Inspired by @Curtis Hays, I finished an experiment that I had started a few weeks ago. I started my company as a local web design agency in 2014. I've pivoted a few times since, where our core offer is that of Fractional CMO services, but we still do some agency type work for existing clients, friends, and family. I was ready to throw in the towel on web builds just because they take so much time and I hadn't cracked the code on building sites with ongoing content. I finally got it this evening! We've gotten good at building unique sites using Claude with next.js, files live in github, website runs on vercel. This evening I was able to get a headless WordPress environment where I can add/edit/delete content, but the design still lives in Vercel! I realize this might seem like a small thing for some, but it's a ginormous win for the 8 SIGNAL team :D It's gonna save us sooooooo much time rebuilding from next.js to Elementor. Huge shoutout to Curtis. By sharing his win, he inspired me to dig further into this and figure it out! Here's the site that was previously just a "static" site on vercel, now all the content is coming from a wordpress install: https://century-rentals.vercel.app/ P.S. If you have a better way of managing websites that require a CMS and SEO/AEO, don't hold back. I won't be deflated. I'm always looking for ways to improve and do things better. P.P.S. Website's for a buddy, and still not finalized yet, so I'm taking some liberty to mess around with him about baseball because he knows less than I do, and I don't know much LOL!

​I often post about my wins with Claude Code or the progress on my book project, but there’s one part of the equation I haven’t touched on yet: Time. ​I’m lucky enough to be able to build a little during my work hours, but my primary focus is still being a Finance Manager. The real work happens when the house is finally quiet. ​But here is the reality: I have a 3-year-old and a 9-month-old. ​If you’ve been there, you know. My "second shift" starts after they are tucked in, but it’s always a gamble. Especially with a 9-month-old—you never really know how the night is going to go or how many times you’ll be woken up. ​The Internal Conflict: I’m a natural "A-person." I love waking up early and feeling fresh. But to get anything done on my private projects, I often have to push late into the night. ​I’m constantly trying to balance three things that all feel non-negotiable: ​Family Time: This is my fuel. I refuse to sacrifice being present with my kids. ​Sleep: As an early riser, I need sleep to function as a Finance Manager and a dad. ​Development: I have a deep drive to learn, build, and move my projects forward. ​The truth? Most days, it feels like I can only pick two. ​If I work late on a website or an automation, I’m a zombie the next morning. If I go to bed early to be a "good dad" at 6:00 AM, my projects stand still, which frustrates me. It’s a constant puzzle of trying to be "efficiently lazy" with the few hours I actually have. ​I don’t have a "5-step master plan" for this. I’m just navigating it one night at a time—sometimes winning, sometimes just trying to stay awake during a meeting. ​How do you guys balance this? For those of you with young kids, demanding jobs, and big goals—how do you find the space to create without burning out or missing the "golden years" with your family? ​I’m curious to hear how you prioritize when everything feels equally important. 👇

You just watched the full 23-minute folder architecture walkthrough. Vote below, then drop your use case in the comments. What are you building this system around?