Contributors

Below are the companies that have been kind enough to work with me to make this idea become reality.  A rule I made for myself going into this is that I couldn’t pay out of pocket for the services that would be needed to make Summit Up happen.  I didn’t do this because I felt I deserved free work (believe me, I don’t) but rather to prove that with creativity and persistence, ideas can take off without huge amounts of funding. 

Click on each of these companies, and you can read what they have done for Summit Up to be the success that it is. 

Clockwork Logic

Site Programming

Working along with Relevant, Clockwork Logic was able to take what was an incredible design, and turn it into a professional and useful site integrated into their content management system, Mainspring.  This whole process was especially exciting for me, since I am rather technically illiterate when compared to the rest of my generation.  This proves how professional they were, since they were only too willing to help me with the site being set up, and the continual changes that had to be made.  They were also friendly enough to listen to my ideas, and give constructive feedback on the ones that were plausible, and gently explain why some would not work (which is quite often the case with my ideas).  

Printing Paradigms

Printing Services

When I first saw the finished copy of that business card, that is when I knew this was all real.  Up until this point, Summit Up was more of an idea that was scribbled down on scrape paper and napkins.  It was more talked about than seen.  This all changed when that business card was put in my hand.  I don’t think I stopped smiling for the rest of the day.  Printing Paradigms is owned by a gentleman that I loosely knew before this whole idea.  Ironically enough, this almost made it more difficult for me to make that first call.  I think that this was because I feared there might be an existing perception of me that might get in the way.  Well, all of this was obviously in my head, because the owner was very interested in the idea.  He was great to work with, and was also willing to work back and forth with the designer.  Printing Paradigms takes care of all of the printing and trimming services for all of Summit Up’s stationary.

Relevant

Marketing, Branding, Advertising

This was the first call that I made to someone other than a family or friend to get feedback.  At the time, I was incredibly nervous and went though what I would say at least a dozen times.  I kept thinking how weird and random it would be for this business to get a call saying, “Hi, I am Mark.  I am going to climb the highest point in every state.  I want to carry your flag there in exchange for your services.  What do you say?”  Fortunately, the folks at Relevant are awesome people, and they were kind enough to meet with me and listen to my talk.  In the end, the response I got really motivated me to keep pushing.  They loved the idea, and said they were willing to work with me.  They gave me suggestions on how to move forward, and are still helping me with my strategy.  Relevant has been in charge of branding Summit Up, and creating our image which can be seen on our stationary and website.