Urszula Richards is a digital agency owner and online business mentor, and is also on our team of Business Advisors. She has also been involved in managing our Charles Sturt Business Facebook page in its first year, and gathering and writing up local business stories.
We thought we would like to get to know her a little better.
How long have you been in the digital space and what made you interested in this area?
I have been in the digital space since the internet was born. At the time I was working as a TAFE lecturer, and was immediately excited by the possibilities of online education and connection that the internet would bring, and I feel it has delivered!
What inspired me the most about the internet and digital is that it is 'the great equaliser', as anyone can have an online presence, connection, run a business as long as they have access to the internet. It then comes down to knowing how to make the most of this incredible resource at our fingertips.
Whatever your goals - whether they are business, connectedness, causes you are passionate about or education, digital can deliver. It made me realise that online know-how was extremely important and this was the thinking behind my business - onlineiq.
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?
That is very true. There is even a term which describes this now - the T shaped marketer/marketing agency.
What this acknowledges is the incredible breadth of knowledge and disciplines in the digital space. Most advisors would specialise deeply in one or two of these (the vertical part of the T). At the same time, it is important to be aware of the other areas (the horizontal part of the T) in order to ensure the full power of what is possible is implemented.
My areas of expertise are website development (which is where our Web Team Adelaide brand comes in), and in mentoring business owners to secure the foundations of their online presence. This enables them to grow from a stable position and make the most of what is possible online.
My clients see me as their marketing 'insider'. I help implement what they need on their website and those things which are within our team's expertise, as well as help them select other specialists for those areas which we are not expert in. I am able to help guide them through what they need to know, and shine a light onto what 'they don't know that they don't know'.
The key is to have a cohesive strategy which is being overseen by someone who understands the business and the business owner's vision and works with them on it.
What are the main issues you see coming up time and time again for your business clients in the digital space?
Many businesses have a scatter gun approach to their online presence and marketing. Business owners are by nature very busy people and often don't have time for their 'on the business' planning and strategy. It means that what they do get to implement is often not as effective as it could be and they put this down to digital not working, or not working as well as they had hoped.
This together with feeling overwhelmed with solving tech issues (which unfortunately are part and parcel of the digital space) mean that people get discouraged rather than putting aside time and budget for proper strategy and planning prior to implementation.
For this reason, I have created an online business roadmap to help business owners understand and prioritise online business activities, and develop their own unique online business blueprint.
One important factor in business is knowing who is a good fit for your business - those people who you can help the most.
Who do you think your agency can help the most / work with best?
I love working with solo / micro / small business owners who understand that digital can really propel their business. While our team are happy to simply build a website, we get more excited if we get to be involved in the growth of a business, and become a part of the team on the look out for opportunities where our expertise can contribute actively to their long-term vision
What do you see as the biggest upcoming opportunities in the digital space?
What digital offers now is far more than just an online presence but software and platforms which integrate to marry many business functions together - from sales, marketing, invoicing, business reporting to time saving workflows and automations. Entire industries for example Martech (Marketing Technology), and Fintech (Finance and Technology) show the deep integration digital has with all business functions.
Seeing digital as an integral part of total business operations, and not separate as 'online' is a better and more useful perspective.
If there was one key message you wanted to give business owners, what would that be?
Digital offers incredible opportunities, and those businesses which embrace these will reap the rewards. On the flip side, those who don't have an effective online presence are very likely to miss out on opportunities available to them.
The access to free and low cost effective education is more available than ever, so sign up to webinars, courses to tap into what you may not be aware is possible. If you are ready to go deeper, invest in mentoring or more intensive education.
And before diving into the deep end, ensure your online presence fundamental are solid.
Have a story to share? Get in touch with us.
Emma Grivell
Business Engagement Advisor - Urban Projects
E: egrivell@charlessturt.sa.gov.au