9 Lessons Learnt in 2024 by a Creative Agency Owner

Year-ends are absolutely manic. You want to squeeze in the last ounce of effort and creativity before taking a break, some clients and partners wake up with last-minute briefs (that you are eventually grateful for) and you're using every possible free minute to complete those peer reviews and client feedback loops. 

But it's also my favourite time of the year because it organically switches me to 'reflection mode'. Consciously pausing to look over the shoulder to acknowledge and celebrate the bumpy but rewarding journey that was 2024, and also looking ahead with your sunnies on and a solid plan to have a meaningful, purpose-driven and growth-focused year ahead. 

I might be new to this 'running your business' jam - (almost) two years seems minuscule sometimes even though it FEELS like I have been doing this forever - but my lessons aren't small or insignificant. And since our in-house writer decided to mooch off her blog writing task to me this month, I am going to do what I do best - write my raw, honest thoughts for the world to consume, debate and disagree on. Let's go.

1. Your skills and expertise (maybe even charm) might give you your first few breaks but eventually, it's the purpose, people, systems and leaders that will continuously drive growth for your business. In that order. Believe me. 

   
   

2. Everything is branding. This is the hyper-connected, always online, connection-craving world we live in and every single touchpoint is your opportunity to not just display your brand but give a reason to people to fall in love with it. 

   
   

3. Don’t BS and don’t accept it. Lessons were learnt by sometimes biting on more than we could handle but we were always honest and gracious about it, and got it done. Also, it’s been great saying no to things and people which seemed twisted and just not right. 

   
   

4. Be brave. Learn to say no and follow your instincts. There isn’t a right time to do things and make magic. Your stars won’t align until you make moves.

   
   

5. Choose your partners / clients wisely and choose your inner friends and circle with even more scrutiny. Don’t let them overlap. 

   
   

6. Remain honest and direct with your team on tough days. And celebrate those wins, big and small, regularly. You can assume people know how things are faring but everyone, you included, need to know when to pull up your socks as well as accept the pat on your shoulder. 

   
   

7. You might be the biggest perfectionist in the world but learn to accept the 90%. A consistent great effort is better than exhausting yourself (and others around you) seeking perfection. A toll-free highway to burnout, horrible output and a team morale that's more volatile than Bitcoin's run. 

   
   

8. Seek to build wealth, not chase money. Your business will grow not just by having a laser focus on your bottom line but by investing to build your wealth of time, people and connections. 

   
   

9. Find your ‘Whos’ to figure out the ‘Hows’ - in business and life. It does start with ‘Why’ but you don’t need to also take action and implement every single thing yourself. This is not just delegation; it’s understanding your strategic importance, dropping that superhero cape and relying on people better equipped and experienced to get it done. 

There are plenty of other lessons to be shared but that would warrant another post (or a short book!). Let me know what you think and knowing me, I would love to learn from your experiences as well. Unashamedly slide into my DMs or drop me an email - I’ll never say no to a coffee at Raw :) 

- Manuja

Founder, Creative Director and Forever Student

nuja inc.