Recognise and Reflect
1. Less is more
Instead of focusing on everything and anything, really focus on the few things that are important.
Focus on what you enjoy, what you’re good at, or what gives you the most back.
Encourage others in your business to do the same and embrace the diversity that will see everyone playing to their strengths.
The most successful way to grow a business is not through addition, it’s through subtraction. If you look at the most successful businesses they reached their peak when they were very focused.
They knew what clients they wanted, and they knew what resources they need to deliver the quality of work that those clients demanded.
That’s not to say they were not diversifying or neglecting alternative growth strategies, but they weren’t trying to do many different things at the same time – there was a strategy and a plan.
2. Creativity
Creativity is what will fuel your agency. Bring that creativity to the table in all aspects of your business.
Take time to think about everything you do, is there a better way to do it? Is the way you work encouraging all the productive behaviours you need?
Are you on-boarding new clients in a way that allows you to have the very best chance of strengthening that relationship?
Do you have the right business models to ensure you are maximising your growth potential, as well as delivering value for your clients?
Creativity in general fuels the business, and fuels the energy, which wins new clients and delivers great work.
Take the time to look at the challenges facing your business and use your creativity (and that of your team) to view them from different perspectives.
This will help generate the best ideas and find a solution that might not be the most obvious, but will accelerate your growth.
3. Excellence
Every entrepreneur who has the ambition to do great things – whatever they are – is focused on excellence. It becomes a habit.
Many agency owners that I have worked with have a feeling that they haven’t reached a place where they’re satisfied.
Take the time to look back, appreciate your accomplishments, think about how it could have been better and sharpen your sword for the next time around.
Personal excellence is just as important. Agency owners tend to be lifelong learners, always knowing that there’s room to get better.
Surround yourself with excellent people, ones that have that different perspectives, personality types and experience.
4. Long-term thinking
Many struggle to think long-term, including me. I work with lots of agency owners to think about their 3 or 5 year strategy.
I challenge them and myself to think longer-term than that. What do you want to do with the rest of your life? What are you committing to?
It’s part of the entrepreneurial mindset to look for opportunities and shiny new things – it’s easy to yes to a lot of things that you probably shouldn’t.
Make sure you are clear on your goals and destination. Once you have that you can assess each opportunity in terms of how it can get you closer towards it.
You need to understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day. So many things can be done so quickly now. In business building, many people think that things happen overnight.
Building an exceptional business and exceptional lifestyle, good health and strong relationships is a long-term commitment.
Be willing to invest in mentors and coaches. Take time to read books. Be willing to make mistakes and acknowledge it will take time to recover.
5. Enjoyment and fun
Creating a business is very serious work and we work hard to make them successful. It’s often easy to forget to enjoy it – often it’s working with the wrong clients, which is definitely something you can control.
You are creating your lifestyle and your business for a reason, whether it’s to grow revenue, create great work, or give something back – but why take it so seriously and why not have fun along the way.
This is one of the reasons I’ve written this short document. I want people to know that I have worked with very successful people who have built great agencies; but at the same time have enjoyed what they do because they have embraced these principles.
I’ve spoken to many agency owners recently who are growing weary at the thought of the energy they will need coming out of this. Rest assured, there are many options available - I’d love to chat through them with you.
Others I’ve spoken to are agency leaders (but not owners) who can see the range of opportunities on the horizon and are thinking of launching their own business – I’d love to chat to you too.