It’s been six months since I took the leap and officially launched my freelance communication and copywriting business, Composed Communication.

Those of you who know me well know I’m not one to sugarcoat the truth. And honestly, it’s been a wild ride. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve felt out of my depth. I’ve doubted my ability. And I’ve spent more than a bit of time casually perusing the job ads, “just to see what’s out there”.

But you know what? All things considered, I’m so glad I made the change. And while I’m sure there’s still plenty of lows to come, the highs make it all worthwhile.

I want to share six things I’ve learnt in my first six months of running my own business.

1. It’s all about relationships

The thing that scared me the most when I launched was wondering how I would bring in clients. Looking at what others were doing on Instagram, reading about Facebook ads, funnels, SEO, and lead magnets had me breaking out in a cold sweat. There’s an imposter among us!

However, I learned that it didn’t really matter that I didn’t have a well-oiled marketing strategy. After a while, I stopped worrying that I simply didn’t have the time to post three times a week on social media. I focused instead on ensuring my posts delivered value to my potential clients.

My business has grown steadily through the relationships I have with people. In my first six months, most of my clients came through referrals from people I knew before I launched. And I’m pretty sure that as long as I keep doing good work, offering more value and building new relationships, the rest will flow.

2. Run your own race

I had no idea there were so many freelance copywriters and communication consultants in the big, bad world until I decided to become one. And if social media is to be believed, they’re all out there smashing goals, landing high paying clients, and writing the occasional book in their downtime.

“I’ll never be as good!” I cackled into my teacup over the early months.

But as I started to get to know other small business owners, I noticed a trend. Everyone and I mean everyone, feels the same at some point or another, particularly in the early days.

So I try not to compare myself to other people. Especially to people who are years into their own business journeys. I try to learn from them instead.

3. Know your strengths, acknowledge your weaknesses

I learned this important lesson the hard way a few weeks in when I spent two days working on some content for a client without a formal agreement in place. They changed their mind, and I got zilch for my toil. Ouch.

While the service I offer is built around my strengths, I freely admit that the processes and administration around running a business are my kryptonite. By identifying this, I’ve been able to work on bridging the gaps.

My goal for the next six months is to start paying some experts to take some of the admin off my hands.

4. Go outside your comfort zone

As a writer, I’ve always been comfortable working behind the keyboard, making someone else sound awesome. But as an introvert, sharing my own stories and experiences online still feels inherently uncomfortable.

But I’m in my own marketing team of one now! And I begrudgingly know I need to keep putting myself out there to grow my network and bring in business.

Running your own business means learning to get comfortable with risk and uncertainty. And frankly, every day, I seem to do something that scares the bejesus out of me.

5. Find your people

It takes a village to raise a child, and all that… the same can probably be said of a small business.

Although I’m a solo operator, I simply couldn’t have come this far on just my own two wibbly-wobbly feet.

I’m constantly learning from people who have been in my shoes, whether as small business owners, freelancers, copywriters, or all of the above.

6. Good self-care = good business

I’ve come to notice my business highs and achievements are inextricably linked to how much I’m prioritising my health and wellbeing. It’s no coincidence!

So I try to make it out for a morning run along the coast while listening to a podcast, at least three times a week after the school drop off. It kickstarts my creativity and grounds me for the day ahead.

Similarly, I find if I disconnect from work by meditating, laughing with my kids, reading a book or meeting a friend for a cuppa, my tank is filled. I can better focus on the bottom line.

So while I put my clients needs first when I’m working, I know I always need to prioritise my own self-care to best serve them.

So… is it too early to start planning my one-year celebration?

These first six months have been a white-knuckle ride. But along the way, this old dog has learnt a whole bunch of new tricks and got to know lots of ahh-mazing people.

I can’t wait to see what the next six months have in store.