Content Marketing Firm Hookline& 3X Revenue in First Year of Business
Client: Hookline&
Industry: Marketing
Location: San Francisco / Remote-first
Hookline& is a content marketing agency specializing in thought leadership for corporate executives. Our full-funnel approach helps companies accelerate their sales cycle and rapidly build brand awareness.
KEY RESULTS
- 3X increase in monthly recurring revenue during first year of engagement
- Successful transition from solopreneur to 3 full-time employees
- 10 new retainer clients added during first year of engagement
In early 2023, Chris made the decision to wind down his work with existing agency partners and launch his own content marketing firm: Hookline&. His first year in business wasn’t easy, and he dealt with a number of headaches and hurdles on the path to growth. He engaged with 728 Group for weekly business coaching to help him tackle specific challenges when launching a new business, plot a strategy for long-term growth, and overcome the self-doubt that can occur when jumping into a new venture.
“When I started Hookline&, I was confident in the work I could provide to clients — but not in the actual details of hiring employees and running a small business,” said Chris Walsh Sinka, founder and CEO of Hookline&. “I knew that I needed advice from people who had done this before and helped similar companies get set up for growth.”
CHALLENGE
From solopreneur to agency owner
Founding a small business allows a freelancer to leverage the benefits of a larger team and unlock new opportunities for growth. But the transition can be complicated: freelancers rarely have managerial experience, nor are they familiar with the financial and organizational details of owning and running a business. Hookline& came to 728 Group with questions on everything from which corporate structure to use, how to design compensation and benefit plans for employees, and how to market the business for rapid growth.
Like many new business owners, Walsh Sinka was cautious when planning the launch of his agency. He wanted to lay the perfect groundwork before announcing the new business and reaching out to potential clients, including a high-quality website design and social media presence. This focus on “the perfect launch” began to slow the business down — putting up roadblocks on the path to growth.
“Before I launched my business, I was obsessed with making a good first impression,” said Walsh Sinka. “728 Group encouraged me to think instead about what I could do to start bringing in revenue. They helped me realize that my perfectionism was getting in the way of what I actually needed to do to grow my business.”
SOLUTION
Removing barriers — real and imagined
In each weekly coaching session, 728 Group encouraged Walsh Sinka to set short- and medium-term goals that would move the business forward. 728 Group founder Charlie Poe pushed Walsh Sinka to begin marketing himself and Hookline& through regular social media posts, while also setting meetings with those in his network to spread the word about his new venture. This approach built momentum for Hookline& even before the public launch of the business.
Poe focused on setting specific goals with numbers attached. Instead of giving generic advice — “reach out to your network” and “post on social media” — he worked with Walsh Sinka to establish an ambitious but achievable cadence for posts on LinkedIn, as well as a concrete goal for number of meetings per week.
“728 Group really helped me to get past self-doubt and start taking concrete actions,” said Walsh Sinka. “I was getting in my own way and was afraid to take the first steps in announcing and marketing my business. The goals we set in weekly coaching sessions gave me the motivation and clarity I needed.”
Following the launch of Hookline&’s website, 728 Group continued to support Walsh Sinka with advice on recruiting and onboarding new employees — including a director of operations and a director-level content writer. Poe continued to press Hookline& on setting ambitious goals for revenue growth, removing the mental barriers that would have otherwise caused them to settle for safe, risk-free performance.
RESULTS
Sudden growth and sustainable revenue
After one year in business, Hookline& has grown from a one-person agency to a thriving small business. The company now has three full-time employees (including Walsh Sinka) and is set to add a fourth before the end of 2024. Hookline& tripled its monthly recurring revenue during its first year of operations, relying on references and social media marketing to attract 10 new clients on monthly retainers.
Hookline&’s ambitious goals and compelling sales pitch have allowed the firm to punch above its weight in new business discussions. The content marketing firm added well-known companies to its client roster towards the end of its first year, including New Relic and Vimeo.
As Hookline& continues to work with 728 Group, the company is setting its sights on even faster growth and team expansion. 728 Group supported Walsh Sinka as he hosted the company’s first in-person client meetings and a networking happy hour in San Francisco. 728 Group and Hookline& have established revenue targets for the next 12 months and beyond — removing every limit to growth along the way.
“I never could have expected how challenging it would be to transition from freelancer to business owner, but working with 728 Group allowed me to move forward with confidence,” said Walsh Sinka. “I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish working together in the future.”