How to Start a Solo Agency: My 2-Year Experience from the Netherlands

Most people think of starting an agency as a big team, office, and investment. In 2022, I did the exact opposite in the Netherlands: solo, from home, with zero investment. I didn't take any clients for the first 6 months. I built systems, automated processes, and constructed a repeatable model. Today, FUTIA has evolved into a studio serving 6-8 Turkish brands monthly with website, automation, and maintenance services. I'm still solo, still working from home. In this post, I'll share everything I learned while starting a solo agency, my Netherlands experience, and the critical mistakes I made in the first 2 years.

Starting a solo agency is different from freelancing. Freelancers take project-based work, agencies sell systems. I didn't understand this at first. For the first 3 months, I wrote custom code for each client, designed each project from scratch. Result: 12-hour workdays, low profit margins, an unscalable model. The cost of living in the Netherlands is high, this chaos was unsustainable. In January 2023, I made a radical decision: only WordPress from now on, only specific automation tools, only repeatable processes. For 6 months, I didn't take any new clients, I migrated existing projects to this system. After April 2023, every new client used the same infrastructure. Work time dropped 60%, profit margin doubled.

The First 3 Months of Starting a Solo Agency: System or Clients?

Everyone focuses on finding the first client. I recommend the opposite: spend the first 90 days building the system, find clients later. When I moved to the Netherlands, I had 2 months' rent money and a MacBook. I dedicated the first month entirely to research: what problems do Turkish brands have, which tools are reusable, which pricing model is sustainable.

The second month, I built a prototype. I chose the WordPress + Elementor + Make.com combination. Simple reason: widespread in Turkey, cheap, easy to learn. I built my own blog with this system for 4 weeks, recorded every step in Notion. A 47-page setup document emerged. The third month, I took my first test client: my friend's e-commerce site. I didn't charge, asked for feedback and referrals in return. A 3-week project dropped to 1 week thanks to my documentation.

This 90-day preparation period laid the foundation for FUTIA. Today when a new client comes, setup time is 4-6 hours. Because everything is standard: theme, plugins, automation templates, maintenance protocol. The biggest mistake when starting a solo agency is trying to create custom solutions for each client. Standardization is the only way a solo person can scale.

Which Tools Should You Choose?

I tried 12 different tools in the first year. Today I only use 6 of them:

• WordPress: site infrastructure, everyone in Turkey knows it
• Elementor Pro: page design, visual editing without code
• Make.com: automation hub, 1000+ integrations
• Claude API: content generation, customer support automation
• WP Rocket: speed optimization, 10-minute setup
• UpdraftPlus: automatic backup, Google Drive integration

I made this list based on 2 criteria: is it widespread in Turkey, does it require technical support? For example, Webflow is a great tool but Turkish clients don't know it, problems arise during handover. Framer is very fast but hosting costs are high, small businesses can't afford it. WordPress is boring but universal, cheap, sustainable.

The Realities of Serving Turkish Clients from the Netherlands

The time difference is 1 hour. At first it seems like an advantage, it's not. Turkish clients send messages at 8 PM, I respond at 9 PM. If you don't set boundaries, you work 24/7. For the first 6 months, I responded to every message within 10 minutes. I burned out. In June 2023, I set this rule: I respond to messages twice a day, at 10:00 and 16:00. I gave a separate number for emergencies, it was only used 3 times in 18 months.

The payment part is more complex. I registered with KVK (chamber of commerce) in the Netherlands, which gave me the right to invoice within the EU. I can't invoice Turkish clients in TL, I use EUR or USD. I use Wise for money transfers, commission is around 0.5%. I tried PayPal the first year, commission came out to 4.5%, I quit.

Tax situation: in the Netherlands, there's a simplified regime (eenmanszaak) for earnings up to 20,000 EUR annually. You can file your own tax return without hiring an accountant. Above 20,000 EUR, an accountant is mandatory, around 150 EUR monthly cost. I crossed this threshold in 2024, now I use an accountant.

Language and Cultural Difference

I live in the Netherlands but my clients are 100% Turkish. In initial meetings, the question "How will you provide support from the Netherlands?" always comes up. My answer: "In the last 2 years, I delivered 18 projects, none had physical meetings. Everything ran through Zoom, WhatsApp, and Loom."

Turkish business culture expects quick decisions, quick delivery. The Netherlands is the opposite: slow decisions, long planning. I developed a model in between the two. I send a proposal within 24 hours after the first meeting, this pleases Turkish clients. But before the project starts, I prepare a detailed brief document, this is Dutch-style planning. A working balance.

How Did I Find the First Client?

I didn't advertise, didn't cold call, didn't spam on LinkedIn. 7 out of the first 8 clients came from referrals. How? I found the first client from my circle of friends, did it for free. The second client was their referral. The third client was the second's referral. This chain continued until the 7th client.

The eighth client was doktorbul.com, this was a turning point. How did I find them? I didn't, they found me. In June 2023, I published an article on the FUTIA blog titled "How to Generate 10,000 Pages with Programmatic SEO?" That article reached 3rd place on Google, the founder of doktorbul.com read it, wrote on WhatsApp. We built a programmatic system for 79,000 doctor profiles, it took 4 months, now it gets 180,000 organic visitors monthly.

This experience taught me this: the best marketing for a solo agency is explaining your work in detail. Blog posts, case studies, technical articles. Advertising budget zero, only time investment. There are currently 47 articles on the FUTIA blog, each 1500-2000 words, all full of examples from real projects. 3,000 organic visitors come monthly, 2-3 potential clients reach out after reading these articles each month.

Pricing Model

The first year I worked project-based. I charged 15,000-25,000 TL for a site, delivered and finished. Problem: I had to find new clients every month, income was unpredictable. In October 2023, I switched to a subscription model: site + automation + monthly maintenance package.

There are 3 packages:

• Starter: 800 EUR/month, 12-month commitment (WordPress site + basic automations + weekly maintenance)
• Growth: 1,400 EUR/month, 12-month commitment (+ programmatic content + advanced automations)
• Enterprise: 2,200 EUR/month, 6-month commitment (+ API integrations + custom development)

This model changed my life. I currently have 7 active subscription clients, monthly recurring revenue around 9,000 EUR. Finding new clients is still important but no longer vital. Even if one client leaves, 85% of revenue is protected.

Without Automations, a Solo Agency Cannot Scale

If you're solo, your time is your most valuable asset. The first year I worked 55 hours a week. The second year it dropped to 32 hours. The difference: automation. I automated every repetitive task.

Example 1: Client onboarding. I used to have a 3-hour meeting for each new client, prepare a 20-page brief. Now: the client fills out a web form, Make.com automatically creates a brief, Claude API asks for missing information, I only do a 30-minute review.

Example 2: Weekly reports. I used to manually prepare reports by going into Google Analytics for each client, it took 45 minutes. Now: Make.com automatically pulls reports every Monday morning, Claude writes a summary, sends an email to the client. I don't touch it.

Example 3: Content generation. We wrote 618 recipes for the italyanmutfagi.com project. If I had written them all, it would have taken 6 months. We used Claude Haiku API, in Recipe Schema.org format, each SEO-optimized. It took 3 weeks, cost 140 USD. Now it gets 28,000 organic visitors monthly.

Setting up automation takes time initially. Building a Make.com scenario can take 4-8 hours. But once you build it, it runs forever. I currently use 23 active scenarios, total setup time was around 90 hours. These 90 hours save me 15 hours per week, so it paid for itself in 6 weeks.

Which Processes Should Be Automated?

Don't try to automate everything. I look at 3 criteria:

1. Does it repeat 3+ times per week? 2. Can the steps be clearly defined? 3. Does it not require human decision?

If all three are "yes," automate it. For example, customer feedback can't be automated because each requires different context. But invoicing can be automated because the same steps repeat every month.

The Dark Side of Solo Agency: Loneliness and Burnout

No one talks about this but running a solo agency is isolating. No team, no office colleagues, no one to chat with at lunch. For the first 8 months, I talked to 2-3 people a day: supermarket cashier, delivery person, client on Zoom in the evening. In May 2023, I realized I hadn't left home for 4 days.

Solution: artificial socialization. Every Tuesday I work at a cafe in Amsterdam, having people around is enough. Every Thursday I join an online coworking session, we work silently side by side for 2 hours, just the sense of presence helps. Once a month I have a Zoom meeting with entrepreneur friends in Turkey, we don't even talk business, just chat.

Burnout is a separate problem. As the number of clients increases, each brings "small" requests. A logo change, a page edit, an automation adjustment. 15 minutes alone but when 8 accumulate in a day, it becomes 2 hours. In August 2024, I completely shut down for a week, didn't do any client work. Returns had piled up, 47 small requests. For 3 days I only cleaned those up.

Now I do a monthly "cleanup day." The first Friday of the month I don't take new work, only complete accumulated small tasks. Clients know, it's marked on the calendar. This simple change reduced burnout by 70%.

7 Critical Lessons Learned in 2 Years

1. Standardization is freedom. Creating custom solutions for each client imprisons you. Use the same infrastructure, only change the content.

2. Saying no is part of growth. The first year I accepted every job, half didn't profit. Now I have clear criteria: are we using WordPress, is monthly maintenance included, is the budget above 800 EUR? If no, I don't take it.

3. Subscription model changes the rules of the game. Project-based work is stressful, subscription is predictable. 5,000 EUR monthly recurring revenue is more valuable than 10,000 EUR project revenue.

4. Blog posts are the best salesperson. I haven't advertised for 2 years, 2-3 potential clients come from blog posts every month. Write long, detailed posts full of real examples.

5. Automation is not luxury but necessity. The only way to scale with one person. Dedicate 2 hours per week to building automation, in 6 months you'll save 10 hours per week.

6. Client selection is half the job. A bad client takes 5 times more time than a good client. Learn to recognize red flags in the first meeting: "need it urgently," "no budget but," "another agency messed it up."

7. Loneliness is a real problem. Seeking solutions is nothing to be ashamed of. Coworking, online communities, regular social activities. Even if the business is successful, if mental health collapses, it means nothing.

The Future: Evolution of the Solo Agency

I'm still solo but FUTIA is no longer just me. I work project-based with 3 freelancers: a copywriter, a graphic designer, a video editor. I don't hire them full-time, we only work task-based when needed. This hybrid model works: I handle technical infrastructure and automation, they handle creative content.

My 2025 plan: not to grow the team, but to automate the system even more. I currently work 32 hours a week, the goal is 20 hours. I want to dedicate the remaining time to learning new automation tools, writing blog posts, developing my own projects. Solo agency is a lifestyle choice for me, not just a business model.

If you're also thinking about starting a solo agency, ask yourself this before starting: are you truly happy working alone? If you want to escape team management, office politics, meetings, yes. But if you need social interaction, brainstorming, working side by side, solo agency can be challenging. Both are valid choices, you just need to know yourself.

I've been serving Turkish brands from the Netherlands for 2 years. I learn something new every day, improve the system a bit more every month. Starting a solo agency isn't easy but it's possible. With standard processes, smart automation, and clear boundaries, even one person can build a scalable agency. If you have questions, you can reach me via WhatsApp: +90 532 491 17 05. Or you can email info@futia.net.