By Lauren Hong

Truth: Building a business is hard...

…to say the least. It’s exhilarating. It’s tumultuous. It can feel like time is rushing by, and it can feel like time is crawling. There are highs, and there are lows. But here’s another truth: It’s so very worth it.

My business, Out & About Communications, celebrates its third anniversary this year. Over those three years, I’ve grown from solo, freelance graphic designer to the leader of a full-service marketing firm with a team of more than 15 amazingly talented people and a roster of incredible clients.

Am I proud? Absolutely. Am I grateful? Even more so. But the thing I feel the most is the need to share - the triumphs, the lessons learned, and what three years of growth really looks like - so you can benefit from them in your own journey. Here goes nothing...

1. Focus on what gets you up in the morning

I like to say that Out & About was born by accident. With a background in graphic design and in the midst of a job transition, I took on some design work as a freelancer. I was handed that first cheque and I knew a door was opening to a new chapter. But before I pursued more clients, I rewound to think about what really gets me out of bed in the morning, and how I could continue that fire around the clock.

In the three years since that day, it’s been a whole lot of racking and stacking what’s important, zeroing in on that which lights my team members and I up and taking baby steps to make it all a reality. It takes time, but when you’re lit up by your work, that time feels more like a sunny ride on a coastal highway than a trudge up a muddy hill.

2. Get comfortable with risk

Starting out, I didn’t have a portfolio. I didn’t have a client list. What I did have was a voice inside my ear asking, “How am I going to grow this business?”

As a service provider, sometimes big wins require big risks. I could see where I wanted to go, and it felt like a mountain to climb. But getting comfortable with the risk meant knowing that I was fully committed to this business and trusting that the universe would step in and do its part so long as I was. Gradually, through the support of referrals, identifying great talent, and small wins that dispelled some of the fear, the rewards started to outweigh the risks.

That’s not to say that I don’t still feel the roller coaster - you’ll always feel the roller coaster - but you have to be open to the risk, first.

3. Lean into your community

Part of taking risks means putting yourself out there. Business comes down to relationships, and relationship building requires leaning into your physical and virtual communities. When I landed in San Diego, I knew I wanted to dig into this community.

For me, that looks like meeting once per month with a local group of women entrepreneurs to run ideas by each other. It looks like hosting an event at a local restaurant. It looks like teaming up with a local charity to pay it forward.

I’ve been so grateful for the respect I’ve received from my local and virtual communities, but without leaning into that, I could not have developed the relationships I’ve been so fortunate to have built.

As a business owner, surrounding yourself with the people you want to be around will make the entire journey a different story.

4. Find people willing to take risks alongside you

Having a team has changed everything. The power of having other people in your wheelhouse, whether via official partnerships, team members, or masterminds, is having the input of different experiences and expertise. It’s empowering, and while building a full-fledged team might not be for you, everyone does need people willing to take risks alongside them in their journey.

5. Always listen

At the end of the day, it’s about putting people first. Whether you’re managing a team, a client roster, or a customer base, being able to put them first requires listening - to the spoken and the unspoken.

You can’t hear what you don’t listen to. Don’t forget to open your ears and eyes to what’s going on around you so you can better yourself and your ability to serve others.

6. Garner and give respect

A big part of running a business and/or a team is treating your clients, customers, and team members with the utmost respect.

I love using this analogy: Picture a bunch of boats sitting in a pond that’s empty. That’s my team at O&A and our clients. As a leader, I’m trying to raise the water for everyone. I can’t do that without respecting their patience and their talent. The synergy that comes from mutual respect is what’s required to keep everyone floating in the right direction. Remember: your clients, your customers, and your team members are in this journey with you. Mutual respect will lift everyone higher.

7. Be the common thread

Business is all about relationships. (If I sound repetitive, that’s on purpose). Building relationships as a business owner requires awareness of individual’s passions and joy, then connecting them with other people they can teach and learn from.

A few key thoughts: Don’t overpromise. Do what you say you’re going to do. Reach out and be thoughtful. Focus on connecting people. Give in a way that you would hope people would give to you.

Business can’t happen in a silo. Be the leader who breaks down the barriers.

8. Place your trust in others

When I started Out & About, graphic design was my foot in the door, but I knew it was a means to an end for me. In order to grow the organization I had been dreaming of, it required placing an incredible amount of trust in other people, their talents, and their reliability.

Finding top-notch talent and passion is half the battle. The other half is giving them the creative freedom and the resources they need to accomplish the job. With trust comes empowerment, and in empowering your team and those around you, you ultimately extend your reach higher than you ever could alone.

9. Be your own cheerleader

Business savvy and skills can only get you so far. What so many people fail to mention is the mental strength required to be an entrepreneur.

A company gives you structures and security, and a built-in team of cheerleaders invested in your success. But when you begin your own journey, you are your most loyal cheerleader. When you get an email from a client that’s trying to take advantage of you or feedback from an unhappy customer, it’s up to you to be resilient and take thoughtful action. Training your mind for happiness and success is a pillar of entrepreneurship that is incredibly important in getting from A to Z.

10. You are the sum of your strengths

Speaking of mental strength, please know this: Strength is cumulative. I love keeping this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt on hand: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really look fear in the face.”

Whether it’s making an uncomfortable ask, challenging the status quo, launching your first product, or pitching a new client - the little steps you take to overcome your fears grow into a deeper and deeper pool of courage you can continue drawing from as time goes on. Suddenly, the little things that previously seemed scary won’t be so daunting anymore, and those big, scary things? You’re a little closer. The little risk and fears you conquer give you an aggregate strength.

11. It’s okay to say no

Know this: There are going to be people who aren’t right for your company. Not the perfect client. Or the perfect team member. You have to know where your line in the sand lies and put up boundaries for yourself and your business before others do it for you.

“No” can feel like a closing a door; like a harsh rejection; like a deep sense of regret waiting to happen. But in saying no, can you create the space to truly be fair to your clients, your team, and yourself.

12. Work/life balance is a myth

I’m probably going to say what most don’t want to hear: I don’t believe in work/life balance. When you’re an entrepreneur, you own it. It’s hard to turn off or keep to a 9-5, especially in the first few years.

For me, it’s more about taking the time to refuel myself when I need it most - typically in the middle of the work day. I like to schedule in walks, errands, lunches, and other mental breaks that give my mind a breather and create day-to-day balance.

Finding that perfect blend of work and life isn’t easy, but it requires being honest about the breaks that you need, no matter how much you love your work and want to see it succeed.

13. Practice gratitude

As an entrepreneur, you’re going to trip over your own two shoes. You’re going to get beat up. You’re going to have periods where you feel everything is working against you. Yet you are also incredibly fortunate: You get to be an entrepreneur.

Practicing gratitude on a daily basis helps you celebrate the fact that you get to fill your days with work you love, despite the bumps you encounter and mountains you have to climb.

ADVICE TO MY FORMER SELF - AND TO YOU

If I could rewind three years and tell my newbie entrepreneur self-anything, it would be this: Honour your work and know that it is truly valuable - and you are worth it.

And that’s what I want to tell you: You are worth it.

Yes, you’ll have your own mountains to climb; bridges to build; oceans to cross. You’ll accumulate your own lessons learned with experience. But… building a business doing what you love fills every day with a higher purpose, and that simply cannot be beat.

This story was originally published in Raspberry Magazine. Photo credit: Rugger Productions

This week, we launched D'Arcy Capital's newly redesigned website! D'Arcy Capital came to Out & About in hopes of modernizing their site. As we've said, it's so important for wealth management firms to differentiate themselves from the crowd and D'Arcy Capital is doing just that!

We're excited to reveal the work we've done and celebrated their new site launch with all of our readers! If you have a minute, head on over to darcycapital.com and let us know what you think!

San Diego Magazine is one of our favorite local publications! From learning about other awesome local companies to the best place to grab a beer, we're thrilled with the work that they continue to do!

We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with Jim Fitzpatrick, the CEO and Publisher of San Diego Magazine! Jim was kind enough to answer a few questions about the history and growth of magazine. Here's the latest:

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you become the publisher of San Diego Magazine? 
I was previously the publisher of Entrepreneur magazine in Irvine, California. After eight years there, I began looking for an opportunity to own a magazine. A mutual friend of the founders of San Diego Magazine (SDM) and myself introduced us. SDM was struggling and they needed to sell. In 1994 we put together a deal and I acquired the magazine.

How did you grow San Diego Magazine into a multi-media marketing company?
What's your formula for success? The first steps were to redesign the magazine and provide content that had a broad appeal to San Diegans. The only product we had at the time was SDM so I began looking for additional revenue streams. We began creating events which offered relationship marketing opportunities for our advertisers and we developed the custom publishing division producing magazines for other organizations. Also, we were one of the first media companies in SD to have a website. I sold the magazine in 2005, managed it for the new owners for three years, and retired in 2008. In 2010 I reacquired the magazine. At this time digital media had grown dramatically. We redesigned the website, offered digital magazine subscriptions, developed four e-newsletters, and created a social media department. We created new events and today, do twelve events per year. We reignited the custom publishing division and today, produce seven other publications as well as designing and building websites. The formula for success is marketing 101, find a need and fill it, and hire good people.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in growing San Diego Magazine?
What advice would you give to yourself 10 or 15 years ago? Today’s challenge is to make people aware that all print is not dead. Subscriptions to the print SD magazine have grown 30%. My best advice to myself 10 or 15 years ago would have been to find the very best people and let them do their job.

What recommendations do you have for young professionals getting into journalism and marketing? 
Journalism – do it for the love of the trade. Marketing – Build on the basics of fulfilling a need and have a thorough understanding of all of the tools available today.

What's your favorite San Diego spot?
There are too many to name just one.

Anything else you'd like to add? 
We are all very fortunate to be in San Diego, not only because of the world’s best climate but also because of the many opportunities offered by our now diverse economy. When I first acquired SDM the local economy was defense industry and real estate based. Today we have a diverse economy and are one of the major innovation markets in the world. We recently launched a new magazine, HATCH, a magazine about the innovation born in San Diego.

Since we featured Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream on our blog last, they have opened TWO brand new stores in the San Diego area! We're so excited to share their growth with our readers!

Trang Hammond, co-owner of Hammond's Ice Cream, joins us to share about the role marketing has played in the ice cream empire success.

A photo posted by Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream (@hammondsicecream) on Mar 13, 2016 at 8:43am PDT

What do you attribute your success to? I contribute our success to a great, high quality product and a very dedicated and supportive co-owner (my husband, Ryan Hammond). Ryan was the one that came up with the Ice Cream Flights idea (Hammond’s Flights), which has also greatly contributed to our success.

What type of marketing do you find most successful for your company? Local ads as well as social media has helped us get the word out. Customers love to instagram our ice cream flights and since Day 1 it has taken off. How do you use this to stay in front of your customers? We post specials and new flavors on Instagram and Facebook frequently so customers that follow us will have first dibs at any specials. It’s a way we stay connected to our loyal customers. (Our Note: Follow them on Instagram or Facebook to get the latest updates + flavors -- yum!!)

What makes Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream different from the other local competitors? We are the only hard scoop ice cream shop that sells gourmet ice cream is 18% butterfat. To give you an idea what that means, most store-bought ice cream is 10% butterfat, super premium ice cream like Haagen-Daaz and Ben and Jerry’s is around 14% and ours is 18%. We also don’t add air in the mixing process so the result is a very dense, rich and flavorful experience.  Our flavors constantly rotate and we are always working with the head chef to create new amazing flavors. We also put a lot of thought into the atmosphere and décor for our shops. When designing the shops I made it a point that no one shop looked the same, yet when our customer walks into each shop they know it’s a Hammond’s Ice Cream shop they are in. That attention to detail also carries over to our customer service and presentation of the ice cream that is served, especially our Flights. We know that our customers come in to eat great ice cream, but when they order a flight they want to enjoy something that looks cute and “postable” so we make sure the presentation is on point. I believe these are the reasons we stand out from our local competitors. In your opinion, why is it important for businesses to differentiate themselves? If you don’t differentiate yourself, what is to stop someone from just choosing an ice cream shop that is conveniently closer to them than traveling a ways to enjoy it at your establishment.

What is your favorite platform for social media to use for Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream? Instagram, because it provides almost instantaneous engagement as well as long lasting advertisement. What type of posts do you engage in? We are very simple when it comes to our posts. We like to showcase our product by either using photos we have taken or reposting a nice photo taken by a customer (and giving them credit, of course). Sometimes we will post events we participate in or new flavors we have. Our most recent post is about our Point Loma Grand Opening. 

What’s the one piece of advice you can give to other small business owners?
Every time I give a talk about my success in a small business setting, I pretty much sum it up to three things: 1) Prioritize: Not everything can be #1 in your life. I have learned to set priorities. My priority is my family, and then my business. I have been lucky to be able to share a business with my husband who shares the same priorities as myself. Sometimes priorities can shift but overall I think you need to know your priority before you get started otherwise it will be too much to handle. 2) Sacrifice: In my experience in order to succeed I had to give something up. Since my family was a priority it was pretty much my social life and my general appearance (Haha).  But things that were important to me before took a  back seat.  I think this sounds obvious to a lot of people but turns out to be a rude awakening when they open their business. It truly takes up so much time and you have to be ready for that. 3) Consistency: Overall, your priorities need to stay consistent as well as how you brand and market your business. Customers need to be able to know that everytime they go to your shop, it is the same customer service, the same quality product and the same atmosphere as before. Consistency is not easy to attain if you don’t put the time and effort into it, but it is so important. It is the foundation to a successful lasting business.

A photo posted by Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream (@hammondsicecream) on Jan 16, 2016 at 5:16pm PST

We're so thrilled to have a local ice creamery like Hammond's to share San Diego with! Be sure to check out one of their three locations and try a flight, too! You can find them at:

North Park: 3077 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92104
Pacific Beach: 1418 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
Newest Location: Point Loma: 3740 Sports Arena Blvd, Suite 6,  San Diego, CA 92110

Being deep in our own Marketing universe, we can admit that printed collateral isn't completely dead. We're still designing different marketing pieces for our clients and constantly seeing new printed pieces out by our friends! This brings us to today's topic of printer recommendations!! Here's a couple that top our list that we love using or we've heard great things about. Let us know in the comments below if you have any other awesome printers to add.

San Diego Printers
L&L Printers
SOS printing
Neyenesch (Insider Tip: The contact is Gary Young. Click here to email him now!)
Any Budget Printing & Mailing
Pressnet Express
PB Printing
Coastal Ink and Toner
Printstar

Online Printers
Uprinting
Overnight Prints
PsPrint

We'd love to hear who your favorite is! Let us know in the comments below!

Before

We are so excited to launch the TurningPoint Executive Search website! We've spent the last few months strategizing and talking with TurningPoint about their vision for the company. We have totally transformed the look/feel of their website and custom coded Bullhorn, a third-party platform. TurningPoint now has a beautiful, responsive website that helps their audience better navigate the page. To give you an idea of the transformation, take a look at the before. The before the website was built on plugins and wasn't modernized for digital marketing best practices. We've taken care of our friends by adding a custom look!

We are thrilled to share the newly redesigned site with you! Stay tuned for more details on how we helped TurningPoint achieve their new site.

Our Marketing Director, Mandy Fisher, contributed her latest article to Advisor Perspectives!

It is tough for advisors to be heard and it takes more than a platform to rise above the noise. With 90% of businesses marketing online today, the solution is to use data-driven marketing to break-through the crowd. Click here to read the entire article.

We admire the work non-profits do and we know other companies love it as well. We've spent some time compiling a list of list of awesome tools that provide non-profit discounts or pricing. If you work for a non-profit, we highly suggest you take up these offers!

Social Media Management
Buffer - All Buffer plans are 50% off for nonprofits.
Hootsuite - They offer registered nonprofit organizations a 50% discount on Hootsuite Pro.

E-Newsletters
Mailchimp - Extend a 15-percent discount for Nonprofits
Campaign Monitor - An easy way to fundraise and connect with their contributors. They offer a 15% discount to non-profits.

Other Tools
Google Tools - As a member of Google for Nonprofits, you'll have access to premium Google products that are free for organizations like yours. Check out the link -- there are TONS of benefits!
Facebook Resources for Non-Profits - Check out this page for tons of Facebook for Nonprofits tips to help your cause and build your community.
Sales + CRM - They offer Nonprofits $8 per user/mo (vs $12).
Google Ad Grants - Google Ad Grants makes it easy to launch effective campaigns, with advertising solutions designed for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes.

Donation/Fundraising Platforms
PayPal - Discounted rates for registered 501(c)(3)s.
Google Wallet - After initial setup, Google Wallet will allow donors to easily repeat donations in a few clicks.
Razoo - Crowdfund for nonprofits
CrowRise - Raise money for any cause that inspires you.

By Tarek Albaba, Founder of Surreal SD

Whether you are a start up or established company, chances are you have toyed with the idea of creating a video to promote your business. Why not, right? It’s fun, interactive and everyone seems to be doing it.

Video production has rapidly evolved over the last 10 years. The reasons are quite simple: cameras have become far less expensive and accessible, quality has dramatically improved and there are countless options for distribution.

Lets dive into that last one for a moment. Think about all the ways you can share a video these days - email, text, Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, Snapchat, Instagram, host on your website, Linkedin, Twitter, I can go on and on. Before the social media and internet boom, the only way you could get your video out to the world was through local and cable television. For films and documentaries you of course have the theaters and festival outlets, but the point is, your options were limited. Nowadays, people are cutting their cable and subscribing to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, and other video streaming companies. A simple video or quirky commercial can go viral on youtube generating millions of views over a short period of time.

This is hands down the most exciting time ever for video production. Currently, there are over 4 billion videos viewed on youtube daily and about 3 billion daily views on facebook.

Could creating a video be a good investment? YES, absolutely, but at what cost?

Budget ranges…

The scale of video production costs will vary depending on your specific project needs. A video production company or independent filmmaker should be able to assess your project needs by asking some basic, preliminary questions. No project is exactly the same, so they need to roll up their sleeves and do their homework! “What a minute, can’t I just do it myself?”

DIY

Quality and accessibility to high resolution cameras are already in the palm of your hands. Cell phones like the IPhone 6S and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge shoot in 4k! You can buy a GoPro Hero4 which also shoots in 4k for less than $400. If you have a decent concept and have the time to develop your idea, go out there and shoot it! Keep it simple, know your audience, watch a tutorial or two and off you go. There is no scarcity of resources available to you online. You can even edit for free using Imovie, DaVinci Resolve or GoPro Studio software. For $20 a month you can get Adobe Premiere CC, which is a more professional platform.

Ok so what is the down side to DIY? Just because you have some of the tools needed doesn't make you the next Scorsese or Spielberg. In addition to actually framing a decent shot, it is extremely hard to get clean audio without a professional mic and/or audio recording device. You have to use available or natural lighting which more times than not, will give the image a dull, flat look. These are just a few issues you may encounter, the biggest question you have to ask yourself is, how will this video reflect my brand? If it looks and feels amateur in any way, what does that say about your business?

$1000 - $3000 range

So you realize that DIY is easier said than done, and the potential is limited. If you have a relatively simple concept, you can hire a videographer or small production company to help produce your video. There are hundreds if not thousands of talented videographers out there in your community who would love to work with you. Someone with a great eye can really make your video pop with a decent camera and fancy editing tricks. With this budget range, you will likely be working with a “one man band” scenario or very small team. Experience level will be limited, so be patient and ready to help with every aspect of the video process. Equipment will be minimal and there will not be much time for development. Animation and graphics can get pricey so I wouldn’t expect anything too complex, if any. Keep it simple, basic and clean should be your motto. It will be hard to hire a professional actor within this range as they usually start between $500-$1000 per day which does not include agent or casting director fees. You can always utilize Craig’s list or other platforms to find inspiring actors that may be able to come out for free or at a significantly lower cost. If you have a tight deadline, this might not be the best option for you.

$5,000 - $15,000

You want to step it up and hire some pros to make your vision a reality. With this budget range, you now can expect some help with development which is, by far the most important part. Ask any filmmaker, it starts with good material! Pre-production (before you shoot) typically takes 1-4 weeks, so use that time wisely. Think it all through and get your shooting schedule dialed in. You will likely be working with a small to midsize experienced crew with professional gear. Principle photography will be limited to 1-2 full days, post-production will be another 1-4 weeks. You can expect some stylized text, simple motion graphics and/or 3D animation. If your script requires talent, you have the option of hiring a pro. Nowadays, you can conduct auditions via Skype or FaceTime to find the right person for your project.

$20,000 - $60,000

This is a sweet spot for many mid to large size companies. With this budget range, there are opportunities to create multiple videos under one campaign or go for a more conceptual approach that will make your video look and feel like a million bucks! There will be more time for each stage of the video production process. Crew/team size would increase, equipment package will become more refined and you have the ability now to shoot on high-end cameras such as the: Red Dragon, Sony F5 or F55, Arri Alexa or the Amira. Cinema lenses make a world of difference, your director of photography will be able to select a specific set that will greatly effect the overall look. Post-production becomes much more extensive with various designers, colorists and animators working together to create that polished video you signed up for!

$60,000 - $100,000+

I won’t spend a whole lot of time in this section, as this budget range pertains to commercial or documentary work. Let your imagination run wild, you are now in a different realm of production. The door has swung wide open, you can now explore options with: special effects, talented actors, extras, elaborate set design, various locations, multiple shoot days, picture vehicles and much more.

You get what you pay for

We get it, everyone is on a tight budget. The last thing you want to happen is to pay out a few thousand dollars for a video that you are not happy with. (This happens all the time!) If you are going to allocate some marketing dollars towards video production, do your research and get a recommendation from a colleague or friend. See what their experience was like. Find comparable videos online, share them with the production company. Be clear on what your expectations are. Most importantly, have some fun! It is a challenging, tedious process but if you take the proper steps and work with a company that understands the fundamental needs of your project, you should have a blast throughout the process. You want to be proud of your video so you can share it with the world.

Our President, Lauren Hong, wrote a feature article for Dentistry Today about designing mobile websites and converting new patients.

Click here to read the full article.