Last year I took the big step into the great unknown , and started my own business. What a crazy year to start a business! What a lot to learn, too.

I had this little fantasy that I could hire someone to make a website for me, and it would be done. I could design and sew my bras, without worry. Well, that didn’t quite happen, and the website became a great big volcano that stood between me and my success. Every day I got up and the first thing I thought about was the unfinished website, and it was the last thing I thought about . It kept me awake at night. The website designer and I started out with a good relationship, it slowly slid downhill. The website was going nowhere.
Then one day an email arrived in my inbox. It was from Kitestring Marketing. Enter our contest it said. Win $15,000 of our marketing services if you have the best sad marketing story. I entered. I only had 200 words to tell my story. Now, let me tell you that was tough! I was out about $2000 and my friends had been pushing me to “get tough” with the web designer. I am not tough, and I felt like an idiot for not being able to resolve the situation, so finally I had an outlet, but only 200 words. Arggggh! Still, I got shortlisted , as one of the top ten sad stories, and then it went to the public vote – just like Canadian Idol. That was exciting! Friends from everywhere jumped in to vote. Facebook was a godsend. Friends called their friends. It was too exciting – now I wasn’t sleeping because I was so wound up about the possibility of winning the contest.

So, you know the outcome…I won the contest! Isn’t this website just the best? Jenn, Chris, Meg, and Brandon, spent time interviewing me, learning about my business, my values, what excites me about my business.
The process was really interesting – it made me think a lot about what I was all about, and what I wanted my business to look like. They asked me some very strange questions, and I wondered what on earth the answers were telling them.

The great part was that other than talk about my vision of my business, I didn’t have to do anything! My original fantasy was reality. While I was designing and sewing bras for my clients, Kitestring was designing my website and my logo, and my card. It was so easy! I think that it how it is supposed to work. The experts do their work, so you can do your work.

What I took away from this experience is that you need to interview your marketing people. If they aren’t interested in interviewing you and finding out what makes your business unique, move on. Find out how much input you are expected to have. If you want to do a lot , or a little, make sure that gets stated up front. I think there are a lot of website horror stories out there, so if I can save even just one person a whole world of hurt , just call Kitestring Marketing , you will be glad you did!

Sure, I am a little biased. But who wouldn’t be? I have a beautiful website. When I hand out my business cards, people are delighted by them, myself included. They run terrific, imaginative seminars – watch out- last week I learned how to Tweet! They are fun, delightful people with incredible ideas. My lemon turned into Lemonade, just like that! I am so lucky!

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