additional income. At the very least, I’m expanding my skills and pushing beyond SEO.
Looking ahead at tech trends
As an independent consultant, staying relevant means staying on top of industry trends. Here are a few I’m currently focused on:
Salesforce
Since one of my niches is Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC), it’s important to understand its role in the Salesforce ecosystem.
At Dreamforce 2024, the focus was on Salesforce Commerce Core, built natively within Salesforce, unlike SFCC’s acquired code base.
This shift could signal SFCC’s future depreciation, impacting my income.
Conversations in my network suggest Salesforce isn’t securing its position in e-commerce with either SFCC or Core, leading brands to platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce.
To prepare, I’m diversifying my skillset and exploring other solutions, starting with Shopify. It’s a crowded space, but we’ll see how it goes! 🙂
AI usage
I’ve started incorporating AI into my workflows in various ways.
For writing, I use ChatGPT as an editor to refine tone and ideas, making it a great tool for polishing projects.
I’ve also used AI for web development (including building a Chrome extension) and analysis.
Lastly, I use image generation AI for creating podcast cover art.
I don’t plan to stop using AI—in fact, I expect to rely on it even more moving forward.
AI Overviews
AI Overviews has rolled out to a larger audience, and while it’s likely still limited to the US, wow—what a shift.
Like many, I’m not thrilled, but it’s here to stay.
So, what’s my response?
I’m watching how user adoption and KPIs evolve, but sticking to the basics—pushing SEO best practices, focusing on UX, and staying level-headed.
I often remind people: SEO strategy is business strategy. If a new update shakes your approach, the strategy wasn’t solid to begin with.
AI Overviews is a big change, but a strong SEO strategy goes beyond that.
Needing an outlet
I’m a big advocate for prioritizing mental and emotional health.
That said, finding peace can be a challenge, especially as responsibilities stack up and the weight feels overwhelming.
But, it’s not impossible.
Just breathe…
You may remember from A personal note on my career change…, that I used to stretch nightly.
It was part of my routine after putting the kids to bed and cleaning the apartment, but over time, it became harder to stick to.
So, I found an alternative I practice throughout the day: breathing.
After reading 10% Happier (affiliate link), I learned how powerful mindful breathing can be.
It helps me stay focused and reduces the emotional pull in my behavior, giving me control over unwanted thoughts and worries.
Since making this a habit, people have even commented on how calm and stoic I seem.
Give it a try—monitor your breath. It’s both one of the hardest and easiest things you can do.
Out of Office Chat
I started Out of Office Chat last year to focus on something outside of my two jobs.
Since then, I’ve published 20 episodes, and listenership keeps growing as older episodes gain traction.
I read when I can, and if I love something, I cover it. The goal is to keep it fun—not something to stress over.
I’ve tweaked the format a few times, and it’s getting stronger.
The most rewarding part? Gaining new listeners, improving my storytelling, and learning something new—all at once.
🎤 Listen to Out of Office Chat.
Family Time
Last but not least, family over everything.
The first and last things I think about each day are my wife and kids.
I often find myself looking at pictures of my sons, and I can’t wait for days when we all get to spend time together.
Family time is the most fulfilling experience for me—it’s a true outlet.
While I value “me time,” nothing is as rejuvenating as being with my family.
Summary
Well, there you have it, folks—everything I’ve been reflecting on over the past year.
I hope things have been going great on your end!
If you have any comments, questions, or just want to chat, feel free to reach out!
