Where did the idea come from?
Prior to working with Sixtwo Digital, I was working in a digital marketing role with a travel company based in Dublin. We were ahead of the curve in many ways – we were recording podcasts long before other businesses were and video was a huge part of our digital marketing strategy as far back as 12 years ago.
On numerous occasions during my time there, people asked me why didn’t I go out on my own. The time was never right though. Then in September 2013, the opportunity arose to set up my business, so I made the leap and went from there.
The idea was back then, and still is now, that we ‘help businesses with their social media by being social’. Too many businesses treat social media like any other type of marketing (print, radio etc), but we look at it in a different way where people are at the core of everything we do, both in terms of the service we provide and the content we publish.
How has the business had a positive impact on Drogheda and District?
Sixtwo Digital has had a positive impact locally in lots of ways. The business has created jobs locally, and now offers two people roles that they previously would’ve had to travel to Dublin for.
We have helped lots of businesses grow locally through carefully executed digital marketing campaigns. We’ve helped clients in the north east generate leads, sell products online, increase footfall and achieve many other objectives. This has helped them reach more people, increase their turnover and generate more leads.
Along with carrying out digital marketing services for local businesses, we’ve also trained business owners in digital marketing, enabling them to execute their own strategies in a much more strategical way.
What do you think has been your biggest achievement with the business?
Since April 2018 I’ve helped different sports clubs, charities and other organisations around Ireland raise over €7 million online. These funds have helped with breast cancer research, the building of new community centres and more.
As much I love working with businesses in a commercial sense, helping charities raise funds for community-driven projects is particularly rewarding. I’d have to say helping raise this much over the last two and a half years would be my biggest achievement so far.
What’s next for Sixtwo Digital and the business in Drogheda?
The plan is to continue to grow. In August 2019 the company’s second account manager came on board. While 2020 has presented many challenges, it’s given us many opportunities also. With more and more businesses realising their customers are spending more time online than ever due to the pandemic, they’re realising they need to have a strong digital strategy too. In 2021 we will be targeting these businesses and creating extra roles in the process.
Tell us one thing people might not know about the business.
The ‘Sixtwo’ comes from the birthdays of the two directors in the company – my own, whose birthday falls on the 6th and my wife whose birthday falls on the 2nd.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t be afraid to say no to business. When you’re starting out, you can be inclined to say yes to almost every opportunity that comes your way as it means (potentially) increased turnover. But not every opportunity is going to be the right fit for one reason or another. If you feel an opportunity doesn’t suit your business, even if you have the capacity to take on the work, don’t be afraid to turn it down.