Open for Business
I’m pleased to announce that as of January 2007, I’m taking the plunge into full-time solo work. Ordered List is becoming the face for my new business, and I couldn’t be more excited.
So what’s happened since the last time I brought up this subject? Well, to start, nearly a full year has past, and that’s a lot of time to change somebody’s opinion. But I think the most important answer to that question is “I have.” I’ve grown in so many ways, personally and professionally, in the last 12 months.
The birth of my son, and all the chaos surrounding that situation, has taught me that it’s so important to take everything as it comes. Plans are important, but if you can’t throw them out and adapt when they change, you’re in for way too much stress in your life.
I also had the opportunity in March to attend South by South West in Austin, and it really opened my eyes to how open and engaging the web-professional community can be. I met so many great people there, many of which I would now consider real friends. They are supportive and receiving, something you don’t find too often amongst people in the same industry.
Taking these things into consideration, along with a knowledge of how much potential the web contains from a business perspective, has made this life-changing decision a little easier. Sure I’m still a little nervous, but I hope as a business owner that I never lose that sense of urgency. The doors are open. If you or someone you know needs some qualified web help, contact me and let me know.
Here’s to a great New Year.
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Published January 04, 2007 by:
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So far there are 33 comments.
Congrats, Steve! Good luck to you – I’m sure things will work out well for you, and wish you all the best!
January 4th, 2007
Congrats, and good luck. It’s a good move. More and more professionals are going solo. It’s hard to find a firm that can keep good people anymore because they can do it on their own (and they should if it does well for them!)
With your obvious skill, I don’t think you’ll have much difficulty on the road ahead.
January 4th, 2007
I wish you all the very best Steve. Your Wordpress plugins have always been of the very highest standard – the latest release of the Tiger Admin plugin is a thing of wonder – and I have no doubt that you’ll have the success you deserve.
Good luck.
January 4th, 2007
Good luck to you!
January 4th, 2007
Fantastic news! I wish you well in your new adventure, may luck bring you good fortune!
January 4th, 2007
woohoo!! Congrats on the plunge Steve! Great way to start off 2007 and I’m sure by the end of it you’ll be sitting pretty.
January 4th, 2007
Congratulations! And good luck on your new business!
January 4th, 2007
Congratulations Steve! I wish I had the guts to do the same.
January 4th, 2007
Good luck! I hope to do the same one day.
January 4th, 2007
Wow, that’s great Steve, congrats and all the best for 2007!
January 4th, 2007
Congrats Steve and I wish you all the best. I’m just now trying to fase out a lot of my freelance work as I take on more of my career, so if I have any that I need to pass off I’ll definetly send it your way.
Cheers,
Joshua
January 4th, 2007
Great to hear Steve. You’ve always impressed me with your talents and to utilize the abilities you possess on your own, well, more power to you and your decision.
Now, does this mean when you’re out of the office you can officially put up a ‘Gone Fishin’ or similiar sign?
January 4th, 2007
Dude, that’s great! Best of luck! Looking forward to a great 2007 for ya!
January 4th, 2007
Wicked awesome, man. Welcome to the land of freelance. Best of luck!
January 4th, 2007
Congratulations Steve… I made the same one this past year for very similar reasons and haven’t looked back and love the hell out of it.
January 4th, 2007
Congratulations on everything! I am almost tempted to get you to do some design work for me… Your site here is just on another level. Keep up the great work, and I hope you get as many clients as you deserve!
January 4th, 2007
Best of luck. I am sure you’ll do well.
January 5th, 2007
Steve
I very much like your work and this blog but have a difficult time understanding you. You were at Notre Dame. Then went solo. Then went back to work at Notre Dame right before your child was born. Now after a few months are going back solo.
It’s sounds to me that you were pimping the ND health care plan.
What gives, and why switch back-and-forth so much.
In case it matters, I’ll provide some links from your blog.
Starting work at Notre Dame – Aug 2004 Leaving Solo – Feb. 2006 Global health crisis concerns post – Sept. 2006 Leaving Notre Dame – Jan. 2007
January 5th, 2007
Thanks everyone for your kind words. It’s a very fun and interesting time in my life.
Ted: To clarify, I never left Notre Dame there in the middle. I started there September 2004, and also did a little freelance work on the side. February 2006 I decided to stop doing outside freelance work, both to concentrate on my day job, and to give my family a little more of my free time. I have now made the decision to go full time with freelance consulting, design, and development, and leave Notre Dame.
Not that it’s any of your concern, but during my wife’s pregnancy, and continuing now that my son has been born, we are using the health care plan provided by my wifes job. No pimping here. Make sense?
January 5th, 2007
Congrats Steve. It can be a bit of a whirlwind for sure, but there’s something to be said for being in charge of and having a certain level of control over your work life.
The key is to find the right balance and know how to “leave the office for the day”. That one can be tough as I’m sure guys like Derek, Mike and Jon Snook can also attest to.
January 5th, 2007
Congratulations on your decision. Best of luck to you!
January 5th, 2007
Congrats, Steve. No doubt in my mind that you will be successful. I hope to be able to do the same some day.
January 6th, 2007
Great, another freelancer to compete against! j/k. Best of luck to you, I know you’ll do great!
January 7th, 2007
Congrats on the jump Steve. I might be doing the same (again) in the near future.
January 7th, 2007
Out of personal interest, what are your lead offerings going to be? Do you plan to focus on any key areas of the industry/technology or are you going full-service?
January 7th, 2007
Congratulations on making this step. I’ve no doubt that with your talents you’ll do very well for yourself and your family. I look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with next :)
January 7th, 2007
Hello,
I am 16, almost 17 and am a new reader to your blog. And I hope to read many more article/blog entries on your awesome site! I believe I posted a long time back, but didn’t have a website or anything. But, commented on Flickr pictures of your baby son, Jackson. And I believe here, also. And.. have came back to see what has been going on in life! And hope that you will visit my webpage and read my articles. Although I am a “n00b” to blogging, I am told I am a very good writer, thinker and have a creative and expressive mind.
Brandon
January 8th, 2007
That is so wonderful. I hope you do well.
January 9th, 2007
Wish you all the best! Can i download your WP themes? I Like it so much!
January 9th, 2007
Congrats on the new baby and on the launch of your exciting new venture. I just installed your Feedburner plugin, it’s great, thanks a lot!
January 10th, 2007
I read Mezzoblue and your blog at a somewhat regular basis and relay enjoy your writing. I hope you do well and that you post some of your work, fixes and hacks for the rest of us to learn from and discuss :-)
January 10th, 2007
Congrats! Be sure to keep us posted; it would be great to hear the pros and cons you encounter while venturing on your own (hopefully more pros!).
January 10th, 2007
RockandROLLL!!! Congratulations and all that rot! So excited for you! We’d like to know more about Mephisto, keep up the posts!
January 17th, 2007