Cheers to Five Years 

If you’re anything like me, pausing for a minute to reflect on anything other than whether I need that second chocolate bar (the answer is always yes) doesn’t happen very often. Time seems to have picked up pace since having children, especially when we’re constantly reminded of the apparent trajectory our kids should be on (weaning, walking, talking, reading, writing, university). It’s hard to take time out and think.

But I am forcing myself to stop a while and think about the last five years and my personal journey with Contented. It feels strange to think about my own story, especially as we specialise in telling others’. It also feels self-indulgent since I know people can’t help but compare themselves. I don’t want this to be a ‘look at me, haven’t I got it all figured out’ story, but oneContented came from a necessity. A deep yearning. A cry for help. I had just given birth to twins and already had one daughter. I had returned to work after 9 months with my first and I was considering my options for after the twins. I had just returned from being overseas and had moved to yet another new neighbourhood. And quite frankly, my options were few. I either look for a full time position, spend most of my earnings on childcare and rely on other people to put my kids to bed. Or I close the door on my career for a few years (probably quite a few) and throw myself into being a mum. Both of which are fine choices. But my issue was I didn’t like either. I wanted a third. An option where I could earn some money but also be present in my kids’ lives. To work truly flexibly, without perimeters. So in September 2019 Contented was birthed. A couple of months later Covid hit, my husband went on tour for 7 months and I moved house while trying to settle my eldest into school for the first time.

There have often been times when I’ve questioned my abilities and whether this was the right path for us as a family. But here we are. With a growing team, offices in both Kenya and the UK and team members based all over the world. that perhaps helps someone consider taking a more flexible approach to working. A parent who says yes to the school play and no to a client call. A woman who is burnt out and needs to cut down working hours without taking a pay cut.

So how have we survived, and dare I say, thrived, over the last five years? 

Grit – it’s what we’re built on. To keep going when things are tough. When the work looks like it’s drying up. When you can’t pay yourself for months. When your doubts tell you you’re mad and you need to go and get a proper job. When a client critiques your work and you absolutely take it personally.

Kindness – it’s an essential ingredient. Both within our team and our clients. It’s an expectation that cannot be compromised. Sacrificing things whether it’s income, sleep or reputation isn’t worth it unless there is kindness. And understanding. And trying to make life better for another human being.

Honesty – We can’t be truly flexible without being able to say no. Or yes, but can we have a bit longer. Many of our team work outside of the traditional working hours which means we need to be honest with deadlines. It’s also just good business practice to tell the truth!

Excellence – I always said if we were going to prove that a remote-first, flexible agency could succeed, our work had to be excellent. From client services to the quality of our writing and design. I am blown away by the comments we have received over the last few years and our growth is testament that we must be doing something right.

Above all, it is the village of people that have championed, supported, worked for and loved Contented. None of this could have been achieved alone. And I guess that’s what being Contented is all about. People. And time. Time to reflect. To listen to a friend in need. To watch a child play a sports match. To travel. To be present. And to make work, work for us.

Harriette Foulkes-Arnold