Lessons from the Launchpad

Starting a new business is a bit like deciding to run a marathon because you once enjoyed a brisk walk. You know it’ll be a challenge, but there’s a part of you that thinks, how hard can it be? Having spent years on the leadership team of successful PR agencies and most recently leading one, I thought I knew the ropes when it came to setting up a communications agency from scratch. Win the clients - check. Build the plan - check. Deliver results early on - double check. In theory, all the important boxes were ticked.

And truthfully, on the client front, things couldn’t have gone much better. We’ve been lucky to partner with brilliant people who saw what we’re trying to do with Shift7 and wanted to be part of it from the start. The thrill of those first wins, the buzz of creative work coming together, and that sense of “yes, this might actually work” - that part has been every bit as exciting as expected.

What we hadn’t quite appreciated, however, was the other side of starting a business. The bit that sits somewhere between admin and existential dread. Getting the accounts sorted, finding the right accountant (the sort who doesn’t sigh audibly when you ask questions), sorting payroll, registering for VAT, navigating pensions, and the endless letters from HMRC asking for details you’ve already provided twice. 

The truth is, none of it was impossible, just a bit relentless. There’s a peculiar sense of satisfaction in filling out a form correctly or remembering your user name and password on the first try, but I wouldn’t call it the highlight of the entrepreneurial journey.

Then there’s the creative side of setting up your own brand and don’t get me started on naming it. You’d think that, as a communications agency, we’d have the logo, colours, tone of voice and website nailed in no time. 

Turns out, doing your own branding is a bit like trying to give yourself a haircut. You know what you want to look like, but there’s a risk you’ll end up with something slightly wonky. 

Fortunately, we’ve got some exceptionally talented friends who stepped in to help make Shift7 look and feel like the agency we imagined. It’s been a reminder that business, at every stage, really is all about who you know and who’s willing to lend a hand when you’re getting started.

If there’s one thing that’s surprised me most, it’s just how little useful information is scattered around the internet about actually starting a business. There are guides, checklists, and templates for every conceivable task, but they’re not always easy to find and sometimes they contradict each other entirely or just outdated. 

Maybe there’s a book out there that lays it all out clearly, or maybe ChatGPT has the answer (though we did check, and even it seemed slightly weary by question number twelve about VAT registration). Either way, there’s definitely room for a bit more practical, real-world advice for anyone thinking about starting their own agency or going freelance.

So, what have we learned in these early months? That building a business is equal parts creativity and compliance. That good people make everything easier. That you’ll spend more time talking about accounting software than you ever thought possible. And that the small wins, like seeing your logo on an invoice or your website go live, feel just as good as landing a new client.

Shift7 is still in its early chapters, but if the first few months are anything to go by, we’re in for an exciting story. The to-do list is still long, the coffee consumption is still high, and HMRC is still sending letters. But we’re up and running and that feels pretty great.