Category: Podcast

Weekly Web Developer Q&A (5/20/2016)

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms091-weekly-web-developer-qa-5202016″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] It’s once again time for our weekly Q&A. If you sent me a question via email, Twitter, YouTube, Patreon, etc… check below. You may find your answer. Before, I get into the questions a BIG thank you to everyone supporting the show on Patreon. You are awesome and allow me to keep serving our community. I really appreciate it and I can tell you by the messages I receive on a daily basis that you’re helping change people’s lives. So, thank you! If you’re not a supporting listener

John Morris May 22, 2016

The 12-Step Freelance Profile Template: How to Write a Services Sales Page That Gets You Hired

I remember what it’s like. When I first started freelancing, I had no clue what to write on my profiles and services page. What was I supposed to say? What questions did clients need answered? Was there some big secret? In an earlier LinkedIn post, 5 Pages Every Web Designer Should Have on Their Website, I mentioned the 10 questions you need to answer on your profiles and services pages (and I’m still shocked to this day how well this works). Let me now go deeper into the full 12-Step Freelance Profile Template I use, cover the ten questions your clients need

John Morris May 19, 2016

PHP Fatal Error [FIX]: Call to a Member Function Fetch_Assoc On a Non-Object

I remember this annoying error like it was yesterday. It always baffled me a bit when I first started learning PHP (I know… N00B!): Fatal error: call to a member function fetch_assoc() on a non-object. It was always the line number that tripped me up. Anyhoo, here’s what’s really going on and how to kill this error dead once and for all: And, if you’d give me a likey-like I’d sure appreciate it! And like I said the source code is available on Patreon for the smart folks who support the show. (You know you wanna join them.) P.S. If you liked the show,

John Morris May 18, 2016

How to Overcome Your Fear of Haters

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms088-how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-haters” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] “Annoying.” “Glib nonsense.” “F!@# off!” “You’re lame and not funny.” “You suck!” These are all real messages I’ve received from people. And these are the “safe-for-email” ones. They get plenty worse, believe me. What was my evil crime worthy of such contempt? Giving my opinion. Talking about the things I think are important for you as a developer. In a completely voluntary scenario. Now, don’t cry for me! Lol. Contrary to what my haters like to tell me, I couldn’t care less what they think. I don’t bring them up

John Morris May 17, 2016

The 6-Letter Word That Will Get You Paid to Write Code

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms087-the-6-letter-word-that-will-get-you-paid-to-write-code” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] People do not want your talent. They just don’t. Clients, bosses, customers… whomever you plan to get to pay you for your code… it’s not your talent they want. It’s another 6-letter word that people have paid endless amounts for since before the first computer sparked a single bit across the interwebs. When I built the Business Owner’s Council website for Inc. magazine, their guy who was managing the entire project had blasted through a litany of “talented” developers. A few of whom I knew. And, they were

John Morris May 16, 2016

Cheap SOBs. Twitter Troll Gets Owned On Why Freelance Clients Lowball

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms086-cheap-sobs-twitter-troll-gets-owned-on-why-freelance-clients-lowball” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Ah the interwebs… They have a way of bringing the know-it-alls out of their mom’s basements and into the light for everyone to see (or point and laugh at). This guy, though… as far as trolls go, he takes the cake. Here’s a snapshot: Normally, I’d let this twitty-bird fly off without a word from the J-meister… but I see a lot of freelancers who deep down believe this same non-sense. Be honest, a lot of you reading this right now believe this: “Cheap SOBs”. That’s the crux

John Morris May 12, 2016

jQuery: Find An Anchor By Its HREF

jQuery selectors can be a bit tricky. :first-child, :last-child, nth-of-type, is it zero-based, why is it grabbing that element when I expected this one. Fun stuff. On a recent project, I needed to find an anchor tag by its href so I could then replace it with my own URL… and that got me thinking about jQuery selectors again. So, let’s run through some and try to clear up some confusion. Here’s this week’s Tech Tutorial: And, if you’d give me a likey-like I’d sure appreciate it! And like I said the source code is available on Patreon for the smart folks who

John Morris May 11, 2016

Listen To This When You Feel Like Giving Up On Web Development

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms084-listen-to-this-when-you-feel-like-giving-up-on-web-development” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Charlotte Heffelmire is 19 years old, 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. But on November 28th, 2015 she lifted her dad’s 4500+ pound GMC Sierra off of his chest and (while still holding the truck) drug him (6’3″ 280 lbs) out from underneath it. It was Thanksgiving weekend… And the family had just finished dinner. Charlotte’s mom, Darmie, her three-month-old niece and two family friends had gone to the basement to relax. Her dad was holed up in the garage tinkering with his Sierra. At

John Morris May 10, 2016

How I Got 2.7 Millions Views and 28,032 Subscribers on YouTube

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms083-how-i-got-27-millions-views-and-28032-subscribers-on-youtube” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] So, I guess this week is my 8-year anniversary/birthday of being on YouTube and I wanted to share the biggest lessons I’ve learned in that time that have made my YouTube a powerhouse of my entire online career. As the subject line suggests… I currently have had over 2.7 million views of my videos and have 28,302 subscribers to my YouTube channel. Not too shabby for a channel on coding! 🙂 I just published an article on Patreon revealing the 3 biggest lessons I’ve learned in the last 8 years

John Morris May 9, 2016

Weekly Web Developer Q&A (5/6/2016)

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms082-weekly-web-developer-qa-562016″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] If you sent me a question via email, Twitter, YouTube, etc this week… then look below because there’s a good chance I’m going to answer it. Crazy1985 via YouTube asked: “I am just going through the same thing and failed it, but I have learned that I need to learn more about specialising in something rather than being a Jack of all trades.“ Not 100% a question, but something I wanted to dive into. The single most important thing you can do to have more success as a

John Morris May 8, 2016

JMS081: Stop Freelance Clients From Lowballing You On Upwork

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms081-stop-freelance-clients-from-lowballing-you-on-upwork” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Do you judge a suit by the tailor’s bill or the fit and finish of the clothes themselves? Do you judge a car by the MSRP or how it feels when you hit the gas? Do you judge a dinner by the cost or the taste and tenderness of the steak? I get this all the time… Freelancers who complain about freelancing sites like Upwork because clients always go with the lowest bidder. And, so-and-so from XYZ country can afford to low-ball me… yada, yada. Look, price is as

John Morris May 5, 2016

3 Ways to Verify an Email Address Using HTML, jQuery and PHP

When you verify an email address, there’s really three things you want to do: Don’t submit the form unless the email address is valid Give hints about what’s wrong and how to fix it Make sure malicious data doesn’t get into your database Well, here’s a handy little snippet that does all three using HTML, jQuery and PHP. Feel free to use this how you need in your projects. And, if you want it you can get the source code as a supporting listener on Patreon. Anyway, here’s the video… see what you think: And, if you’d give ol’ JMO a like I’d

John Morris May 4, 2016

What To Do When You Worry You’re Too Old (Or Young) To Be a Web Developer

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms079-what-to-do-when-you-worry-youre-too-old-or-young-to-be-a-web-developer” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] At age 30, Harrison Ford was a carpenter. At age 30, Martha Stewart was a stockbroker. At age 37, Ang Lee was a stay-at-home-dad working odd jobs. Julia Child released her first cookbook at age 39, and got her own cooking show at age 51. Vera Wang failed to make the Olympic figure skating team, didn’t get the Editor-in-Chief position at Vogue, and designed her first dress at age 40. Stan Lee didn’t release his first big comic book until he was 40. Alan Rickman gave up his

John Morris May 3, 2016

The Strange Ethics Of “Sleazy” Sales People You Should Steal

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms078-the-strange-ethics-of-sleazy-sales-people-you-should-steal” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] I was Al Bundy. The first real sales job I had was selling shoes. And not the Foot Locker type selling… it was the shoe-shining, feet-measuring, shirt and tie type shoe-selling. I learned more about people, psychology and selling than I could have in a PhD. I was fortunate that my boss was a good dude. Probably the most honest, direct yet compassionate guy I’ve met. And, he taught me the “ethics” of salesmanship. As an employee, we spent time wearing every single shoe we sold in the

John Morris May 2, 2016

Weekly Web Developer Q&A (4/29/2016)

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms077-weekly-web-developer-qa-4292016″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] If you sent me a question via email, Twitter, YouTube, etc this week… then look below because there’s a good chance I’m going to answer it. Jon via Patreon asked: “I have to say, after going through almost all of your videos that there aren’t many questions I have at this point of my own personal development. I guess the only thing I am curious about is what happens AFTER you win a freelance bid. How does working with a client remotely work, any tips on keeping them happy,

John Morris April 29, 2016

Quitting Your Day Job

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms076-quitting-your-day-job” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] I came across this story the other day about a woman who was arrested for defecating on her boss’ desk after she found out she won the lottery. Don’t lie… you’ve thought about it! 🙂 I had to look this up to see if it was true. Turns out, it wasn’t… dangit! I’m actually shocked it wasn’t. I mean… who hasn’t thought of making an “epic” exit to their day job. I know I used to. Thing is… You don’t need to win the lottery. Or put another

John Morris April 28, 2016

How to Get the First Value In An Array Using PHP When You Don’t Know the Keys

Arrays are like that crazy uncle who gets a little too drunk at Christmas and starts telling inappropriate jokes at the dinner table. You love ’em… but you hate ’em. You can efficiently store and grab tera-tons of data with them… but when you just want to get the value of the 2nd element in the 3rd dimension of one… you feel like you gotta break out the code-jitsu to get at it. Have no fear! Captain JMO is here! I just cranked out a new video for you showing you several different ways to get at different keys and

John Morris April 27, 2016

What To Do When Learning Web Development Gets Hard

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms074-what-to-do-when-learning-web-development-gets-hard” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] I don’t remember how far into the road march we were. I know we started marching before the sun came up in the morning and we finally stopped after the sun had gone down at night. My knees were throbbing. My back felt like it was about to snap. The straps from the ruck sack felt like they were slicing through my shoulders. Every part of me wanted to quit. But, I remembered the advice our drill sergeant had given all of us before we started that day. “Focus

John Morris April 26, 2016

Why I Just Deleted 12,499 Email Subscribers And You Should Too

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms073-why-i-just-deleted-12499-subscribers-and-you-should-too” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] I just deleted 12,499 people off my email newsletter. Yep! If you know anything about email marketing, you know that’s somewhat like lopping off your left arm. I spent a lot of time and money attracting those 12,000 people. In fact, I’ve been hemming and hawing around about it for the last few months because it’s such a big thing to me. But, I had to do it. Why? Dead weight. Of those 12,499 people, exactly ZERO had opened any of my emails in the last 6 months. I know.

John Morris April 25, 2016

Weekly Web Developer Q&A (4/22/2016)

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms072-weekly-web-deveoper-qa-4222016″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] If you sent me a question via email, Twitter, YouTube, etc this week… then look below because there’s a good chance I’m going to answer it. Knut via email asked: “I’m a student at a university in Romania. I study computer science and in about a month and a half i will have my final examination. The project I’m working on is a CMS for a website with stories about our town’s history. My question is, can you give me some advice about how should i proceed, like should

John Morris April 22, 2016

Grizzly Bear Rips Freelancer to Shreds. You Take His Job

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms071-grizzly-bear-rips-freelancer-to-shreds-you-take-his-job” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the big thing to get to succeed as a freelance web developer: If you and your buddy are hiking in the forest and are suddenly attacked by a grizzly bear… you don’t need to be the fastest guy in the world. You just need to be faster than your buddy. There’s your uber-secret, stop-the-presses secret to success. Freelancing is a competition. To win, you don’t need to be perfect… you just need to be better than the next guy. And, let me tell you… most of your competition

John Morris April 21, 2016

How to Create a Contact Form Using PHP

When you create a contact form in PHP, there’s a couple key parts you need to make sure are in place so the person actually using the form doesn’t want to suddenly get into knife-throwing (at your head) afterward. You need validation that make sense and is easy to understand. I prefer the kind that shows up all at the top of the form, because when you have a long form and missed one checkbox and have to go hunting through the form like you’re looking for a lost sock… knife-throwing becomes a viable option. Next, you need to make

John Morris April 20, 2016

Being Too Professional Is Costing You Work

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms069-being-too-professional-is-costing-you-work” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] When I was in the Army, we had this cadence we’d sing every morning as we marched over to chow. It went like this: “Here we go again. Same old s!@# again…” Kind of feeling that way today. No matter how much you try to help people… it seems some just never learn. You might remember last week I sent you an email about all that mindset “woo-woo” stuff. And, I told you the story of my dad, his accident and how his disability payments nearly

John Morris April 19, 2016

How to Make a Living in Web Design Through the Coming Online Transition

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms068-how-to-make-a-living-in-web-design-through-the-coming-online-transition” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Sounds weird. Most people think the online explosion has already happened. But, I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet. And, I firmly believe that what we’re about to see is going to blow open the web design and development world and fundamentally change the way developers succeed forever. Starting around 2003-2004, a similar shift happened. I was a young web developer… in my first year learning code. Back then, everything was primarily text-based and built with tables (a sin today). What hit me was a fundamental

John Morris April 18, 2016

JMS067: Using Flexbox to Build Mobile Responsive Web Designs

In Episode 67 of the John Morris Show you’ll learn how to use flexbox to build mobile responsive web designs, how to write job proposals on Upwork that win, the losing “WordPress is for suckers” mindset and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms067-using-flexbox-to-build-mobile-responsive-web-designs” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Opening – 2:56 Tools Not Code – 8:36 WordPress Is For Suckers – 23:34 Flexbox Examples – 36:03 How to Write Job Proposals on Upwork – 52:03 Weekly Q&A – 1:10:26 Links mentioned in this episode: Using CSS flexible boxes CSS3 Flexible Box If you liked the

John Morris March 31, 2016

JMS066: The New CSS Grid Layout, Niche Down to Niche Up and More

In Episode 66 of the John Morris Show: the new native browser support for CSS grid layouts, getting started with web development, niching down to niche up and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms066-the-new-css-grid-layout-niche-down-to-niche-up-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Opening and Patreon [2:56] Native browser support for CSS grid layouts [10:14] Long-term thinking and patience [21:54] How to get started with web development [42:57] Niche down to niche up [1:01:25] Weekly Q&A [1:11:06] Links mentioned in this episode: CSS Grid – The Next Evolution of Web Layout The future of layout with CSS: Grid

John Morris March 11, 2016

JMS065: Why Mimic Donald Trump, Udemy’s Pricing Shake-up, Dominate Local Business Marketing and more

In this episode of the John Morris Show, why I think more developers should think like Donald Trump, Udemy’s new pricing bombshell, how to rake in clients from local businesses and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms065-why-mimic-donald-trump-udemys-pricing-shake-up-dominate-local-business-marketing-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Opening and warning [2:56] Udemy’s pricing bombshell [11:40] Why developers should mimic Donald Trump [28:43] How to create stunning business cards [50:52] Raking in clients from local businesses [1:02:34] Weekly Q&A [1:18:19] Links mentioned in this episode: Announcing Updates to Udemy Pricing and Promotions 50+ Best Free PSD Business Card Templates If

John Morris March 6, 2016

JMS064: Is Apple Wrong For Blocking the FBI? How I Make YouTube Thumbnails and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show, seven surprising Upwork proposal mistakes I see every day, Apple stands up to the FBI, how I make YouTube thumbnails and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms064-is-apple-wrong-for-blocking-the-fbi-how-i-make-youtube-thumbnails-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: 7 surprising Upwork proposal mistakes I see every day [3:21] Apple standing up to FBI over encryption [18:20] How to win the mental game with Michael Phoenix [29:34] How I Create Catchy YouTube Thumbnails in Photoshop [45:30] Thinking of social media as branding [1:07:02] Weekly Q&A [1:18:59] Links mentioned in this episode: 7 surprising

John Morris February 26, 2016

JMS063: Where Do I Start With My PHP Application, Tax Tips For Freelancers and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show, I cover the process I used to build my PHP applications and avoid “blank page syndrome”, I reveal my tax tips for freelancers, the art of being persistent, changes in iTunes podcasting platform that affect you and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms063-where-do-i-start-with-my-php-application-tax-tips-for-freelancers-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Opening and my Freelancer.com rant [1:25] iTunes new podcasting platform and how it affects you [10:46] The secret to getting anything you want in life: be p________t [24:00] Where do I start with building my PHP applications [34:24] Tax tips for

John Morris February 20, 2016

JMS062: How to Create a Mobile App Landing Page in Photoshop and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show, how to create a mobile app landing page in Photoshop, the future of web design hidden in the history of architecture, calling myself out and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms062-how-to-create-a-mobile-app-landing-page-in-photoshop-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Opening and subscribe [1:25] The Future of Web Design in the History of Architecture [4:51] Calling myself out [18:28] Design a mobile app landing page [28:51] 5 powerful reasons to start saying no [45:21] Weekly Q&A [58:25] Links mentioned in this episode: The Future of Web Design is Hidden in

John Morris February 12, 2016

JMS061: Unlock the da Vinci Code In Your Designs, Begging For Money, Be Negative and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show, unlocking the da Vinci code in your designs, begging for money, why you should be more negative and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms061-unlock-the-da-vinci-code-in-your-designs-begging-for-money-be-negative-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Opening and Getting Views on YouTube [1:25] The Genius of WordPress and Why It’s Doomed [15:53] Why You Should Be More Negative [32:11] How to Unlock the da Vinci Code In Your Designs [43:06] Begging For Money [54:18] Weekly Q&A [1:04:14] Links mentioned in this episode: The Genius of WordPress (and why it’s doomed) An Introduction to

John Morris February 5, 2016

JMS060: How to Pick the Right Fonts, Don’t Be THAT Guy on Social, Bye Java and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show, how to pick the right fonts for your web design, bye-bye Java, 7 future web design trends, don’t be THAT guy on social when chasing clients, answering your questions and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms060-how-to-pick-the-right-fonts-dont-be-that-guy-on-social-bye-java-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: You never go full caveman (ever) [1:25] Bye-bye Java and 7 future web design trends [9:44] 19-year-old dude syndrome (don’t be THAT guy) [27:58] How to pick the right font for your web design [38:36] How to make prospective clients like you [50:34] Weekly

John Morris January 28, 2016

JMS059: The Sad State of Web Development and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show, how to deal with haters, the sad state of web development, how to meet new people and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms059-the-sad-state-of-web-development-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: How to deal with haters [1:25] The Sad State of Web Development [12:50] How to Meet New People The Right Way [27:10] How to Use White Space In Your Designs [38:47] How to get back in the freelance groove after the holidays [52:45] Weekly Web Development Q&A [1:01:06] Links mentioned in this episode: The Sad State of

John Morris January 20, 2016

JMS058: How to Pick the Best the Best Color Scheme For Your Website

In this episode of the John Morris Show, my big thank you to you, inside CES, how to overcome fear and be aggressive with your career, color theory and my process for picking a website’s colors and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms058-how-to-pick-the-best-the-best-color-scheme-for-your-website” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Thank you! Please listen to this [1:25] Insights for Web Developers From CES [13:54] Get Aggressive With Your Web Development Career [29:37] Pick the Best Color Scheme For Your Website [40:37] Advice for the Freelance Developer [54:56] Weekly Web Development Q&A [1:12:41] Links mentioned in

John Morris January 13, 2016

JMS057: 4 Responsive Web Design Principles Every Web Developer Should Know

In this episode of the John Morris Show, I share the 4 responsive web design principles every web developer should know, CES, Oculus Rift, how I’m launching my wife’s freelancing career, answers to your questions and more: [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms057-4-responsive-web-design-principles-every-web-developer-should-know” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Dealing with depression during the holidays [00:47] CES, Oculus Rift and how it relates to web development [13:00] How to avoid being a “hard to work with” developer [22:26] Responsive design principles every web developer should know[31:09] How I’m launching my wife’s freelance career [44:19] Answers

John Morris January 6, 2016

JMS056: Send Form Data Via Email, 2016 Web Design Trends, The Risk-Takers Mindset and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show I share the Web Design trends to watch in 2016, how to send form data via email, the risk-takers mindset and how to capitalize in a competitive industry and more. [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/johnmorrisonline/jms056-send-form-data-via-email-2016-web-design-trends-the-risk-takers-mindset-and-more” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Before You Write Your New Years Resolutions [00:48] Web Design Trends to Watch in 2016[13:57] Risk-Takers Mindset and Capitalizing In a Competitive Industry [26:58] How to Send Form Data Via Email [31:30] 4 Trends That Will Disrupt the Way We Work by 2021 [40:54] Weekly WebDev Q&A

John Morris December 30, 2015

JMS055: 6 Common PHP Security Issues and Their Fixes And More

In this episode of the John Morris Show I share what web designers can learn from the Miss Universe gaffe, 6 common PHP security issues and their fixes, is it worth trying Upwork, answers to your questions and more: Subscribe to the Podcast [saf] Here’s the line-up: Why Web Development in 2015 Is Different [00:44] What Web Designers Can Learn From Miss Universe [9:58] A Winning Mindset For Web Developers [19:31] 6 Common PHP Security Issues and Their Fixes [25:20] Is It Really Worth Trying Upwork? [33:03] Weekly WebDev Q&A [40:14] Links mentioned in this episode: Corrected Miss Universe Winner Card Google’s Password-Free Login Experiment

John Morris December 22, 2015

JMS054: PHP 7, MVC, Writing Your Upwork Bio, Weekly Q&A and More

In this episode of the John Morris Show we dive into the new features in PHP 7, using the MVC design pattern, writing your bio on Upwork to get more clients, our weekly Q&A and more: Here’s the line-up: Opening and Managing Negativity in the Web Developer Community [00:37] The New Features in PHP 7 [13:40] The Thinking Trap That Stops Most Developers From Being Successful [24:28] MVC: What You Need to Know [35:08] Writing Your Upwork Service Description [48:27] Weekly WebDev Q&A [1:03:34] Links mentioned in this episode: Head First Design Patterns The MVC Pattern and PHP MVC For

John Morris December 15, 2015

JMS053: How to Use a Queue To Speedup PHP Processing Tasks

In this episode of the John Morris Show we cover: how to use a queue to speedup the processing of tasks in PHP, the advice an ex-Microsoft engineer has for developers, what this year’s holiday means for web developers, the little-talked-about secret to success on Upwork and answers to your questions: An Ex-Microsoft Engineer’s Advice to Programmers I would advise folks in software to do one thing, and that’s write. Learn how to write … It’s actually useful. You need to know how to express yourself. And it’s really tough for a lot of engineers to step up and do public speaking… Once

John Morris December 1, 2015

How can a newbie freelancer become popular in freelancing websites?

Watch on YouTube: http://youtu.be/RpgTS3VZltA Listen on SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com You gain popularity by doing more work and getting good reviews and recommendations from the clients you work with. Elance uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine an individual freelancer’s level. You can see this level displayed on the side of your profile here: This level is important because it plays a major role in how you show up in profile listings throughout Elance. In general, the higher your level the more likely you are to show up at the top of those lists and get seen by potential clients. How to Consistently Outrank

John Morris November 18, 2014

My Closest Friends Said I’d Never Make It as a Web Designer… Then I Did This!

In this episode of the John Morris Show, I teach you how to use Elance and ODesk to build a successful freelance web design business. This 6-part strategy is what I used to prove all my friends and family wrong when they said I’d never make it as full-time web designer. And, to be blunt… if your freelance business is based 100% on sites like Elance and ODesk.. you’re being foolish. You could be working less and making more by implementing the 6 simple steps in this video. Over time, these steps will start to seem a bit “magical” because

John Morris September 10, 2014

How to Avoid Clients From Hell BEFORE They Ever Hire You

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/164185751″ params=”color=2eaef0&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Some clients just suck. There’s really no nice way to put it. Learning how to expose and avoid them BEFORE you let them hire you will keep you from tearing your hair out (and stave off the gray hair for just a few more years). Of course, it’s fun to joke about it… but dealing with hellish clients is actually serious as… well hell! That’s because getting good at avoiding clients who just don’t fit well with your personality and how you operate will help you avoid getting seriously burnt out and overwhelmed. And,

John Morris August 21, 2014

How to Get Your First Web Design Client (Step #2 is especially important)

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/162810026″ params=”color=2eaef0&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Getting your first PAID web design client is the most important action you can take for your coding career… whether you plan to be a freelance web designer long-term or not. It’s THAT important because it immediately makes everything much more clear: You see if you actually like coding You figure out what your clients expect from you You understand what to charge and why And, most importantly… you gain CONFIDENCE. You get to see first-hand that people WILL pay you money to code for them and that you CAN deliver. On the flip

John Morris August 12, 2014

How to Position Yourself to Get More Freelance Jobs

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/161948278″ params=”color=2eaef0&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] I was recently asked: “How do I fill out my profile on sites like Elance and oDesk? How do I fill them out in a way that’s honest but more impressive than leaving them blank?” Here’s the simplest way I can put this… Your unique situation can and SHOULD be positioned to highlight your advantages. For example, when I started looking to get hired for freelance IT jobs I was completely self-taught and I believed that was a disadvantage. I believed coders who had gone to school were in a better position than me

John Morris August 6, 2014

2014 Trends That Could Make You Obsolete, Should You Use Code Frameworks, and How to Attract High-Paying Clients Using Content

Segment 1: Web Design Trends You Need to Watch Out For (2:56) Several years ago when the “Web 2.0” movement hit, I lost my entire freelance business because I didn’t actually know how to code. I had been using MS FrontPage to build static HTML web sites for clients. And the move to dynamic database-driven web sites killed me. That taught me to pay close attention to web trends and to break them down to understand the larger motivations at work. So, I could begin to predict trends and stay ahead of the curve. In this segment, I break down

John Morris May 5, 2014

How to Get Hired on Elance and oDesk

Why You’re Not Getting Hired on Elance and oDesk When I first started out on Elance, I really had no clue what I was doing. In fact, I was pretty nervous about the whole thing. I had this sinking feeling that nobody was going to hire me and I’d quit the whole thing feeling like a failure (and maybe give up on coding for good). And, at first… that’s exactly what happened. The first few freelance jobs I bid on I got undercut by another developer willing to do the work for a price so low it made me question

John Morris May 2, 2014

Separation of Concerns, MVC, and How to Get Started as a Freelance Coder

Build Better Websites Using a Separation of Concerns Easily one of the biggest mistakes new coders make… inter-mingling content, presentation, and behavior… making it a nightmare to maintain and update your code. In the first segment of this episode of the John Morris Show, I reveal how to avoid that whole mess by building your websites using a “separation of concerns”. What is MVC? How Do I Use It? I get this question every day. MVC has become a buzzword in the developer community and many developers have been told they need to build their applications this way… but don’t know

John Morris April 22, 2014

Why Does Coding Take Forever to Learn? You’re Making THIS Mistake

This cost me 4 years of my life… 4 years I could have been doing what I loved for a living… 4 years I could have been living well instead of struggling to make ends meet… 4 years further down the road to success I could be right now… I regret those 4 years every day of my life because the mistake I was making is SO easy to solve… and it was a mistake I didn’t have to make. In this episode of the John Morris Show, I’m going to share with you what that mistake, why almost EVERY

John Morris April 14, 2014

Have You Lost Your Passion for Coding?

Ever felt unmotivated or uninspired while working on a project? You felt it at first… you were super excited to get started… you felt like you could take on the world… Then, about halfway through it was ALL gone. No passion. No inspiration. No motivation. It happens for a reason. It’s not chance or luck. It’s not a fluke… or even something you necessarily did wrong. And, there IS a way to fix it.

John Morris April 7, 2014

These 5 steps fast-track your coding career

One of the biggest mistakes I think coders make is getting so caught up in the technical side of their coding career that they lose track of all the other (often MORE important) aspects of being a successful coder. I know I did. In fact, for the longest time I held this completely erroneous belief that talent trumped everything. That all I needed to worry about was being talented and I’d be good. WRONG! Because of that I couldn’t figure out why I started to lose out on client after client and constantly get underbid by coders who I KNEW

John Morris March 31, 2014

Who else wants to build a thriving freelance business?

I’ve helped 39,413 other freelancers start and grow thriving freelance businesses. Are you next? Subscribe to my Freelance Secrets newsletter and I’ll show you how.

Success Stories

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Tim Covello

75 SEO and website clients now. My income went from sub zero to over 6K just last month. Tracking 10K for next month. Seriously, you changed my life.

Michael Phoenix

By the way, just hit 95K for the year. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve taught me. You’ve changed my life. Thank you!

Stephanie Korski

I started this 3 days ago, following John’s suggestions, and I gained the Upwork Rising Talent badge in less than 2 days. I have a call with my first potential client tomorrow. Thanks, John!

Jithin Veedu

John is the man! I followed his steps and I am flooded with interviews in a week. I got into two Talent clouds. The very next day, I got an invitation from the talent specialists from Upwork and a lot more. I wanna shout out, he is the best in this. Thanks John for helping me out!

Divyendra Singh Jadoun

After viewing John’s course, I made an Upwork account and it got approved the same day. Amazingly, I got my first job the very same day, I couldn’t believe it, I thought maybe I got it by coincidence. Anyways I completed the job and received my first earnings. Then, after two days, I got another job and within a week I got 3 jobs and completed them successfully. All the things he says seem to be minute but have a very great impact on your freelancing career.

Sarah Mui

I’ve been in an existential crisis for the last week about what the heck I’m doing as a business owner. Even though I’ve been a business for about a year, I’m constantly trying to think of how to prune and refine services. This was very personable and enjoyable to watch. Usually, business courses like this are dry and hard to get through…. repeating the same things over and over again. This was a breath of fresh air. THANK YOU.

Waqas Abdul Majeed

I’ve definitely learnt so much in 2.5 hours than I’d learn watching different videos online on Youtube and reading tons of articles on the web. John has a natural way of teaching, where he is passionately diving in the topics and he makes it very easy to grasp — someone who wants you to really start running your business well by learning about the right tools and implement them in your online business. I will definitely share with many of the people I know who have been struggling for so long, I did find my answers and I’m sure will do too.

Scott Plude

I have been following John Morris for several years now. His instruction ranges from beginner to advanced, to CEO-level guidance. I have referred friends and clients to John, and have encouraged my own daughter to pay attention to what he says. All of his teachings create wealth for me (and happiness for my clients!) I can’t speak highly enough about John, his name is well known in my home.

Sukh Plaha

John is a fantastic and patient tutor, who is not just able to share knowledge and communicate it very effectively – but able to support one in applying it. However, I believe that John has a very rare ability to go further than just imparting knowledge and showing one how to apply it. He is able to innately provoke one’s curiosity when explaining and demonstrating concepts, to the extent that one can explore and unravel their own learning journey. Thanks very much John!

Misrab Mohamed

John has been the most important person in my freelance career ever since I started. Without him, I would have taken 10 or 20 years more to reach the position I am at now (Level 2 seller on Fiverr and Top Rated on Upwork).

Who else wants to build a thriving freelance business?

I’ve helped 39,413 other freelancers start and grow thriving freelance businesses. Are you next? Subscribe to my Freelance Secrets newsletter and I’ll show you how.

Category: Podcast

Who else wants to build a thriving freelance business?

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