Look forward: The state of progress

As I think about what’s on the horizon for Evan Webster Ink, I’m in a great mood. I have a bunch of projects, both shorter-term and long-term, that I’m juggling, and I love the feeling of possibility in the air. I’m feeling optimistic about all the things I’m working on – but even so I know the reality is that I’ll be fortunate to have just a single one work out.

I think a conversation I had with a stranger last night was what made me really realize the potential of my business. This, in turn, helped me see how exciting my projects are and infused my thoughts with enthusiasm. At a Cape Verdean-Jewish Passover seder in Roxbury, MA, last night, I struck up a conversation with the man next to me. His name is Michael and he’s a taxi driver and tropical plant designer. In addition to these two jobs he also buys summer clothing from department stores when it’s on sale over the winter, and ships it to Cape Verde, where it’s sold in markets. We talked for a while about the possibility of creating custom apparel with a more artisanal look to sell in Cape Verde. I made a joke about having to add “International” to the end of my business name. Having long-term, optimistic goals is helpful to me because it brings focus and urgency to the immediate tasks that I need to get done.

There are a few other projects I’m working hard on. One involves my first entry into the rock music scene – and experiments in both marketing and alternative materials. The other is a collaboration with a local artist named Chris – we’re designing a small line of locally themed apparel that we’re hoping to sell through boutiques in the Boston area. While this is all going on, I continue my wholesale printing work.

My only concern right now is having too much optimism and not enough doing. Writing this post will serve as motivation for completing the projects I’ve touched on today. Frank Chimero, a wonderful artist (and philosopher!) whose site I stumbled upon a few days ago, has a great list of what he describes as “a pool of thoughts about the creative process.” One of these short and sweet lines is “Done is beautiful.” Look forward to future posts that detail how I went from idea to product!