Me chilling under the desert sun in Joshua Tree, CA. Reclined on the deck of a workshop/studio created from 4 shipping containers. This was during my stint as a welder and metal artist, working for a visionary who introduced me to the usefulness and beauty of shipping containers.

Ever wake up on any random Monday from an inadequate slumber, hittin’ snooze just a tad harder than last Friday, full-bladdered, and think to yourself: Geez, this sucks!? The daily grind… The same ol’ same ol’… Asking yourself: “Is this it? Is this really what my life is about?” Not being able to distinguish January 18, 2010 from January 18, 2009…2008… How about the sense that you aren’t living your life to its fullest capacity; basically, cheating yourself out of something better because you just haven’t taken the plunge to do something different, exciting, daring or more rewarding? If you know what I am talking about, then you can understand why I created this post…

After a very long–at times, pensive–few years of contemplation of what I could find myself doing happily, I have decided to create a cutting-edge company (forming it is not that expensive, just filing fees for now) that centers its business model around the modification of shipping containers and exploring new building techniques never before seen. It’s not a shocker, I realize this–given the nature of my website. I am a graphic designer and artist professionally, but I have a visionary containerist within me dying to get out and I would be willing to give up my usual job for the excitement of discovery, social awareness and advancing humankind.

I have many ideas that bounce around inside my cranium on a daily basis thanks to my unrelenting inner entrepreneur; plus, I see many facets to this entire philosophy of re-purposing containers that are lacking. I won’t share those ideas here because they will become proprietary eventually, but for the right people who can see the potential, I will welcome them into my world. This means: investors.

Why not form a non-profit and ask for grant money? I decided not to form a non-profit company because it would be a for-profit company with plans of growth and expansion; plus, I would hate to be acting as a grant writer for my own company, soliciting and then ultimately being scrutinized by foundations. I would rather be in the shop kicking around cool ideas for modifying shipping containers; and making a profit, of course.

A formal business plan? Wait, wait, wait… Hey, I am not looking to get a loan from a bank nor asking for funding from venture capitalists–I understand VC’s have their noses in your business after they give you money–really, really deep into your business. No thanks, dude! I want investors, not bosses–Terry does not play well with bosses lol. There will be NO BOSSES in this company. Just innovators and visionaries. I want to deal with really cool people that think like I do.

The Home Stretch Begins Here (Terry inserts horizontal rule):

_____________________________________

So who do I want to partner up with or get funding from? I am looking for open-minded, liberal-thinking, fun, sense-of-humor-having, forward-seeing individuals who have extra funds to put into a business whose time has arrived. Any and all business planning can be done with a piece of paper and pencil—how I do things. I am an artist and an entrepreneur, it’s my style to be loose, yet use extreme scrutiny with any new concept or plan. Building with shipping containers and other out-of-the-box methods are only gaining in popularity. I don’t want to get slammed in the face by the wake of someone else’s ideas, but rather create my own tidal wave of eye-opening innovations.

I will need to access enough money to secure a location to call the “shop,” buy equipment, hire a couple of worthy individuals and begin the endeavor of creating and innovating. I will need something in the range of 50k to 150k to get things rolling (the more, the better). The office will be out west, where I reside. All of my ideas will involve generating a profit, so that will be an obvious goal of the company. Any funding will be applied toward the growth and prosperity of the new company. I will start this company with or without any outside help, but having money to run a fully functional company is always nice.

You don’t have to tell me that there are companies doing this already. I get it and I know who the major players are, but I have ideas to take it all to the next level. I want to establish contacts and develop resources that none of these other companies have. I have so many ideas not being implemented by anyone else and the ideas continue to stream into my head—it’s a persistent problem with entrepreneurial types (apparently).

I only ask for a commitment at this point; but a serious one, please. I get a decent number of visitors each and every day to my site and a common denominator of many of them would have to be the interest in alternative building methods. A few could be looking for the next greatest thing and would love to get in early. I can go on and on for ages, but I will stop here. If you would be interested in funding a start-up as an investor, silent partner or even an active, hands-on partner: contact me.

Are YOU in yet? Just a little?

Please contact me about your willingness to invest or even your desire to partner up with me (to keep this simple for me, a minimum investment I would be willing to look at is 10k). I don’t need 20 partners, so the more of an investment I can secure with the fewest individuals, the better and more streamlined everything will be. I am ready to do this in earnest. Once I secure all the funding I need, the invitation to partner up or invest will likely be closed off—so show your interest ASAP in you really want to get in on the ground floor.

I will keep my visitors posted on the progress of the company and any new investments made to it. Meanwhile, I will be piecing together plans and goals. So keep coming back to track progress!

–Will hold breath now–

UPDATE 5/19/2010:

Please refer to the new featured post for investors on the first page of the site. It supersedes this post with a presentation! Thanks.