Together alone<\/strong><\/p>\nI\u2019m surrounded by a killer, dedicated team, a dream list of clients and partnering organizations who have made us who we are and allow us to do the things we love to do. But emotionally and operationally? Lonely feels. And why? For good reason\u2014the start-up got-up.<\/p>\n
And that, that right there, is the rub: startups are shiny and sexy. Got-up\u2019s can quickly become \u201cyesterday’s news\u201d\u2026 if they are even lucky enough to earn that seemingly unfortunate distinction.<\/p>\n
In the land before start-up
\n<\/strong>
\nI started Dc Design House Inc. before the word \u201cstart-up\u201d existed. In my past lives I was the creative director for two-tech product and service companies, which got the green lights and the boatloads of cash from funding organizations aplenty. Many parades. Lots of love.<\/p>\nI\u2019ve since seen collaborative working spaces come to life out of the rise against coffee shop loiterers, who were just trying to start something. I\u2019ve seen rental spaces follow suit to offer places where ideas could come to life.<\/p>\n
And trust me, I have seen the purse strings widen at the bright-eyed enthusiasm that comes when a brave soul steps out alone or with a few like-minded colleagues to do something new. From tech to service and beyond, with efficiency, productivity or simple social economy in our hearts, the lights are always on for the next big thing. But here\u2019s a thought: It\u2019s lonely at the top.<\/p>\n
Pressure makes diamonds<\/strong><\/p>\nProving that you actually can crush that damn stone into a diamond of some shape, via pressure and persistence \u2013\u00a0day in and night out \u2013\u00a0often comes with an empty echo.<\/p>\n
The internal kudos you pay yourself and those who depend on you can feel like the last drops in a bottle you\u2019ve worked so hard to make strong enough to drink from \u2013\u00a0and to share with many.<\/p>\n
Get over it.<\/strong><\/p>\nBy now the violins are calling in the distance from the to-be-proven, and they\u2019re saying: \u201cGet a life you pathetic and thankless loser. You did it. You made it happen. You should be happy; feel lucky! Remember?\u201d<\/p>\n
Well first off, luck is a gift you give yourself. Next? Recognize this: I\u2019m as starved to death today as I was when I opened my door on the first day of my business. I just have the newfound ability to say, via a million miracles and magic that we\u2019re still here; with lessons and hopes for the future and help to give\u2026 and to get. I\u2019m only human after all, and my beast \u2013 though a little farther down the assembly line \u2013 is still a powder keg giving off sparks.<\/p>\n
What else is new?<\/strong><\/p>\nIn addition to keeping it all<\/strong> going (and growing) while fumbling towards the illusive ecstasy we\u2019re after, one learns to get that 50-foot view on the go, where you\u2019ll also find yourself asking: what are my additional responsibilities today, to my team, clients and community? (Because even though making payroll is just as looming, it\u2019s no longer the only priority).<\/p>\nTo mentor and inspire? For sure. To curate the best team and network of like-minded individuals possible? 100 per cent. To think bigger and be better and work smarter and rock harder? Definitely. We all accept these additional challenges \u2013\u00a0it’s just the \u2018got-ups\u2019 way, after all.<\/p>\n
*cue the slow clap* <\/strong><\/p>\n*gets no clap* <\/strong><\/p>\n*am once again reminded*<\/strong><\/p>\nAs a proud got-up, there\u2019s the biggest and most important responsibility to fulfill \u2013\u00a0one that, seven years in, I might admit to falling short on from time to time. Maybe it\u2019s more of an opportunity to keep the party going, a reminder to celebrate where things are and to say: \u201cOk, maybe the floats are packed up and the punch bee\u2019z drank, but guess what? You know how to make your own goddamn punch, and you know how to lean on the recipes of those who are also still making it happen, long after the new car smell wears off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking forward\u2026 still<\/strong><\/p>\nEveryone in any relationship can agree: Seven years is itchy. The fabric is a bit worn around the edges and you can find yourself buried under the house you built from time to time \u2013 that never changes. But luckily, the brand I live started up, got-up, and walks on every day, and for that, I\u2019m thankful.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next? Well we\u2019ve got plans, for sure. What we also need to plan for, is time to celebrate where things are and where they\u2019re going. Huge love and respect to anyone who starts, but let\u2019s remember that the got-ups are the same as they ever were: hopeful, hardworking and ambitious. Maybe we\u2019re not \u2018new\u2019, but we\u2019re proven, and on many scales, there\u2019s a lot to be said for a got-up.<\/p>\n
Are you a got-up who\u2019s looking for a little renewed faith in the world? Reach out and we\u2019ll have a laugh or two.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Written By: Don-E Coady (Dc), Owners and Creative Director, Dc Design House Inc. What do you mean the party\u2019s over? Oh no, that can\u2019t be right. I\u2019m fresh AF and\u00a0brand new, baby. Well maybe not, like, \u2018out-of-the-box\u2019 new. I mean, I have been around for seven years this month. The loan I took out to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entrepreneurship","category-futurpreneurs-and-partners"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2999"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2999\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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