Challenges Brought by Rapid Growth
After the first few years, Vapa entered a phase of rapid growth. Clients were becoming increasingly aware of content marketing, and the demand for our services surged. However, this period also revealed growing pains. As founders, we were simply not prepared for the challenges that came with expansion. We realized too late that our processes weren’t mature enough, and the recruitment of new talent highlighted the need for clearer structures and organization. The growth was not controlled, and in hindsight, it’s easy to identify the points where we failed. At the same time, I believe in the saying “Everyone’s wise on land when something goes wrong at sea”—some things just had to be experienced firsthand for us to grow as a company and as leaders.
Despite the challenges, we also achieved a great deal. The foundation was solid, our team was full of skilled professionals, and our reputation was growing. We had become known in the Finnish marketing industry, and at this point, we even published two business books: one on content marketing and another on agile teams. Both would undergo significant and radical changes during the following five years.
The Changing Landscape of Social Media
Between 2010 and 2015, the social media marketing industry also underwent a major transformation. Social media platforms matured, and their business models began to change dramatically, especially in terms of commercialization. Visibility on these channels was no longer about relevance or creativity—it became increasingly dependent on advertising budgets. For us and other content agencies, this shift posed a strategic dilemma: how to maintain organic impact in an environment that now demanded paid promotion. Did content still matter at all?
TikTok provided an answer to that question, radically reshaping the landscape. Its algorithm once again emphasized the quality of content and reignited the belief that great ideas and execution matter. Engagement could be earned—not just bought. As other platforms began to follow suit and social media increasingly evolved into a form of recommendation media (where content isn’t only received from those you follow, but also from sources highlighted by the algorithm), the importance of compelling storytelling was reaffirmed.
And then… the pandemic
By 2020, we had built a strong position and expanded our offering—thanks in part to the release of Tiimiäly (which, by the way, was well ahead of its time and truly deserves a revival). But just as we were gaining momentum, the pandemic hit, and like so many others, we faced a sudden and destabilizing shock.
Our operations slowed, and uncertainty filled the air. The growth we had been so proud of came to a halt, along with everything else, and we were forced to look at our company with fresh eyes. Over the years, our services had expanded in many directions. We had added new capabilities and broadened our offering in response to opportunity. However, this diversification—though well-intentioned—had started to dilute Vapa’s focus.
When we were forced to pause—first because of the pandemic, and then due to Russia’s war of aggression—we had to, or rather got the opportunity to, reflect on where we were truly at our best and what we wanted to build next.
It’s not easy to accept that focus is important, but on the other hand, it’s incredibly difficult to be genuinely excellent at everything. So, we decided that moving forward, we want to be the best agency in Finland at doing what we do best. In the next part, I’ll share what that meant—and how we found our new direction.