Ruth started the business ‘on the side’ in 2014, while working part-time as a copywriter for a marketing agency. Operating out of her spare room, in her spare time, Ruth developed a body of freelance work. Just two years later it became her full-time job.
Her tenacious work ethic pervades the business. “In 2020 when the pandemic hit there were seven of us,” she explains. “And there’s now 32. Which is fantastic but at the same time incredibly scary. We’ve experienced really tough growing pains because of that, and we’ve kind of had to rip everything apart and start from the ground up again.”
With this phenomenal increase in staff, Truly Content had to find larger offices. “We’d grown to the point that we couldn’t fit everybody in the office space anymore, especially with the social distancing requirement. So now we’re in an office space which is big, but so much more expensive.”
The resulting spike in overheads caused some cash flow issues. “We expanded very fast and sometimes it could be a bit hand-to-mouth,” Ruth continues. “There’s that many people relying on you in order to pay their mortgage or their rent. It’s a massive responsibility, which can be stressful. And I had a baby in that time as well!”
A broker who had previously arranged funding for Truly Content put them in contact with MaxCap. “The thing I like about MaxCap is, they gave us a shot. They just listen and they honestly seem to understand. We know they’ll be there for us. We had to have a top up quite recently and usually you have to pay down your balance before you can get a top up. But we explained our situation, and they were just so good with us really.”
CEO of MaxCap, Alex Littner elaborates, “We’re on a mission to improve the financial health of small businesses. The money you receive from us can be used for almost any business expense. So business owners like Ruth are free to use the funds in the best way possible for their company.”
“Our new premises are great,” Ruth enthuses, “and they have impressed clients, so it’s actually helped us to win business already. The growth is so exciting and so are the clients we’re working with. We’ve been able to pitch for some fantastic projects and more big businesses are starting to notice us as a serious agency. We don’t have the luxury to be saying, ‘right let’s stop and make sure everything’s perfect before we take on any new business’. We can’t turn away business. But we are trying to be more selective with our clients.”
Truly Content’s current portfolio of clients ranges from big pharma corporations right the way through to local independent and small businesses. It’s a broad spectrum and Ruth is typically pragmatic about the future. “Our current approach doesn’t really work. It’s not the same service. And it’s certainly not the same remuneration. So in terms of a vision going forward, we’d really like to streamline into two businesses – to have a local and a global agency. My mindset is if we’re not smashing through those ceilings then we’re stagnant. And if we’re stagnant, what’s the point?”
MaxCap’s Alex adds, “We understand that small businesses need working capital to keep their options open and to pursue opportunities as they arise. That’s why we provide working capital to businesses just like Truly Content, across the UK. Delivering funding solutions is the reason we’re in business! And so we’re thrilled to see Truly Content thriving, and to know we’ve been able to play a part in that.”
Looking ahead, Ruth muses: “I really want a business that works without me because without that, I don’t have a business, I have a job. And a very demanding one at that. And a stressful one! We are getting there. I’m learning to delegate. We’ve got such a lovely culture here and I feel lucky to have this wonderful team.”
Click here to find out more about Truly Content.