Everyone has a great start-up story. Why they started their business, how it has grown, and tales of their roller-coaster ride along the way. By no means do we think we are the first of our kind. Nonetheless, sharing our story is something we hope is worth writing about.

In these ongoing posts we will be honest, candid and reflective about our journey. What worked and what didn’t. What we have learned about ourselves and what we believe is important in running our business and growing our partnership. We can only speak for ourselves and from our perspective. It is our story, the one we know best.

01 | Crimson Tide Roller-coaster

First up…post Federal Election and living in Alberta. Putting aside all political views (that’s a whole topic in itself), the week following the election I am blown away by the belief that our country is such an incredible place to live. Our wealth, freedoms, opportunities and successes are so numerous that it’s hard to not take them for granted. Our fights are between ‘better’ vs. best’ ways to grant freedom and liberty, and how to share the prosperity we are granted. That’s something I am very proud of.

That may sound overly naïve and some would say I am wearing rose coloured glasses. However, gratitude is something that my partner and I try to focus on as much as we can. Working late into the night and rising before the sun most days, sometimes makes for cranky moments. Cranky moments where it’s easy to feel like you are missing out on things, everything, anything…life in general. The perspective you lose and conveniently forget is remembering what it was like to be part zombie. The days and years you would show up at work and leave at the exact same time each day. The nagging feeling that while you liked what you did you knew you weren’t completely invested or engaged, and didn’t understand why.

The roller-coaster of us starting a business has been both dizzying and dazzling. The highs of the client contract we just earned, the emergency client meeting over branding direction, and the uncertainty of last minute opportunities that we have no idea how we will accomplish, and then there is the disappointments of the jobs we didn’t get. Still, each day it is a thrilling ride into the unknown.

What makes it all worthwhile in my mind is doing it with my best friend and also husband. I know it sounds cliché, but when I am down he’s the pick-me-up needed to bust me through the cloudy day. And, when he’s frustrated by a stubborn coding problem that seems impossible, I try to be the push that helps get him over the hill. (I apologize for the cheesy, high calorie content of these statements, but it’s true).

This month, November 18, we are speaking at the Chamber of Commerce. We will be gathering unusual and helpful tips on social media development. Wish us luck!