I’ve been up. I’ve been down. But nothing prepared me for the exciting events that took place early 2007.

Successful businesses usually start off the new year with fresh ideas. Putting pen to paper, they come up with plans to make that year better than the last. I was no different. 

In my first year I went through the experience of slow times. I felt the panic of no money coming in. I also suffered through sparse, grueling and uncreative projects, just to keep the cash flowing. The reality of the design biz is that not every gig is a glamour project. You do what have to to keep food on the table.

As it’s said, “Plan your work and work your plan,” Taking all this into account, I spent time coming up with my plan and began the implementation shortly after the start of the year. 

Then one day, it happened.

Backing up … I share an office with the landlord and his insurance business. His office assistants would drop by and chat a bit while bringing my mail. Every time they did, I would complain that bringing my bills was not a part of their job and that I wished they would stop. Of course, I was joking. Thankfully they all have a good sense of humour!

So one fine day his assistant brings me a stack of mail along with a quite large manila envelope … an envelope that says “Summit Creative Awards.” If I remember correctly, it was stamped with something to the effect of “Winner!” 

My heart started pounding. Doubts started bouncing. Doubts that I had actually been awarded for my design skills. “This can’t be”.  But it was. It so was true. I had won an international design award that receives thousands of entries annually and I was going to be recognized for this! Hallelujah!

For at least a week, I jumped around having a giddy, wonderful time sending out newsletters and press releases to every single media outlet I could find. I was confident that this award would start an avalanche of work. I mean, who wouldn’t want to work with such a creative and outstanding firm such as mine? A bit naive maybe? Ha! You’d better believe it.

Once again, I fell into the stinking thinking trap of believing that because I had an office (or as my good friend, Neil, might say “hung out my shingle”), I was guaranteed loads of work.

Ok, the summer was good, I made money, purchased equipment and projects were there. But as the year went on, I ran into the same problem in early Autumn. Seems I have seasonal issue on my hands.

Business came to a near standstill … again. My phone stopped ringing … again. Panic set in … again. I started buying Mylanta®  by the case… again. And this time it turned out worse than before. But wait! There’s more!

Even though I was now at the end of the year and I’m hitting what is turning out to be my slow time, another great achievement was headed my way. Gonink  was nominated for, and won, “Business of the Year” at my local Chamber of Commerce. 

So, in less than 12 months I had garnered an international award for our design and a local business award for Gonink. You’d think things couldn’t be brighter, right? That it was going to be nothing but success for me here on out, right? 

Wrong. In the words of Dickens, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” As any seasoned business owner will tell you, life & business can and do come crumbling down. Just because things look 

In February of 2008 it did just that. Literally.

Up next: Tragedy hits. Closing the doors for good a real possibility.

Chris Tomlinson | Designer / Printer
Gonink: Design & Print | Gonink: Blog