Andrew Raso started Online Marketing Gurus (OMG) with just $500 and a desire to be everyone’s friend. Today, running a $30 million global agency, he’s traded the “nice guy” approach for brutal honesty, elite biohacking, and a leadership style inspired by top-tier sports coaching.
From nearly going broke after buying luxury cars to investing $70,000 a year into his own longevity, Andrew opens up about the high stakes of entrepreneurship, why AI will kill the traditional Google search, and why losing it all taught him more than winning ever did.
You started Online Marketing Gurus with just $500, and it’s now a global business generating over $30 million a year. What do you remember about those early days, and what’s changed most in how you lead today?
When I first started the business, I wanted to make everyone happy and treat team members as personal friends. Over time, I realised that approach simply doesn’t work. I’ve had to fundamentally shift how I lead the team, and that change has been crucial to our growth.
I firmly believe that honesty—especially when it’s hard—makes both people better, and usually leads to a positive outcome. The saying “I would rather be respected than liked” has become a core principle for me. My goal is to be seen as a fair, approachable, and consistent leader.
In the early days, I was also terrified of confrontation. But I’ve learned that you can’t be everyone’s friend, and, truthfully, being overly friendly can sometimes open the door for people to take advantage. I’ve even experienced this when hiring close friends, which was a difficult but important lesson.
Our team needs to see a leader they can look up to. When they see me working hard, presenting well, and maintaining a positive attitude, it lifts the entire workplace. That energy motivates them and inspires better outcomes for themselves and the business.
In my view, the days of not training, eating poorly, or showing up as anything less than your best self are behind us. Young team members want a leader they can admire, and I strive every day to be that person. This is what I believe gets the greatest outcome in terms of performance.
You’ve been open about the mistakes and near-misses along the way, including times you almost went broke. What did those moments teach you about risk, ego, and resilience in business?
There are always people better than you in business – always. I thought I was unstoppable and everything I touched turned to gold. The irony is, life can humble you very quickly, it is these moments that have taught me the importance of always staying grounded.
Don’t overcomplicate things. Stick to things that work and strategies that have always worked based on past experience. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is knowing when to cut your losses. You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole, and if something isn’t working, take the lesson, let it go, and move forward.
When you have momentum, you need to ride it as hard as possible and don’t jump off that wave to look for new opportunities. This is where I went wrong. I always looked for greener pastures, instead of maximising what was already working.
Another lesson: You also can’t step back and let other executives run everything without your oversight. Sure, you need capable team members to drive different areas of your business, but I believe you need to stay close enough to know what is happening and drive the business in the right direction.. They may be right, they may be wrong, but even Cristiano Ronaldo needs a coach. I believe you will get the best of your team with the right coaching and accountability.
Different stages of life require different risks, BUT it’s best to always stick to the basics.
AI is reshaping digital marketing faster than ever. How are you using it inside OMG, and where do you think it’s heading next — especially when it comes to the future of search?
We use AI in very different ways across the business, and what’s working today doesn’t mean it will necessarily work tomorrow – it’s constantly adapting. AI itself isn’t new—what’s new are the platforms that make it more accessible and practical. We rely on AI to evaluate client performance, measure staff effectiveness, and support countless other functions across the company.
The way people are searching is also changing dramatically. AI is changing how people search, and it’s very different to how they were searching a few years ago.With the release of our AI product and the ongoing optimisation of our clients’ businesses, it’s our responsibility to ensure they appear where people are actually searching.
We were the first company in AUS to release a product directly optimising for ranking in Chat GPT and other platforms, and this is not going away. My prediction is that within five years, people are going to get their answers more from AI results than from Google results. This evolution has been a game-changer, and I have an awesome team to thank for that.
You describe your leadership style as straightforward and no-BS. What does that look like day to day, and how do you balance honesty with empathy when leading a large team?
This is always going to be a hard one, because you need to recognise whether you need to show empathy, or if someone is simply taking advantage. This is what leaders don’t talk about enough. You need to have trust, but this needs to be balanced with accountability. I’ve only ever shown empathy in certain situations.
I know I am bloody hard on people, but I want to get the best out of them – that’s the hard truth. I want the best of the best team, and deep down, they want to be the best they can be, too. I think of it like an elite sports coach. If you guide, train and hold them accountable, you can have a great outcome.
I will always forgive someone who has tried and failed a million times, rather than someone who doesn’t try at all. This is for all things in life.
You’ve said you spend around $70,000 a year on your health. What does that investment look like? How has it changed how you emerge as a founder and leader?
I moved to Dubai for a while and while living there I changed the way I viewed (and invested in) my health. I spend $2,400 a month on a gym membership, which is not cheap, but I’m a creature of habit. I also invest heavily in peptides that help performance, longevity, and mindfulness. I personally think these are game changers. I also spend a significant amount on supplements, which I believe to tackle all elements of my health.
Let me break it down even further and how it helps with performance.
The peptides that I take not only help with how I look but also how I feel. If I can feel better, sleep better and have better concentration, then I will show up better at work. My decision-making improves, and I function at a much higher level. Different peptides affect different receptors, and because I have seen the impact, I now take everything I can get my hands on. I measure it based on how it impacts specific aspects of my life.
I also get monthly blood tests that measure different markers. Once I see something is wrong, I know what supplements to take to fix it. I take so many different supplements right now, it’s actually a joke, but it helps me perform better. If I’m sick or have liver or kidney problems, it affects my mind and in turn, affects my work and output. Besides supplements, eating healthy and nutritious food is very important. If you look good, you feel good. And in the end, we all want to live longer.
The amount I invest in my gym membership is pretty new. However, it’s one of those things that you don’t know what you have until you don’t have it. The gym I joined in Dubai was incredible. They prepared your meals and measured all the macronutrients, offering everything to make you feel your best. Everything I do is about being 100% because if I look and feel my best, my decisions are the greatest.
All things considered, I actually don’t see investing in your health as something you can put a price on.
You’ve had big wins and some expensive lessons — from global growth to luxury purchases that didn’t pan out. Looking back, what do you wish more entrepreneurs understood about success and what it actually costs?
First and foremost, you don’t appreciate anything until it’s gone.
Secondly, if it comes too easily, you don’t appreciate it.
For a few years, I was making so much money, I didn’t even know how to spend it. I bought a G Wagon and a Lamborghini Urus because I heard it in a song. It wasn’t until it got taken away from me that I truly appreciated it.
All entrepreneurs should appreciate the journey. Riding the wave is the best part, and everyone should soak those memories in. That’s what I didn’t do. The cars stopped having meaning after a while, the properties were the same thing. I just wanted better and bigger cars.
You can’t appreciate the sunshine until it rains. Almost going broke was the best thing that ever happened to me.
