Six Years In: A Reflection on Growth, Leadership, and the Journey Ahead

Six years. I still can’t quite believe it. It feels like just yesterday that I left my corporate job, unsure of what was next but knowing deep down I needed a change. What started as a freelance consulting project has now become something far beyond what I could have imagined—a full-service, strategy-led agency with 30 brilliant team members. As I sit down to reflect on this milestone, I realize that these past six years have been filled with more learning, challenges, and personal growth than I ever could have predicted.

It’s often said that the first few years of building a business are all about survival—creating a model that works, making it sustainable, and finding a way to keep moving forward. But what I’ve learned over the past year is that survival is only the beginning. Real growth comes when you stop running from challenge to challenge and start focusing on the long game. Indie has always been about more than just "getting through." We've built something intentional, something rooted in strategy, empathy, and genuine partnerships. And that, to me, is the most exciting part of our journey.

Strategy as Our North Star

Over the past year, one thing has become crystal clear: strategy is at the heart of everything we do. With the ever-increasing volume of marketing options out there, the need for a clear, data-driven strategy has never been more important. Every dollar spent on marketing without a solid plan behind it is a dollar wasted, and my focus moving forward is to ensure that Indie continues to lead with thoughtful, adaptable strategies that drive real results for our clients.

To me, strategy is not just about having a plan—it’s about building a roadmap that allows for flexibility, learning, and growth along the way. It’s about having the conviction to pursue the right path and the adaptability to pivot when necessary. This approach has fueled our clients’ success, and it’s what will continue to guide Indie into the future.

Lessons in Leadership

Leadership is something I’ve been thinking about a lot over the past year. When I first started Indie, I thought leadership was about having the answers and getting into the weeds to help. Now, I see it differently. To be a good leader, I’ve learned that it starts with self-awareness—knowing where you need to improve and being brutally honest with yourself about it. Leadership is also about staying "above the line"—being intentional, open-minded, and thoughtful in every interaction, rather than reactive or emotion-driven.

And perhaps most importantly, leadership is about clarity and adaptability. You need to be clear about where you’re leading people and adaptable enough to meet them where they are. It’s not about expecting everyone to bend to your style but about creating an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute their unique strengths.

Empowering the Next Generation of Female Entrepreneurs

This year, I learned a surprising and frankly staggering statistic—of the 20,000 marketing agencies in North America, only 1% are owned by women. As a woman who owns and runs a business in this industry, I feel a deep responsibility to help change that number. Too often, I see women capping their potential before they’ve even started, out of fear or the belief that they need to make decisions about their future before they even take the leap. My advice? Don’t cap yourself. Take the risk, go for it, and figure out the rest along the way. You can always change course later, but you’ll never know what you’re capable of unless you start.

Gratitude and Looking Forward

As I reflect on these six years, I am overwhelmed with gratitude—for the incredible team that has grown alongside me, for the clients who trust us with their businesses, and for the friends, family, and partners who have supported me along the way. Building Indie has been a rollercoaster, with highs that make you feel on top of the world and lows that test your resilience. But through it all, the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.

I’m more excited than ever for what lies ahead. We’ve grown, we’ve evolved, and we’ve positioned ourselves for even greater things in the coming years. Here’s to continuing this journey together, with the same passion and purpose that have brought us this far.