We recently connected with Michelle Jones and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

After more than ten years of running my business, I can confidently say yes, I’m happier as a business owner. Entrepreneurship has allowed me to use my gifts and skills in the most meaningful way while giving me the flexibility and freedom I need in my schedule.

That doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and roses. There are definitely times when I catch myself wondering what it would be like to have a “regular” job where I could just clock out at five. Usually, that thought hits when I’m deep into a 60 or 80-hour work week, juggling deadlines or facing a stretch where nothing seems to be going as planned. In those moments, every small decision can feel like the weight of the world, and I can’t help but think how nice it would be to hand the difficult decisions to someone else and just be the doer for a change.

When that does happen, I have to pause and remind myself why I started my business in the first place: to help other business owners, to stay creatively challenged and to have the freedom to choose how and with whom I spend my time. And those things matter immensely more to me than the predictability and comfort of a regular job. Ultimately, being able to see the direct impact of my work is the best reward there is.

Owning a business absolutely comes with a lot of stress and uncertainty, but I’d rather carry that weight than be confined by someone else’s vision or rules. The tradeoff is worth it because even on the hardest days, I know this is mine and that I get to choose what comes next. That’s something I could never find in a regular job.

Michelle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m the founder and creative director of Michelle Jones Creative, a boutique web design and digital strategy agency based in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more than a decade, we have been helping established businesses elevate their online presence through impactful design, strategy and long-term website support.

While my undergraduate education is in Business, I have a Master’s in City and Regional Planning and started my career in urban planning. This taught me how to think strategically about systems, structure and how people interact with their environment, both physical and digital. Over time, I realized I wanted to apply those same problem-solving skills in a creative field where I could help businesses communicate and grow through strong digital foundations. My career in web design began as a side project building websites and quickly grew into a full-time agency built around clarity, design and partnership.

At MJC, we specialize in custom WordPress websites for corporate and B2B clients, especially those in real estate, construction, architecture, and professional services. We also provide ongoing hosting, maintenance, and digital support plans, so our clients have a trusted team throughout the life-cycle of their website. Many of our clients come to us after outgrowing their old websites and they need something that reflects the quality of their business and helps them communicate their value more effectively.

What sets us apart is the way we work. We approach every project with both a strategic and creative lens, guiding clients through a clear process that makes web design feel approachable rather than overwhelming. We have strong focus on communication, consistency and long-term results, not trends or quick fixes, which can be rare in our industry.

I’m most proud of the relationships we’ve built and the longevity of our work. Many of our clients have been with us for years, and seeing their businesses grow and evolve alongside their websites is incredibly rewarding.

Ultimately, I want potential clients to know that we’re not just building websites; we’re building a digital sales tool that can grow and evolve with their businesses. We care deeply about doing work that not only looks great, but also helps a business grow. We put the same level of quality and high-expectations into our clients’s businesses that we put into our own, and our goal is to be a long-term partner clients can rely on for years to come as their business grows and evolves.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe our reputation has been built on consistently doing great work, maintaining clear communication and the power of word of mouth. From the very beginning, I’ve focused on delivering a high-quality product, being reliable and communicating openly with clients. Those fundamentals —something I learned early on from my dad, who was also a business owner — combined with genuine care for the businesses I work with, have led to strong relationships and referrals that continue to drive most of our new business.

I’ve found that when clients trust you and see that you follow through on what you promise, they become your biggest advocates and cheerleaders. That trust and consistency have been the foundation of my reputation in this industry, and I will always attribute that to my dad repeatedly reminding me that your word is everything in business and to always do what you say you’re going to do.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One resource that has been especially impactful for me is Josh Hall’s Web Design Business Podcast (https://joshhall.co/podcast/). Listening to other agency owners share real stories about growth, leadership and the behind-the-scenes challenges of running a web design business specifically has been incredibly insightful. It’s helped me refine how I think about our systems, client experience and the long-term sustainability of my agency.

As someone who is an avid reader, several books have also had an impact on me over the years. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek, and “They Ask, You Answer” by Marcus Sheridan. Each of these has influenced how I approach leadership, decision-making and client education with a strong focus on clarity, trust and consistency.

Most recently, I’ve been participating in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program (https://10ksbapply.com/), which has been transformative. It’s challenging me to step back and think strategically about our growth and operations in a broader way that I don’t typically get the opportunity to. The program has also connected me with a community of business owners who share similar challenges and successes, which has been just as valuable as the program coursework. There is something both refreshing and powerful in finding a community of people that are going through similar things as you are and the opportunity to share transparently as a group.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.michellejonescreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjcreativeclt
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmichellejones/

Image Credits

Julia Fay Photography https://www.juliafayphotography.com/