Conversations with Dillon Lara

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dillon Lara.

Hi Dillon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I went to school for web design and development back in 2010. First gig I landed was for an ecommerce company but wanted to work on more projects at one time so left to working for a couple of different Marketing/Creative agencies as a lead web developer and eventually web development manager and project manager. I’ve always had an itch to do my own thing or build something from the ground up and push it as far as I could so in December of 2020, I left my comfy salaried gig to become a freelance web developer and ecommerce consultant on side while building a startup focused on helping the food truck industry.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There’s never a good time to take the leap into the unknown. Being able to support my wife and children was what was holding me back. Through a lot of conversations with my wife and other friends who have done the same thing, I finally took the leap. Knowing that my family supported my decision made the transition easier. The conversations with my entrepreneur friends was also encouraging. The transition has actually been immensely easier than I thought it might be. I tend to be a realist and will think through all of the worst case scenarios before making a decision so I was my own worst enemy. Once I was able to get over that mindset internally, I haven’t looked back once. I have absolutely no regrets and this journey has been one of the most fruitful ones I’ve had in my life thus far.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a web developer by profession but a startup enthusiast at heart. I enjoy building sites and applications around subjects I’m passionate about like food and mountain bike. I also enjoy working with others who are pursuing their passions. I love helping others pursue their dreams by helping them with their online presence. I find it much more enjoyable and easier to build sites and applications for people who really care about what they are doing.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think the hardest part was setting up my pricing packages. After going from a full-time salaried gig to basically zero income, I knew that I didn’t want my pricing to be too low or too high. I also knew that I didn’t want to have to compromise on my worth. It was important for me to stand up for my fees and know that I wouldn’t get every gig that I pitched too. On the startup side, I know that it was going to be a lot of trial and error and customer validation. Being able to set aside enough time each week to focus on that was also very important. I didn’t use to be a risk-taker but after stepping into entrepreneurship, I’ve been able to pivot quick and feel comfortable taking more risks as they come up.

Pricing:

• Strategy Consultation – $100
• User Story Generation – $400
• Custom Website – $3,000+
• Website or Web App QA(review) – $1000

Contact Info:

• Email: dillonlara115@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.dillonlara.me/

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