My first year in business was a mess.
Financially, one would say I was a success. I could pay the bills, save some money, and have a little leftover to try that new restaurant and invest in nice knitting supplies. But mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and professionally?
A certified mess.
I started my business out of pure necessity and moments that, in my head, went something like this, “I don’t know where this path is taking me, but the path is here, and I’m being nudged towards it so I guess this is what we’re doing.”
I felt like Dorothy when they told her to follow the yellow brick road but there’s actually multiple yellow brick roads and instead of making any decisions you just stand there, petrified, questioning all of your life choices.
If you read my very first blog post, you know that my journey has been anything but linear (are they ever straight?) and to this day I still wonder where the next curve or bump will lead me. The windiness, the potholes, the U-turns, the fender benders… they’ve made me car sick, and I have to say- I’m ready for some straight roads ahead. But unfortunately, that’s not how life works.
So try to enjoy the ride.
It was January, 2024. I had just graduated college with a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition. I knew I wanted nothing to do with my Bachelors of Science in Nutrition. We were off to a great start.
I also, technically, didn’t have a “real job” lined up. You know, one of those things where you have health insurance and a set salary and there’s an HR department somewhere around the corner. That wasn’t me. I never really thought I’d become an entrepreneur, but I knew the traditional job route wasn’t one I wanted to take.
During my last year-ish of college, I got really into marketing & learning how a business operates (gosh, that sounds so! boring! Emily!) But it’s true!! I was working for another small business owner as my part time job, and eventually was able to take over her marketing and operations. I was good at it. I was a sponge. I had the creative ability to bring a brand’s mission to life. To share that with others. I wanted to know what made people tick. What made people buy. It’s psychology and creativity and emotion and numbers. I was never bored.
She promised me more hours after graduation, and that was that. Sold to the highest (and only) bidder!
But I quickly realized the hours weren’t enough, and I think she realized that too, because she started telling people about me. Business owners would ask her who does her social media, who creates her landing pages and email funnels, who designs her sales pages and marketing materials and project timelines. She was always so generous to speak about me and refer me to others. I am forever grateful!
By February of 2024, I had my first client: a small coworking space in Kentucky.
Luckily, I already had my LLC, business bank accounts, and contracts ready to go. I set these things up during my junior year of college, just in case.
I had no clue what I was doing.
I charged my first client $700/month to do all of his socials, which included taking videos of the space every week, editing, writing captions, planning content, etc., AND setting up his email marketing. I had no idea how to price myself, and I certainly didn’t know boundaries. I started working on another business he owned and then began re-designing his website. I was also their professional photographer for a day, which I’m not even sure I got paid for (+ I’m not a photographer). I learned a lot with this first client. A lot.
Slowly but surely I began working with more businesses. My confidence was still basically on the ground, rolling around in the dirt and mud, not helping me at all when it came to pricing, determining my offers, explaining what I do, writing up agreements, all of that good stuff. I was so eager for more work that I said yes to everything, even if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do, or they could only pay me half of what I asked for (I think this part of the process is normal???)
At the time, my job titles were:
- Social media manager
- Email marketing person
- Project manager
- Videographer
- Photographer
- Operations manager
- Website designer
- Graphic designer
- Copywriter
- Business strategist
- Therapist (kidding, of course)
Deep down, I truly felt like a failure. Scrambling to meet the demands of every new client that came in my door. Spending DAYS deciding on a proposal price, only to then send it, get a no, and question if I really was ever worth that much. My anxiety was only getting worse. I was binging other people’s content, listening to business podcasts, white knuckling my way through. “They make it sound so easy, but why isn’t it easy?” NICHE DOWN. RAISE YOUR PRICES. HAVE MORE OF A SYSTEM. I felt lost and began to question if this was truly the path for me.
And then I met one of my favorite clients (who I work full-time for now!) and slowly but surely, things started to change. I was all of the sudden surrounded by people who respected me. Who knew my value. Who saw the way I was running my business and who wanted more for me. They took the time to help me figure things out, set boundaries, and navigate this very new phase of life I was in. While there was still so much that wasn’t 100% clear to me, I did experience a newfound confidence that comes with trial and error and having people by your side supporting you.
It’s been 4 months of working full-time for them, and I could not be happier. It’s given me an opportunity to sit back and reflect on my first year in business. What went right? What went wrong? What do I actually enjoy doing? What am I really good at? How can I best help people?
It’s hard to do anything with those answers when your next client or customer is the one to put food on your table. Having a steady paycheck has allowed me to explore different interests, learn new skills (like starting this blog), and be a little more niche in the community I’m building and topics I talk about. All without the stress of monetizing anything.
So, is there anything I’d do differently?
I’d give myself more grace. Not put so much pressure on myself to have the “perfect” business figured out. The perfect pricing structure. The perfect niche and strategy. The “perfect life” (as some of these business gurus want us to believe, and then go buy their products).
There is no perfect or right way. I was getting too hung up on the steps and the strategies and the, “this is how I did it so it will work for you too”s. I was missing the point: business is a journey, not a final destination. I wanted to find that destination so badly that I never stopped to appreciate what I had built in the first place. I didn’t know any better.
What next?
I’m going to continue to write this blog and my newsletter and help people in any way that I can. I want this community to grow slowly and organically, inviting people in who take pride in their selectivity with the content they consume. Who want more for themselves and their businesses when it comes to authentic marketing. Who are curious about quitting social media. Starting a newsletter. Trying new strategies. Staying true to themselves.
I may have not prioritized those things during my first year in business, but I do now. Because I know the cost, and it’s one I no longer want to pay.
Until next time,
Emily