David Rajot won the best e-commerce expert award at the inaugural edition of the Codeur Awards.
He kindly revisits his journey as a developer today, his experience on Codeur.com and the professional successes that have brought him to where he is now.
Codeur.com: Hello David, thank you for giving us this interview. Could you introduce yourself to the readers of the Codeur.com blog?
David Rajot : Hello, thank you. My background is quite unconventional since I have a master's degree in sports management, which has nothing to do with e-commerce or IT. After my master's, I wanted to try dropshipping in 2017/2018.
The first e-commerce store I launched did fairly well. I was able to create an e-commerce site and the marketing around that project.
I stopped dropshipping because I didn't like the products I was selling, but I loved the marketing side of e-commerce: selling, analyzing the numbers, creating advertising. With rising marketing costs in 2021/2022, the site became less profitable and I stopped.
Codeur.com: Is it from these acquired skills that you launched into freelancing?
David R.: Exactly, I thought, “Why not put these skills to use for clients?” At first, it was a bit risky to get started without a network—thank you Codeur.com for that! I got my first client thanks to Codeur!
Codeur.com: What services do you offer now?
David R.: Creating e-commerce sites is really my core business, but I also offer some web marketing services like SEA when the project is suitable.
Codeur.com: What does your typical client look like today?
David R.: 80% of my clients come from Codeur.com and my entire client portfolio consists of e-commerce sites. Today, I customize my clients' sites from A to Z. I either build a site from scratch or revamp existing sites when clients already have an online store.
They are either already established companies, brick-and-mortar shops that want to add a website as an acquisition channel, or individuals who want to get started.
Codeur.com: Did you train yourself as a self-taught developer?
David R.: Yes, I'm quite happy with my path. I managed to teach myself through hard work and research. Also, by working with clients and adapting to their requirements, I learned to master certain programming languages like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, which allows me to go further in site customization and take on more projects.
Codeur.com: Do you work on all e-commerce CMS platforms?
David R.: I'm specialized in Shopify today. I really know the platform inside out as well as the third-party apps to use to perform. But I sometimes work on Elementor and WordPress (the WooCommerce plugin). I'll be training on PrestaShop soon to meet demand.
Codeur.com: You've been on Codeur.com for over four years — how did you discover the platform and why did you choose it?
David R.: I found Codeur.com while searching for the best online freelance platform. What I like about the site is that, unlike other platforms, there's no algorithm that overly affects a profile's visibility.
It's really the message you send to the client that can make the difference. When I won my first contract, I had no reviews. Zero portfolio too. But I got my first client on Codeur.com!
Codeur.com: Do you remember that first project?
David R.: Yes, I remember it very well! My first client was someone who wanted to set up a dropshipping project. I built the site for a negligible sum. The goal was really to land that first project!
The projects that followed went very well. I've been lucky to always have very good clients.
Codeur.com: Are you able to retain the clients you get through the platform?
David R.: Yes, absolutely. At first, projects were mostly one-offs. Over time, I learned to retain clients with annual follow-ups or longer-term marketing services.
Codeur.com: You told me before the interview that you were abroad. Do you work as a digital nomad?
David R.: (laughs) Yes, even though I don’t really like the term “digital nomad.” But yes, I work both in France and abroad. At the moment, I am indeed abroad in northern India. I had already traveled to this country during my studies and I have contacts there.
Codeur.com: Do you have an anecdote about a project to share with us?
David R.: Yes, I remember a client for whom I had created a website. He was very happy at delivery. But a week after the launch, the client came back to me, surprised that he wasn’t making much money yet. He very modestly wanted to become a millionaire without doing anything. He was just waiting for something to happen or for a sale to occur. He didn’t understand that the website itself is certainly very important, but it is only a tool and e-commerce takes time to get off the ground, requires constant marketing work and sometimes advertising investments.
Even if it may seem obvious, I now make sure to clearly explain to my clients the work involved in managing an e-commerce site.
Codeur.com: Now let’s move on to the Codeur Awards! How did you receive the news of your nomination?
David R.: I was very happy. I was at a restaurant with a friend here in India. Same for the announcement of the win! I called my mom and my family to tell them. I also told my group of friends.
It means a lot! Sometimes, when you work for yourself, people don’t really understand what you do. When a trusted organization like Codeur.com highlights our work, it gives credibility to this professional project — it’s really cool. I was truly very happy.
Codeur.com: Do you work alone, 100% independently? Or do you sometimes rely on other providers?
David R.: Most of the people around me and my friends sometimes find it hard to understand, because they like going to the office and seeing their colleagues. For me it’s the opposite. I love having the luxury and freedom to manage my time and work alone, because I find that’s when I’m most effective.
But when I have projects that go beyond my skills, I sometimes suggest the project to a friend who specializes in a particular area. So I work alone, but I can sometimes delegate certain tasks. I always make sure to find solutions to satisfy my clients.
Codeur.com: For our readers who might have e-commerce projects, are you available to take on projects?
David R.: Yes, of course. I’m available to build e-commerce sites on Shopify. I can work with any Shopify theme. I will soon be operational on PrestaShop. I can also run Google Ads campaigns so my clients gain visibility on search engines more quickly, as well as social media advertising.
Codeur.com: Thank you David for sharing your experience. To finish, do you have a final word to share with our audience?
David R.: For those who want to get into the web industry, the first piece of advice I can give is to establish basic credibility. Maybe win clients with less ambitious quotes at first. It’s also important to be available for your clients. But the showcase — creating a portfolio — is really the essential step to get started!
The second piece of advice would be to truly listen to the client. Be honest and transparent in your communication to build a relationship of trust. When there is trust, things become immediately smoother, simpler, and healthier — whether from the client’s side or mine (as the provider). If I don’t trust my client or I don’t like their communication, it’s very simple for me: I won’t collaborate. No matter the financial stakes. Fortunately, that’s very rare (laughs). I’m lucky to have great, very human clients in every collaboration.
Build an e-commerce site with David
If you have an e-commerce website project, you can contact David by posting a project directly on his Codeur.com profile.
He will then be notified and can send you a quote to create or redesign your e-commerce site.
