Two Years In: Building an SEO Agency to 1M ARR and the Lessons That Guided Us
Two years ago, I took a bold step by announcing on Reddit that I would launch my own agency. Last night, we signed our first 12-month, six-figure contract with the very first contact we received from Reddit. This milestone will push our annual recurring revenue (ARR) beyond $1 million next month and enables us to launch a new service line. It’s been a challenging journey—marked by an accident early on and the global pandemic—but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. Here are the most important takeaways from our experience so far.
Key milestones and context
– The contract: A one-year, six-figure agreement that begins next month, contributing significantly toward our ARR goal and funding new capabilities.
– The obstacles: An accident early in the timeline and the disruption caused by COVID-19 led to missed opportunities and adjustments along the way.
– The evolution: These experiences shaped a shift toward a more robust service mix and a stronger, more capable team.
Five essential lessons learned
1) Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Greed can be dangerous when you’re still ramping up. In the early days, we took on clients that stretched our manpower and capabilities, especially in a new industry. Without an established scale or reputation, outreach and delivery were slower, and some clients ended up leaving. The takeaway: align client scope with your current capacity, and build your reputation before pursuing aggressive expansion.
2) Start strong on-site, not remotely
When I launched the firm while based in Munich and made remote hires from abroad, initial feedback indicated a lack of mentorship and presence. More than half of those early hires didn’t meet our standards, and the churn was costly. I pivoted to establish a dedicated office where I could be hands-on, coach the team full-time, and cultivate a higher-performing culture. The result has been a team that delivers consistently and grows together.
3) Content writing isn’t a universal answer
If you don’t have writers with industry-depth or access to client data, avoid defaulting to pure content writing projects. In many cases, optimization—on-page SEO, technical improvements, and user-focused value—delivers stronger results. Reserve content work for scenarios where the writer has specialized domain insight or the client is comfortable sharing data to inform strategy.
4) Build links strategically, not impulsively
The relationship between backlinks and rankings has evolved. In earlier years, adding new, relevant links often produced immediate gains. More recently, the impact of on-page optimization and proper content alignment has grown, and even the best links won’t rescue a poorly optimized page. Before pursuing link-building, ensure the target pages are optimized for best results and that the overall strategy is cohesive.
5) Don’t hesitate to disengage from toxic engagements
Every service industry encounters clients who try to control every aspect of the engagement. If a client becomes a constant source of friction or undermines your team’s well-being, it’s wise to part ways. Protecting your team’s sanity and your organization’s long-term health is essential for sustainable growth.
If you’re curious about backlinks, optimization strategies, or how we approached scaling to 1M ARR, I’m happy to share more. AMA (ask me anything) about backlinks, SEO strategy, and building a resilient agency.
End note
These lessons have shaped the path to our latest milestone and will inform how we approach future opportunities. If you’re building a new agency or growing an existing one, I hope these insights offer some practical guidance.
