Happy Birthday, Keybridge Communications!
Exactly 10 years ago today, Keybridge Communications was officially formed. I was 29 years old with $17,000 of credit card debt.
At the time, the risk of starting a new business from scratch seemed overwhelming. The financial burden alone was daunting. I had no source of income, no connections or existing clients, and yet was suddenly adding a $600 monthly rent — plus telephone and internet bills — to my regular living expenses. On top of that, I needed to buy office supplies, including a chair, printer and telephone.
It was scary and exciting.
In those first few weeks, I was determined to build a client base. So I spent my days making cold calls – literally calling companies I’d find in the Yellow Pages. I posted a telephone script on my wall, and made a minimum of 50 calls per day for the first several months.
My goal was to earn $50,000 in the first year. I believe we ending up billing around $200,000. The next year, we hit $400,000. Then $600,000. Then $1 million. And in year five, our revenues doubled to $2 million. The growth itself was a challenge and, at times, overwhelming.
The past 10 years have been a wild ride. It hasn’t always been easy — there have been many failures and sleepless nights. But for the most part, it has been incredibly fun. I’m especially grateful for – and proud of – all the wonderful people this company has brought together, including business partners, employees and clients.
I don’t know what the future holds for Keybridge Communications, but here’s to hoping that the next 10 years will be as successful and exciting as the last.
