We’re Celebrating Our One-Year Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!
Today, January 25th marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of Workhorse Strategies. I almost didn’t have time to create a post to commemorate this occasion, but as one of my clients pointed out, that is a good thing! I couldn’t let this milestone pass by without thanking all of the people who have been there for me this past year and sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned during the first year of operation.
In 2021, I launched a political consulting firm 19 days after the January 6th insurrection that was a direct attack on our democracy and shortly after Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Vaccines were not yet available, and people were largely still quarantined in what was traditionally a non-election year. In hindsight, it was a daunting venture. I honestly expected to twiddle my thumbs for a couple of months while things settled down. With a lot of hustle and a little luck, I started reaching out to people, and I secured a couple of clients relatively quickly.
I know that I have a few friends and colleagues out there who might be interested in starting their own business, so I wanted to share a few of the things I’ve learned over the past year.
Time is Money
There is nothing that is going to be more valuable than your time, especially in your first year. I’m sitting at my computer at 4:00 pm on a Saturday afternoon after finishing up pressing client obligations, (even though plenty remain for me tomorrow), and that has largely been the way my weekends have been spent over the past few weeks. And again, that is not a complaint but a testament to the time and energy it takes to build a successful firm. I’ve recently made jokes to friends that I need to put showering and eating on my calendar.
All that being said, you have to allow yourself some downtime. Questions I have been asking myself to better manage my time are, “How urgent is this?”, “Will this have a direct, positive impact on my client?”, “Is this more important than taking a break to relax?”. You are not going to be successful if you cannot successfully manage your time. But, time also means allowing time for yourself to relax and unwind.
You Are Going To Need Friends
There is no way I could name all of the people who have been there for me over the course of the past year, and I am eternally grateful for your advice, knowledge, support, and most importantly, referrals. There were many times when I had to do political gut-checks. Luckily for me, I have a large number of friends who have been doing this for as long or longer than I have. I am able to turn to them when I need to and check my political instincts and compass. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you so much to everyone who referred me to a potential client. Even if it didn’t turn into a hire, I appreciate you thinking of me.
And as many of you know, I work in a male-dominated industry, but most of my referrals have been from men who have worked with me in the past. These men know me and my work ethic. They know my worth and recognize the value I bring to the table. But, perhaps one of the more interesting developments is that most of my clients this past year have been men, so I think that is indicative. Perhaps, we are moving in the right direction when it comes to men trusting women who work in politics. Though, believe me, we still have a long way to go. But, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has picked up the phone or sent me a text when I needed it the most.
Don’t Undervalue Yourself
If I had to name one of the biggest mistakes of the past year it would probably be undervaluing my time and expertise. I started my own firm, in part, because I was tired of watching candidates get ripped off by flashy consultants who didn’t really deliver. That’s why I included “Workhorse” in the name of my firm. My mother was a middle school “secretary” for over 20 years at a time when that term was still commonly used. Looking back, I spent a lot of time in the main office watching her work. And what I now realize is that she was the one behind the scenes actually getting the work done for a fraction of the salary of her overwhelmingly male principals.
I bring over a decade of knowledge and experience to the table whether you are running for City Council or Congress. And that knowledge and experience are valuable, especially if you are a first-time candidate. Some of my clients were very short term. I helped them launch their campaign and get things up and running with fundraising. Some clients just needed a little extra help on a particular project. What I also learned is that value is a two-way street. Similar to the manner in which consultants can take advantage of clients, clients can take advantage of consultants. I am willing to burn the midnight oil and miss UNC football and basketball games for all my clients, and a little bit of appreciation goes a long way.
This Nation is Divided
During this past year, I’ve had clients in five states with very, very diverse political climates. All of these clients were Democrats running for office or promoting Democratic causes, but the political waters flowed differently amidst the various geographic streams. Of course, I didn’t need to start my own consulting firm to realize that. When the pandemic first hit in March 2020, I moved from Baltimore, one of the most progressive cities in the country, back to my hometown in rural, conservative North Carolina. The most alarming fact for me is the number of people in this country who either do not know or do not care that our democracy was under attack on January 6th, 2021.
Less than a decade ago, Republicans and Democrats donated to each other’s campaigns all of the time, especially if they were friends and family. That is not the case today. Partisanship has not only trumped what is good for the country, but political party affiliations have ended friendships and severed family ties. This is not normal, folks. There is plenty of blame to go around like misinformation on the internet and the people who stayed at home and didn’t vote for Hillary in 2016. I am not an alarmist, and I wish I could end this anniversary blog on a more positive note.
But, if you are a non-political friend of mine who might not realize how tenable the fate of our democracy is right now, please, believe me. And I say that not as a political consultant, but as someone who cares about the fate of her country.
Again, thank you to everyone who made this year a success at Workhorse Strategies. Here’s to winning and being a part of victorious campaigns in 2022!
Monica Biddix
Workhorse Strategies, LLC
Principal and Founder
