When an Idea is First Conceived

100^thBlog

I’m sure you all have dreams that you aspire to make real. Some follow their dreams and some just dream about their goals. Whether you dream or make them a reality, don’t let anyone tell you that one is better than the other. They both serve a purpose in one’s life. So, when I decided that I wanted to start my own business, I did a lot of dreaming, explored a great deal, and procrastinated until one day, I decided to get going. 

Now, as some of you remember, I started this blog some time ago and it has grown to where this is my 100^thaddition to my blog page. So, I found it fitting to make my 100^thblog reflect my business and the way it came to be. Here is my story.

I grew up loving the woods and all it had to offer. I enjoyed hunting and fishing and although you can never perfect your talents to the limit, I tried my best. Eventually, I decided that I would take the course that would lead me to my exam for my Maine Guides License. At that time, I really did not have any agenda other than to see if I could pass the exam. I was fairly comfortable with the book part but the map and compass and catastrophic event was something I needed to spend time on. After the course was over, I set my mind to preparing. Now, you never know what the guide’s board will ask you so you need to prepare for anything. I had maps all over the floor in our family room and would make hypothetical trips from one point to another using the inlets and outlets of ponds as my starting and finish points. TC was there with me and took the course as well, although she did not want to take the exam, she was really interested in expanding her own knowledge about the various subjects.  

The day of the exam came and as you might think, I was a bit nervous. Had I studied the right material? Had I contemplated all the questions they might ask? Was I ready? We would soon find out. I drove to Augusta, parked outside the building where my exam would take place and looked at the material one more time. Then, in I went, ready or not here it came. Now, the two gentleman that would test me were very nice and it was clear that they wanted to make sure that I knew what I should know and that if they granted me a Guides license, I was worthy of that distinction. As you all know, I passed and left there with a big smile. It was after that, I decided to look into forming a business. What I found was that there were a number of hoops that needed to be navigated through. For my best interest, I needed to form an LLC or Limited Liability Company as well as pick a name and get it approved through the Maine Secretary of State. I was fortunate to have a friend who was an attorney who helped me get through the paperwork and shortly thereafter, Vernon’s Guide Service LLC was formed. But, it did not end there. Now, I needed to be insured to protect the business. Soon afterward, I made that happen and now I could move forward with my future plans as well as getting the business out in the open. I have a cousin who is a Graphic Designer and I approached Peter to see if he might help me design my business cards and logo. Thankfully, he jumped at the opportunity to help and we began the process of picking out designs and colors. Once he had some ideas of what I wanted, he went to work and my designs soon became reality. And I must say, Peter did a phenomenal job. 

So, 2018 is my inaugural year of the opening of Vernon’s Guide Service, LLC. With that, I am pleased to unveil my logo and business cards. I could not have gotten this far without the understanding of my wife TC, Charlie who helped me wade through the LLC paperwork process and with the help of my cousin Peter. Thank you all.

 And without further ado, here is the final product. And their friends is my 100^thblog!  Let the season begin.

Credit given to Peter Stafford at Cambridge Pen for the design and art work.  www.cambridgepen.com