It had been some time since we moved into our new office space at 223 S. Buchanan and it seemed that getting a sign, the right sign, was going to be a challenge. We inquired, we waited, we reviewed designs, we waited, we spoke to a new set of sign producers, we waited, we complained to friends, and yet we still waited . . . and none of this torment resulted in a sign.
Now I realize that while reading this you are probably thinking, "Wow, what's the big deal about getting a sign? It is, afterall, just a sign."
Yes, it is just a sign. But, for us, and I'm sure many other business owners, it's been about much more.
Obviously, getting a sign gains us exposure in the community and serves as a geographical landmark of our location. Simple enough. But it also brought with it an overwhelming need to be established or have all of our ducks in a row. A relatively new business with only 18 months as a partnership under our belt, we are branded and successful but until recently, not completely established.
Our website was in need of an overhaul and our new office, where we once seemed organized, suddenly made us feel disconnected. That's when we decided, it's always been about that darn sign. We didn't feel real, or 'in place" until it was at least on order. So the day came when we reached out to a local sign producer Dave Thomas and finally the end was in sight.
Soon after meeting with Dave, and a timeline was in place, we started to re-evaluate EVERYTHING. An executive coach from San Francisco who I recently met put it best . . . our systems were not in order or in need of updates. And if there is any advice I can give other business owners, it's to get your systems in order. A system is defined as relationships, processes, policies, etc. Luckily for us, our relationships are all positive and working properly. In my opinion the most important, the partnership between myself and my business partner couldn't be more solid and all of our staff come to work, exceed our expectations and work drama-free. Equally, our relationships with clients are working and couldn't be better.
What wasn't working was the flow of our office and our inability to dedicate time to us. I don't think this is all that uncommon for small businesses. Most find themselves in the growth stage operating reactively, pushing aside the many internal systems that may be established but in need of updates. Most growing businesses also struggle with the time to sit back and reevaluate operations and really plan, putting ideas and strategies on paper for them.
Not to serve as an example for all, our first order of organization came in the way we segmented our office. Having moved from a tiny office into more space than necessary, we all fanned out in seek of privacy. Well, that privacy didn't allow us to function as creatives. You can't confine yourself to a corner or nook of a building and work as an independent unit if you want a creative "system" to take hold.
So, we did what we believed was best and all moved into the lower level of our building. We can see each other, ask questions, spontaneously brainstorm and share music, laughs and lunch. So far it's working, albeit a short time in place.
I have to admit that at first I was the firmest of all believers in us each having own space. As the writer of the group, I often have to interview local business people and spend a large percentage of my day "in my head" and on the phone. That work regiment doesn't always lend itself to the loft-like atmosphere in which creatives often work. Man, was I wrong.
Secondly, we decided to dedicate blocks of time and treat Cork Tree as if it was a client. We brainstormed ideas for our website, developed a marketing strategy and outlined goals and objectives that may seem lofty now but are completely within our reach. In other words, we put on paper for ourselves what we normally do for clients. How refreshing.
Now that our website is serving all of the purposes we had in mind, our office and systems are reconfigured and that "darn" sign is up, it's time for Cork Tree Creative to enter a second 18 months in operation with a sharpened edge.
It may just be a landmark along a highway for many but to us that darn sign is a sign of many successful years to come and the start of something really great.
~L
No comments:
Post a Comment