On April 1, I celebrated five years in business.
And no, despite the date, it was never an April Fool’s joke.
Five years ago, I officially launched Being Darcy / Darcy Warden Consulting. At the time, I don’t think I fully understood what I was building or where it would eventually lead. I just knew I wanted to create work that felt intentional, creative, and aligned with the kind of life I wanted to live – with a true work-life balance.
Now, five years later, this business has grown into something bigger than I could have imagined back then.
This year alone, I worked with 25 clients across 16 states and 3 countries. I served 10 retainer clients, worked on 10 Aisle Planner projects, wrote or edited 60 blogs, and created 244 social media posts and reels.
And while those numbers matter, what feels even more significant is the fact that this business has allowed me to build a career that genuinely fits me. One that blends creativity, strategy, relationships, flexibility, and growth in a way that still feels exciting five years in.
How I Celebrated 5 Years in Business
I love celebrating anything, especially for other people, but this year I wanted to make a point to mark such an important milestone.
I went to Kroger and picked myself out a cake.
Not a custom cake. Not an elaborate party. Just me standing in the bakery section deciding which cake looked best for a random Wednesday celebration. (And some cake pops and some Reese’s eggs.)
Honestly, it felt fitting.
Because one of the things I’ve learned over the past five years is that business milestones do not always look glamorous from the outside. Sometimes they look like quiet moments that only you fully understand the weight of.
Later that evening, my best friend took me out to celebrate and it was all a surprise which was so fun! We went to Tender Mercy for drinks which is a really cool speakeasy and then to Sueño for dinner which was incredible.
It was low-key, relaxed, and honestly perfect, especially for a weeknight.
Five years ago, I could not have imagined the clients, opportunities, friendships, travel, and experiences this business would eventually bring into my world.
Five Years of Growth That Happened Slowly
I think social media often makes business growth look fast and dramatic.
Like there is one breakthrough moment where suddenly everything changes.
But for me, these five years in business have looked much more incremental than that.
It has been:
- Consistently showing up
- Refining services
- Learning through experience
- Building trust with clients
- Improving systems
- Figuring out boundaries
- Recovering from mistakes
- Saying yes to opportunities
- Saying no to things that were not aligned
- Continuing to evolve the business as my skills evolved too
There were seasons where I felt incredibly confident and seasons where I questioned everything.
There were projects that stretched me creatively and projects that taught me what I no longer wanted to do.
There were moments where I felt fully booked and energized, and moments where I wondered if I should pivot entirely.
I think that is probably more normal than most people admit.
One of the biggest lessons from five years in business is realizing that longevity is often built through consistency more than intensity.
Not every season is groundbreaking. Not every month feels exciting. But continuing to move forward anyway matters more than constantly chasing reinvention.
The Business Wins I’m Most Proud Of
Of course, I’m proud of the numbers from this past year.
25 clients.
16 states.
3 countries.
244 pieces of content created.
Those things matter because they represent trust. Every client inquiry, every referral, every project extension, every retainer renewal — all of it reflects someone deciding to place confidence in my work.
But I think the wins I’m most proud of are actually less measurable.
I’m proud that I’ve built a business that feels sustainable.
I’m grateful that clients continue to come back and refer me to others.
I’m proud that I’ve developed services that combine creativity and operational support in a way that feels genuinely valuable.
I’m impressed (and honestly almost shocked) that I’ve learned how to better protect my time and energy.
I’m excited that I now collaborate with associates and creative partners in ways that allow the business to grow without requiring me to personally do every single thing alone.
And honestly, I’m proud that after five years, I still care deeply about the work.
That feels most important.
Especially in creative industries where burnout can happen quickly.
What Year Five Looked Like Behind the Scenes
This past year felt particularly expansive.
Not necessarily in a loud way, but in a “my world is getting bigger” kind of way.
The work itself became more layered. More strategy-focused. More collaborative. More operationally complex. I stepped away from some things that were hard to step away from and trusted God to do what only he can do. It was never about what only I could do anyway.
I found myself supporting clients not just through content creation, but through systems, planning, communication, backend organization, launches, and long-term business structure.
At the same time, I also experienced more personal growth this year than I expected.
I traveled more. Met incredible new people. Strengthened existing friendships. Expanded my perspective in ways that indirectly shaped how I approach business too.
I think one of the most interesting things about entrepreneurship is how difficult it becomes to separate personal growth from professional growth.
As your life evolves, your business inevitably evolves alongside it.
The confidence you build personally impacts how you lead professionally.
The boundaries you learn personally affect how you manage clients.
The experiences you have outside of work influence your creativity within it.
It all overlaps eventually.
Looking Back at Earlier Business Anniversary Blogs
I reread some of my previous business anniversary blogs before writing this one, including my first, second, and third anniversary posts (I must have forgot to to one for my fourth anniversary, oops).
And honestly, I have a lot of tenderness for earlier versions of myself.
The version of me celebrating year one was hopeful but still proving to herself that this could actually work.
The version celebrating year two was learning how to stabilize growth.
The version celebrating year three was beginning to understand the kind of business she truly wanted to build.
And now, at year five, I think I’m finally settling into a deeper level of confidence.
Not because I suddenly know everything. I absolutely do not.
But because I trust myself more now.
I trust my instincts more, my ability to adapt more, my creativity more. I trust that I can figure things out even when they feel uncertain.
That trust has probably been the biggest shift of all.
What I Want the Next Five Years to Feel Like
I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking less about what I want the business to look like and more about what I want it to feel like.
I want it to feel sustainable.
Creative.
Flexible.
Expansive.
Collaborative.
Refined.
Interesting.
I want to continue working with thoughtful clients doing meaningful work.
And I want to continue building a business that supports a full life outside of work too — travel, friendships, experiences, dinners out, long conversations, spontaneous moments, all of it.
Because one thing these five years have taught me is that success feels a lot less meaningful if you do not actually have the space to enjoy your life alongside it.
And maybe that is part of why my fifth anniversary celebration felt so fitting.
A grocery store cake.
Cocktails at a speakeasy.
Dinner with my best friend.
A quiet moment to pause and realize: this little business that started five years ago became something real.
Something sustainable, something fulfilling, and something that’s still growing.
Excited and expectant for what’s ahead. Cheers to the next five years in business!
If you’re a creative business owner, wedding professional, or brand looking for thoughtful support behind the scenes — whether that’s content creation, blogging, systems, or strategic operational help — I’d love to connect.
Over the past five years, one of my favorite parts of this business has been partnering with people who care deeply about what they do and want a business that feels both elevated and sustainable.
You can explore more about my services here.
Or follow along on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes, business reflections, and everyday moments: @being_darcy on Instagram