Starting out is always the hardest part. People hesitate, people get lost — but then comes a quote:

“After six months, you’ll wish you had started six months ago.”

That’s when the belief to begin took root in me. Not to win. Not to hustle.
Just to start. To see if I could lead myself somewhere — anywhere.
To ask myself: Where is my destiny?
Because you only know the right path after walking through the wrong ones. And that’s where my journey begins.

No investors. No co-founders. Just a girl, a laptop, and a vision that burns louder than fear.

Month 1 of building my own agency from scratch has been a cocktail of spreadsheets, self-doubt, late nights, and tiny wins.I’m documenting this not just to remember how it began — but to give you a real, unfiltered look at what starting a creative business actually feels like.

Here’s everything I did in the first 30 days — the wins, the mistakes, the strategy, and the soul of it.

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I've divided this journey into five major phases — to make it a smoother read.

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Phase 1 — Foundation: Identity, Name, and Why

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a) Finalized the agency name after days of inner debate

My agency is called Graphical Proximity, often referred to as GP.(You can find us on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.)

At first glance, the name might seem straightforward — but agreeing on it was far from easy.

The logic behind Graphical Proximity is simple yet powerful:
To bring brands graphically close to their audiences — whether through immersive websites, visual storytelling, or sharp digital campaigns — we exist to bridge the emotional and digital distance between a brand and its audience.

It was always the name I wanted in my heart, but finalizing it didn’t come without hesitation.
There was a part of me that feared the name might sound overwhelming, especially when I’m targeting local and national clients in the beginning.

I worried:

“Will it sound too abstract?”
“Will local and national clients understand it?”

But that’s the thing about naming — it’s not just branding.
It’s declaring identity. It’s choosing presence.And once I looked at it that way, the choice became obvious.
Because Graphical Proximity isn’t just a name.
It’s the first promise we make as an agency:
That closeness — real, relevant, visual closeness — will always be our starting point.

And thus the name Graphical Proximity- Creating your story for you.

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b)Designed the first draft of the logo and business card

Surprisingly, this part came to me with ease. There was no second-guessing, no spiral of indecision — just a quiet clarity.
I went with what my instinct whispered in the first go.
Sometimes, the first thought is the right one. And this time, it was.

The idea of designing a business card though didn’t come from a brand manual or a checklist.
It sparked the moment I RSVP’d to a networking event.
I paused and asked myself — How will I introduce myself when I walk into that room?

I didn’t want to just say a name. I wanted to leave a piece of my vision in their hands.
Something they could carry home — not just paper, but presence.

And just like that, the business card wasn’t just a design.
It became a small, powerful expression of what Graphical Proximity stands for:
Clean. Bold. Intentional. Unforgettable.

And trust me when i say each and every person I handed my card told me what a beautiful card it was.

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c)Defined the "Why" behind the agency — more than just business

I still remember, I was in a talk with one of India’s most famous digital marketing agencies, The Teamology (they have like a 100 media connections), leader and co-founder Md Badshah Ansari, in the very event I just talked about, and he questioned me:

“Why did you name the agency Graphical Proximity?”

I was startled and nervous beacuse it was the very first question , also the very first thing he ever spoke to me.

But I gathered myself and answered with full determination:

“Because I want to show my clients that I will graphically — that is, digitally — bring them closer to their audience. ”

I mean that’s what a digital marketing agency is supposed to do, right?

He smiled, nodded, and looked at me like he could see straight through my soul. Then, without a word, he snapped a photo of my card and posted it in one of his business groups (at least that’s what he said), but still didn’t say anything about my answer.

Well, I didn’t get an answer back then, but that was the first time I clearly answered this question to myself too.

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Phase 2. Positioning: Who Am I Serving?

This part wasn’t just about picking a target — it was about owning my place in the ecosystem.

I sat down and asked myself: Who do I feel drawn to serve?
Not based on market trends. Not based on where the money is. But based on who I understand — who I am at the core.

So I created an internal doc — rough at first, but honest — outlining the clients I truly want to work with:
Startups. Creators. Solo founders.
The dreamers who are building something raw, risky, and real , whom i called the new people , because I know what it feels like to build from zero. I’m doing it, too.

Then came the decision on how I’ll serve them. Thus I defined three core pillars that my agency will stand on:

Branding. Strategy. Web Presence.

That’s where I can create the deepest impact — because that’s where I see too many bold ideas get lost in noise.

I also made a conscious decision to focus on story-driven design and conversion-based social media.
Not just content. Not just clicks. But stories that move people — and systems that convert them.

Because at this stage, clarity matters more than being everywhere.
I’d rather be known for one thing that works than five things that don’t.

And this clarity — this decision to serve with purpose — is what brought me my first four clients.
Not paid, not official. But real work. And for me, that counted.

Because it meant something had clicked.
Not just in the market — but in me.

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Phase 3. First Touches of Outreach: The Quiet Art of Putting Yourself Out There

This was the part I had been preparing for — but still wasn’t fully ready for.
No one ever really is.

You can build the systems, polish the brand voice, design the perfect card, all you want...
But when it comes down to it, pressing “Send” on that first cold message is its own kind of fear.

I made a rule for myself:

Reach out to 10 potential clients every day. No matter how I felt. No matter how quiet it got.

So I opened my Notion tracker, fired up Apollo.io, and started crafting my outreach templates.
Simple, clear, story-driven — just like how I want Graphical Proximity to feel.

And then I started.

DMs. Emails. Intros. Cold reach-outs to warm leads.

I tried following one rule: I won’t pitch, I will invite — into conversations, into possibility.

Did I get clients right away?
No.

Did my rule work?

Well yes it did.

I got something else — replies. Curiosity. Interest.

A few said, “Not now, but maybe soon.”
Some said, “Tell me more.”
And that was enough to keep me going.

Because at this stage, it’s not about selling. It’s about being seen. And the more I showed up, the more confident I became.

I wasn’t selling services — I was starting relationships. And that shift made all the difference.

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Phase 4. Digital Presence Begins: Building in Public, Even When It’s Quiet

I knew from the beginning — even if I had zero clients, my brand needed to show up.
Because people don’t just buy services. They buy presence. Consistency. Confidence.

So I got to work.

I finalized Phase 1 of my portfolio website — simple, bold, and enough to say:
"We’re here, and we mean it."

I started shaping our Instagram presence — branding visuals, tone, vibe, a soft but steady entrance.
I researched my competitors, admired powerful agencies , and let their work inspire me .

And I started writing.
Little notes, blog titles, fragments of what you’re reading right now. Because even in the early stage, I knew one thing:

“It’s always all about the story.”

The way it’s told. The way it feels. The way it moves someone from a scroll to a stop.

But truthfully? I failed to stay consistent.

With everything happening in both my personal and professional life, Instagram slipped through the cracks more times than I’d like to admit.
Some days, I showed up for the brand.
Other days, I barely showed up for myself.

And that’s okay. Because building a digital presence isn't about never missing a post.
It’s about coming back. Recommitting.
And remembering why you started showing up in the first place.

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The Reflection

Month 1 didn’t feel like a month — It felt like a storm of tabs, to-do lists, heartbeats, and second guesses.

And yet, here I am.Still standing. Still building.

Looking back, I didn’t check off every box, I know.
But I built the ground I now stand on — and that counts for everything.

Here’s what I learned in the first 30 days of building Graphical Proximity from scratch:

• Doing five things deeply will always be better than doing fifteen halfway.

• Doubt doesn’t disappear — but discipline makes it quieter.

• Strategy is useless without execution. A system only works if you actually work it.

• Presence beats perfection. Just show up, even if you’re late, messy, or tired.

• Small wins are not small. They are proof. They are movement. They are survival.

I learned that building a brand is not about having it all figured out.
It’s about taking one honest, imperfect step at a time.

And most of all?

I learned that it’s always all about the story —
The one you’re telling, the one you're writing,
and the one you’re becoming.