Documenting the life of a small business

By John Newbold on Feb 27, 08 03:47 PM in Enterprise

So, for my first post I thought I'd keep things short and sweet and tell you a little bit about who I am and what I do.

At the moment (and indeed for the foreseeable future!) I'm Creative Director and co-owner of 383 Project,a Birmingham-based design agency.

I've worked as a freelance designer and art director independently and for other agencies for around 4 years, growing my interest in online media and generally getting stuck in to the development of as many interesting projects and ideas as I can.

I helped co-found 383 Project early in 2006 and since then have helped to develop new accounts and clients across a range of industry sectors. Shortly after starting 383, we were named in Channel 4's Creative Class 06/07 and this year won 'Most Promising New Business' in the 2007 Creative City Awards.

As a company we're a passionate and enthusiastic bunch, working across the core disciplines of branding, new media and print.

Having made a conscious decision to turn down work in London and instead opt to start a company in Birmingham it's fair to say I believe that the city, and creative industries in particular, are going places.

In the short time I've been working here I've seen a number of great agencies, individuals and support services all contribute to making what I feel is one of the most vibrant and burgeoning areas of commerce in Birmingham, and most attractive places to work as a designer outside of London.

I'll be using this blog to write mainly about my take on running a small business in the city. Hopefully along the way I'll be pointing out both the successes and failings of our journey to get where we are now, and charting the next steps we're taking to grow the business further. In between now and my next post it might be worth checking out our 383 Project blog as a good indicator of what we're up to in the city and what makes us tick!