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Every now and then everyone needs a pep talk – the reminder that they are special, have something to offer the world, are talented, unique and remarkable. 

Wylie gets these types of pep talks very little because when I tell him how great he is, he usually does something to make me want to recant.  Having said that, greatness is something that resides in the Gypsy and, like it or not, it seems to be my role to remind him of this in the most obvious of moments.

We recently made the decision to take Wylie’s company 33^rd Design public – meaning that he is now available to take work from outside the Dreamstoreality.ca Group of Companies and on a recent Friday afternoon, we had much to reveal in. 

Accomplishment number one…Wylie’s dream, to design full-time, IS a reality.  After a year and a half he has developed the necessary skills, acquired the essential technology and established a process that has enabled him to take the next step.

Accomplishment number two – just one week after making this decision, Wylie was approached by multiple businesses to perform any number of design-related jobs for them.

Accomplishment number three – our own printing company, having seen Wylie’s work on their printers for the past year, expressed an interest in a re-design under the creative brain of non other than Wylie Ford.

Accomplishment number four – Wylie landed a job completing a professional photo shoot for not one, but two very well known organizations (details to follow post-shoot).

On this particular Friday afternoon, Wylie, Shaun and myself were reviewing all that had happened in just one week.  Wylie, being Wylie, was questioning these developments and me, being me, was getting frustrated.  In a moment of weakness I cracked and proceeded to remind him of all that he had achieved in such a short period of time. 

In less than two years Wylie went from driving cab and teaching mixed martial arts to designing full-time.  His skills have continued to evolve from one incredible level to the next.  His designs have been blasted over the Internet, in print and even on TV!  He went from dabbling in photography to becoming a professional photographer who receives praise, awe and encouragement on a daily basis, completely unsolicited, from people who see his work and are compelled to say something.  He is living the dream and becoming highly successful at it.

A confident little smirk crossed over Wylie’s face when he realized the magnitude of what he’s accomplished.  His hard work and talent had gotten him here and he was ready to reveal in the moment.  He cracked a celebratory beer and that’s when I said…FU, get back to work!

Keep smiling~

Mac