Reformed Design Co: Ben Childers

Reformed Design Co: Website Design, Organic Marketing, and Growing from Marion, IllinoisHosts Jennifer Olson and Russell Williams welcome Ben Childers of Reformed Design Co, a Marion, Illinois-based creative marketing agency specializing in website design, branding, and digital ads. Childers shares how he moved from an SIU marketing degree into small-business roles that grew into running marketing for four businesses, then launched Reform Design Co in 2023. He explains the company name’s roots in “always reforming,” discusses hiring his brother and using project-based help, and describes common website pitfalls like “build it and forget it,” emphasizing ongoing maintenance and regular updates. He outlines a marketing approach that prioritizes organic channels before paid ads, compares retail vs e-commerce customer loyalty, notes frustrations with platform support, recommends Alex Hormozi’s resources, and offers free 30-minute website audits at reformedco.com while aiming to expand local client work by 2026.00:00 Welcome and Sponsors00:50 Meet Ben and Reformed Design01:34 From SIU to Agency Founder03:03 Why the Name Reform04:07 Team and Website Focus05:24 Websites Need Maintenance06:48 Marketing Basics for Owners07:45 Organic First Social Strategy10:43 Onboarding and Leaky Bucket12:03 Entrepreneur Challenges and Learning14:31 Scaling Locally15:25 Delegating Coding Work16:40 AI Design Pitfalls18:06 Naming and SEO Basics20:15 Client Niches Split20:49 Retail vs Ecommerce23:16 Website Updates Matter24:39 Marketing Degree Advice28:26 Why and How to Connect30:00 Sponsors and Wrap UpRecorded at EThOs Small Business Incubator and Co-working Spaces in Marion, Illinois.https://members.ethosmarion.org/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTOur guest: https://reformedco.com/