8 Lessons I've Learned as An Agency Owner Going into 8 Years in Business

Our social media agency hit 8 years in business last week!

While we are still popping the champagne and celebrating every win over the past eight years, it hasn't always been cake and streamers over the past eight years, either. We've been reflecting on the good, the bad, and the ugly over the years. Because after all, if you aren't reflecting on your highs and lows, how do you expect to grow in your business?

And of course, we are taking you all along with us. We don't gatekeep or fluff around here, and we want you to better your social media agency right along with us, no matter how many years you've been in business. So, here are eight lessons we've learned over the course of eight years that we want to share with you!

Fail to Figure It Out

Of course, no one loves to fail. In fact, I think we are all afraid of it in a lot of ways. But entrepreneurs have to be scrappy; we have to figure it out. Why? Because it's not about the failure itself, it's about how we bounce back from it and pivot. In eight years, we've failed a lot, but we haven't let that stop us from having the business we have always dreamed of.

Find Your People

What are we up to lately? Oh, just screaming this from the rooftops. Entrepreneurship is lonely, especially as a solopreneur. That's where finding the community that you can run to when you need to vent about a client, or complain about a tool you rely on having a glitch (honestly, we are looking at you, Meta Business Suite). Not only people who get it, but people who support you — your significant other, family, and friends. We need tough love, diversity of thought, a change of perspective, and sometimes just someone to say, "You're doing great, sweetie" BTS. Find your support system and your community because that's what is going to keep you going.

Looking for your business BFFs? Join our Facebook group of 22k+ SMMs and freelancers who get you.

No One is Going to Save You

There is no knight in shining armour, boss, manager, or even a fairy godmother that is going to save you. It's YOUR business. You are the boss. You have to figure it out, you have to push yourself, you have to set your own deadlines, you have to make it happen. Trust yourself and be confident in your decisions because no one else can make them for you. And if it doesn't work out, refer back to lesson one!

You Can't Scale Chaos

If it's not working on a smaller level, it's not going to get better when you scale. Get structured. You need a business that is simple, clear, and concise on what you do, who you offer it to, and how you manage it all. And going beyond your offer — your tools, systems, and your organization need to be in line, too. Figured it out first, and then scaling will be easier from there.

Cash Flow Is What Matters Most

There are always going to be external factors — shifts in the economy, clients are going to leave, customers are going to leave, refunds are going to happen, etc., etc., that are out of your control that will impact your income. But there is a piece of it that you can control, and that's what you do with your cash flow and how you manage it. Going back to the point on decision making, you have to be able to make those hard decisions and know when to cut things loose when you have to. If you aren't seeing the ROI back on that service, tool, person, or even client, it's time to let it go or re-adjust for your cash flow's sake. And, if you have no idea what you're doing, like most of us, hire a bookkeeper!!!

Your Energy is one of your Greatest Selling Points

Lean into your energy and keep it high! Yes, that means take time to charge your batteries, cut things that drain you, and find new ways to fall in love with your business again. Because when you stop loving it, your audience notices. You need all the good, high energy for discovery calls, your client meetings, your team, your work in general, so find out what charges you!

Manage your Burnout

Burnout happens in so many different stages. And it's going to happen. But you can't pour from an empty cup! The most important thing when it comes to burnout is noticing it. When you start to feel burnout creeping in, acknowledge that and plan for how you are going to adjust before you run yourself into the ground.

Celebrate All Wins

Again, eight years is a huge milestone for us, but you better believe that internally, we are celebrating every month in business, every new client signed, every red flag client lost, discovery call booked, template sold, every like and follower even, and everything in between. We actually have an entire Slack channel where our team can drop wins and positive things because it's important to celebrate the big and the small things. That is how you are going to keep yourself driven, focused, energized, and keep adding on years to your business.

One more thing....gratitude. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here and celebrating not only this milestone with us but just every single day. This community is such a huge part of our journey, and so many of you that we've connected with over the years have inspired us in so many ways!

Cheers to another eight years with you by our side!!