I am a 25-year-old guy.

I failed my first three startups in the last seven years. Now, I run a growing agency called Squidx Agency.

With everything l've learned about the design business, I know for a fact that anyone can build a $5K-$10K/month agency within 3-5 months if they follow the right steps.

Most people don't fail because they lack skill. They fail because they overthink, wait too long, and try to perfect everything before taking action. But business isn't about waiting for the right moment, it's about starting, learning, and adjusting along the way.

When Saber and I started Squidx, we had no clients, no connections, and no real plan. But we realized one thing-being in the right place at the right time makes all the difference. That changed everything for us, and in just one month, we had to hire six people to handle all the work.

Here's the exact roadmap I followed to get my agency off the ground:

Pick a Niche That Pays (and Feels Right):

When we started Squidx, we weren't chasing every client out there. We picked a niche that aligned with our strengths and had the budget to pay for real results. That one decision changed the entire game for us.

Most people make the mistake of trying to appeal to everyone. In doing so, they end up resonating with no one. They create generic offers, water down their message, and spend months wondering why nothing's clicking.

Your first big win doesn't come from being available to everyone, it comes from being valuable to someone. We started by helping a personal brand coach who needed more than just a pretty website. She wanted results-booked calls, real engagement, trust. We delivered that. Within a month, she referred us to three others. That's when it clicked: depth beats width.

You don't need to serve every industry. Just choose one where your skills are actually useful and where people are already spending money to solve the problem you fix. That's how momentum starts. That's how you build something worth talking about.

Build Portfolio:

Authority doesn't come from who you've worked with-it comes from what you can show. When we had zero case studies, we built fake brands, designed real solutions, and published them like we were already in the game. That's how we landed our first few calls.

Design a landing page for a fictional fitness coach. Rebrand a made-up SaaS. Build an identity for a startup that doesn't even exist-yet. The goal is to prove you understand how to solve real business problems.

You don't need 10 case studies. You need 3 or 4 solid ones that show off your thinking, design sense, and ability to get results. Make them look real, make them look intentional-and watch how people start trusting your skills before you ever speak a word.

Build a Network:

We didn't grow by blasting 100 DMs a day-we grew by being visible in the right places. Commented on posts. Dropped value. Showed up where our dream clients were already hanging out. That's how the inbound leads started.

Start small. Pick 2-3 founders you admire and actually engage. Add thoughts, ask real questions, be useful. Over time, your name becomes familiar —and that familiarity builds trust.

You don't need to be everywhere. Just be consistent where it matters. Show up, stay helpful, and let people come to you.

Create a Proposal:

Don't overthink it. Your proposal isn't a novel-it's a bridge from interest to action. When someone shows interest, don't drop a 30-page PDF with a fancy cover. Instead, speak their language.

Call out the problem you can solve. Show a few relevant projects. Drop 1-2 options with clear pricing. Keep it simple, visual, and human. We closed our first 10 clients just by sending Loom videos with a short Notion page.
The goal isn't to impress. The goal is to make them say, "Yep, this is exactly what I need."

Conclusion

After landing those first projects, overdeliver like crazy. Your early clients will decide your future. If you impress them, they'll come back, they'll refer you, and soon, you won't have to chase clients anymore.

And once you start hitting $5K-$10K/month, stop doing everything yourself. Outsource small tasks, focus on bigger deals, and refine your systems. That's how you scale.

That's the roadmap. Pick a niche, build a portfolio, network, sell, deliver, scale. No secret formula. No shortcuts. Just action.

The biggest mistake? Waiting for the perfect moment. The sooner you start, the faster you learn. And the sooner you win.