When Peter (not his real name) saw the economy going under for the first time he panicked, and not without reason. Most of his friends and colleagues were being laid off even as everybody waited for a turnaround which remained as elusive as a bubble. As matters grew worse he knew it would be only a matter of time when he would be handed the dreaded pink slip. Today he is glad to have received it.
Since childhood Peter had been an avid designer being especially clever with his pencil and drawing board. What is more, he was a wizard at designing interiors. His own home was evidence of that fact; he had such a knack for making even the simplest and most ordinary of artifacts and artwork look special. He remembered how, during his high school Halloween Party he’d made the main hall look like a luxury yacht. For years afterwards, his classmates still talked about it. In keeping with his interest he’d even taken an
online course in interior design before going on to pursue his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from MIT.
Peter’s wife Prudence had long suggested to him that he open his own showroom, which he did, but virtually. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy but, if truth be told, what choice did he really have in the current climate of ‘hire and fire’?
There were several negatives to begin with. For one thing, he didn’t know a thing about sales, strategizing, or marketing. While he was great with interiors he had no idea how to design a website. Both he and Prudence talked about bookkeeping, accounts, administration and decided that they would need to hire an expert or a band of experts actually before launching their enterprise. But here they were stumped once again. Where would the capital come from? How would they meet their overhead costs? Should they go to a bank for a loan? But they both knew that no bank would grant loans to an unemployed couple.
Both Prudence and Peter spent a sleepless night that night. At three in the morning Peter began to see a glimmer of hope. Hadn’t he done his interior course online? Of course! Why hadn’t he thought of it earlier? He could set up a virtual office complete with address, telephone number and other contact details.
It was 4 a.m. when he shook Prudence awake. Over coffee the two of them decided to hire an outsourcing firm that would take care of marketing, sales, administrative services and also handle telephone calls. Peter in the meantime began to concentrate on 3D visualization techniques that not only emphasized room interiors but also landscapes, artificial lighting, shading and colors.
Today Peter’s virtual office also has a conference room through which he keeps in touch with his clients – both existing and prospective – as his 3D visualization services and custom-designed rugs, among other things, are sought all over the world.
Today he is thankful to the pink slip he received last year.
About the Author
Rick Carsten is a self-made entrepreneur, a well known travel consultant and internet marketer. Over the years he has traveled across the world and has numerous writings credited to his name in many renowned publications. His areas of writing include travel experiences including reviews of
europe luxury hotels and he has also gained expertise in areas of
search engine optimization, technological development and
outsourcing company.
