What a year..
Today officially marks 12 months since the launch of Bevic Marketing Services Ltd! I honestly can’t believe how fast the time has gone.
It’s been a huge learning curve, not just in terms of the practicalities of setting up and running my own business, but personally too. I’ve learnt things about myself, my motivations and drive, what I love doing, what I excel at, and what I need to work on. It’s been an eye-opening rollercoaster to say the least!
I think the biggest challenge has been getting used to not having a team of people around me all the time. Having people to share ideas with, distract or delegate to has been tough at times. Finding a co-working space, a mentor, a networking group, and making new friendships with others in a similar position have all been hugely beneficial and things I would absolutely recommend to others starting their freelance journey.
Not knowing when to stop is also something that I need to work on but it’s probably the same for anyone with their own business. Working for yourself does give you the flexibility that no other employment would probably allow, but it also means there’s no easy way of clocking off. If you have any top tips on how to do that, please do share!
I’ve been so fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with some amazing people and businesses from the get-go who have trusted me to help them develop their business. Showing them the value of having someone on the team who knows about marketing and communications and isn’t afraid to get stuck in has been a real buzz and made me realise how much I’m driven by making people happy. Whether it’s raising their profile in the media, increasing business, or connecting people to partner or collaborate with, it’s been a joy to see the impact on the people and businesses I’ve worked with.
There’s been lots of things that stand out as ‘highlights’ over the 12 months but my top 5 would be:
1) Winning new business and establishing ongoing relationships
I don’t think this will ever not be a highlight. From getting my first contract, to pitching for new business, the thrill of someone saying yes to trusting you to work with them is fantastic, and especially great when contracts are re-newed and lovely feedback shared.
2) Not being afraid to ask
After attending an event hosted by BBC Radio Leeds back in March, I approached the producer about creating an event that was specifically about Disability in the Media. Fast forward several months and not being afraid to approach people direct, representatives from ITV, Channel 4, actors and directors were all signed up to take part in this inaugural event recorded by the BBC. With amazing feedback from attendees, it also achieved coverage in multiple media outlets. A great highlight.
3) Finding my Why
After reading Simon Sinek’s Starting with Why, things really started to fall into place in terms of what I’m driven by and the impact I can make to businesses. I wrote a blog about the value of this and why every business owner should be clear about their why.
4) Getting IT
Although I would describe myself as tech savvy, there have been several IT challenges that I’ve faced over the last 12 months that have been testing to say the least, especially with no IT department on hand to rescue me. However, with perseverance, YouTube and some expert knowledge, I’ve managed to master new techniques, software and even fitted ram into my computer! As they say, if at first you don’t succeed…
5) Being a ‘woman of action’
I recently received a lovely testimonial from a client that described me as a ‘woman of action’ and I thought how well that sums me up – professionally and personally! When I’ve identified something that I don’t like or I want to change, I’ve put into action plans to address it and not spent too much time procrastinating about it, which admittedly can be hard when the only person you are accountable to is yourself.
So, what do the next 12 months hold for Bevic? I’m excited to find out!
Title image by supervennix from Pixabay
