Looking back- 7 Years ago-SCOTTEVEST-SeV

This past week during the anniversary sale has given me an opportunity to look back at my experiences while starting and growing www.scottevest.com. (see picture of me in 2001 wearing first eVEST Version 1.0 prototype). It seems like yesterday when I first came up with the idea of carrying your gadgets stylishly, but looking back, it has clearly been a "long strange trip" (not my words) and a tremendous learning experience on so many levels. When I first came up with the idea, I was working at a dotcom start-up (www.Next50.com) commuting from Chicago to NJ every week, working for a complete idiot.

Many people ask me what was the hardest thing about starting SeV. I think the fear of failure was the hardest thing. Once I thought it through and accepted the fact that it could fail, I never looked back. I think the hardest thing for me was making the initial decision to pursue this idea, and trying to figure out how to start. I knew it was a good idea, but good ideas are a dime a dozen. The devil is truly in the implementation and execution.

As a practicing lawyer, learning how to do something and doing it, rather than just talking about it, did not come naturally. (Sorry for all the lawyers out there, but that was my experience) So, I made a list. Sounds simple, right? But it was not really that easy to do. I kept adding to it over time, and the most important thing is to be able to cross off things as you complete them. I maintain this practice even today. Some days the list grows exponentially, and nothing gets crossed off, which is frustrating.

It is important for me to remember that growing a successful business cannot be done by yourself. I am thankful to have had a team of good and talented people who have helped us grow SeV.

My advice is simple: if you have an idea, and it's a good idea, then go for it. You will never know unless you try.

Thanks so much for making SeV everything that it has become.

Scott