From Freelancer to founder, it all happened so quick! I had always been attracted to the “idea” of being a freelancer particularly the freedom and the ability to help people and businesses on a more personal level, but I wasn’t sure if I could turn that idea into a reality. Some people get frozen with indecision, but I would rather fail than not try, so that’s exactly what I did.
My name is Kelly Bolton and I run a successful Marketing Agency called Aggressive Growth Marketing which was founded back in 2013. People are often surprised when I tell them I never actually intended to build an agency, but looking back it was just an inevitable, natural progression. Once I started working with companies to grow their business, my direct marketing methods stood out in their success. In the time it took for other freelancers to prepare their pitch, clients were already seeing the results from my efforts. Basically, I’m completely passionate about delivering measurable results in days, rather than months.
Working hard and moving quick was easy but one person only has so much capacity, so I realised I needed help, and thus AGM was born - the first growth marketing, business development and sales agency in the world!
To begin with, I admit it was a real struggle to let go of controlling all aspects of the business but now I fully embrace the fact that I have a team to support me and our clients - in many respects, they are even better marketers than I am! One of my biggest struggles I encountered whilst growing the business fast was the transition between freelancer to company owner. Once I had the team in place, I had to let go and relinquish control on some elements of my work and let the guys take it on, my work was something I'd always been hugely protective over. I had to trust that my team would do just as good a job (which they absolutely do!) Now it's great to see how much more we can get done by working together, after all there's so much one person can do!
In hindsight, if I’d have stopped to think about creating an agency, I would have probably freaked out, but in isolation, each step made perfect sense… I needed a brand, I needed offices and I needed staff… problem- solution, problem - solution! I’m so committed to the idea of growth that I probably shouldn’t have been surprised that I actually ended up growth hacking myself!
In the world of marketing, it’s crucial that we stay one step ahead. Every week brings us new tools and hacks to test out and implement within campaigns. We undertake regular training and ensure we take steps to challenge ourselves daily and discover new, innovative solutions for clients.
So what’s the future? Good question- Where do I start! I have so many plans and goals. I want to continue to mentor and train other businesses on how to grow and grow fast! I want to inspire young people and in particular young women to get into business. I want to continue AGM’s growth and success as well as investing in other fantastic companies– ultimately, I’d love to be the next Deborah Meaden, so watch out world!
-Kelly Bolton
CEO Aggressive Growth Marketing
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