Web design is weirdly lonely. You’re sitting in a dark room, arguing with a div that won't center, wondering if you should charge $500 or $5,000 for a homepage. I’ve been there. Most people who look into a Josh Hall website design course are usually at that exact crossroads. They have the skills—they can make things look "pretty"—but they’re tired of the "feast or famine" cycle that kills most creative freelancers.
Honestly, the market is flooded with technical tutorials. You can find 1,000 videos on how to change a button color in Divi. But knowing how to code isn't the same as knowing how to run a business. That is the fundamental gap Josh Hall tries to bridge. He isn't just teaching you how to build a site; he’s teaching you how to stop trading every single hour of your life for a paycheck.
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The "Cabinet Maker" Mentality: Who Is Josh Hall?
It’s actually a cool story. Josh wasn't some Silicon Valley whiz kid. He was a cabinet maker and a metal drummer. Around 2009, the recession hit, he got laid off, and he had to figure out how to survive. He started by designing t-shirts for bands and eventually stumbled into web design.
He spent a decade in the trenches building his agency, In Transit Studios. He made all the classic mistakes: undercharging, letting clients walk all over him, and staying up until 3 AM because he didn't have a process. When he finally sold his agency to one of his students in 2020, he shifted entirely to teaching. You can tell he’s lived it. When he talks about "scope creep," he sounds like a guy who has actually lost sleep over it.
The Course Ecosystem
Josh doesn't just have one "mega-course." He’s broken the web design journey into specific modules. Depending on where you’re stuck, you might need something technical or something purely administrative.
- The Web Design Business Course: This is the flagship. It’s less about "how to design" and more about "how to sell." It covers the boring (but vital) stuff: contracts, proposals, and how to talk to a client without sounding desperate.
- The Maintenance Plan Course: If you aren't offering maintenance, you're leaving money on the table. This course teaches you how to build recurring revenue so you aren't starting at $0 every month.
- Divi/WordPress for Beginners: Specifically for those using the Divi theme. It’s a shortcut to getting a site live without the 3-year learning curve.
- The SEO Course: Practical, "no-fluff" search engine optimization. It’s designed for designers who want to offer SEO as a high-value add-on.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Courses
People often buy these courses thinking they’ll get a "magic button" for clients. That's not how it works. Josh’s stuff is heavily centered on the Divi Theme ecosystem and WordPress. If you’re a hard-core custom coder who hates page builders, you might find some of the technical parts annoying.
However, the "Business Course" is platform-agnostic. You could be using Webflow, Elementor, or even Squarespace, and the advice on client onboarding would still land. The biggest value-add isn't the video content—it's the templates. Getting his actual 17hats scripts, his contract language, and his proposal layout is basically like buying a "Business in a Box."
The Pricing Reality in 2026
Let's talk money because it’s usually the sticking point. Josh has moved toward a membership model called Web Designer Pro.
- The Courses Tier: Roughly $49/month or $499/year. This gets you all the on-demand courses but no "human" contact.
- The Community Tier: This is about $99/month. You get the courses plus access to the forums and monthly Q&A calls.
- The Coaching Tier: This is the high-end version ($199/month) for people who want Josh to actually look at their business and give direct feedback.
Is it expensive? Sorta. But if one proposal template helps you close a $3,000 project instead of a $1,000 one, the ROI is pretty obvious. I've seen freelancers waste more money on "productivity apps" they never use than the cost of a year of this membership.
Why Process Matters More Than Talent
I’ve seen incredible designers go broke because they didn't have a process. Josh emphasizes the "Build, Support, Grow" framework.
Build is the project.
Support is the maintenance plan.
Grow is the ongoing SEO or marketing strategy.
If you only do the "Build" part, you’re on a treadmill. You finish a project, celebrate for five minutes, and then realize you have no work for next month. Josh’s Maintenance Plan course is probably his most underrated asset. It’s the difference between a "job" and a "business."
Is It Right For You?
If you're a complete pro making $250k a year with a team of 10, you probably won't find much new here. This is designed for the "solo-preneur" or the "accidental freelancer." You know, the person who started building sites for friends and suddenly realized they have a business but no idea how to run it.
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One thing to keep in mind: Josh is very "bouncy" and positive. If you prefer a dry, academic, "university-style" lecture, you might find his style a bit too energetic. But for most, it’s refreshing. It feels like getting advice from a guy at a pub who just happens to be really good at making six figures with WordPress.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re sitting on the fence, don't just buy everything at once. Start with his free content first.
- Listen to the Web Design Business Podcast: It’s free. It gives you a sense of his philosophy without costing a dime.
- Audit your current "Maintenance Plan": If you don't have one, or if you're charging $20 a month to "update plugins," you're doing it wrong. Look into the Maintenance Course specifically.
- The "One-Page" Test: Try to write out your onboarding process on a single sheet of paper. If you can't do it, your business is a mess. That's usually the sign you need a structured course like Josh's.
Don't overcomplicate it. The goal isn't to be the best designer in the world; it's to have a business that supports the life you want to live.