Practical advice from someone who's actually built and run businesses.
You don't need another guru. You need a sounding board who's done it — raised on Kickstarter, pitched on Dragons' Den, shipped products worldwide, run a small agency for 15 years. That's what you get with me.
If you're stuck, second-guessing, or scaling — let's talk.
Most of the people I work with are at one of three points: starting something and not sure if it's any good, running something and stuck on what to do next, or growing something and worried it'll break. I help with all three — calmly, honestly, and in plain English.
Founders
Sketching a first prototype, refining a pitch, or wondering if the idea has legs. I've been there — I'll tell you straight.
Owner-operators
Small business owners who want a second brain on strategy, hiring, pricing, or what to focus on next quarter.
Marketing teams
Weighing up SEO, paid, email, or how to use AI without wasting budget. Fifteen years of agency answers, no jargon.
Creators & product people
Taking something from idea to in-market — manufacturing, ecommerce, fulfilment, the unsexy bits that decide whether a great product becomes a great business.
Two areas. One joined-up brain.
Most engagements end up mixing both. Whether you bring one specific problem or a long list, we'll start by figuring out what's actually worth solving first.
Business & founder mentoring
A regular call where you bring the problem and we work through it. Strategy, pricing, ops, fundraising, hiring, the lonely bits of running a business. Useful before big decisions, and useful when nothing's broken but you want to think out loud.
- Going from idea to first paying customer
- Pitching for investment, grants, or partners
- Pricing, packaging and positioning
- Hiring your first people without breaking the business
- When to grow, when to hold steady, when to walk away
Digital & growth strategy
Fifteen years inside a working agency means I can tell you quickly whether your website, SEO, paid, email, or ecommerce setup is pulling its weight — and what to fix first. Where AI fits in too, when it actually pays back. Advisory only; if you want it built, the Web Wise team can do that.
- Honest audits of your website, SEO and paid spend
- Picking the right channels for your stage and budget
- Email, lifecycle and retention strategy
- Ecommerce, fulfilment and international rollout
- Where AI is worth using — and where it's a distraction
Flexible, no long lock-ins.
Most clients start with a single session and decide from there. No bloated retainers. If something isn't worth doing, I'll say so.
Single session
A 90-minute call to unpack one problem and leave you with a clear next step. Great when you've got a specific decision to make and need an outside view.
Monthly mentoring
A recurring call (usually monthly), plus async messages between sessions for the in-between questions. The most popular option — an ongoing sounding board as you build.
Project-based advisory
Embedded support across a launch, a pitch, a website rebuild, or a fundraising round. Scoped per engagement, usually a few weeks to a few months.
I've sat where you're sitting.
I'm not a coach who read a book about business. I've spent twenty years building real things — and I bring all of that to the conversations we have.
Founded Web Wise Media in 2010.
Fifteen years, 500+ projects, 200+ clients across 18+ countries. Living Wage employer. Still hands-on with every project.
Co-founded The Detective Society.
Scaled a mystery game brand to players in 40+ countries. Pitched on BBC's Dragons' Den. Raised £215,000+ across four Kickstarter campaigns.
Stepped in as Interim Executive Director at a VR agency.
The kind of hands-on operational help I'll happily give to clients who need someone in the seat for a stretch.
Mentored founders to real outcomes.
Mayor of London grant funding (Immergency), sharper investor pitches (Brainspark Games), and successful product launches (Kaleider's Absurdable). I work with the wins, not the slide decks.
What people say.
A few words from studios, founders and clients I've worked with over the years.
Dan's combined knowledge of marketing & sales, game mechanics, and immersive experiences made him look at my case from different lenses and always brought great insights.
Extremely professional and always provide detailed information quickly. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dan and his team to anyone.
Web Wise were extremely patient throughout the entire process and helped turn my evolving ideas into reality. They explained everything clearly and were always on hand when I needed support.
The usual questions.
If yours isn't here, drop me a line — I'll answer it honestly and without sales waffle.
Do I have to be in tech or games?
No. Most of the businesses I mentor are ordinary SMEs — service businesses, ecommerce shops, agencies, sole traders. Games and creative industries are one corner of the work, not the whole picture.
In person or remote?
Almost everything happens over video call — it's quicker, easier to fit around real work, and lets me support clients anywhere in the UK or further afield. In-person sessions are possible in London or Exeter where it makes sense.
What if I just need a website, SEO, or hosting?
How often do we talk?
That depends on the format. Monthly mentoring is typically one scheduled call a month with async messages in between. Project advisory tends to be heavier in the run-up to a launch, lighter afterwards. We'll set a rhythm that fits your stage.
Is everything we discuss confidential?
Yes. I work with founders on early ideas, fundraising plans and commercial decisions — nothing leaves the room without your sign-off. Happy to sign an NDA where it helps.
What if it's not a good fit?
Then I'll tell you. If your problem is better served by someone else — a specialist agency, a different kind of advisor, or no one at all — I'd rather say so on the first call than waste your money.
Tell me what you're working on.
No pitch, no pressure. Send a short note about what you're building or stuck on, and we'll figure out whether a call would help.
Get in touch →