I’m taking some time off starting today.
Sun, reading, good food, and as little screen time as I can manage.
A proper reset before September.
Before I go quiet, I wanted to write down what the last year actually looked like.
A year ago, I joined Advisable as Head of SEO with the goal of building an SEO practice from scratch.
One year later, we have a new SEO specialist on the team, a stable roster of clients, and I’m expanding the practice together with a fantastic partner. The collaboration has been excellent, and I’m genuinely excited for what’s next. When you find people with real experience and the same work ethic, wonders happen.
Getting here meant figuring out a lot of things for the first time.
How to build something rather than simply work within something that already exists.
How to turn experience into processes other people can use.
How to hire and trust someone else with work I used to do myself.
How to keep making decisions when you don’t have all the information.
That last one has probably been the biggest lesson.
The year also took my work in a direction I didn’t fully expect.
AI visibility went from something I was following closely to something that became a real part of my work.
I started spending much more time researching how AI is changing discovery, what happens to traditional search behaviour, and what businesses need to think about as that shift continues.
I started writing about it too.
Putting your thinking in public is different from having an opinion privately. You have to be much more precise about what you actually believe, what the evidence says, and where you might be wrong.
Growth this year wasn’t one big breakthrough. It was a new hire, a partnership, a pivot I didn’t plan for, and enough small decisions that eventually added up to real distance from where I started.
And now I need a break.
There is always another thing to work on. Another idea to explore. Another piece to write.
I don’t want to spend the whole year moving forward without ever stopping to look around.
So for a few days, I’m switching off properly.
No dashboards. No meetings. No outreach. As little screen time as possible.
Some sun, some reading, good food, and a bit of space to think about what comes next.
Back in September.
Happy August 15th to everyone celebrating today, and have a great summer wherever you are.
Till next time 👋
Ilias