Why We Hit Pause on Website-in-a-Week
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Let’s Talk About That Time We Tried Website-in-a-Week
We’re big fans of testing ideas and trying new things - but sometimes, even the best-sounding ideas need to take a backseat.
Enter: Website-in-a-Week.
When we introduced this service, we genuinely thought we were onto something good. Quick turnarounds. Lower price point. More accessibility. What’s not to love?
Turns out? A few things. 😅
This isn’t a dramatic breakup letter. We're not throwing shade at other studios who thrive with this model (seriously, some designers are crushing it with these). This is more of a behind-the-scenes peek into why we pressed pause, and what it reminded us about running a values-driven, very human creative studio.
Why We Gave It a Go
Let’s be honest...part of it was FOMO. We noticed other designers offering fast-track websites and thought, “Should we be doing this too?”
At the same time, we were hearing from businesses who needed something quicker and more affordable than our fully custom builds. So we figured: why not create an option that met them halfway?
- It would help more businesses get online faster
- It could fit smaller budgets without sacrificing design
- It would let us flex our creative muscles in shorter bursts
In theory? Great.
In practice? Less so.
Where It Fell Apart (and Why That’s Okay)
Here’s the thing about one-week websites: they work beautifully when the stars align. But we’re not in the business of cutting corners - and the reality looked a little more like this:
- Timelines got stretched. Even with a streamlined plan, we ran into the usual suspects: late content, review delays, scheduling hiccups. One week? More like… one month. Ish.
- We couldn’t not go deep. We tried to keep it simple, but the minute we started designing, our instincts kicked in. We were still crafting thoughtful layouts, diving into your brand, and sweating the details. (Surprise: we don’t know how to half-ass anything. 😆)
- Our small team got squeezed. We’re intentionally a micro-agency, which means we give our clients a lot of love. But squeezing a high-touch process into a one-week box just didn’t jive with how we work—or how we want you to
feel
when you work with us.
And that growing waitlist? It started to feel less like “look how in-demand we are” and more like “uh oh, these people need a website and we’re stuck in a backlog.”
Not the vibe. 🙅🏻♀️
The Real Lesson? Don’t do something Just to Blend In
If you’ve ever created something because your competitors were doing it, or because you thought you should....you’re not alone.
But here’s your permission slip: you don’t have to offer something just because the industry says it’s hot right now. You don’t have to water down your process to hit someone else’s timeline. And you
definitely don’t have to try to be everything to everyone.
What we do have to do? Lean into the things we’re really damn good at.
For us, that’s intentional design. Collaborative partnerships. Personality-packed brands and websites that are built to last—not rushed out the door.
Will Website-in-a-Week come back someday? Maybe. But only if we can find a way to deliver it without compromising what makes us Lume: high-quality design, thoughtful collaboration, and creative strategy you can feel good about.
Until then, we’re doubling down on the things that light us up, and the kinds of projects where we can give 100%, not just 60 in a sprint.
And if you’re in a season of refining your own offers, take this as your reminder:
just because something works doesn’t mean it works for you.
Want something that’s built to last? Check out our
custom website packages that don’t cut corners and don’t try to fit you in a box.
Ready to dive into your next chapter?
craving more?
WE LOVE THAT FOR YOU.
