I’ve run my agency for over 20 years, and we’ve had to adapt through every wave of change — from tech shifts to market demands. This time, it’s AI. 🙄
My mission… To help myself and other agencies, freelancers & in-house teams thrive in the age of AI.
My journey…
Adapting Since 1997 – And Still Going
I started out wanting to be an illustrator. I studied art and surrounded myself with people whose creative talent blew me away. That’s when I realised my future wasn’t in pencils and paint — but I still wanted to build things that looked good, felt smart, and connected with people.
So, in 1997, I joined an Accelerated Management Program at a retail store I’d worked at since I was sixteen. I loved the store, but the job didn’t fit. That’s when an opportunity came up to do a postgraduate course in multimedia — and everything changed.
I learned web design, finished the course, and got hired by an agency the very next day.
The Early Days: Dotcom Dreams & Flash Sites
I began building websites in 1998 — right in the heart of the dotcom boom. My first agency was a startup run by two uni students in Liverpool. The work took off fast, and before long, I moved to London to help set up a new office.
We were working with major clients like Chanel, Sony Games, Capcom, and Bourjois, building cutting-edge (for the time) sites in Dreamweaver and Flash.
Australia, ActionScript, and Adobe
I moved to Australia in 2001 and joined a multimedia-focused agency working with Monash University, ANZ, NAB, and multiple government agencies. I had to quickly learn ActionScript to build CD-ROMs (yes, really) — but as internet speeds improved, we pivoted hard into web-based solutions.
Once I gained residency, I started freelancing in web design, slowly building up a client base through referrals and organic growth. In 2005, I officially launched my own agency.
Building the Agency
We started with basic HTML websites, then moved to CMS platforms. First it was CMS Made Simple, but things really took off when we committed to Adobe Business Catalyst. We built over 500 websites on that platform and became one of the largest BC developers in Australia. I even spoke at Adobe Business Catalyst conferences in Sydney and Melbourne.
In 2010, we expanded — hiring our own team in the Philippines. We grew to a 22-person team, with 14 dedicated developers offering outsourced web development to agencies around Australia.
Pivot to WordPress & Rise of SEO
As WordPress matured and Adobe shut down Business Catalyst, we transitioned platforms. Around that same time, we saw the need to diversify and began offering SEO services. This turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made.
SEO gave our business a recurring revenue model, helped clients grow, and let us move away from the increasingly commoditised (and race-to-the-bottom priced) web development world.
Eventually, we shut down the offshore web team and focused exclusively on SEO and digital marketing.
Riding the Waves — Again
Google keeps changing, competition keeps growing, and SEO has never been harder. But we’ve adapted — again. And now, we’re using AI tools to:
- Improve efficiency
- Enhance services
- Expand our offering beyond SEO
We’re not trying to be a massive agency. We’re focused on staying small, smart, and effective — using the best of what’s new without losing what works.
Why It All Matters
If there’s one consistent theme in my career, it’s this:
You have to adapt.
From Flash to WordPress, from CD-ROMs to SEO, from HTML to AI — I’ve always believed in staying ahead of the curve, and helping my clients do the same.
Whether you’re here to learn, collaborate, or get help growing your business with AI and marketing — I’m glad you’re here.
“We were referred to Declan, and wow, he has been sensational with his help, really knowledgeable and supportive.”
Karla Mifsud – Obsessed Gymwear
“Declan takes the time to really consider the client’s business and it’s target audience, so much so, if he doesn’t feel the research supports organic or paid SEO he will be honest yet also offer marketing alternatives.”
Johannah Barton – Confetti Design
“Declan has helped us grow and stay on top of our competitors for 10 years now. Could not recommend him highly enough…”
David Briggs – Briggs Electrical
Frequently Asked Questions
Our biggest recent client has been Canon. As in Canon Cameras. I did some SEO consultancy work with them starting in 2023 after their SEO on Canon.com.au had been neglected for about 2 years. After an initial Analysis period, they began to implement my SEO strategies and content and their rank rose to an all-time peak within about 6 months.
In the early years of the business I wanted big clients – the bigger the better as far as I was concerned. But as the business grew, we found that the perfect client for us is a small-medium business where we can speak directly to the business owners.
In larger businesses, we found that layers of approval and working with multiple teams was difficult and realised we could achieve a lot more if we had quick and easy access to the decision maker.
I’d say there are two things I am really proud of.
1. Helping small businesses grow for 15 years.
We’ve helped all kinds of owners go from a 1 person start-up to employing teams of people. We’ve helped them grow their businesses by ensuring the phone keeps ringing.
2. Closing down the web development arm of the business.
In the early years of my career I quickly developed a passion for web design. I loved everything about the industry and when the Agency got to 22 people I thought I’d achieved a major milestone in success. But in reality, web development was a drain on the Agency’s finances, my happiness and that of my wife.
The decision to close the development office in the Philippines was hard because this was my creative passion and we’d invested a lot of time and money in it, but the making that move turned out to be the best decision I ever made.