2024 Roundup: My Toughest Year in Business (and What It’s Taught Me)

As we’ve been winding down the year over the past few days I’ve been reflecting on what 2024 has meant for me and Anneka Burrett Digital. Let me be honest: this has been the hardest year I’ve faced in business yet. 😓

Between economic challenges, the ever-evolving ad landscape, and personal hurdles, 2024 has tested me in a few ways I didn’t expect. But as tough as it’s been, there have also been some incredible moments of growth, resilience, and clarity about the direction I want to take in 2025.

Here’s my unfiltered look back at the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

The Sh*t Bits
Let’s start with the challenges, because—let’s face it—there’s been no shortage of them this year.

The Impact of the Economy
The cost-of-living crisis and talk of a recession have been dominating headlines for years now, but 2024 felt like the moment it really hit home for small businesses. People have been spending less, shopping less frequently, and tightening their belts.

For some of my clients, this translated to smaller marketing budgets—or cutting ad spend entirely. And the pressure to deliver the same results on smaller budgets has been intense.

Rising CPCs (Thanks, Google!)
The cost of advertising has continued to climb. Across all platforms and industries, CPCs (cost per click) are rising, which means ad budgets don’t stretch as far as they used to. But despite these higher costs, businesses still expect results—and rightly so. Balancing those expectations with the realities of the market has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced this year.

Tracking and Compliance Nightmares
If there’s one phrase I never want to hear again, it’s “Consent Mode v2.”  This year has been an absolute rollercoaster when it comes to ad tracking and legal compliance. Enhanced conversions, cookie deprecation (and Google’s constant flip-flopping), and the complexities of remarketing ads have made life incredibly difficult for marketers—especially those of us without a coding background.

I’ve spent too many hours staring at technical guides that made me want to scream, cry, or both. There were moments I felt completely out of my depth, wishing I could just go back to my comfort zone / happy place - analysing ad performance spreadsheets.

Fraud and Financial Fallout
One of the scariest things that can happen to an ad manager happened to me this year: an ad account was compromised, and fraudulent ads run. Although we acted quickly to remove the fraudsters, the process of dealing with Meta’s payment team to get refunds was hellish. Hours and hours of contradictory updates, endless back-and-forths, and no way to speak to anyone who knew what they were talking about left me drained and out of pocket.

It wasn’t just financially costly—it also took a huge toll on my mental health.

Mental Health Struggles
After months of stress, I found myself grappling with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. This isn’t new territory for me, so I recognised the signs and knew it was time to take action.

So for the last few months I’ve been focusing on therapy, journalling, yoga, meditation, and setting healthier work boundaries. These practices haven’t fixed everything overnight, but they’ve given me the tools to start feeling like myself again.

The Good Stuff
It hasn’t all been doom and gloom, though. 2024 also brought some real moments of joy and success that reminded me why I love what I do.

Amazing Clients
This year, I’ve had the privilege of working with some fantastic new clients who fit so well with my values and ways of working. Many of these opportunities came through recommendations, which is always the most rewarding way to grow. Knowing that clients and colleagues trust me enough to refer me to others is a huge boost—especially in a year as challenging as this one.

Record-Breaking Results
While some sectors have struggled, others have thrived. Some of my clients had record-breaking years with their ad results, and we’ve been able to test exciting new strategies and features across different platforms.

One of the things I love about this industry is how dynamic it is. There’s always something new to learn, and that constant evolution keeps me on my toes. Even in the hardest times, there are always wins to celebrate.

Exciting New Things
The ups and downs of 2024 have reinforced the importance of diversifying my income streams. Relying solely on client work has its challenges, and I’ve realised I want to create something that gives me more stability and flexibility alongside the client work that I love. 

So I’ve been quietly working on a few new projects behind the scenes, which I’m planning to launch in 2025. This process has been so exciting, it’s really reignited my passion for what I do and reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As I say goodbye to 2024, I feel ready to leave the hard times behind and embrace the possibilities ahead.

This year has been a stark reminder of how unpredictable business can be, but it’s also shown me the importance of resilience, adaptability, and self-care. I’m heading into 2025 with a renewed focus on building something sustainable, meaningful, and exciting—not just for my clients, but for myself too.

To anyone else who’s had a tough year: I see you, and I know how hard it’s been. But I also know we’re stronger than we think, and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

Here’s to a brighter, more positive year ahead. Let’s make 2025 our best one yet!

Anneka x