Launching the Fort Pitt Web Shop

Running my own business, the Web Communications Group, has been a great learning experience and very rewarding. The time has come to make some changes, though, so in October and November of 2013, I began putting a lot of thought into how I wanted to proceed. It wasn’t a matter of deciding between folding up shop completely and going to work for someone else. I shudder at the thought of ever having to step back into a cubicle again.  Rather, it was a question of how can I take the lessons I’ve learned so far and apply them to my practice, giving customers a better service experience?

There was a lot of deliberation and engaging counsel. Eventually, I concluded that I needed a new brand that more directly addressed the needs of my customers – and thus the Fort Pitt Web Shop was born. The business is still unfolding. I have employed Dale McNutt of StartUptown to craft a graphic mark for the company. And the website will have to wait until that process is further along.  I have not done any social media publishing yet, but the profiles are “live” and lurking.

The business address will stay the same – same desk and boring chair.  But I am certainly excited! It’s a break from my initial attempt at being a small business owner. Was that attempt a failure? Hmm … depends on the metrics.  I didn’t “get rich”, for sure. Didn’t retire into the sunset.  But hopefully I was able to bring excellence in service to local small businesses and non-profits, and I hopefully I can take the lessons it taught me into this next endeavor, into the Fort Pitt Web Shop. If I can, then I’d consider the Web Communications Group a success.

I am looking forward to the road ahead – all the challenges and pitfalls and rewards that come along with being a small business owner. And, as always, I could never do any of this without the support of my wonderful and loving wife. Thank you!