(Click to Read My first blog on my first day two years ago!)
Celebrating two years of Bee Young Comms! COTTON is the traditional gift for a second anniversary. Yes, COTTON! Because I built Bee Young Communications and Marketing in a mask – it’s only fitting that we are celebrating two years of Bee Young Comms with cotton.
The more modern second anniversary gift is China. I found this tea cup and saucer on Etsy awhile back. Its not my bee logo, but this vintage set has proven it’s strong enough to survive a couple of wars. And boastful and creative enough to make it timeless. I feel like it says a lot about who I’m working to become as a business owner.
Celebrating Bee Young Comms with The Mask and the Tea Cup
The tea cup and the mask are perfect symbols for me in terms of growth and change the past two years. The tea cup can be seen as an enduring symbol of the age-old coffee break. A coffee break helps you find balance between your personal and professional life. Owning your own business is about finding balance during the work week (and weekend). Can you work 80 hours a week to please a client? Sure, but should you? No.
The mask has evolved in a short period of time. At first it was seen as a face covering that was suggested to protect our health. Then it became mandatory and many wore it. Or they didn’t! The lack of it was looked as a sign of rebellion. You then had to cover your nose and your eyes with a shield. The mask was upgraded to three ply, then it had to be N95 or bust. The world wore masks everywhere. Finally, “they” said we didn’t need them; and we were all overjoyed. But their use is creeping back up and we are realizing we might be wearing masks on and off for a long time. That’s a lot of change for a few pieces of cotton 7.5 x 8.5 inches sewn together.
I’m thankful for both the growth and change I’ve experienced in the last two years.
I’ve learned a few things.
In the past two years, I’ve learned a lot as well. Writing a scope of work isn’t scary; and a discovery call should be fun. I don’t need to talk like an agency robot to sign a client because the majority of them don’t understand the buzzwords big agencies like to use. How do I know this? Because two clients told me they loved I talked straight with them right off the bat. That’s how I won their business.
At first, I was terrified to talk dollars to clients. Now, one of my first questions is, “What’s your budget?” I didn’t start this business to become a millionaire, but business is business.
These days Bee Young Comms doesn’t collect up front for every minute billed, but it’s certainly top of mind at the outset. Some clients are on retainers and others are billed hourly. I’ve learned bringing an expert in to work with a client alongside me is seen as a strength not a weakness. I take a lot of pride in the experts I associate my business with on a consistent basis!
Referrals lead to fantastic clients.
I’m also thankful for the many referrals that lead to fantastic clients. If you work out of a home office, Zoom becomes your best friend during a pandemic. Believe it or not, I’m also really thankful for the long hours and the sleepless nights I spend thinking about an issue. Good and bad – it’s on me to figure it out. Not every client has loved me in the end and vis versa. But I’ve learned that’s ok. It’s business. And I’m learning to not take business personally.
As Bee Young Comms continues to prosper, I’m thankful for the mentoring I receive on a consistent basis. PR and marketing counterparts, business owners, and agency friends have been a huge help with their suggestions and advice. The PRSA Indies group continues to give me the sea legs to believe I can actually do this for a living long term.
Celebrating Two Years of Bee Young Comms
I’ll end this post like I did my first post two years ago. Feel free to reach out with suggestions or recommendations as I buzz coast to coast. While I’m located in Tampa, I am not limited by a zip code as I work with clients all over. In the near future, I look forward to meeting for a cup of tea, mask on or off.
