Welcome to the Real World: Startup Style

 As I graduated with all of my friends on May 8, we were all on the verge of the real world. However, the real world was a different shape for some of us. As most of my friends were about to embark on one last summer break before starting their careers in July, August, or even November for a few of them, I was taking a different path. That following Monday, May 10, I was getting a jump start on life. And that was just the beginning.

 Being involved with a startup company has one important component, you try to run as lean as possible in those first few months. Running in these lean times usually leads to good times and humorous stories for all. For starters, during the hottest months of the year in June and July, air conditioning was but a dream. It became an everyday occurrence for the office to reach into the mid-90s by late afternoon. Thus the dress code was termed “Frat casual” better described as polo shirts, shorts, and boat shoes. 

 When it came time to do some traveling, there are also areas to keep costs low: lodging. Now when all of my friends were embarking on their first business trips, they were being treated to housing matching the names of Hampton, Holiday, and Hilton. My lodging of choice had greek letters across the front, and not always in shiny new condition. Without getting into the details, it was always an experience. It was almost a surreal feeling, as here I was 4 months ago living in a chapter house and living the life of these kids, but now I was here for a business stop. Or as close as you can get to feeling that you’re on a business stop as you can when at 3am you are awoken to raging music and bodies slamming into walls.

 All the humorous stories aside, it was and continues to be an awesome experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. No matter what alternate thoughts may cross through my mind when sitting in a 95 degree office, sleeping on a frat couch, or chugging 5 hour energies, all I have to do is sit back and think of that corner office. I think about, that at 23, I am working on an executive team to build a multi-million dollar business in its first year, and that is a TFM.


Ian Blackwell, Regional Sales Manager