At the risk of making a self-aggrandising post, I wanted to share that I’ve been shortlisted as a Finalist in Brisbane’s 2024 Young Entrepreneur Awards. As with most nominations and awards, by itself it doesn’t mean much – but it does offer me the chance to reflect about the last six years and the (by now, hundreds of) people I’ve met, worked with and helped with their websites and marketing.
If I had to distill one lesson from each year that I’ve been running my own digital marketing agency, it would be these:
1. Give first, ask later. In an industry notorious for pop-up snake oil vendors and slick salesmen, I’ve found my biggest source of competitive advantage is simply acting like a normal human being and helping people understand how they can improve their websites & marketing, without guarding my knowledge behind a paywall or forcing a 12-month on them. Giving people stuff for free also gives you a chance to know them, build rapport, and fish for red flags – ultimately leading to a much more positive working relationship if it does become one.
2. Know a lot about a little. It always cracks me up when I see someone who is a “specialist” in 15 different things. What are the odds that you’re an absolutely crack developer, talented writer and awesome graphic designer? 🦄 I’ve built my own skill set, and my team structure, with the philosophy of the “T-Shaped Marketer”, which is to say that you should know a LOT about a little (super deep knowledge about your chosen discipline), and a little about a lot (having contextual understanding of aspects parallel to your work). Trying to become a jack of all trades is the surest path to becoming a master of none. Instead, become great at one thing and find other people who complement you by being great at the things you’re not.
3. Running a business means riding waves. We all want that magical “up and to the right” graph for our company metrics (likes, shares, engagement, traffic, clients, revenue), but the reality is that every business has seasons; seasons of growth, seasons of building, seasons of change and seasons of chaos. Each season has different stressors (even when you’re winning you can be stressed!), but the key to surviving all of them is to zoom out and remember that each season gives way to the next. As long as your graph is going up and to the right on a long enough time horizon, you just have to put your head down and Do The Work that each season demands.
4. Take everything seriously – except yourself. Working on a client’s brand- and marketing-related assets, particularly when those assets are customer-facing and responsible for driving growth of the business, is a big responsibility. Deadlines matter. Verbiages matter. KPIs matter. My perfectionist personality means that these things occupy most of my waking thoughts (and, depending on the season, some of my non-waking ones), and I take them seriously. After a couple of years of playing the “serious business owner” role, wearing a suit jacket and being all overly formal, though, I realised this wasn’t a mould I was very comfortable shoving myself into and reverted to my more creative true self. I wear a hoodie and trainers to work, and try to have a good time with my team and our clients. So long as the work is getting done, why shouldn’t we be comfortable being our genuine selves?
5. Focus on relationships, not transactions. In the rush to close deals and drive results, it’s easy to forget that behind every transaction is a person. Building genuine relationships with clients, partners, and even competitors has been one of the most rewarding aspects of running my business. By focusing on long-term connections rather than short-term gains, I’ve found that trust, loyalty, and word-of-mouth referrals naturally follow. People want to work with those they know, like, and trust so invest in those relationships.
6. Don’t be afraid to say no. Not every client or project is a good fit, and that’s okay. Early on, I learned the hard way that saying yes to everything can lead to overcommitment, stress, and potentially taking on poor fit clients. Over time, I’ve become more selective, choosing to work on projects that align with my values and where I know we can deliver the best results. Saying no is empowering it allows you to focus on what truly matters and maintain the integrity of your work.
Even though I’m writing from the perspective of a digital marketing entrepreneur, I believe these lessons can be applied in many/most of life’s aspects and improve your overall quality of life.
Hope it added something to your day. Let me know in the comments what your big “aha” moments were from the past few years, or if any of the ones I listed rang true for you.
PS: I’ll be at the awards night dinner/gala on the 20th of September – if you fancy a fun night out with a bunch of high-spirited entrepreneurs, come join us and come say hi: https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/brisbane-young-entrepreneur.html
Best regards,
Isaac
