I spent 12 years building and leading a digital agency. At its largest, our team had 54 people. We delivered work for clients, solved problems together, and eventually reached an exit.
Before Boomerang, there was PARUS. That chapter gave me a practical education in building a business: finding the right people, taking responsibility for delivery, and earning the kind of trust that brings a client back.
Taking responsibility
Some of the clearest memories are the late nights. A project had to be finished. A client needed help urgently. I would lead the work, stay with the team in the office through the night, and get it launched by morning.
There wasn’t just one occasion like that. There were many. Over time, those moments became part of the experience I carried into my next company: staying close to the work and helping the team get through difficult situations.
Building with people
I’m comfortable bringing people together and building teams. My experience managing organisations of around 50 people came from doing it, through the everyday decisions of agency life.
Today, AI is changing how much a small team can accomplish. The number of people in the room is a different question than it was when I was running the agency. But the experience of leading a team remains part of how I work.
From services to software
After the agency exit, I founded Boomerang. My focus moved to customer retention and a software product for agencies and local businesses.
It is a different business model, but a familiar world. Agencies need durable relationships with clients. Local businesses need their customers to come back. That connection sits at the heart of what I’m building now.
I also put my experience into a book, How to Get Lifetime Clients for Your Digital Agency: a closer look at building long-term client relationships.
