What Building Websites for Small Businesses Taught Me About Running One

No gurus. No yachts. Just real talk from a guy who builds websites for folks who actually work for a living.

If You’re Not a Little Bit Tired, You’re Probably Not Doing It Right

I didn’t start Stone Age Web with a business plan cooked up by some MBA on a whiteboard. I started it because I saw a gap—and a lot of good people falling into it. Small businesses needed websites that didn’t look like they were made in 1998 by someone’s nephew. And they needed someone who would actually answer the phone, speak English (or at least plain Southern), and finish the job before their grandkids graduated high school. So, I said, "Well, heck—I can do that."

Now, after working with roofers, restaurant owners, realtors, dog groomers, and a guy who sells "Show Goats" (true story), I’ve learned a thing or two. Some of it the hard way. Most of it with a lot of Mt. Dew.

Here’s what I’ve picked up from the wild world of building websites for real-deal, salt-of-the-earth small business folks:

1. Nobody Cares About Your Fancy Words

You know what clients don’t care about? "Conversion funnels" and "UX matrices." You know what they do care about? Whether someone can find their phone number on Google at 7:30 a.m. when a pipe is leaking, or a dog needs grooming, or someone needs biscuits and gravy now.

Speak their language. Then build their website like it was your own.

2. Half the Battle Is Just Showing Up

You’d be surprised how many web designers ghost people. Like, full-on Houdini. It’s wild. But here’s the secret: you don’t have to be a genius. You just have to be present, communicative, and finish the dang job.

Turns out, small business owners respect that because it’s exactly how they run their businesses.

3. Tweak Until It Works. Then Stop Tinkering.

Websites aren’t art galleries. They’re tools. You don’t need to reinvent the internet. You need a clean, working tool that does what it says it does.

Launch it. Test it. Fix what’s broken. And then move on. Most of your clients aren’t dreaming about color palettes. They’re dreaming about a booking form that actually books appointments.

4. Don’t Compete With Big Agencies—Out-Local Them

I’m not trying to be the next billion-dollar tech firm. I’m trying to help the electrician who fixed my AC get a clean-looking site where people can actually schedule a repair.

You win on speed, honesty, and relationships. That’s where the big guys can’t touch you.

5. Your Work Reflects Their Brand—But Also Yours

Every job you do is a billboard. You want your client to succeed because their success is your portfolio. And you know what sells better than an award or a certificate?

A happy roofer who says, “Yeah, Robby built my site. He did what he said he’d do. On time. On budget. And it works.”

In Conclusion: It Ain’t Glamorous, But It’s Good Work

Running a web design business for small businesses isn’t sexy. There’s no private jet. No passive income while I sleep. Just honest work for honest people—and a whole lot of Mt. Dew-fueled troubleshooting. But it’s mine. And I’m proud of it.

If you’re a small business owner looking for a partner—not a salesman or a robot—I’d love to talk. Because building websites is what I do.

But building trust? That’s the real deal.