How long have you been in the digital space and what made you interested in this area?

I joined the digital space in 2001 as a 13-year-old teenager. My family was one of the pioneers in the online business directories industry and I had observed both digital marketing and web development at a young age.

As I finished high school, I had an interest in both technology and law. I went on to study a dual degree in law and commerce (majored in banking) and not long after starting my degree, I started Digital Engine in the law library in 2008. After graduating from my law degree in 2013, I found myself in the law profession and managing Digital Engine at the same time. It was during this time that I had discovered that I preferred building things and seeing things grow.

I then started to scale down my involvement in law and eventually left the profession a few years ago.

There are a lot of different types of digital agencies - specialising in a variety of things. Where do you see your agency sitting in this ecosystem, and how do you see your areas of specialty?

Having both a law degree and legal experience has given me an edge to think outside the box and to execute a strategy. Law is about research, strategy and execution and a digital agency is no different.

Now that Digital Engine has been operating for over 10 years, we've evolved into a full-service agency. We are really strong in the WordPress design and development side along with custom software development and API integration. We're also strong in the digital strategy and marketing space but we are very selective with who we work with.

Outside of Digital Engine, both my business partner and I have invested heavily to create a managed WordPress hosting platform to rival large international players. It is a "watch this space" type of thing as we gear towards our public launch.

It is this knowledge together with our extensive experience in development and marketing that makes us stand out in this crowded space.

What are the main issues you see coming up time and time again for your business clients in the digital space?

I see a few issues.

Lead generation in the digital space is becoming more and more expensive. This is either positive or negative to a business. It is positive for some businesses that really understand their business and have the systems and understand what their cost per enquiry and cost per acquisition of a customer should be as the barrier to entry for mainstream digital marketing platforms like Google Ads is becoming harder as time goes on. It is negative for some businesses if they lack the resources and systems to manage their business.

I also see many businesses that haven't evolved or have outgrown their website and are not taking full advantage of the technology to scale their business to larger markets or are not innovating enough within their industry.

One important factor in business is knowing who is a good fit for your business - those people who you work best with and who you can help the most. Who do you feel your agency is able to work best with and help the most?

Now that I have been in business since 2008, I've worked with many walks of life from sole traders, small and medium based businesses to even publicly listed companies. I used to say "bigger is better" until appreciating that I rather work with quality people with a mission and know their business directions.

Size of their business doesn't matter to me as long as we are a great fit for them. Personally, I love working with trade-based businesses that have the scale and innovative businesses that are backed by progressive and organised leaders.

What do you see as the biggest upcoming opportunities for businesses in the digital space?

I see YouTube and LinkedIn as under-utilised platforms that businesses can tap into in order to expand their reach.

If there was one key message you wanted to give business owners, what would it be?

Understand your numbers and what the future entails for your business.  Being clear with your objectives allows everyone to see the end result a lot clearer than someone that doesn't have vision or clarity.

Over the coming weeks, we will introduce you to our other advisors, and hope you get some inspiration and take-aways from those working with businesses in the digital space.