It was the best of years, it was the worst of years. Mostly it was the best of years for this startup!

Closing out 2009 with special thanks to my clients

I launched Two Lights Consulting a little over six months ago. The economy was in the tank. The rapidly evolving media industry was in the tank.  Marketing was in the tank.  Businesses large and small were in the tank.  Pretty much everything was in the tank. Some friends said I should wait a year to start my business until things started to turn around.

I hate waiting.

I kept thinking about the old P.T. Barnum quote:  ”Without promotion, something terrible happens…nothing!”  Every business owner and marketing person knows this.  Even when the economy blows and marketing budgets are lean–let’s face it, lean is rule not the exception–the show must go on.

I decided to serve those lean-budgeted companies.

So far, it’s been the best decision of my career.  Two Lights Consulting’s brand of efficient and creative marketing and public relations services hit a sweet spot.  I love running my own public relations agency and working with my clients and their marketing teams.

Challenging?  You better believe it!  Starting up a company takes long hours, hard work, and the intestinal fortitude to wait for positive cash flow to happen.

Thankfully, my tiny PR shop is flourishing.  I’ve made a few good decisions to get the ball rolling.  I’ve kept overhead low by working from my home office.  I’ve picked the right web apps to make my work as simple as possible.  (Seriously, if your small business is not using Harvest for invoicing, start using it now!)  I’ve picked good projects.  I’ve started to diversify beyond my core outdoor industry and sports expertise.  I’m on a Mac.

Above everything, I have my amazing “charter” clients to thank for a great 2009.  Without their trust and willingness to hire me, I’d be nowhere.  I can’t wait to promote them in 2010!

Happy New Year!