The other day it hit me... I realised that The Social Smith is two years old.

I can't quite believe it. The realisation of how far my business has come in such a short amount of time, is genuinely mindblowing.
Trust me when I say it, the past two years have flown by!
If you would have asked me two years ago, where I thought my business would be now, or the goals I would be working towards, the clients I would be working with or even the milestones and accomplishments I would have achieved... There is no way I would have guessed.
Psst... I also wouldn't have believed it!
Do you want to know one of the biggest secrets that has led me to where I am now? Believing in yourself is the first step (you'll see this reiterated in some of my tips below, also!)
It seems so cliché doesn't it? It isn't really even about believing in your business (although, of course, that is part of it) it is really all about believing in yourself.
It takes so much confidence to launch a business - and that can be really scary.
It takes a lot of strength to tackle the knock backs or set backs, and to pick yourself right back up again.
There will be doubt, there will even be times you wonder if you've made the 'right decision'.
These alone are a handful of examples as to why believing in yourself, is the first step.
I have to say, I feel truly privileged to work with my clients - I get to play a part and be involved in so many aspects of their business growth.
My initial vision with The Social Smith has expanded into wider digital marketing, business goal setting, business strategies and so much more - I love it!
I love being a member of my clients' teams and learning about different industries - no two days, no two clients, no two briefs are the same.

Hitting the 'two year milestone' has inspired a little reflection for myself and within my business.
With that, I wanted to pass on my top tips of what has helped my business to grow:
1. Connect - I purposefully avoided the word "networking" because it can often have negative connotations. I have attended networking events, workshops, seminars; you name it, and I have built some incredible connections. Even if your business is not B2B, connecting with people is so important. Why? Because people buy from people. Meeting the face behind the brand or even hearing their 'story', can create a little spark in someone’s brain. Remember, not everyone you meet will do business with you, but they might just recommend you to someone who will! The benefits of connections I have made go further than selling - I have made friends, had thought provoking conversations and even changed some of the approaches I take to my own business - plus, it is always nice to talk to like minded people. Get yourself out there and start talking about you and your business!
2. Don’t undervalue yourself. When you’re just starting out it can be so hard to know how price yourself. My prices were so low initially and it really did myself and my business a disservice. I’ve since increased my prices, as well as set myself a minimum hourly rate to account for not just the physical work I am doing for each client but also the time and money that I spend in training. Cheap is not always best. Do your research first, comparing with other businesses taking note of what they charge and what the service their client gets for that money, can be a great way to get a ballpark figure of what your prices should be like. Price yourself where you want (and deserve) to be positioned and if somebody says that you are too expensive (which, inevitably they will) remember that you are too expensive for THEM and, that it does not mean you are over priced. The majority of your clients will value your expertise and understand that the price is reflective of the service you provide.
3. Invest in yourself and your business. This can be really hard, especially at the start when money is a bit tight and trust me when I say, this doesn't have to be a 'go big or go home' approach to spending. There are plenty of cheap (and even free) courses and training online, this is a great starting point - investing your time is just as valuable and beneficial as investing your money. Books are another great investment. When you feel you can afford a little boost to your business, you can. Investing in your business can come in some may different forms - it may be PR days, online or in person courses (marketing, business accelorating - you name it, there are courses for almost every business out there!), but it may also be investing in additional childcare - giving yourself an extra hour or so a week to focus on your work, it may be a 'fancy' coffee machine or even a new laptop.
4. "Comparison is the thief of joy". When I launched, I thought I’d need 100,000 Instagram followers, 50 odd clients but, in actual fact I quit my full time job and solely focused on The Social Smith when I had 'just' 600 followers and 'just' 7 clients. I used to look at other people doing what I do and they seemingly had the perfect life. You know the drill... Loads of money, working 2 hours a week, living the luxury lifestyle that I just couldn’t afford. Do you know what I did? Deleted them. People that don’t inspire me get the cut. If you’re not bringing me joy, you’re not getting a place on my feed. Remind yourself, when you post on social media what do you post? The cute child smiling, the fancy dinner out? The holiday snap? They're the memories, they're the moments we celebrate and treasure - but they're just that, they're 'moments' in time. The pile of laundry in the corner, the meltdown because you gave your toddler the wrong coloured cup, the frozen meal you burnt.. We rarely post those 'moments' and let's face it, for most of us, that's our daily reality! Remember that what you see on social media is a snippet and do not compare your whole life to somebody else’s snippet.
5. You can’t do it all. It sounds so simple doesn't it!? I’m guilty of forgetting this, although over time I have started to find more of a work/life balance. I like to think I can do it all. I like to think writing a list of 738 things 'to do' means I’ll get them done but rarely does it. It took me a long time to learn that long 'to do' lists causes nothing more than unnecessary pressure and stress. I am not Wonder Woman. There really was no other option for me, I wanted my business to succeed but I also need a 'life' too! Time with my family, time for myself and, what's the use of working so hard if you can't give yourself some guilt free downtime?! Outsource where you can. Some things I’ve outsourced in the last year include admin, accountancy and even cleaning! It has freed up my time to spend on other areas of my business, in turn helping it to grow - it also enables me to enjoy the time 'off' I used to so desperately crave.

I'm very proud of what I have achieved so far, but I also know, this is just the start - it's a marathon, not a sprint, right?!
For me, my focus continues to be on growth - not just for my business, but personal growth too.
I want to make more connections, more memories.
Listen to podcasts that inspire me and learn from courses that benefit 'me' (my business).
Be a cheerleader for other businesses, continuing to make new connections - but never being afraid to talk about my business with enthusiasm and passion.
Launching and growing a business sure is challenging - but I'm so glad I took the leap!
If this blog or my story encourages just one person to pursue their dreams, I'll take that as a win.
Does my story sound like yours?
Are there areas of your business you want to work on? Areas you need to work on?
Is there a tip in this blog that has been your 'aha moment'?
That's the thing about business... Inspiration can be found anywhere!
Comments