[Update] Learning How To Say "No" Helped Us Grow Our Branding Agency
This is a follow up story for Above 8000 Creative. If you're interested in reading how they got started, published over 5 years ago, check it out here.
Hello again! Remind us who you are and what business you started.
My name is Mimi Council, my husband Delaney and I own Above 8000 Creative. We founded our business in 2017 because we were small business owners of a bake shop at the time. Delaney is a graphic designer and I am a photographer, so we ended up doing all our own creative and content for our bake shop. This turned heads, and other small business owners we knew kept asking who we were using.
We realized the need for a small boutique agency, one that understands the needs and budgets of small business owners and entrepreneurs. And Above 8000 Creative was born. We now work with many large companies in the food and lifestyle niches as well as many small business owners still.
We have become so busy at Above 8000 Creative that we sold our bakery business last year. Now we spend all our time and attention helping brands and entrepreneurs tell their stories through stand-out creativity.
We are not hiring, and I don’t plan to ever hire. I had employees for many years when we owned our bake shop, and they are so much work! While it may be some people’s goal to have a staff, it’s a goal of mine to not have one.
Tell us about what you’ve been up to. Has the business been growing?
Our business has always been word of mouth, and we have been fortunate to keep growing this way. I do email reach outs as well to brands or small businesses. But, I only reach out to people if I truly believe that we could help them or that we’d be a great fit to work together, I don’t just send out mass emails. That has been our model from the start, and it’s what I have continued to do.
My husband also does great networking when he’s out at parties or events, which is great! He’s much better at that than I am.
We did get a great client within the last two years, and we’re on retainer with him. Those are the best kinds of clients as you know the relationship is long term, you have some steady income, and you get to know them and their brand and that makes the work even better.
If you are in a freelance service, try to think of how you can put clients on retainer or charge a monthly fee for services. This can help you gain a more steady income and also better client relationships.
What have been your biggest challenges in the last year?
Instagram is always our biggest challenge with the changing algorithms and such. Social media is one of the services we offer, but it’s becoming less and less of what we do because it’s just so much work. While we used to do a lot more of this, we are only offering it to select clients at this time.
Think about the services you have and the ones that take up way more time than others. It can be challenging to stop doing something because it makes you money, but if you think about how your time is spent or how much money you make for the time, it could be the right decision to shift focus.
What have been your biggest lessons learned in the last year?
This year, we have learned how to say no. It’s kinda crazy because when you start a business you want to say yes to everything! Plus, when you say yes, you make money. But, as you start to value your time and your worth, you have to learn how to say no sometimes.
We have turned down some projects that weren’t the right fit or the client didn’t have the budget that we required to do the work. And when you turn down thousands of dollars, it can seem odd at first. But, if that budget isn’t covering your value and time, then you’re not making money.
What’s in the plans for the upcoming year, and the next 5 years?
We want to continue to work with brands and entrepreneurs that inspire us to create. We also want to add some more big-name brands to our portfolio. I love working with both large brands and small businesses, but when you have some big names in your portfolio it just helps!
Plus, some of the large brands that we work with regularly such as Organic Valley, have the most amazing people on staff. And I feel like I’m working with the people who own the business because they care so much. Those are the kinds of clients we strive to find and keep. So, that is always our goal.
This year, we have learned how to say no. It’s kinda crazy because when you start a business you want to say yes to everything! Plus, when you say yes, you make money. But, as you start to value your time and your worth, you have to learn how to say no sometimes.
What’s the best thing you read in the last year?
Building a StoryBrand was the best book I read last year. Even as someone who has been telling stories through my business for a long time, it was a great read and had some really good points and reminders. I would highly recommend it to any entrepreneur!
Advice for other entrepreneurs who might be struggling to grow their business?
Taking a look at your creative, copy, and marketing would be where I would start. Those are the things that make your brand and make it stand out. If it’s sloppy, doesn’t look professional, or is confusing to your customer then you won’t be able to grow. Not because you don’t have a great product, but because people can’t figure out what it is or they aren’t intrigued to click.
It’s always great to have a third party weigh in on this. You can’t just ask your partner or your husband or wife, because they know what your business is. This is where an agency can help you, and you can always email us!
But, if you’re on a budget I would advise reading Building a StoryBrand. I think that does a really good job of explaining how you can do something better than someone else, but you may not be getting the growth or traffic that they are getting simply because you aren’t telling your story most effectively.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
We are not hiring, and I don’t plan to ever hire. I had employees for many years when we owned our bake shop, and they are so much work! When we started this business, I said we’d never have employees haha! While it may be some people’s goal to have a staff, it’s a goal of mine to not have one.
We plan to keep our agency small so we can continue to provide the level of service our clients are accustomed to. We both like being hands-on, working on each project, and talking to our clients.
We do use freelancers and models here or there when needed, and anyone is always welcome to reach out to us at [email protected] and let me know what type of freelance work you do.
Where can we go to learn more?
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!
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