If someone had told me back in 2018 that building an agency would feel like raising a child – equal parts chaos, joy, cluelessness, and blind optimism.
I might have laughed.
Or cried.
Or both.
But here we are. Seven years later.
Seven years of mistakes, surprises, reinventions, near-burnouts, revived hopes, silent wins, loud failures, and everything in between.
Looking back now, the early days feel like a blur of excitement and panic – late-night brainstorming sessions, campaigns that felt like our “big break,” laptops heating up more than our revenue streams, and that stubborn belief that tomorrow would be better.
Here are the seven lessons that truly shaped us and helped us survive our chaotic phase and grow into something steadier, wiser, and kinder.
🔥 Want a head start instead of learning everything the hard way?
👉 Explore our Brand Playbook: the same framework that helped us survive, rebuild, and grow over seven years.
Lesson 1: Not Every Client Is “The One”
Learning to Let Go Without Guilt
I still remember that first client we thought would define our agency. The one we poured our heart, time, and strategy into. The one we believed would become our “case study for life.”
It didn’t work out. Not even close.
Back then, it felt like rejection. It felt personal. Like we weren’t good enough, fast enough, established enough.
But over time, I realized something healing:
- Some mismatches are lessons, not failures. Not every client is meant to stay, and not every project is meant to be a portfolio star.
Sometimes the bravest thing a founder can do is let go without guilt.
Lesson 2: Saying Yes Doesn’t Always Win
The Trap of Overcommitment
If overcommitting were a sport, Brand Mender would have won gold.
In the early years, “yes” was our default button:
- Yes, we can deliver that in 24 hours.
- Yes, we’ll take on one more project.
- Yes, we’ll figure it out somehow.
What it actually led to: burnout, blurred boundaries, and a team that was running on fumes.
Learning to say “no” was uncomfortable, but freeing. And building clear frameworks, like our Brand internal SOPs, brought order where chaos used to live.
Focus became our biggest growth lever!
Lesson 3: Feedback Rounds Never End at Two
Patience in the Process
We once believed two feedback rounds were the industry standard, until experience proved otherwise.
“Just one small change” is rarely one.
And feedback doesn’t follow logic; it follows emotion.
The day we stopped fighting it and began embracing the creative dance of iterations, everything shifted. Instead of frustration, we found flow. Instead of rigidity, we cultivated flexibility.
And honestly? Some of our best work came from Round 3. Or 4. Or… well, let’s not count.
Lesson 4: Low Budget ≠ Low Effort
Quality Is a Non-Negotiable
Here’s an underrated truth nobody tells new founders: low-budget projects sometimes demand more effort, not less.
We learned this the hard way.
Smaller budgets came with higher expectations, tighter timelines, and zero room for error.
But those projects also sharpened our creativity. They forced us to innovate, improvise, and deliver value no matter what.
What helped us survive? Setting expectations early. Boundaries aren’t rude, they’re clarity.
Lesson 5: Done Beats Perfect
Consistency Is the Quiet Hero
Perfectionism tricked us more times than we can count.
We once delayed a campaign for weeks because it “wasn’t perfect yet.” When we finally posted it, it performed… well, normally.
Nothing spectacular. Nothing worth the delay either.
That was a humbling moment. Perfection slows growth. Momentum builds it. Choosing progress over perfection became a quiet, steady superpower.
Lesson 6: Breaks Are Non-Negotiable
Over-Hustling Isn’t a Badge of Honour
There were seasons where weekends didn’t exist, sleep was optional, meals were an afterthought, and life outside work felt like a luxury.
For a while, it was necessary; you cannot hop on a bandwagon and immediately expect stability.
But with time, it caught up with us, and not gently.
The moment we allowed ourselves to step back, everything improved:
- Clarity.
- Creativity.
- Conversations.
- Team morale.
Deadlines matter. But your well-being matters more. You can’t build something meaningful if you are running on empty.
Lesson 7: Celebrate the Small Wins
Scrapbooks, Memories, and Gratitude
Our first viral moment: A Christmas Carnival influencer campaign for a mall brand that crossed 1M+ views and showed us that ideas, when executed right, really do travel far.
Our first client who trusted us without second-guessing: Gans and a brand we launched, that has stayed with us for over six years. That kind of trust changes how you show up, every single day.
And the moment the team filled a room instead of a table: Our first annual offsite in 2024, a three-day meet in Karjat, where we spent time offline together for the first time. Work paused, conversations deepened, and a team truly became a family. It was unforgettable.
Those wins may look small on paper, but they built everything that followed. Those moments were tiny at the time, but they carried us through the tough phases.
If you don’t pause to celebrate the small victories, the journey starts to feel like an endless climb. Gratitude keeps you grounded. Small wins keep you going.
Conclusion
When I look back at the past seven years, I don’t just see mistakes. I see resilience. I see a team growing up together. I see laughter in chaos, courage in confusion, and wisdom in hindsight.
And, if you are in your company’s chaotic phase right now or building a brand, trust me, it’s shaping you in ways you’ll only understand later.
If you would like a head start, explore our Brand Playbook. It has the same framework that helped us survive, rebuild, and grow.
