Back in 2010, I quit my job because I was convinced I could do things better on my own. I’d always been one of the top salespeople, but I was frustrated. I wanted control. The online world was growing and digital marketing was really starting to take off. So I threw myself into it—buying domains, running PPC ads, launching an online store. Friends and family started asking for help. Before I knew it, I had a digital agency. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was relentless. I once stayed up all night manually populating an eCommerce store, not realising there were easier ways. Over time, I learned how to build a team, manage clients, and actually run a business (very different from just making money). We grew, I burned out, and eventually sold the agency. I went back into corporate. Big name, big clients—but I felt like a cog in the machine. That led to a part-time management degree (while working full-time and raising triplets… not recommended). It gave me clarity: my strength isn’t being the best at one thing—it’s connecting the dots across sales, marketing, and strategy. That’s what led me back into agency leadership. And that’s where I’m happiest—helping businesses grow by focusing on what actually moves the needle.
My first real taste of entrepreneurship came in my early 20s when I discovered you could buy domain names and flip them for profit.
It started with curiosity, turned into a bit of an obsession. I'd hunt for unregistered domains, buy them cheap, and resell them—sometimes for a decent margin, sometimes not. From there, I started building simple blogs and lead generation sites using drag-and-drop builders. Nothing fancy—just SEO, a bit of content, and a form.
At one point, we had a site generating around 50 leads a month in a niche space, which we’d pass on to partners for a fee.
I didn’t realise it at the time, but that was the foundation: learn fast, ship scrappy, and focus on what drives value. Those early experiments taught me more about digital marketing than any formal training ever could.
I used to see being a generalist as a weakness.
I’d tell myself I was a jack of all trades, master of none—and that I needed to “specialise” to really succeed. But over the last few years, especially as I’ve stepped into more senior leadership roles, I’ve come to see that breadth is actually a huge strength.
Being able to sit in on different types of meetings—marketing, sales, delivery, ops—and contribute meaningfully across the board is incredibly valuable. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. You need smart people around you who own the detail. The job of a good leader is to ask the right questions, surface the key points from the noise, and make informed decisions. That shift—from trying to know everything, to trusting the people around me and focusing on high-leverage thinking—has been empowering.
For me, it’s those first conversations with new clients.
I love digging into their world—understanding how the business works, where the pressure points are, what they’ve tried before, and where the gaps might be. Every business has its own set of moving parts, and I really enjoy trying to piece together the right marketing strategy and channel mix that fits them—not just what’s trendy or textbook. It’s like solving a puzzle. And when it clicks—when you see the lightbulb moment on their side and they say, “That actually makes sense”—that’s what gives me energy. It’s never one-size-fits-all. That’s the fun of it.
Most days are a mix of discovery calls with new prospects, catch-ups with existing clients, and working on proposals or pitches—sometimes writing them, sometimes delivering them. I’m also regularly on calls with our delivery team—either mapping out strategy for a new client, or reviewing how campaigns are performing and what we could do better. Outside of client work, I post a lot on LinkedIn. It’s become a great way to share ideas, start conversations, and just keep my thinking sharp. And recently, I’ve started doing short podcast-style video interviews with marketers I meet along the way. 30-minute chats about real challenges, wins, lessons learned—stuff you don’t always hear in polished case studies. I absolutely love it. People have so much wisdom when you give them space to talk. Every conversation helps me grow—and in a digital world that never stands still, you’ve got to keep learning.
I’ve never really seen myself as the smartest in the room—or the most naturally talented. But I’ve always had a strong work ethic. I just work hard. Often harder than I probably should. Switching off is something I still struggle with, to be honest. But that drive comes from my dad. He was born in a small rural village in Sardegna and built a life for our family here in the UK through pure graft. He worked in the restaurant trade and would literally take one day off a year—Christmas Day. And even then, he’d be cooking a full spread for the family. Not your typical British Christmas dinner either—think maialetto arrosto (roast suckling pig) or gamberoni (king prawns). Watching that growing up made a big impression on me. These days, I’m trying to be a bit smarter with how I work—not just harder. That’s something I challenge myself with every day: how can I do this more effectively? How can I add more value without burning out?
In the early days of running my own business, I tried to do everything myself. Partly out of necessity—I was working behind a bar in the evenings and building the business during the day with basically no budget. So I wore every hat: SEO, PPC, basic coding (badly), sales, bookkeeping, you name it. I thought I was saving money, but I learned that getting the right people involved earlier would’ve moved things along faster—and saved me a lot of stress. These days, I always recommend that founders focus more on sales and profit-generating activity. If the money’s coming in, delivery becomes a lot easier to solve. The other big one was service focus. I started off offering everything to everyone—whatever paid the bills. But that created complexity, resource drain, and way too many distractions. I still remember us offering email hosting for £10/month. Sounds fine until someone's inbox goes down and it’s a five-am alarm fire. The cost of servicing it completely outweighed the return. That experience taught me the importance of aligning the business model with a clear, focused, profitable service model. Simplify, specialise, and scale from there.
I'm not sure, maybe, that I’m just a “sales guy.” There’s still a bit of stigma around sales—that it’s all about persuasion, targets, and closing the deal at any cost. But that’s never sat right with me. I genuinely care about the businesses I work with. I take the time to understand their world, the challenges they’re facing, and what actually matters to them. I love the process of figuring out what’s going to move the needle—not just selling something for the sake of it. I think that mindset probably comes from my early agency days. I wasn’t just selling—I was delivering too. If something didn’t work, or we’d overpromised, I was the one on the phone with the client having the awkward conversation. So I learned very quickly: say what’s true, deliver what you promised, and never hand over a mess to the delivery team. That level of care has stuck with me ever since. It’s not about short-term wins—it’s about building trust, solving real problems, and doing work I can be proud of.
Most of my time outside work is spent with family—which is exactly how I like it. I’ve got 10-year-old triplets and three grandkids, so there’s never a quiet moment! Whether it’s helping with homework, being a human climbing frame, or ferrying them all over the place, that time is really grounding. Outside of family, I try to stay active. I play football once a week with a bunch of other “veteran” dads—most of us clinging to the idea we’ve still got a bit of pace left in the legs. I also do some boxing and Thai boxing to keep fit. It’s a good way to switch off, stay sharp, and get rid of any stress. Life’s full-on—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Honestly, I’m still figuring that out. For me personally, success is having a happy, healthy family and being able to give them the best life I can. That’s always been the most important thing. On the work side, we’re in a big growth phase right now. We’ve got ambitious targets, and thankfully—touch wood—we’re heading in the right direction. So at the moment, success looks like keeping that momentum going… while not losing sight of what really matters at home. Ask me again in six months and I’ll probably give you a slightly different answer. But right now? It’s about building something meaningful—without burning out the things that matter most.
What sets us apart is our blend of international scale and local finesse. Unlike many agencies that offer generic global services, Eskimoz is truly multi-local: we have teams across the UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, with consultants fluent in 12 languages. That means we don’t just translate campaigns—we localise them, using cultural nuance to ensure messages truly resonate with each market . We’ve built proprietary tools in-house—think AI-powered SEO and PPC assistants, predictive LLM ranking models, and real-time dashboards—so clients get transparency and control across geographies . Our model isn’t just delivery‑led. We’re shifting toward empowering clients’ own internal teams—giving them the tools and insight to deliver more for less, while still providing expert guidance and strategic oversight. This hybrid offering gives clients flexibility, efficiency, and ongoing support in a crowded channel landscape. In short: Eskimoz combines global reach and local expertise with data-driven tech and a genuinely consultative approach. This makes scaling across Europe (and beyond) seamless—and ensures growth is built on real connection, not just clicks.
For us, it’s less about the industry or project size—and more about mindset. If a prospect sees us purely as a supplier, ticking boxes and hitting KPIs they’ve already decided on, it’s usually not the right fit. We work best with clients who see us as a partner—where we’re in it together, with shared responsibility and realistic goals. I had a call recently where the prospect told me their last agency had promised them X result in Y months just to win the deal. They didn’t deliver (unsurprisingly), and now the client’s been left picking up the pieces. I told them straight: “I won’t be proposing something like that—so if that’s what you’re after, we’re probably not the agency for you.” We won’t promise things we can’t control. That’s not playing it safe—it’s being honest. Because if we’re setting targets together, we’ll do everything in our power to hit them. But we’ve got to start from a place of trust, not fantasy. So yeah—if you’re looking for magic numbers and fairy dust, we’re not the one. But if you want a team that’ll think deeply, challenge assumptions, and build something that actually works… that’s where we shine.
One rule we’re uncompromising about at Eskimoz is this: focus on the metrics that actually matter. Too many agencies get excited by clicks, impressions, or MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads). All fine and well—but those things aren’t what really moves the needle. We believe that if you’re not tracking real revenue and closed business, you’re flying in the dark. That’s why one of the first things we do with new clients is get full tracking set up—from first click to final sale—and feed that data right back into the marketing machine. We let real performance data guide our strategy: which channels work, what creatives convert, and where the real value is coming from. It’s how we move from feeling things out, to making decisions with confidence. That mindset—acting on evidence, not vanity—means we’re constantly realigning campaigns to what clients actually want: profitable growth. Not just attention. It’s simple, but it’s powerful—and it’s how we build work that matters, not dashboards that look nice.
I mostly focus on hiring for our sales team—and for me, it’s not about finding someone with a perfect marketing CV. It’s much more about character, attitude, and good old-fashioned common sense. I look for people who are naturally curious—who know how to ask thoughtful questions, really listen, and figure out what a business actually needs, rather than just pitching something off the shelf. The best people I’ve worked with aren’t necessarily the loudest or the slickest—they’re the ones who genuinely want to help, who build trust by doing the right thing, and who care about outcomes over ego. You can teach product knowledge and marketing principles. But that blend of integrity, curiosity, and practical smarts? That’s what I’m always looking for.
For me, it all starts with open, honest communication. Hopefully, my team would say they know I’ll always be straight with them. If something can be improved, I’ll say so—but always from a place of care and belief in them. It’s never about criticism for the sake of it. I want to help people be the best they can be. I also make a point of asking for their thoughts. I don’t have all the answers—and I’m comfortable admitting that. I’ll ask for feedback and actually listen. I want them to feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and offer a different perspective—without worrying I’ll bite their head off. Creativity often comes from conversation. I’ll share my thinking, but frame it as just that—one way of looking at things. Not right or wrong, just a different lens. In the end, it’s about testing, evolving, and learning together. The best ideas rarely arrive fully formed—they come from an environment where people feel trusted, heard, and challenged in the right way.
If I had to pick one, I’d probably say the hype around “automation”—especially on platforms like LinkedIn. Don’t get me wrong, automation can work. I use some of it myself. But there’s this wave of people messaging saying things like: “I can generate you more leads on LinkedIn with our AI tool.” And when you look closer, a lot of it is just glorified networking. It’s outreach at scale—not true lead generation. There’s nothing wrong with it, but let’s not dress it up as something it’s not. The other one that makes me smile is when agencies or so-called experts pitch services they don’t even do well for themselves. PPC agencies not running their own ads. SEO consultants whose websites can’t be found. LinkedIn “growth experts” who barely post—and when they do, no one engages. I get the old “cobbler’s shoes” excuse, but at some point it’s just a cop out. If you’re selling a strategy, you should at least be showing you know how to use it. Start by doing it well for yourself. That’s the best proof there is.
You can’t really talk about the future without mentioning AI and large language models. The SEO landscape alone is changing in front of our eyes—and fast. But as much as the tools and tactics evolve, I still believe in sticking to solid principles: creating real value, understanding what matters to customers, and avoiding the trap of chasing fads. One shift I am betting on is how clients want to work with agencies. The traditional “done for you” model feels a bit dated now. More and more, we’re seeing businesses want to keep certain capabilities in-house—but they still need strategic guidance and expert input. That’s exactly where we’re headed at Eskimoz. We’ve built proprietary tools to help internal teams do more themselves—while still having access to our consultants to steer, advise, and keep them ahead of the curve. It’s less “we’ll do it all for you,” and more “we’ll do it with you.” That combination of enablement and expert support is where I think the real long-term value lies.
One change that’s made a huge difference was shifting how I approach discovery calls. It sounds simple, but I started treating discovery as the most important part of the sales process—not just a tick-box step before writing a proposal. Now, I spend as much time as needed really understanding the business: what they do, who their audience is, where they are now, where they want to get to, and what constraints or internal resources they’re working with. I want to know the landscape—who we’re up against, what’s working, what’s broken—before I even think about strategy. Once I’ve got enough to go on, I’ll do our own analysis in the background. I’ll look at market positioning, competitive dynamics, and the client’s current setup. Then I’ll pull together my findings and early thoughts—not a generic proposal, but something specific to them. From there, we shape the strategy together. It becomes a collaboration, not a pitch. That shift has transformed our close rate. Clients can see we’ve done the work, we care, and we’re not guessing. And that builds trust before we’ve even signed a contract.
Don’t try to be everything to everyone. When I first started out, I was offering bespoke, multi-channel, multi-service packages—often at pretty modest retainers. Clients loved it, of course. They were getting far more time and expertise than they were really paying for. But the model didn’t work. It wasn’t profitable, it wasn’t scalable, and it put a huge strain on our resources. The turning point was realising we needed to focus. We looked at what we were genuinely great at—where we had strong expertise and a compelling proposition—and doubled down on those core services. More importantly, we made sure those services actually aligned with what our clients cared about most. That’s the sweet spot: what you’re brilliant at, and what’s valuable to your customers. So if you’re just starting out, keep it simple. Build around your strengths, stay close to what clients really need, and resist the urge to say yes to everything. That’s how you create something sustainable—and something that actually delivers value.
I’d be more focused from the start. When I first launched, I said yes to everything—every service, every client, every request. It felt like the right thing to do to keep the lights on. But in hindsight, it diluted our proposition and made it much harder to grow sustainably. If I were starting again, I’d take a step back and get crystal clear on what we’re great at and what actually solves real problems for clients. Then I’d build the agency around that. Less chaos, fewer compromises, and a much stronger foundation from day one.
I’ve never been a fan of set packages or fixed pricing. In marketing, one size doesn’t fit all. Every business is different—even two companies in the same market will have different USPs, different goals, different levels of maturity. What works for one might be completely wrong for another. For me, pricing has to reflect the effort required to get a client from A to B. And that depends on where they are now, what the competition’s doing, and how ambitious the goal is. I always try to keep it pragmatic: what’s realistic given the resources they’ve got? What will make the biggest difference right now? And on the budget side—look, no one’s ever said a number and I’ve thought, “Wow, that’s loads more than you need.” It’s always the opposite. There’s so much that could be done, and most businesses don’t have unlimited budget. So the conversation becomes: what’s going to move the needle first? Where can we get traction early and build from there? That’s how I like to approach it—realistic, tailored, and focused on outcomes, not line items.
It’s always a balancing act—and most businesses naturally lean towards growth first. New customer acquisition, lead generation, performance marketing… that’s where the attention (and budget) usually goes. But it often comes at the cost of brand and long-term sustainability. The first things to get cut tend to be the things that take time to build—but are actually the foundations for long-term success. My approach is to be honest with clients. We look at where they are now, where they want to get to, and what it’s going to take to get there. That means showing them the trade-offs clearly: Paid might get faster results, but it’s usually less cost-effective long-term than something like SEO or content. So we work together to find the right balance. I’ve seen models suggesting 60–70% on acquisition and 30–40% on brand—and while it’s not a perfect science, I think that’s a decent starting point for most. The key is adaptability. If short-term cash flow is critical, you lean into performance. But never at the total expense of sustainability. Build the engine and keep fuel in the tank.
There are a few people I’ve worked with or alongside who I’ve really admired—and each of them brought something different to the table. Sam Martin-Ross, who I work with now at Eskimoz, is a great example. He’s calm, honest, and has a huge amount of hands-on experience that he draws on when shaping strategy. Whether it’s with clients or the team, he relays things in a really reassuring, grounded way. You always feel like the room's under control. Mike Carter at Ixis was similar in that respect—really calm and measured. He’d built a strong leadership team that handled delivery, which meant he didn’t need to be in the weeds every day. That allowed him to focus on building a tight, profitable business with a very clear area of expertise. And then there’s James Hamilton at Pixeltree—someone earlier in his journey, but razor-sharp. His ability to quickly cut through noise, understand the client’s real needs, and communicate a simple, focused solution was brilliant to watch. I’ve taken lessons from all of them—whether it’s clarity, calmness, or just knowing when to speak and when to listen.
I’m actually pretty flexible when it comes to tools. I’m not the type to get overly attached to any one platform. Most tools can do the job—it’s more about how easy they are to adopt. If the user experience is clunky or I can’t pick it up quickly, I’ll usually move on. I need tools that fit into my day, not ones that make me work around them. That said, the one I use constantly right now is ChatGPT. It’s simple, fast, and helps me tackle all sorts of tasks—from shaping content and pitch ideas, to sense-checking strategies or even bouncing around thoughts before a call. I’ve also built a few custom GPTs to speed up repetitive tasks, so I can get more done, faster—and free up time for the more strategic stuff. It’s not magic, but when used well, it’s a massive productivity boost.
There isn’t just one, to be honest—I’ve picked things up from lots of different people and places over the years. Early on, The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss really stood out. It was so different to anything I’d read before and got me thinking about time, value, and how to approach work with a bit more creativity and leverage. Later, I got into the idea of productisation through people like Greg Hickman, which helped me think about how to scale without burning out. I’ve also worked closely with Jamie Edwards, a brilliant mental coach who introduced me to NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) years ago. His thinking around mindset and communication has shaped how I show up in work and life. In the sales space, I follow people like Christian Polak. And more recently, I’ve been massively inspired by Jon Brosio—he’s a master at creating content that’s engaging, human, and strategic without ever feeling forced. I’ve definitely taken cues from his approach for my own content and storytelling. And beyond that, I learn a lot just from observing. People like Joe Rogan, for example—I admire his ability to ask good questions, stay curious, and have conversations that feel real and effortless. There’s a lot to take from that.
For years, I was all about the office. I liked the camaraderie, the quick chats, the buzz you get from being around people. Then Covid hit and we all had to go remote—and I found it hard at first. I missed the in-person energy. After that, I had hybrid roles where I should have enjoyed the balance—but I didn’t. Not because of the setup, but because of the culture. There were constant fires, a lack of control, and it just wasn’t a fun or focused environment—no matter where you were sitting. More recently, I’ve been in fully remote roles I’ve loved. The difference? The people and the culture. At Eskimoz, we’re remote-first, but everyone takes ownership, supports each other, and genuinely cares about the work. No one drops the ball or dumps problems on you—they step in and try to help. We also meet up once a month in person, which is brilliant for strengthening relationships and keeping that human connection alive. So now, I’d say remote—with the right people and regular in-person touchpoints—is my ideal. It works because the culture works.
I’ve had a few raised eyebrows when I talk about this—but I’m cautious about hiring juniors, especially in lean or high-pressure agency setups. It’s not that I’m anti-junior. I’ve worked with some brilliant people early in their careers. But the reality is: juniors need proper support, training, and structure. What often happens is agencies hire them to save on salary costs, but then don’t have the bandwidth to coach or manage them properly. That creates stress for the team, lowers delivery standards, and ends up costing more in the long run. I wrote a post about this recently on LinkedIn. The gist is: if you’re going to hire juniors, make sure you’ve got the right environment to help them succeed. Otherwise, you’re setting them (and your business) up to fail. It’s not a popular view, but it’s an honest one. And I’d rather be real about what it takes than pretend it’s a quick win.
Budget. That’s probably the biggest one. Some clients assume it’s easy to cost a project or campaign on the spot—like there’s a fixed menu we just pick from. But the reality is, it takes time to understand the business, the goals, the challenges, the market—and only then can we recommend a strategy that’s realistic and aligned with the budget. And while not all, some clients expect you to have the answers straight away—after a ten-minute conversation. The truth is, good strategy isn’t pulled out of thin air. It’s built from understanding. From asking the right questions. From looking at the data, the context, the competition. If we’re going to do our job properly—and give advice that actually drives results—we need a bit of space to think. Otherwise, it’s guesswork. And no one wins with guesswork.
Honestly? The variety and the problem-solving. I love the discovery phase—getting to know a new business, understanding how it works, what makes it tick, what challenges they’re facing. Every client is different. Different products, different audiences, different internal dynamics. It’s like a puzzle. You’ve got to take all those moving parts and build a strategy that actually fits—something that works not just in theory, but in their specific context. That mix of commercial thinking, creativity, and logic is what keeps it interesting. And when you get it right—when a client says, “That’s exactly what we needed”—there’s no better feeling.
Most people assume agencies are making huge profits because of the fees they charge—but the reality is often very different. I saw a recent post breaking down the Prolific North Top 50 agencies, and the average margins were surprisingly low. In some cases, barely profitable at all. Costs in the industry have ballooned over the past few years—salaries, office space, software, recruitment. At the same time, expectations have gone up, and clients want more for less. It’s a much tighter game than people think. Agencies aren’t just charging for the hours—it’s the thinking, the strategy, the experience, and the ability to get results that clients can’t get on their own. So while fees might look high on paper, what’s often misunderstood is how much it takes behind the scenes to deliver work that actually moves the needle.
Showing 50 of 1,500+ keyword specialties
Browse only the best agencies and be confident knowing your project is in great hands
From PR to SEO to AI, we have the curated the best firms for any project you have
Each agency is ready to start on your project or task with professionalism
Get a fast snapshot of each firm so you can create a shortlist in record time
Tell us your unique project goals and we tell you what services & agencies you need
Agencies pay us a small monthly fee to be listed, so using 50Pros is 100% free
