It’s May Day, flyte’s unofficial birthday. It’s been 11 years since flyte–formally b1 communications–started out of my apartment in JP (Jamaica Plain, MA). We’ve survived booms, busts, feasts and famines, as well as the current recession. (Am I allowed to call it that yet?)
Never did I think that I’d still be doing this eleven years later. And, on some level, I guess I’m not. I haven’t designed a Web site in years, and outside of updating flyte’s site, I don’t do much Web work, either. I’ve definitely let a lot of my skills atrophy over the years as my interests have shifted. Instead, I’ve hired people who are a lot more talented than I ever was, or ever could be.
My focus lately has been on Web marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing, blogging, social media, and developing Web marketing strategies for clients. It’s there I’m finding the most satisfaction.
There’s been a fundamental shift at flyte over the past few years from just building beautiful sites to building Web strategies that help a small business to grow.
I’m not sure what the next 11 years will bring in terms of technology or tools, but I believe our role will continue to be about helping businesses communicate more clearly and effectively with clients, and build long term relationships with their customers.
It’s also my hope that flyte and other businesses around the country and the world put more focus on the triple-bottom line: environmental stewardship, social responsibility and profitability. The current "green" fascination won’t last forever, so we need to take this opportunity to teach ourselves and learn from each other on how to build sustainable businesses.
