1. What’s the quick origin story of your brand, and what makes your product or positioning genuinely different from other options in your niche?

Danielle Moran: Trade Heroes began when I realised too many good tradies were treated like the underdog and many homeowners had no idea who to trust. With a family history in the trades, I understood the industry well and wanted to build something that lifted people up in a genuinely heroic way. The aim was to give tradies the recognition they deserve and the support they often miss out on.

What makes us different is the way we champion the whole community. We give quality trades strong, ongoing marketing support that helps them get seen without the stress that often comes with trying to manage everything themselves. Our members all contribute to a shared marketing engine so everyone benefits from steady and consistent exposure.

There is also a bigger purpose. I want young people coming through, especially those who feel lost or think being academic is the only way forward, to see the trades as a solid and rewarding career path. They can build confidence, make good money and even become business owners. The opportunities are real and they deserve to know that.

Trade Heroes is built on fairness, community and lifting the next generation while backing the ones already out there doing the hard work.

2. Since launch, what have been the 1–2 real turning points for your brand-specific decisions, pivots, or experiments that noticeably changed your growth or profitability-and what did you learn from them?

Danielle Moran: One of the biggest turning points for Trade Heroes was realising how much the structure of a directory affects growth. In the early days I thought it was mainly about getting trades listed, but the way categories, locations and search functions are set up makes a massive difference to how often a tradie is found. Once I understood this, I rebuilt the framework so it actually supported the way people search. That shift alone started lifting our visibility and our members’ results.

The second turning point was taking social media seriously as its own strategy rather than something you post on when you have time. When I started treating it like a real arm of the business and focused on consistent content, real stories from tradies and community-driven messaging, our audience grew fast. It also built trust in a way traditional advertising can’t. It showed me that people want to connect with a brand that feels human and helpful, not just promotional.

What I learnt from both is that small structural changes and clear, intentional communication can move the needle more than big flashy ideas. When you get the foundations right, growth becomes a lot more natural.

3. Which 2-3 channels drive most of your revenue right now (for example SEO, paid social, email, marketplaces, influencers), and what have you learned about making those channels work in your category?

Danielle Moran: Right now SEO and paid social are the two channels that move the needle the most for us. Strengthening our SEO keeps Trade Heroes in front of homeowners who are already searching, and paid social gives us fast reach through video, stories and community-driven content.

Google ads worked really well in the past and they still have a place, although lately I’ve found them more costly and not as effective as paid social. With AI changing the advertising space so quickly, this can flip at any time, so staying flexible is important.

Another channel that surprised me was bus signage and billboards. They sparked conversations in the community and created a bit of a buzz that digital alone can’t always deliver. They play a different role, but when you combine them with SEO and social, everything starts feeding into each other.

What I’ve learnt is that no single channel wins on its own. When you get them all churning together, that’s when you see the real explosion effect.

4. How are you thinking about search in 2025 – Google, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and other discovery platforms? What, if anything, have you changed in your content or site to stay visible as AI search grows?

Danielle Moran: Search in 2025 and 2026 is heading into completely new territory. The way people look for answers now is wild compared to even a year ago. It’s no longer just Google. AI tools like ChatGPT, voice search and new discovery platforms are changing how people find trades and how quickly they expect information.

The biggest shift I’ve made is focusing on answering the actual questions people are asking. If you want to be found on AI-driven platforms, you need to be clear, specific and genuinely helpful. AI pulls from content that stays relevant, accurate and straight to the point, so that’s been a big part of our approach.

Another thing that’s become important is staying tightly aligned with what we do. If your content wanders off or tries to be everything to everyone, you get lost. Being consistent about who we help and how we help them has made a huge difference in visibility.

Overall, search is changing fast, but the basics still matter. Provide real value, answer real questions and stay relevant to your space. That’s what keeps you visible as AI search grows.

5. What do you do to turn first‑time buyers into repeat customers and advocates? Are there specific experiences, content, or community touches that work especially well for you?

Danielle Moran: For me, turning first-time buyers into long term members comes down to making sure they genuinely understand the value they’re getting. Most tradies aren’t looking for fluff. They just want to know that what they’re paying for is working. So I spend a lot of time showing them how our marketing engine supports their visibility and why staying consistent matters.

Regular updates, simple explanations and real examples of what’s happening behind the scenes make a huge difference. When people can actually see the activity, they’re more confident in staying subscribed.

Community touches also play a big role. Sharing member wins, spotlighting their businesses and involving them in our social content helps them feel part of something bigger than a listing. When they feel seen and supported, they naturally become advocates.

What works best for us is keeping things human, clear and ongoing. If you focus on real value and real connection, people stick around because they want to, not because they feel locked in.

6. If you had to write a short playbook for an ecommerce founder one stage behind you, what would you double down on over the next 12 months – and what would you stop doing entirely?

Danielle Moran: If I had to hand a playbook to an ecommerce founder who is one step behind me, the first thing I would say is educate yourself. This space can be confusing and at times not the most honest. You don’t need to know everything, but you should understand the basics so you can spot red flags early. That alone would have saved me a lot of money.

If someone says they are buying backlinks, ask what they are, where they come from and whether they are actually relevant. There is no point paying for traffic from countries you don’t sell in. Locational relevance is gold. The same goes for websites. If you are spending real money on a build, make sure your URL structure makes sense. Think of it like a library. If Google can’t find you, neither can your customers. Always check your results through real tools rather than relying on screenshots or reports that can be easily manipulated.

Learn the basics so you can protect yourself. With AI now, it’s easier than ever to get clear answers and understand what’s happening behind the scenes.

What I would stop doing entirely is handing over full control of my digital marketing without knowing enough to keep the experts accountable. Blind trust is expensive. I’d also stop chasing every shiny new idea. This industry is full of trends that look exciting but don’t move the needle. Focus on foundations first. And I’d stop relying on vanity metrics. Likes and impressions don’t mean much if they don’t lead to real results.

Once you’ve covered those bases, double down on what you do best. Concentrate on the parts of the business only you can lead, and build a team of marketers and specialists you trust. Knowing enough to oversee the work while letting them do their job is the balance that keeps everything moving forward.