WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:03.758 --> 00:00:07.058 I really enjoyed the conversation led by Brian cords on the topic 00:00:07.058 --> 00:00:09.428 of version control for WordPress developers and builders. 00:00:09.998 --> 00:00:14.078 He was joined by my recurring co-host mark Symansky, as he asked the tough 00:00:14.078 --> 00:00:17.528 questions, many beginners might be facing in their early development days. 00:00:17.588 --> 00:00:17.918 Yes. 00:00:17.948 --> 00:00:21.818 That's the same marks Umansky that co-hosted the episode of the 00:00:21.818 --> 00:00:24.908 crossroads of WordPress with me last week on the WP minute, plus. 00:00:25.328 --> 00:00:29.708 This post isn't just about the advantages of using version control on your next 00:00:29.708 --> 00:00:34.058 WordPress project, but more of an example of how great the WordPress community is. 00:00:34.418 --> 00:00:34.808 Market. 00:00:34.808 --> 00:00:37.748 I have talked about building and learning in public before, and that's 00:00:37.748 --> 00:00:41.798 exactly what Brian's livestream was a veteran WordPress developer, sharing 00:00:41.798 --> 00:00:45.668 his experiences and teaching someone coming up in the web agency world. 00:00:46.028 --> 00:00:48.488 It's fascinating watching mark learn in public. 00:00:48.488 --> 00:00:52.718 I applaud him for having the humility to put himself out there in an effort 00:00:52.718 --> 00:00:54.158 to become a better agency owner. 00:00:54.158 --> 00:00:58.028 Earlier in the year, I predicted that we'd see more marks coming on to the 00:00:58.028 --> 00:01:00.698 scene tools like Ella mentor and bricks. 00:01:00.968 --> 00:01:04.628 Have onboarded more enterprising individuals over the last few years to 00:01:04.628 --> 00:01:06.848 kickstart their own web services business. 00:01:07.058 --> 00:01:11.078 Most of them like mark never had to crack open a code editor or 00:01:11.078 --> 00:01:15.398 SSH into a server in reboot my SQL service when it ran out of memory. 00:01:15.878 --> 00:01:19.028 Being able to rapidly build websites with a turnkey plugin 00:01:19.028 --> 00:01:20.558 can be a blessing and a curse. 00:01:20.618 --> 00:01:23.738 The theme of Brian's live stream was partly to highlight some 00:01:23.738 --> 00:01:27.128 of the weak links in the chain when delivering client websites. 00:01:27.368 --> 00:01:29.138 Certainly version control. 00:01:29.348 --> 00:01:32.138 Isn't the answer to everything, but it's a trait that you'll 00:01:32.138 --> 00:01:33.878 see in more mature projects. 00:01:34.028 --> 00:01:37.148 So when do you actually invest in version control? 00:01:37.598 --> 00:01:38.258 It depends. 00:01:38.258 --> 00:01:42.668 And it might not be how, and when you think, if we put the technical 00:01:42.668 --> 00:01:46.898 term aside for a moment, let's think about accountability instead. 00:01:47.288 --> 00:01:49.868 Explore what your client relationship looks like? 00:01:49.898 --> 00:01:51.158 How much are they paying you? 00:01:51.158 --> 00:01:55.568 How mission critical is the website and who's on the hook for support. 00:01:55.988 --> 00:02:00.548 Themes plugins tutorials, free code snippets, all of that at our fingertips. 00:02:00.878 --> 00:02:03.878 It's easy to pull something off the shelf and shove it into 00:02:03.878 --> 00:02:05.738 WordPress as a solution for clients. 00:02:06.068 --> 00:02:07.208 No one is the wiser. 00:02:07.628 --> 00:02:11.888 Until that off the shelf thing breaks, lacks of feature or gets abandoned. 00:02:12.458 --> 00:02:16.388 Say you delivered a $25,000 project to a client, but you 00:02:16.388 --> 00:02:18.578 built the entire thing on quickly. 00:02:19.148 --> 00:02:22.988 That's quickly with a C when it closed now, what. 00:02:23.678 --> 00:02:27.368 Or were you using search WP on a bunch of nonprofit sites? 00:02:27.428 --> 00:02:30.488 Then it was acquired by Austin motive and the license fee doubled with 00:02:30.488 --> 00:02:32.318 lots more upsells to other products. 00:02:32.828 --> 00:02:33.368 Now what. 00:02:33.368 --> 00:02:34.778 Now let's talk communication. 00:02:35.168 --> 00:02:38.108 Novices might not mention they're using a page builder 00:02:38.108 --> 00:02:39.248 when they're quoting a client. 00:02:39.638 --> 00:02:43.778 My God, what happens if they find out I paid $59 for a plugin that they could 00:02:43.778 --> 00:02:45.368 use themselves to build that site. 00:02:46.058 --> 00:02:50.498 I sympathize with that imposter syndrome years ago, I felt the same way. 00:02:51.338 --> 00:02:52.238 Flip the script. 00:02:52.448 --> 00:02:55.988 Instead you communicate in full transparency with the customer. 00:02:56.588 --> 00:03:00.788 Hey, based on your budget, I'll have to build this site with a page builder tool. 00:03:01.028 --> 00:03:03.938 It gets us 90% of the way there, faster and cheaper, 00:03:04.238 --> 00:03:05.858 but also has some limitations. 00:03:06.158 --> 00:03:08.288 You'll save some money on the services side, but you'll have 00:03:08.288 --> 00:03:10.718 to purchase a license in order for us to use it on your site. 00:03:11.108 --> 00:03:14.528 If we had a bigger budget or more time, we could get exactly what 00:03:14.528 --> 00:03:15.878 you want with a custom theme. 00:03:16.958 --> 00:03:19.658 It's spring in the U S so I'll use this other analogy with my 00:03:19.658 --> 00:03:21.818 desire to erect a shed in my yard. 00:03:22.358 --> 00:03:23.438 Do I build it myself? 00:03:23.498 --> 00:03:23.858 No. 00:03:24.308 --> 00:03:29.168 Do I buy a prebuilt one from home Depot and worry about the quality versus cost 00:03:29.288 --> 00:03:34.358 spent or do I hire a builder knowing it will last longer be exactly what 00:03:34.358 --> 00:03:36.308 I want, but cost three times more. 00:03:36.998 --> 00:03:41.348 Open communication will always work best with clients, especially when you want to 00:03:41.348 --> 00:03:43.748 set clear boundaries of accountability. 00:03:44.648 --> 00:03:47.138 There's always a balance, obviously version control. 00:03:47.138 --> 00:03:51.488 Isn't the answer to this, but it is part of an overall solution where more 00:03:51.488 --> 00:03:55.448 mature agencies will measure the risk when putting a project brief together. 00:03:55.868 --> 00:03:57.458 Is this a mission critical feature? 00:03:57.728 --> 00:03:59.168 Does the client have the budget? 00:03:59.468 --> 00:04:00.548 Can we build this? 00:04:00.578 --> 00:04:01.988 Do we want to build this? 00:04:02.498 --> 00:04:05.948 Even if you don't register for your first get hub account, after listening 00:04:05.948 --> 00:04:09.518 to Brian's live stream the message that there's a whole new layer above 00:04:09.518 --> 00:04:12.728 basic page builder service, the concept of building for continuity, 00:04:12.998 --> 00:04:15.008 therefore increasing project deal size. 00:04:15.278 --> 00:04:17.408 Is why this is a standout episode. 00:04:17.738 --> 00:04:20.948 Catch the VOD replay and start leveling up WordPress builder.