To the Little Big Dreamer,
I remember a time, as a little girl, I would ask for a camera every holiday. But before that I would dream and scheme about how to sell anything and everything. I mean, really and truly, there was a time I tried to sell the literal rocks out of the driveway. I often tried to imagine what life would be like when I had a business as big as I have now.
Things started to feel a little more tangible for me once I hit my teens. In the beginning I originally thought that once I proclaimed myself a "photography and design business" the clients would come pouring in. Haha, don't laugh, I was a fourteen year old with big dreams! What I imagined did not come to fruition (shocking). In reality the "pouring" was more like a super slow "trickle"...a trickle over several months. I don't pretend BRIMdesign is huge or outrageously successful but it is successful and that's what the hard work was for. My first clients were my siblings (true story) and now I have been able to serve literal hundreds of people. January 2017 marks the 10 Year anniversary from when I started BRIMdesign...and here is what I learned.
Making a dream come true takes hard work. It takes a lot of patience, a lot of courage, and an abundance of grace.
There were times when I would be passionate about designing something for a business and I would get rejected. There were times when I took someones photos and they simple weren't the greatest. There were times when I'd bid work on a job and the client would choose the other guys. But through those not-so-pleasant times, I learned how serious I was about my dreams. I learned that my work isn't going to appeal to everyone but I can do my very best at all of it, I learned that I could take a hit and keep on moving.
In contrast to the not-so-lovely days, there are some pretty spectacular ones. Days when I capture that client I've really been wanting. Days when we get 5 new website requests in one week. Days when I am simply doing what I love.
I literally started my business with a compact camera, an old Toshiba, gimp (for those of you freeware geeks), and a little dream I had since childhood. No formal or professional education in design or photography, just tons of hours of self teaching and super inspirational parents. By the time I got to all those things, I had already been blessed with years of experience.
So if there is a "big little dreamer" sitting out there as a young person (or not so young) with big dreams...don't give up. Your dreams can really come true.
It just takes a lot of work, a lot of courage and an abundance of grace. Believe Bigger than now my friend, because dreams do come true!