A business resolution

Just like everyone else I too have a New Years resolution. Of course I forgot until my sister asked me the other day what it was on January 2nd while walking to a local pub for a burger and bloody mary. Obviously, not a diet, I said to her as we entered the bar. But the truth is the reason I didn't have one big January 1 resolution in mind is because I had one big 2010 resolution -- the launch of my entrepreneurial endeavor, White Space Agency. As White Space Agency launches the official relaunch from RLD to WSA the whole business has been built around a resolution. A business resolution.

It didn't happen over night however. In fact it started on a cold January day in 2009 (much like today) when my very talented friend and Brand Manager had flown in from one of her many worldly escapades to sit down with me at a local Starbucks and ask me the question, "Where do you see yourself in five years with your business?" The business currently didn't have a name it was merely a thought of launching RLD (a consultant group offering graphic design services to various clients) into an agency offering marketing and brand design. However, I knew one thing; I wanted to continue to work with hotels. Over the 5 years of RLD I had been retained by two resorts and one hotel in various states. Hotels had become my niche and I loved working with them. They needed to constantly stay on their competitive game and I enjoyed feeling like I was part of their group speaking to them more than my own family. I thought why don't I build the agency around hotel groups and their needs? Ever since that day I have been living and breathing this business launch. But it still didn't have a name.

My Brand Manager sent me home with an assignment to do some research. Being in publishing for the past 10 years she told me to go through my magazines collection (which was embarrassingly enormous) and cut out anything that speaks to me. So I went home and I did my research cutting through food, travel, fashion and business publications and writing fervently on a pad of yellow note paper words, thoughts, ideas and styles. And then I ran across an article simply titled, White Space and I knew in an instant that was the name for my company. Of course a basic graphic concept taught on day one of Graphics 1. White Space: the white area between written characters or graphic regions. Designers use whitespace to create a feeling of elegance for upscale brands and is seen all over luxury markets coupled with typography and photography. This was exactly the business I wanted to build for my clients. Because what is in their white space defines who they are.

This blog is also a resolution. I have committed to myself writing about my experience as a bootstrapping Entrepreneur who is launching a business in one of the worst economic times possible. I will share my experiences, struggles and successes with the hope that it will not only save me money in therapy sessions but hopefully trigger your thoughts about launching one of your great ideas. I love the quote by Ron Popeil that says, "I don't think we'll ever run out of ideas. There's always going to be some necessity that you never knew you needed, but you absolutely can't live without." In fact in the next five years 60% of all business will be something we have never known before. Just like blogging there is an idea out there just waiting to happen. I hope you join me on this adventure in 2010 and share some of your own stories along the way.

Until next time...