I’ve spent the last month teaching the ducks I put in a row to march to the beat of my drum. After taking my leap into my own business, I’ve gone about cultivating leads and working to turn those leads into tangible projects. As the Founder of a new business, it’s the best place for me to spend my time at the moment.
To get the administrative wheels turning, I received a recommendation for a great accountant who makes his living helping freelancers. The first week on my own, I took myself over to meet him and 15 minutes later he got to work filing my papers of incorporation for Chasing Down the Muse:

Today, I stopped by his office to pick up the finished package and my heart did a little dance when I saw my:
Certificate of Incorporation

Stock Certificates (seriously!)

Corporate Seal

It struck me that I didn’t just leap out on my own into the abyss when I left my corporate job. I walked out one door and through another, a door I designed with careful attention to detail that is framed by the work I love. Now its official – there’s nowhere to go but up from here. Now I begin to build. Now I unleash my craziest, wildest, most incredible dreams and see if they have wings. It’s now or never, and I prefer now!
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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So exciting!!
I just did the LLC thing myself. It’s a great feeling to be “official,” no?
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It feels amazing! Congrats on your LLC, too!
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I’m kind of envious of your stock certificate! All I got was a PDF from NJ Dept of Treasury ^_^
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I was completely surprised by that. But I like the official seal even better! 🙂
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