Wow. 40 years.
Last month marked the 40th anniversary of Wahl Media, which is both wonderful and hard to believe. It’s even harder to believe because I never intended to start a business in the first place.
So, in honor of 40 years, I thought I’d share a few secrets of the accidental entrepreneur. If you own a business, some may sound familiar. If you’re just starting out, consider these either words of encouragement or a cautionary tale. (Probably a little of both!)
Secret #1: I never wanted to be an entrepreneur.
Which is ironic, because I grew up surrounded by them. Both of my grandfathers ran businesses, and my father owned Tom Wahl’s restaurant. My four siblings and I all grew up working at the restaurant, watching my dad run a business with integrity, kindness and an incredible work ethic. Even though he sold the business years ago, he still gets treated like a king when he walks into one of the restaurants.
I admired all of it, but it was never something I thought I wanted for myself.
All I wanted to do 40 years ago when I quit my full-time job was to stay home with my sweet newborn daughter.
Just three short weeks after my delivery, a client from my previous job called and asked if I could handle his advertising on a freelance basis.
And just like that, Wahl Media was accidentally born.
Secret #2: My first office? The unfinished basement of our historic 1850’s village home.
This was well before remote work was even heard of, and my clients probably never knew the reason I was so busy was not because I had other meetings but because I was taking care of my daughter.
As my family grew, so did the work. But growth was never really the goal. My kids came first, and I built the business around the life I wanted rather than building my life around the business.
When we began hiring, I wanted our employees to have that same opportunity. Long before flexible schedules and remote work became part of the business vocabulary, we gave people as much flexibility as possible in where and when they worked.
If I could put my family first, why shouldn’t they?
Secret #3: I’m not a fan of promoting myself.
People in marketing are generally very good at networking, joining boards and getting themselves “out there.” I was not.
I’d sit at luncheons honoring accomplished women in business and wonder if I wasn’t doing enough.
Then a prospective client at a large hospital system once said, “I’m surprised I haven’t heard of your firm. You work with some very large clients.” I took it as criticism.
When I told my husband, Ron, he said, “You should have told her your job is to promote your clients, not yourself.”
And Ron deserves more than a cameo. We’ve worked side by side throughout this journey. While I focused on clients and strategy, Ron handled the finances – and provided good judgment and reality checks along the way.
So while I may be an accidental entrepreneur, I certainly didn’t do it alone.
And to those who are great networkers and business promoters, I applaud you. I admire and respect your hustle. For me, I prefer to be in the background and to this day I truly don’t regret that.
Secret #4: The greatest luxury of owning a business is being able to say no.
My goal in making money and running a business was to be able to choose my clients wisely.
Over 40 years, there were moments when doing the easy thing could have meant more business. Particularly in government and political work, lines can get blurry.
We never crossed any of those lines, and we certainly lost business because of it. Looking back, those are some of my proudest moments.
Secret #5: Difficult clients can be your best teachers.
Some of the toughest clients I ever had taught me the most.
Early on, clients who were smarter than I was or demanded more than I thought I could deliver intimidated me.
As the years went on, I learned what to do – I worked harder than ever, did my homework, and eventually won them over.
Somewhere along the way, intimidation became a challenge I loved. And if you’re reading this post, wondering if you are one of those clients, you probably are. Thank you.
I discovered that business is really about people. I loved getting to know my clients, hearing about their families, understanding what mattered to them and helping them succeed.
Secret #6: I’m a marketing professional who doesn’t like social media.
I’m not an Instagram poster. I’m not a Facebook poster. This LinkedIn post is my first and probably will be my last. I’ve never quite understood why anyone would want to know where I went or who I went with.
Secret #7: Not everyone stays. That doesn’t mean they didn’t matter.
I truly miss all those employees that are no longer with us (thankfully still alive, just on to other jobs!).
I admired every one of them. But I learned that people leaving isn’t always a failure. Sometimes it’s simply time for a change.
You can appreciate what someone brought to your company without needing them to stay forever.
Secret #8: Building the right team is everything.
Without support, kindness, opportunities for growth and constant clear communication within your team, you WILL fail.
You can teach skills and systems, but you can’t change a negative outlook or instill good character when it doesn’t exist.
Negativity left unattended grows like weeds. Culture isn’t something you write on a wall. It’s what you tolerate, what you encourage and how people treat each other when nobody is watching.
And now, one final secret:
The best leaders also need to know when it’s time to step aside.
For me, that time has come.
If all goes according to plan, this will be the year I finally get to use the word retirement – a word I’m still getting used to!
Our company will continue to be in the very capable hands of Amana Galley. Amanda is smart, respected, trusted, and knows this company inside and out. She has been an enormous part of Wahl Media’s success and the person I’ve counted on for years. Knowing she is here makes stepping away something I can feel genuinely good about.
And when I say retirement, I should probably put an asterisk next to it.
Ron and I own oceanfront rental properties that have become another passion of mine. I love creating an amazing five-star experience for our guests and fussing over all the details.
Come to think of it, that sounds suspiciously like what I’ve been doing for clients for the last 40 years.
So maybe I’m not retiring. Maybe I’m just changing clients.
There are clients I’m incredibly proud to have represented, campaigns I’ll never forget, and a company and team that mean more to me than I can adequately put into words.
But none of those are what I’m most proud of. That distinction belongs, without question, to four people:
Sarah Mayne, Dana Benoit, Kelly Covley and Ron Kaczor, Jr – my four amazing kids. Kind, intelligent, and successful.
The whole reason this accidental business began was because I wanted to be home with my children.
Forty years later, after everything Wahl Media became, my kids will always be my proudest achievement.
And maybe that’s the real secret of the accidental entrepreneur:
Build a business you can be proud of, but never confuse it with your life.
