Comments on: “successful” http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/ "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:46:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Derek http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/#comment-3138 Derek Thu, 23 Dec 2004 11:47:30 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1089#comment-3138 Leading an interesting life is not always easy, and the occasional close call is to be expected. But then, who wants to live a boring life? Leading an interesting life is not always easy, and the occasional close call is to be expected.
But then, who wants to live a boring life?

]]> By: Martino Mingione http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/#comment-3137 Martino Mingione Wed, 22 Dec 2004 04:02:19 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1089#comment-3137 I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about a woman from England who started designing eCards and now has an unintentionally thriving $1.7M business from her loyal fans. I suspect that your business card art is much better and more poignant. I bring it to your attention not because your work and hers is similar. Rather, maybe there is a parallel business plan in there somewhere for you! From the WSJ: The e-card had been forwarded over and over, and each person replying to Ms. Lawson wanted to know the same thing: Got any more cards? Today, 61-year-old Ms. Lawson occupies a coveted niche in the electronic-commerce world: a profitable, subscription-based Web site where she sells her highly-stylized e-cards without a blip of advertising. Revenue comes solely from 300,000 members -- 81% of whom are based in the U.S. and pay $8 a year. Her sales last year totaled about $1.7 million; by year end, sales are expected to jump to as much as $5 million with her typical holiday surge in new subscribers. Although her small inventory (fewer than 50 cards) frustrates some subscribers, the curious popularity of www.jacquielawson.com has put it on the radar of industry-watchers. I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about a woman from England who started designing eCards and now has an unintentionally thriving $1.7M business from her loyal fans. I suspect that your business card art is much better and more poignant.
I bring it to your attention not because your work and hers is similar. Rather, maybe there is a parallel business plan in there somewhere for you!
From the WSJ:
The e-card had been forwarded over and over, and each person replying to Ms. Lawson wanted to know the same thing: Got any more cards?
Today, 61-year-old Ms. Lawson occupies a coveted niche in the electronic-commerce world: a profitable, subscription-based Web site where she sells her highly-stylized e-cards without a blip of advertising. Revenue comes solely from 300,000 members — 81% of whom are based in the U.S. and pay $8 a year. Her sales last year totaled about $1.7 million; by year end, sales are expected to jump to as much as $5 million with her typical holiday surge in new subscribers.
Although her small inventory (fewer than 50 cards) frustrates some subscribers, the curious popularity of http://www.jacquielawson.com has put it on the radar of industry-watchers.

]]> By: jeff z http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/#comment-3136 jeff z Wed, 22 Dec 2004 02:00:57 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1089#comment-3136 If you've been making a living with your talent and creativity directly, you're very successful. I've never been able to break thru and just do that so far, and I'm 39. I've been stuck in the "work for someone else" thing, using a fraction of my talents indirectly, for a long time. Still working on breaking out... crossing my fingers (and socking cash in the bank in the meantime, a new luxury for me)! You're doing great, Hugh. People are listening to you, appreciating what you say and being inspired by it - myself included. Be pleased with yourself! Heh, but not TOO pleased... ;) If you’ve been making a living with your talent and creativity directly, you’re very successful. I’ve never been able to break thru and just do that so far, and I’m 39. I’ve been stuck in the “work for someone else” thing, using a fraction of my talents indirectly, for a long time. Still working on breaking out… crossing my fingers (and socking cash in the bank in the meantime, a new luxury for me)!
You’re doing great, Hugh. People are listening to you, appreciating what you say and being inspired by it – myself included. Be pleased with yourself! Heh, but not TOO pleased… ;)

]]> By: ForwardMarkets http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/#comment-3139 ForwardMarkets Tue, 21 Dec 2004 23:25:36 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1089#comment-3139 <strong>The Purpose Driven Life</strong> I was reading O'Reilly Show trasncripts and came across one where Bill is talking to the author of The Purpose Driven Life

I was reading O’Reilly Show trasncripts and came across one where Bill is talking to the author of

]]> By: Jon Husband http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/#comment-3135 Jon Husband Tue, 21 Dec 2004 21:46:51 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1089#comment-3135 doh. doh.

]]> By: Andreas http://gapingvoid.com/2004/12/21/successful/#comment-3134 Andreas Tue, 21 Dec 2004 20:55:01 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1089#comment-3134 You know, I was having a little bout of depression myself a couple of days back. The company is doing well, and is actually making a modest profit just six months after being launched, but I need to make more cash to be able to survive. I will probably need to take a CD gig again. Which annoyed me no end for a while. Then I went for a walk in the snow and when I came back my mood was lighter. Like you, I am doing exactly what I want to do. My talent supports me, I've worked for some world class clients and did some work I am proud of. I've worked all over the world, I got a wife I couldn't be happier with and things really are groovy, everything considered. So yes, I am too counting my blessings after all. Merry Christmas everybody. You know, I was having a little bout of depression myself a couple of days back. The company is doing well, and is actually making a modest profit just six months after being launched, but I need to make more cash to be able to survive. I will probably need to take a CD gig again. Which annoyed me no end for a while.
Then I went for a walk in the snow and when I came back my mood was lighter. Like you, I am doing exactly what I want to do. My talent supports me, I’ve worked for some world class clients and did some work I am proud of. I’ve worked all over the world, I got a wife I couldn’t be happier with and things really are groovy, everything considered.
So yes, I am too counting my blessings after all. Merry Christmas everybody.

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