Open for business

Well, it's official. I am a full time freelance graphic designer and photographer. In a series of amazing events, my dream of taking Kern This Studio from a side project to a career became a reality — months, perhaps years sooner that I ever dreamed possible.

Some of the great folks I worked with at Alaska Newspaper and Camai Printing have kept in touch and connected me with some great opportunities. I have taken on the design of the weekly Cordova Times and First Alaskans magazine on a contractor basis.

I have an especially courageous woman to thank for offering me what seems like the best visual journalism gig in the country — at least for me. When Calista Corporation announced it was closing Alaska Newspapers she couldn't bear the thought of Cordova, Alaska losing it's hometown paper. So she bought it. And then called me and asked me to help. So I agreed and here I am typing away at my new Mac sitting in my HOME. I love it.

The last couple weeks have been a blur of setting up my home office, learning about taxes as a sole proprietor, bookkeeping, private heath insurance and all kinds of other fun stuff.

I'm thrilled to begin this new step in my life and have found a personal silver lining a difficult series of events that included the closure of the company I worked for in August.

I have been incredibly inspired by several woman business owners, entrepreneurial spirits and freelancers out there and would like to publicly thank them for their guts and creativity. So thank you:

• Jennifer Gibbins of The Cordova Times
• Victoria Barber, writer, editor, photographer journalist extrodinaire
• Beth Skabar of Beth Skabar Photography
• Margie Bauman, the quintessential Alaska journalist
• Meghan McCausland of Entrepreneur Alaska
• Allison Doty of Allison Doty Graphic Design
• Sara Gray of Sara Gray Photography
• Jonalynn McFadden of Turn Up the Rad Creative

I will also be forever grateful to my parents for their support, encouragement and go-for-it attitude about my decision. As well as their lifetime of being great examples of entrepreneurs, hard workers and all-around fantastic people.

I also owe everything to my husband and son enough for: (1) Putting up with me when I madly thought I could run a business AND work a full time job, and (2) equally supporting me when I decided to quit my job and focus on my business.

Well, I think I hear the speech "wrap up" music now.