Jimmy Carr once said the meaning of life is enjoying the passage of time. In this reflection, I explore how that idea plays out when you’re running and scaling an agency – and offer practical ways to stay connected to the work you actually enjoy, even as the business grows.

There’s a lot written about exits. You’ll find countless books, podcasts, and guides that frame it as the ultimate goal - the endgame. But the reality is often much more nuanced. In my experience, it wasn’t a finish line at all. It’s just the start of a very different chapter. And any sale is a very personal experience which is unique to the circumstances of the individual founder. 

Every agency has its moments – the ones where things feel like they might completely fall apart. In this note, I’m sharing the story of ours: a critical incident that, at the time, felt like the beginning of the end. But with a bit of distance, it turned out to be the turning point that shaped how we grew and, eventually, how we exited. Often, it’s those tough moments that bring the clarity you’ve been avoiding – and that can change everything.

Success looks different for every agency founder. This note explores lifestyle, scale, and exit as three valid paths - with their pros, trade-offs, and pitfalls - and why clarity on your personal definition of success is essential for making better decisions.

I didn’t plan on starting an agency - it sort of happened by accident. I’ll share how a simple eCommerce challenge turned into building a team from scratch, with no roadmap and plenty of learning along the way.