The SocialSurge Round-Up: Eric's Edition

Hey Everyone! Eric Hess , Owner of SocialSurge here! ??

Every week, you jump into our Newsletter to get some amazing insights from our team about what they learned over the last month, how we succeeded, and how we failed. Just like you, I love reading their insights, but today I thought I would jump in for a little "special edition" to talk about SocialSurge as a whole. In the same way our team does, I will talk about what went well and what didn't in 2024, but I will add what is in store for SocialSurge for 2025.

Let's get into it!

What Went Well!

Of course, many things went well in 2024, but let's focus on 2 key things:

The first and most helpful was the implementation of EOS into our agency. For those who do not know, EOS stands for Entrepreneurial Operating System. Just like the name suggests, it focuses on improving business operations by opening up communication, reducing the number of meetings, and giving everyone on the team a clear picture of where we are going. While difficult at first while we worked out some things to make EOS work better for us, it became better and better as time went on. Now that we really have our groove and just went through our 2nd annual planning using this system, I can say it has been a huge success.

The other thing that went well this year was the formation of the team we have heading into 2025. This year was a little different for us as we experienced some turnover on the team. This is something we have not experienced before on the scale we did in 2024. While it was a tough task to add new team members and go through multiple rounds of hiring, we are entering the year with a full team of team members who have the skills, desire to learn, and are working together to reach our goals. That is something to be excited about!

Side Note: It’s important for me to say that we’re so proud of EVERYONE who moved on from SocialSurge in 2024. No matter the reason, each and every one of them is always a part of this team.

What didn't go well

Over the last 2 years or so, we have been extremely honed in on process. On one side of the coin, this has made us an efficient team with very clear and strict processes. These processes make our clients' lives easier, help them know what to expect, and allow them to be communicated with more clearly.

That being said, we might have gone a little overboard. If you know me, you know that I love processes, but there are parts of our agency that have become too rigid, giving us the exact opposite effect we wanted. We will get into this in the final section, but this is going to change in 2025. Of course, we are going to continue to improve our processes to make things as easy as possible for our clients, but we are going to work to find a better balance between this and the new goals we have for next year.

What are our goals for 2025

So what are those goals?

First, we want to focus on clarity over process. To me, the word "process" describes the specific and rigid steps you need to complete a task, while clarity means everyone shares the same defined vision for a project or strategy. While the "process" will still be important, we are going to be more concerned with the "why" we are doing something. It will also be important to understand the "why" might not always line up with the process exactly, and that is okay!

Next, we have many growth goals this year. Of course, we always want to grow, but this has not been our primary focus for a couple of years now. That will change in 2025. Expect us to make a lot of noise this year through our social media content, blogs, ads, and more. You'll see more of SocialSurge than you ever have before. Get ready!

Finally, we added a new core value this year: Growth Mind. ??

"We are learners who strive for continuous personal and professional development. Through education, innovation, and adaptability, we stay ahead of industry trends and empower our team and clients to thrive in a constantly evolving digital landscape."

It’s no secret we’re a young team at SocialSurge, but you will not find a group more hungry to learn. We have plans this year to not only react to our industry but lead it!

These 3 main goals work amazingly together. With more clarity comes better results. With better results comes more growth. With growth comes more opportunities to learn. It's this system that we hope leads us to accomplish everything we are planning here in 2025!

To wrap this up, both myself and the team are ready for an awesome year. I cannot wait to see the amazing things we’ll accomplish for our clients as we continue to grow and improve. We hope you’ll come along for the ride with us! ??