Taking the Leap

"Best case is that it's totally amazing," he says.

The Public Relations Pros

Julie Gallagher (above left), 28, and Kathryn Park, 31, were wary of each other at first. They were hired for entry-level marke ting positions at the Georgetown Business Improvement District around the same time. The competition was on.

About a year into their jobs, both realized they had big plans for overhauling the marketing department and few resources to do it. That meant they would have to work together -- and they haven't stopped since.

"We were just bursting with these ideas," says Gallagher, an Arlington resident.

The duo became known as "the BID girls," rallying businesses to participate in community activities and planning events. But after two years and a few happy-hour brainstorming sessions, they decided it was time to strike out on their own.

"We're young. We're in a position to take some risks . . . and to be absorbed back in should we not succeed," says Park, who lives in Georgetown.

In June, Charm Media was born. The marketing and public relations firm has lined up several clients by partnering with branding firm Mbox, with which the former BID girls share offices in a Georgetown loft.

The official tour of the space takes all of 10 minutes. There is a long black conference table nicknamed the "Idea Table." A curtain hides the "IT Department," a.k.a. a fax machine, modem and miscellaneous wires. A pantry is stuffed with 100-calorie snack packs.

Park is the more business-oriented, conservative one while Gallagher is more creative but can go over-the-top. The two balance each other. They also rely on each other for accountability and discipline. When you're the boss, it can be tempting to skip work and spend the day in your pajamas. It's easier to get dressed and go to the office when you know someone is waiting for you.

Gallagher and Park are already starting the next chapter of their company. They are merging with Mbox and another undisclosed partner to create a new company. Gallagher says the sour economy has not dampened their spirits. If anything, optimism and hard work are more necessary now than ever.

"It's a way of flushing out the leaders . . . from those that survive from really great luck," she says.

The Independent Contractor

Sometimes life makes our decisions for us. Like on July 8, when Cory Siansky was unexpectedly laid off from his job as an information technology director at a law firm.