Two Years of Radiant Growth: 10 Things We Learned in Year Two of Running a Marketing Agency

"Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it." - Andy Rooney

We can’t believe it either - two years in the making, and we have learned more things than we can count. If year one was about figuring out how to ride a bike with training wheels (and occasionally losing balance), year two was about learning how to actually ride a bike — we picked up pace, gained momentum, and learned how to come prepared. Growth, it turns out, isn’t just about numbers. It’s about your mindset, your communication, your ability to say “oops, that one’s on me” without spiraling.

This past year, we sharpened our processes, redefined what quality looks like, and leaned way into listening — whether it was a teammate with a genius idea or a client conversation. We realized that trends are fun but timeless strategy wins, and that tapping into people’s actual passions can spark way better work than micromanaging ever could.

So, in the spirit of sharing the glow-up — not just the highlight reel — here are 10 lessons that shaped our second year as your go-to marketing agency, Radiant Media, and how you can apply them to your business at whatever stage you’re at. Let’s go!

Communication is Crucial

Communication isn’t a “soft skill,” it’s a business essential. Whether you’re leading a team, managing clients, or collaborating across departments, clear and consistent communication is what keeps goals aligned, expectations realistic, and relationships strong. It prevents small issues from becoming big problems and creates space for feedback, transparency, and trust. In fast-paced environments, especially, taking the time to clarify, confirm, and connect can be the difference between chaos and smooth sailing. Bottom line: if you want things to run smoothly, start by making sure everyone is actually on the same page. The same logic applies to your team and your clients. 

Our philosophy is that we’d rather over communicate than under communicate, and we like to highlight important things in more than one location. Just to make sure nothing goes unnoticed, tagging, flagging, and making sure we don’t have the option for someone on our team or our clients to say “I didn’t see that.” 

Taking Ownership of Mistakes

Mistakes are inevitable, and how you handle them is what sets the tone for your business. Taking ownership when something goes wrong builds credibility, trust, and long-term respect — both with your team and your clients. It shows maturity, accountability, and a commitment to growth, not ego. Owning up doesn’t mean dwelling in guilt, rather it is acknowledging the misstep, learning from it, and making it right. In fact, some of the strongest relationships in business are built not on perfection, but on how well people recover and respond when things go sideways. Understanding that mistakes are not an “if,” they are a “when” will allow you to give yourself the freedom to fail sometimes. It’s all about how you pick yourself up after that speaks to the growth of your company.

Of course, we have made mistakes this past year. You can’t have growth without growing pains, and we know there will be more on the horizon. However, we know that it’s a necessary step to grow to get uncomfortable, and we are always looking for the silver lining in the storm clouds. 

Always Prioritize Learning 

Social media and digital marketing are changing so quickly that curiosity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s imperative in scaling your business. Prioritizing learning will keep you ahead of the curve. Adapting a question-first, open mindset will open up your opportunities to grow in new ways. For example, when platforms like TikTok changed the game for digital marketing, the teams who took time to learn the format and experiment early on were able to gain major traction — while others played catch-up. The most forward-thinking teams aren’t the ones who have all the answers, they’re the ones who are always willing to learn.

Time Management 

Strong time management skills and consistent follow-through on deadlines are what turn great ideas into actual results for every team. When teams respect timelines, it builds trust, keeps projects on track, and avoids that last-minute chaos that can compromise quality. (Trust me, we’ve been there… and not that long ago either). It happens to all of us, so of course, give yourself grace while understanding the importance of timing. Deadlines aren't just about pressure — they're about structure, accountability, and making space for better collaboration. 

For instance, in a campaign rollout, hitting internal deadlines for copy, design, and approvals ensures the launch goes smoothly and the client sees the value of organized execution. Miss a few of those checkpoints, and suddenly you’re rushing to deliver —and risk overlooking important details. Simply put, respecting time (yours and everyone else’s) is one of the most underrated keys to a successful business.

Leveraging Trendy to Last

Trends can be powerful tools to have your content catch in the algorithm just right, but only if you use them with intention. Jumping on what’s trending helps keep your brand culturally relevant and gives you the chance to show up where your audience is already paying attention. But the key isn’t just being trendy. Leveraging a social media trend is all about knowing how to connect the trend back to your brand’s voice, values, and goals. For example, using a viral audio on Instagram Reels can boost reach, but when it's paired with a message that reflects your client’s mission or offers real value, it sticks. The sweet spot is when trend meets strategy. This should be the goal 80% of the time or more. It’s okay to have fun with your socials if that is a part of what is important to your branding, but understand the overarching goal here is to generate business. Remember you're not just chasing attention, but using momentum to build something lasting.

Listen to Your People 

And we mean actually listening!

Your clients are likely telling you what they need, all you have to do is listen. Whether it’s through formal feedback or offhand comments during a check-in, staying attuned to what clients are really saying (and sometimes what they’re not saying) helps you anticipate needs, strengthen trust, and deliver work that hits the mark. Maybe they’re asking for more frequent updates, hinting at a shift in priorities, or expressing frustration with a certain process. All of these are examples of actions you could be taking to provide a service above and beyond their expectations. When you take the time to really hear them out and adapt accordingly, you’ll continue to win the business of your current clients and eventually scale.

Listening to your clients is a must, but listening to your internal team is one of your greatest assets, and their insights are of the utmost importance. If you make space for them, and you should, it will allow your organization to be more productive and more pleasant. Creating a culture where people feel safe to share ideas, challenges, and feedback openly leads to stronger collaboration and smarter problem-solving. Maybe a team member has a more efficient way to handle client onboarding, or a social strategist wants to explore a new platform — it pays to listen. When people feel heard, they feel valued. And when they feel valued, they bring their best work to the table.

Hone in Your Process

Don’t fall asleep on us, process is just as important as the creative aspects of social media marketing. A solid process isn’t about being rigid, it’s about building a routine and setting clear expectations for both your team and your clients. It's about creating the right structure so your team can actually breathe and do their best work. Honing your internal workflows helps reduce bottlenecks, streamline communication, and ensure that no one is reinventing the wheel every time a new project kicks off. The more refined your systems, the more confidently you can deliver consistent, high-quality results. 

For example, having a clear step-by-step onboarding process for new clients not only saves time but also sets expectations early, which leads to smoother relationships and fewer surprises. Great work doesn’t just happen. It’s built on thoughtful, repeatable systems behind the scenes. This is something we admittedly took too long to implement, but once we realigned expectations, every party involved produced better work and was less stressed!

Quality over Quantity

You know how people always say, “work smarter, not harder.” In business, more isn’t always better — better is better. Prioritizing quality over quantity means choosing depth over volume, intention over grinding something out that is poorly done, and long-term impact over quick wins. 

It starts with the clients you take on: working with aligned, respectful partners leads to stronger outcomes than trying to serve everyone. You may have a client list that’s longer than a line at DisneyWorld, but how is your relationship with them? How is the work you can put out for that level of volume? 

It also applies to your team—investing in a few passionate, talented individuals can move mountains compared to a bloated roster with no clear direction. Hiring fewer people that are more skilled is more efficient than focusing on growing internally so much that you lose track of your values and vision as a company.

And of course, it shows up in the work itself. Whether you’re publishing content or delivering services, high-quality output builds consistency, drives results, and reinforces your reputation. Scaling is great, but scaling well is what truly makes the difference.

Tap Into Your Team Members’ Interests/Expertise 

Your team is one of your most valuable assets you can have as you’re trying to grow your business. Your team isn’t just a list of job titles. They’re powerhouses with a mix of unique strengths, passions, and untapped potential. When you take the time to understand what excites your team members and where their natural talents lie, you have the ability to unlock a whole new level of creativity and performance. Leaning into those interests not only boosts engagement from your team, but leads to better, more inspired work because they care about what they’re creating. People do their best when they feel seen, trusted, and challenged in the right ways. The magic happens when you stop assigning tasks just based on roles, and start building projects around people’s expertise and enthusiasm.

Keeping Connections

In focusing on growing your business, connections are more than just contacts to take up storage in your phone. They're the foundation of long-term growth. Whether it’s nurturing existing client relationships or staying in touch with industry leaders, making the effort to keep those connections warm pays off in unexpected and meaningful ways. Great client partnerships are built on more than deliverables, they thrive on trust, communication, and mutual respect over time. Networking is all about the long game since there’s no way to predict growth from social selling. And when it comes to networking, a casual coffee chat or thoughtful follow-up can open doors you didn’t even know existed. People want to work with those they know, like, and remember: so stay connected, be genuine, and keep showing up. You never know when that conversation from six months ago turns into your next big opportunity.

If year two taught us anything, it’s that growth isn’t always flashy — but it is powerful. It’s in the small, intentional shifts: listening more closely to your team and your clients, refining your process, owning your missteps, and leaning into what actually works (not just what’s trending).

The real wins come from choosing quality over chaos, building real relationships, and creating a team culture where curiosity and expertise can thrive. Whether you’re running your own agency or growing within one, these lessons aren’t just checkpoints, they’re cornerstones for doing meaningful, sustainable work. Here's to another year of learning, evolving, and showing up with purpose. 

Radiant Media would love the opportunity to apply everything that we have learned to helping you and your team grow your own social media presence, and increase your digital marketing efforts.