How I accidentally went from sole operator to 20-employee business, and what I’ve learnt along the way.
When I left the corporate world nine years ago, I never imagined that one day I’d be the founder and CEO of a rapidly growing business with 20 people on the team (plus myriad contractors).
I began with fairly humble ambitions like many parents in business do. I wanted to be able to make some money using my skills while enjoying flexibility around my young kids – the kind of flexibility I knew I’d struggle to find in my full-time corporate role. But over the last two years, my ‘accidental agency’ was born.
I didn’t set out to found a thriving content marketing agency, but as interest in my strategic approach to content marketing and copywriting grew, there was no way I could keep up with client demand on my own.
As I took on copywriting clients as a freelancer, I couldn’t resist also offering strategic guidance to my clients. I saw there was a need for content strategies that were informed by technical SEO knowledge but created firmly with human readers in mind. This pairing of Google-friendly strategy and engaging and interesting content was a winner.
In two years, we’ve gone from a team of one (with some freelance contractor support), to a team of 20 employees working in a fully remote and flexible way around the country.
Here’s what I’ve learned along the way while rapidly scaling my business.
1. Get comfortable with chaos
The faster you can learn to be comfortable with the chaos of rapid business growth, the faster you’ll be able to focus on the tasks that really matter to help you scale.
There will be unexpected challenges and emotional turmoil along the way. The key is to learn from the hard times and adapt quickly to change. Sometimes the things that feel important are really just distractions, so get clear on what matters and focus on the big picture.
2. Relationships matter
Business success is built on people. Everyone should be treated with respect and understanding – whether that’s the people on our team or the clients we work with. Many agencies have a reputation for churn and burn, overloading their people with client work, and spending more time on client acquisition than nurturing existing clients.
We wanted to take a different approach.
As the business has grown, we’ve built client relationships on honesty, trust and transparency. We want to make our clients look good, so we ask them about their KPIs and specific success metrics, to ensure our work is aligned with their goals and helps with their internal reporting.
“Rather than being fearful of emerging tech, be curious.”
And we make a point of getting to know our clients as people. We’re all humans with things going on outside of work, so we take the time to have conversations about real life, as well as understanding the pressures of their role and how we can help.
3. Everyone is welcome
Human-inclusive workplaces are the way of the future. Attracting talent in a competitive market is tough, so we’ve created a human-inclusive policy that covers everything from recruitment and onboarding, to performance management and work/life balance.
As a neurodivergent business leader myself, with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, I know that having a diverse mix of brains in the business makes sense. Unfortunately, so many great people aren’t even making it through the first hurdle. Job ads aren’t written in an inclusive way, and the interview process is daunting, stressful and confusing.
So, we encourage people to apply for our roles in the way that suits them, and we tell them upfront exactly what the process will be. Clear is kind.
Once people are onboard, we’ve got flexibility in place so they can work in the way that suits them. We have core hours each day, but the rest of their hours can be made up in the morning, afternoon or evening. This allows them to work around their schedule, whether they’re a night owl, an early bird, or a busy parent trying to juggle responsibilities.
4. Recognise accomplishments, not hours
Building and scaling an inclusive business also means it’s important to celebrate accomplishments and achievements, rather than focusing on hours spent. Neurodivergent brains can be highly productive (I call it my Ferrari brain), but after running at high speed, we need a rest.
So, we focus on the output and achievements of our people, rather than watching exactly how many hours they’re clocking.
We provide open and honest feedback in performance reviews and around professional development. It’s about building a culture of kindness and respect, where regular communication between managers and people means everyone knows where they stand, and there are no surprises.
5. Encourage creativity
When your business is growing rapidly, it’s hard to make space for creative thinking. There’s so much to do that you often end up working in the business, rather than on the business.
But there are amazing brains on our team, who come up with creative game-changing ideas when given the chance. So, we prioritise creating space for creative thinking, and give people permission to take those creative ideas and run with them.
For example, we recently had a company-wide three-day retreat, and we dedicated time to creative thinking and brainstorming, and wow, I was blown away by what the team came up with. As a result, we’re already testing new ways of creating content and building strategies, as well as adding new services to our remit.
6. Systems will save you
Rapid growth means you need robust systems and processes. Spending time on these upfront will save you time in the long run, and help everyone in the team work more efficiently and effectively.
For us, it means we’ve systematically looked at every task in our business, tracked how long it usually takes, and then given our employees clear guidance on how to complete the task, and how long they should allow for it.
Not only does it help with onboarding and upskilling new people, it also means there’s no room for confusion and it decreases the risk of people taking on too much work and burning out.
7. Embrace technology
New technology can be daunting. But rather than being fearful of emerging tech, be curious. How could tech help your business be even more successful?
The best tech tools are the ones that improve efficiency and communication. For us, as a fully remote team, tools like Slack, Zoom and Asana have become embedded in our daily work lives, and we’re always looking for new ways to improve the way we work.
For example, when ChatGPT launched in late 2022, we didn’t dismiss it, instead, we looked at how it could give our people more space for creativity. We’ve embraced it for everything from researching, to coming up with interview questions, and the result is more time for our people to make an impact with their amazing writing, strategy and marketing skills.
Your business, your way
Building a business means you’re starting from scratch and making things up as you go, but it also means you have the freedom and flexibility to build a business aligned with your own values and purpose.
It’s okay not to have all of the answers right away. Encourage a culture of learning and experimentation, and you might be surprised at the direction your business takes.
This story first appeared in issue 41 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
