Charlie Hobson
2018 is a milestone year for me.
It’s 15 years since The Wordsmithy was born – the company name registered, the website set up, the email account created. Open for business! I sat at my desk in Reading in 2003, chewing the end of my pencil and watching tumbleweed blow through my inbox. Would it ever be a viable business, capable of supporting me financially and providing the job satisfaction I craved?
And here it is today, bucking the trend of 53.7% of UK businesses that don’t make it beyond three years, according to the FT last autumn. A misleading statistic perhaps, since many businesses are registered but never even get to the point of operating. But still. 15 years feels substantial. The Wordsmithy is my longest employment ever – something to do with the very understanding boss perhaps?!
I’m proud of the work I’ve done since then and deeply appreciative of the client and peer relationships that have blossomed on the way. Thank you all for being part of my journey.
This year I’ve decided to take a different direction with this blog, which has tended to stick to technical and practical writing topics. It struck me recently, when I received a marketing email from a friend and fellow entrepreneur (fabulous photographer Asya, if you’re interested – highly recommended for business portraiture amongst much else), how engaging and interesting I found her personal reflections on her work and the genesis of her business. So I’m going to give it a try this year.
While – wonderfully – I have some clients who’ve been with me since 2003, I’ve connected with many of you in later years, so you may not know how The Wordsmithy came to exist and how I came to a career in writing. If you’re interested, I hope to enlighten you!
Happy new year!