Hi Josh,
As someone who has built several sites, although I do it for myself and my companies, I think one of the most important aspects of creation is understanding what the needs of the customer are before beginning any design. I've seen numerous websites created at great cost for a wide range of companies, and they all look the same. Similar templates, similar content profiles and nothing to identify the customer's unique business niche.
There are a wide range of website types and I think personally that before any committment is made to a new customer that this be taken into account.
Learning the mechanics is probably one of the simpler things to do. Being creative and unique is a life long lesson.
Have a wonderful and successful day.
Cary