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90 Day WordPress

Of course. It's great that you're planning to re-enter the web development field. Your background as an English teacher and a technically-inclined Arch Linux user gives you a unique and powerful combination of skills: excellent communication and a solid problem-solving mindset. This plan is designed to be intensive and practical, focusing on getting you client-ready and earning money within the 90-day timeframe.

Here is your 90-day learning and action plan to build a WordPress freelancing career.

Guiding Philosophy for Your 90 Days

  1. Embrace Modern WordPress: Forget everything you knew from 2019. The game has changed with the Block Editor (Gutenberg) and Full Site Editing (FSE). We will focus on the modern workflow.
  2. Portfolio is Everything: You will not just learn; you will build. Your goal is to have 3 solid portfolio pieces by the end of Month 2.
  3. Action Over Perfection: Don't get stuck trying to learn every single thing. Learn what's needed to build a professional site and start applying for jobs. You'll learn the rest on the job.
  4. Leverage Your Strengths: Your English skills are your superpower in writing proposals and communicating with clients. Your Linux background means you're not afraid of technical challenges.

Month 1 (Days 1-30): The Modern WordPress Foundation

Goal: Relearn the fundamentals of modern WordPress, build your first project, and understand the core tools of the trade.

Week 1: Setup & Core Concepts Refresh

  • Day 1: Set up your local development environment. As a Linux user, you can use LocalWP (the easiest), or set up a native LAMP stack. Install the latest version of WordPress.
  • Day 2: A deep dive into the WordPress Dashboard. Re-familiarize yourself with Posts, Pages, Media, and Settings. Pay close attention to what has changed.
  • Day 3: Master the Block Editor (Gutenberg). Spend the entire day creating a complex page layout using only core blocks: Columns, Groups, Cover Images, Buttons, etc.
  • Day 4: Understanding Modern Themes. Install a highly-rated block theme like Kadence, Blocksy, or the default Twenty Twenty-Four. Explore the Global Styles and the Site Editor (Full Site Editing).
  • Day 5: Learn the difference between a Classic Theme (with the Customizer) and a Block Theme (with the Site Editor). Install a popular classic theme like Astra to feel the difference.
  • Day 6-7: Build a simple, 5-page personal blog website for yourself on your local machine using a block theme. Create a Home, About, Blog, Contact page, and one sample blog post.

Week 2: Essential Plugins & Page Builders

  • Day 8: Forms & SEO. Install WPForms (or Contact Form 7) and create a functional contact form. Install Rank Math (or Yoast SEO) and learn the basics of on-page SEO.
  • Day 9: Security & Backups. Install Wordfence for security and UpdraftPlus for backups. Learn how to run a scan and schedule a backup.
  • Day 10: Performance. Learn why website speed is critical. Install a caching plugin like LiteSpeed Cache (if your future server supports it) or W3 Total Cache. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site.
  • Day 11: Introduction to Page Builders. While the Block Editor is powerful, many clients still use page builders. Install the free version of Elementor.
  • Day 12-13: Rebuild the homepage of a popular Bangladeshi company (e.g., Pathao, bKash) using Elementor. This will force you to learn its interface and widgets.
  • Day 14: Review and solidify. Make a list of the top 10 most essential plugins every WordPress site needs.

Week 3 & 4: Your First Portfolio Project & E-commerce

  • Day 15: Plan Your First Portfolio Project. This will be a complete website for a fictional local business. Example: "Sirajganj Modern Cafe," "Dhaka Fitness Coach," or "Rajshahi Digital Marketing Agency."
  • Day 16: Outline the site structure: Homepage, About Us, Services (3 sub-pages), Blog, Contact. Write the content for the homepage and about page. Your English skills are key here!
  • Day 17-21: Build the website. Use the theme and builder you feel most comfortable with (Kadence + Blocks, or Astra + Elementor). Focus on creating a clean, professional, and responsive design. Use free stock photos from Pexels or Unsplash.
  • Day 22: Introduction to WooCommerce. Install and run the setup wizard on a fresh WordPress installation.
  • Day 23: Add 5 simple, fictional products to your WooCommerce store. Configure shipping zones and a payment gateway in test mode (e.g., Cash on Delivery, Stripe Test Mode).
  • Day 24: Learn how to customize the WooCommerce Shop and Product pages.
  • Day 25-28: Finalize your first portfolio project. Add all content, test all links and forms, and ensure it's fully responsive. Take high-quality screenshots.
  • Day 29-30: Rest, review, and write a "case study" for your project. Document the client's (fictional) problem and how your website solved it.

Month 2 (Days 31-60): The Freelancing Machine

Goal: Build your brand, create your freelance profiles, and land your first paying client.

Week 5 & 6: Your Brand & Second Portfolio Project

  • Day 31-35: Build your own portfolio website. This is Project #2. It must be extremely professional. It should have a Homepage, About Me, Portfolio (with your first project), Services, and Contact page.
  • Day 36: Buy a domain and a basic hosting plan. Deploy your portfolio site to the live server. Your Linux skills will be helpful here (understanding file permissions, SSH, etc.).
  • Day 37: Start your Project #3. This time, build a one-page WooCommerce site for a single product. This is a very common client request.
  • Day 38-42: Complete and polish Project #3. Make it look fantastic.
  • Day 43: Add Project #2 (your portfolio site itself) and Project #3 to your portfolio page with detailed case studies. You now have three solid projects.
  • Day 44: Create a professional email address with your domain (e.g., contact@yourname.com).

Week 7 & 8: Entering the Marketplace & Finding Clients

  • Day 45: Set up your Upwork profile. Spend the entire day on this. Use a professional photo, write a compelling title and bio highlighting your communication skills and technical background.
  • Day 46: Add your portfolio items to Upwork. Make them look impressive with great thumbnails and detailed descriptions.
  • Day 47: Set up your Fiverr profile. Create your first "Gig" - something simple like "I will install WordPress and a premium theme" or "I will fix a small WordPress CSS issue."
  • Day 48: The Art of the Proposal. Learn how to write winning proposals on Upwork. The key is to read the job post carefully and write a custom response, not a template. Address the client's problem directly.
  • Day 49: Search for your first job. Look for small, simple, fixed-price jobs. Keywords: "WordPress help," "CSS fix," "content update," "plugin setup." Your goal is not money, it's a 5-star review.
  • Day 50-60: Dedicate 2-3 hours every single day to finding and applying for jobs. Send 3-5 highly customized proposals daily. It's a numbers game. Be patient and persistent.

Month 3 (Days 61-90): Execution, Income & Growth

Goal: Successfully complete your first few jobs, build your reputation, and start earning consistent income.

Week 9: Your First Paid Project

  • Day 61: You landed your first job! Celebrate, then immediately communicate professionally with the client. Clarify all requirements and set a deadline.
  • Day 62-65: Execute the project. Over-deliver. If they asked for one thing, do it perfectly and maybe fix a small related issue you notice. Keep the client updated on your progress.
  • Day 66: Deliver the work, explain what you did, and politely request a review after they have confirmed everything is working.
  • Day 67: You got your first 5-star review! Add the testimonial to your portfolio website.
  • Day 68-70: Immediately start applying for slightly bigger jobs, mentioning your recent successful project in your proposals.

Week 10 & 11: Building Momentum

  • Day 71-77: Continue applying for jobs daily. Your goal is to have your second paid project secured by now. Focus on jobs similar to the one you just completed.
  • Day 78: Learn about WordPress Maintenance Plans. This is the key to recurring revenue. Create three tiers of service (e.g., Basic, Pro, Business) that include backups, updates, security scans, and a monthly report.
  • Day 79: When you complete your second project, offer your client a monthly maintenance plan at a discount for the first month.
  • Day 80-84: Keep working and applying. Aim to complete 3-5 small-to-medium projects by the end of the month. Your speed and confidence will increase with each one.

Week 12: Review & Plan for 2026

  • Day 85-87: Deepen your knowledge. Learn about a more advanced topic you encountered in a project. Examples: Custom Post Types, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), basic PHP snippets for functions.php.
  • Day 88: Review your 90 days. Calculate your earnings. Analyze which types of jobs you enjoyed most and were most profitable.
  • Day 89: Set clear goals for the first quarter of 2026. How much do you want to earn per month? What new skill do you want to learn (e.g., basic JavaScript, advanced Elementor techniques)?
  • Day 90: Join Bangladeshi WordPress and freelancer communities on Facebook. Start networking. Share what you've learned and ask questions. This is crucial for long-term growth.

This plan is intense, but your unique background makes it achievable. Stay disciplined, focus on building tangible assets, and communicate professionally. Your new career awaits. Good luck!