Profile - Mika Mäki

I am Mika and one of the four founders and shareholders of Digiteam.

The road to digital marketing was accidental. I had decided to switch from my previous job and ended up working as a hacker for a search engine advertising pioneer in 2005. Although I had no experience in digital marketing, except for a couple of web pages on the internet, my employer trusted me and within a few years I had already done well over a thousand keyword advertising jobs for clients. I guess there was some talent in the industry.

Since then, Google advertising has been joined by search engine optimisation, analytics, display advertising and broader online business consultancy.

The idea of starting my own business had been germinating for a few years before I dared to really get into it. However, self-employment is not my thing and I had thought about different plans and configurations along the way. One of them took me to lunch with Antti, where we discussed whether Antti would be interested in expanding his own business. The time was not yet ripe, but the seed had been sown. A year or so later, the same issue was discussed with a slightly different group and the first beats of Digiteam, the digital marketing powerhouse, had been played.

What do I enjoy most about my job?

I don't always bother to be the first to shout about the latest developments in digital marketing, which in my experience can take a long time to arrive in Finland - and sometimes don't arrive at all. There are more idle people to moan about. This doesn't mean that I'm alienated from new things, but that I act on the basis of reality and facts.

My clients appreciate my open and honest approach to the latest fashion trends in the industry and the fact that I focus on what works for their situation. It's the trust that goes a long way - and that's what makes this job so rewarding. I have a particular interest in marketing and design for B2B companies.

What do I do in my spare time?

Life revolves quite routinely around work and family. Even though my children are grown up, they still play a big role in my life.

There have been no serious hobbies of my own - apart from the occasional racquetball game - but basketball became part of my life when an older child started playing it. The sport took his whole heart and became a second life. Not as a player, but as a full-time backstop.

Over the last twenty years, my family and I have been travelling all over Europe to play. As well as travelling, this hobby has introduced me to things like social media marketing, organising international events and designing and organising the distribution of fanwear collections. I can still be seen behind the officials' table at men's team games.

Basketball doesn't take up all your time. I play the guitar a fair amount - to my own delight and to the dismay of my neighbours. I'm not a real rocker (yet?), but every now and then I get to accompany a group sing-along at a dinner party.

What's the best thing about Digiteam?

As a partner, I am of course fascinated by freedom - and at the same time by responsibility not only for customers, but also for the success of the company and the well-being of employees. Our purpose is to deliver measurable results, and we are all committed to that goal. With a low hierarchy and a relaxed distance mentality, we digital teammates are colleagues - not just co-workers. I think that's a great thing, because we're the people who make this company what it is.

Before starting the company, I had the option of a newly agreed, well-paid senior analyst position in a large and well-known company, but this team convinced me with their experience and work ethic, so I didn't hesitate for a moment. And I have never regretted it.

Customers are happy too, as evidenced by the very low churn rate. Perhaps this is part of what Digiteam is all about.

My area of expertise

As a digital marketing hybrid, I focus on developing my clients' business and optimising marketing results. My interest in analytics has quite naturally led to me being responsible for configuring analytics for all of our clients.

An analytical mindset and experience of working with different organisations, as well as extensive industry experience, provide an excellent basis for designing marketing for companies. I can take into account clients' expectations, needs and resources, so that they get the best results for their budget.