About Me: Why I Started HanleyLabs
The Problem I Solve
You've built something amazing. You know it works. You know people need it. But when you try to market it, nothing happens. The advice you find online sounds logical but doesn't work for your specific situation. Every "marketing guru" tells you to "just create content" or "build your personal brand" without explaining the actual system behind it.
I've been exactly where you are.
My Story: From Struggling Freelancer to Marketing Expert
The Early Struggle
Fresh out of college with a graphic design degree, I spent months doing cold outreach with a weak portfolio. Constant rejection. Constantly asking myself "what am I doing wrong?" Every piece of marketing advice I found seemed logical but simply didn't work for my situation.
Sound familiar?
The Breakthrough Discovery
Everything changed when I discovered a simple but profound truth: people are naturally skeptical and self-focused.
I rewrote my entire approach:
- Start with "Hey" (friendly disarm)
- Immediately demonstrate I understand their exact problem
- Show why I can solve it better than anyone else
Not marketing theory. Pure customer empathy discovered through trial and error.
Result: Became top-rated on Upwork. The system worked.
Proving It Works at Scale
When I moved into professional marketing, I found the perfect testing ground: a company stuck in offline marketing with budgets under £100 for 3-week campaigns. Most marketers would have dismissed this as impossible.
Instead, I built a complete system - ads that pre-qualified prospects before they ever made contact.
The result: £30 investment generated £5,000 return because every single lead was perfect for the business.
The Shocking Industry Reality
Working with larger, established companies revealed something disturbing: even seasoned marketing professionals at big companies don't understand the fundamentals. They run marketing "upside down" - focusing on bottom-funnel tactics while completely ignoring the customer journey.
This shattered my imposter syndrome and crystallized the truth: the problem isn't just struggling founders - it's industry-wide ignorance of basic principles.
My Current Marketing Results
I've systematically transformed every aspect of a multi million company's marketing:
- Ad Performance: Increased CTR to 2% (industry average: 0.4%)
- Automation: Built AI systems reducing document creation from 1 hour to 15 seconds
- SEO: Improved website score from 44 to 90 (with just basic changes)
- Operations: Created automated workflows saving thousands in costs
- Greenfield: Controlled the strategic and implantation of end-to-end campaigns in completely new areas, targeting B2C and B2B.
Consistent praise from the highest in the company (200+ employees) for strategic thinking and autonomous execution.
Why HanleyLabs Is Different
Most Marketing Advice Is Broken
When founders ask "how do I market my SaaS," they're essentially "trying to figure out math by looking at the alphabet." They're looking in completely the wrong place, about to waste money they can't afford, and likely to give up thinking they're "not cut out for business."
I almost gave up myself.
What I Bring to the Table
- Real founder empathy: I've lived the exact struggle you're experiencing
- Proven marketing expertise: 2% CTR, £30→£5,000 ROI, systematic automation success
- Data-driven approach: Every newsletter topic comes from analyzing daily founder conversations, not guessing
- Same-day implementation: Strategic insights paired with step-by-step tutorials you can execute immediately
My Philosophy
"Marketing is a funnel, not a tactic"
Most SaaS founders start at the bottom, trying to sell to people who don't even know they have a problem. Top-of-funnel content is the most powerful and cost-effective approach - especially now with AI making quality content accessible.
"The user journey is everything"
Features don't sell - experiences do. Success comes from understanding exactly where customers are in their journey and providing what they need at each stage.
"Build your ecosystem, don't just rent tools"
True independence comes from understanding and controlling your systems rather than being dependent on expensive SaaS subscriptions.
The Personal Mission
When I see SaaS founders struggling with marketing, I see people heading toward the same cliff I almost went over. Staying quiet feels morally wrong.
My goal: Help you reach that moment when you get your first paying customer or finally understand what you were doing wrong. That feeling of accomplishment, of knowing you won't have to go back to jobs led by people who understand less than you now do.
What You Get With HanleyLabs
Every Thursday, you receive:
- Real market intelligence: Topics discovered from actual founder conversations, not recycled guru wisdom
- Strategic insights: The "why" and "when" behind every marketing decision
- Same-day tutorials: Step-by-step implementation guides you can execute immediately
- Proven methodologies: Systems I've personally used to achieve 2% CTR and £30→£5,000 ROI
Not fluffy motivational content. Not generic best practices. Actual marketing systems that work for founders with real constraints.
You'll feel like you're getting advice from a knowledgeable friend who's been exactly where you are and knows how to get you where you want to go.
Ready to stop guessing at marketing?