About the Founders

In 2006, Paul Willard and Jeffrey Fass were introduced and began consulting on projects for several mutual clients.  While working together, their conversations drifted into many discussions about the needs of creatives who own their own businesses and the tremendous changes taking place within creative industries of advertising, design, architecture and entertainment. 

Many changes.  Light speed changes in technology, changing needs of buyers that use creative services, shrinking budgets and new solo creatives [freelancers] becoming part of a burgeoning cottage industry looking for new business.

As they researched the idea, they were surprised at the number of creative professionals that are struggling to learn the necessary business skills needed to achieve sustainable financial success in their chosen field. 

In a defining moment, they decided to create a web community and resource site, giving independent creative professionals direct access to a universe of other creatives, information, tools and strategies necessary to build thriving businesses while adapting to industry changes. Successful Pursuits became the inspiration to help creatives empower themselves to achieve greater success with what they love doing most — their creative. 

Paul Willard understands what it takes to build successful, independent creative businesses. Over the last twenty plus years, he has dedicated his career to developing the businesses and guiding careers of award-winning creative professionals in film and music production, entertainment and advertising throughout North America.

As an Emmy-winning executive producer and illustrators' and photographers' representative, Paul faced the same challenges as the many creative professionals that now consult with him as their personal business strategist and coach. His past work has included producing and packaging projects with independent film directors and music composers for network television clients like Discovery Channel, National Geographic Television, TLC, HBO, and with award-winning talent at his former rep agency for national ad agencies' clients and their TV and print accounts like McDonalds, Post Cereals, Audi, Motorola, Comcast, Hanes and Time Magazine, among others.

Jeffrey Fass is a leading New York Web architect, communicator and designer who engages his clients and their visitors with rich web experiences. Using his unique process, he develops forward-thinking project specifications and provides clients with all levels of site planning and development oversight.

Jeffrey creates both technical development and designs strategic plans that help turn client ideas into web success stories, and in the process, makes websites look as good as they work.  Jeffrey also consults clients in the limitless opportunities of Social Networking and effective use of the latest Web 2.0 techniques.  His clients include Paul McCartney's MPL Communications, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and numerous independent creatives.

Together, Paul and Jeffrey are combining their years of experience and best practices to produce SuccessfulPursuits.com — with the mission of creating the #1 information web resource independent creative professionals can depend on to build a financially successful and gratifying creative business.

So much of Successful Pursuits’ mission involves sincere collaboration. Any creative process depends on it. That said, as our members continue to share with us about what they need and as our list of list of intelligent contributors continues to grow, we expect Successful Pursuits.com will very quickly become the most comprehensive creative business membership resource found anywhere. 

As we re-tool the site, we welcome any feedback from YOU. What do YOU need to know about, what challenges or problems are YOU faced with and what ideas do you have that would make our community easier for you to use. Click here and talk to us.