Rebecca and Will Hanlon: Why we started The Founder Beat

We started our business six years ago and thought, “Worst case scenario, if this doesn’t work, we just have to get real jobs.”

About 18 months ago, we questioned for the first time – really questioned – if it was time to get those jobs.

The pandemic changed everything we thought we knew about entrepreneurship. Two weeks into lockdown in early 2020, we lost half of our monthly projected revenue. We had to lay off our staff. Will applied for a job at FedEx because we weren’t sure we’d be able to pay the mortgage.

And then a call came.

“I thought your business might have been impacted,” said the voice on the other end. “I have some money in my marketing budget. Can we work together?”

And there were other calls. Smaller projects. Things that kept us at home with our kids and allowed us to keep our business alive in those early months.

As time went on, we stabilized. With each passing month, we didn’t worry as much if we’d make it. Then, as businesses started to open back up again, Our York Media started to grow again.

And we saw around us the other entrepreneurs who had made it. Perhaps even more impressive were the ones who launched their ventures despite the added unknown that COVID-19 brought to every industry.

For us, we’ve never just wanted to tell stories. We’ve wanted to be part of those stories.

We didn’t want to just talk about York’s revitalization. We wanted to contribute to it.

The Founder Beat is part of that mission. It’s here to celebrate those who chase a dream, risk be damned.

And while we’re going to tell you their stories of grit and determination, we’re also going to support them.

Among the stories of founders in our community, you’ll find resources from professionals who can help your business grow. You’ll learn from business leaders who have made it through those tough moments, those growing pains, and can share their own experiences.

You’ll also find every story translated to Spanish. We celebrate the diverse entrepreneurs within our community and want to ensure they all have access to information that can inspire and drive them to bigger things.

Soon enough, we’ll gather for events unlike any you’ve seen in this area. We’ll see first-hand how our entrepreneurs contribute to our community, while learning who they are and how far they’ve come.

If you’ve made it this far in your journey as an entrepreneur, you should be proud. And if you’re still trying to bring your idea to fruition or you’re still trying to keep your doors open, we’re here to cheer you on.

We’re going to come out of this pandemic stronger than we were before. Join us.