We’ve more than TRIPLED in size since last Friday alone (brain dump incoming).

I have been in and out of several hotels over the last three weeks of manic work, and, after finally coming home last night and having a good night’s sleep, I’ve woken up with the desire to take a minute and brain-dump some thoughts and express some gratitude to the Eighteen team.

I’m sure other marketing agency owners have already gone through this, but what I and the team have learned since last week alone due to our three times growth (that’s client contracts, to be exact) has been incredible.

There’s not really any way to find out if the systems you’ve created are going to be good or not until they’re being tested by sudden growth, I think. Well, all new partnerships are onboarded and excited, and all existing ones are in the green and on the up – so I guess we passed.

And, now, we are in the position we aimed for where we can *choose* whom we work with.

Based on a handful of factors such as:

• Do we — and would we — get on with you?

• Do we think you will get on with us and our personalities?

• Do you have the patience and understanding to not expect instant and/or short-term success?

• Are both parties prepared to partner long-term and grow together?

I want to stipulate that we are, and always will be, a boutique agency that chooses whom we work with.

So, we’ll always be able to treat our partners like they are our own brand.

Ben, Adam, Josh, Sophie, Lucy and Emily, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night at all if it wasn’t for my absolute trust in you all. To have a team that pushes in the same direction is great enough, but one that is unequivocally there for everyone else if they are needed or someone is struggling gives me immense pride.

Mike – merging with you and the brands and connections you had built over the last 20+ years wasn’t even the main benefit. What you add to Eighteen and do for me, personally, cannot be bought, trained, hired or outsourced. Your personality, energy, compassion and perspective are the key to our whole philosophy. We bonded years ago through the instant realisation we are both square pegs in round holes. Now, we’re creating our vision of a no-bullshit company that we’re proud of.

Callum – what a guy. You decided to skip classes in high school to help me out with the thing that I was picked on for – selling clothing online. Then, when I started working at agencies – I phoned you, you picked up, and then you decided to drop your career and where you lived to move to my 1-bed flat in Manchester, sleep on the sofa for 12 months and begin a new job as an SEO the NEXT day. There will never be a more reliable person to have, anywhere. Let alone leading the engine room of your company.

Lastly, Ron – well done mate. Proud of you. You took a huge fucking leap, rejected all advice and did the thing you’ve always wanted to do. Lesson: keep going, keep fucking up, and keep learning. It’s gonna be hard, but you’re gonna be okay.

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