A letter from our founder, Michelle

In just a few months, we’ll step into Year Two of Red Queen Marketing, and as we wrap up January, I’m feeling reflective and fired up for what’s ahead in 2025.

2024 was all about building something meaningful. I vividly remember walking with mentors at Finder, sharing my dream of running my own business to inspire my daughter and show her what a strong, capable woman can achieve. Now, just a year later, I’m living that dream. Some days, sitting at my desk, it still feels surreal, like I’m a kid playing pretend.

2024 Highlights

2024 was a year of big wins and growth for us.

Building the Team - RQM started with just me. By the time I went full-time, I hired two team members, and within a year, we’ve grown to a team of six.
Client Wins - One startup we partnered with grew their organic traffic nearly 5x in 12 months through our link building and digital PR. Wins like these remind me why I love what I do.
Hitting Six Figures - Reaching six figures in revenue in under a year was a milestone that showed me what’s possible
Personal Growth - This year I braved public speaking, videos, and even a photoshoot. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learned that the discomfort is worth it.

Lessons Learned

Running a business means making tough calls. Early in the journey, I had to walk away from revenue to protect my team and the business. I realised that culture fit and who you work with are critical to success. I took this mistake hard, and it took a few months for my self esteem to recover.

Life outside of work didn’t slow down either. My partner faced health issues, my family was in a near-fatal car accident, and my daughter was cutting five teeth at once. Despite everything, my team stepped up. They handled a critical client handover and delivered something so detailed the agency taking over said it was rare to see.

Mentorship and having a support network made all the difference. It’s easy to feel like the world is waiting for you to fail, but for every critic, there’s someone who genuinely wants to see you succeed. A mentor once told me to always keep my “why” in mind. That advice has carried me through even the hardest moments.

2025 Vision: Leveling Up

In 2025, we’re doubling down on what sets us apart and leaning into the industries:

Leaning Into Startups - It took time to refine who we wanted to work with, but startups are where we thrive. This year we’re helping them build authority and credibility through smarter link building and digital PR.
Doubling Down on Content Marketing and Off-Page SEO - As we enter the AI era, success will come from brand signals, engagement, and authority as algorithms look to these signals as it won’t be enough to have good content and a fast website. This is the time for off-pagers and PR pros to shine.
Cross-Channel Campaigns - With belts tightening and businesses focusing on scalability and efficiency, marketing that hits multiple touchpoints is where we will see digital marketing give an edge. We’re stepping into bold, integrated campaigns that connect SEO, social, PR, and more to maximise impact across channels.
AI-Powered Tools - We’re experimenting with AI-powered tools to combine human creativity with the efficiency of AI production. Our vision is to make quality content marketing and other challenging areas accessible for startups without big budgets or time for the agency merry-go-round.

Thank You

To my team, partners, mentors, and family, your support has made all of this possible.

Here’s to an incredible 2025. Let’s make it a good one.

Warmly,

Michelle Tansey

Red Queen Marketing