When I started my agency in 2023, I honestly had no idea how an agency was supposed to work.
I did not know how hiring should look. I did not know how to manage a team. I did not know how to take a client’s requirement, break it down, plan it properly, and get it executed through other people.
I was also confused about my own role.
Was I supposed to work on the actual product? Was I supposed to just manage people? Was I supposed to monitor every stat? Was I supposed to praise people for every small thing they did? Or was I just supposed to make sure everyone worked 40 hours a week, even if the work itself was not that great?
At that stage, I had more questions than answers.
And to be honest, those things are not always obvious when you start. A lot of people make it look like they know what they are doing from day one, but I definitely did not.
Now, after around 3 years of experience, one thing has become very clear to me:
It is all about people.
At the end of the day, it is your team members who help your agency grow. They also help you grow as a person, because once you have people you can trust, you stop doing everything alone. You can focus on bigger things, while your team handles the day-to-day work.
That shift is huge. And that is why your team matters so much.
The first and most important lesson I would give to anyone starting an agency is this:
Negotiate early.
Whether it is with your client or with your team members, negotiate early. Talk about expectations early. Talk about money early. Talk about roles, responsibilities, timelines, boundaries, and what both sides expect from each other.
A lot of people think negotiation is a negative thing, but I do not see it that way at all. I think negotiation is healthy. It keeps the relationship clear and strong. It helps avoid silent frustration later.
Because when things are not discussed early, small misunderstandings slowly turn into negative emotions. And once that happens, whether with a client or a team member, the relationship starts getting damaged.
The second lesson is persuasion.
Persuasion is one of the biggest skills an agency owner can learn. It affects how you sell, how you lead, how you handle clients, how you motivate people, and how you move things forward.
I really believe this is one of the skills that separates a successful agency owner from one who stays average or eventually fails.
And the truth is, persuasion is not something you master in a day. It comes with practice. But if you start learning it early, it will help you for the rest of your career.
The third advice is more general, but I think it is especially important for founders:
Write more.
Write in your notebook. Write on your laptop. Write anywhere.
Just write.
Because writing helps you understand what you actually think. It helps you clear mental noise. It helps you articulate better. It helps you make sense of what is going on inside your head.
And if you are a founder, one of the worst things you can have is a constantly disturbed mind. Too many thoughts, too much confusion, too much mental clutter.
Writing helps with that. It brings clarity. And clarity is something every founder needs.