Defiant digital exists to provide online solutions for business growth
You know those random stories you read about whiz kid entrepreneurs who amazingly struck it rich while churning out 16-hour work days in a tiny room in the back of their parents kitchen? I’ve read more than my fair share of them, which made chatting with these two young Aussies who lived the experience first hand an absolute delight — I’m talking about Co-Founders of digital marketing agency Defiant Digital, Sid Pierucci and Jamie Kritharas. At the time when their friendship and the money-making madness first began, Sid and Jamie, both in their early twenties, crossed paths under the shining lights of Sydney’s infamous Golden Mile, Kings Cross. Young fellas, hungry and ambitious to make a name for themselves in the music and hospitality industry - Sid climbed to the top of the Australian music scene as a promoter and artist-liaison rubbing shoulders with the likes of Prince, Drake and Martin Garrix. Jamie on the other hand landed global recognition as a DJ & producer with support from EDM heavyweights Hardwell, Tiesto, Afrojack, Calvin Harris and more. Not bad for two up-and-coming twenty-something, right? After half-a-decade of separate successes Sid Pierucci (28) and Jamie Kritharas (30) reconnected in late 2019 and decided to formalise a business partnership under the name of Defiant Digital, to challenge, provoke and resist the marketing norms of ‘the old days’. A forward thinking digital marketing agency advertising for the ‘NOW’ was born. “Defiant digital exists to provide online solutions for business growth. We built our agency model around not being afraid to fail, and that’s how we innovate. We push the boundaries of what is possible. We are brave in the way we communicate; resilient and relentless in the pursuit of achieving our goals and our client’s targets” – they told Forbes. 12 quick months later, having grown their advertising and SEO agency to six figures per month, the duo’s stressful days of nightclub’s late nights and heavy hangovers are long gone… and their partners don’t seem to mind. But how were they able to grow their company from 0 to $2 Million in a matter of months, while in the midst of a global pandemic? We take a constant aggressive approach to the market; Sidney answered. “With the novel coronavirus pandemic accelerating consumers’ shift online, we saw an opportunity tapping into small-businesses and legacy retailers to double down on ecommerce and AR viral projects. We signed our first office lease on July 1st2020. We started recruiting, scaled and got to work” Jamie told Forbes Though the duo spent less time on their personal story, and more on advice for novice entrepreneurs and brands during our conversation, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by where they both had come from, where they currently are and what the future looks like for these two young industry leaders. Below, you can find their thoughts on AR, business and more. Perhaps you’ll have a similar experience. “To be successful, in today’s online landscape brands and businesses must adopt and ever-green startup mentality that allows them to be quick and agile when leveraging new advertising technologies and experimenting with creative user experiences. Additionally, they must take the ‘day 1’ approach to aggressively capture market share, sometimes at the sacrifice of initial profitability”. Sid said. Both Sid and Jamie, long-time friends and now business partners agree that attempts and failures are a prerequisite to innovation and eventual success. “Our mission at Defiant is to turn online attention into revenue. We push the boundaries of creative output and facilitate pathways that empower businesses and people – that’s essentially what we do”. Now onto Augmented Reality… You have heard of it right? Augmented Reality has been on the lips of many, and on the cusp of mainstream appeal for some time. As AR technology becomes omnipresent and consumers demand ‘always-on’ marketing opportunities, Defiant Head of Growth Jamie argues that AR is about to radically change the way businesses advertise online.