We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jak Dawson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jak thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?
In my journey as an entrepreneur, I’ve had my share of unexpected moments, but one story really stands out. Imagine this: I was going around my town, handing out flyers for my web design services, especially to businesses that needed some help online. I believe my calling is helping others with technology, and I wanted to lend a hand to local business owners.
During one visit, I stepped into a shop I used to visit when I was younger. I had a chat with the owner about how things were going and explained what I do – designing websites. What he said next caught me off guard.
He told me that if I had shown up two years earlier, his shop might still be running today. That hit me hard. He believed that a good website could have saved his business. Sadly, he had hired a bad web designer who messed things up, costing him time and money. In the end, it was too much for his business to handle, and he had to close it down.
This story made me realize how important a good website can be, especially when things go wrong. It showed me that in the worst situations, a website can make or break a business. This experience made me even more determined to help business owners with their websites and tech needs.
In short, this encounter opened my eyes to the power of technology in business, and it made me more committed to my mission of helping businesses thrive online.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Jak Dawson, similar to Jack from the Titanic. My focus is on websites, but my real passion lies in technology. I’ve had a knack for technology since I was young, and as I grew up, I dived deeper into it. I spent a lot of time tinkering with computers and audio/visual gear.
That journey led me to my first IT job, working as a support technician for our local school system. At first, I helped out the students and staff in the schools themselves. Later, I transitioned to the HR department at the administration building, assisting the staff and applicants. What made me effective in these roles was not just my tech know-how but my ability to connect with people and understand their needs. I used clear communication to help them tackle their tech challenges, all while teaching them how to handle similar issues on their own in the future.
This experience formed the foundation of how I assist business owners today. When they find themselves in a digital maze, struggling with websites, online marketing, or technology, I step in. I bring my support skills to the table to make these complex concepts understandable. I help business owners unlock the potential of technology to boost their businesses.
My business isn’t just about profits; it’s about community. I work with brand-new startups, established local businesses, and non-profit organizations alike. We offer training for those who want to take the do-it-yourself route and budget-friendly options for those with tight budgets. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their budget, gets the assistance they need.
So, whether you’re just starting out or have been in the game for a while, I’m here to help you navigate the ever-evolving world of technology and make it work for your business. What sets us apart is our commitment to understanding your unique needs and offering tailored solutions that fit your budget and goals.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
My journey began as a freelance web designer, and it eventually led me to establish my own business. At that time, I was working full-time as an IT Technician, and I decided to use my hard-earned money to get my business off the ground.
In the early stages, there were expenses to cover, but I was still learning the ropes of running a business. So, I started by depositing a few hundred dollars into my business account. Whenever the business needed something and didn’t have the necessary funds, I would dip into my personal finances to support it. This meant making several personal contributions during that first year.
Starting a business is always a bit of a risk, but I believed it was a risk worth taking. As time went on, the business became more self-sufficient, generating enough income to cover its own expenses. Eventually, I reached a point where I no longer needed to use my personal savings to fund the business. Instead, the business started to generate its own revenue, allowing me to reinvest in it and help it grow without touching my personal savings.
It’s been a journey of learning, hard work, and dedication, but I’m proud to say that my business has not only become self-sustaining but has also continued to thrive and evolve over time.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I used to put a lot of time into strategies I found in online videos. In this digital age, you can find countless individuals sharing their methods for raking in the cash. But through my own experiences, I learned that it’s often more noise than actual benefits.
You see, if a business owner gets caught up in constantly watching new videos and trying out new strategies, they can find themselves stuck in a perpetual planning mode without taking real action. It’s easy to get lost in the endless sea of advice and forget to implement what’s actually necessary for your unique situation.
Another key realization was that many of these strategies worked wonders for the person sharing them but might not be universally applicable. What works for one person in their specific niche might not translate well to another. So, unlearning the habit of blindly following every new strategy I came across was essential for my own growth as an entrepreneur.
Instead, I’ve learned to focus on what works best for my specific business and industry, taking a more tailored approach to problem-solving and growth. It’s a lesson that’s helped me cut through the noise and stay on a more productive path.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wcwebsites.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/world_class_websites/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldclasswebsitesclearwaterwebdesign
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-class-websites-clearwater-web-design/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkwidYxu6mV6rjxSPo931BQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/world-class-websites-clearwater-web-design-clearwater
- Other: Google Business Profile: https://www.google.com/maps/place/World+Class+Websites+Clearwater+Web+Design/@27.8915024,-83.0544175,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x812a9c1633b394d5:0xb6ff87a944e5170d!8m2!3d27.8918945!4d-82.7247636!16s%2Fg%2F11r_vf0prp?hl=en&authuser=0&entry=ttu