About Donna
Donna Blackwood
I help business owners develop confidence in marketing their businesses. To develop confidence, you need to learn the fundamentals to enable you to take charge of your own marketing or know what questions to ask when engaging outside contractors and/or agencies.
I’ve been in the marketing industry for over twenty years now and I remember feeling excited when the internet started taking off and the term ‘e-business’ was being thrown around. It was then that I knew I had to be a part of it.
Before you trust me with your business, I believe you need to know a bit about me and my personal philosophy. I’m a marketing coach with over 25 years of experience in small business management. With a proven track record in marketing, HR, finance and operations, I have found my calling in helping small business owners become the best marketers they can be. Yep, I’ve been around since George W. and Bob Hawke. And along the way I’ve worked for a number of global corporations, including Deloitte, ANZ, RMIT and Telstra. But the corporate world was too regimented and didn’t allow me to take a spark of an idea, analyse its viability and run with it. I discovered I had an entrpreneurial spirit and it was a thrill to trial, test, fail, tweak and try again until I got it right.
Business Credentials
So in 1997, I decided to put this to the test and start up my own business in industrial components for factory automation (among other products joining the list). I personally spearheaded all the marketing campaigns and managed to build company sales to over AUD$2,000,000. It’s a massive learning curve to start a business, learn about the industry & competitors, in addition to import & export regulations & processes, then design and build a website (Macromedia Dreamweaver) in a time when few businesses had one. In addition to having the responsibility as strategist & designer for traditional marketing, event management of trade shows (Avalon Air Show) and learn about 400 technical products to be better able to market them effectively (ever tried to make a phase failure relay or microswitch sound sexy?)
Small business passion
Doing it for myself, as opposed to someone else, taught me a lot. I learned how to successfully marry a marketing strategy to a business’s processes. I experienced firsthand the adversities facing small companies when they are chasing growth. And I relished the challenges of having to think quickly on my feet and find innovative and cost-effective solutions to business problems. But my first love has always been helping others. And so, I decided to devote myself to aiding and advising other small businesses, whilst at the same time still running my own.
Sharing Knowledge
This decision led me to a number of different digital account director gigs in various digital agencies. A role I am still fulfilling to this day. Something I am quite proud of was in 2019 I was invited to be guest speaker at RMIT and share my knowledge of SEO with final year students. I was a little concerned that they might know more than I did, however, I learnt that just because someone grew up in the digital age doesn’t mean they have the knowledge that comes with being there at its launch and evolving with it!
But why should you use me and not one of the other hundreds of marketers out there all vying for your attention?
Holistic Business Support
I’m a solution to a lot of challenges because I understand small business challenges and how marketing needs to be considered as part of overall business goals. That’s because I possess the experience to see the big picture and know what needs to be done holistically in order for a small business to grow. I understand that not all clients have the same pain points and that a one size fits all strategy does not work. And that’s why I truly listen to your story.
And after that, I don’t tell you what you want to hear. I tell you what you need to hear.
With honesty and transparency at the forefront of my approach, I bring lived business experience to every coaching session. I am committed to empowering my clients with the skills they need to succeed in today’s competitive market.
When I’m not Working – 2021 was the Sea Change without moving too far. Now with my partner Mark, we are based in Seaford, 2 mins from the beach, and loving the lifestyle.
Digital marketing Services
FUN FACTS: I became a keen sailor in 1994, having competed in round the bay club racing and the Melbourne to Hobart yacht race and a bunch of other crazy racing in wild conditions around the Victorian coast and Bass Strait (The traits of competitiveness, problem solving & tenaciousness are transferable skills in coaching!). I am a voracious reader of anything, but favourites being Raymond E. Feist, David Eddings, Daniel O’Malley, Sarah J Mass & Jane Harper. I sing for fun. A ‘foodie’ and a lover of dogs and have been the proud companion of two Chow Chow’s, Michou & Jenna.
