If you’re a Squarespace designer, you may have heard about the second edition of Liz Ellery’s Website Designer Summit that just took place yesterday, February 27, 2025.

Aaand if you’re a VIP of my email list, you most certainly did!

However, if you did not get a chance to catch it – nor have watched the replays – I want to share with you the truth-bombs, golden nuggets and overall amazing insights the speakers casually dropped in their presentations and talks.

Personally, I’m still reeling with the amount of incredible information provided and all the recommendations given. These pros have given me a lot to think about my own business so hopefully, this short recap from my notes will inspire you too.

Design & Development

How to get clients to build brand vision boards that guarantee websites they’ll love

by Liz Ellery

Liz’s presentation centered around creating moodboards with Pinterest to be able to set the style and tone of their client’s website. Or rather, having clients create their own moodboards to begin the designing process.

She walked us through her genius method of helping clients determine the look and feel of their websites, by guiding them into creating their own organized Pinterest boards with imagery that catches their attention.

Those initial pins create the base for her to be able to spot patterns, ideas and the general “vibe”, to be able to understand their clients and their branding better, before narrowing things down to ONE specific theme.

With this approach, Liz is able to nail down the style of the website from the FIRST try and simply adjust the color palette further if needed, saving herself crazy amounts of time by avoiding unnecessary rounds of revision.

So, if your business projects start aaall the way from the very beginning too, make sure to check out Liz’s resources over here.

She hinted at a moodboard workshop she’s working on, so subscribe to her list to learn more about that!

No-code Squarespace hacks to make basic layouts look incredible

by Chris Schwartz

Chris shared with us some of the most brilliant NON-CODING tricks I’ve ever seen in Squarespace, especially when it comes to dealing with imagery.

At this point in the game, I usually just go straight to the Custom CSS Window to tweak stuff like that, but the simplicity and usefulness of his tips have seriously changed my mind.

One of the main takeaways from his talk was to never assume a part of your design (or from an inspirational site) has to be built with just ONE thing/block.

Making use of multiple blocks – especially shape blocks – can help us create layouts that may initially look more complicated than they actually are.

So, if you haven’t yet, check out Chris’ resources to build amazing designs in Squarespace both with and without code!

How to transform Squarespace websites with powerful plugins

by Me!

My presentation focused on the approach I take to breaking down certain customizations, particularly complex ones, that I already know WILL require a plugin but don’t necessarily know WHICH one will work.

Because I know how overwhelming it can be to decide what to use when you have a library of plugins that’s exploding with them, I chose to lay down the problem-solving perspective I personally use to address these situations which – so far - has been extremely helpful to figuring out client requests and conundrums.

If you’re a Squarespace designer working with custom projects and are into pushing your design’s boundaries, make sure to watch below!

Breaking the Mold: Creating Squarespace Sites That Don’t Look Like Squarespace

by Rache De Luna

Rache centered her beautiful presentation about her meticulous design process and how she goes about focusing on the content, the overall canvas, and the “character” of the site in separate steps.

The tips she gave in terms of defining the “Key Features” of a client’s design, honing into the main prominent elements, and then introducing parts of those features across the rest of the build was absolute gold.

Personally, I always find building full sites an incredibly overwhelming ordeal, so her section-by-section approach combined with that “character” sprinkle was a fantastic tip.

Plus, the way she goes about proposing sites from a practical development standpoint is the best way to avoid headaches during the actual building part of the project.

So, if you have never delved into her stuff yet but are looking to create a smoother and elegant design process, make sure to check out her resources!

From design to delight: Tools to help you wow your clients

by Nick Ippolito

In case you didn’t know, Nick is the co-founder of SquareKicker – a no-code plugin for Squarespace – and during his presentation he didn’t just show us how we could wow potential clients… he wowed US too.

I’ve briefly used the plugin before on client sites that already had it installed, but obviously I haven’t tinkered with it enough because I had no idea about the level of control you have access to, particularly for animations!

Apart from the super user-friendly ways you can set up things like hover modes for Image Blocks, the different options you get to create scrolling animations and effects seriously blew my mind.

Plus, besides the RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF TIME a plugin like this can save when creating super custom animations, you won’t be adding additional costs on your client’s end after delivery which, once more, I had no idea was a thing!

So, if you’ve been hiding under a rock like (obviously) I have and want to give their amazing plugin a go on your next project, make sure to check it out!

How to create your own master template with your favourite styling & codes

by Christy Price

Christy’s amazing presentation made me look at starting new projects in a whole different light.

She focused on showing us how her “Starter Template” is built and all the moving – or rather static – pieces involved to streamline that, oftentimes, annoying first step in the development process.

Besides going in right off the bat to set up a nice spacing for the whole site canvas, she showed us how she immediately loads the custom code she always uses to fix small details like the spacing between headings and following blocks.

I have my own go-to snippets that I use every time I work on a specific kind of customization, but they’re usually linked TO the customization itself and not the TYPE of section/block/etc I’m working with.

Seeing her approach made so much sense and gave me lots of ideas on how to further streamline future customizations for my own projects, and my clients’.

Another beautiful piece of her puzzle was the Help page she builds for clients, including all the important info, walkthrough videos and even backup code of the site.

Even if I don’t create full sites that may require this, her method made me rethink the way I can better provide these details to my customization clients!

So, if you’re a Squarespace designer that’s interested in creating a smooth entry and outro process for new projects, make sure to check out her Starter Template course and Web Designer’s Playbook.

Business Planning & Growth

Finding the perfect client process style to simplify your business workflow

by Tasha Dobie & Liz Ellery

Tasha and Liz shared with us their carefully crafted design processes, proving that you don’t need to follow a specific set of steps in order to be successful in your business.

Tasha’s process centers around custom proposals and the backend automation of as many tasks as possible – starting with the lead intake all the way to the delivery part – using different third-party tools including HER OWN project management tool for Squarespace designers, Circleback.

On the other hand, Liz’s process revolves around a predetermined proposal – provided through a page on her site – that applies to all her projects, creating a focused funnel that allows her to include several manual touch points along the way, without wearing her out.

It was inspiring to see how, throughout the years, these women have been able to hone down on what works for them instead of doing “what everyone else is doing”.

If you’re a Squarespace designer looking to refine your design process to make it work with you and your energy, make sure to check out Tasha’s and Liz’s content!

Using AI to write better emails and website copy for your clients

by Sarah Henson & Liz Ellery

Sarah and Liz’s talk on using AI to create content was incredible.

In 20-short minutes, these brilliant women shared with us their tips and tricks to use tools like Chat GPT, Claude and Noan to create great emails and site copy.

Sarah showed us how the QUALITY of the prompt input can affect the quality of the OUTPUT we get, which sounds obvious but it’s not quite so.

She talked about what a “standard” prompt and a “detail” prompt look like, and how both can be used to provide much needed context to the AI to help it help us creating email text that creates curiosity, connection and clicks!

Then, Liz came in and showed us in real time how she literally brainstorms with Chat GPT to improve the copy their clients have provided her, to give it more personality and catchy-ness.

So, if you’re looking to geek out more on copy stuff, make sure to check out Sarah’s and Liz’s resources.

Staying ahead in SEO as AI changes the game

by Henry Purchase & Kate Scott

Kate and Henry’s talk began with the question “Is SEO dead?”, so you can imagine the super interesting discussion that came out of that!

Both of these SEO superstars talked about how even when SEO isn’t going anywhere – because, at least at this time, Google’s search engine still wins by a landslide over searches done via AI – it’s important to start thinking about how to stay on top of AI Overview results.

Kate shared her insights on how creating an “ecosystem” around your brand and business is the key, because even when blogging and similar strategies can help you get found, it’s important to put that content into CONTEXT so that people know WHO you are and keep running into you and things about you online.

She also mentioned how it’s important to keep in mind that SEO is becoming more holistic, and that business foundations need to be revisited to really hone into what it is that you do to help others, to optimize conversions.

Both her and Henry also covered how “omni-channel marketing” can help you crush search engine results and the often overlooked edge that local SEO can provide, to help you create a wedge in your niche and give you a solid base to start getting your business found.

They also mentioned some interesting tools like Surfer SEO for content optimization, Gemini for deep research and NeuronWriter, which I’m personally going to be looking into!

If you like learning about SEO and GEO (generative engine optimization) in Squarespace, run to check out Henry’s SEOSpace plugin (which already includes incredible AI capabilities!) and Kate’s amazing SEO resources.

Brand Partnerships & Video: Expanding Your Business in Unexpected Ways

by Phil Pallen

Phil’s talk was incredibly motivating and encouraging for designers that have thought or are thinking about growing your business in other ways.

As a fan of new ideas/avenues to experiment with, I was hooked on this one.

He shared with us a little bit about his journey to getting to where he is right now, doing deals with big brand names like Adobe. And how it had all happened mainly because he made himself focus on the elements he CAN control and on the content he could create while he was learning along the way.

One of the key takeaways from his talk, at least for me, was that it only takes the RIGHT kind of people viewing your content to be able to create an impact on their life AND yours. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a massive following to make a living.

And, as long as you allow yourself to be fulfilled in the process of learning, you’ll have something you love to share with the world as you build your own path in it.

If you’re looking for inspiration and helpful advice to grow your business, make sure to check out Phil’s resources!

Essential milestones every designer should aim for early in their career

by Kelsey Gilbert-Kreiling

Kelsey decided to casually drop some major inspirational bombs left and right all throughout her amazing presentation.

She talked us through the different stages of becoming a business owner, that can be applied to both starting second or third businesses, as well as making transitions in your existing one!

While breaking down the 5 phases or essential milestones – Get Going, Get Organized, Get Legal, Get Feedback, and Get Clarity – Kelsey talked about how one of the most difficult parts of the process is to actually get started.

How you’ll never feel fully ready until you do the thing, and nothing can help you do it except doing it.

Amongst her many recommendations, she mentioned the importance of making rules for yourself so you don’t have to make decisions later on, how becoming comfortable with critique is the key to improving and getting better at your craft, and how becoming the best listener you’ve ever met can help you truly understand your clients and their goals in a way that you can provide the support they need.

Whether you’re a beginner Squarespace designer, are looking to start another business, or just want some incredible motivation to finally make that pivot or transition, make sure to check out Kelsey’s resources.

Different Income Streams

Building a career you love by focusing on what inspires you

by Omari Harebin

I have to be honest, I was NOT expecting Omari’s talk to go where it did.

Out of all the notes I took, his presentation’s took up most space in my notebook. I almost have a line-by-line script of what he said because it was too good to leave anything out.

He focused on sharing with us the way we can look at our fears and shift our mindset, when it comes to starting a new business or moving away from your existing one for whatever reason.

He started by addressing that inner fear right of the bat, saying that if “you’ve done it before, you can do it again”.

How we can recognize what’s really BEHIND the fear of losing the growth we’ve had, to be able to process the transition we’re dealing with.

Recognizing the initial spark that brought us to where we are is important, especially to be able to follow it into the next phase, but it’s equally important to think about: what we will need to give up along the way, what happens if we have to start over, what happens if we regret the pivot because it disrupts what was already working and it doesn’t take off.

Omari showed us how those questions are really at the foreground of what’s holding us back from making the move, and how learning to separate yourself from what you’ve built and the fact that you’re NOT “starting over” but rather STACKING skills and assets, can help shift your mindset and allow you to see the change you’re wanting to make from a different, and less scary, perspective.

If you want to feel even more inspired about his own journey and thoughts on personal/business growth, make sure to check out his memoir “The Corporate Dropout” here.

Exploring different income streams

by Promise Tangeman & Becca Harpain

Promise and Becca brought us yet another insightful and inspirational talk based on their business journeys.

Becca shared how she let herself be guided by what she felt could be useful to the Squarespace community, to create content and resources around it. How following her curiosity and experimentation led her to a 6-month endeavor of building an amazing AI-based tool – Custom Codey – that can now help Squarespace designers everywhere that are looking for quick solutions to their client projects!

Her and Promise also talked about how servicing your audience or client, based on where they are in their journey is the fastest way to providing helpful support, and how – since you’re always going to have to market stuff – it’s better to focus on the product FIRST and attract people to it later.

As Promise said – and continued to be quoted the following day during the Community Chat – “when you make your business about helping other people, you will always have plenty of work”, just make sure to stay open to receiving feedback to keep improving your offers.

If you’re a Squarespace designer looking for new Squarespace tools, make sure to check out Becca’s new AI and Promise’s resources.

Squarespace Circle Community Chat

by Liz Ellery & Dave Hawkins

And just in case the entire day wasn’t already filled with motivational talks, messages and insights, Liz wrapped up the day along with Dave talking about how much the feast and famine rollercoaster sucks and how their journeys have been to get to where they are.

Liz got real vulnerable sharing with us how at some point during a famine part of the cycle she wasn’t even sure how she could pay her bills. While Dave shared with us how his business was basically a side-hustle for 8 years before being able to go full time!

These two highlighted the very important yet often overlooked fact that there’s no ONE way to go about business. Especially the kind of business we do.

How it’s OK to get clients one route, or another, or multiple.

How connections are the key to feeling less alone in the business-building journey, and the bird’s eye view that we need on the many different ways things can be done, to be able to test new avenues for ourselves that are aligned with our STRENGTHS, our ENERGY and our JOY.

So, if you’re interested in how other designers go about their business and want to learn more about them, make sure to check out Liz’s resources and Dave’s course playground.