In December as the year winds down, I carve out a little time to review progress and chart the course ahead. At the end of 2023, that included celebrating and reflecting back on ten years in business.

When I started it, back in 2013, I was just shy of 40 years old and today my 50 year-old self is writing this peering through a set of glasses and I have more than a few gray hairs as a cap. A reasonable trade for wisdom acquired!

Ten years ago I wrote my first blog post from a drafting table set in the corner of my living room. Excited, apprehensive, determined and naïve.

It’s been ten years of making, ten years of mistakes, of self-doubt, bad edits, wonderful (and slightly less wonderful) clients, homes built, and homes still being built, videos, videos, videos, and countless humbling lessons both in and out of the studio.

Ten years ago, I wanted work-life balance. What I discovered as I blurred the boundary has made the past ten years feel more like play than work. Work life integration is a privilege; I couldn’t imagine practice any other way. It’s also the reward for taking risks. I couldn’t see that then but it’s clear to me now.

In this video, I’ve asked my wife to join me to pull back the curtain on entrepreneurship and what it’s really like to start and operate a creative business. It can be easy to look at someone else’s journey and feel like they had it all planned out and perfectly crafted from day one. The fact is, we all face struggles along the way and my wife and I wanted to share some of the personal and financial challenges we’ve faced over the past ten years.

With the benefit of hindsight, I can clearly see three phases of growth for the business and also that the “Getting Ready to Get Ready” phase prior to starting 30X40 lasted far too long! The fact is, starting a business is never going to feel like a wise financial move as you’re trading a steady paycheck for lumpy earnings and uncertainty. But, stepping out is required! And, the more time you’re able to commit to designing and building your dream business the better chance it has of succeeding.

As 2023 comes to a close, I wanted to thank you for making 30X40 a part of your world, it’s made all the difference to me.
I hope in the bustle of the holidays you’re able to find some quiet to begin sketching out the first lines of a your next project ten years in the making.
Cheers + Happy Holidays!

Eric @30X40

If you’re “Getting Ready to Get Ready” or you have a business that isn’t all you’d hoped, I’ve created these tools to help you make a change. The StartUp Toolkit and the Architect + Entrepreneur Course are my best resources bundled up into accessible, easy-to-implement, step-by-step actions. Check them out along with all my resources for design professionals here.