Updated for 2012, a miniature, pocket-sized version of the Signwriters pricing guides. The same information as in the regular Sign Contractors Pricing Guide, the mini guide includes pricing for artwork, ...
Charlie Duane
Charlie Duane, a long-time ST contributor, graphic designer, signmaker and good friend, recently wrote a book titled Racing Light. It documents his solo, Appalachian Trail through-hike, from Cap Gaspe, QC, Canada, to the tip of Key West.
Charlie, a graduate of Butera School of Art (Boston), divided the hike into four parts, so he could run his business and, more importantly, aid his wife, Tricia, in raising their two boys, James and Karl. Thus, the 4,057-mile hike required four years to complete, although his trail time was 180 days.
Charlie wrote, “180 days, 9,886,500 footsteps, 12 pair of shoes, 470 photographs, a glimpse of enlightenment and a taste of immortality.”
As I read the book, I realized that, in addition to telling a great story and providing us, also, a glimpse of enlightenment, Charlie had incorporated great advice for business people in this, shall we say, confusing time.
His hiking philosophy was to travel lightly and stay on task. He did this by focusing on the daily work while visualizing the trail’s end.
Similarly, the key to business success is to focus on needed, everyday accomplishments, but to keep the end product in mind.
Charlie traveled alone, but occasionally spent a day alongside other hikers. Interestingly, and without hurrying, he completed many trail sections ahead of those who had started sooner. Charlie says he generally walked slower than other trekkers; they passed him, he said, like over-the-road trucks would a puttering economy sedan. Over time, however, he passed many of them.
Think of this when you go against larger competitors.
Charlie and I recently got together at the Sheraton hotel in Atlantic City. We arrived from separate locations, to attend the United States Sign Council’s Sign World USA.
On Friday morning, we sat at a large, sunny window at the hotel’s restaurant and talked of the book, business and world politics. Charlie’s daypack sat next to his chair, and I noticed he reflexively transferred two bananas and an apple, reaped from the restaurant buffet, from his plate to the pack. In doing this, he instinctively exhibited how hiking practices relate to business.
You see, in hoarding the fruit, Charlie had intuitively planned for later times, a valuable trait for both travelers and businesspeople.
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