Car accident prompts Gen X startup by Steve Lamb, Outpost Contributors In this package: Gen X embraces self-reliance Generation E Internet perfect fit for Xer Overachiever makes good Car lot drives young owner   Mike Kitson, owner of On-Call Graphics, graduated the University of Nevada-Reno with a bachelor's degree in advertising. At age 27, he is the father of a 4-year-old daughter and a 5-month-old son. He actually started his business by getting hit by a car while walking in a crosswalk. Sound strange? The settlement that he received from the accident was used to buy a Macintosh Classic computer, which he did his first graphics assignment on in January 1994. Mike Kitson's business just keeps growing A big millionaire client that he had known through his previous job at a real-estate marketing firm got a hold of a business card that Kitson had made on his Mac Classic and gave him a call for a huge job. The job consisted of making visuals for meetings and seminars. Kitson worked 24 hours straight to finish his client's pieces, and when he finished the pay-off was extraordinary. He has gone no where but up since then by gaining more and more clients and making a great name for himself, but not without any hardships. When the horrific floods of '97 washed through the area, On-Call Graphics was flooded out and stuck with roughly $100,000 worth of damages and no insurance. Kitson and On-Call Graphics may be young at heart, but they're all pro at work. As much as he wanted to throw in the towel, Kitson wouldn't quit. He actually describes the floods now as a good experience. "The flood was excellent for us mentally and on the business as well," Kitson said. He said it gave him and his partner a chance to look at their business from the outside and realize there was more to life then just the job. And now more than ever he follows his work ethic of "I'll work 24 hours a day for the right price, to get the job done." That means that Kitson is willing to pass on clients who are trying to low-ball on the prices. He wants to work strictly for professionals that will pay the right price for quality work. While he has a strong work ethic, Kitson doesn't believe most people in his generation share his drive. "I agree, for the most part, with the stereotypes of Generation X" he said. "Too many people in our generation are looking for handouts. I feel the reason I'm successful is because my parents made me work for everything I wanted."     copyright 6/1/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost   Related sites: On-Call Graphics