How One Business Is Expanding Beyond Its Local MarketWhat is your company doing that takes you outside the comfort zone?
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When Darren Mahuron was young, there was only one thing he wanted to be for a living: an artist. The window opened one day when his employer needed a product photographer. He taught himself about cameras, learned Photoshop and figured out that he hated taking pictures and doing it someone else's way. So in 2006, he decided to let the establishment have its way and he'd do it his, and he foundedSummit Studios.
In 2011, it's hard to walk through the idyllic town of Fort Collins, Colo., and find a business owner or culture-centric person who doesn't know Mahuron and his work. In addition to having a successful photography business, he's a fixture on the local art scene. But 2011 brings with it a separate challenge for Mahuron, who's carved himself a deep niche in his own backyard: getting out of his backyard. "I need to find a way to get my work into larger markets," he says. "Larger markets means larger projects and new challenges for me professionally." And so comes the question of busting out of your comfort zone--and shaping your business and brand to make the leap.
