Name: Jessica Brandt

Company: Q5 Media

Web site: www.q5media.com

E-mail address: info@q5media.com

Founded: January 2000

COSE Member Since: 2004

Published works: Arrow Email Software - www.arrowemail.com

Elevator Speech: Q5 Media designs Web sites and Web-based software. We specialize in database-driven sites that are professional, custom and easy to update.

What do you like most about being a business owner: Every bit of work we do translates into how well our business does. If we work hard, we see the results. If we slack off, we see different results. It's great seeing your work pay off, which is something you don't see in a huge corporation.

What do you like least about being a business owner: Knowing exactly how much money you have, how much you need to pay out and then cutting yourself a paycheck. It's not so fun being the last one to get paid.

What do you like most about having a home office: No distractions. No chatty co-workers, no radio, no TV - unless I say so. My environment suits me perfectly instead of me having to plug myself into someone else's environment.

What do you like least about having a home office: People seem to think just because I'm home I am not working, and that my business isn't "real." After 6 years, regular paychecks and lots of success - I still have to "justify" myself to others.

Advice to anyone who is considering starting a home-based business: When you are working you are at work. Everyone needs to know that - your friends, family, etc. You need to know it too. It's not hard to keep from being distracted but you have to be convinced yourself.

What do you like most about being a COSE member: Health care benefits. We could not have gotten the incredible plans we got without the power of COSE behind us.

What two or three personal characteristics are most critical to your success: Hard work and dedication. It sounds clichéd but you really have to be dedicated to be able to go without sleep and without pay for a while when things get rough. But it pays off - bigtime.

Advice that you try to live by: Be loyal and trustworthy. It pays off. 

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Hobbies: Karate

Favorite Cuisine: Italian

Favorite Movie: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Favorite Book: If I Never Get Back by William Diehl

Favorite Album: The Secret Life of Reinhold Messner by Ben Folds Five

What is one thing that is on your to do list that you would love to check off: Save more money

If there was one more hour in the day you would: Play with my dog

If you could interview one living person, who would it be: Bill Gates. So many people think he's a monster - I think he's a genius and a great philanthropist.

If you could have met just one person before they died, who would it have been: Jim Henson. A brilliant creative mind and a caring person.

Country you wish to visit most: England

Most influential person in your life: My parents. They raised me right.

Biggest achievement: Being a successful business owner by 22.

Grandest Wish: Having enough money to take care of everyone I love.

What you can't live without: My dog. She is beautiful, fun, smart and my biggest fan. 

Past Member Profiles:
May 2006 - Jeanne Coughlin, President, The Coughlin Group, Inc.
June 2006 - Matthew J. Doyle, President, eHC Central
August 2006 - Cheryl Palmentera, President, C R Alpacas, Inc
September 2006 - Kristy Amy, President, OnMark Solutions
November 2006 - Cheryl Grassi, We'll Remember Co., Inc.
December 2006 - Winthrop DeFreitas, Tropic Speed Computers, LLC
January 2007 - Steven J. Krisfalusy, SJK Beringer Group, Inc.
May 2007 - Mark Hannah, Full Color Resources  
October 2007 - Cathy Rehn Vella, BlackBird Graphics, Ltd.

How would you like to get your company name in front of thousands of COSE members by simply filling out a profile? The Home-Based Business Network is currently looking for members to feature in the COSE Update that is sent to 20,000 companies, the network’s monthly e-newsletter that is emailed to a few thousand businesses, and on the network Web site. We want to hear about you!

Please click here and answer the member profile questions, or contact Colleen Beard at: cbeard@cose.org or 216-592-2281.

After you have completed the form and clicked “submit,” you will also need to send an e-mail with a personal photo (professional quality head shot preferred and in photo format – a “gif” or “jpeg”) and your contact information (name, e-mail and phone) for your profile to be considered for inclusion in the COSE Home-Based Business e-newsletter and cosehome.org

Send this information to: cbeard@gcpartnership.com . Make sure that you include your name and “COSE Member Profile” in the subject line of the e-mail. There is no guarantee that your profile will be published, but if it is chosen, you will be contacted ahead of time. Thank you so much for your time!

If you should have any questions on this process, do not hesitate to contact:

Colleen Beard
cbeard@gcpartnership.com
216-592-2281