The public diary of a new business, aged 0 years and 3/4

I’ve recently been asked to be a guest blogger for the Birmingham Post. Having two blogs to think about has made me consider more carefully the content for this site. So for the time being, my general business musings will be kept for the Birmingham Post, and this blog will become more of a personal record of setting up my new company, with a few other bits and pieces thrown in for good measure.

So where do I start… I took the decision to leave Neon Communications last year, after three years as a director. It was a tough one, as the company was enjoying a good profile with some great clients, and I was working with a fantastic team. But it’s fair to say that I had reached a bit of a crossroads, and after much careful consideration I decided that - if I was going to make it on my own - it was now or never time.

Texan sunset from the taxi

First thoughts on Texas….

…2 hours in. 

It’s a long way from Brum.

It’s very flat.

There is a beautiful sunset.

People are really friendly and excited that we have come over for SXSW, from the guys on the plane, to the taxi driver, to the hotel receptionist. There’s a real buzz about it. Even the hotels have ‘welcome SXSW’ signs outside. Can’t wait to see what it’s all about tomorrow!

Texas here we come

Is there an unwritten rule that says, ‘the day before you’re about to go on a trip – your workload will explode’? There seems to be a direct correlation between the number of days you are away from the office and the length of your to-do list.

However, this time around I shouldn’t be too far from my office, albeit a virtual one, despite being nearly 5,000 miles away. I’m lucky enough to be heading to Texas tomorrow for SXSW Interactive, thanks to support from Digital Central. A group of us are heading over to live and breath interactive media for the next five days, make some valuable contacts and share our experiences with the digital media community back in the West Midlands. My reason for going is to learn more about this fantastic festival , make some valuable contacts and spread the word about the Digital Media and Film Event taking place in Birmingham this October, which I’m project managing. I can’t wait. All I need to do now is attempt to clear the to-do list,  pack by bags and find my passport!

I’ll be posting my thoughts and SXSW experiences on this blog, and you can  find out more about what we’re all up to at www.sxswm.com. More news on the Digital Media and Film Event to come very soon.