03/13/2026
17 years ago I somehow captured lightning in a bottle.
The Great Recession didn't exactly provide many prospects for a newly graduated student with an art degree, and I had nothing to lose. Perception LLC was born through random gigs on Craigslist and gracious word of mouth. It grew through years of late nights, early mornings, and every waking hour in between. In a world where nearly half of businesses fail in their first 5 years, mine was born during the storm and succeeded with time.
Sometimes it's hard to believe I've been doing this for over a decade and a half. In that time I've built a home, a family, and countless relationships. I've weathered a recession, a pandemic, health scares, and more. I've seen technology change repeatedly, experienced the highs and lows of being a business owner just like any other, and I've learned and grown each step of the way. But despite being self-employed and working by myself more hours of the day than most people could handle, I couldn't have done any of it alone. Not by a long shot.
Those who taught me, inspired me, listened to me, and hired me have all played such an important role all of these years. Thank you to Kayla and the kids for putting up with blank stare, deep thoughts. Thank you to everyone who has ever worked with me to create great things. Whether you're my clients who have been with me from the beginning (you know who you are), just started working with me this week, or haven't yet reached out, thank you. Thank you for supporting my business. Thank you for supporting my family. And thank you for making my dreams come true. I am forever grateful and truly blessed.
Now, let's see if we can rock 17 more.
-John