One of the biggest changes that 2018 brought into my life was my professional development. In April I became an entrepreneur, launching my own business. This is something I’ve wanted to do for years, and it was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. It’s also been an exceptional learning experience, and I continue to learn and grow even as 2019 begins.
All Around the Mulberry Bush
The sequence of events that ultimately led to the launch of Dragonspire Media was one of near desperation. For two years, I had conducted a long and fruitless search for full-time employment. I submitted literally thousands of applications during that time, both in areas of my expertise and outside, full-time jobs and part-time, white collar and blue collar. Nothing panned out. On numerous occasions I even landed very promising interviews, making my way through each round to arrive at the decision point. And in every case, I was passed over for another applicant.
I suspect that ultimately what led to my inability to find work was threefold: 1) a spotty work history over the last 8-10 years due to my battle with depression, 2) a lack of quality references, and 3) an ever-growing gap in my work history. The longer I was unemployed, the harder it was becoming to find work. There were several different types of work I couldhave done if I had been able to perform factory work without setting off panic attacks (which I couldn’t) or been willing to relocate to a major city with a wider variety of opportunities. Neither was a viable option for me.
Taking the Bull by the Horns
My solution, then, became simple. Since work was clearly not going to bring me to it, I needed to bring the work to me. I decided to step way outside of my comfort zone and do something that absolutely terrified me. I launched Dragonspire Media as a sole proprietorship to do something I’ve always loved — web design and development. The business officially launched on April 16, and I immediately began cultivating a relationship with my county’s Chamber of Commerce. It had been quite some time since their web properties had been updated, so I began to work on bringing all their various web assets back in-house and under a single development banner. From there we began to work together to expand their web properties and presence, bringing a fresh new look to their sites and modernizing everything for the current generation.
I also began doing a lot of pavement pounding, visiting area businesses, talking to business owners, handing out business cards, and networking with other entrepreneurs here in Frankfort. Over time I developed quite a few prospective clients, a couple of which turned into actual paying clients, and Dragonspire Media began to slowly but surely develop a professional portfolio.
Looking To the Future
I have high hopes and big dreams for my company this year. Currently I have at least eight prospective clients for 2019, three of which are confirmed but awaiting either board approval to begin development projects or the start of Q2 budgets. My goal for Dragonspire is to have at least two paying clients every month with an increase to three to four active clients a month by year’s end. This includes both new clients and projects as well as ongoing maintenance with current clients.
I also have plans to take the company into mobile app development this year in order to be able to offer additional services and packages to meet the needs of small businesses. In addition I’ve been accepted into a program to start working toward an MBA starting in August with a concentration in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. It’s my goal to grow both myself and my business over the course of the next 12 months and see Dragonspire Media become not only a self-sustaining business but also a major web developer both for Indiana and abroad.
Stay tuned…
