Better With Age
It became a bit cool a number of years ago to start your own business, and thanks to social media, it’s reasonably easy to quit your day job and take the leap.
You might have heard that it’s as simple as finding your purpose, creating a website, getting some social media ads going, and you’re away! Well, almost…
We’re sold this ‘dream’ that it’s all flexible time, working in coffee shops, super positive memes and pretty Apple Mac flatlays.
Which is probably why women around the world are taking their dreams to the world in record numbers - entrepreneurialism is a booming sector!
But the reality soon sinks in and we realise that it’s not quite what we had in mind.
Yes, you might get to knock off early here and there, but you’ll make up for that when you’re on the phone to a client late at night problem solving an issue, or when you’re on the phone to some chipper young guy in the Philippines at 6am because your website has gone down.
When you're a small business owner, it. Literally. Never. Stops. I know many of you reading this understand what I’m talking about! (give us a shout out in the comments later if you’re feeling me!).
Yes, it’s rewarding. When it works, there is no feeling like it. Looking back over the last 6 years there have been some huge highs:
Getting shortlisted in 2020 and 2019 for the Social Media Marketing Institute (SMMI) awards has to be on that list. Being recognised for the work we do at that level makes all the hours worthwhile.
Launching the Thriving In Business initiative in partnership with @Croft.PR, which kicked off with the Facebook Group and then a Podcast “Thriving In Business” which has stayed in the top 20 most weeks!
Partnering our client Colonial Warehouse up with Three Birds Renovations was a massive coo. Seeing that opportunity transform their business makes us incredibly proud.
Working with some incredible brands like Ray White, PERKii Probiotics, 12RND Fitness, BMI Group, Runway Scout and more!
Delivering some INSANELY good results for our clients which are considerably better than the industry average and which were one of the reasons for the SMMI award shortlisting!
Considering I started this business with no real idea of where we wanted it to go, other than to help small businesses get better results from their social media, I’m thinking that’s not a bad list to cite!
Like your favourite pair of jeans, we’re definitely getting better with age.
We don’t get caught up in the hype, we get less stressed about what our competitors are doing, we challenge the status quo. We’re more confident in who we are and what we do. We march to the beat of our own drum, and that has paid off!
Yes, we may have a few stress lines, but we’ve earned those. We’re a bit wiser, more discerning, we go slower and we make better decisions.
What would I say to anyone thinking about starting a business? Make sure you’ve got a thick skin. The highs are incredible, and the lows… well they suck. But if you’re wired this way, you won’t do it any differently.
Cheers to life in business. All the highs, all the lows. But most of all, cheers to keeping it REAL.
Special thanks to all of our amazing clients who have trusted us with their business over the last 6 years. We consider you like a extended family. And to everyone who has been a part of the FULL STOP / FLAMANKO journey. You’ve all contributed in one way or another to who we are today. Thank you all.
