One

I have a client who says that only 17 percent of businesses survive their first year. We’re one of them.

Only twenty-five percent of businesses open their doors again after a natural disaster. We’re one of them.

Livingston Communications turned one year old. We made it… and we were profitable. We went from ground zero in a basement and no clients to offices in Old Town with more than $215k in gross billings. We’ve had great experiences, from promoting Godsmack lead singer Sully Erna’s new book “The Paths We Choose,” and the Washington Nationals to well over a dozen stories placed in the top 50 newspapers in the country.

We embraced new media with authority, and became a local expert in the field. And we also continued a personal tradition of B2G work with majors like General Dynamics IT, BEA Systems and Verizon Wireless Federal.

It was a good beginning and there are many people, too many people to thank for their support here, but we are grateful for everything they’ve done. Without them the company would not be successful.

Now it’s time to begin year two, a year of continued growth. We have several new media and PR projects on the table, which will carry us through the quarter. And with that, we’re on our way. To start the new year with a bang we’ve got Laura Ries of “The Fall of Advertising and Ries of PR” and “Origin of Brands” fame in our weekly Buzz Bin interview.

Also, I’ve joined Second Life is “Livingston Zenovka.” It seemed like a fitting move for year two. Second Life is an increasingly popular virtual world populate by individuals and corporations alike. Second Life and Spin Thicket seem to be the primary social networks for me. Like Kami’s interview says, you have to be careful not to join too many or fatigue can set in. I am contemplating buying property on Second Life and opening a store front for the company there… We’ll see.
Here are some quotes to start the week:

• “If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone,â€? John Maxwell.
• “He who moves not forward, goes backward,â€? Goethe.
• “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning,â€? Ben Franklin.