This month marks ten years of running Identify Marketing, and I’ve learned a lot—often the hard way. In this episode, I’m sharing seven of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past decade, from pricing and margins to culture, systems, and knowing when to change.

I’ll cover:
Why a great team culture isn’t about the perks—it’s about what you stand for
How poor margins nearly sunk my business and what I did to fix it
Why trying to serve everyone is a mistake (and what to do instead)
The power of systems and how they make business easier
Why looking after your existing customers is just as important as finding new ones
How to handle change and keep iterating, even when things feel settled

Business is a constant evolution, and these lessons have shaped how I work and what I focus on. Whether you're just starting out or deep into your own business journey, I hope this helps you reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and where you might need to adjust.

Standout Quotes:

“Culture isn’t what you’re actually doing. It’s the beliefs that are underlying it all.”

“I didn’t understand my numbers properly. You need to learn your own numbers. If you’re gonna have a business, you cannot give that to someone else.”

“People never choose everything. They choose you because you're known for something.”

“Keeping a customer happy is only gonna work if it's the right customer. Otherwise, it's a pain in the ass.”

“If you’re stuck in this thing of ‘need to find new customers’ but you’re not looking after your existing ones, we have a problem. Houston, we have a problem.”

“I promised Rod I would not use the word ‘pivot,’ so I will not use the word ‘pivot.’ I say iterate.”

This month marks ten years of running Identify Marketing, and I&rsquo;ve learned a lot&mdash;often the hard way. In this episode, I&rsquo;m sharing seven of the biggest lessons I&rsquo;ve learned over the past decade, from pricing and margins to culture, systems, and knowing when to change.
I&rsquo;ll cover:
<ul data-start="475" data-end="917">
<li data-start="475" data-end="555">Why a great team culture isn&rsquo;t about the perks&mdash;it&rsquo;s about what you stand for</li>
<li data-start="556" data-end="625">How poor margins nearly sunk my business and what I did to fix it</li>
<li data-start="626" data-end="696">Why trying to serve everyone is a mistake (and what to do instead)</li>
<li data-start="697" data-end="755">The power of systems and how they make business easier</li>
<li data-start="756" data-end="842">Why looking after your existing customers is just as important as finding new ones</li>
<li data-start="843" data-end="917">How to handle change and keep iterating, even when things feel settled</li>
</ul>
Business is a constant evolution, and these lessons have shaped how I work and what I focus on. Whether you're just starting out or deep into your own business journey, I hope this helps you reflect on what&rsquo;s working, what&rsquo;s not, and where you might need to adjust.
<hr data-start="1188" data-end="1191">
Standout Quotes:
&ldquo;Culture isn&rsquo;t what you&rsquo;re actually doing. It&rsquo;s the beliefs that are underlying it all.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t understand my numbers properly. You need to learn your own numbers. If you&rsquo;re gonna have a business, you cannot give that to someone else.&rdquo;
&ldquo;People never choose everything. They choose you because you're known for something.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Keeping a customer happy is only gonna work if it's the right customer. Otherwise, it's a pain in the ass.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re stuck in this thing of &lsquo;need to find new customers&rsquo; but you&rsquo;re not looking after your existing ones, we have a problem. Houston, we have a problem.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I promised Rod I would not use the word &lsquo;pivot,&rsquo; so I will not use the word &lsquo;pivot.&rsquo; I say iterate.&rdquo;

Trying to work out how all your marketing fits together is tricky, especially when you're trying to juggle everything else you need to do while running a small business.  MAP IT Marketing steps you through how to create your own marketing map, building out a marketing strategy that is practical, and will help you take action after every episode.

Listen and learn with your host, marketing strategist and coach Rachel Klaver, as she breaks down the steps of building out a marketing action plan specifically for the small business owner. (because we are different than a big company! We have smaller budgets, less resource and far less time!)

Join Rachel as she shares her own business lessons and learning, or enjoy her expert guests talking tactics to help you become more confident in your own marketing. As we walk through all the different steps you need to take to build out your marketing activity, you'll be able to note what you need to do to implement the marketing advice and tactics. Think of it as your own marketing coach, helping you sift through all the small business marketing information, and working out what you need to do next.  

Want a clear direction in your marketing? Let's come make a map. 

Trying to work out how all your marketing fits together is tricky, especially when you're trying to juggle everything else you need to do while running a small business. &nbsp;MAP IT Marketing steps you through how to create your own marketing map, building out a marketing strategy that is practical, and will help you take action after every episode.
Listen and learn with your host, marketing strategist and coach Rachel Klaver, as she breaks down the steps of building out a marketing action plan specifically for the small business owner. (because we are different than a big company! We have smaller budgets, less resource and far less time!)
Join Rachel as she shares her own business lessons and learning, or enjoy her expert guests talking tactics to help you become more confident in your own marketing. As we walk through all the different steps you need to take to build out your marketing activity, you'll be able to note what you need to do to implement the marketing advice and tactics. Think of it as your own marketing coach, helping you sift through all the small business marketing information, and working out what you need to do next. &nbsp;
Want a clear direction in your marketing? Let's come make a map.&nbsp;