Bishop, CA—The 16-foot fiberglass travel trailer affectionately called “The Egg” has rolled over 4,000 miles to arrive at its current resting place in the foothills of the Eastern Sierras. Andy and I (and Pickle, the dog), have called this little trailer home for the last three months as we began a year-long adventure to explore the country, connect with new clients, and give away over $25,000 in free design and photography services to artists, non-profits, and entrepreneurs in need.
But how did we get here?
After eleven years in Chicago, the only place we had lived since college, Andy and I began to seriously contemplate a move westward. When I was accepted into a post-graduate program in nonprofit management in Denver, we thought we had an exit plan. However, after a visit to the Mile-High city to secure housing, see the school, and envision our new life, it occurred to us that we might just be trading one predictable and somewhat unfulfilled situation for another. Although we’d be closer to mountains and have greater access to the outdoor sports we loved, we’d also be tied down to rent, school debt, and the necessity for good-paying jobs to make it all work. While waiting in the Denver airport for our flight home, we came up with the following considerations for our next big step, including what we really wanted, and the limitations we faced:
- Have an Adventure
See the country and climb as much as possible - Give Back
Have a positive impact on others
- Leverage our Skills
Graphic design, arts administration, photography - Acknowledge Financial Limitations
Assess limited savings and uncertain earning potential
A month later, after allowing these factors some time to incubate, we had an idea about how we might synthesize them into one cohesive mission—DesignEgg was hatched. A fiberglass Scamp, referred to by RVers as an “egg,” lent to the project’s name.
We used Kickstarter as a tool for honing our concept, articulating the idea to others, asking for feedback and support, and remaining accountable for the results. After the success of the month-long fundraising campaign—which realized 140% of its original $10,000 goal—Andy and I pledged to match the amount raised, gave notice to our full-time jobs, and traded a condo for 86-square-feet on wheels.
Since August 2014, we have been living adventurously—visiting iconic national parks, vibrant cities, and renowned climbing destinations—working with ongoing clients of our existing firm, Wickstrom Design, and generating interest among potential applicants for DesignEgg Creative Service Awards. After the November 1, 2014 deadline, an outside committee of arts, education, and business professionals reviewed dozens of submissions from across the country. The inaugural class of award recipients is a diverse group of artists, nonprofit organizations, and entrepreneurs doing work in a variety of areas including: animal rights, art, education, environmentalism, health and wellness, humanitarian relief, social services, sustainability, and theater.
We plan to be in Bishop until mid-January when we’ll head south for more climbing and sightseeing in Nevada, Arizona, Texas and beyond. All the while, we’ll be providing free creative services to seventeen individuals and organizations, helping them take their work to the next level with good design and photography.
Amazingly, just seven months after we first discussed our goals in the terminal of Denver International, we are on the road and living the dream.
More questions about how we did it? Want to hear about some of the setbacks and difficulties? Feel free to reach out by email.
