Three weeks ago I did the most insane thing I've ever done. I submitted my resignation. Yesterday was my last day.
When I showed up at my new job this morning, all sorts of things were different. My office isn't nearly as fancy as my previous office, but I get to set it up however I want. All of my cool co-workers are gone. In fact, I don't have any co-workers at all. For the first time in over five years I didn't take the bus to work. I walked. And my boss? I'm still undecided about him. He's pretty mad at me for showing up five minutes late this morning. And really, what excuse do I have for being late when my office is in my basement?
That's right, today I joined the ranks of the self-employed. It's a move I've been thinking about for a long time, and seriously considering for almost a year. About a month ago the stars aligned just right, so I said, "What the hell?" It's a big move, and one I haven't taken lightly. I couldn't be more excited.
I will be working on many different projects for many different people. Part of my time will be dedicated to working with NetRaising, a web services company out of Portland, Oregon, that provides "web design, web development, web hosting and web consulting for nonprofits, education, and business." (That's me down at the bottom of the consultants page.) I will be starting on my first projects for them very soon.
Most of the rest of my time will be spent working on projects for my own business, Studio625. (I'm still working on the branding, so don't bother going to the website. There's nothing there at the moment.) All of my personal projects (including Lincolnite) will be under the Studio625 umbrella. My specialty is building sites using ExpressionEngine (EE), and creating custom modules, plugins, and extensions for EE. My first major project is finishing Caloree, a full-featured calendar module for EE.
What does all of this mean for Lincolnite? Only good things. Lincolnite is now more than a hobby; it's part of my job description. In the coming months, expect many improvements to Lincolnite, including some fun additions and related projects. It also means that Lincolnite will have to start paying for itself. Yes, that means advertisements. But don't freak out on me! I know that ads done poorly can be a pain in the butt. (I run Firefox with the AdBlock extension, after all.) I want to create a win-win situation for both local advertisers and you, the users of this site. The trick is helping local businesses, organizations, and other advertisers get noticed, without being obtrusive. I think that can be done.
The boss is telling me I have spent enough time writing this, so I had better get to work on other things. Before I go, I want to thank everybody who, each in his or her own way, has given me the courage to do this.
And if you or somebody you know needs a new website, a website redesign, or any custom web development, drop me a note. I would love to help!
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Congrats. You’ll never regret. Been working for the best boss ever since 1999.
Congrats on the new job. Hope it all works out for you. If I ever need a website made I will keep you in mind.
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Day time TV is uber lame, so you should be safe.
Congrats.
Wishing you much success. Congrats!
Self-employment is awesome.
Today is Underwear Friday at Neal Obermeyer Cartoons.
Scared Neal, very scared.
Congratulations on taking the plunge! I wish you the best of luck.
Congrats and good luck!
I admire you from my cube. Best of luck!
Way to go, buddy! Good luck!
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