Louise had been running a successful web design and branding business for 15 years – she had a good client base, had the flexibility she needed and there was nothing at all ‘wrong’.
But she wanted to take stock and decide where she could take the business – where did she want it to go, what impact did she want to make and how did she want her working life to be?
By working with ConnectUp, Louise took time out of the business to work ‘on’ it. She used the tools provided to think carefully about what she wanted the future to look like, who she needed to involve and how she wanted work to be and feel. Louise decided she wanted to build a team around her and create a legacy.
Alongside her own thinking and planning, as the global pandemic hit, Louise was on the front foot to understand where she wanted to take the business and so took forward-looking decisions as she adapted.
Louise decided to re-brand the business, recruit a team around her and create some clear differentiators within her industry. The business has become a truly virtual agency where the whole team work remotely from their homes, a coffee shop or really anywhere they can plug their laptops in and get an internet connection.
Louise has made this new proposition part of her core values and principles, harnessing a competitive advantage by offering: access to the best talent in all areas; flexible solutions, bringing the right people to each project; cost efficiency due to no need for a plush office or travel costs; accessibility to a diverse range of staff; ‘green’ credentials – staff don’t drive to and from work every day, buy takeout coffees or prewrapped sandwiches.
How we did it
Louise’s first step was to attend a Purpose Perspective Workshop. Through this half day event, and using the tools provided, Louise gained a clear understanding of:
- Her purpose and the impact she wanted to make
- What success looked like, uniquely for her
- How she could work authentically with the clients she wanted
- How she works at her best and What her working time needed to look like to be successful
Using the resources provided, she worked up a plan, and had a follow-up one to one with Jo Hompstead a month later to identify key actions and timescales.
Louise then attended the #ConnectUp community. This monthly non-membership meeting sees small business owners and freelancers come together and bring their individual big idea, concern, or thorny issue. Louise found the supportive, safe and non-judgemental atmosphere really valuable to work up her ideas and the input, views and insight from the other attendees was invaluable. She also enjoyed supporting the others in her group!
Through this combination of support, Louise gained clarity on what she needed to do to build the business she wanted.