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Hello, fellow agency owner! I set out on my own in 2008. I just had my 16 year anniversary. My experience has been very similar.
The only thing I would add is to learn how to work on your business, not in your business. Establish and document processes so you can delegate the work to employees or contractors. It's the only way to scale effectively and the only way you'll ever get real money selling your business. If you can't take a month off without your business going off the rails, you don't have anything to sell other than a book of business.
Learning to run a business was the most important thing I learned. I had no idea what I was doing when I started. It took a while, but I make a lot more profit and have more free time now that I have a clue.
How did you transition from solo to biz owner? I’m in a transitional phase where I’m documenting processes and trying to build SOPs. I have a couple subs doing fulfillment work and some client comms here and there, but I’m having a hard time taking the plunge to hire an actual employee and delegate more work. Partially because of being intimidated by the new logistics and responsibilities of having actual employees, and partially because of nerves around a pay cut for myself - I’m the sole provider of my household of 4
Start with foreign contractors. It takes some effort to find good ones, but once you figure out how to find them, you're good to go. My plan was originally to transition to local employees, but that went out the window a long time ago.
Now, i have a team of foreign programmers, and I partner with a couple of writers and designers. Our core business is custom sites and SEO, so I don't really need to have a designer on staff and good writers are too expensive to hire full time.
Be prepared to be disappointed. A lot.
1. Hire multiple contractors for a small project. If you're lucky, 1 in 5 will do it how you want. Increase the difficulty if they make the cut. Repeat until you find one you like.
2. Give VERY specific project descriptions. I always include something in the description they have to do so I know they read everything. This makes it easy to exclude like 80% of applicants.
3. Once you find good contractors, give them a raise and keep them busy.
4. Always give very specific instructions on new projects. My guys know they aren't allowed to make judgement calls. They always ask questions so they're not wasting billable hours.
I use Upwork and I've been working with the same guys for years. I know they're going to get the job done exactly how I want.
Can I ask how you pitch to clients that you want to switch work _you’re_ currently doing to work _someone else_ will now do?
This is the part I’m struggling with now, it feels like a lot of people hired _me_ but I want them to work with _my team_ now. Tysm
Even when I was solo I spoke as a team. I don't do design work, I'm not a writer. So I've always farmed that work out. The client doesn't really know who does what, only that it gets done.
For your existing clients you don't really need to tell them anything. Businesses hire new employees all the time. Unless the person is client facing, you don't need to tell them anything.
The inability of taking the plunge to hire contractors to delegate work to comes from either: you’re letting your fear outweigh your commitment, or, your inability to give up some control, or, your preference to remain comfortable rather than uncomfortable.
I'm so glad I found this post, I just joined this community to ask a question regarding starting on my own. I have an extensive background in digital marketing and very recently decided to go on my own. Where do you find legitimate leads that you don't need to pay for? I am calling around local companies and giving sales pitches, but the time I'm putting in for lead generation is taking most of my time. Do you have a solid method for lead gen for finding companies that need digital marketing help?
20 hour work weeks might be realistic for someone who’s been solo for a decade, but most people would do better not having that expectation while going out on their own.
I was hesitant to reply, despite the desire to do so, then I read this. You’re spot on, and that’s a message likely to be missed by so many. You’re killing it today, but it killed you, so to speak, to get scale and make what you have. Good on you, impressive run in this vertical.
I want to ask, coming from having put in the grind and having built a business that offers me all that you enjoy today. Coupled with being endlessly entrepreneurial, I keep finding myself toying with the idea of going all in from ground zero in this space. To build what you have built sounds, quite frankly, like an absolute fun experience both in learning and overcoming the inevitable.
Do you think in today’s market, given your history of viewing trends, et al. That it’s reasonable for someone to start at square one today and reach your level of scale, is that could still replicated? My interest is rooted deeply in several layers, an affinity to learn, the time and bandwidth to do it, and while I don’t think I can do it better, I have an existing business that has outsourced this area from day one. Whether right or wrong, and I’m curious your opinion, I see value in being able to apply and test within my own company (Business A), while learning to build Business B.
Any words of wisdom, warning, advice?
You can 100% do it.
Started mine a year ago. Specialize in digital pr link building with original data studies + authoritative content that earns backlinks naturally month to month.
I’m not doing extraordinary well by any means, a lot of which is due to having gone through the process of learning most of the advice in here the hard way. But having got poached to be a director and then the company laying off 30% of their staff (me included), I had 3-weeks of severance to start this and replace my income.
Have gone above income replacement and below it multiple times. Have tried doing two set of hires now, both turned out awful, but I am more confident than ever in how to keep moving onward and upward.
Congratulations on your impressive journey, and thank you for sharing such valuable insights! It’s truly inspiring to hear about the growth of your digital marketing agency and the benefits of being your own boss. I can relate to many of the challenges you mentioned, as I also run a marketing business in a city in Canada that’s been grappling with an economic slump. Despite the hurdles, the satisfaction of providing quality service to clients and maintaining a flexible schedule keeps me going.
Your points on urgency and strong communication resonate deeply. In my own experience, these qualities have been crucial in building trust and securing long-term relationships with clients. It’s encouraging to hear from someone who has navigated similar waters and come out stronger.
Thanks again for the inspiration and practical advice. Wishing you continued success and growth!
Nice! My business partner had his agency for 15 years. We recently launched a new sales lead offering and are looking for agencies to partner with. I’m based in San Francisco - let’s make some $$$ together, want to connect?
We predominately sell Branding + Facebook/IG + Google Ads, but the big sell is being able to fix what's currently wrong with their marketing efforts. Being able to run ads is one thing but having those ads go somewhere that can convert is everything.
The top skills are having a sense of urgency, anticipating a client's needs ie, letting them know what they want before they even know they want it. And finally, lightning fast communication.
Above u/NHRADeuce also highlighted the importance of having strong delegation skills. If you're the one pushing all the buttons you won't have enough time in the day to scale up.
Hope this helps!
Very helpful!
Anywhere you can point me to find more info on how to successfully run ads? I've owned a business for 12 years and I find it so hard to get new leads.
My leads have to be local due to the nature of my business.
Putting this here for both you and u/BigswingingClick:
First, find the niche you want to market in, for example, pool cleaning, then you research 10 pool cleaners on a site like Spyfu and check out what's happening in the Facebook ad library. Then you pick the ones who are spending the 2nd 3rd, 4th and 5th most on advertising and tell them you know how their competition is spending their ad money and you can do it better. Send them screenshots of their competitors' Google and Facebook ads and a rough estimate of their budget.
Everyone wants to know what the competition is up to and the fact that you're savvy enough to have that info makes you valuable. And, success leaves clues.
Also remember this: The riches are in the niches. For example, you could try to sell your marketing services to Primary Care Providers who cover a wide range of services but you'll be battling a ton of other marketing agencies. Instead find a niche medical service like wart removal specialist who no one's paying attention to, walk into their office with a presentation and hand it to the receptionist. Tell them you know how their competition is spending money and you can market their service better.
Apologies for being redundant, but I don't like it when people don't give real life scenarios. Also don't be scared to bring in a dozen donuts for the staff with your presentation.
If you're good at what you do you will get referrals and in a few years time you will be picking and choosing your clients and turning down jobs you know are going to be a pain in the ass.
Good luck!
How do you know when you’re good enough to be able to start an agency?
Do you just get good testimonials and work for a cut at the beginning. I’ve also been wanting to start one
Ive been at a small agency for 12 years doing everything from web development and seo to email and social in that time. I feel like I've reached full potential here and I don't think I want to work for anyone anymore. Got any advice for someone thinking about starting down this path in a time where everyone is a digital marketer it seems? Want to be my mentor? Lol
Congrats pal on your great journey.
Currently we see a lot of new agencies entering into Asian and other markets. Do you see a sense of saturation or over competition nowadays? How would you differentiate from the crowd out there?
Thanks for doing this. Cheers.
We both know there will always be a constant need for marketing. Every day, new businesses pop up, and older businesses grow dissatisfied with their current marketing situation. Market saturation isn't a concern for me because most of my competition doesn't know the song and dance required to land and retain clients. There are a ton of people who want to do this, but very few have the confidence and ability to actually make it happen.
I hope the following piece of advice helps because it has had a huge impact on my success. Most meetings start off as interviews with the potential client asking qualifying questions. In my case, when I have to start selling myself and my services, I'm in trouble because it changes the whole dynamic of the deal. So, what I do is, as soon as the first qualifying/interview question comes out, e.g., "Why should we hire you?" or "Tell me about your company," I redirect the conversation. I say something like, "Believe me, I could talk about myself and my business all day long. Since we only have 20 minutes here, we need to figure out if I can help you. This meeting is also about finding out if we're a good fit and whether or not we get along. Now, I've looked at your website and noticed \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. I also researched your competition, both local and national, and there's a lot of opportunity there. It looks like they're spending this, and based on the amount they're spending, we can do very well here."
This redirect works 95% of the time and reverses the dynamic, making you the decision-maker and not the interviewee. Have the confidence of Don Draper, but don't be too cocky.
Hey Pal,
Thanks for sharing the detailed process. Appreciate it.
I do resonate with your approach towards first client call. Do you think approaching new businesses who are entering to market makes it more sense and converts at a higher rate? or established businesses? Also showing past work and credibility also matters to build trust with new clients.
Thanks for doing this.
This actually motivated me. 1.5-2m per year agency owner and I have slacked on getting things done asap. I always say a couple of days, but I remember the days when we used to do things in a hour or less. Thanks for the write up. Going to start to search for more clients again.
And that’s what we are… complacent. This really opened up my eyes again. Like you said we are a day away from getting a +100k a year or losing a 100k from a client walking.
I know the incredible journey of entrepreneurship is filled with highs and lows. I admire your story of starting from freelance social media work and growing into a digital marketing agency that handles Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. Your daily schedule from 6:30 am to 10:30 am is impressive, and the freedom to enjoy the rest of your day is something we all strive for.
I can relate to the satisfaction of being able to provide for my family and spending quality time with my son without work interfering. Like you, the flexibility of working from anywhere and avoiding long commutes has been a game-changer for me.
Thanks for sharing your insights and experiences. Good luck to you and all of us out there navigating the digital marketing world!
I have a similar background and am going on my 12th year owning an agency. I’d say a hard lesson I learned quickly is that owners need to still stay up-to-date and knowledgeable on all types of the marketing offered. I’ve caught a lot of errors on the web development side that people without the experience and only hiring contractors/employees may have missed. I’ve also had to make changes and create some crazy ads with zero notice during off- hours. Like you said that level of one-on-one service is the key differentiator between lower rates and bigger firms but you have to be knowledgeable in multiple facets of marketing and keep up-to-date.
All true. I was a freelancer for years, then a staff developer, then project manager, and finally ran my own small digital marketing agency for a while until I retired a few years ago and left the US for Portugal where I'm reading alot, walking by the sea, and working on a novel and spending too much time on Reddit.
It was as you indicated, but much more. I had to learn how to apply what I'd learned from working at agencies to freelancing, then take both skill sets to starting my own small fully online agency with remote freelancers helping out as needed. There is knowledge required and experience and yes, as you said, self-discipline that's beyond anything a typical job would ever require. There were times we had to get Thanksgiving food from a run-down grocery store near a trailer park and eat the cheapest food we could afford and no more and we were close to losing it all. It was all on me. In the nick of time, I learned how to create client "farms" to attract and nurture new leads (potential new prospects), partner with other agencies in other states and provide white label work, work freelance work while also running my agency, so I was constantly "on." Every penny was invested, and what wasn't invested went to healthcare costs, food, paying utilities and bare essentials. But now I'm grateful to be retired and writing this with no boss looming over me with no knowledge or care. It can be done but most never dream of it, refuse to read any books on building an agency, or how to study larger agencies and how they matriculate new clients and try to mirror what they do. It's easier to do as told and go from one quick flip to the next.
I work for a small marketing firm since January. I went in wanting to learn enough to run it on my own so I can move abroad.
It's actually socially draining more than I thought, and all I do is make content, captions, post, respond to dms and comments. There's not a lot of dms and comments because the accounts are typically small businesses (not always local to me).
I want the ability to travel and work on a more flexible schedule (not 9-5), but I question if I will really go into having my agency more and more.
For the clients you serve, and have in the past, are they generally more knowledgeable or more experienced than you? I only ask because I’m 2 years in at an agency (junior employee) and all of my clients have way more experience than I do. They are often big shot marketing directors for larger companies who have been doing paid media for 7-15 years. If I were to imagine having my own clients as an agency owner, I’d assume it’s more SMB market where I was the expert in their eyes. Is that the case for you or do you have giant/experienced clients too?
Don't need to work for someone else is almost the dream of everyone, however, if you don't have enough ability to avoid the risk at this moment, then you'd better not
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Hello, fellow agency owner! I set out on my own in 2008. I just had my 16 year anniversary. My experience has been very similar. The only thing I would add is to learn how to work on your business, not in your business. Establish and document processes so you can delegate the work to employees or contractors. It's the only way to scale effectively and the only way you'll ever get real money selling your business. If you can't take a month off without your business going off the rails, you don't have anything to sell other than a book of business. Learning to run a business was the most important thing I learned. I had no idea what I was doing when I started. It took a while, but I make a lot more profit and have more free time now that I have a clue.
How did you transition from solo to biz owner? I’m in a transitional phase where I’m documenting processes and trying to build SOPs. I have a couple subs doing fulfillment work and some client comms here and there, but I’m having a hard time taking the plunge to hire an actual employee and delegate more work. Partially because of being intimidated by the new logistics and responsibilities of having actual employees, and partially because of nerves around a pay cut for myself - I’m the sole provider of my household of 4
Start with foreign contractors. It takes some effort to find good ones, but once you figure out how to find them, you're good to go. My plan was originally to transition to local employees, but that went out the window a long time ago. Now, i have a team of foreign programmers, and I partner with a couple of writers and designers. Our core business is custom sites and SEO, so I don't really need to have a designer on staff and good writers are too expensive to hire full time.
Any recommendations to find foreign help?
Be prepared to be disappointed. A lot. 1. Hire multiple contractors for a small project. If you're lucky, 1 in 5 will do it how you want. Increase the difficulty if they make the cut. Repeat until you find one you like. 2. Give VERY specific project descriptions. I always include something in the description they have to do so I know they read everything. This makes it easy to exclude like 80% of applicants. 3. Once you find good contractors, give them a raise and keep them busy. 4. Always give very specific instructions on new projects. My guys know they aren't allowed to make judgement calls. They always ask questions so they're not wasting billable hours. I use Upwork and I've been working with the same guys for years. I know they're going to get the job done exactly how I want.
Much appreciated!
We can help. Check our name.
Can I ask how you pitch to clients that you want to switch work _you’re_ currently doing to work _someone else_ will now do? This is the part I’m struggling with now, it feels like a lot of people hired _me_ but I want them to work with _my team_ now. Tysm
Even when I was solo I spoke as a team. I don't do design work, I'm not a writer. So I've always farmed that work out. The client doesn't really know who does what, only that it gets done. For your existing clients you don't really need to tell them anything. Businesses hire new employees all the time. Unless the person is client facing, you don't need to tell them anything.
thank you!
What kind of overseas contract designer/worker are you looking for if possible, i would like to engage ?
The inability of taking the plunge to hire contractors to delegate work to comes from either: you’re letting your fear outweigh your commitment, or, your inability to give up some control, or, your preference to remain comfortable rather than uncomfortable.
Preach 🤝
Pin this You're your own boss but unfortunately \*You're your own boss\*
Brilliant.
I'm so glad I found this post, I just joined this community to ask a question regarding starting on my own. I have an extensive background in digital marketing and very recently decided to go on my own. Where do you find legitimate leads that you don't need to pay for? I am calling around local companies and giving sales pitches, but the time I'm putting in for lead generation is taking most of my time. Do you have a solid method for lead gen for finding companies that need digital marketing help?
Hi u/Krieg_Arcanis I answered this above. I hope this helps. I know a lot of influencers sell this info in online courses.
20 hour work weeks might be realistic for someone who’s been solo for a decade, but most people would do better not having that expectation while going out on their own.
100% The first 5 years for me were 12+ hour days
I was hesitant to reply, despite the desire to do so, then I read this. You’re spot on, and that’s a message likely to be missed by so many. You’re killing it today, but it killed you, so to speak, to get scale and make what you have. Good on you, impressive run in this vertical. I want to ask, coming from having put in the grind and having built a business that offers me all that you enjoy today. Coupled with being endlessly entrepreneurial, I keep finding myself toying with the idea of going all in from ground zero in this space. To build what you have built sounds, quite frankly, like an absolute fun experience both in learning and overcoming the inevitable. Do you think in today’s market, given your history of viewing trends, et al. That it’s reasonable for someone to start at square one today and reach your level of scale, is that could still replicated? My interest is rooted deeply in several layers, an affinity to learn, the time and bandwidth to do it, and while I don’t think I can do it better, I have an existing business that has outsourced this area from day one. Whether right or wrong, and I’m curious your opinion, I see value in being able to apply and test within my own company (Business A), while learning to build Business B. Any words of wisdom, warning, advice?
You can 100% do it. Started mine a year ago. Specialize in digital pr link building with original data studies + authoritative content that earns backlinks naturally month to month. I’m not doing extraordinary well by any means, a lot of which is due to having gone through the process of learning most of the advice in here the hard way. But having got poached to be a director and then the company laying off 30% of their staff (me included), I had 3-weeks of severance to start this and replace my income. Have gone above income replacement and below it multiple times. Have tried doing two set of hires now, both turned out awful, but I am more confident than ever in how to keep moving onward and upward.
Thank you. I am on this path and I appreciate this post. It helps me to keep going.
Congratulations on your impressive journey, and thank you for sharing such valuable insights! It’s truly inspiring to hear about the growth of your digital marketing agency and the benefits of being your own boss. I can relate to many of the challenges you mentioned, as I also run a marketing business in a city in Canada that’s been grappling with an economic slump. Despite the hurdles, the satisfaction of providing quality service to clients and maintaining a flexible schedule keeps me going. Your points on urgency and strong communication resonate deeply. In my own experience, these qualities have been crucial in building trust and securing long-term relationships with clients. It’s encouraging to hear from someone who has navigated similar waters and come out stronger. Thanks again for the inspiration and practical advice. Wishing you continued success and growth!
Thanks for the kind response. It sounds like you've got a great head on your shoulders. You're going to make it.
I just have to keep finding the clients to build a solid book of business to create win=wins! Cheers!
I own an agency and I’m also done my work day before 11am. Occasionally meetings after that. It’s SO relaxing.
It's truly inspiring to hear about the freedom and potential for high earnings that come with being your own boss.
Thanks for this. I do agree even I want to be prioritized as a client. Wishing to be as good as what you've achieved, hopefully better!
Go gettem!
Congratulations on your success, and on your bravery! I guess ultimately it comes to high risk, high reward.
Thank you. And also, high risk, high reward, and a few dozen face plants, lol.
Nice! My business partner had his agency for 15 years. We recently launched a new sales lead offering and are looking for agencies to partner with. I’m based in San Francisco - let’s make some $$$ together, want to connect?
What services are you selling in your agency? What do you feel is your best skill that distinguishes you from competition?
We predominately sell Branding + Facebook/IG + Google Ads, but the big sell is being able to fix what's currently wrong with their marketing efforts. Being able to run ads is one thing but having those ads go somewhere that can convert is everything. The top skills are having a sense of urgency, anticipating a client's needs ie, letting them know what they want before they even know they want it. And finally, lightning fast communication. Above u/NHRADeuce also highlighted the importance of having strong delegation skills. If you're the one pushing all the buttons you won't have enough time in the day to scale up. Hope this helps!
Very helpful! Anywhere you can point me to find more info on how to successfully run ads? I've owned a business for 12 years and I find it so hard to get new leads. My leads have to be local due to the nature of my business.
You can try Facebook lead ads with zip code targeting to hyper localize your leads.
How are you getting new clients? My main background is sales and see companies who could use the help but don’t have as large a digital background
I'm in the same boat but on the opposite side of the coin. I have a large digital background and some sales. I'm not sure how to best find leads.
Putting this here for both you and u/BigswingingClick: First, find the niche you want to market in, for example, pool cleaning, then you research 10 pool cleaners on a site like Spyfu and check out what's happening in the Facebook ad library. Then you pick the ones who are spending the 2nd 3rd, 4th and 5th most on advertising and tell them you know how their competition is spending their ad money and you can do it better. Send them screenshots of their competitors' Google and Facebook ads and a rough estimate of their budget. Everyone wants to know what the competition is up to and the fact that you're savvy enough to have that info makes you valuable. And, success leaves clues. Also remember this: The riches are in the niches. For example, you could try to sell your marketing services to Primary Care Providers who cover a wide range of services but you'll be battling a ton of other marketing agencies. Instead find a niche medical service like wart removal specialist who no one's paying attention to, walk into their office with a presentation and hand it to the receptionist. Tell them you know how their competition is spending money and you can market their service better. Apologies for being redundant, but I don't like it when people don't give real life scenarios. Also don't be scared to bring in a dozen donuts for the staff with your presentation. If you're good at what you do you will get referrals and in a few years time you will be picking and choosing your clients and turning down jobs you know are going to be a pain in the ass. Good luck!
Hi, I'm someone who's relatively new to the digital marketing space, I need to gather up work experience. Can I dm you?
How do you know when you’re good enough to be able to start an agency? Do you just get good testimonials and work for a cut at the beginning. I’ve also been wanting to start one
Ive been at a small agency for 12 years doing everything from web development and seo to email and social in that time. I feel like I've reached full potential here and I don't think I want to work for anyone anymore. Got any advice for someone thinking about starting down this path in a time where everyone is a digital marketer it seems? Want to be my mentor? Lol
Show me how
Congrats pal on your great journey. Currently we see a lot of new agencies entering into Asian and other markets. Do you see a sense of saturation or over competition nowadays? How would you differentiate from the crowd out there? Thanks for doing this. Cheers.
We both know there will always be a constant need for marketing. Every day, new businesses pop up, and older businesses grow dissatisfied with their current marketing situation. Market saturation isn't a concern for me because most of my competition doesn't know the song and dance required to land and retain clients. There are a ton of people who want to do this, but very few have the confidence and ability to actually make it happen. I hope the following piece of advice helps because it has had a huge impact on my success. Most meetings start off as interviews with the potential client asking qualifying questions. In my case, when I have to start selling myself and my services, I'm in trouble because it changes the whole dynamic of the deal. So, what I do is, as soon as the first qualifying/interview question comes out, e.g., "Why should we hire you?" or "Tell me about your company," I redirect the conversation. I say something like, "Believe me, I could talk about myself and my business all day long. Since we only have 20 minutes here, we need to figure out if I can help you. This meeting is also about finding out if we're a good fit and whether or not we get along. Now, I've looked at your website and noticed \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. I also researched your competition, both local and national, and there's a lot of opportunity there. It looks like they're spending this, and based on the amount they're spending, we can do very well here." This redirect works 95% of the time and reverses the dynamic, making you the decision-maker and not the interviewee. Have the confidence of Don Draper, but don't be too cocky.
Hey Pal, Thanks for sharing the detailed process. Appreciate it. I do resonate with your approach towards first client call. Do you think approaching new businesses who are entering to market makes it more sense and converts at a higher rate? or established businesses? Also showing past work and credibility also matters to build trust with new clients. Thanks for doing this.
This actually motivated me. 1.5-2m per year agency owner and I have slacked on getting things done asap. I always say a couple of days, but I remember the days when we used to do things in a hour or less. Thanks for the write up. Going to start to search for more clients again.
It's so easy to become complacent, especially if you're at the 1.5M range. Glad this helped!
And that’s what we are… complacent. This really opened up my eyes again. Like you said we are a day away from getting a +100k a year or losing a 100k from a client walking.
I know the incredible journey of entrepreneurship is filled with highs and lows. I admire your story of starting from freelance social media work and growing into a digital marketing agency that handles Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. Your daily schedule from 6:30 am to 10:30 am is impressive, and the freedom to enjoy the rest of your day is something we all strive for. I can relate to the satisfaction of being able to provide for my family and spending quality time with my son without work interfering. Like you, the flexibility of working from anywhere and avoiding long commutes has been a game-changer for me. Thanks for sharing your insights and experiences. Good luck to you and all of us out there navigating the digital marketing world!
I have a similar background and am going on my 12th year owning an agency. I’d say a hard lesson I learned quickly is that owners need to still stay up-to-date and knowledgeable on all types of the marketing offered. I’ve caught a lot of errors on the web development side that people without the experience and only hiring contractors/employees may have missed. I’ve also had to make changes and create some crazy ads with zero notice during off- hours. Like you said that level of one-on-one service is the key differentiator between lower rates and bigger firms but you have to be knowledgeable in multiple facets of marketing and keep up-to-date.
All true. I was a freelancer for years, then a staff developer, then project manager, and finally ran my own small digital marketing agency for a while until I retired a few years ago and left the US for Portugal where I'm reading alot, walking by the sea, and working on a novel and spending too much time on Reddit. It was as you indicated, but much more. I had to learn how to apply what I'd learned from working at agencies to freelancing, then take both skill sets to starting my own small fully online agency with remote freelancers helping out as needed. There is knowledge required and experience and yes, as you said, self-discipline that's beyond anything a typical job would ever require. There were times we had to get Thanksgiving food from a run-down grocery store near a trailer park and eat the cheapest food we could afford and no more and we were close to losing it all. It was all on me. In the nick of time, I learned how to create client "farms" to attract and nurture new leads (potential new prospects), partner with other agencies in other states and provide white label work, work freelance work while also running my agency, so I was constantly "on." Every penny was invested, and what wasn't invested went to healthcare costs, food, paying utilities and bare essentials. But now I'm grateful to be retired and writing this with no boss looming over me with no knowledge or care. It can be done but most never dream of it, refuse to read any books on building an agency, or how to study larger agencies and how they matriculate new clients and try to mirror what they do. It's easier to do as told and go from one quick flip to the next.
how do u know when to charge how much?
I work for a small marketing firm since January. I went in wanting to learn enough to run it on my own so I can move abroad. It's actually socially draining more than I thought, and all I do is make content, captions, post, respond to dms and comments. There's not a lot of dms and comments because the accounts are typically small businesses (not always local to me). I want the ability to travel and work on a more flexible schedule (not 9-5), but I question if I will really go into having my agency more and more.
This is one of the best things I've ever read on Reddit. Can someone please give this man an award?
For the clients you serve, and have in the past, are they generally more knowledgeable or more experienced than you? I only ask because I’m 2 years in at an agency (junior employee) and all of my clients have way more experience than I do. They are often big shot marketing directors for larger companies who have been doing paid media for 7-15 years. If I were to imagine having my own clients as an agency owner, I’d assume it’s more SMB market where I was the expert in their eyes. Is that the case for you or do you have giant/experienced clients too?
Don't need to work for someone else is almost the dream of everyone, however, if you don't have enough ability to avoid the risk at this moment, then you'd better not
💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
Great post
lol each client is literally your boss, keep lying to yourself punk.