Let's talk about the things most business owners won't say out loud.
Right, here's something you won't see in most LinkedIn posts from agency founders: running a business is bloody hard, and some days I question every decision that led me here. There, I said it. You can put down your perfectly curated "crushing it" posts and your "#blessed entrepreneur" energy for a minute, because we're about to get real.
In the world of business content, everyone's winning all the time. Every client project is a “massive success”, every quarter exceeds expectations, and apparently nobody ever lies awake at 3am wondering if that proposal was priced too high or that email came across too pushy. It's exhausting, it's dishonest, and frankly, it's boring.
So here's the unfiltered truth about building Speak Your Mind Media (and the other businesses 😉), the messy bits nobody posts about, and why I think we'd all benefit from being a bit more honest about this entrepreneurial journey we're on.
The Instagram vs Reality Gap
Let me paint you a picture of what my "perfect entrepreneur morning" actually looks like. Yes, I'm up at 7am with my coffee (because nothing good happens without proper caffeine, let's be honest). But that aesthetically pleasing flat lay of my laptop, notebook, and artfully arranged breakfast? That's not happening.
More often, it's me in yesterday's joggers, hair in a topknot, responding to a client email that came in at midnight because sleep is for people without ambitions 😂 The coffee's gone cold, and breakfast is the same quick boring thing I can grab in 5 minutes between calls.
Does this make me less successful? No. Does it make me human? Absolutely. And I'd bet good money that most of the people posting those perfect morning routines are doing exactly the same thing.
The Clients Nobody Talks About
Here's what you won't see in case studies: not every client relationship is smooth sailing. Some projects go brilliantly from start to finish. Others? Not so much.
I've had clients who changed their mind more times than I refresh my inbox in an hour - which is really saying something. I've had projects where the scope crept so far from the original brief that I barely recognised it anymore. I've had calls where I've had to politely explain for the third time why, no, we can't just "make it pop a bit more" without actually telling me what that means.
And you know what? That's normal. The perfectly smooth client journey that every agency seems to have? Either they're lying, or they're working with unicorns [I love unicorns - so if you find one let me know 🦄]. Most of us are dealing with real humans who have opinions, budgets, and occasionally unrealistic expectations about what can be achieved in a week.
The difference between a successful agency and one that burns out isn't avoiding difficult clients - it's learning how to navigate those relationships professionally, set boundaries clearly, and know when to walk away.
The Comparison Trap (And Why LinkedIn Makes It Worse)
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: LinkedIn has turned into a highlight reel where everyone's celebrating wins and nobody's talking about the losses. Someone's always closing bigger deals, growing faster, or working with more impressive clients.
And if you're not careful, you'll spend more time comparing your behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel than actually building your business. I know this because I've been there, scrolling through posts at 11pm, wondering if everyone else got a handbook for this that I somehow didn’t.
Here's what I've learned: those people posting about their "seven-figure launch"? They're not showing you the three years of groundwork that made it possible. The overnight success stories? They're usually about five years in the making. Everyone's struggling with something, they're just not posting about it.
The Money Conversation
Speaking of things nobody talks about: let's discuss money. How much should you charge? When should you increase your prices? How do you tell a client your rates have gone up without feeling like you need to justify your entire existence?
I've undercharged out of fear of losing clients. I've overdelivered to the point of resentment. I've said yes to projects I should have turned down because I was worried about cash flow. These aren't failures, they're learning experiences that every business owner goes through.
But here's what I wish someone had told me earlier: your prices should reflect your value, not your anxiety. If you're delivering results, solving problems, and saving clients time and stress, you deserve to be paid properly for that. The clients who balk at your rates probably aren't your ideal clients anyway.
And when you do increase your prices (which you should, regularly), the right clients won't even blink. They understand that quality costs money and that you can't deliver exceptional work if you're undervaluing yourself.
The Work-Life Balance Myth
Here's an unpopular opinion: work-life balance as it's usually presented is nonsense. Some weeks I work 65 hours because a big project needs to get over the line. Other weeks I take Friday afternoon off because the sun's out and I've earned it.
The "work hard, play hard" philosophy isn't about maintaining some perfect equilibrium every single day. It's about knowing when to push and when to step back. It's about being strategic with your energy, not just your time.
Yes, I love what I do. But some days, I'd rather be literally anywhere else than on another Zoom call discussing whether the blue should be more "ocean" or more “sky”. (Spoiler: they look the same on most monitors.) That doesn't make me uncommitted, it makes me normal.
The Networking Reality
Let's talk about networking, because the glossy version is all "building authentic connections" and “finding your tribe”, but the reality is sometimes more awkward small talk than meaningful relationships.
I've been to networking events where I've had brilliant conversations that led to actual business. I've also been to ones where I've spent an hour in conversation only to realise we'd both been politely waiting for the other person to get to the point. Both are part of the process.
The secret to networking isn't being the most outgoing person in the room (thank goodness, because I'm an extroverted introvert at best). It's about being genuinely interested in people, following up when you say you will, and building relationships that aren't just transactional.
But also? It's okay to admit that sometimes networking feels like hard work, that you'd rather be at home with a good book, and that not every connection can turn into a business opportunity.
The Imposter Syndrome That Nobody Mentions
Here's something people don't talk about enough: building a successful business doesn't magically switch off that little voice that occasionally asks, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Imposter syndrome doesn't go away when you hit certain milestones. It just gets quieter when you learn to recognise it for what it is: a sign that you're pushing yourself, learning, and growing. If you never feel out of your depth, you're probably not challenging yourself enough.
Why Being Unfiltered Actually Matters
Right, so why am I sharing all this? Because I think we'd all benefit from a bit more honesty in how we present ourselves and our businesses.
When we only show the wins, we create unrealistic expectations for people who are just starting out. When we pretend everything's always perfect, we miss opportunities to actually help each other with the real challenges we're all facing. And when we're constantly performing success, we miss out on genuine connections with people who are going through the exact same struggles.
Being unfiltered doesn't mean being unprofessional. It means being honest about the journey - the good bits and the hard bits. It means admitting when you don't have all the answers. It means showing up as a real person, not just a carefully curated brand.
The Bottom Line
Building a business is rewarding, challenging, frustrating, and exhilarating, often all in the same day. Some days you'll feel like you're absolutely smashing it. Other days you'll wonder if you should have just stayed in that corporate job with the steady paycheque and the free coffee.
But here's what I've learned after building the businesses: the messy, unfiltered reality is so much more valuable than the polished version we're all supposed to present. Your struggles aren't weaknesses - they're proof that you're in the arena, doing the work, building something meaningful.
So next time you're writing that perfect LinkedIn post about your latest win, maybe consider also sharing the challenge that got you there. You might be surprised how many people respond with “Oh thank goodness, I thought it was just me”.
Because it's definitely not just you. We're all figuring this out as we go, one overpriced coffee and one awkward client call at a time.
And honestly? That's the most real success story there is.
Here's to being bold, sassy and successful,
Roxanne Tattan 💋
Founder & MD, Speak Your Mind Media
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unfiltered-founder-roxanne-tattan-tkhvf/