We're launching Not for Nerds, a new kind of AI community. AI for the rest of us. Real people sharing practical AI implementations within their day-to-day. Everyone helping them get there. Join the launch waitlist at NotForNerds.com Why are we doing this? Because we've been through the struggle many of you face today. You hear about AI, you tinker with AI, but it's rare you get "the thing" over the finish line. That changes soon. Imagine having a community of AI friends fighting the same battle with you... and share what they learn along the way. This is for: For SMB owners who want to copy real use cases. For those grinding and what to get "unstuck." For the operator who wants to build useful workflows without drowning technical jargon. Minimum value: In your first 30 days, build or improve one real AI workflow for your business. Hope to see you on the list!

Had to take my 3 yr old son to the ER last week. Fear was appendicitis but after 45 min of moaning he burped for 5 seconds & was fine🤦‍♂️so we asked to leave. The bill? $4,179 😵‍💫 WHAT?! I called the hospital billing dept. You won't believe how this ends. Here's the breakdown: $2,215 - "The visit" $740 - 2 min visit with the doc $1,224 - "Standard" nurse's swab of my son's throat & nostrils for covid/strep test $0.07 - Tylenol (how generous) I proceed to tell them (politely) that the same "tests" are $50 at a pharmacy down the road & they weren't even related to my son's symptoms. There must be a mistake. Nope. I tell her we're technically "cash pay" (we are members of a healthcare sharing org), and ask if there is a cash-pay discount. She says, "Yes. Let me calculate it for you." Cash pay price: $685 TOTAL Of course, I'm relieved personally, but I can't help but think... THIS is why millions are paying insane amounts in insurance premiums every month. ERs/hospitals are out of control. Can someone make this make sense?

Hey kids, let’s go see Despicable Me 4 at the… Wait, what?! $152.69 No 🥤or 🍿. This can’t be sustainable.

5 kids are the best 5 decisions in my life sir. Even if that means we don’t frequent the theatre.

Thankfully, my son's okay. If you like posts about real life, dad wins, small business & marketing tips, follow me @joebenson I'll also roast your website for free 🔥

Appreciate you Adam, but those without the kids don’t know any better. It’s all good. I’ve experience both sides. 5 kids > less or none

Yeah pretty insane really

We are planning to build soon. My wife sent me this video. It’s what she “wants the kitchen to look like.”

I’m not complaining about kids. This would have cost $70 not all that long ago.

"Homeschooled kids live in a bubble," they say. My oldest is 14 and just picked up his 4th and 5th landscaping job (weeding & mulching for now). He chose this on his own—a 180 from what I would've anticipated. We homeschool our kids to give them unconventional opportunity, adventure, options, and earlier access to the real world. Aside from the hard skills, he's also learning how to quote jobs, sales, marketing, how to handle uncomfortable conversations (accidentally broke something on his first job). He's saving up to buy a truck (pictured, that I'll sell to him cheap), and a boat. Incredibly proud as you might imagine and couldn't be more excited for him. What might be the best part? After his second paid job, his younger brother asked if I'd help him get started with a pressure washing gig. I bought one the next day. I told him he can use it to save up money and buy his own, a more powerful one. Winning! Of course, they've got to get their typical coursework done as well. But at home, this can usually be done in a few hours at any time in the day. If you're a family guy consider giving me @joebenson a follow. We're taking a big family adventure to New Zealand this year. Been in the works for 5 years. I'll be posting why we made it happen and how you can do the same. You don't want to miss it!

WTH?!

It’s not the total, it’s the per person cost. $20 per ticket (only) is crazy. You can buy movies for less.

Our oldest son used to gaze up at the sky, MID SOCCER GAME, to catch an airplane flying overhead. He was always athletic, but not always interested. We didn’t push. At age 7, he quit soccer. At age 10, he decided to try playing again. He wanted to play competitively, but had fallen behind, so we put him in the rec league and I coached. Three games in, he was hooked again. Busted his tail the next 18 months in an effort to improve enough to make the elite/competitive team. 2 years ago, he did just that. But he sat the bench more often than not. I told him we still had work to do. He had to earn time on the field. So we got to work. Fast forward to this season. Full time starter, center back. His coach texted me last week to tell me he was the defensive MVP this year. This weekend he and his teammates went undefeated to become STATE CHAMPS! I’m so proud of him! And thankful we didn’t push when the time wasn’t right. Your friendly reminder that it’s okay to let your kid be a kid. A break isn’t always a bad thing.

I'm moving my family 7,865 miles to the best city on the planet for 3 months in 2025. You should do it too (remote work ftw!). The name of the city and why we're going? Let's talk... ⬇️

Wow, this really took off 😅 FWIW, it’s not that we can’t afford the movie. It’s that the cost seems high & imo outweighs the value. “The movies” wasn’t always the way. Maybe I’m a sucker for a great deal/value. Even have a business centered around it:

I'm starting to believe you're right.

What am I missing? I have a teen and regularly hear words that clearly have a meaning I’m not familiar with. Here’s what I’ve picked up on so far. Cap - Lying or exaggerating Bet - Agreement or acknowledgment Tea - Gossip or juicy info Yeet - To throw something with force Snatched - Looks good or on point Stan - Being a super fan of someone Finsta - A second, more private Instagram account. Help me out! What can you add?

Gauging interest for a post about the "sports shed" we built last summer for our family? [This is only half of it] Like/comment to let me know what you want to know.

Brilliant business model idea tbh. But no.

We built our own family Superdome. Well not exactly, but close enough. Phase 2 is underway (it’s 🔥). Gauging interest for a follow up post? More photos in the comments.

Fair

Yeah, I'm sure it's complex, but in the end driving up the costs of insurance just nets more people without insurance.

I’m going to share how you can save up to 40% on list AirBnB prices. It's a little-known AirBnB "secret" feature. I used it just this week! Works like a charm & it’s incredibly easy. It’s Friday. You’re looking for a quick, affordable weekend getaway. Here’s the playbook: You have a limited budget, OR, you want to UPGRADE your stay. First, find 4 or 5 places to stay that are 30%-40% higher than your intended budget. On each listing, you have the ability to “Contact the Host.” Click this button, and draft a draft a message that follows a similar format to this: --- Hi [host name], My family and I are looking for a place in [city] & yours looks amazing! We’d love to stay, but it’s a little pricier than our budget allows. I understand it’s a big ask, but is there a chance you’d take [price at 40% discount]? If that doesn’t make sense, I totally get it. Just figured I’d ask before we book elsewhere. Thanks for considering, [your name] --- About 75% of the time, the host will reply and offer a discount. About 25% of the time, you’ll get nearly (or exactly) what you asked for! Why does this work? There are few things that add up. 1) Make sure it’s a time frame that is soon! Empty STRs are much worse than a discounted stay. 2) Be polite in your approach. You’re asking for a discount. This has to be a win for both parties 3) Don’t over ask! Asking for 40% in some cases is too steep. Be mindful of how many places are still available (supply/demand). That’s it! Give it a try!

Today was the “aha moment.” First time my son has ever held $500 of his own hard earned cash in his hands. Could visibly see his mindset shift. He set the price. He sold the job. He set his schedule. He did the work. He earned the cash… and a referral! So proud of him. So much fun.

Fair. It’s the $20 per ticket I’m referring to though!

Oh I know! Makes the tickets looks like they’re fee. It’d an app/Fandango fee.

For less than $50K, we turned a beat up, old metal building into the ultimate sports shed for our family. You can too! Here’s the How-To for your family! For our family it’s been sweat equity & a dream come true. This is the post series you've all waited for. HERE WE GO! 😎 In this post series (one each day, for several days) you'll get the following. It's all free of charge. I just ask one favor. Help me spread the word! Like, Comment, Quote/Retweet Today: Short History Why "The Chilly Bin" Name? Shed Dimensions Floorplan Buildout Posts March 29: Step 1: Clean Up/Prep Step 2: Lite Construction Step 3: Rough In April 1: Step 4: Finishes Step 5: The Court April 2: Step 6: Entertainment & Activities Step 7: Furniture & Equipment Extras April 3: Buildout Costs How It's Impacted Our Lives Renting It Out – Or Not April 4: What We’d Do Differently? If We Had a Blank Slate? April 5: Links to Files, Products, Etc. A Full-Detailed Video Plans for Phase 2 (Late Summer '24) Follow along (@website_joe) to get all the details!

Boys & I started playing Monopoly a few weeks ago. I am currently undefeated. They hate it. It’s now become a quest to “take dad down.” They’ve yet to team up though. Am I supposed to “let them win?”

A former key employee would often joke that "he couldn't wait for his Golden Apple Watch" at his year 15 hire-versary. He’d been with us for years 10+ years. We'd have a good laugh, believing that time would come. Fast forward a bit. He is offered a position at a new (much larger) company. One that he can't refuse. He meets with me and my brother (biz partner), and gives us the news. We're simultaneously heartbroken (by this time, he's a great friend) but equally ecstatic for him and his family. We spent well over 10 years working side-by-side, through ups-and-downs. The truth is our company wouldn't be where it is today without him. The second truth was, however, that the company would be fine. That's a testament to what he helped us build and the team he managed. We quickly promoted from within. A month or so later we met for a nice dinner to catch up after things had settled down a bit. At that dinner, we gifted him his Golden Apple Watch. Take care of people the best you can! Build meaningful relationships. Don't let good business ruin humanity. They're NOT mutually exclusive. Note: This guy's still one of my best friends. He'll likely read this tweet. We'll probably grab a coffee next week. I look forward to it.

So a guy cutting the neighbor's yard casually decides to whip out a lawn chair and take a nap... in your yard. What are the rules here? Asking for a friend.

I agree. The game is a joke.

Ever considered “moving for a month?” You should. Hear me out. This is different than a vacation. I will still work (remotely), and the boys will have school work to keep up with. But my oldest (14) already wears shoes a size larger than mine. Time isn’t something we can buy more of. So: We’re going somewhere new for Dec. We won’t have made many plans, other than to simply experience a new place. Wherever that takes us. Distractions and routine are replaced by spontaneity and quality time. There are no friends to invite over. No sports matches to be played (though possibly a pro game to watch!). No board meetings to attend. It’s an opportunity for us to get “lost” in our own little new world. To adventure, to grow closer, to have some fun, to just figure it out. It’s not the first time we’ve done something similar (shoutout to Huntsville, AL). It won’t be the last (see my profile’s pinned post about a trip to New Zealand next year). Simply sharing to inspire you to consider the same for your own family. I’m not saying it’s “easy” to pull, but I can promise you it’ll be worth it. Where are we going? Undecided, and would love your recommendations in the comments 📍

How is health insurance $1700/mo with an $8000 deductible? It was 2015. Premiums were on the highway to hell. Then I found the best kept secret in healthcare (out of desperation). Today I pay $327/mo for my family of 7. In this post I share how you can unlock the same for your family. Quick recap: 2015. I’m self-employed, married, expecting our 3rd child. We couldn’t afford the new premium. After days of conversations, research, and a leap of faith we joined a “healthcare sharing” or “health share” organization. Three of my wife’s pregnancies/deliveries. Paid $0. $15K ER bill (2016). Paid $0. $4K ER bill (2024). Paid $68. My friend’s infant had $150K emergency heart surgery. She paid $0. We haven’t looked back (8+ yrs). You won’t either. Okay, “Healthcare Share” what?! Shockingly, these go WAY back! First one was founded in 1981. Many more since. Healthcare sharing ministries generally involve members sharing medical expenses directly with each other. The non-profit organizations manage the membership and member needs. Members choose their own healthcare providers, which is awesome (freedom from network restrictions). You pay a monthly “share” assigned to you to help another member with their medical bills. This is a predetermined amount and essentially replaces your health insurance “premium.” As mentioned, for my family of seven it’s $327/mo. How does it compare to traditional insurance? Many people throw out the caution that “it’s not insurance!” In my view, that’s a feature, not a bug. They are not insurance, but serve the same purpose. Major medical (cancer, surgeries, treatments) are generally covered. Instead of “premiums” you have “shares.” Instead of “co-pays” you have “co-shares.” Instead of deductibles you have “initial unshareable amounts.” But you often pay WAYYY less than the insurance equivalent in each category. There are other benefits (and a few important notes). Much more to come on this topic! The primary points I wanted to share today: It is legit. It is reliable. It’s not too good to be true. If you have questions and would like me to dig deeper, follow me @joebenson and let me know in the comments. If there’s enough interest I’ll do a follow up showing exactly how it all works in detail. I'll also outline a number of alternative health share organizations I’ve heard good things about.

Nice

My best friend broke his leg in July 😬 The bill with insurance: $90,477?! He is cash pay, so asked for a discount. He got an $83,239 DISCOUNT!!! Only paid $7K. Apparently this is “just how the healthcare system ‘works’.” Seems off?

What about catastrophic needs?

Nate come on now?! I don't understand people that "don't" shower at night... who wants to hop in bed after 8 hours of hard work?

We’ve saved $153K+ in health insurance premiums over the last 9+ years. Today I pay $327/mo for my family of 7! You can unlock the same benefit. Here’s a deep dive (the follow up post) into the health care sharing plan we use & how it stacks up against traditional insurance. We are members of an organization called Samaritan Ministries. They offer two plan types for individual families. One is called “Basic” and the other is called “Classic.” We use Samaritan Basic. Quick note: I’ll soon be posting about the best kept secret for offering health benefits to your employees for an affordable price (via a QSEHRA). If you don’t want to miss it follow me @joebenson Back to Samaritan Basic First let’s cover some terminology. → “Shares” instead of premiums. → “Co-shares” instead of co-pays. → “Initial Unshareable Amount” instead of deductibles. Here’s how it all works: Monthly Shares You or your family pay a fixed monthly amount ($105 - $437) to help cover other members’ medical bills. The amount is predictable each month and you pay directly to another member (via check or Paypal). Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) Your first $1,500 in medical bills isn’t shareable. However, discounts you negotiate can reduce this amount. In almost every case, providers provide substantial cash-pay discounts that reduce your IUA dollar for dollar. Often you pay $0. Co-share In addition to the IUA, you must cover 10% of the remaining shareable costs; However, this is capped at $13,500 annually. In 9 years, we’ve never paid more than a couple grand in co-shares out of pocket in a given year. Many years we’ve paid $0 (no needs, no co-share). Submitting Bills One key difference to traditional insurance is how you handle your bills. Admittedly, the process in the healthshare space is more involved and cumbersome; However, the savings far outweigh the time spent. After receiving a bill, you use Samaritan’s online platform to submit itemized bills. Discounts are encouraged, and itemization is crucial for timely sharing (AKA quickly being reimbursed). The Platform I can’t pass up the chance to note how user friendly Samaritan’s online platform is. I’m in the web space, so I’m well aware of a good user experience. Samaritan shines here. You are asked a few simple questions, upload the bill, and await confirmation. Timeline Needs are typically shared within 60-90 days. In the occasion where you have a large bill that must be paid upfront, Samaritan has partners that offer easy to obtain loans. The loan (and interest) are then paid back by the shares you receive 60-90 days later. Health Share Organizations vs. Traditional Insurance Costs Generally lower monthly costs and out-of-pocket expenses compared to traditional insurance. Often substantially lower. Flexibility Freedom to choose any healthcare provider, no network restrictions. Coverage Major medical events like surgeries, cancer treatments, and emergencies are covered, but it’s not technically insurance and therefore it doesn’t include some mandatory coverages like ACA plans. For example, pre-existing conditions are not typically covered. Alternative Health Share Organizations We absolutely love Samaritan Ministries. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about our near 10 years of experience dealing with them. Medi-Share Similar structure with community sharing and provider choice, known for a good reputation and long-standing presence. Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) One of the oldest and largest, offering different levels of coverage and supportive of large medical bills. Liberty HealthShare Focuses on cost control and preventative care, offering flexible sharing programs. CrowdHealth It’s not a non-profit organization and employs a different model, but the net-result is very similar. Worth a look. That’s a wrap If you have more questions don’t hesitate to ask in the comments. I am not officially affiliated with Samaritan Ministries, I’m just a member. If you do happen to sign up, I would appreciate you mentioning “Joseph Benson” as the member that told you about the organization during sign up. There is a small perk for referring people. I hope you found this insightful!

I’ll ask her what her thoughts are. Thanks.

5 kids, all boys.

Where are my LEGO parents at? This app is incredible. Scan your pieces, get hundreds of build ideas, with step by step instructions 🤯

I have 5 boys, and I will help all of them build businesses in their teens. My oldest already operates his first business. 2nd son is about to start his. Want your kids to be Entrepreneurs? Here are 3 iron-clad rules that make this concept work: 1. They must want to start one (100% optional). 2. They pick the business (that motivates them). 3. I'll help/guide, but only when they ask for it. Based on my post below it seems there are a lot of parents interested in doing the same. We’ve put together a more detailed strategy for starting I may share later. Is the interest "how to support your kids in entrepreneurship?" Or is it the "unconventional opportunities provided by home schooling?" Or both? I've been an entrepreneur for 20+ years, and we've home schooled our kids for 10+. Should I post more "dadtrepreneur" style content as we go? I can share some of the resources we use/create so you can consider doing the same. If that interests you let me know in the comments and give me @joebenson a follow to stay in the loop.

Haha 😂

Our health share organization @SamaritanMin has been around for a long time and handled many high dollar needs, thankfully. But I hear you, you’ve got to be careful. We’ve been with them for 10+ years without a problem. Great people.

It's out of control. That's for sure.

It’s just robbery in plain sight

Tomorrow I’ll be at the soccer fields for 13.5 hours. 8 games between 4 kids. We love it. But sometimes I can’t help but wonder if it’s all really worth it. Thoughts?

This is a small town in Louisiana 🤷🏻‍♂️

We can afford it. But there are better options for the price. $20 per ticket is high. Check the comments. Many others are $7-$10 each.

Only if you AirBnB wrong!

My 3yr old son has been waiting all week to ride the ferris wheel. Today it almost ended in tragedy. You see, they set up the festival rides almost a week early. We live a half dozen blocks away and so we see it high in the air every time we leave the house. He’s been asking all morning if today was the day he and “daddy” and get to ride. It was supposed to be. 4pm strikes and we walk down. My little guy grinning ear to ear ever step of the way. We stand next to the measuring stick… BARELY squeak by (with my hat on his head). We get in line for tickets 🎟️ “We aren’t selling tickets today sir. Thursday is bracelets only.” I look at the price sign: cash only and $40/bracelet… and we both need one to ride. I cringe, but I’m committed at this point. I’d never live it down after the buildup. I open my wallet… $22 cash 🤦🏻‍♂️ I look at my son, scoop him up, and as we are about to leave the ferris wheel operator notices me. He says “do you have a bracelet?” And I reply “No man, unfortunately I didn’t bring enough cash.” He paused for a few seconds, then signals for us to come on board. We ride around twice with my little buddy taking it all in the whole time. He was in awe. I was thanking my lucky stars. What a ride! And all because of the good heart of a man who didn’t know anything else about me. I tried to tip him the $22, but he wouldn’t accept. There is still hope in humanity.

That's next level insanity. How does it get solved?

Nelson, New Zealand is a hidden gem in the world. Why? Beauty, people, activities, culture, safety, climate, the whole 9. I spent 5 years of my life there & visited 6 times since. Here's what I can't wait to show my kids:

Not complaining about kids. Just pointing out the per ticket cost is sky high. You could change the post to be a single ticket and it would work the same. I just happened to be looking for the whole family.

Well, this is cool.

That’s wild

Anyway, if you’re a fan of value & values, I regularly post more valuable content about SMB life, dad wins & digital marketing tips. Occasionally a post about New Zealand. Would appreciate a follow: @joebenson I’ll also roast your website for free: eversite.com/roast/x

1. Abel Tasman National Park! It's all about golden beaches, huge granite cliffs, lush forests, and super clear waters. Perfect for a day walk, a serious hike, or even kayaking along the coast. They've got water taxis and boat tours that'll drop you off at cool little island spots too.

Fast food. It’s cheaper for me to buy delicious to-go meals from a local caterer ($45 feeds my family twice) than it is to eat Canes, Chick Fil A, or most other places. A mid tier restaurant isn’t much more expensive these days. Wild.

We lost our largest marketing client out of the blue in March 2023. $30,000 in MRR vanished in an instant. For context: Our avg website client is $399/MRR Our avg marketing client is ~$3K/MRR Timing was terrible, too. Why did they leave? To be completely honest, we were shocked! In 3 years, we had taken them (a brick-and-mortar) from $0 to $6,000,000+ in e-commerce sales. We'd exceeded nearly all target KPIs each year. We had a great relationship. Open dialogue. They spoke to us about "our 5 year goals" as if we'd always be a part of the plan. In early Feb of 2023, we took our annual in-person 3-day trip to recap the following year and to plan for the upcoming season (July - Jan). Meeting went great. All indications pointed to another huge year of sales potential & marketing services. The only KPI that the owner saw as a drag was the conversion rate increase. That needle hadn't moved enough for him to be satisfied. He wanted us to make that a big focus for upcoming year. We agreed and promised to send a proposal. We left energized. Fast forward 2 weeks, we send over an updated proposal that included $2500/mo in conversion-minded initiatives (more A/B testing, research, etc.). Fast forward 2 more weeks, no response. Another week, they request a meeting. "Hey guys, thanks for everything. We got a phone call from another agency... they focus on conversion rate optimization. They quoted us $15K/mo." We hadn't gone big enough. The owner was admittedly impressed by a fancy sales presentation, which we hadn’t included. We had put a plan together based on what we thought they “wanted to spend” rather than a plan that would “work the best!” (we no longer do this) The owner, one of those "gut feeling" types (which I have respect for), decided he had to go in their direction. No problem! We'll continue our efforts. New team can handle the CRO. NOPE! This decision led to a cascade of events. To offset some of the cost, they brought people in house for SEO. The new CRO agency recommended another "ecommerce-only" agency for the ad management (fees were slightly lower). In the end, we were out! Here's a direct quote from the email the owner sent. The full email is the screenshot in this post. "... as an entrepreneur, we all take risks and are put in a position to make decisions. Some are right some are not." I was absolutely gutted. Defeated. 2023 was going to be “our year.” Exponential growth, strong cash position. Now 2023 was going to be a year of recovery, slimmer margins. Brutal. I don’t blame the owner. He made what he felt was the best decision. We still have a great relationship with them. Spoke last week in fact, and working together is still on the table if the “experiment” doesn’t end well. But entrepreneurship is hard, man.

𝕏 is insane! Our top 2 leads this week are lurkers that saw my post below. Best part? It's totally unrelated to digital marketing. Incredible that just posting authentic content & connecting with good people can net big win-wins. I'm pumped. Should I be this pumped?

From my nephews aged 13 & 11. You love to see it. My brother paid a guy to train his two sons how to wash/detail cars properly. This guy had paid his way through college detailing vehicles & sold them all his equipment & supplies for $250. How do you reply?

Brutal! Had a client pull this on us for $5K. To make it worse, it was a law firm. Zero chance we were going to win and they knew it. Craziest part is they still left us a positive review and an email thanking us for the good work we’d done 😂 I wish I was kidding.

You can productize your service business. We used to charge $10K+ to build a website, but now offer a better website for only $399/mo. Next year we'll do $1M+ in recurring rev from our website-as-a-service excl marketing revenue. Here’s the why, the benefits & a few hurdles. Why it makes sense for clients: Small businesses often struggle to cut a big check, but they all need a quality website. By lowering the initial fee to $399, we’ve made it possible for more businesses to get online without the financial strain. This change takes a transaction and turns it into a relationship. Let’s be honest, everyone knows we’re not making money the first few months. So we’d better do a darn good job month after month! Lower upfront costs leaves more in the tank for digital marketing services. A good website is useless without traffic. This was a common problem our clients faced when they had no budget remaining to drive visits to their site. Why it makes sense for us: Agency work is often feast or famine, especially web/design work. One month you’ve got $100K of work, the next month you’ve got $20K. It’s often challenging to predict the ebbs and flows. What typically keeps you afloat are your digital marketing clients. It’s that steady monthly recurring revenue (assuming your retention rate is solid, and ours always has been). Productizing our service would bring the added benefit of more MRR. More balanced growth. We knew the transition wouldn’t be without its challenges. Shifting from large lump-sum payments to smaller, recurring ones meant rethinking our cash flow strategy. We had to ensure enough reserves to handle the initial dip while waiting for recurring revenue to build up. Eversite was “a hit” right out of the gate! But scaling the service over time was crucial. Purposefully throttling our Eversite subscription sales for the first 12 months was not fun, but it was necessary! We needed to grow steadily – while also selling our typical project-based jobs – to avoid blowing through cash. Thankfully, we accomplished this without letting a single employee go In fact, with the momentum so hot, we hired more staff to handle the increased workload. Maintaining timelines with increased volume was another hurdle. We refined our design and development workflows, created and documented internal SOPs, and established a robust client feedback loop. This continuous improvement has helped us keep quality up while growing. We also invested in better technology, tools, and expanded our support team. For example, we streamlined our onboarding process with a standardized checklist and automated steps, managing multiple new clients smoothly. The real secret sauce is in our proprietary website building/management platform, Mosaic. After 20+ years of building websites, trying every CMS under the sun at some stage (even a couple of custom-made ones), we know the advantages and pitfalls of every one. What didn’t exist? A platform/CMS built specifically for an agency. Most are generally built for DIYers, some with a layer on top for agencies. Mosaic is built for Eversite – and it’s incredibly powerful, flexible, and down right awesome. Our efficiency in building out custom websites has tripled or quadrupled since its inception. It’s a cheat code – for both our team and our clients. In the end, this new model has allowed us to reach more businesses and provide world-class ongoing support, building stronger, long-term relationships. We’re delivering more value than ever before and at a much cheaper entry point. What else do you want to know? Ask me anything.

I don’t see how it lasts

Ohhh yeah.

Mind blown 🤯 AI just saved me at least $1K. Turned this static image into an animated wave. Was going to pay a freelancer to do it. Literally got 3 quotes for it today on Upwork. Tried using AI to do it myself instead. Here's how it went: 1. I heard Claud had really been impressive lately for coding tasks, so I went to claude[dot]ai 2. I signed up. Free plan was too limited so I paid $20 for 1 month. 3. Uploaded a screenshot of the image currently on our homepage at eversite[dot]com. 4. Starting prompting to create an animated version of the image, but done using javascript. IN LESS THAN 30 MINS of effort and tweaks (done via follow up prompts), I've got exactly what I want. Absolutely nuts. FWIW I tried the same thing a couple months ago and AI failed miserably. One important note: I have a background in software development, so it may coming up with the prompt concepts easier... BUT I did not use any "developer" lingo whatsoever. The software engineering world has changed forever. Today saved me $1K. But someone else lost $1K of work. You *will* be able to use this to your advantage soon without any prior dev knowledge. What's the first thing you would build?

Those 11 families are just the first generation Cole. A few decades from now you will have enabled 100s of people to improve their livelihood. It’s what makes the hard days good days. Keep on keeping on brother 👌

I've found that unless you're intentional about making time with your kids, years will pass you by. My oldest loves to fish! We got invited to fish Grand Isle this wknd. All other plans got rearranged. Don't miss the boat! Make it happen. Memories don't make themselves 🎣

This is my oldest son at age 5. He hasn't drawn in 5+ years now (he's 13). His potential continues to be sky high, but I also knew the fastest way to kill enthusiasm was to force the issue. He picked up other hobbies. So after some encouragement by me was followed by push back from him, I let it go. Recently he'd asked me for a few tips on a graphics tool I knew he'd been tinkering with. I learned that he'd been crafting Roblox profile photos for his friends (and their friends). They were great! He charges them $1 worth of Robux (game currency)... and as a result no longer asks to spend some of his allowance on Robux. I helped him streamline by setting up a Google form for people to submit their requests. He's now busy enough that he recently suggested that he "should go up on the price." So many lessons here! Finding the line between providing motivation/being overbearing is an art. I'm still learning... but this was a win. If you enjoy dad wins, SMB and marketing tips, consider giving @website_joe a follow.

When a brilliant guy who just sold his company for $1 billion gives you a free 2hr business mentorship session… You read the book he recommends.

What if it was the only place to get food?

Take the job, offload some of your other work to trusted contractors.

Part 3 of 6 We built a Sports Shed for our family. I'm sharing exactly how to do the same for yours! Buildout Steps 4 & 5 Step 4: Finishes Step 5: The Court Details below ⬇️ Please like, ask questions & share!

Who’s to blame? Married the love of my life. She looked like a dream walking down the aisle. Then I ghosted her. Didn’t check in. Didn’t communicate. Didn’t grow with her. Just assumed our wedding day was enough to carry us forever. Well it wasn’t. Okay, maybe that’s not a true story (I am very happily married)… but here’s the point: That’s exactly how most SMBs treat their websites. They spend a fortune up front… then ignore it. No updates. No traffic. No results. Then they get upset when it doesn’t perform. So we flipped the model. Now, instead of chasing big checks, we build long-term partnerships. And when you’re in the relationship business, your incentives shift: We have to earn the next month. Which means we show up. We’re accountable. We push for results. $399/month gets clients the same high-end, custom site—but with unlimited updates on-demand—and they use the saved budget for SEO and digital ads campaigns to bring in real leads. No long term contracts. We stay involved—every month—because that’s what makes your website a growth-driver. Want to date before we get married? Let me roast your website for free! 🔥 Here's what you do/get: 1. Send me your website URL (comment below or send a DM if you're following me) 2. We'll create a personalized video roast of your website offering you 3 to 5 ways to drive more leads. 3. If and when you're ready for growth, keep my agency Eversite in mind. Not interested in a roast? Follow me to see website roasts for other businesses like yours. I post them regularly, along with other digital marketing tips.

I am undefeated in Tetris.

Here's how I lost over $334,000 on a robot food business. Follow along with me so you don’t make the same mistakes I made. In 2018, I took worked half-time at my agency to pursue a huge opportunity. How huge? The upside potential of $3,582,096 in profit per year – from one region. A friend of mine runs a successful national salad restaurant franchise and had a Salad Robot named “Sally” serving custom, fresh salads in a small local hospital food court. They were serving 20-35 bowls per day with zero marketing. This thing was awesome! Choose one a dozen toppings and Sally the Robot fired up and built a delicious salad in real-time. One of my brothers and I got together and game planned for weeks. We spreadsheet’d the heck out of this thing! We accounted for EVERYTHING under the sun (even toilet paper for crying out loud). Even with the most conservative outlook this was a win. A no brainer. The few investors we pitched agreed. Our plan? Invade the Texas Medical Center in Houston, TX with salad robots. The TMC is the largest medical complex in the world (over 1300 acres), home to 106,000 employees, 50,000 life science students, and thousands of volunteers. Add patients and visitors and you get the idea. Our research suggested the TMC could support at least 60 robots across its massive campus, potentially 80 or even 100 in time. We wanted to secure at least 3 locations to begin. A fancy pitch deck landed us a demo with the food court and multiple hospital execs. Demo day impressed (as expected) and was an overwhelming success. By the end of the trip we had secured three SLAM DUNK placements. One is the primary TMC food court, another in Houston Methodist Hospital’s cafe, and another at TMCx (a large medical research/incubator campus). As you might expect, we were thrilled! Momentum couldn’t have been stronger. The TMC was buzzing about Sally the Robot coming to town… and we were the ones to bring her. You won’t believe the rest of the story. We’ve got the kitchen, the manager, the team… LINES of people loving Sally daily. It ends in a nightmare... but this is already a monster post. Give me a follow to learn what happens next & the important lessons learned.

5017 days in a row. That’s how long we’d been changing kids diapers. Then 2 days ago unprompted our youngest (3) called my wife and I into the bathroom “to see” the goods. He’s been diaper-free since (pull-ups at night). Only 2 accidents (#1). This week feels like a win.

Hot tip: Don’t tell your kids to do “rock paper scissors” to pick winners. Do planks instead. Longest lasting wins. Far more entertaining. And you get to see who really cares about an outcome. (We’re still working on form 😂)

We used to charge $10K+ upfront to build a website. Now we offer a website-as-a-service that’s only $399 upfront (for an even better website). Lots of benefits making the swap, but some huge hurdles to overcome too. Thinking about putting a post together on it. Any interest?

Tbh I'm exhausted. Some months, running a biz is like being underwater with almost no time for air. This was my February. It comes in seasons and is almost always related to momentum. Sometimes it's a season of missed opportunity and losing momentum. Fighting to stay afloat. Other times, it's a tidal wave of positive momentum. This happens personally, in business, and otherwise. The current season for me is go-time 🔥 I started getting active on X to make connections, gain insight, share value, create a personal brand, and pick up some business for my company along the way. What a ride it's been so far. I've roasted over 20 websites by request. Been interviewed by 3 podcasts. Followers at 647 (small potatoes, but momentum!) Just this month alone I've had calls with: @hotmeteor (dev genius) @profithuntercfo (finance) @RealJohnMaher77 (financial marketing) @RandBusiness (SMB peer groups) @bseeling (entrepreneurship) @vibtweets (fCFO) @DavidCrysler (ops knowledge for days) @SMBTelecomGuy (SMB telecom/VOIP) @rafaquinn (HoldCo leader) @IamScottlarson (fCFO) @gvh41 (roofing/franchising) @brendanfenno (high net wealth mgmt) @MalcolmPools (THE pool guy) @iannikov (UI/design as service) @kadewilcox (marketing) @carkerpox (global talent) @WeddingVenueGuy (wedding venue & SMB) @AaronWeiche (lead conversion) @jakobgreenfeld (writer, founder, host) @SyzygyInsurance (way cooler than his website! 😂) @theDSOguy (orthodontics) @ShannonJean (serial SMB builder) @ChaiAndCabin (RE rentals/boutique hotels) @ChrisBarrett (CPA - avoid buying a bad biz) @patrickdichter (SMB, CPA, tax, M&A) @yvetteowo (fCFO) @MarginCFO (fCFO) @DannyMagazu (niche social media marketing) @meetmikehiggins (flips and RE) @CoFoundersNik (hilarious, incredibly smart) @jcolesimpson (edgy, also top 10) All incredible humans (jury is still out on @RealJohnMaher77 because it's possible he's actually AI with all of his witty wisdom). Each is worthy of a follow. My agency Eversite picked up (at least) 4 new awesome clients along the way (Big thanks, you know who you are. Up only from here 🚀)! This is what building looks like. It's a grind, day in and day out. Late nights, sacrifices, cold dinners, head spinning, high-fiving, home runs, relationship building, and everything in between. It's a lot. But it's only for a season. This has been a fun one so far! Big thanks too all that have been apart of it. Onward. If you can relate, consider giving me a follow.

Mother in law suite.

The fact that they're profitable after paying these types of bills tells me everything else I need to know.

Incredibly thankful for the life we’ve all been gifted. Happy Easter from my crew!

We will save $1,034,580 homeschooling our kids. Let's do the math. I've got five children aged 3, 7, 9, 11, 13. The average cost of private school is $11,814/yr (Daycare-8th grade). The average cost of private high school is $16,287/yr. If we assume the average child stays home for the first year, then our children would have been in school for a combined 38 years already. 38 years @ $11,814 is $448,932. As of this today, we've already saved $448,932 in school costs. In all we will save ~$708,840. That's $708,840 before high school even begins! High school will cost at least another $325K. By the time my youngest has graduated H.S. we will have saved well over $1 MILLION. This doesn't take into account rising private school rates, the added cost of other supplies, uniforms, gas saved to and from school, etc. The real cost would likely be significantly higher. It also doesn't take into account what putting all of that money into a high-yield-savings or another investment opportunity could render. I get it. Homeschooling your kids isn't for everyone. I wanted to share this information for those that may just be considering it as an option. The best part? The other benefits of homeschooling far outweigh the financial win (for us). Some of those wins include: - More quality time together (including vacations when everyone else is in school... more savings, less crowded). - The opportunity to choose your own curriculum and progress at the pace most suitable for each child. - Setting your own schedule and routines. No need for doctor's notes. Unlimited un/excused absences. - No homework horror stories (hours of homework every night, often useless busy work) We provide opportunities for our children to think outside of the box, look at things from all sides, explore their specific interests. There is a "freedom" about it that's hard to explain. I'm reminded of this on a regular basis in conversations with friends. Oh, and again, you save lots of money in the process. For those that are thinking "just go to public school." Sure, I guess that is technically an option. It just hasn't entered the equation for us at this point. Our public education system isn't in great shape, especially in my home state (sad, but true). For added context, I went to daycare, two private schools (in different countries), homeschooled, and two public high schools (different states). I know the differences from experience. If you're interested in home schooling and have questions about how to get started, post a comment and I'll give you my best.

This is it guys. Here's the FULL VIDEO TOUR! Making this was a much bigger undertaking than I anticipated, but it's done 😅 Ask any question & I'll answer best I can. If you want a specific product, comment & I'll DM you a link. Happy to help. Please share!

Your website is costing you clients. Want me to show you how? I've roasted 100s of sites. I'll roast your homepage for free 🔥 You get tips that'll make an immediate impact! Free. No catch. Here's how to get roasted ⬇️ 1. Comment below with a link to your company website. I may DM you for a bit more info. 2. I'll post a personalized video roast of your website with tips to convert more visits into conversions. 3. If the feedback is helpful, please retweet it. First 10 to comment are guaranteed in! No requirement to follow me, but appreciate if you do. @joebenson I post digital marketing insights, SMB/dad wins, unique travel tips, and cover a few other categories.

I can’t even fathom trying to keep finances separate tbh. I don’t see any benefit for a committed married couple? Then again, I am always open to being enlightened.

There were 3 elderly women (75+) working at a Chick-Fil-A we ate at today. Each was sweet as can be, capable, eager to help & a delight to chat with. So many thoughts ran through my mind. Is this a new trend? Should they be enjoying a retirement? I think it’s awesome that Chick-Fil-A is giving these women jobs, but if I’m honest I found it tough to swallow, too. Maybe they just wanted something to do. It’s more likely circumstances have made it necessary. Did they not plan well enough in early years? Did the system over promise and under deliver? Is inflation so far out of control that many great-grandmas are gearing up for a return to the workforce? I don’t have the answers, just had the questions. Figured I’d ask the “X gurus” to weigh in. I’ll tell you this: they made our already-nice experience at Chick-Fil-A even better.

Sometimes they’re enemies, but most of the time they’re best friends. Either way, life is so much fuller with them in it. Count your blessings.

This is next level awesome. Wish I’d done the same. My oldest turned 13 in October. He wears a shoe one full size larger, but I’ve got him in height by 6 inches or so. Fun times.

Merely pointing out an expensive ticket. If that’s a “fit” fair enough.

Give: Bought a new putter from @HannaGolfCo, almost entirely to support @DoerflerJared's SMB efforts. Get back: Find out – after delivery & 5 mins on the green – this putter is a masterpiece & has a better feel than my 10 yr old Scottie. That's a win 🙌

Don't spend $10K+ on a new website. Use it for marketing! Meet Eversite: 💡 Website-as-a-Service 💨 New custom site in 90 days 🤑 Just $399/mo ($399 setup) 🤯 Unlimited on-demand edits 😍 Blazing-fast turnaround times 🔥 SEO+PPC power-ups that crush Why wait? DMs are open 👍

You have to give up two forever: 1. Steak 2. Alcoholic beverages 3. X / Twitter 4. Watching sports Which do you choose?

Nelson, NZ is a special place – no doubt! There's much more to do "off the beaten path," so let me know if you'd like to hear more about it. I post occasionally about NZ, but regularly about SMB/dad wins & digital marketing. Suit you? I'd appreciate a follow @joebenson

WOW! A bit overwhelmed with the response to our sports shed (name to be revealed). I’m going to work hard on giving y’all everything you want to know – the complete story! It’s going to take some time, so until then here is a sneak peek. There is a LOT to put together. Good news is I documented a lot along the way, so it should be both fun and informative. Hit “follow” so you don’t miss it. Here’s what you’ll get out of it: → The square footage, dimensions, floor plan → Our entire plan (step-by-step) → LOTS of photos and videos, from pre-construction to finished product, parties and more → Materials list, and why we chose what we chose (flooring, A/C, etc.) → All about the entertainment options we have (soccer, basketball, kickball, dodgeball, putting green, nerf wars, pitching machine, ping pong, air hockey, foosball, TV projector, bouncy house, and more). → How we fit all of that in one space → Why we don’t currently rent it out to others (but how to rent it out, if you choose to do so) → Our complete price list for construction → Links to the sports/entertainment products we use → How it's impacted our lives (and continues to) → What we would do differently → The interesting story of how it all came to be → What we named the place and it’s meaning → More! I want every sports mom/dad out there to benefit from the info – either soon or the future. It’s something I always wished to build, but never in my wildest dreams thought I would. You will not want to miss this post! Follow me to follow along. Retweet’s appreciated even more. Spread the word!

I’m picking a website-as-service agency. Over three years we productized our web design service, creating a website-as-a-service model. We’re closing in on $150K/mo in just 3 years post launch, 95% of which is recurring revenue. You can do this for your non-home-services company too. Think outside the box a bit. To me the path forward is: Human-centric services, with AI as a powerhouse back office.

My wife’s weekend packing for sports is next level awesome. Double-decker cart, pop-up tent, 6 seater foldout bench, portable fan. Everything fits in its spot in the van, like Tetris. Freshly chopped fruit and veggies, protein bars, sandwich stuff, water, liquid IV. She has the six of us boys spoiled rotten. I couldn’t be more grateful. An old shop owner told me on our honeymoon, “Young man, you sure married up!” He was 100% right. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll ask. She has it all figured out.

Landed a great HVAC client 2 wks ago. A lurker on X saw my post. 0 followers. 0 following. 0 posts. Just a reminder that most of your target audience is these guys/gals. Not the account with 10K+ followers.