Today has been a less than challenging day in the Cutting-Edge-Turbo-Design department of Stafford.Tisdale. There have been no ground breaking graphical layouts or crazy motion design sequences. Just production and coordination. And several of calls from random clientele. Random…Meaning: people who I typically would not pursue for business.

This morning I had a meeting with a home builder in a small North Carolina town. A simple man. A man who has built his business on manual labor. A man with a robust Nextel phone. He wanted a website but didn’t know the difference between a URL and an ISP.

I went into the meeting a little jaded. I had already prepared myself for the dreaded “how much for a web page” discussion, however, we ended up hanging out over a cup of joe debating which school would be better for his theatre-centric 14 year-old daughter. I left with a new account, a caffeine buzz, and a man’s trust.

It’s the random people that should make a business owner take a step back and appreciate the opportunity he or she has to make new connections. Sometimes my focus gets blurred by ambitions. I would rather be collaborating on a hot new commercial for Nike in New York than making a web page for a home builder in North Carolina. However, a better project does not mean a better client. The people that truly connect with the person behind the business define what the business can become. Good people equal good business.