5 Lessons from Our First Year Running a Software Agency

When we founded Pulseon in Iași, Romania in 2020, we had technical skills but limited experience running a client services business. Four years later, we've learned lessons that no tutorial or course could teach. Here are the five most important ones.

1. Communication Beats Technical Excellence

This was our hardest lesson. Early on, we focused intensely on writing perfect code while neglecting client communication. We'd disappear for weeks, heads down in development, then emerge with something that wasn't quite what the client expected.

What we changed:

Weekly status updates, even if there's nothing dramatic to report
Quick responses to client messages (within a few hours, not days)
Regular demos of work-in-progress, not just finished features

The result? Happier clients and fewer rewrites. A client who understands the progress is a client who trusts you.

2. Scope Creep Is a Relationship Problem

"Can you just add one small feature?" We've all heard it. Early on, we'd say yes to everything, afraid to disappoint. This led to projects that never ended and margins that disappeared.

What we learned:

Scope creep usually happens when the initial requirements weren't clear enough—and that's often our fault. Now we:

Spend more time upfront understanding the real problem
Document everything in plain language, not just technical specs
Have honest conversations about trade-offs early

When scope does expand (it always does), we address it directly: "We can add this. Here's what it means for timeline and budget." Clients respect honesty.

3. Not Every Client Is the Right Client

In our first year, we took every project that came our way. Some were great. Others were nightmares that consumed our energy and damaged our morale.

Red flags we now watch for:

Unrealistic expectations about timelines or budgets
Lack of clarity about what they actually want
Disrespect for our expertise or time
Payment terms that put all the risk on us

Saying no to wrong-fit projects freed us to do better work for clients who valued our partnership.

4. Process Is Freedom, Not Bureaucracy

We started with almost no process. "We're small and agile," we told ourselves. But without structure, things fell through cracks. Deadlines got missed. Quality varied.

Simple processes that transformed our work:

A consistent project kickoff checklist
Weekly internal reviews of all active projects
Post-project retrospectives (what worked, what didn't)
Clear handoff procedures between team members

These aren't bureaucratic overhead—they're the foundation that lets us work confidently.

5. Your Reputation Is Everything

In Iași's tech community, word travels fast. Every project, every interaction, every delivered product contributes to your reputation. We've gotten most of our clients through referrals, not marketing.

What builds reputation:

Delivering what you promised, when you promised
Being honest when things go wrong
Helping even when there's no immediate business benefit
Treating every project like it matters (because it does)

Looking Forward

Four years in, we're still learning. The market changes, technologies evolve, and each client brings new challenges. But these five lessons remain constant. They're not about software—they're about building relationships and running a sustainable business.

If you're starting your own agency or considering working with one, we hope these insights help. And if you're in Iași and want to grab a coffee to talk shop, reach out. We're always happy to share what we've learned.