WB Rewind: My Journey Through 2024 & Vision for 2025

As I reflect on 2024, I'm struck by the profound transformation in my professional identity and business approach. This year marked my evolution from a designer focused on crafting solutions to a founder building a sustainable business. Here's my journey and what lies ahead.

Buckle up; this is a lengthy one. 💺

Embracing Leadership Through Community

Joining the Triangle West Alternative Board (TAB) group in 2024 was one of the most transformative decisions I’ve made. It’s been a game-changer, providing mentorship and a trusted circle of leaders to exchange ideas with. Initially, I wasn’t sure it would be worth it, but after just a few meetings, the benefits were clear. Through regular discussions with other business leaders, I’ve gained valuable tools for team collaboration, refined my business objectives, and strengthened my management practices and decision-making. While a group like this might not appeal to those who prefer staying close to founders with similar business models, I’ve found that the diversity of industries doesn’t matter. What connects us is the shared experience of navigating leadership challenges.

One surprising insight has been realizing how many founders, regardless of industry, face similar hurdles. Hearing stories from others about starting out, scaling, or pivoting was eye-opening. It’s not about criticizing mistakes but learning from them. The group has helped me reflect on my own missteps and adjust my approach with their insights. I used to think my challenges came from moving too fast or being unprepared, but the TAB group has shown me these struggles are part of the entrepreneurial process. Many founders face recurring obstacles at different stages of growth.

While there’s no perfect playbook for business, it’s been invaluable to refine strategies and realize we’re all on this journey together.

What began as occasional networking has grown into meaningful professional relationships. Stepping out of my comfort zone, I’ve embraced in-person events in the Raleigh area, building genuine connections along the way. At first, I was hesitant—networking in person was completely new to me, and I didn’t fully understand the value of engaging with the community. But over time, I’ve realized that simply being present in the room is the first step toward meeting the right people and expanding my network.

In the Triangle area, there’s no shortage of events where familiar faces are frequent. This is especially encouraging as I reflect on how being part of a larger community has influenced my work. Serving on the board, for instance, has allowed me to exchange insights with peers in similar roles. I’ve come to deeply value conversations that spark mutual learning and provide meaningful takeaways for everyone involved.

I’ve gained the most from actively seeking out new connections and diving into the challenges founders face. As a software designer, these conversations have offered me the opportunity to ask insightful questions about platform outcomes, early-stage approaches, and the hurdles others encounter. It’s also helped me build a network focused on figuring out the next big steps within the community. Additionally, I’ve drawn immense inspiration from the thought leaders and speakers who share their wisdom at these events. Hearing their lessons and experiences firsthand—straight from those who are immersed in the work every day—has been invaluable. While there’s an abundance of information online, being in the room with the people who’ve created it offers a completely different perspective. It’s an experience that sparks thought, fosters learning, and leaves a lasting impression.

This year, I made plenty of networking mistakes. I’m grateful for them. Growth often comes from missteps, and these experiences have been invaluable for my personal and professional development.

One of my biggest mistakes earlier this year was lacking the confidence to position myself as an expert during face-to-face interactions with businesses I wanted to work with. When attending events outside NC, my confidence dipped compared to local events. Realizing this, I focused on approaching every opportunity with more self-assurance, aiming to create meaningful conversations that lead to better outcomes for everyone. Another misstep was not researching attendees before events. Going in unprepared led to some awkward conversations. But once I started researching who would be present and what they do, I became more focused and intentional. The difference was huge—conversations shifted from clumsy to productive, often leaving lasting impressions.

Not every interaction was perfect, but even the awkward ones taught me something. The positive exchanges—many of which turned into lasting connections—highlighted the value of attending events with clear goals. Knowing who I wanted to meet and what I hoped to achieve boosted my confidence and helped me maximize every opportunity. While location-based networking isn’t for everyone, I highly recommend giving it a try. Stepping into unfamiliar spaces and having “new” conversations validated my services and strengthened my belief in the value I offer clients. Hearing others share similar goals and perspectives has helped me align better with clients’ needs and deliver stronger results.

This new confidence has expanded my network and shifted how I see myself in the business community. It’s a reminder that mistakes aren’t setbacks—they’re stepping stones to growth and success.

The Shift from Service Provider to Business Leader

This year has marked a profound shift in my career—from honing my craft as a designer to building and leading a business. While I still hold design excellence close to heart, I’ve realized that being a successful founder demands a completely different skill set than being a great designer. This change in focus has broadened my perspective, enabling me to make strategic decisions that benefit both my team and our clients.

For years, my priority was perfecting my craft. I spent the better part of a decade enhancing my skills in UI, UX, and communication design. I consistently pushed myself to explore new concepts, refine my work, and challenge my creative boundaries—always striving to find the best solution to any design problem. But there came a point where I had to make a choice:

Continue refining my craft or embrace the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Each path requires focus, but I knew the next stage of my journey would involve building something bigger—a business that serves not just my creative ambitions, but also my team and clients.

As I step into this new chapter, I am approaching it with the same passion and dedication I brought to design. Now, instead of iterating on visuals, I am refining operations, streamlining processes, and seeking input on how to better support both my team and our clients. My goal is to build a business that creates lasting value, rooted in collaboration and continuous improvement.

One of the most rewarding (and challenging) aspects of this transformation has been redefining my relationship with clients. I’ve shifted from viewing myself as an employee executing tasks for clients to positioning myself as a creative leader partnering with businesses.

This mindset change has fostered more balanced and productive relationships, where mutual respect and shared goals drive better outcomes for everyone involved

This evolution hasn’t been easy. It requires confidence in my expertise, a clear understanding of the value my business provides, and the willingness to say no to projects that don’t align with our mission. Over the past year, I’ve realized that some clients didn’t need an expert—they needed someone to simply execute their ideas. While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, it doesn’t align with the kind of collaborative, lasting partnerships I aim to build. By narrowing my focus to clients who truly value expertise and shared success, I’ve fostered stronger, more meaningful connections that are built on clear expectations and trust. As I look ahead, I’m excited to keep growing—not just as a designer, but as a leader. The past decade was about mastering my craft. The next decade is about building a business that empowers my team and delivers exceptional outcomes for our clients. It’s a journey of constant learning and evolution, and I’m ready to embrace it fully.

Content Creation and Knowledge Sharing

One of my biggest areas of growth in 2024 has been my approach to sharing insights. This year, I focused on increasing both the quality and quantity of my content, sharing more detailed experiences and practical knowledge that others could apply to their own journeys. It wasn’t just about producing more content—it was about delivering genuine value. By documenting my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned, I’ve not only helped others but also deepened my own understanding of core business principles. Each piece of content became an opportunity for reflection and for refining my perspective on business leadership.

In 2024, LinkedIn became my primary platform for sharing these insights (as you might have noticed :) ). At the start of the year, I experimented across various platforms—from X to Dribbble—before ultimately returning to LinkedIn. Based on the growth and engagement I’ve seen, I believe sticking with LinkedIn in 2025 will continue to be a meaningful strategy for both my personal and business development. The platform has allowed me to establish direct connections with local leaders and changemakers who are driving impact and sharing their journeys.

While I’m open to exploring other platforms in the future, that strategy is still a work in progress. For now, I’d like to share the results I’ve achieved on LinkedIn and offer insights for anyone considering using the platform in 2025. I hope my experiences can help guide others as they navigate their own content-sharing journey.

Content Performance:

Reflecting on the past 365 days, one key area stands out for improvement in the coming year: consistency. Looking back at December 2023, my content impressions were minimal—perhaps one view every other day. I began posting sporadically in February and March, which led to a slight increase in engagement, but I wasn’t fully committed. Eventually, I stopped creating content altogether, overwhelmed by new project demands, a lack of motivation, and unclear direction. I had a lot to figure out if I wanted to keep going.

Fast forward to August, when I decided to take content creation seriously. I made it a core part of my daily workflow, and since then, I’ve consistently gathered impressions from my posts. While I missed a few days here and there, the overall growth has been steady and promising—a trend I’m determined to carry into 2025.

Another insight from this year is the noticeable spikes in impressions during October and November. Moving forward, I aim to smooth out these fluctuations and achieve more consistent engagement throughout the year. With a bit of extra effort and focus, I’m confident my content can hit these goals regularly. What I’m most committed to, however, is never returning to the inactivity of the spring months when I wasn’t sharing my value online. Consistency has been a game-changer, and it will remain my top priority for the new year.

Follower Performance:

One area I’ve been focusing on and aiming to improve is my follower performance metrics. By this, I mean ensuring consistent, steady growth over time, rather than experiencing sharp spikes in follower increases. Using the same timeline, in December 2023, I posted a few times, sent out some connection requests, and engaged with others. Then, I took a break. Around July, I started to ramp things back up, consistently sending weekly connection requests—sometimes manually sending over 20 requests per day. By August, I shifted my focus more toward content creation, which initially led to a slight dip in follower growth. However, things really picked up in October when I committed to a consistent strategy for both creating content and maintaining steady follower growth.

Now, the two strategies—content creation and connection-building—work hand in hand. New connections engage with my content, and my content attracts new connections. I also began using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find and connect with professionals in my areas of interest, which further streamlined my growth strategy.

At the start of 2024, I had around 400 followers and 300 connections. By the end of the year, I’ve grown to over 1,200 followers and 1,000 connections. While this growth isn’t explosive, it’s been incredibly educational. I’ve learned a lot about what drives sustainable growth, and I’m confident that with consistency and focused effort across content creation, engagement, and outreach, I can triple—or even 5x—these numbers heading into 2025.

Another exciting milestone this year was the launch of my podcast. I was eager to create an alternative way for people to engage with my content, allowing them to listen to my articles rather than read them. For now, the podcast primarily revolves around the articles I write, but I’m planning to expand my approach by inviting guests onto the show. I see the podcast as a natural extension of what I’m building and sharing online. Since its official launch in August, the podcast has shown steady growth, even though it hasn’t been my top priority.

My main goal has been to make my content more accessible rather than to optimize for rapid growth. That said, I’m pleased with the progress so far and excited about its potential to complement my overall strategy.

The biggest lesson I've learned over the past few months is that providing value never goes unnoticed.

My goal is to consistently deliver as much value as possible through my work, insights, and the lessons I continue to discover. In today’s world, gatekeeping information is no longer a form of leverage. With a wealth of accessible knowledge available to everyone, what sets us apart is our unique perspectives and interpretations of these lessons. This is why I’m committed to producing even better content in the coming year and beyond, as I continue to share and grow in my online journey.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As I look toward 2025, my focus remains on building upon the solid foundations we've established.

My goals are clear: enhance my management capabilities, scale operations, and continue delivering value through meaningful knowledge sharing.

I’d like to take a moment to share how I plan to improve the business and create a greater impact in the coming year. One of the most significant shifts will be a stronger emphasis on business operations and automation. Through my research this year, I’ve noticed that many local businesses lack the tools needed to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced market. While having a strong word-of-mouth community is important, it’s equally critical to extend that reach and build widespread recognition. To address this, I plan to help companies streamline their creative marketing efforts and operational systems, ensuring they minimize wasted time and resources while optimizing key processes. Even implementing basic systems and leveraging data can provide a tremendous advantage to businesses, both new and established. As technology continues to evolve, the importance of utilizing data-driven strategies only grows.

This brings me to two recurring themes from 2024 that will carry into 2025: providing value through data-driven solutions and delivering impactful outcomes. Throughout the year, I’ve emphasized topics like Product Market Fit, research-driven justifications, and actionable insights gained from data. Now, I’m committed to bringing these strategies to the local level, helping businesses of all sizes interpret and manage their data effectively to achieve business-focused results. By leveraging the knowledge they already possess, companies can unlock new opportunities for growth.

In addition to this focus, my team and I have been deeply engaged with full-scope UI design and development projects, including apps, dashboards, web applications, and other innovative interfaces. It’s work I’m excited to continue in 2025. While Arrow North Design will remain dedicated to providing product design and development support, we’ve refined our approach to offer more tailored, outcome-focused services. Each client has unique needs, and we’re committed to delivering the right level of detail and expertise to help them achieve success.

This past year has involved extensive research to determine how best to serve our community, market, and collaborators, and I couldn’t be more excited about the direction we’re taking. The confidence and clarity I’ve gained in 2024 will fuel even greater achievements in the year ahead. My aim is not just to grow the business but to build sustainable systems that empower both our team and our clients to flourish. This includes investing in leadership development, refining internal processes, and finding innovative ways to deliver value to those we serve.

The journey from designer to founder has been transformative, and I’m inspired by the opportunities that lie ahead. By staying focused on business growth, fostering team development, and consistently delivering for our clients, I believe 2025 will be a year of meaningful impact and continued success for everyone involved.

This is my last article for 2024. Talk to you again in 2025!

Key Takeaways:

• Commit to consistent content creation and engagement - sporadic efforts yield minimal results, while sustained daily activity leads to steady growth and meaningful connections.
• Research event attendees and prepare clear networking goals beforehand to transform awkward conversations into productive relationship-building opportunities.
• Focus on delivering value through unique perspectives and interpretations rather than gatekeeping information - this builds authentic connections and establishes expertise.
• Combine content strategies with active outreach - create valuable content while actively building connections to create a self-reinforcing growth cycle.