16 Business Lessons in 16 Years

This July, Bright Red Marketing turns 16. And for the first time, we're celebrating as a company, not just a business. It feels like the right moment to stop and actually reflect on what 16 years in the industry has taught me, not just about marketing, but about running a business, leading a team, and being a human being who also happens to love what they do.

Some of these lessons came easily. Most of them didn't. All of them are true.

1. You aren't for everyone, and that's okay.

We spend so much time in business (and honestly, in life) thinking we have to make everyone happy. We don't. It's okay to only be for a certain group of people, and the sooner you make peace with that, the easier everything becomes.

This is as true for your business as it is for your clients' eCommerce stores. Your product shouldn't be for everyone. The more you can make it a spectacular fit for the people who genuinely need it, and a clear no for those who don't, the easier your marketing becomes. Trying to appeal to everyone is the fastest way to resonate with no one.

2. Taking on the wrong clients will cost you more than turning them away.

This one has been hard for me. See above re: people-pleasing tendencies. I'm a "I just want to help everyone" kind of person, and that has absolutely led me to taking on clients who weren't the right fit, because I wanted to help, because I thought we could make it work, because saying no felt unkind.

I've learned this one now. We are very selective about who we work with, and that gut feeling you get in a discovery call? Listen to it. It's almost never wrong.

3. You can't do it alone.

Business is lonely. Especially after 16 years. Having good people around you, and I mean really good people, is so wildly important.

I absolutely could not do this without my team. Those girls have become like family, and coming to work now is genuinely a joy. But it's not just the team. Having colleagues who are doing amazing things in their own businesses, and support people and providers who are also showing up and kicking goals, that community is game-changing. You need your people. Find them and keep them close.

4. You can't be the smartest person in the room.

I don't mean this in an arrogant way, but for a lot of my business journey, I have been the smartest person in the room in certain contexts. And while that's comfortable, it doesn't push you to grow.

We need to be exposed to new ideas. We need to see how people who've been where we're going actually got there, and what they'd do differently. Growth requires input. Seek out the rooms where you're not the expert, and sit in them as often as you can.

5. Hire slowly.

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard is hire slowly, fire fast. Thankfully I've never had to be in a fire-fast situation, but the hire-slowly part? Absolutely.

The people you bring into your business make a massive difference to the quality of work you produce, how much energy you spend on training, and the culture of your team. These are not decisions to rush. Treat them with the weight they deserve, and don't be afraid to adjust the structure to make things work better for everyone.

6. Your niche is wildly important.

One of the best things I ever did for this business was get specific. We are now eCommerce digital advertising experts. There was a time we ran Meta ads for literally anyone who needed them. We did a good job. But it is nothing like the calibre of work we produce now.

When you're focused on one specific group of people, you can go so much deeper. Your training is focused, your knowledge compounds, your instincts sharpen. I am genuinely so proud of the work we produce now, and that is entirely because we stopped trying to serve everyone and started serving one group really, really well.

7. Spend time working on the business, not just in it.

Everyone says this. I know. But until you actually start doing it, you don't realise how much of a time suck working purely in the business is. The big thinking, the strategy, the "what are we actually building here" conversations with yourself, that time is invaluable.

Block it in your calendar. Protect it like a client call. It'll feel indulgent at first. It isn't.

8. Know your numbers.

As a self-proclaimed data nerd who genuinely hates maths, this one has been a journey. But knowing the numbers of your business, your margins, your profit, your expenses, and actually keeping an eye on all of it? Wildly important and so easy to let slide when there's money coming in and you're busy.

The book Profit First was a genuine game-changer for me. And for my eCommerce clients, I'll add this: the world is full of industry benchmarks, and benchmarks are almost entirely irrelevant if you don't have a clear understanding of your own numbers first. The data that matters is yours.

9. A good accountant is worth their weight in gold. Don't be afraid to change them.

A few years ago I had an accountant who was perfectly fine. They were lovely. Got the tax done. I thought that was what accountants did.

Then I had a conversation with another accountant while recording a podcast episode, and I was genuinely blown away by the level of support, strategy, and genuine care that was possible. Moving accountants was one of the best decisions I've made for this business. Shout out to Jaimie from Bloom Money for being an absolute gem and answering every question I throw at her. Sometimes the grass really is greener.

10. A logo doesn't make a brand. It's everything that surrounds it.

This one trips up a lot of people, and for a while, it tripped me up too. I had a fun logo, some nice photos, and I thought that was a brand. It wasn't until I had Em from Sparo Studios on the podcast that I really understood how much was missing.

The language you use, the content you create, the visual identity across every single touchpoint, that's your brand. The logo is just the beginning.

11. Invest in your website and your brand photos.

The above lesson led me directly to a new website and a new set of team photos that I am completely obsessed with. Our old site had very "solo founder" vibes, which made sense at the time, but we haven't operated like that in years. Our team is a powerhouse and it's about time our website said so.

Websites can be expensive. Brand shoots can be expensive. But having a front door that actually does your business justice? Worth every cent.

12. Chasing the algorithm makes you a worse advertiser.

After 16 years in this industry and watching the rise (and endless evolution) of Meta advertising, I have seen so many brands chase the algorithm. It's constantly changing, constantly shifting, and people are always scrambling to catch up to the next trend or the next update.

And while trends can be fun and sometimes worth jumping on, if your fundamentals aren't working, nothing else will either. Focus on a solid strategy. Understand your buyers deeply. Then fit that into the algorithm. Not the other way around.

13. You can hold your ground and still be kind.

We've lost sight of the full quote, the customer is always right... in matters of taste. We live in a world where some people genuinely believe they can never be wrong, and that being a customer entitles them to everything. Sometimes they are wrong. And we can still be kind and understanding about it.

The world is a wild place. Kindness is underutilised. But we also don't have to be doormats, and those two things are not mutually exclusive.

14. Done is better than perfect.

My perfectionist self is still very much learning this one. But getting something out into the world will always, always be better than it sitting in your head, or on your to-do list, or in a half-finished folder on your desktop for months or years without ever seeing the light of day.

Launch the thing. Improve it after.

15. Have fun and take the risk.

Life is too short for everything to be serious. Whether it's in your ads, with your team, in your content, or just in how you approach your day. When everything gets too heavy and too stale, it becomes really hard to stay motivated.

Find the moments where you can bring the fun back. Take the creative risk. Do the thing that feels a little scary. Your creative muscles will thank you, and so will your soul.

16. Rest is not optional. Take the holiday.

There's this unspoken badge of honour in business culture around just grinding through, never stopping, always hustling. And I have had enough of it.

Rest is important. Your staff shouldn't get more time off than you do. A proper break to reset and recharge isn't a luxury, it's maintenance. Take the holiday. Step away. You will come back so much better for it, and the business will still be standing when you do.

So here's to 16 years, and to actually resting before the next one.