Joe Davies, founder of Fat Joe, shares his remarkable journey from McDonald's employee to self-made millionaire in the world of SEO. He highlights the benefits of the build in public movement, especially in the age of AI. Joe discusses the importance of personal branding and networking on platforms like Twitter. He also explores the challenges of entrepreneurship, including content optimization through innovative tools like Query Hunter, and the vital role of offline relationships in online success.
Joe Davies highlights that online success transcends financial metrics, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling personal objectives through effective platform usage.
His journey from an unlikely job to building Fat Joe illustrates the transformative power of curiosity and continuous learning in entrepreneurship.
Deep dives
Defining Online Success
Online success is not solely defined by financial gain; it encompasses achieving any goal using online platforms. This could involve launching a personal brand, promoting a charitable cause, or simply disseminating a message. The perception of success can vary greatly depending on the communities individuals engage with, such as those on social media platforms like Twitter. Ultimately, success is about utilizing the online medium effectively to fulfill personal objectives, regardless of the financial implications.
Journey to Fat Joe
Joe Davis's career path leading to the creation of Fat Joe began in an unconventional setting, where he transitioned from manual labor to an IT apprenticeship. This opportunity allowed him to explore website building and delve into SEO, particularly during a time when online resources were scarce. Through a process of trial and error, education from forums, and a keen curiosity, he became adept at SEO—eventually catalyzing the inception of the Fat Joe agency. His entrepreneurial journey reveals a significant evolution from mere interest in making quick money to enjoying the complexities of SEO as both an engineering and creative challenge.
The Evolution of Fat Joe
Fat Joe began as a link-building service primarily designed to help SEO agencies that struggled to find reliable external vendors. As the demand for various online services grew, Fat Joe evolved into a broader marketplace, seeking to offer an array of services such as content creation and video production. The team emphasizes user experience by prioritizing customer support, ensuring that clients receive quality deliverables efficiently. This ongoing evolution speaks to the company’s ambition of becoming a leading B2B service provider, akin to platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.
Building a Personal Brand
The importance of establishing a personal brand in today's digital landscape cannot be overstated, as Joe Davis emphasizes his consistent efforts on social media platforms over the last two years. By sharing insights, experiences, and even failures, he cultivated an audience that trusts his expertise in the space. This engagement not only strengthens his network but also creates opportunities for monetization through future projects. Joe’s experience illustrates that being transparent about one’s journey and actively engaging with the community can lead to significant personal and professional growth.
In this episode of The Online Performance Podcast we meet Joe Davies who runs Fat Joe - an SEO service provider.
He talks us through the rise of the company that started as a side hustle and discusses the merits of the build in public movement in 2024 - especially among the rise of AI.
We also talk about his journey from McDonalds employee to being a self made millionaire.