Rough & Ready Media is deeply honored to be considered for Localpreneur of the Year by SRQ Magazine.

We have learned that this award nomination comes from others who put our name forward to SRQ Magazine. Whoever that was pointed out the qualities we strive to exemplify and that, frankly, made us blush a little.

SRQ magazine says they are looking for “a successful company in the Sarasota and Bradenton region with astute corporate drive, a heart for giving back, a talent for engineering innovation and indelible leadership qualities.”

There’s no doubt that’s how we see ourselves, but we were pleased and very grateful to learn that others see us that way as well.

Our founder, Michelle Greene comes from a background of public service journalism, so we’re proud to know others see that the tradition lives on for her and our company. On Jan. 25, we’ll know if we took top honors, but just being in the group means a lot to us.

Like every other company, Rough & Ready Media seeks to do well for itself and its employees. We think what sets us apart is that most of the employees at Rough & Ready come from a journalism background similar to Michelle’s. The rest share core values for doing well and, just as importantly, doing good.

By doing well, we mean delivering the best services we can for a price that our clients can work with and that helps our company thrive and grow. Sadly, it’s not difficult to stand out in this space because so many companies rely on a client’s lack of knowledge to have an edge over them.

Instead, we have always sought to educate our clients on best practices they should employ when dealing with a media company. We figured if they didn’t hire us, at least they’d know how to protect themselves from the occasional bad actor.

We’re accepting this nomination and believe that it is proof our hard work is paying off. The benefit — far beyond any recognition or financial return — is knowing we’re doing well for ourselves and good in the community that has been so good to us.

We’ll keep you updated as the event approaches, but in the meantime, thank you Sarasota for recognizing our effort to make this community better, one client at a time.