Happy Second Birthday, Content Journey!

Sometimes there’s a reason that an idea won’t go away. Lindsey Miller first had the idea for Content Journey in 2016. At a tech conference, she realized that content was a barrier many businesses faced when they were ready to launch websites. Lindsey decided she would start writing content, specifically website pages, for these businesses. She could help them launch their sites and start making money while building a small business for herself. 

But then, as they say, life happened. Lindsey started talking to people about her idea, and, during the process, people learned that the then-stay-at-home mom was looking for work. A hosting company recruited her for a product marketing position, and she placed Content Journey on the back burner for three years while she worked and went to graduate school. But she couldn’t get the idea out of her mind because she knew she was on to something. 

“I just couldn’t shake the idea of content, websites, working with agencies, and what that would look like,” she said.

Eventually, Lindsey decided that she couldn’t let any more time pass before she at least tried to make her idea a successful business. Two years later, she laughs about all that was ahead of her.

Launching Content Journey

Launching a business during a global pandemic while finishing a master’s degree takes a lot of gumption. But Lindsey knew she couldn’t let her idea sit any longer, so pandemic or not, she launched in 2020. 

When Lindsey started Content Journey in August 2020, she had one client, a credit union that’s still a client today. Abigail Cabello, community development officer at Focus Federal Credit Union, said she chose Content Journey after interviewing several other companies and would make the same decision again.

“I enjoy working with the Content Journey team because they make the whole process so easy for me. I am extremely busy, and they make the whole process so streamlined. It’s like having my own easy button for marketing. I will choose Content Journey every time because their results are irrefutable, and they are simply the best around.”

Lindsey’s husband, Cory Miller, bought the Content Journey domain, and their friend, AJ Morris, built the business’s website within a week. 

“I owe everything I do to Cory Miller, but Content Journey wouldn’t have launched without AJ’s help and support,” Lindsey said. “I don’t even know how many times I sent him my packages and pricing. I probably just annoyed him, but he never acted like it. He just helped me.”

AJ, who is head of product at BitLyft, said he’s thrilled to celebrate Content Journey’s second birthday.

“I remember Lindsey so excited with the idea. I couldn’t wait to be a small part of it,” he said. “Congratulations, Lindsey and the entire team at Content Journey! Keep up the amazing work!”

Within a couple of days of the website’s launch, a man Lindsey used to work out with at the gym contacted her. He’s the part owner of a restoration company and was looking for marketing help. He became Content Journey’s second customer and is still with us today.

Lindsey then landed an enterprise-level client that she said: “catapulted Content Journey into the next level.” Other clients quickly followed.

By November, Content Journey had five clients and its first full-time employee to work alongside Lindsey. She said she didn’t see an end in sight at that point.

“I knew we were onto something. Even with only two of us, our processes were strong enough that we were pulling through for clients. We were providing the high level of content that I wanted. The growth just accelerated from there.”

On its two-year birthday, Content Journey boasts of about 30 clients and has transitioned from serving small to mid-sized to large businesses. The leadership team is a four-person endeavor now, and employs several part-time team members and an entire staff of freelance writers.

But Lindsey still has a special place in her heart for those first clients from 2020, many of whom were investing in digital marketing for the first time because of the pandemic and needed guidance.

“For them to trust me with their marketing budget really meant a lot,” she said. “I poured a lot of my heart and soul into their success too.”

The Challenges

Lindsey’s husband, also an entrepreneur, says: “The highest highs and the lowest lows are people.” Lindsey said she’s found this to be true at Content Journey. The team is one of her greatest points of pride, and she wants us to feel fulfilled by work.

“We spend a lot of our lives at work. Work should be a place that does more than just give us a paycheck. We need to show up daily, for ourselves and each other. I’m really proud of our team and how they show up.”

Leading a team also has brought Lindsey some unanticipated challenges. She said it’s been difficult for her to have tough conversations that she’d rather ignore, guide team members to the best answers and independent work, and part ways when necessary.

“Thinking about Content Journey as a business first and foremost and ahead of the individuals I care so much about — that’s the hardest and the biggest challenge,” she said. 

Lindsey’s team hasn’t necessarily seen these behind-the-scenes struggles, but they notice her leadership. One writer said:

“Lindsey is one of the rare business owners who wants to see her employees succeed inside the company and outside as well. She has taken time to chat with me about my blog and given me access to resources to help my content rank better. I’ve never had a boss come remotely close to helping me that way before. She even dropped snacks on my porch one day! Content Journey is definitely a one-of-a-kind sort of business.”

Taylor Seabolt, director of client success for Content Journey, said Lindsey provides excellent balance as a leader.

“Lindsey is not only a leader, but she is also our biggest cheerleader. She is always there to help with anything anyone is struggling with, no matter what. She is compassionate yet firm. She trusts those around her and gives room for growth and uniqueness,” Taylor said. “Starting a new company is scary and a leap of faith. I’m glad Lindsey chose to leap.” 

Looking Forward

Lindsey feels confident in Content Journey’s future, despite any challenges tied to building a business and growing a team.

“We keep revising our process and getting better every day,” she said. “I know there are still things we need to do better, and we try every day to do a little bit better than the day before.”

Regarding what the future entails, Lindsey said she expects much more growth. She also thinks Content Journey’s clients will continue coming from more diverse industries and will be bigger than when the company launched. 

“I’ve leaned on the people who’ve come along in the journey with me. Whatever Content Journey is in two years, five years, 10 years, it’s going to be what the leadership team brings to the table too because, without them, there isn’t a Content Journey. I can’t do any of this alone, and I haven’t done any of this alone. They’ve come in and improved on everything I’ve started. Everything has just been made better because of them, and it will continue to improve because of them.”

Emilee Little, chief director of operations for Content Journey, agreed with Lindsey about future growth and a continued focus on improvement.

“Welcoming people into any vision that’s your own is both exciting and hard,” Emilee said. “Lindsey has been so willing to let Content Journey be a place where the team she created can truly offer our strengths to support one another, do more for our clients, and build a better business. So as challenges come, we can rely on each other and know we are better together.”

Despite expected changes, there are some things Lindsey wants to stay the same.

“I’m going to work really hard for us to keep who we are, which is still going to feel like this little scrappy start-up,” she said. “I want us to stay small and nimble and to keep having a whole lot of fun doing our work.”