Frank Quinn is building local expertise with national background

I’m very lucky. The most interesting people come into my path and I’m convinced it’s because I’m supposed to share them with you.

This week I want to tell you about Frank Quinn. He owns Cheetah Marketing Communications, but even more importantly, he’s the kind of guy who’s inspirational. His story could be a weepy one, if Frank was a whiner, but he’s not. And so it isn’t.

Frank spent his working life (in the employment world) climbing the corporate ladder. His interest is marketing–selling people, products, services, places, ideas… and as his jobs moved him across the country, the offices got bigger and bigger along with the paycheques and the expectation that this would be life until gold watch and age 65.

Most of us now know there is no gold watch at the end of the rainbow. And, while this may cause derisive scoffs from the twentysomethings, for an individual who’s given company devotion, and invested the “cheetah”’s share of his professional life to a corporation, it is a shock. When Frank’s corner office ceased to exist, Frank stood on the brink of decision.

It’s interesting what creates a survivor. Maybe it’s hopefulness. Maybe it’s belief in self. Maybe it’s a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, a kindness towards others, an open mind. Whatever, Frank has all of it. He turned his back on the ‘big smoke’ and established his energy and his focus in Canada’s fastest growing city. And megabyte by megabyte, Frank is building his own business. He’s handling media campaigns and market positioning for companies; he’s designing web pages, brochures, business cards for SOHO’s (small office/home offices); he’s helping non profit organizations with limited budgets develop webpages that would otherwise be impossible like the Festival of Trees webpage (see treefestonline.com) . He’s designing power point presentations, writing press releases, teaching entrepreneurs how to manage their own media plans.

It takes real courage to strike out on your own without the accustomed corporate infrastructure… the things that Frank once took for granted are things he now creates for himself. And, he does it with grace, with ease and with good humour.

In doing this Frank is joining thousands of Canadians who, instead of anticipating retirement comfortably, are grappling with issues of self employment with reality. Many people would throw their hands up in defeat, and whine about the state of the world and the personal damage to themselves. But Frank Quinn is an inspiration because he doesn’t do that at all.

Thanks, Frank!