Harpoon Blog - Medium

syndicated content powered by FeedBurner

FeedBurner makes it easy to receive content updates in My Yahoo!, Newsgator, Bloglines, and other news readers.

Learn more about syndication and FeedBurner...

Current Feed Content

Customer Spotlight: Jeff Rigsby

Posted:Wed, 08 Mar 2017 12:37:06 GMT

Creative Director & Designer
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Jeff Rigsby, creative director and designer. You can find Jeff on Instagram at @rigsby.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I’m a Creative Director and Designer who creates logos, graphic tees, websites and branding for brands, musicians, and small businesses. Prior to working for myself, I spent a decade managing design teams at EXPRESS, Abercrombie & Fitch, and HOMAGE.
Working in retail can take it’s toll on you personally and professionally. Ultimately, I decided that working for myself rather than for a brand would be healthier and more rewarding for me and my family.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
One of my biggest challenges has been working in the present and prepping for future work. I wish I could just sit down each day and design without worrying about emails, hustling for new work, or invoices (I hate telling people how much something is going to cost). That being said the thrill of not knowing what’s coming and what you may get to work on can be exciting. I’m not sure I’ll ever overcome it, but I’m getting more comfortable with it.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
Know your goals and the market you are entering. Do you want money, work-life balance, to love what you do, or fame? Whichever it is, if you’re a designer or if you’re selling a product make sure you have what it takes. In my experience, the people who succeed are very driven or have an idea that there is a high demand for. Ideally, you have both. Ask people around you for their thoughts on it. I love music and can play a few instruments, but I know better than to say: “I’m gonna quit my job and start a music career.” That’s what hobbies are for.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
Honestly, I’d be very happy still sitting in my home office designing with my kids running around the house all day. In regards to work, I’d really enjoy being at a point where people are coming to me for work more than me seeking it out. A consistent flow of work with great clients allowing me to work on bigger and more exciting projects would be awesome.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
I’m obsessive when it comes to what I do for a living. Whether it was for another company or on my own I can’t “mail something in.” I care, and care passionately about getting something to look great. I think when you put that into something for yourself and ultimately a client it breeds success.
About Jeff
Jeff Rigsby is a self-employed creative director & designer in Columbus, OH. Learn more about Jeff by following @rigsby on Instagram. Thanks Jeff!
Customer Spotlight: Jeff Rigsby was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Sarah Wagle

Posted:Wed, 01 Mar 2017 15:26:06 GMT

Owner of Sarah Wagle Branding + Design
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Sarah Wagle, owner of Sarah Wagle Branding + Design. You can find Sarah on Instagram at @sarahwaglebranding.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I am a senior designer and art director that is particularly passionate about branding. I started in the industry convinced that design was more than just aesthetics, but instead a powerful tool to communicate and define. Over time, this has grown into a niche of developing strategic visual personalities that resonate with who clients are and who they are trying to reach. As a woman, I personally made the jump into self-employment to make room for our first daughter. Since then, it has created the flexibility to be wife, mom and creative.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I’ve run into is work generation. I wish I could say I’ve solved this one, but it’d be misleading to admit that this is not a very real thing when running your own business. Work ebbs and flows and is very seasonal. How I’ve combatted this is by staying in the present. I ask myself, “What do I have control over today?” and “How can I give my best to the work in front of me now?” No one has control over the future, but we can have an impact on the present which inevitably guides the path ahead.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
Don’t try to figure it all out now. One of my favorite books is Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. In it she makes the statement that business and careers are not a ladder, but more like a jungle gym. There are a lot of different paths to get to the top, and sometimes you need to go sideways or backwards to go upward — and everyone’s route on that jungle gym looks different.
Also, embrace the happenings of life as a part of your story of success. They aren’t setbacks, but opportunities of distinction that add to your work.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
I would like to continue to develop more full-service brand relationships with larger clients. It is my hope to gain contracts where I can holistically help guide the visual development of multi-dimensional brands. Definitely looking to work toward more long-term design relationships.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
No matter how many self-help or business marketing books you read, nothing is more powerful than relationships in business. The vast majority of my work and opportunities have come through recommendation. Some days as an introvert it is daunting to continually put yourself out there, but the intentionality to pursue a connection with people has always proven worth it.
Similarly, I’ve gone through seasons where I’ve tried to shape perceptions and my image to generate more work. Inauthenticity never creates success. Be yourself. Otherwise, you’ll go through your whole career insecure and scared that people will find you out.
About Sarah
Sarah Wagle is the owner of Sarah Wagle Branding + Design in Colorado Springs, CO. Learn more about Sarah by following @sarahwaglebranding on Instagram. Thanks Sarah!
Customer Spotlight: Sarah Wagle was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Caroline Vermeir

Posted:Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:06:55 GMT

Girlboss and Graphic Designer at Studio Caro
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Caroline Vermeir, Girlboss and graphic designer at Studio Caro. You can find Caroline on Twitter at @hellosayscaro.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I’m a freelance graphic designer. I became self-employed because after working in a few agencies I quickly felt that I was being too passionate to fit a hierarchical structure. Next to that, I didn’t like not having any control over what I could execute and what not. Now I have the power to go an extra mile here and there if I think the project’s worth it. I was also too eager to talk to clients directly because I value direct feedback enormously. I always want to hear it in the exact same way as it’s meant to be, even if that implies decoding their feelings sometimes. Because I like guiding and trying to make clients understand their own brand.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
Starting out with zero clients. My last job didn’t allow freelancing after hours, so I didn’t really have the chance to slowly build up my client base. Ironically that was even another reason to become self-employed. But I only did it from the moment I applied to a freelance job and got in. It wasn’t really something big or contracted, so I was basically still taking a big risk. But I felt so demotivated that I had to something. I simply had to “break free” at any cost. And I believe it doesn’t matter if you start out with no clients because I’m now sure of the fact that’s only a bonus.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
Never ever lower your standards to get any job, because you’ll be having a hard time trying to explain to new clients that your rates were way too low for previous clients. You will want to at least embed an accountant, a great invoicing tool like Harpoon, a project management tool like Asana and Google Apps are also a great starting kit (endless e-mail storage, back-ups in the cloud and a good calendar system). Be open for meetings with anyone and not just job opportunities. You want to make as many connections as possible, and in order to be authentic, you need to be more willing to seed than to harvest.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
When I started out I just wanted to work alone day in and day out, but in the meantime, I’ve started to enjoy working along with other freelancers. Today I even scheduled a meeting with someone looking for an internship. Funny thing because I’d never thought I’d be that far already last year. It’s a real breeze to learn from others and be able to talk or do business with likeminded people. Next to that, it’s important to get feedback from someone else than your clients once in a while. I didn’t see myself as a “business woman” or “entrepreneur” when I started out, but it’s been a real boost for my self-confidence just outsourcing stuff, making other freelancers happy while learning how everything works. I don’t want to be a project manager, though, and I don’t have the ambition of starting an agency (yet), but it’d be nice to have someone who can do that for me in a few years.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
Definitely my perseverance and self-awareness. For me, it’s very important to discuss business and to have a few people who can be my soundboard. Thanks to them, I know that I am very driven and not easily pulled off my tracks. As long as I know where I want to go. I really need to feel like I’m moving all the time, so I keep learning, keep thinking about my course and how to improve my skills.
About Caroline
Caroline Vermeir is the owner of Studio Caro in Antwerp, Belgium. Learn more about Caroline by following @hellosayscaro on Twitter or checking out her blog. Thanks Caroline!
Customer Spotlight: Caroline Vermeir was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Jeremy Turner

Posted:Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:05:55 GMT

Web Consultant, Owner of J Turner Solutions
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Jeremy Turner, owner of J Turner Solutions. You can find Jeremy on Twitter at @JeremyRTurner.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
In broad terms, I am a web consultant. Over the past 10 years, friends and family have started businesses that needed a web presence and they turned to me for help. Shortly after relocating to Oregon I created J Turner Solutions.
By freelancing, I am able to spend the mornings working on projects and then in the afternoon I take care of my 4-month-old daughter.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge for me so far has been managing the day to day operations of the business. For the first few months, I spent more time tracking hours, invoicing and finding new clients than I did actually working on the projects I had. It wasn’t until I found tools like Harpoon that helped me focus and grow my business.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
The best advice I could give is “not everything is forever.” When you first get started, you will most likely have a small budget to work with and that is ok, it is not forever.
Set benchmarks for revenue. When you meet those benchmarks purchase a tool that will save you time and replace that time with work that provides more revenue. After a few months, you will have the right tools to really scale your business.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
It would be great if I could be doing the same thing as I am doing right now, for more people and making more money. I think with time that will happen. I will get better at what I do and be able to bring on bigger clients.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
To be honest, the success of my business today can be attributed to the connections I have made over the last 15 years. The majority of my clients have come from a network of friends, family members and fraternity brothers that I have connected with before I started by own business.
Every week I am contacted by someone else from the past that needs help online.
About Jeremy
Jeremy Turner is the owner of J Turner Solutions in Salem, OR. Learn more about Jeremy by following @JeremyRTurner on Twitter.
Customer Spotlight: Jeremy Turner was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Isaiah Gillis

Posted:Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:04:14 GMT

Designer & Marketer, Owner of Good Design Marketing.
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Isaiah Gillis, owner of Good Design Marketing. You can find Isaiah on Twitter at @igillis.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I create top-notch web presences for businesses that get them more and better customers.
I’ve worked several jobs to make an income and pay bills, but I’ve got this creative gift that keeps nagging me to use it. I feel stifled working a 9–5 someplace just to make ends meet. Since I’ve got a limited number of years here on Earth I want to make the most of them and being self-employed seems to be the avenue I need to take to do that.
I want to do the most good that I can in whatever I do. That’s why I’ve named my business Good Design Marketing. Ok, and maybe I have a grain of confidence in my design abilities.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
When I first seriously started focusing on graphic design as a career choice everything I created was fuel for my ego. “Behold my mastery of color and hierarchy and Photoshop and the pen tool!”
Looking back, my inflated ego helped a lot in developing some of the skills I needed as a designer, but when I was finished with college it didn’t get me very far and ended up working against me.
I’ve tried more than once to be successful as a freelance designer, but there was always something missing from my work. I wasn’t happy designing a killer identity for a client, handing it over to them, and that being the end of it. How did I help them in a meaningful way? They’ve got a nice logo and website, cool, but are they getting the most out of them? I had lost my enthusiasm for graphic design and was looking into other career options.
It took some time to realize it, but I knew I needed to adjust my focus and let “Why?” inform “What”. Given the skills I have, online marketing was a natural choice. It allows me to take the nice logo and website I designed for my client and put them to work, making them more money. Isn’t that what’s at the heart of hiring a designer to create a logo or website — being more visible to get more customers and make more money?
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
Understand why you do what you do. Working only for money or to stroke your ego will let you down.
If you don’t know why you do what you do, spend time by yourself in silence and search for an answer. Things will get hard and you’ll need to have an answer for that voice that tells you to just give up.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
I’d like for Good Design Marketing to be the premiere place business owners in Western North Carolina think to go when they’re ready to grow. I also want to be a force for good in my community. How that will manifest I do not know, but I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for when opportunities present themselves.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
Loving others. We’re all in this together.
About Isaiah
Isaiah Gillis is the owner of Good Design Marketing in Hendersonville, NC. Learn more about Isaiah by following @igillis on Twitter.
Customer Spotlight: Isaiah Gillis was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Maxime Bornemann

Posted:Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:02:33 GMT

iOS developer at MaximeBornemann.com
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Maxime Bornemann, an iOS developer at MaximeBornemann.com. You can find Maxime on Twitter at @MBornemann.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I am an iOS developer helping early-stage startups build great apps. I was working for startups and moonlighting for others during 4 years until I realized that I needed enough focus and structure to be able to help them further. This is my first year being self-employed, but the results already convinced me this was the right decision.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
Given that this is only in my first year being self-employed, I won’t claim that I have encountered the hardest challenges yet. However, I live in France and we have a very complicated system when it comes to setting up your company. There were so many things I didn’t know about and a lot of contradictory advice.
Fortunately, a friend of mine introduced me to a small company that handled most of the paperwork, gave me a ton of advice, and provided a really modern accounting service (which only works in France, sorry!) for at least half the regular legal and accounting fees.
Do not underestimate how much help you’re going to need for setting up your company and how much time it’s going to take away from real work.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
I was afraid to start my own business for too long, but stepping out regularly of your comfort zone turns out to be one of the most rewarding thing you can do in life. If there’s something economically viable you’re passionate about, that don’t feel like work most of the days, there’s no reason to wait anymore. The conditions will never be exactly right and you will never be ready.
If you’re not entirely sure being self-employed is right for you, moonlighting for clients can help. You will have a good overview of what it’s like to run your own business and how hard it can get. However, remember that this is a temporary solution. I don’t believe you can give your best self if you try to focus on too many things at the same time.
Once you’ve embarked on your new journey, getting clients will be the next obstacle you will encounter. Sure, if you already know the right people, work will likely come to you regularly by doing practically nothing. That’s actually the biggest trap you can fall into. Avoiding feast and famine cycles should be your priority. Look for new clients every day, even when you’re booked. There are never enough backup plans. If you’re really struggling to find clients, remember that you only need one to turn things around. Reach constantly to everyone you know and don’t buy leads (they’re worthless). Also don’t be afraid of cold emailing. If you keep it short, simple and do it regularly, it will work at some point.
Finally, there are two pieces of advice I like to give in order to raise the odds of closing a deal. As an introvert, I really like the comfort of my home office, but meeting a potential client face to face, even for a simple cup of coffee, can do wonders. I’ve also found that working on a small project first with a new client is the best way to build trust. Once you get a person to perform a first small transaction, she’ll be more likely to commit to bigger transactions in the future (of course, this also depends on the quality of work).
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
Hopefully with lots of delighted clients and successful products to be proud of. I don’t really see myself focusing on something else than startups because working on new and innovative products is what I’m the most passionate about.
I would also like to make room for my own products. It would be a mistake to not apply everything I’ve learned from working with so many bright people.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
I think there are a few skills which help me provide the best services, and it mostly comes down to being organized. I’m not afraid of over-communicating with my clients by telling them what I’ve accomplished in a given day. I also keep track of everything that happens during a project in thorough details. Not only this helps me fight bad memory, but it also makes you appear more professional in front of your clients, which will, in turn make them more likely to work with you in the long term.
Being punctual is also very important. Being good at estimating tasks and never working without a margin of error helps me in this way.
Perhaps the most important habit of all is that I never stop learning new things. Even though extending the knowledge of your own specialty is very important, there’s really no excuse to stop there. I try to learn new things from all fields, even those which don’t have anything to do with my work, like philosophy, psychology, design and all branches of sciences. I’m convinced that this habit will help me succeed in the long run.
About Maxime
Maxime Bornemann is an iOS developer in Paris, France. Learn more about Maxime at MaximeBornemann.com or by following @MBornemann on Twitter.
Customer Spotlight: Maxime Bornemann was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Tara Mahoney

Posted:Tue, 28 Feb 2017 23:57:16 GMT

Freelance Web Designer and Developer
For this customer spotlight, we focus on Tara Mahoney, a freelance web designer and developer at TaraMahoney.com. You can find Tara on Twitter at @taratmahoney.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I’m a freelance web designer and developer. I’m self-employed because I like the freedom of being my own boss — it allows me to work on the things I really want to work on and travel while I work.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
Actually, managing and tracking my own finances at first was super hard. I wasn’t making enough money at first and I wasn’t lining up a new client project when an old one finished, so I was constantly stressed and feeling like self-employment might not be for me. When I started using Harpoon to track my finances, I could see visually every day what I needed to do to stay on course to make my goal amount of cash/month.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
It’s not going to be easy at first, but once you get into the flow of self-employment and start knowing what to expect, it can become enjoyable and rewarding.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
I’d like to offer a wider breadth of services and products to my clients. I’d like to be better at what I do and to be only working on projects I like with people I enjoy working with.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
Financial tracking has helped for sure, as well as disciplining myself to work even when I don’t want to.
About Tara
Tara Mahoney is a freelance web designer and developer in Toronto, ON. Learn more about Tara at TaraMahoney.com or by following @taratmahoney on Twitter.
Customer Spotlight: Tara Mahoney was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Miks Latvis

Posted:Tue, 28 Feb 2017 23:56:04 GMT

Wordpress Developer at MiksLatvis.com
For this customer spotlight we focus on Miks Latvis, Wordpress developer at MiksLatvis.com. You can find Miks on Twitter at @mikslatvis.
What do you do for a living, and why did you make the jump to self-employment?
I’m a freelance web developer. I create websites for small businesses and individuals.
About 7 years ago, before becoming a full-time freelancer, I worked normal work hours in an office. Sometimes I had a few clients who would work with me directly, and then at one point these side projects became my main source of income…so I left my job completely and started freelancing.
What’s a big challenge you’ve had with running your own business, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge is to know when to say “No” to a client. Sometimes that means to decline the project as a whole, but other times you just have to stand by your decisions and ideas. It’s not as easy as it sounds, because as a freelancer your income depends on the projects you choose to accept. If you have enough experience you will know that 80/20 rule holds true, and that some projects will bring in more money than others. The trick is to figure out which ones will be the ones to go after.
What advice would you give to those who are just starting out on the journey of running their own businesses?
Make sure you will be able to cover your costs if something goes wrong or the project takes more time than planned. Keep in mind that the client will always want to change some “minor” details at the last stage of the project, so plan your schedule and costs accordingly.
Where would you like your business to be three years from now?
Right now my goal for my business is to create a steady passive income flow. In the longer term, I’m trying to bring together a small team of remotely working web development professionals so I can take on even bigger projects.
What quality, habit, or decision has contributed to the success of your business?
I always try to find the best solution for my clients. Because I’m usually dealing with small businesses, not all standard tools and practices are fit for them. So instead of giving them the same product everyone else is using I try to find or craft something that is suited to their exact needs.
About Miks
Miks Latvis is a Wordpress developer located in Latvia. Learn more about Miks at MiksLatvis.com or by following @mikslatvis on Twitter.
Customer Spotlight: Miks Latvis was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Daniel Adoff

Posted:Tue, 28 Feb 2017 23:54:52 GMT

Graphic Designer and Founder of Design by Adoff
For this customer spotlight we focus on Daniel Adoff, founder of Design by Adoff. You can find Daniel on Instagram at @designbyadoff.
Provide us with a little background: How long have you been self-employed? What type of work do you do? How did you get started?
I am a graphic designer specializing in brand development. I have been self-employed for about half a year. For the other ten years I have been freelancing and working at an agency or coaching water polo.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself when you first went out on your own?
If I could go back in time the first thing that would happen is I would have a talk like the diner scene in Looper.
“…I don’t want to talk about time travel, because we’ll start talking about it and then we’ll be here all day making diagrams with straws. It doesn’t matter.”
The advice I would give myself is the same advice I give lots of people. Life is about balance. You have 3 parts to your life: social, health, and professional. It is almost impossible to get better at one without another one falling behind. In short focus more on artwork and staying in shape. I would tell myself that I would find love; I don’t need to work so hard at it. Some people are time vampires — they just take time away from you and give nothing back.
How have relationships with others had an impact on your success? Did you get to where you are by yourself or did others play a role? How so?
I never could have gotten here alone. Getting work is about 20% skill, 20% communication, and 60% who you know. I don’t want to sound like an Oscar’s acceptance speech, but I wouldn’t have been here without the support of my family, wife, teachers (George Zebot and Kaleb Wyman) and my wonderful clients.
I am always networking and meeting new people. I wish I had more time to make more connections and strengthen the current relationships I have. Alas you only have so much time.
Where would you like to be one year from now in regards to your business?
People have asked me before, “What do you want to do next year?”
I say the same thing over and over: “I want to be doing the same thing I am doing now. Just making more money at it.”
I have a wonderful quality of life. I just need to invest a little more into my future. The short answer is I would like one more steady client.
How does goal-setting factor into the way you run your business?
Goal setting is a big part of my life as a whole. I like to have a big goal in mind and then break it down into smaller monthly and weekly goals.
Small steps turn into big leaps over time.
About Daniel
Daniel Adoff is a graphic designer and illustrator located in sunny southern California. Learn more about Daniel at Design by Adoff.
Customer Spotlight: Daniel Adoff was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Customer Spotlight: Salman Khan

Posted:Tue, 28 Feb 2017 23:53:51 GMT

Web Developer & Founder at Dezign Burg
For this customer spotlight we focus on Salman Khan, founder at Dezign Burg. You can find Salman on Twitter at @DezignBurg.
Provide us with a little background: How long have you been self-employed? What type of work do you do? How did you get started?
I’m a web developer, web designer & web security researcher. I started working 4–5 years ago as a freelancer, then I slowly made my own web solutions company: Dezign Burg. My company provides services like web design, web development, graphics design and website security audits. My passion is helping startups discover their security weaknesses, and I also spend my time participating in “bug bounty” programs.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself when you first went out on your own?
Never work on sites like Freelancer.com. The reason why I hate to work on sites like Freelancer.com and oDesk is that your hard-earned cash is held by them, you don’t get it directly, and many times the cash just vanished for an unclear reason. But still, such freelancing sites are awesome for newbie developers and designers as it helps them get started.
How have relationships with others had an impact on your success? Did you get to where you are by yourself or did others play a role? How so?
Business relations have always played a great role in my success! I’ve done business with a lot of people, and a few of them are now my best friends. These friends kept giving me projects when I was in need. At one time, I didn’t have many projects to showcase my skills and help me to earn more clients. These friends still keep giving me projects, and have played an important role in my success.
Where would you like to be one year from now in regards to your business?
I would like to be touching the sky, but destiny will see if that happens. For now, I’ll keep working hard! As far as growing the business, I already have a few people working for my company, but I don’t call them my employees because they’re my good friends! We are also working on releasing our own bug bounty program called GetWhiteHats. We will help companies who want to let good (white hat) hackers hunt out vulnerabilities in their application. We are building the perfect platform to manage reports and to reward the hackers, amongst other things.
How does goal-setting factor into the way you run your business?
I have never had specific financial goals for Dezign Burg yet, but I’m planning on setting some within a short time. Though I’m living a beautiful life, there are times when I need to save up for something big. When this happens I just focus on performing on some more website security audits to reach my goals.
About Salman
Salman Khan is a web developer, web designer & security researcher. Learn more about Salman’s work by visiting Dezign Burg.
Customer Spotlight: Salman Khan was originally published in Harpoon Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.