Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and start confidently charging a lot more for custom web design projects... without hustling, overworking, or losing all your clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposal

June 2026 Income Report

Welcome to my May 2026 Income Report where I share how much we made, how much we spent and all of the lessons I learned along the way.

In This Episode:

Resources mentioned:

Related episodes:

About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and start confidently charging a lot more for custom web design projects... without hustling, overworking, or losing all your clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/proposal

June 2026 Income Report

Welcome to my May 2026 Income Report where I share how much we made, how much we spent and all of the lessons I learned along the way.

In This Episode:

Resources mentioned:

Related episodes:

About Shannon Mattern: Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

Have you ever thought, I just need more clients, I just need to book more projects, and then I'll be okay? But here’s the thing - you have real costs associated with running your web design business, and it’s not just your time - and if your pricing doesn't cover ALL of your costs, booking more clients doesn't fix your problems - it just means you lose more money faster. That’s the conversation fractional CFO and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast Pam Jordan and I had on the podcast just a couple days ago. We also talk about money trauma - where it comes from, how it's influencing your pricing decisions, and what it takes to break through your subconscious pricing ceiling.

Pam is the founder of Pivot Business Group and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and she has spent 10 years helping entrepreneurs actually understand their finances after watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy early in her career. 

In this episode, she breaks down why "money in the bank" isn't the same as a profitable business, what your P&L and balance sheet are actually telling you, and why doing more work at your current prices could be making things worse, not better. 

Shannon also pulls back the curtain on the Package Matrix™ Method and how it helps web designers charge two to three times more than they ever thought possible... even when their own nervous system is working against them.

What You'll Learn:

- Why bank balance accounting is one of the most dangerous habits a service provider can have

- The 3-part pricing formula (target profit + direct costs + overhead) that shows what you actually need to charge

- Why it's a pricing problem, not a volume problem, when your business can't get ahead

- The money trauma patterns that create an income ceiling - and how to start breaking through them

- How the Package Matrix "benevolent bait and switch" gets web designers to close projects at 2-3x their old prices

Key Timestamps:

[03:01] The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with their numbers

[07:13] What profitable pricing actually looks like for service providers

[10:34] The 3-part pricing formula

[21:39] It's not a volume problem. It's a pricing problem.

[22:34] Money trauma: where it starts and how to work through it

[27:01] The Package Matrix and the benevolent bait and switch

Resources Mentioned:

Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com

Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com

Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://pamjordan.com/podcast

Related Episodes:

Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-price-custom-web-design-projects-with-shannon-mattern/

Episode 168: Confident Pricing and Overcoming Mind Trash with Jen Davis - https://webdesigneracademy.com/confident-pricing-overcoming-mind-trash-with-jen-davis-of-better-the-brand-designer-podcast/

Episode 102: Six-Figure Pricing and Money Mindset with Austin L. Church - https://webdesigneracademy.com/six-figure-pricing-and-money-mindset-with-austin-l-church/

About Pam Jordan

Pam Jordan is the founder of Pivot Business Group, host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and a fractional CFO who helps entrepreneurs understand their numbers, increase their profitability, reduce their taxes, and grow their wealth. After watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy court early in her career, Pam spent the last decade building a team of bookkeepers, CFOs, and tax strategists who support entrepreneurs at every stage - from cleaning up messy books to implementing tax strategy to forward-looking CFO advisory. 

About Shannon Mattern

Shannon Mattern is a pricing strategist, creator of the Package Matrix™ and the founder of the Web Designer Academy, where she helps experienced women web designers package, price, and sell their services so they can build profitable, sustainable businesses without burnout.

Website: webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers: https://shannonmattern.com

IG: @profitablewebdesigner

YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner

LinkedIn: shannonmattern

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

Have you ever thought, I just need more clients, I just need to book more projects, and then I'll be okay? But here’s the thing - you have real costs associated with running your web design business, and it’s not just your time - and if your pricing doesn't cover ALL of your costs, booking more clients doesn't fix your problems - it just means you lose more money faster. That’s the conversation fractional CFO and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast Pam Jordan and I had on the podcast just a couple days ago. We also talk about money trauma - where it comes from, how it's influencing your pricing decisions, and what it takes to break through your subconscious pricing ceiling.

Pam is the founder of Pivot Business Group and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and she has spent 10 years helping entrepreneurs actually understand their finances after watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy early in her career. 

In this episode, she breaks down why "money in the bank" isn't the same as a profitable business, what your P&L and balance sheet are actually telling you, and why doing more work at your current prices could be making things worse, not better. 

Shannon also pulls back the curtain on the Package Matrix™ Method and how it helps web designers charge two to three times more than they ever thought possible... even when their own nervous system is working against them.

What You'll Learn:

- Why bank balance accounting is one of the most dangerous habits a service provider can have

- The 3-part pricing formula (target profit + direct costs + overhead) that shows what you actually need to charge

- Why it's a pricing problem, not a volume problem, when your business can't get ahead

- The money trauma patterns that create an income ceiling - and how to start breaking through them

- How the Package Matrix "benevolent bait and switch" gets web designers to close projects at 2-3x their old prices

Key Timestamps:

[03:01] The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with their numbers

[07:13] What profitable pricing actually looks like for service providers

[10:34] The 3-part pricing formula

[21:39] It's not a volume problem. It's a pricing problem.

[22:34] Money trauma: where it starts and how to work through it

[27:01] The Package Matrix and the benevolent bait and switch

Resources Mentioned:

Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com

Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com

Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://pamjordan.com/podcast

Related Episodes:

Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-price-custom-web-design-projects-with-shannon-mattern/

Episode 168: Confident Pricing and Overcoming Mind Trash with Jen Davis - https://webdesigneracademy.com/confident-pricing-overcoming-mind-trash-with-jen-davis-of-better-the-brand-designer-podcast/

Episode 102: Six-Figure Pricing and Money Mindset with Austin L. Church - https://webdesigneracademy.com/six-figure-pricing-and-money-mindset-with-austin-l-church/

About Pam Jordan

Pam Jordan is the founder of Pivot Business Group, host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and a fractional CFO who helps entrepreneurs understand their numbers, increase their profitability, reduce their taxes, and grow their wealth. After watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy court early in her career, Pam spent the last decade building a team of bookkeepers, CFOs, and tax strategists who support entrepreneurs at every stage - from cleaning up messy books to implementing tax strategy to forward-looking CFO advisory. 

About Shannon Mattern

Shannon Mattern is a pricing strategist, creator of the Package Matrix™ and the founder of the Web Designer Academy, where she helps experienced women web designers package, price, and sell their services so they can build profitable, sustainable businesses without burnout.

Website: webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers: https://shannonmattern.com

IG: @profitablewebdesigner

YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner

LinkedIn: shannonmattern

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com/template⁠

What to Do When Web Design Proposals Go Silent

In this replay of our June 2026 live Q&A, I answer four real questions from web designers on some of the most common business challenges that come up again and again.

We cover why proposals stall after discovery calls (and what to actually say in your follow-up), how to apply the Package Matrix Method to VIP day and sprint-based offers, how to bring in subcontractors without it becoming a client issue, and how to position the value of a website when local business clients want you to do everything.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

KEY TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] - Welcome and overview

[05:30] - Q1: Proposals stalling after discovery calls (Sonya)

[25:30] - Q2: Package Matrix for VIP days and sprints (Jess)

[44:00] - Q3: Outsourcing and subcontracting (Alyssa)

[52:00] - Q4: Selling a website to local business clients (Kristin)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Web Designer Academy: ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com⁠

Next Level Mastermind: ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com/next-level-mastermind⁠

The Package Matrix™ Method: ⁠https://shannonmattern.com/package-matrix-method/⁠

RELATED EPISODES

Episode 198: How to Make More with Less Web Design Clients - ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-make-more-with-less-web-design-clients/⁠

Episode 194: The Daily Habit for Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor - ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com/the-daily-habit-for-building-a-full-web-design-client-pipeline-with-julia-taylor/⁠

Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block of Tiny Marketing - ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com/stop-waiting-for-referrals-and-get-booked-out-with-sarah-noel-block-of-tiny-marketing/⁠

About Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method,  and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

For Web Designers: ⁠https://webdesigneracademy.com⁠

For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: ⁠https://shannonmattern.com⁠

Instagram: ⁠@profitablewebdesigner⁠ | ⁠@shannonlmattern⁠

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

What to Do When Web Design Proposals Go Silent

In this replay of our June 2026 live Q&A, I answer four real questions from web designers on some of the most common business challenges that come up again and again.

We cover why proposals stall after discovery calls (and what to actually say in your follow-up), how to apply the Package Matrix Method to VIP day and sprint-based offers, how to bring in subcontractors without it becoming a client issue, and how to position the value of a website when local business clients want you to do everything.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

KEY TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] - Welcome and overview

[05:30] - Q1: Proposals stalling after discovery calls (Sonya)

[25:30] - Q2: Package Matrix for VIP days and sprints (Jess)

[44:00] - Q3: Outsourcing and subcontracting (Alyssa)

[52:00] - Q4: Selling a website to local business clients (Kristin)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Web Designer Academy: https://webdesigneracademy.com

Next Level Mastermind: https://webdesigneracademy.com/next-level-mastermind

The Package Matrix™ Method: https://shannonmattern.com/package-matrix-method/

RELATED EPISODES

Episode 198: How to Make More with Less Web Design Clients - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-make-more-with-less-web-design-clients/

Episode 194: The Daily Habit for Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor - https://webdesigneracademy.com/the-daily-habit-for-building-a-full-web-design-client-pipeline-with-julia-taylor/

Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block of Tiny Marketing - https://webdesigneracademy.com/stop-waiting-for-referrals-and-get-booked-out-with-sarah-noel-block-of-tiny-marketing/

About Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method,  and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com

Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

How to Get Web Design Clients Through Cold Email (Without Feeling Gross About It) with Laura Lopuch

If you've been putting off outreach because it feels pushy, awkward, or just... wrong, this episode is going to shift that for you. I sat down with Laura Lopuch, founder of the Warm Client Method™, to talk about how web designers can use cold email to get clients without a big following, a referral network, or a full content calendar.

Laura has been using cold email to build her business for 11+ years, working just 11 to 13 hours a week. She signed her very first client through a cold pitch, and she used her own system to pitch me to come on this podcast. We get into what makes a pitch land, how to reach out to potential clients without criticizing their website, and why outreach actually feels better than waiting for clients to find you.

What You'll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Laura Lopuch's website + email list: lauralopuch.com

Shannon’s High-Converting Proposal Template: webdesigneracademy.com/proposal

Related Episodes:

Episode 194: The Daily Habit For Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor

Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block

Episode 197: Building Visual Trust in an Artificial World with Pippa Tanko

About Laura Lopuch:

Laura Lopuch is the founder of the Warm Client Method™ and Cambium, systems that help online service providers book consistent clients through outreach without content marketing, ads, or referrals. Website: https://lauralopuch.com

About Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method,  and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com

Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

How to Get Web Design Clients Through Cold Email (Without Feeling Gross About It) with Laura Lopuch

If you've been putting off outreach because it feels pushy, awkward, or just... wrong, this episode is going to shift that for you. I sat down with Laura Lopuch, founder of the Warm Client Method™, to talk about how web designers can use cold email to get clients without a big following, a referral network, or a full content calendar.

Laura has been using cold email to build her business for 11+ years, working just 11 to 13 hours a week. She signed her very first client through a cold pitch, and she used her own system to pitch me to come on this podcast. We get into what makes a pitch land, how to reach out to potential clients without criticizing their website, and why outreach actually feels better than waiting for clients to find you.

What You'll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Laura Lopuch's website + email list: lauralopuch.com

Shannon’s High-Converting Proposal Template: webdesigneracademy.com/proposal

Related Episodes:

Episode 194: The Daily Habit For Building a Full Web Design Client Pipeline with Julia Taylor

Episode 193: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Get Booked Out with Sarah Noel Block

Episode 197: Building Visual Trust in an Artificial World with Pippa Tanko

About Laura Lopuch:

Laura Lopuch is the founder of the Warm Client Method™ and Cambium, systems that help online service providers book consistent clients through outreach without content marketing, ads, or referrals. Website: https://lauralopuch.com

About Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method,  and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com

Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

Have you ever had to wait on a client’s photos to finish your web design projects? Like, you've done everything else... the strategy, the copy, the layout... and then you're just stuck, waiting for your client’s photo shoot, waiting for the photographer to get the photos processes, for the client to choose them, and then when you finally do get them - you don’t even have the sizes or orientations you need to make your designs work? Or the vibe is just all wrong? 

But what if you could just create the photos yourself - AI portraits, brand photo shoots, the whole thing - and turn it into a profitable add-on service that makes your projects move faster AND gives your clients better images than they'd ever get from a traditional photo shoot?

In this episode, I talk with Diane Whiddon, founder of AI Designer’s Academy, about how web designers can add AI portrait and brand photo shoot services to their offerings. 

We dig into how to price these services, the ethics of AI imagery, why clients ask for more wrinkles (not fewer), and what Diane calls "visual claims" - using AI images strategically so your clients' websites build trust and convert before a word is read.

What You'll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

AI Designers Academy: aidesignersacademy.com 

Swayrise Creative (Diane's agency): swayriscreative.com

Web Designer Academy Programs: webdesigneracademy.com/programs

Related Episodes:

Episode 197: Building Visual Trust in an Artificial World with Pippa Tanko

Episode 198: How To Make More With Less Web Design Clients

Episode 191: How To Choose the Right Web Design Business Model

About Diane Whiddon:

Diane Whiddon is the founder of AI Designer’s Academy, where she teaches designers how to use AI with the eye and judgment of a creative director. She is also the owner of Swayrise Creative, her boutique Squarespace web design agency. aidesignersacademy.com | LinkedIn: Diane Whiddon

About Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method,  and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com

Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern

Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template

Have you ever had to wait on a client’s photos to finish your web design projects? Like, you've done everything else... the strategy, the copy, the layout... and then you're just stuck, waiting for your client’s photo shoot, waiting for the photographer to get the photos processes, for the client to choose them, and then when you finally do get them - you don’t even have the sizes or orientations you need to make your designs work? Or the vibe is just all wrong? 

But what if you could just create the photos yourself - AI portraits, brand photo shoots, the whole thing - and turn it into a profitable add-on service that makes your projects move faster AND gives your clients better images than they'd ever get from a traditional photo shoot?

In this episode, I talk with Diane Whiddon, founder of AI Designer’s Academy, about how web designers can add AI portrait and brand photo shoot services to their offerings. 

We dig into how to price these services, the ethics of AI imagery, why clients ask for more wrinkles (not fewer), and what Diane calls "visual claims" - using AI images strategically so your clients' websites build trust and convert before a word is read.

What You'll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

AI Designers Academy: aidesignersacademy.com 

Swayrise Creative (Diane's agency): swayriscreative.com

Web Designer Academy Programs: webdesigneracademy.com/programs

Related Episodes:

Episode 197: Building Visual Trust in an Artificial World with Pippa Tanko

Episode 198: How To Make More With Less Web Design Clients

Episode 191: How To Choose the Right Web Design Business Model

About Diane Whiddon:

Diane Whiddon is the founder of AI Designer’s Academy, where she teaches designers how to use AI with the eye and judgment of a creative director. She is also the owner of Swayrise Creative, her boutique Squarespace web design agency. aidesignersacademy.com | LinkedIn: Diane Whiddon

About Shannon Mattern:

Shannon Mattern is a Pricing Strategist, creator of The Package Matrix™ Method,  and the founder of the Web Designer Academy where she helps experienced women web designers book higher-paying web design projects, charge more with confidence, run projects without overworking and burnout and break through to their next level of income and freedom.

For Web Designers: https://webdesigneracademy.com

For Service Providers, Consultants & Agencies: https://shannonmattern.com

Instagram: @profitablewebdesigner | @shannonlmattern