“I needed something that I can do that makes us money while we’re traveling. And this just seemed like an amazing opportunity.”
Bethany lives in Meeteetse, Wyoming – a town of just 300 people, miles away from the nearest grocery store. But even in such a remote place, she’s building a skillset that’s opening the door to global possibilities.
Bethany owns a massage and yoga studio, which was forced to close during the COVID lockdowns. That’s when she found a state-sponsored scholarship to study high-demand skills through her local community college. She chose web design and development.
“I already had my bachelor’s degree, so it was a certificate program. I did that so I could learn how to take care of my own business website.”
While the course helped her learn the basics – WordPress.com, HTML, and CSS – it wasn’t until she joined WP Rockstar through a scholarship with our partner, Wyoming Women’s Business Center that she started feeling confident applying those skills in real-world situations.
When Bethany started feeling the physical strain of hands-on work, she turned to digital skills to build something more sustainable.
Her goal is a business she can run while traveling.
“Massage can be a long-term thing, but people get injured. I do feel it sometimes in my elbow. So I’ve got to think long-term.”
Bethany may not have launched her business just yet, but the ripple effects of her journey are already reaching others. When the town hall in her tiny Wyoming community wanted to help local high school students learn about web design, they asked Bethany to mentor the project.
“I’m not even all the way through the program, but they trusted me to guide the students. It reminded me that what we’re learning here has real impact – even in a town of 300 people.”
Bethany’s willingness to show up, share what she knows, and keep learning out loud is already inspiring others.
In Meeteetse, where neighbors rely on one another for things as basic as grocery runs, Bethany sees tech as a way to contribute, support others, and show what’s possible.
“One of the ladies that works at our town hall got a hold of me. They’re doing a program with the high schoolers to update the town website, and she asked me to come help them that day.”
Growing up in a rural area, Bethany believed that the only “real” careers required advanced degrees, such as lawyers and doctors, and big-city access. But WP Rockstar and the GeekPack community around it – opened her eyes to more possibilities.
“I saw this woman in Barbados doing amazing work in the program, and I thought – wow. That’s possible? It really shifted something for me. I want other rural women to see that there’s more out there than just the traditional paths.”
She’s not rushing the process. With international travel on the calendar and a thriving massage business still running, Bethany is taking things one step at a time. But she’s already making (and feeling) an impact.
“It’s not just about income – it’s about self-esteem. Feeling capable. It’s that I’m doing something. I think some of us need that, right? I’m a definite go-getter.”
And whether she’s in Wyoming or Australia, she’ll be carrying those skills with her wherever she goes.
If you also live in a small town and you’re thinking about learning digital skills, Bethany has a simple message:
Just do it.
“Even if you don’t end up using it right away, you’ll never regret having these skills. I was surprised by how much I remembered from my first course, even years later. And WP Rockstar isn’t just about WordPress – it’s about building confidence, learning business strategy, and connecting with a group of women who truly support each other.”
It’s not about becoming a tech expert overnight. It’s about taking small, steady steps toward a more flexible future and helping others see what’s possible along the way.
