Ty Kuppig is the principal behind Tyger Productions, which has offices in Boston and in Greenwich, Connecticut. Kuppig launched the company in 2009 after stints with companies like Jack Morton Worldwide and Matthew David Events.
Starting my own company is one of the most exciting and challenging things I have taken on in my professional career. I spent the first nine years of my career in events consulting for prominent New York-based firms, both boutique agencies and global companies. Getting first-hand insight into how these businesses functioned was formative. I learned from others’ mistakes while noting their good ideas and building on them.
One thing I have learned is to ask for help. My friends, family, and business contacts have a wealth of knowledge that I tapped when I formed my company. I still consider these special people in my life as a valuable committee and sounding board for my ideas. The most successful people are the ones who realize they don’t know everything but do know whom to ask and where to find solutions.
I realized quickly that I was not just establishing a business; I was creating a brand. I thought big, creating one-, five-, and 10-year plans for expansion. When times are tough, I remind myself of my goals for the company and am reinvigorated.
The cliché that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” never resonated for me until I opened my business. After pushing myself to the brink of exhaustion at the beginning, I learned to stop working endlessly and to only work efficiently. When I am having a mental block, I try to clear my head or step to another project for a bit and am able to return with a fresh take. Obstacles come up around every turn, but there is always a solution out there waiting to be discovered. Some of my best ideas have come to me at the least-expected times.
Another thing I have learned is to treat your employees as partners. Creating a great company is a team effort. Tyger Productions’ employees represent our brand and are the backbone of our business. Choose yours carefully, establish clear responsibilities, and treat employees well.
I am thankful to have clients who have been with me from the start of my company and are still very important to my business. I urge those opening businesses to remember that clients should always come first. They are your most valuable assets. Listen to them, help them, and never take them for granted. And, no matter how new or long your relationship with a client, strive to knock their socks off with every proposal as if it is your first pitch.
