5 Years Later: How a Layoff Led Me to My Own Six-Figure Business
Like many other entrepreneurs, a layoff landed me where I am today.
5 years ago (to the day!) I left corporate. I felt so lost.
I went to a psychic and she told me I was about to start my own company. I laughed — there was no chance; I had no intention to do so.
BUT given my (terrible) experience at my previous job, I decided I wouldn't join a company unless I was all-in.
As I interviewed, I consulted with bootstrapped startups and companies & badass entrepreneurial friends.
I turned down several offers. A few months in, without a true business plan, I filed for an LLC, opened a biz bank account and...
5 years later…
I run my own six-figure business. We've (survived a pandemic) and grown annually. I have a nimble but mighty team that offers much-needed Strategic FinOps Consulting + bookkeeping services to creative entrepreneurs and service-based businesses. We've stayed true to our mission while restructuring offerings to align with client need & preferences.
The TL;DR:
Le Chéile helps creative studios and agencies scale toward and beyond 1M.
We've worked with over 35 companies & entrepreneurs.
Our clients tend to be female, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, or a beautiful combo of all three :)
Our client relationships are strong - 75% engagements are 9+ months long.
93% of clients have DOUBLED their profit within six months together.
67% of clients have TRIPLED their profit within six months together.
100% of clients have built strong financial clarity & founder confidence.
For those early on in this journey - it is not for the faint of heart but well worth it. The freedom to focus your time and brain on what drives you is incredibly gratifying. The ability to shift focus and be nimble to better serve clients is freeing. You'll get asked if you need help finding a job - even if you're making 3x more than when working 9-5 on 8hrs of calls on mute. You'll need to be polite while yelling internally (last week, my uncle asked if I have a job 😂 ). If it feels like it is right - keep grinding. There will also be times when you want to throw in the towel and you don't know where your next invoice will come from. It's part of the ride. Keep going.
I never thought this was my path but I'd never go back. I'm working with people I love, supporting myself and my family while making a difference & having a blast.
Moral of the story? 🔮 Listen to the psychic. 🔮
PS. Happy 5th Birthday to Le Chéile. I can't wait for the next 5
About the Author
Meredith Fennessy Witts, Founder & Strategic Growth Advisor at Le Chéile
and Co-Host of Agency Darlings.
With a background in financial and operational consulting and a successful track record of founding and scaling her own agency, Meredith brings deep expertise in strategic growth for indie creative and digital agencies.Her company, Le Chéile, helps agencies scaling toward and beyond 1M+ in revenue to rightsize teams and payroll, increase founder pay, scale offers and packages and more. She helps clients to achieve their goals while clarifying their business strategy and finances.
She is a trusted authority on building mindful, profitable businesses—especially for underserved founders in the women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC communities.
