Celebrating 4 years.
In September 2020, amidst a global pandemic and economic uncertainty (also known as redundancy), the three of us—Jade, Rachel, and Lucy—came together to form Lemon Lane, a corporate event agency.
What began as a small venture with modest expectations has rapidly grown into a thriving company with a 16-member team, placing us among the Top 50 agencies in the UK. Quite the glow-up, right?
We’d like to share our story—the good, the bad, and the ugly—the challenges we’ve faced and the key lessons we’ve learned along the way.
STARTING AT THE WORST TIME
Launching a business during the pandemic might sound crazy, and to be honest, it was daunting. We received many comments admiring our bravery (or questioning our sanity).
But it also provided a unique advantage: low expectations. The unpredictable environment meant that any progress we made was seen as a significant achievement. This allowed us to take bold steps and innovate without the pressure of immediate high performance. The initial challenges were immense—navigating lockdowns, shifting to virtual events, and dealing with market uncertainty—but these obstacles also fostered resilience and creativity within us. We genuinely felt we had nothing to lose, so we pushed as hard as we possibly could.
FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT
Adopting the mindset of “fake it until you make it” was crucial in the early days. We had to project confidence, even when faced with uncertainty, to establish credibility, and attract clients. Our early strategies included detailed presentations and leveraging every small success to build our reputation. Our first event gave us £60 profit, and we all worked on it for several days. Hardly productive, but every win gave us more confidence to keep going.
THE POWER OF TRUST
Building strong relationships has been at the heart of Lemon Lane’s success. Loyalty and trust, both with our clients and within our team, have been integral. Several clients who started the journey with us have become long-term partners, contributing to mutual growth. These clients are our biggest advocates and allies, and many have become friends. We love working with them; they trust us. It works.
THE POWER OF THREE
At Lemon Lane, our unique structure of having three equal directors offers significant advantages.
First, it means that there is always someone to talk to. Unlike the solitude experienced by many CEOs, our model ensures that there is always someone to consult with on new ideas or challenges.
Secondly, our approach is thoroughly hands-on. With three directors actively engaged in pushing the business forward, we efficiently extend our reach across multiple areas—technology, marketing, and sales. This allows us to achieve more together than any one of us could manage alone.
Finally, the presence of three directors ensures a framework for resolution. Disagreements are rare, but when they occur, the third vote is crucial, providing a swift and effective resolution mechanism. This ensures we continue moving forward without delay.
ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM
We have an incredible team who truly embody our core values. They approach their work with utmost seriousness yet maintain a light-hearted attitude towards themselves. This balance of professionalism and approachability is a hallmark of our culture, especially evident in their dedication to delivering outstanding events.
Our team’s intergenerational makeup enriches us with diverse perspectives, enhancing creativity and innovation. Each team member is engaged and committed to seeing every project through to its successful completion.
THE SHIT LIST
Otherwise known as ‘effective prioritisation,’ we maintain a dynamic list of tasks that need attention, along with their deadlines. We’re realistic about our capabilities; during a flurry of events and amidst recruitment drives, overhauling our website had to take a backseat. However, with our trusty workstack (shit list) at hand, we always know what’s on our plate. This helps us to focus on the essentials. Everything else? Well, it will still be there tomorrow.
STRONG IDENTITY AND ALIGNED BRAND VALUES
On day one, we developed our brand values. And they haven’t changed to this day:
- Creative Collaborators
- Honest Advisors
- Proud Yet Humble
- Approachable and Fun
- We Care
We invest time reinforcing these values, ensuring that they are reflected in every aspect of the business. This clear identity has resonated with clients and team members alike, fostering a sense of purpose and direction.
KNOWING WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
Recognising the limits of our knowledge, we have been proactive in seeking outside guidance. Engaging non-executive directors, legal advisors, HR specialists, and financial advisers, has provided valuable insights and helped us navigate complex situations. Asking for help is something we are not afraid to do (and do frequently!).
INVESTING IN FUTURE-PROOF SYSTEMS
Future-proofing our business by investing in systems that exceed current needs has been incredibly effective. By adopting the systems of bigger, more established agencies, we have prepared ourselves for future growth. These investments have not only streamlined operations but also positioned us to handle increased demand and complexity.
We have also invested in things that matter to us. Our brand value of ‘We Care – People and Planet’ saw us invest in a full-time Sustainability Manager to support us on our ESG journey. Investing in the future goes beyond the future of Lemon Lane but the future of our people and our planet.
CONSTANT EVOLUTION
We are always thinking about what is next. By continuously exploring new opportunities in sales and creative strategy, we hope to stay ahead of the curve. Events today are completely different from five years ago, and they will continue to evolve. Change is inevitable.
EMBRACING FAILURE AND LEARNING FAST
Linked to constant evolution is the philosophy of trying new things, failing fast, and moving on, which has fostered a culture of resilience and adaptability at Lemon Lane. Getting a website built overseas, on a platform we don’t understand—not great. Getting offices because we thought we should—silly. The list goes on. We have embraced failures as learning opportunities. We reflect, beat ourselves up for a little bit, and then learn from it and move on.
Reflection and celebrating wins
Amidst the daily grind, taking time to reflect on achievements has been vital. Who are we kidding, we are rubbish at this. But we try. Celebrating small and big wins helps maintain morale and motivation within the whole team. We know this, but we could do better. Our need for constant evolution sometimes clashes with our stop-and-smell-the-roses approach. It’s a work in progress!
CONCLUSION
Writing a reflection on what we’ve learned at Lemon Lane might seem premature as it feels like our journey has only just begun. However, the truth is, we’ve already gained invaluable insights. Running a business is a rollercoaster—frustrating, exhausting, exhilarating, and deeply satisfying, often all within the same day.
We are optimistic about continuing our success and are committed to doing everything in our power to achieve it. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who has supported us on this adventure. Your help has been instrumental in our growth and achievements.
Brace yourselves for the shameless plug…if you need support with your next event, don’t hesitate to reach out. We at Lemon Lane would love to hear from you and explore how we can make your event unforgettable.
With gratitude and excitement, we are Lemon Lane.
