Recently, I celebrated my first year in business (a huge milestone, I know! And the first of many to come) as an independent copywriter who also offers brand styling and marketing know-how. As I took a moment to reflect on the year gone by, I penned down all that I learned and the stepping stones that helped me stay afloat during the first year in business in my blog – Zero to one: 7 Lessons learned in the first year of building a business.
From leaving a stable job of almost eight years as a marketing professional to stumbling into turning a side hustle into a business and all the highs and lows, it’s been nothing short of a thrilling rollercoaster ride. I’ll admit the first year has been a blur, and I have no idea how I made it through. Nevertheless, slipping and sliding, here I am in year two. But where to now?
Year two – a vision for growth
While the second year brings the foundations of the first and the regular stream of work from existing clients, I’m aware it’s not going to be enough for growth. If I want to grow this baby of mine, I’m going to have to get strategic. After all, there are dreams to make come true. But how? Well, I guess I have a few ideas in mind.
- Learn from the lessons of year one
If anything, the first year in business was a huge learning curve. Whilst some strategies worked, others failed miserably. So, I guess it’s time to put those that worked into the basket for year two and file away those that didn’t work. I won’t discard those just yet, as some may come in handy and prove successful in the future as tides turn.
- Set new goals
When I started Mistry of Words the goal was simple, earn some extra income with a vision the side hustle will turn into something big. However, as I embarked on the journey of creating and working full time on my business unexpectedly, my goals changed to earning enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. As Mistry of Words grew, my drive changed to doing all I could to make it a success. This year the fire in my belly is stronger than ever, which means setting tangible goals to help the business flourish.
- Stepping out of my comfort zone
Public speaking and listening to my voice played back are not my forte. If anything, I shy away from it. But this year, it’s time to pull up the sleeves and get those vocal cords into action. So, stay tuned as I bring you the Mistry of Words Copy Chat podcast and look out for me at networking events.
Whilst I guess I could waffle on and on about the ideas floating in my mind, I think I’ll leave at this. After all, you get the gist. The vision is clear – growth.
Looking forward to another
While some paths have formed, others are yet to come into vision. As I take one step at a time, I feel a cocktail of emotions. Some days they’re bright and sweet, others cloudy and sour. Nevertheless, I look forward to another year of writing, learning, meeting new people and businesses, all while making a positive difference through the magic of words.
Business Chicks member, Vishma Mistry was a marketing professional for over a decade before turning her passion for words and writing into a fulltime business. Mistry of Words specialises in copywriting for websites, blogs, social media, media releases, video scripts and all things marketing. If you’re looking to boost your content marketing and attract, engage, and convert your consumers get in touch today or email Vishma at [email protected].
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