From Freelance to Founder: Growing a Business That’s Impossible to Ignore with Abigail Mills

In this episode of Next Level You, host Toni Addinall is joined by social media strategist and mentor Abigail Mills, founder of Rose and Thistle Social. Abigail shares her inspiring journey from being a music graduate to an accidental entrepreneur who built a thriving social media business from scratch.We explore:How Abigail went from posting on Instagram for fun to running a successful businessThe tough lessons she learned after her business took a sudden downturnWhy consistency and visibility are non-negotiable for sustainable growthThe importance of investing in the right support at the right timeThe future of social media marketing and why personal branding and community matter more than everPractical tips for showing up online in a way that builds trust and drives salesWhether you’re a social media manager, service-based business owner, or early-stage entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with lessons on resilience, strategy, and taking aligned action.More about Abigail:Abigail is a social media manager, mentor, and director of Rose & Thistle Social Ltd, a results-driven social media marketing company turning service providers into industry leaders who stand out, sell more and become impossible to ignore on social media. With over five years of experience in the social media industry, Abigail is passionate about sharing her expertise with business owners and marketers. Her collaborative and authentic approach encourages businesses to view social media as a powerful means to attract customers, generate leads, and drive sales by putting people at the forefront of their brand. She creates strategic content that builds trust, boosts your personal brand, and turns followers into buyers, while helping you spend less time online and more time doing the work you love. Abigail's expertise and dedication have been recognised with nominations for multiple business awards, reflecting the impact and success of our work. She is also regularly invited to speaking engagements as a social media marketing expert at universities, podcast features and community events (including Glasgow Caledonian University; Adventures in Marketing 2025; Success On Your Terms Podcast by Natalie Potts; Mother's Meeting (Soho House, London); Alice Benham's UK Book Tour).The Freelancer Blueprint is my 12 week live programme to help social media managers go from overwhelmed to in control, with clear services, confident pricing, seamless systems and a community that actually gets it. So if you’ve felt stuck somewhere between survival mode and scaling - this is your sign to take action!https://services.roseandthistlesocial.com/tfb/Where to find Abigail:https://www.roseandthistlesocial.comhttps://www.instagram.com/roseandthistlesocialhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/abigailmills97/Follow your host, Toni Addinall here:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.addinall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toniaddinallstrategist/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toniaddinall Tik Tok: Toni| Action & Accountability (@getaccountablewithtoni) | TikTok