A Puzzling Business

I've been helping people and organizations build better websites now for over a decade. In that time I've had the joy of discovery, occasionally been frustrated, but always had a heckuva lot of fun puzzling out the many projects. I am one of those truly fortunate people who managed to find something they like to do and then found someone willing to pay me to do it!

Most people who know me know that I love puzzles. Sudoku, crosswords, cross-sums (now called "Kakuro") -- they all have the power to fascinate and ensnare me. Before going on a plane trip, I'll pick up a book of math and logic puzzles and I'll barely notice the time between take-off and landing, except when I have to juggle my puzzle book and my beverage. It is a rare puzzle indeed which forces me to give up.

My work on websites, from the simplest brochure site to the most complex online content management system is, at its base, just one big puzzle after another. Hmm, this information has to show up on both sides of the screen. How will I do that? This section has to be purple and 40 pixels tall. What were those commands again? That picture isn't supposed to be flipped upside-down. What is going wrong there?

Now that I've started working more on my business (as opposed to in my business), I'm starting to see that I can apply these same puzzle-solving techniques. How do I describe my business? Which marketing method will best reach my target market? What systems can I devise to make things run more smoothly?

What methods do you use to work both in and on your business (or in your job)? Maybe you find the similarities in playing chess. Possibly yours is more like scripting a movie. How does it work for you?