Sketchfolio has turned 20. Wow.
Our start was so different from where we are now. 1,000 miles away. Literally, in Woodland Hills, California.
Two jokers, kids really, sitting back-to-back on tiny chairs in a cramped, 140-square-foot room in my apartment — fighting back the claustrophobia with closet doors made of full-length mirrors and thanks to the dreams of where our work might take us.
Things looked a lot different then. The monitors and computers weighed a lot more. I weighed a little less. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn weren’t around yet. Heck, MySpace was born, died, and reborn again in the time we’ve been around.
Some things haven’t changed. My first client — the company I left to start Sketchfolio — is still a client today. My ex-CPA father-in-law still does my books (I promise, I’ll let you fully retire one day, Mike). And, most importantly, it’s the relationships that matter the most.
Yes, I’ve been a “boss” for 20 years. But, I’ve had hundreds of bosses to learn from (aka clients). I’ve had hundreds of colleagues to collaborate with (aka partners and vendors). And I’ve had my family grow — the team at Sketchfolio over the years, my amazing wife and our three kids, who are the greatest creation I’ve had the honor of being a part of over the past two decades.
The 20 years certainly weren’t easy (see note above about three kids). There’s things I’d change, things I’ve learned, ways we’ve grown. But I wouldn’t change any of it if it meant risking some of the amazing things that came along with the hard times — the relationships built, the bonds of trust gained, the faith that we can accomplish great things.
I started writing this thinking I had to write something about Sketchfolio, what it’s done over the last 20 years, and where it might go. But, I realized in the third (or fourth or eighth draft) that the story of the business isn’t what matters.
What matters is that I say thank you. To my family for supporting my sometimes obsessive nature to dive into the work. The team members who have been with Sketchfolio for more than a decade. The team members who have just started their journey with us. The clients who trusted us 20 years ago and the ones that trust us today.
If you’re reading this (and got to the end), you must be someone who’s supported Sketchfolio along the way. So, thank YOU.
It’s been an honor to lead this ship for 20 years. I hope you’re a part of where the winds take us next.
Cheers to another 20!
