This blog post has been authored by Noelia Oberti, Bit & Bristle Co.

Just over a year ago, I officially embarked on my new-business journey by starting Bit & Bristle Co., a branding and web design agency. Of course, a lot has transpired in the last year, so I thought it would be good to take a moment and reflect on my key takeaways and what I’m looking forward to in year two!

Celebrate every milestone…even the small ones!

As is true with anyone starting a small business, every step of getting my business off the ground took hard work, focus, and dedication — which is why even the little victories felt like big wins! To me, hitting 100 IG followers in the first week was just as exciting as every larger milestone since. You have to set those little goals and make a big deal out of them, or else what’s it all for?

Choose wisely where your energy is going.

When I first started, I had a thousand great ideas on who I was and what I’d offer. Then, to top that off, I had another thousand ideas coming in daily from the other amazing graphic design teams, industry influencers, and so-on. The temptation to drink from the fire hydrant is real, but it is just another way of adding unneeded stress and anxiety into your business operations. I recognized the importance of staying focused and being myself early into my first year. This led me to trimming down my offerings, structuring more affordable packages for small businesses, and doing what I do best — creative work!

Look and feel the part (AKA, you still gotta shower).

My business was never conceived as an office concept, so I was prepared to work from home, but then (as we all experienced) Covid-19 took that concept up a notch. Not only was I working from home, but the ability to get out of the house (something I’ll never take for granted again!) became limited to grocery store runs and maybe a visit to the local parks. And while working in PJs from time-to-time is fun, and relaxing as a reward, there’s something about starting the day with a hot shower and putting some effort into getting ready that makes you ready to take on anything the workday throws at you!

Make genuine connections.

Getting clients is hard, but getting clients when all you can think about is their money is even harder, because people can sense when you’re not being genuine. I got into this business to help people with their brands and websites, and while there’s nothing better than landing a new client, knowing that I’ve carefully answered every question and request that has come my way (paid or unpaid) has been the most rewarding part of year one.

Remember why you’re doing this.

The day-to-day grind and stress of getting a new business off the ground is a recipe for burnout no matter who you are. While it’s easy to bury your head in the workload and become some sort of work monster, it’s been important to remind myself that I got into this because it makes me happy. The reasons I got into this are to become more independent, make my own hours, and spend more time doing the things I love with family and friends. Not so ironically, year one has required sacrificing much of that, but I’m always reminding myself that creating a solid foundation is the most important part of achieving those goals in the near future.

The future is bright and I can’t help but be excited for year two.

I’m a graphic designer with 10 years of experience and the co-founder of Bit & Bristle Co.