About Pursuing Our Passion
The date: July 13, 2009.
The setting: downtown Chicago.
The apparel: a pencil skirt and a respectable pair of Ann Taylor dress pants (can you tell who was a former fashion major and who specializes in wearing old jeans?).
Our journey started as interns on a warm, sticky, humid Chicago summer day at “the Agency.” Eight weeks later, we were thrilled to be hired on as Assistant Account Executives, amidst a tumultuous economy with poor job security. Seven months later, after much deliberation, research and a bit of courage, we took the ultimate leap, leaving a well-respected company and stable, corporate ladder jobs to venture out into the scary and exciting world of entrepreneurs.
Now, we’re the boss.
What a thrilling, positively terrifying concept!
We don’t claim to be experts and we never will, but Pursuing Our Passion was created as a way to document our journey into becoming small business owners — and we’ll be sure to note every triumph and setback along the way. Through it all, we hope to hear and talk to others who are in our shoes, the hopeful and the already successful entrepreneurs who have thrown caution to the wind, leaving the 9-to-5 to start a business they love.
According to an article from Mashable, “Gen-Y is eager to change the way business is done and they want to do it now.” What sets them apart from other entrepreneurs is their belief that social media is no longer optional.
Follow our journey from junior account executives at one of Ad Age’s Top 10 PR Agencies of the Decade to full-fledged entrepreneurs who help small businesses execute social media strategies — a job that we love waking up for in the morning!
I love the concept of Pursuing Our Passion, I think your ideas will be so successful! Good luck girls, and thank you for creating this blog. It’s defiantly inspiration!
Thanks, Mae! We appreciate your support!
AWESOME! I love the idea behind this and I love that you two are taking a huge leap of faith and doing something because you know in your heart it is right.
My complete support and admiration to the both of you!
You rock, Lauren! So excited to share this journey with amazing people like you.
I’m sooooo happy for you two!!!
I’m eager to follow your dream!!
YAY!!
Thanks, Nic! We’re eager as well!
So exciting! Congrats, guys!
Thanks, Gena! Looking forward to chatting more about it in APRIL!
What an awesome journey you are both taking! I am so excited for you and wish you the best of luck. Thanks for the inspiration and for the Barbara J. Winters introduction. I picked up her book this morning!
Thank you so very much! We were delighted to read that you picked up Barbara J. Winter’s book. Definitely let us know what you think!
You go girls! I can’t wait to see where this new life adventure takes you. Supporting you all the way!
Aw, thanks Kristie! We truly appreciate your support! YOU go girl
Hi! I’m new to your website. I found this blog through EatingBender.com
I think starting your own business is incredible!! There’s nothing more rewarding!
I’m excited to follow your journey!
Thanks, Estela! Looking forward to chatting with you more. We appreciate the support!
I know the feeling…I left full time, gainful employment back in September 2009 to pursue a freelance writing business and to focus on my novels. So far so good!! Good lucks girls, I know you’ll do well.
http://www.jschancellor.wordpress.com
(I’ve blogged about the ups and downs since that decision)
Congrats on your decision! Best of luck to you as well. As I (Jenn) hope to write a novel of my own someday, I can’t wait to follow you on your path!
As a small business owner who held her breath and jumped right in just 5 months ago, I have to say congrats! It is scary but exciting all at once. Long live women and their ability to take over the world
Thanks, Yanira! We completely agree with everything you said
I think it’s so awesome you’re doing this. Are you planning on expanding your employee-base? How are you working your office (from home?)
Thanks!
Katherine
whataboutsummer.wordpress.com
Thanks, Katherine! We have done a lot of thinking about how/when we would hire employees. It was one thing we considered heavily when deciding whether we wanted to become an S-Corp or an LLC. Right now, we would love to grow to the point where we can hire employees to help manage particular clients. At this time, we don’t plan to expand to other cities, but you never know! As for our working space, we are currently working out of our homes – but may eventually move to an office space of our own. In the meantime, we do a lot of work from coffee shops and the library when we want to get out of the house. Great questions, thanks for inquiring!
Congrats to both of you for following your passion. I am a female business owner myself so it is great to see other women taking the leap.
http://www.mollycoddle.com
parismarket.typepad
Here’s a little message from your future, Girls:
{Everything turned out perfectly!}
Jerianne Austin
the gottalottaheart card company
Aw, thank you, Jerianne! We appreciate that.