Six things we’ve learnt after 12 months in business together
Jodi (left) and Rachel (right)
April 2025 was the month that it all changed for Not Another Social. Rachel Thompson became a partner in the boutique agency that Jodi Peake had started 18 months earlier. A partnership began.
So what have we learnt in the past 12 months?
If you don’t value yourselves and what you offer no one else will.
Rachel: I’m starting off with a biggie and it’s something I feel really passionately about… believing in yourself and your value is not only important for your mental wellbeing but it also helps to attract the right kind of clients; those who also see your value!
Jodi: Having Rachel come on board really cemented this for me. When you work alone it can be easy to be influenced by other people around you and on the internet, but being true to yourself holds power to those who you don’t know are watching.
Loyalty in business is a myth
Jodi: I have gotten so upset over this in the past, but it’s something I’ve learnt to not take personally. People might choose to work with someone else because of multiple reasons like budget, time scales etc. It still hurts, when you are a loyal person yourself, but its an important lesson to learn.
Rachel: This is a hard lesson to learn and sometimes it can be a bit painful but it’s an important one to remember: no matter how loyal you are to other people, that same loyalty isn’t always received - but it doesn’t mean it’s personal!
It’s okay to say no to client and it’s okay to turn down work
Rachel: Not everyone will share your values and not everyone will appreciate your work and that is okay. Maybe those people aren’t meant for you. It’s really important to trust your gut – if you’re getting a bad feeling about working with someone or working on a project, it probably isn’t right for you. It can be hard to turn down the potential income but it can be a lot harder to be stuck in a working relationship that causes you stress and sleepless night.
Jodi: We’ve learnt this the hard way over the last 12 months. Having the mindset where we needed to say yes to every shoot or project that is offered to us. But actually, if they aren’t filling my creative cup, or I don’t feel like we are on the same page as the client, then I will say no (and be honest about why). Not because we don’t need the work, but our reputation means more. I don’t want to go into a project that is destined to fail, and ruin our reputation.
Having someone else to bounce ideas off is golden!
Jodi: Working by yourself is lonely, and having someone who is invested in the business and its success lightens the load. It’s been great to get the validation in my ideas, but also see things from another angle too. It’s also important to have someone who will tell you the truth and not just say ‘yes’ to all of your ideas!
Rachel: After working on my own for three years I’ve really enjoyed this aspect of running a business. I honestly didn’t think I needed it but working with Jodi revitalised me - I hadn’t realised how much working on my own had taken a toll on me so having a partner has been an absolute breath of fresh air.
It’s okay to take risks and sometimes it’ll all work out
Rachel: I am the most risk averse person ever so even buying into the business felt like a huge deal to me but this whole experience has been eye opening. Sometimes you can take a chance and it all works out better than you could have ever imagined.
Jodi: I was always scared to do anything outside of the box, hello imposter syndrome! But some of the biggest risks I’ve taken over the last 12 months have given the biggest reward!
Having fun at work is priceless!
Jodi: Being your own boss can be stressful, but I am self-employed for a reason. So that I can control my working environment and ultimately, do a job I love. Nobody would choose to be self employed if they didn’t love what they did. So creating a business culture that allows for fun and flexibility to work around my family and my life is priceless. My mantra is definitely ‘I work to live, not live to work’. Sharing this ethos with Rachel is very special to me.
Rachel: I wholeheartedly agree with Jodi here! We are so lucky that we’ve been able to build a business that not only works around us, but is also fun! I have worked in some toxic work environments in the past and being able to create our own culture and have fun with our work is so important to me.