LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 14 After 140+ hours of tying, website construction, logo design, product photography, making product descriptions, setting up Google products, etc. over the course of just two months, I was able to launch my website! I got my first order on the first day I launched, and continue to fulfill a steady stream of orders, as well as tie for a local sporting goods store, Woods & Waters in Saranac Lake. It's really exciting to see how far this idea has come. It has gone from my Senior Capstone Project to a small business in that I have spent hundreds of hours investing my time into to date. Choosing this path for my Senior Capstone Project kept me on track and motivated because of the dead- lines for project progress that had to be met. This acted as an extra "push"; however, it didn't seem very stressful like a typical school project because I have found so much passion and meaning in the work I do, and I love sharing my art with people to make mem- ories at their favorite fishing spots. I also learned so much more than I would have ever thought, including things like how to get a DBA, how to set up a business checking account, how to collect online payments, how to set up Google products for an online business, the importance of SEO, how to design my own logo, and how to use Photoshop. I have discovered that the path to starting your own business, big or small, will always have its own setbacks and problems to solve. This journey has been such a great learning experi- ence, but also an enjoyable one, involving something that I am very passionate about. Prior to moving to Lake Placid, I had it in my mind that I wanted to get a Ph.D. in engineering because I wanted to pursue a career that paid well and would have given me financial security; however, after being even more active in the community and doing the things I love, it has changed my thought and outlook for my future to seek a career that gives me a good quality of life and opportunities to do the things I love over high pay, high-stress careers with a materialistic life. My last three generations of Grandfathers, who were all avid fishermen and loved the outdoors, never had the chance to make it into retirement. We never really know how much time there is left on Earth, so why not make what you love to do your career? Website: www.thomasflyandtackle.com Instagram: @thomasflyandtackle Facebook: Thomas Fly & Tackle YouTube: Thomas Fly & Tackle

• Cover