Fueled By Passion – Ink Foundry Beginnings
Ink Foundry started on a whim because I really wanted to work on a project that had come to the large publicly traded agency I was working for at the time, but the agency turned it down because the budget was just under its minimum monthly financial requirement. I was crushed.
Starting an agency or being a freelancer wasn’t even a glimmer in my mind. But I had to get my hands on that project. The minute I heard about it, I started brainstorming constantly about how I could help them. I even made my parents brainstorm ideas with me (by the way, I’ve never done that again…bad idea).
Most people thought I was insane to take such a huge risk with no plan. I would be giving up a great paying job at a well respected word of mouth marketing agency. Did I mention I had a mortgage and a Labrador Retriever with a voracious appetite for grilled organic chicken?
I informed both the potential client, Ogden Entertainment, and my agency at the time that I wanted to personally pitch the business. Both agreed. I was all by myself and pitching against some major players in the word of mouth marketing industry.
In the middle of my pitch, Jack Lindquist, the former president of Disneyland, thanked me and walked out the door. I was devastated.
Thankfully, his partner, Jim Garber, was kind enough to sit through what I imagined was the worst pitch they had ever heard. At the end, I thanked him profusely, thinking he must be the most patient, nicest man ever to sit through my presentation.
Turns out Jack had a tee time at his local golf course. And he’d made up his mind about me. They gave me the business two agonizingly long days later. And it turns out, Jim Garber is indeed one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. They still refer business to us today, more than ten years later.
Fast forward more than ten years later, I’m still hunting down business that I’m passionate about. Passion is the foundation that makes our client programs successful and gets me excited about going to work each morning. Have you ever met someone who is super successful at something they just kind of like? We haven’t.
I encourage you to follow your passion. If you need a little extra push to take a leap of faith and start a business that you’ll love, call me and I’ll be happy to help push you over the edge.
