Are & Be Anniversary! Three changes we made in three years.

Today, Are & Be turned three. 

And it’s safe to say, these last three years have brought a lot of change. Our team has grown, our services have niched, and our business survived a global pandemic.

So, in celebration of our brand design agency reaching its third anniversary, here are three huge changes and learnings that mark our growth.

1. From ego to vulnerability

Starting Are & Be was an exciting time. The adrenaline rush of going it alone and getting to do the work I chose was exhilarating. But this initial confidence meant that vulnerability took a backseat. I didn’t always feel comfortable sharing how it was going (or not going) with people.

Thankfully, I soon realised that being vulnerable wasn’t a weakness. Instead, I realised it provided me with opportunities to learn new skills, grow my agency, and make great friends along the way.

From sharing my story with others—the ups and downs and in-between’s — I learned that any business issues I had experienced, were not alien and were just the expected growing pains of starting an exciting fresh venture. 

2. From solo to hive mind. 

When starting a business, it is all too easy to think that you are the most important asset. But in three years, I’ve come to see first-hand the value that people outside can bring. Whether it’s clients, partners, or through collaborations, a diversity of thought has become a welcome aspect at Are & Be. 

So, I chose to collaborate, outsource, and bring in people from the start to support me. I am not an expert at everything, nor did I want to do everything. What I quickly learnt was that saving time was more important than saving money. And preserving my focus was the ultimate source of joy and satisfaction. It’s ok to use mentors or pay accountants and get a roadmap from other business owners. I’m a creative person, learning to be a business owner, and like most things in life, that takes practice.

Finding people to support you can be challenging, but you have your network, your previous colleagues, you can ask for recommendations, and you can trial them first. You must trust people to do what they are skilled at. Start with inexperienced but enthusiastic, or ad hoc hours, then regular. There is a global workforce available. Try it.

3. From offering too much, to giving just enough.

Repeat this mantra, after me: “You don’t have to be everything to everyone.”

Starting out my brand design agency, I wanted to do good work, for good people… And there’s a lot of good people out there.

While I loved the variety, my focus was stretched, and my work didn’t feel as targeted as I’d liked. I quickly learnt that I could not please everyone equally.

After three years, I decided to niche my services and my target audience. I now focus my services on connecting people with digital health and technology brands, so life-changing solutions are adopted and embraced.

So, what’s next?

The next chapter for our brand design agency, Are & Be, is to connect people to digital health and technology brands so life-changing solutions are adopted and embraced.

If you’d like to join forces for good, follow our journey and let’s get each other to where we want to be.