Chicago Public Library

Featured Entrepreneur:
Raphael Villas, Founder & Director of web studio 2 Big Division

How did 2 Big Divison come to fruition?

Upon earning an undergraduate nursing degree and becoming a registered nurse, I realized my true passion was in media and the web. With a little patience and a lot of hard work I began my career, including full-time work as a web designer, developer, and consultant. Though I never intended to strike out on my own, I found myself included in a round of layoffs by a previous employer and had to find work. After securing consistent freelance work from various agencies, businesses, and design shops, I made the jump to incorporate.

Although a lot has changed since then, my business model has remained the same. I still prefer to work on smaller scale projects; often those requiring only one to three people to complete. Many times this involves a small business owner who wants a logo and a small web presence to kick start a new business venture. On the other hand, I am happy to work with an established organization that needs its existing site enhanced or refreshed. Whatever the size or type of job, I am focused on providing services to meet client needs and surpass their expectations.

What is the goal of 2 Big Division?

The goal of 2 Big Division is to deliver first-class media services to new and growing organizations to help them achieve their business and communication objectives. Businesses that want reliable and consistent results in website design and development, graphic design, and email marketing come to us.

How did the Chicago Public Library help your business? How does it continue to help your business?

When I started out, the Sulzer Regional Branch served as my actual office. It offered a clean, quiet, and professional environment far more suitable than working from home. Not only did I find a great place to work, but the Library staff guided me to valuable resources that helped me launch my business. In fact, a Librarian at Sulzer told me about the City of Chicago’s Minority Business Enterprise program. Upon registering, I found myself open to incredible networking opportunities

The Chicago Public Library continues to be my “go-to” resources for researching client projects and building my business – and of course free WiFi doesn’t hurt!

CPL Guide: Accessing the Learning Express Library

This week, our featured CPL Guide is focusing on a gem called the Learning Express Library.  It has exam prep materials for almost any kind of professional certification exam you can think of.  If you or your business could benefit from an accredited certification program, you don’t need to throw money at a prep course because most likely the Chicago Public Library has prep materials and practice tests for the whole process for FREE.