Reflections on sustainable business growth
We’ve learned a lot about business growth in 2022. But at this time last year, More Ours was just an idea.
After freelancing full-time for a year and a half, I was making plans to transform my practice into a new brand strategy and design studio. I had a name (More Ours, just in case that wasn’t clear!), an extra-long to-do list, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. Ever the planner, I’d started researching investments that would help position More Ours for success and business growth. And I felt confident that I could stick to my plan and launch More Ours in February.
And, well … that didn’t happen.
I thought I could launch quickly. After all, when I started freelancing, all I did was update my website and email my network, and I was open for business. Couldn’t I just do that again? The short answer is yes. But I wanted More Ours to be different.
I started working with a business coach in January, which is one of the best investments I’ve ever made (more on this later!). After just a couple of sessions, it became clear that I couldn’t rush launching a business like More Ours. Instead, I needed to build a solid foundation, define clear goals, and create an actionable roadmap for continuous growth. Here I am, nearly one year later, and I’m so glad I focused on sustainable business growth. It took a lot of time and a lot of patience, but in the end, it was all worth it.
4 lessons learned for sustainable business growth
Today, More Ours is celebrating five months in business! While things didn’t always go according to plan, for us, that worked out for the better. Looking back on our journey of the past year and the journey ahead, here are our most important lessons learned about consistent and sustainable business growth.
1. Move intentionally
When February came around and I wasn’t ready to launch More Ours, I decided to launch in May. And guess what? That didn’t happen either! After months of hard work, More Ours was officially launched in August—six months after the original goal. And the website didn’t go live until September. Talk about taking your time!
I realized that to reach my business goals, I would need to commit to a deeper level of work and planning. I wanted to build a business infrastructure that set me up for success as well as a brand identity and website that connected meaningfully with my audience. That meant spending more time figuring out things like my services, client process, and marketing approach. Additionally, it meant letting go of my previous deadline and accepting a later launch date. If I hadn’t approached my business launch with intention, I would have been forced to make last-minute decisions, leading to stress and frustration—and setting my long-term goals back even further.
Consistent and sustainable business growth is all about moving intentionally. You have a vision for your business, and it’s important to make sure that that vision has legs to stand on. Rather than rushing to get things done with half-baked ideas and short-sighted plans, focus on your long-term goals. What can you do for your business now that will set you up for success in the future? For example, with More Ours, I knew I wanted a clear service structure, so I dedicated more time to improving my process, mapping the needs of my clients to my offerings, and coming up with a thorough pricing structure. Your business matters, and it’s important to put in the time and effort to make sure it has strength and longevity.
2. Take risks
While graphic design is my first love, over the years, I’ve become passionate about strategy, too. Before More Ours, I’d long dreamed about offering brand strategy services to clients, but I couldn’t bring myself to make it official. Ironically, I’d been incorporating brand strategy into my visual identity process for years, but I never charged for it separately. Call it imposter syndrome or good old-fashioned risk aversion, but I was too nervous to offer brand strategy as a separate service.
Then, I launched More Ours, and I decided there was no time like the present. I’d take the leap and offer brand strategy as a core service. And boy, am I glad I did! Our clients have told us how much value our brand strategy process has brought to their business, and it is now a non-negotiable for all new branding clients. Today, you’ll hear us shouting about the impact of brand strategy from the rooftops!
The point is, business growth requires some risks, so don’t be afraid to take that chance. Launch that exciting new offering you’ve been dreaming about or hire that new team member. Be bold! After all, you started your business because you’re passionate about something. Let that passion drive you to build the business of your dreams.
3. Ask for help
From the beginning, I had big dreams for More Ours. As a result, I knew I’d need help to make them a reality. Design and strategy are my biggest strengths, but running a business requires a lot more than that. No matter your strengths, there’s always room for improvement in the form of outside expertise.
Remember the business coach I mentioned? Well, she’s played a huge part in More Ours’ development and business growth. In the past year, I’ve also sought help from a copywriter, an accountant, my creative peers and collaborators, and even my operations-expert husband.
Help may also look like a set of tools and systems that help you run your business efficiently. Maybe it’s a compelling website that warmly welcomes new clients or a set of beautifully designed brand templates that make updates a breeze. These tools allow you to stop worrying about getting everything right and, instead, focus on doing what you do best. When you have the proper resources, you can focus on the bigger picture. Then, you can reach your long-term goals for sustainable business growth.
4. Give yourself a break
Running a business is hard work, and you deserve to let your mind and body rest. Your business requires you to be flexible, so why not extend that flexibility to yourself? At More Ours, we operate on a four-day workweek. From Monday to Thursday, we dedicate ourselves to our clients. On Friday, we focus on ourselves. We reserve this day to work on our own business tasks, catch up on personal things, or take a day off as needed. We also make sure that we take time off throughout the year to celebrate holidays, spend time with loved ones, and experience new things.
When you have a sustainable and consistent business, you can take a break from the hustle without worrying that everything will fall apart. With systems in place to make sure that things continue to run smoothly, you’ll return to work refreshed, rejuvenated, and full of new ideas.
When you move intentionally, take smart risks, ask for help when needed, and allow yourself to take a break, you’ll be laying a solid foundation that will set you up for long-term, sustainable business growth. And after a year of building and evolving More Ours, we’re ready for a break of our own. We’re lucky to be taking a couple of weeks off at the end of the year so that we can come back refreshed and ready to build a bright future for ourselves and our clients.
If you have big branding dreams for the new year, let’s talk. Here’s to an inspiring 2023!
