…In No Particular Order
This July, we are celebrating 15 years of Branch Creative Co. Looking back to July 2009, when I booked my first client, I had no idea how it would grow, change, and endure for so long!
I started out working in the spare bedroom, then moved to the kitchen (see below), and then to a little nook in the landing at the bottom of the stairs at our old house. My business grew larger as my family grew older—with a few bumps, bruises, and growing pains along the way.
It became the gift that allowed me to be home with our girls after they were born. (That little baby I'm holding just turned ten this year. ) I'm so grateful to the family, nannies, and preschools that provided me with some uninterrupted work time. It was a huge blessing to be home with them, but I was also extremely naive in thinking it would be pure heavenly bliss to work my business with a newborn and a toddler at home full time.
Fast forward 15 years, I now work from a (beautifully decorated) dedicated home office in our current home. I've worked with hundreds of clients. I built a team, then intentionally dialed it back when life sent our family some pretty hard hits. Perhaps the coolest thing, Branch allowed me to take the reins as the primary provider for our family so that my husband could quit his job and pursue his dream of opening a brewery. I've loved making this business work for us in whatever stage of life we might be in.
The evolution of my business cards since 2009.
It is not lost on me that none of this would be possible without the clients who have trusted Branch with their branding and design over the last 15 years. This 15th anniversary is more a celebration of gratitude for them.
As a thank you for being a part of this journey, I've put together 15 lessons and thoughts as I reflect back on 15 years of business:
💛 Trust your gut.
🙋♀️ Surround yourself with other genuinely supportive business owners.
🔑 Building relationships is the key to longevity.
🎁 And when it comes to relationships, embrace Dr. Misner’s “givers gain” mentality: work to help others and it will come back to you tenfold.
☕️ Once I became comfortable asking “how can I help your business?” I became fearless about asking just about anyone to meet for coffee.
🎯 Track (and celebrate) your wins by measuring backwards. Not sure what this means? Read “The Gap and the Gain”. It has recently changed my life.
📣 My most profitable years are the years I have had a business coach.
✨ You will never ever regret investing in yourself.
📊 If you are not an accountant or a lawyer, hire one as soon as you possibly can. The peace of mind is worth every penny.
🙅♀️ Set strong boundaries. I wish I would have done this sooner.
🌱 Embrace duality. Business (and life) can be both difficult and amazing at the same time. Remembering that “it’s a hard we choose” has really helped.
😥 Learn how to manage your (good and bad) emotions in a healthy way or your emotions will run you and rob you of a lot of joy and happiness. Successful people have a flexible mind and emotional resilience. I didn’t learn this alone, and according to my coach, it’s something I’ll be working on my whole life. Thanks, coach! 🤪 Lol
💝 Surprise and delight your clients/customers with gifts of appreciation. They will love it and remember you for your kindness.
🏅 Gamify your goals. Make the silly paper thermometers or sticker charts—whatever motivates you and makes your work fun!
🐶 If you work from home, I highly suggest having an office dog for comic/stress relief and a good reason to get up and get some steps in.
There is so much more I could add to the list, but I know time is of the essence, so I'll keep it short and sweet!
Thank you for an amazing 15 years, and cheers to many more!
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