(and it’s pretty terrifying).
These words were never supposed to be read.
Instead, I was going to write a newsletter about “If I were to learn copywriting again, I would do this”.
(which I’m still planning to do).
But I felt weird not acknowledging something else also: The fact that I’ve started over with a new business.
Not that I think you, dear reader, necessarily care a lot about that.
Yet I’ve had a few people reaching out, asking questions like:
- Did my former agency fail? (No, it’s doing better than ever, just without me.)
- Was I overwhelmed by stress? (Surprisingly, no.)
- If everything was going well, why did I leave? (Which I hop to answer here.)
So, this issue of ‘Storyseller’s’ will be neither about stories or selling. If that is enough for you to stop reading then I completely understand. No hard feelings.
Instead, it will be a bit about me, Walter, and why I’ve chosen to start over with a new business, how I made the decision and what I will be doing going forward (including, with this newsletter).
My journey in entrepreneurship.
I’ve never described myself as an entrepreneur despite the fact that I’ve technically been self-employed since late 2023.
Holisto, the business I ran up until recently, is a digital marketing agency focused on social media advertising & email marketing for eCommerce businesses.
We were initially 2 partners running it, where I was primarily in charge of the client delivery and my partner, Tahir, was mainly in charge of bringing in new leads.
(Tahir is the former CEO of LiveScore and current investor in Shark Tank Denmark, so many of our first clients came from his portfolio).
Later, when the business started doing well and I had too much to do, we brought on our first full-time hire, a digital marketing specialist, to handle some of the client management and delivery.
That worked well, for a while.
Making the decision to step away.
Growth was great. Revenue climbed, clients were happy, and the agency was running smoothly. But internally, I felt increasingly disconnected.
I started this journey because I love writing and storytelling. Yet over time, my days filled with operational tasks: managing clients, team oversight, and endless meetings.
The original spark was fading, replaced by obligations that drained rather than energized me.
So I stepped back and asked myself: “What do I genuinely want to do?”
The answer was immediate: Writing.
I wanted my days filled with writing and storytelling, and importantly, I also wanted to spend as much time as possible writing fiction books.
That meant leaving the agency I’d helped build. It was an incredibly tough decision, but a necessary one.
What now (and what does it mean for this newsletter?)
Now, I’m fully focused on helping busy founders and B2B brands leverage strategic storytelling to enhance their visibility, positioning, and growth.
Specifically, this means:
- Crafting weekly LinkedIn content that authentically reflects founders’ voices.
- Developing strategic, story-led newsletters.
- Building personal brands rooted in clarity and genuine insight.
This newsletter, ‘Storyseller’s,’ will continue, but (hopefully) sharper, clearer, and more actionable. It will be my primary channel for sharing lessons, frameworks, and behind-the-scenes insights from this new chapter.
Because content shouldn’t just fill a feed; it should move something.
If that resonates with you, I’d love to have you along for this new journey.
Until next time,