(what) To Be or Not To Be... that is the question.

Besides when I was a kid with a lawnmower, I've only been self-employed 1 other time. I started a graphic design company with a partner at first and then later bought him out when he needed to relocate. I had the company for about 3 years until desire gave way to need and I took a design position with a clothing catalog company.

Having my own company taught me many things - mostly from the "how to run a business" administrative side - payables, receivables, filing taxes, business licenses, how to incorporate, etc. During that time, I also learned the computer side of my design craft. I was an Illustrator with a self-proclaimed keen eye for design, but until then I hadn't really been computer trained. Krow, Inc. not only gave me my present day moniker and persona, but a solid foundation on which I've built over the years.

The catalog company taught me several invaluable lessons. The first was how to work as part of a team and how to work within a process. The job was very regimented in its processes and showed me the importance of paying attention to the details - every minute, fine detail. I am genetically anal-retentive and obsessive-compulsive anyway and this just further nurtured that nature. I also grew my knowledge of printing - sheetfed, large web presses, inks, papers, etc. but after 3 years, I was ready to move on.

I took a job with an advertising agency thinking that the diversity of many clients and different creative projects would restimulate my brain after the monotony of the catalog business. This turned out to be true. Expanding my creative portfolio to include more print advertising, brochures, billboards, identity packages, etc. But here is where I met 3 important people in my life.

The first and most important was my wife, Gina. She was the VP of Finance at the agency and likes to say that I fell in love with her because she was intrumental in getting a raise at one point - while that helped us first interact, it was only the catalyst to getting to know all of her qualities that really made me fall in love with her.

The next was someone I considered to be a creative mentor. He taught me how to not only be the one who executes (designer) but how to to be a Creative Director. He taught me how to formulate the ideas - how to think - and not just self indulgent creative but something truly beneficial for the client... good advertising.

The last is my current boss. I brought on his software company to the agency as a client and later he brought me on as his VP of Marketing and am now in charge of sales and marketing.
He's helped me broaden my business acumen. In addition to being very business saavy, he's knowledgeable in marketing and sales, while at the same having a solid background in the technical foundation of our company. I've learned quite a lot about business management
from him and continue to still.

I hope to someday soon venture again into entrepreneurship and leverage the knowledge I've been gleaning from everyone. I'll be happy if I can parlay it into similar success. I'll keep you posted.