In 2004, I was at home with one baby, having just left a career that I loved. Being at home with a baby full-time was shriveling up my brain. Before WordPress I tried gardening, sewing, painting, preserving and cooking. I was desperate to fill the void left by my career.
My husband at the time, was a tech genius and had heard of a new get rich quick scheme: “blogging”.
I didn’t know what that meant – I had to research what the internet was! But I was desperate and the evening news was featuring these “mommy bloggers” who were making small fortunes!
“If they can do it”, I thought, “So can I!”
I made a whole $0.82 that year.
I am not easily dissuaded though. I decided that a new theme would get me more revenue.
To build themes circa 2007, you had to learn the template system, the file structure, and the hooks baked into WordPress.
It was like a giant puzzle and I was so excited to be using my brain – I jumped in.
Learning to Swim
I read every single page in the WordPress.org docs. I spent 10–20 hours a week in the support forums, mostly asking for help – not giving much!
I learned to code by fixing real problems – it was challenging and the internet was full of quality resources.
I made big mistakes – I crashed countless sites! And in doing so, I learned what not to do.
I was in heaven.
Except for those all-nighters trying to fix something that I broke on a client’s site.
I learned from the best in the community – because back then, they were in the forums with me. I learned from friends and other bloggers. I learned from online articles (pre-YouTube days).
Along the way, I met a fellow mommy blogger who had a side business called Desperately Seeking WordPress. (Her blog was Desperately Seeking Sanity and she has the best sense of humour!) She needed help. I was available.
At the time, our offer was simple: we would install WordPress, a theme, and a few plugins – and make it look nice – for $20.
Eventually, she stepped back, and I got to take the reins.
That’s when I realized I hadn’t the foggiest idea how to run a real business. I started reading books like *E-Myth*, *Duct Tape Marketing*, and *Purple Cow*. I had no MBA, no startup capital. Just the desire to help other mommy bloggers not get ripped off by tech ‘gurus’.
Building a Business While Falling Apart
I’ve struggled with depression for my entire adult life. By 2006, I had three young children. By 2012, I was divorced. The work that had been a fun puzzle, now had to pay the bills.
I couldn’t disappear on bad days – my fledgling company had to be reliable! The clients needed stuff. So I hired my first contractor. She made more than I did most months.
But I needed to know someone would be there for my clients when I couldn’t be. That was the first step toward building a team that would be better than any of us could have imagined.
The behind-the-scenes work we do stays the same whether it is for celebrities or tiny fledgeling bloggers. And when we were kind, didn’t talk down to them, and were honestly helpful, they talked about us. And we became 100% referral-based.
So how do YOU get referrals?
I can’t tell you that – but – I know what works for us: radical honesty (even when it hurts our bottom line), genuine kindness and respect, and being the best at what we do. I believe with all my heart that our clients are in good hands.
And that honesty requires owning my mistakes. I wish I could say I don’t make them anymore but… radical honesty!
We always do what’s in the client’s best interest, even when it costs us money.
The Invisible Work
After about seven years, I made an intentional decision to hire women. I grew up in West Africa, and I’ve seen firsthand how empowering women lifts entire families and communities.
So we began funding microloans for women entrepreneurs in developing countries. The research shows that supporting women has a multiplier effect – and I’ve always had a soft spot for hard-working entrepreneurial free spirits.
From the very beginning, we were a remote team. I’ve never been on my own – being reliable is a non-negotiable – I need the team.
One of those teammates is Diane. I met her 14 years ago, just after she got married. She’s quiet, steady, avoids the spotlight – and she’s been one of the most important people in my life. We’ve built a business together through births, illness, life transitions – and I trust her completely.
That trust, that stability, is part of what we offer our clients. And it’s rooted in one simple idea: be kind. Treat everyone with dignity. Respect whatever expertise they bring, even if it’s not technical. Our job is to help their business succeed – not to impress them with ours.
Burnout, Boundaries, and Pricing with Purpose
In 2014, I burned out — hard. I had thrown myself into social media marketing. I spent $1000’s on courses and really tried to implement the suggestions. Guest post twice a month? Check. Two hours connecting on Facebook every day? Check. Write three posts a week? Check.
I did all the things. ‘Cause they told me to.
I think it only took me three months to crash and burn. I got so sick, my body was done. I spent two full weeks in bed.
That’s when I learned my limits. And it’s when I learned to stay focused.
Today, all decisions go through a, “What does this do to the bottom line?” framework. And by bottom line – I mean money, of course, but without sacrificing service, honesty or the trust of our clients.
Part of our growth meant making pricing decisions that felt terrifying.
We raised prices from $20/setup to $40/hour. We lost 20% of our clients — and I expected to lose more. But the ones who stayed? They valued us. They paid happily. They referred us to others.
Later, we raised it again — to $75/hour. I braced for another drop. It never came.
Instead, I got emails thanking me! Clients said they were glad we were finally charging what we were worth! I’m still shocked about it. Who knew I’d have warm fuzzy stories on the day we raised our prices?
Eventually, we raised it to $89/hour. Still below the $110–$120 that custom coders charge. Because we’re not “true coders.” We’re *practical coders.* We solve real problems, fast, for people who trust us.
And that trust is priceless.
On Staying True in a Shifting World
Through all of this – the growth, the pivots, the grief and healing – this little WordPress agency has offered me survival.
The ability to work from home. To be present for my kids. To build something real while living with depression. To build a team based on trust, not hustle.
I can only recommend something that I truly believe is the best option for my clients. That’s why WordPress matters to me. It’s extensible, open-source, secure, supported, owned and portable. Currently it is the best option for my clients. And I can stand behind that.
A sign sits on my desk. It reads: “Who can I serve today?”
That’s the constant. That’s the compass.
Today, I volunteer in the WordPress support forums – the same ones I learned from. I volunteer in the community to give back. I’m sharing my story, not to teach anyone how to succeed, but to say: it’s okay to build slow. To price based on value, not hype. To grow into leadership without chasing fortune.
There are still chapters unfolding in my story. Some endings haven’t revealed themselves yet. But I know this much:
I stayed.
And through WordPress, I learned that staying — quietly, kindly, steadily — can be its own kind of success.
Cathy’s Work Environment
We asked Cathy for a view into her development life and this is what she sent!
Blue Snowball
This microphone has been getting it done for 12 years!
Cheap Camera
A cheap-o camera that still works! Haven’t had issues yet. I just use camtasia or zoom or descript for editing.
Dell Monitor
This is a basic Dell monitor that simply gets the job done every day.
Dell Laptop
This old faithful machine has a broken screen, so it’s headless and needs the monitor.
Notebook
Nothing beats pen & paper!
The North Star
The motto “Who can I serve today?” drives everything.
Keyboard
I use a split keyboard that saves my wrist. Not pictured a wrist brace that is supposed to help carpel tunnel (it doesn’t).
Mouse
If you don’t have a vertical mouse – what are you doing? Single best purchase in the last two years. Saves my wrist – literally.
HeroPress would like to thank Draw Attention for their donation of the plugin to make this interactive image!