Having a clear understanding of our numbers from the start has been essential, allowing me to set the right prices for our services , make smart financial decisions and reinvest into the business
Rita Agoulian
When Rita Agoulian launched LickYourPhone as a simple Instagram page to share food spots around Sydney, she had no idea it would eventually become a full-fledged business.
Back then, she was working a finance job and spending her weekends at her brother’s panel-beating shop just to keep her passion project afloat, earning as little as $18,000 a year. But her dedication paid off. In 2019, she made a bold move: quitting finance to fully commit to LickYourPhone. Now, with a seven-figure business, a team of 25, and over 2 million followers across platforms, Agoulian has transformed LickYourPhone into a thriving social media agency that has served more than 100 clients. Embracing automation, AI, and a mostly remote workforce, she’s created an efficient model that’s scaled rapidly—all while keeping the team’s office time optional.
In this week’s edition of Founder Friday, we sat down with Rita Agoulian, the founder of LickYourPhone Media how she leveraged her online influence to build a successful business and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
The beginning
Entrepreneurship has always been in Rita Agoulian’s DNA. With both her father and brother running their own businesses, Rita always felt drawn to the idea of building something of her own. “For me, the right path wasn’t immediately obvious – I needed to explore a few different things before it clicked. I’ve always been really passionate about food, and my love for it inspired me to start an Instagram account sharing my recommendations for where and what to eat in Sydney and beyond.
“At the time, it was just a hobby as I was working in corporate finance, but was constantly drawn to my online community who trusted my recommendations, and as my following grew to over 2 million, it felt only natural to turn this passion project into a business. In 2018, I left my stable six-figure job to go all in on LickYourPhone Media, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. What started as a solo side hustle is now a thriving social media marketing agency with a team of 25, each bringing their expertise in social and digital marketing, influencer partnerships, and videography.”
For Rita Agoulian, implementing systems and processes early on was essential to scaling LickYourPhone Media. She quickly recognized that without organization, juggling competing deadlines could become overwhelming. “Investing in project management tools, AI and automations allowed us to streamline operations and productivity, and free up time to focus on creativity and high standards of service to our clients. I also realised early on that to scale the business, I couldn’t do everything myself. I invested in hiring the right people for each job and delegated to them to free up my time to work on growing the business. And finally, having a clear understanding of our numbers from the start has been essential, allowing me to set the right prices for our services , make smart financial decisions and reinvest into the business.”
Authentic social media marketing
I think our key point of difference is that we are a hybrid combination of marketing agency and influencer.
Rita describes LickYourPhone Media as the leading social media marketing agency in the hospitality sector, but she believes their real differentiator is their unique hybrid model. Unlike traditional agencies, LickYourPhone combines the roles of a marketing agency and an influencer.
“We have a large and loyal following on our own social media, so we don’t just work in the background to promote our clients on their channels; we also influence and engage our followers directly, sharing authentic recommendations that go beyond our client roster. This authentic approach stays true to our values, whether we’re sharing a restaurant we genuinely love or delivering standout results for our clients.”
The power of a positive mindset
Setting the right price is a reflection of your expertise and the quality of your work, and it helps build trust with your clients
Leaving a stable, high-paying job for an uncharted path was a massive leap for Rita, and many thought she was taking an enormous risk. But her drive for success and unwavering confidence kept her going and still fuel her today.
“My drive for success and my confidence that I could not fail kept me going and continues to today. I’ve also learned to see any challenges along the way as something to be learned from rather than problems. For example, when COVID hit and the world went into lockdown, hospitality was one of the industries hit the hardest. Instead of giving up, I used it as an opportunity to learn and adapt my business. A key lesson is that with the right mindset, every challenge can teach you something valuable.”
“Believe in yourself, even if others don’t. My “delusional” self-belief has been essential to my success. Also, invest in your team – they’re the backbone of your business, so it’s important to create a supportive environment where your people feel valued for what they uniquely bring to the team and motivated to do good work. Finally, know and charge your worth. Setting the right price is a reflection of your expertise and the quality of your work, and it helps build trust with your clients.”
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