One of my favorite stories from the early days of StandOut Design is about a startup landscaper from Newcomerstown, Ohio. I’ll never forget that call. At the time, I had no idea where Newcomerstown even was, but he had found me online. That moment was a lightbulb for me—it was the first time I truly understood the power of SEO and how vital it is to being discovered in the digital world. That realization became a cornerstone of what we do today.
The landscaper was just starting out, and like me, he didn’t have an office yet. He asked if we could meet at mine, and I remember chuckling to myself because my "office" was a half-finished basement. Most of the time, I was working in basketball shorts and surrounded by the hum of determination and dreams—not exactly the ideal client meeting spot.
So, we improvised. We decided to meet halfway at a McDonald’s, sitting in a corner booth with papers spread across the table, hashing out ideas. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real. We talked about his vision, his goals, and what he wanted to build. From that meeting, I helped him create a brand that would set the foundation for his business—a professional logo, a sharp website, business cards, social media presence, and more. That website, by the way, is still online: Morgan Landscaping.
Looking back, that meeting wasn’t just about building his business—it was about building mine, too. It showed me that every client, no matter how small or where they come from, deserves the same passion and effort. It reminded me that you don’t need a fancy office or a big budget to create something meaningful. All you need is a shared vision, a willingness to work hard, and, apparently, a McDonald’s booth.
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