Start a business, Mind your own.
I decided to start a blog today.
After slowly putting together and working on my small freelance business this past year, I’m ready to take my company to the next level. I’ve also decided to document the process (obviously) through blogging for now, but I already have a couple of ideas of how this “series” might evolve. More on that later.
But first things first, who am I and what exactly does my company do anyway?
For starters, my name is Daniel Montgomery and I’m a user experience (UX) and voice user interface (VUI) designer from Louisville, Kentucky. Which is a fancy way of saying I have an obsession with how customer experiences shape the success of brands, both large and small. Oh, and I create apps for the Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices.
I have no college degree, no big agency experience, no wealthy family member to fund the company. (Not that I’m opposed to that, so if you’re out there and you know something I don’t: “Call me!”) I’m not even supposed to be here today, in another timeline or multiverse I rock stages and write rhymes.
On the other hand, however, I do work a full time regular “9 to 5” job. Pretty mundane stuff. I’m also working part-time on the weekends as a contractor at Treehouse as a moderator and project reviewer in their UX Tech Degree Program. This blog won’t focus much, if any, on that though.
What we will focus on will be my company Ally Branding Agency, a branding + digital marketing agency, and the daily struggles of building it out into a full-fledged firm that’s not to be f#cked with.
I know that’s a bold proclamation to make. I can also attest to the fact that I haven’t done anything to “prove myself” so to speak.
I know.
But I’m ready to take my lumps and let experience be the teacher. I’m ready to step into the arena, so to speak, in front of the world. And I’m ready to prove myself.
Why?
Because I have to. Because this isn’t it for me professionally. There’s another level I have to reach, and one more after that. But I’ll never know what they look like until I get my ass off the bench and into the game. Consistently.
I’m hoping that by sharing these insights and struggles that this blog will serve as motivation, inspiration, hope, comedy, and an honest look into building a business from the ground floor.
With that said, welcome to my new blog series:
Start a business, Mind your own.
It’s about 3 years and half years late but late’s better than never I suppose.
I’ll see you in the next one!
*Bonus Fact*
The title for this series comes from a line in the hook of hip-hop artist Curren$y’s song “Hold On” from his album “Pilot Talk II”
