What’s your backstory — how did you end up starting (or joining) an agency?

I was always interested in computers and media as a kid, so I decided that I wanted to study a media related degree at University. I chose a practical degree where you would be doing lots of ""doing"" - creating lots of types of media and learning the principles for a lot of media style roles.After uni I applied for a bunch of roles in that area, and was fortunate enough to get an interview for the first job I applied for, which was a web designer for a broadband provider. I was even more amazed when I was offered the job. My first role helped me learn about online user journeys and designing ecommerce flows, as well as measuring their impact and optimising them. This then broadened out into marketing and not just optimising the user journey on-site but thinking about how to get people to the site in the first place.From there I worked at a marketing agency and developed my strategic and people leadership skills, before moving to running a digital health business. When the opportunity came to lead The SEO Works, I knew it was the perfect place to use my knowledge and experience in helping clients get the most out of digital. Becoming CEO has been an evolution of my skills and responsibilities.

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What was your first entrepreneurial moment as a kid or teen?

I collated all of the toys and trinkets I didnt want any more and set up a shop, selling to my brother and sister and neighbours on the street!

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When do you feel most energized at work?

Growth and improvement is what drives me. We regularly review how we do things, and work on small but continual improvements. By doing this it’s amazing how you can evolve a business and become even better at what you do. I love seeing talented people come together, grow with their own development, and create work that they are proud of.

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What’s a day in your life really look like (no filters)?

My work days have some structured meetings which generally fall in the mornings. These meetings are key to “measuring the temperature” across the business - recruitment, sales, HR, finance and client servicing. I also catch up three times a week with the other Directors of the business - short and regular meetings which help information flow and decision making.In the afternoons my calendar is generally free to focus on my to do list. My time is split across a variety of areas including finance, communications, strategy, market awareness, and public relations.After work finishes I’m a big advocate of family time and also getting some exercise. Football, squash and golf are my current hobbies - they are a good way to de-stress and re-energise.

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What’s a personal ritual or habit you credit for your success?

Just turn up each day. You will have good days and bad, but consistency in turning up is key. Also things don't have to be perfect - get stuff out there and iterate rather than procrastinate.

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What makes your agency different from others in your space?

A big difference is that we are 100% employee owned. That means every person in the business has a real, personal stake in its future. We’ve always cared about getting results. But now, each member of the team also shares in the wider success of the business. That means an even stronger focus on doing things right. We’ll still have leadership and structure, of course. But the culture we’ve built - open, collaborative, and people-first - is now protected by design.

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How do you hire? What do you look for in people?

In terms of recruitment, we look at adaptability, examples of how interviewees approach problem-solving, and how they use their own initiative. We also pay close attention to how communicative they are. If they have been in any people-facing roles before, this is usually a good measure of whether they can “handle” people. A demonstrated willingness to learn is important. The best candidates tend to continually develop their own knowledge out of passion. We seek integrity – if people have followed through on their promises, or have had the courage to be honest when things go wrong. Obviously skills to do the job come in to it too. These qualities all closely align with our own core internal values, which are really important to define.

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What advice would you give to someone starting an agency today?

For someone starting an agency today, don't fall into the trap of being a jack of all trades, offering everything to everyone. Even if this is just full service digital, it is a lot of plates to spin at the start. It's much easier to start out with just one specialisation and even one sector, to get a foothold in the market, and grow from there. For example, we started out 16 years ago just offering SEO aimed at small businesses. Every new founder should be able to say what they do and why in a sentence. Define your ideal client and their core problem, then craft your offer to solve that problem. Being vague won't help anyone. Also, set up and be present on Linkedin. Modern social media marketing relies more on people than brands. Your presence on these channels is key.The final piece of advice would be that the first 5 hires you make will be the most important in terms of setting the culture of the business. Don't make short cuts or compromises with these people - make sure you are fully aligned on values and outlook. There will be lots of ups and downs to ride, so these people need to be resilient.

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How do you prioritize growth vs. sustainability?

We've always focussed on what we call ""sustainable growth"". That means growing steadily and consistently rather than big bang appraoches. We've managed to do this by developing a repeatable, sustainable lead generation model supported by a strong sales team. And at the same time focussing on client service through regular internal training and client feedback.

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What’s one resource (book, podcast, etc.) that changed how you work?

One book that has stuck with me was “Man's search for meaning” by Viktor Frankl. If you want perspective then give this a read. It makes you realise that no matter the situation, there is always someone better off and also worse off than you. It also makes you realise that with the right kind of purpose in your life, you can do pretty much anything.

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Remote, hybrid, or in-office — what’s your ideal setup and why?

Hybrid work is definitely our mode. It's a way of working that staff love, and increasingly it's seen less as a perk and more as an expected way of working. It offers a lot of benefits, from the flexibility to control where you work, reduced commuting costs, and an increased ability to juggle ""life admin"". Sometimes it's the simple things - such as being able to set the washing machine going at lunchtime rather than returning to a pile of laundry in the evening - that make a difference. However, we do have guidelines to follow as we also believe that a team can't bond as effectively if they are not together in person. So we ask that everyone works in the office at least 2 days per week, and for one of those days ALL of the team is in together to help communication, chemistry and collaboration.

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What’s your favorite thing about being in this industry?

I love working in this field as it's fast-moving, so you are constantly learning. Being able to measure the impact we have on our client's digital growth is very rewarding. You know that you are helping other people and businesses in their success, which is a great feeling to have.