Creator Spotlight: Beatriz Caraballo
B is one of my go-to resources for Custom CSS snippets in Squarespace and I'm thrilled to include her in the Creator Spotlight series. One of her plugins was featured in my post on adding testimonials to Squarespace. And you can check out her full shop here for custom layouts and styles to use to level up your own designs.
Hi Beatriz! Tell us a little about yourself.
Hey! I'm B, and I help fellow Squarespace designers – with a customization stuck in their head – stop struggling with code and turn their vision into reality!
Is there a product you've created that you're particularly proud of? Can you tell us a little about its main benefit or where this tool can be most helpful?
If I have to pick, I'd have to say the Customization Geeks Club. It's a monthly membership for Squarespace designers where they can get support and resources to tackle client customizations, while building their skills and knowledge.
How did your business get started?
It all began back in 2015 when I got into web design thanks to a Photoshop course that showed me how to create and sell website mockups! A year later I discovered Squarespace, and it all sort of snowballed from there! I went from selling full website packages to only offering redesigns, to focusing on customization services and products, and now making the educational portion of the customizations my main thing.
How did you come to work with Squarespace?
I was looking for a way to create my own site/portfolio to continue selling website mockups, so I hopped onto Pinterest and found post after post from Elle and Company talking about Squarespace! After creating my site, I realized I preferred to do THAT instead of staying in the mockup phase, so I made my first business pivot.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given as a designer/developer?
"Learn the rules, so you can break them". I don't remember where I read that the first time – and I believe the person was paraphrasing a quote from Picasso – but those words have stuck with me ever since. It's so important to really understand the basics first, so that you KNOW what you're doing when deciding to take a different approach.
Do you have any words of wisdom for those developers and designers looking to get into the passive income world by creating Squarespace resources, such as templates or plugins?
My best piece of advice would be to focus on the product that you're delivering, and not the delivery method. Especially when it comes to plugins. You can create absolutely gorgeous-looking guides or videos to accompany the setup and styling of your plugin to make a great impression on your buyers. But, once you get that first round of feedback/questions – or Squarespace makes an update! – you'll realize you need to find a way to go back into that super custom thing you created and modify it to include/exclude/clarify whatever it is your customers pointed out that you didn't consider before. Now, this doesn't mean you should release something that you're not proud of, otherwise you won't want to market it in the first place, but to stick with an MVP that you can easily tweak and improve over time. It'll make your life a whole lot easier, and you'll be able to tend to your customers' requests/suggestions a lot faster.
If you had a piece of advice for developers or designers, or something you wish you'd figured out much sooner than you did, what would it be?
Listen to your gut. That potential client that for some reason you FEEL will be problematic, don't take it on. That one last customization check you FEEL you should make on a different browser even when you're tired, make it. That product that you FEEL you're putting out there in a rush and may not be your best, hold on to it for a day or two and revisit it. That nagging FEELING you get that you're overcomplicating things because you're being stubborn and don't want to ask for help, listen to it.
When you aren't hunkered down at the computer, creating amazing Squarespace tools and resources, how do you like to spend your spare time?
I usually spend my free time reading thought-provoking books (from authors like Cal Newport, Ryan Holiday, and Michael Crichton) or crime/thriller novels; walking in nature (when we don't have "The Revenant" climate going on); or watching thriller movies, sitcom reruns and trashy TV.
What is your go-to karaoke song?
Go-to as in you-shouldn't-sing-out-loud-please-stop? That would be American Woman by Lenny Kravitz.
