Reflecting Back On Five Years Of Blue Seven Studio: Starting A Business At 22 Years Old

Celebrating 5 years in business with sweets from Nantucket Bake Shop on Nantucket Island.

There is so much to look back on and celebrate. Renée took. a moment to take it all in.

Today is an incredibly special day as Blue Seven Studio celebrates five years in business. Founder and CEO, Renée, spent some time reflecting on the journey to five years:

Starting a business at 22 wasn’t always on the bingo card.

I didn’t have a perfect plan. I didn’t have all the answers. Less than a week after graduating college, in the middle of a global pandemic, I emptied my college savings and started a business based on a gut feeling about its need and the belief that I could figure it out along the way. From day one, I jumped in completely. In the beginning, I was working two other jobs just to support myself and clocking more hours on the business than I’d ever like to admit.

The early days were incredibly challenging. I was pitching clients, Googling how to code websites and draft proposals, learning how to price my work, and wondering if anyone would actually take a chance on someone so young. But they did. And every “yes” lit a new fire in me. I was figuring it out in real time, trusting my instincts, and learning how to be a business owner, a strategist, a leader, and in those early days, a one-person creative department. 

There were moments of burnout and breakthrough, of wondering if I was in over my head, and then surprising myself with what I was capable of. I learned how to handle tough feedback. I learned how to celebrate wins without rushing past them. I learned how to ask for help, build a team, and trust people with the vision I’d held so close.

Over the past five years, this business has grown into something I’m deeply proud of. It’s not just about marketing anymore, it’s about the relationships we’ve built with business owners all over the country (and internationally!). We’ve worked with businesses just starting out, and others that have been around for over a century. From neighborhood mom-and-pop shops to national brands. The work we get to do still blows me away and makes the hard days worth it.

Starting a business young taught me more than I could have ever imagined. It taught me about resilience, leadership, creativity, “faking it ‘til you make it”, especially when you are 22 and building something from scratch, and what it means to build something from the ground up (and to keep building even when pieces are falling around you). I’m still learning. I’m still growing. And I’m more excited than ever for what’s next.

For those who ask how I knew how to run a business or how I started it, the truth is no one really knows what they are doing until they start doing it. And more often than not, if they say they do, they are definitely bluffing. Unless you have done it before, it genuinely feels like you're driving a racecar with no brakes. You have to welcome failure, be able to mess up, and (quickly) learn how to keep a level head and problem solve when things aren't going your way. Then do that about 1,000 more times.

As businesswoman Marie Forleo says, “Everything is figureoutable”. If you can't solve it, Google is a great friend as well.

Over the past five years, this business has grown into something I’m deeply proud of. It’s not just about marketing anymore, it’s about the relationships we’ve built with business owners all over the country (and internationally!). We’ve worked with businesses just starting out, and others that have been around for over a century. From neighborhood mom-and-pop shops to national brands. The work we get to do still blows me away and makes the hard days worth it.

Thank you to my family, friends, clients, and most importantly, my team for being part of the first five. I’m so excited about the path we’re on and I couldn’t have done it without your support and faith.

Here’s to the next chapter. Let’s keep growing! 🤠

Warmly,

Renée

Founder & CEO

Blue Seven Studio