He Got Laid Off and Landed His Dream client on the Same Day

Ethan Driskill wasn’t planning to start a business. But two weeks after posting a redesign of someone's website on Twitter, he landed a dream client. Hours later, he was laid off from his job. And just like that, OUTERBLOC was born.

Today, his design studio has worked with big names like Resibrands, RE Cost Seg, and SMB Law Group, and he’s got goals to build it into a $5M business he can exit one day. I sat down with Ethan to talk about lessons he’s learned from leaving corporate, trying different businesses, and building a web design agency from scratch. 

1. Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Ethan Driskill, founder of Outerbloc. We’re a design studio that builds high-conversion websites and brand identities for modern companies.

2. What’s your backstory? How did you get here?

I’ve been designing since high school… posters, slides, even editing conference hype videos. I went to Liberty University thinking I’d be a worship leader, then quickly switched to design. My first job was in print, then I moved into tech and worked across product, web, and brand.

In 2023, I tried launching a remote cleaning business, which was a disaster. But it taught me how to set up an LLC, manage clients, and run ops. Two weeks before I got laid off, I started taking Twitter seriously. I posted a speculative redesign of Shepherd’s site, and it blew up. Mitchell Baldrige DMed me, and I landed RE Cost Seg as my first client, the same week I got laid off.

3. How did you get your first paying customers?

That Shepherd redesign got me DMs from Mitchell, Nick Huber, and a few others. RE. Cost Seg was the first deal I closed. At that point, I had Stripe and PandaDoc set up from the cleaning business, so I moved fast. Even got the LLC the day I was laid off, but didn’t check trademarks and had to rebrand five months later, lol. 

I made a bunch of dumb mistakes, but I was in motion. And that made all the difference.

4. What’s worked for attracting and retaining customers?

At first, posting work on Twitter worked great. Now, not so much. Higher-ticket clients don’t bite on free redesigns the way smaller businesses do. Referrals have become my biggest growth channel. People see projects like SMB Law Group or HOAi and reach out.

Retaining clients is trickier. I originally offered flat monthly retainers, but most clients just need a site or brand project, and then they’re done. The ones that stick around usually have a big enough scope to warrant ongoing work. I’m still figuring out the best model for lifetime value.

5. How’s the business doing today?

I feel good about where things are right now. I’m trying to move upmarket and do more $20K+ projects, ideally with a small, senior team that ships standout work. The dream is to build a $5M/year business and eventually sell it. I just haven’t figured out exactly how that works yet.

6. Was there ever a time you thought this wasn’t going to work? 

All the time. Especially last year. I was still applying for full-time jobs while taking client calls. Then I’d land a big deal, and everything would shift. Having four kids changes your mindset. Even if I’m stressed, I’m grateful. I work from home. I make my own schedule. That flexibility matters.

7. What’s something most people don’t understand about your work?

The best design doesn’t just happen at the desk. Most of my best ideas come when I’m walking my dog or in the shower. I might remember something I saw on Pinterest three weeks ago and realize it’s the perfect idea for a client project. Clients don’t see that part, but it’s where the real magic happens.

8. Favorite tools?

Figma and Framer. Mercury for invoicing. PandaDoc for contracts. Claude over ChatGPT. Poke for project management, it’s like texting an assistant (serisouly I don’t remember how I got things done without it). Granola for meeting notes. And Midjourney for visual exploration.

9. Favorite content?

My First Million changed everything for me. I found it through a Cody Ko episode, which now seems incredibly random. Greg Isenberg is great too, but sometimes hearing too many ideas gives me shiny object syndrome. Scott Galloway’s marketing rants stick with me. But honestly, I mostly listen to music these days, so I don’t get distracted by shiny ideas.

10. If you had to start another business, what would it be?

I’d love to buy and renovate a small boutique hotel. Not an Airbnb, but a standalone property with its own brand. That or an AI implementation business helping small businesses use AI. There just seems to be so much need there right now. 

11. Best advice for other entrepreneurs?

Ignore the noise. The revenue screenshots, the fake MRR numbers, the shiny sports cars. Most of it’s fake or unsustainable. Anytime I’ve felt the most lost in my business, it’s because I spent too much time scrolling Twitter. Focus on what’s working, and keep building.

Final Takeaways

1. Your day job may be training for your dream business. You just won’t realize it until you’re in it.

2. Just one piece of content or a post can lead to your biggest break.

3. Your best ideas probably won’t come at your desk.

4. Focus on progress, not the noise. Ignore the MRR screenshots and keep shipping real work.