7 years in 7 months as a Small Business Owner

Running a small business is a full-contact sport with vague rules, and half the time, you’re inventing them yourself. You'll experience grand highs to existential lows. If you've been following along, you’ve seen me and my sister steering Violet Rae Consultancy into the world of brand strategy with a mix of grit, ambition and open-eyed wonder.

In just 7 months, I’ve learned more about business (and myself) than I did in the past 7 years. Here are the lessons that have stuck I felt were worth sharing:

1. The Labour Theory of Value Is Hard To Shake

I’ve spent years in the corporate world where "value" was easy to measure - and always measured for me.

Value of Output = Labor Time × Labor Intensity

Or, for us creatives:

Value of Service = (Time Spent + Creativity/Skill Factor) × Complexity of Deliverables

This equation has a place in traditional large-scale industries where your output is tangible and measurable – units produced, hours logged, or tasks ticked off. But once you’re in the small business game, especially in the world of branding and creative work, you quickly realise that the Labour Theory of Value just doesn’t serve you or your clients. These days, the "output" isn’t always something you can hold or quantify – it’s often ideas, strategy, or a shift in perception. Small businesses thrive on impact, not on formulas, and understanding this difference is crucial for both you and your clients.

A quiet day doesn't mean failure. And a busy day doesn't mean success.

For me, the real shift came when I stopped equating my worth to the number of hours I spent or the number of tasks I ticked off. And focusing more the feeling left behind in a meeting, the connections we're nurturing, and the incremental moves we make each day.

Shedding the LVT takes some time to shift, and, honestly, some mental rewiring. This year has been about learning to trust that the value I create is not always visible right away. It’s about the bigger picture, the energy I pour into what I do, and how that ripples out in ways I may not always see immediately.

And if you're a fellow business owner or founder reading this, take a moment and give yourself the grace to do the same. The work you do – and the impact it has – can’t always be calculated. But that doesn't make it any less important or significant for your business.

2. Attracting the Right Clients = Joy

Chasing any client is like running full-speed into a brick wall – it’ll get you nowhere fast and leave you wondering why you’re bruised. The real magic happens when you attract the right clients. The ones who get you. Who appreciate your process. Who see the value you bring. Who aren’t just looking for someone to tick boxes or do their bidding, but a partner who will help them elevate their business. There’s something deeply satisfying about working with partners who see the value and fully trust in you.

Five months into our business, my sister Ally and I decided to take this a step further. We implemented a new client criterion, asking the simple (but powerful) question: What’s your good?

We want to work with businesses and brands that are giving something back – whether it’s through their entire business model or through behind-the-scenes incentives. We need to know that they’re doing good for society, people, pets, or the planet and if they can’t answer that, we're not a fit.

We stopped getting excited by every lead that came our way and became a little picky, it feels uncomfortable but trust me, a mismatch in values, approach, or vision will suck the life (and joy) out of you.

Attracting the right clients isn’t just about filling your calendar; it’s about building relationships that last. And those relationships based on shared values, trust, and a commitment create something far more meaningful.

3. Growth Is Itchy.

Real growth is incremental and feels physically akin to an aggravated mosquito bite on day 2. You’ll take two steps forward, one step back. Many days (or weeks or months) it will feel like you’re running in place. But so far, for us, every little win has added up. Each seemingly blethery conversation, each piece of free advice or work, each follow up thank you email. No matter how seemingly small, it's been these kinds of things that have pushed Violet Rae toward something.

I wasn't naïve when I started this. I know that growth doesn't feel like a full-speed Matrix walk on a travelator at the airport; (it’s more like a journey across the Empty Quarter in a pair of Havianas) I haven’t quite cracked the code on this yet. I am still riding the waves of grit and patience myself.

4. Consistency = Key Flexibility > King

Consistency is important but flexibility? That's where the money is literally at. When you start out, you’ll think you need a rigid, bulletproof plan. But guess what? Things will change. They will change almost immediately after you've started said plan.

When we launched Violet Rae Consultancy, we hit the ground running, quickly attracting a diverse range of clients. It was exciting, but it didn’t take long for us to realise that we didn’t quite have the infrastructure in place we needed to support our growth. A few weeks of juggling everything showed us one thing: if we didn’t adapt, we’d burn out.

At first, I was stuck to the idea that we should do as much as we could ourselves. But the longer we tried to do everything, the more drained we felt. So, we reassessed, and made the decision to bring in the experts in areas where we needed support—whether it was legal, HR, finance, other admin or niche specialists for client delivery. We're even bringing in a Virtual Assistant to streamline our planning and operations. We're also working with an AI partner, who is helping us to future-proof not just our business, but our clients’ as well.

Your ability to be flexible means you don’t get stuck. You evolve. Don’t let your original ideas become your prison because the business world isn’t static, and neither should you be.

5. Find A Partner in Crime

Running a business sounds romantic and heroic in theory, but in reality, it's full of extreme ups and downs and making hard decisions, deliberating, endless selling, and sometimes, a profound loneliness.

Having a partner who gets it – who complements your strengths, challenges your thinking, and shares the load – is invaluable. For me, that’s Ally. We’re different in so many ways, but that’s exactly what makes us stronger together.

When you’re flying solo, it all falls on you. The wins, the losses, the highs, the lows. But with the right person by your side, you're able to celebrate the victories with someone, and more importantly, you have someone to pull you back from the brink when the weight of it all feels a bit much.

Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint which is why I always recommend starting out with a great partner to people who ask about it. Find that person. Trust them. Lean on them. Don’t be fooled by the "lone wolf" myth – the real strength is in the collaboration.

And there it is. Five lessons I’ve learned this year, delivered with all the wisdom and energy I can muster. It’s been a ride, and I’m grateful for it - I haven't been bored once.

Here’s to more lessons and more growth in 2025. Sláinte! 🥃