The End of an Era: A "State of the Blog" Update

On June 10, 2014-- my 30th birthday-- I launched a little eBook called Building a Framework.

the original Building a Framework cover from 2014

I had started blogging a year and a half before that, and Framework was my attempt to create the resource I wished I had when I started. I wanted to walk people through the process of getting started and growing their blogs so that they could experience the same fun hobby-that-was-kind-of-starting-to-turn-into-a-business that I had experienced.

I wanted as many people to be able to access Framework as possible (and I was kind of nervous that people would hate it), so we launched the eBook with a "pay what you want" pricing model. We gave a "suggested" price of $24, but people could pay as little as $1 if they wanted and still get their hands on the book.

Even with our unconventional pricing strategy, I wasn't sure if we'd actually make any sales of the eBook. I mean, who was I to write a book about blogging?! I hadn't even been blogging all that long myself!

But as soon as we opened the virtual doors, sales started rolling in. I had an alert set on my phone that would go off every time we made a sale, and it felt like my phone was buzzing and lighting up almost nonstop that day. It was one of the most fun birthdays I can remember!

Here we are, nearly 5 years and two editions of Framework later, and it is now a full fledged course that has helped more than 11,000 people start and grow their blogs.

Grateful

To say I am completely humbled is an understatement. For that many people to trust me to help them along with their hopes and dreams and opportunities that blogging brings has been the greatest gift.

I have loved getting to be the biggest cheerleader for each and every one of our students as they've shared their success stories and trudged through the difficult trenches of getting started.

I've loved problem solving with people as they've tried to figure out how to make this thing "go" and celebrating with them when they've made their first few cents or gotten their first email subscriber.

It has truly been an honor to be a part of all of that.

A Decision to Make

This March, the current version of Building a Framework will be two years old, and so we had a decision to make.

With as quickly as blogging and online business changes, we didn't feel comfortable leaving Framework out there any longer than two years without an update.

But as our blog and business has also grown and changed over the years, we've found ourselves more and more pressed for time and having to make tough decisions about how we'd spend the time we have available.

We are an intentionally [very] small business. While some bloggers and online business owners dream of growing a team and having tons of employees and contractors to help them carry out the various aspects of their business (and that is amazing!), that has never really been the dream for us.

We like that our team is just Donnie (my husband), Brittany (my sister), and I because it allows us to be nimble, change things quickly if we need to, and pursue the projects and interests that are both intriguing to us and (we hope!) helpful for others.

So after a lot of thought, prayer, and weighing our options, we have decided to close the doors to Building a Framework at the end of February 2019.

It feels kind of dramatic to say it that way-- it's just a course, after all. But Donnie and I have put so much of our hearts and time and brains and sweat and tears into Framework over the years that in a way it has kind of felt like our 3rd baby! ?

(For those who are currently Framework students or decide to purchase Framework before the end of February, you will still have access to the current version of the course and our Facebook group will still remain open and active for some time. We want to make sure we keep our commitment to those who have invested in Framework to help start their blogs!)

As sad as I am to see it go, I am also excited for the time and mental space that will be freed up for us to be able to tackle new, fun challenges.

Looking Ahead

Donnie has started his ClarityList email newsletter as a way for us to be able to continue to help bloggers and online business owners by sharing articles that have helped us learn and grow-- that's the best way to keep up with what's going on with us business-wise, if you're interested in that.

We are super excited about our new Browser to Buyer course for bloggers and online business owners who want to grow their sites with marketing automation. (It contains some of the most helpful strategies that we have used to grow our own business!)

We have gotten lots of positive feedback about the Browser to Buyer workshop, so we know it has been really helpful to others as well, which is always the goal anytime we create a resource! It is currently for sale, and we plan to occasionally offer it "live" again too.

And since we will no longer be offering Framework, we want to be sure to create more detailed free resources that will be helpful for bloggers as well. (We are working on plans for this as I speak...er, type... and are super excited about what is to come!) As we learn new things, we're always willing to share if we think it will be helpful for others!

We also plan to delve into resources that others have created about blogging and online business and share our thoughts on those. Another reason we were able to be "at peace" with retiring Building a Framework was that when we created Framework, there weren't many comprehensive resources out there that walked people through the steps of starting a successful blog, and now there are TONS of them.

We want to look into some of the alternative options and be able to recommend the quality courses and trainings that we think will be helpful to people.

Thank you!

So that's my little "state of the business" update for now. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous-- change is always a little scary!

But our hope is that this change will be for the ultimate good for both us and for our readers, and Donnie and I are both super excited and optimistic for what is to come in the future!

Thank you so much for supporting Building a Framework and supporting us over the past several years! It really means more than you could ever know. We are so grateful and promise to strive to be as helpful as we can to our readers going into the future!