We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Hogate recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kimberly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.
I’ll admit it.
A few years into owning my company, Faceted Media, (we’re a local socially conscious SEO and digital marketing agency), I didn’t know what the phrase “scale your business” meant. It was a tangential thought, an abstract dream, something that big corporations did – maybe?
Fast forward and now my company will be celebrating nine years of independent existence (I started about three years before that as a freelancer). And, we have gradually, and now rapidly, scaled our business successfully.
Here are my 5 tips for scaling your business:
– Read “The E-Myth” by Michael E. Gerber (this book opened my eyes)
– Hire thoughtfully. Proceed slowly (have a trial period for anyone you hire)
– Set up a private intraweb site via Google Sites for your Team and create and organize all your training materials so you can mostly automate your new hire onboarding.
– Create a CRM system using a program like Trello and create your systems processes right there so the whole team can see, share, and communicate together.
– Be prepared to be “directing traffic” for a bit. (aka, you will have to pause on doing what you love in your business momentarily as you delegate, but don’t worry, it will be back and you won’t have to do it under pressure anymore).
A few mistakes I made along the way were hiring too many people too quickly, not having a system in place as far as internal communications, hiring before I had my training site set up, and hiring people without the specific experience I needed for the job.
The biggest mistake though?
#1: Not valuing myself high enough and discounting much, much too often.
If I could go back in time, I would say…. Do not be afraid to say no to clients who are asking for too much of you. We need to strengthen this tailbone in order to allow the space for clients who are able to invest the same amount that you are – your time and expertise need to be equal to the “pain” of investment. They need to feel it too just as you feel the pull on your life and time.
Once we break through this, we are able to create the space to grow and scale. Now, am I still learning this and is it still uncomfortable at times? Yes. Still to this day. Yet, continually growing in this way, allows my business to grow too, which in turn allows me to give others the opportunity TO grow.
So, as business owners, it is our duty to create this space and create that garden that everyone is happy living and working in. I would highly encourage anyone who feels they are ready for that next step… to go for it!
Kimberly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Kimberly Hogate, and as the Owner and Founder of Faceted Media, LLC, a socially conscious local SEO and digital marketing agency, I solve many problems. Here are my favorites:
1. I help you not quit your start-up or current business!
2. I help you not buy products, services, or subscriptions that will balloon your overhead and make you think about #1 on this list (again).
3. I help you actually get on Google. So many people think if they publish a website, they are on Google. No, there are many more steps to do this right.
4. I help you get found for what people are searching for.
5. My services help non-tech savvy people and tech people alike get to do extremely minimal marketing.
Most of my clients prefer to “hide” and just do what they do best, whether they are financial advisors, therapists, doctors, attorneys, chiropractors, child care providers, coaches, unique product businesses, dog trainers, coffee grinders, restaurants owners, and everything in between, most people do not love actually doing marketing (consistently).
People have fun for a bit…. until it gets hard. And, just like learning an instrument or a new language, it takes repeated action to see gains. Not many people have the passion and stamina to do all the steps necessary to grow a new business or keep an existing one alive and thriving.
Luckily, we do. We love it. (And, it works! Fantastically.)
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
My life has been all about resilience. I’ve had more storms than rainbows in my life, but the rainbows have been absolutely amazing and vibrant.
One of my favorite stories is that I asked my boss for a raise (before I started my business), because I had used my current skills in a rudimentary form, to garner tens of thousands of dollars in extra profit for my boss’s company.
When he said “no” the next day, but brought me a pineapple from the Farmer’s Market, while I appreciated the sentiment, I knew that I would never get ahead if someone was in the way of my earning potential. I simply couldn’t afford to have a boss anymore (tee hee!)
I was done. I was worth more. So much more. And while I had to humbly take a step back for many years, I am proud to say that I have achieved my goals all on my own, through my company, and further, help others to do the same.
I’m grateful I decided to take the chance. Starting (and keeping) a business is not for the weak. If you can’t persevere through hard times, it will be much less traumatic to work for someone else. But, if you’re okay getting smacked in the face a bit and even appreciate the challenge – you could be made for it.
Here’s the full pineapple story if I have you curious about that:
The Pineapple Story – Faceted Media Digital Marketing + Web Design
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I am all about low overhead, so in fact, I do not believe that anyone should go into debt to start a business – unless they have started a successful business before and know exactly what they are getting into.
On that note, there are many places that offer grants, one being WomensNet, which offers $10K grants monthly. They’re great. There are many more places to look for these too.
If you can’t secure a grant – go slow! Start a business while you are still employed. Yeah, it will be hard, but know what’s harder? Leaving your job, going in debt to start a business, then not being successful and ending up in the red without any black. Don’t do that to yourself.
Yes, leap and the net will appear, but let’s start by leaping over a puddle – not Niagara Falls on the first try!
I recommend just buying what you need, testing the waters, grow a bit, modify, rinse, repeat, until you are able to go to part-time at your job, before leaving completely. Many coaches, programs, experts, neighbors, family members may make it seem like starting a business is easy and incredible. In some ways it is, in other ways, it will be the hardest thing you have ever done in your entire life – and that’s coming from a woman who gave birth naturally without medication – ya, growing the business was harder!
Anyway, I recommend going slowly, get grants if you can, keep a low overhead, and keep some sort of income flowing as you figure it out. Each step leads you to the next. A large amount of money at the beginning doesn’t necessarily guarantee your future success, and could even turn into a huge liability for you later. Just go slow is my .02.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://facetedmedia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faceted.media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/facetedmedia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyjohnson1
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shivermekimbrz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0tn02kkrp2yOeik6i4mlSQ
Image Credits
Profile photo: Credit Kristina Marshall | Additional Photos: Credit Faceted Media LLC