As everyone thanks Steve for the impact his vision and technology has had on their lives, it’s hard not to be upset. Without Steve, we wouldn’t own a company right now.  We wouldn’t have the creative, personal, and financial freedom that I often take for granted.  I wouldn’t work with 20 young men and women that I respect more than anyone else in the world.  Friends who are proud to work with friends.  There is probably no one in Ottawa who’s lives have been changed more substantially than the incredible people at Select Start, who’s careers have been tied almost directly to Steve and the success of Apple. Steve taught an entire generation to never settle for anything less than perfection.  The only limits you experience are the ones you impose on yourself.  Your ability to overcome them is the measure of your character. It’s time to think much bigger.  I’ve been settling for good.  Exceptional is within reach, with far more vision and a little more persistence.

As everyone thanks Steve for the impact his vision and technology has had on their lives, it’s hard not to be upset.

Without Steve, we wouldn’t own a company right now.  We wouldn’t have the creative, personal, and financial freedom that I often take for granted.  I wouldn’t work with 20 young men and women that I respect more than anyone else in the world.  Friends who are proud to work with friends.  There is probably no one in Ottawa who’s lives have been changed more substantially than the incredible people at Select Start, who’s careers have been tied almost directly to Steve and the success of Apple.

Steve taught an entire generation to never settle for anything less than perfection.  The only limits you experience are the ones you impose on yourself.  Your ability to overcome them is the measure of your character.

It’s time to think much bigger.  I’ve been settling for good.  Exceptional is within reach, with far more vision and a little more persistence.

  1. Date Posted Icon 6th October 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 4
    3. Tags Icon #steve jobs#apple#Select Start
Our Sophomore Year As Entrepreneurs

September 30th was Select Start’s second full year as a business.  Speaking for myself, Josh, and Tariq, it has been the most stressful but rewarding thing we’ve ever experienced.

In October of 2010, we had just convinced (duped?) our fifth employee to join the family.  Revenues were modest and runway was always an issue.  We occasionally got very creative with distributing founder salaries to make sure our team was looked after first.  We were finding our DNA as a company and our capabilities as individuals.

This year has been incredible.  It’s one that we’ll never forget, both personally and professionally.

  1. We’ve grown from five to 19 of the hungriest, smartest, and most talented people in the business.
  2. Our revenue is up 575%.
  3. Our profit is up a staggering 1025%.
  4. We’ve had the opportunity work with (unannounced) A-list companies.

To everyone who we’ve had stressed-out, candid, off-the-record conversations with: thank you for telling us to keep our heads down.

To our clients: thank you for trusting our engineers and designers like they were your own.

And to our engineers and designers: you are exceptional at what you do, and together you are unstoppable.

  1. Date Posted Icon 1st October 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 23
    3. Tags Icon #entrepreneurship#select start