I’ve been reading a lot lately. One thing I have been doing is re-reading some of the books on my shelf to re-absorb some of the ideals and motivators that shaped my past two years. I figure it is always good to re-read a book because you always end up learning something that you missed the first time around. (disclaimer: I’ve reread How to Win Friends & Influence People 4 times and I always get something new out of it.)

One particular book that has again caught my attention is Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer. It is packed with inspirational goodness and I feel like a kid in a candy store each time I read it (3rd time now). Every time I see it peeking out of my bag I just have to pick it up. Regardless of how often I read it, there is always one key quote that keeps standing out to me is Jeffrey’s definition of sales success.

The victory we call success goes to the best prepared, self believing, right associated, self taught, responsible person, who sees opportunity and is willing to take a risk to seize it - sometimes a big risk.

I like what he says about risk. Its true! Risk has always had a negative connotation in my head until two years ago when I left everything to become a freelancer. Recently, with my departure from the Block, I am finally realizing that all of my greatest accomplishments have come after I risked something, or everything!

Two years ago I took a big risk and left my comfortable Web Developer position at a small studio in White Plains to pursue a more fulfilling career in project management and business development. I gave a month’s notice without any jobs lined up, not many leads at all to go on, and absolutely no idea whether I would relocate to nearby New York City or continue looking for work in Westchester County. Interestingly enough, I received my first freelance job as the project manager for FDT Design by answering a post on Craig’s List. After three successful months with FDT and completing two websites, I decided it may be time to move on and see where I could go. While interviewing for various project management positions at studios around NYC, I got a call from a friend about a Business Developer position open at Chopping Block. I had always been a huge fan of Chopping Block’s work and could recite the Oranges song from memory! I contacted Matthew Richmond, whom I had brief encounters with when I was planning BD4D NYC (more on my event background later!), and told him of my interest in the open position. He obliged with a meeting between me and the other partner of Chopping Block, Thomas Romer. I’ll never forget that first sit down - Tom took me to lunch across the street from the Block’s Broadway location. Immediately I knew it was a good fit because it felt like sitting down to catch up with an old friend. I ended up asking him more questions than he had for me! Long story short, I was hired and really enjoyed the past two years at The Chopping Block. I have learned so much from my short time there and would not trade it for anything!

Now I am embarking on a new chapter in my life and taking another big risk! I left my salaried position at the Block, to dedicate my time to evangelizing the business of design and pursue my own entrepreneurial ambitions. What does the future hold for me? I am not sure. Am I crazy? You have to be a little nuts to go all in. Will it pay off? You can bet I won’t stop until it does! The one thing I do know is that if I didn’t take a risk at all, then I would still be in the same place (mentally, physically, and spiritually) a year from now.

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