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Margaret Reffell

Online Course & Digital Product Resources

Category: Business Growth + Tools

What are no code platforms?

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What are no code platforms?

In the last 2 – 3 years there’s been a large emergence in what are called “no code” tools in the online world.

What is “no code”, and what are those platforms?

The term “no code” refers to tools and platforms a person can use that accomplish something online without the need to use code. The no-code movement is meant to allow a high amount of flexibility and customization fo non-developers.

What can “no code” tools and platforms accomplish?

These days, just about anything! Whether it’s a content creator looking to build a simple blog, to a startup company creating a complex app, there’s more and more solutions everyday that allow the average person to bring their vision to life without any programming experience.

What are some examples of “no code” tools?

Some of the most popular no-code tools out there, you are probably already very familiar with. Here are a few very popular companies dedicated to creating products and resources that can be usable by nearly everyone.

  • Shopify — build your own e-commerce website
  • Squarespace — build and deploy your own website
  • Bubble — create a custom app from scratch
  • Zapier — connect a bunch of different platforms together, and allow information to be transferred from one to another automatically with prompts
  • And many more…

Will “no code” mean the end of developers?

No way! In this movement, we need developers more than ever. Developers won’t go away, but their roles will begin to change dramatically. My prediction is we will no longer need web developers to build websites, stores, and online program portals, but rather developers will take on more of a role to build the tools that people can use to build these things themselves.

This also opens up a whole other industry of “technical consultants/advisors” who know these tools inside and out, and will act as a guide for their clients to navigate and configure no-code systems, because no matter what there will always be a large number of people who want to contract this work out, instead of navigating this landscape alone.

Get ready for the world of no-code, it’s exciting and accelerating quickly, so get on board!

Want to learn more about no-code platforms? Check out my course page here.

Margaret

Photo by Alexandru Acea on Unsplash

How I bought an investment property in the middle of a pandemic

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An honest review of my purchasing process of an investment property (as well as my first property) as a single self-employed woman during a pandemic.

Note: I am not a financial or real-estate expert. What shared below is my personal experience, and should not be taken as advice.

In September of 2018, I had a meeting with my friend Beth who is a Real Estate Broker in Toronto, Ontario.

Continue reading “How I bought an investment property in the middle of a pandemic”

What you need to know when building your first website

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Building a Website

There are many ways to build a website. Here we’ll go over some pros and cons about what software can be used. Let’s shed some light on the differences and what’s best for you.

Basically there’s 3 camps

 

A Website Builder (WIX, Squarespace)

These sites are very easy to  use, and I often recommend them to someone who is just starting off, is conserving funds, and wants a place to direct people to that is clean, simple and easy to update. They are also hosted by their servers, and you pay a monthly fee to “rent” a website from them.

Between these two, I would recommend Squarespace as it’s much more flexible and faster than WIX. It also has nicer templates.

 

A Self-hosted Website (typically WordPress)

WordPress sites have much more flexibility both in terms of style, and functionality. WordPress allows full access to the code, so that everything on the site can be changed. However, in many cases you’ll need a web developer to do so.

WordPress does have a marketplace for pre-made themes so that you don’t need to hire a developer to implement. Beware, as the marketplace is unregulated and some theme creators can take advantage of this and inject malicious code into your site. 

When shopping for a premade theme, always go with a referred, trusted theme creator.

 

An eCommerce Website (Shopify)

Shopify allows you to either purchase one of their themes, or create your own from scratch. Shopify’s theme marketplace is strictly regulated, so you can trust the themes when purchased directly off the Shopify website. They also give you full control to edit the code of the theme and customize the look of it, should you want a more unique look.

Shopify is an excellent ecommerce company, but is not the ideal platform for blogging and selling services. It’s core engine is built for physical goods.

If you are selling physical products, Shopify is the gold standard. It’s easy to use, and has great support and security features. 

At the end of the day, for flexibility and growth, I always go with WordPress. There are plenty of people that use Squarespace, and are perfectly happy with it, but just be mindful because you may end up building yourself into a corner.

 

Ultimate, it depends what you’re trying to accomplish.

When in doubt, start small. Start with a builder.