A thriving Middlesbrough business heading into its twelfth year of trading is aiming to become the best independent digital marketing agency in the UK.

Mabo’s founder and owner Lee Mableson has praised his co-director, Rob Jackson, and staff for their role in creating the positive culture that has helped the company build an impressive client list of over 350 companies around the UK.

We are Middlesbrough sat down with Lee as the company marked its eleventh birthday.

Lee Mableson is a big people person.

His digital marketing agency Mabo revolves around its workforce.

The tone he sets is friendly and relaxed, but intensely focused on success. Those three factors have combined and contributed to a whirlwind 11 years that has seen the business climb new revenue mountains on an annual basis.

“We want people to be happy, comfortable and to enjoy working here,” he says.

“We want people to feel attached to the business they’re working for and to be involved in our growth.”

Lee Mableson

The former Laurence Jackson School student started the business from his spare room in Guisborough and now employs 68 staff.

He picks out the move to Middlesbrough’s Boho Zone as the moment the agency started to prove itself.

“We weren’t a proper business until we moved to Middlesbrough. We were a smaller agency. It was more simplistic. We grew up when we came to Middlesbrough is how I look at it.”

Now based on Albert Road, the company’s staff have the convenience of working from home much of the time with Lee, a father-of-four, placing huge importance on work-life balance and family time.

So what does the Mabo team do all day?

“They’re essentially tasked with improving return from digital marketing spend,” Lee, 37, says.

“We increase revenue and profitability for businesses who advertise on major search engines and across online marketplaces.

Mabo is a Google Premier Partner, recognised by the search engine giant for its skill and ability to keep up with the relentless pace of change in the digital landscape.

Mabo also works on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, Microsoft platforms and Pinterest.

In short, they help promote their clients on the websites that are part of everyday life for consumers around the world.

Inside Mabo’s office on Albert Road

Back when Lee founded the company, little was known or understood about the effect that artificial intelligence would have on the industry.

“It’s changed massively”, Lee says. “AI and smart solutions dominate massively these days. When I first started you had blisters on your fingers from data entry. It was a completely different world.

“Lots of people are scared of change. I’m very much the opposite. I’m an account manager by trade.  As an account manager you have to look for new ways of making a difference and having an impact. Clients and advertisers want that because they want to win. You have to be in tune with what’s happening. You can’t stand still, especially online. Things change so quickly.”

Lee is quick to highlight the relationship Mabo has had with Middlesbrough Council during its journey.

Mabo benefited from business rates relief by virtue of it being based within Middlesbrough’s Enterprise Zone. Companies from specific sectors that could demonstrate their expansion plans were eligible for the relief introduced as part of the government’s industrial strategy.

The rates relief was approved by Tees Valley Combined Authority and administered by the Council.

“The support that we’ve had from the council has been invaluable really. We are grateful for that. The relationship has been great.”

Mabo started life concentrating on pay-per-click (PPC), which involves advertisers paying a fee every time an advert is clicked on.

“We were the PPC guys,” Lee says. “But we’re very much a full digital marketing agency now.”

Mabo places huge importance on the development of its staff

Early clients included Teesside fashion retailer Psyche, before it was sold to Frasers Group.

One of the relationships Mabo was most proud of was its contract with New Era – “the biggest producer of caps and head attire in the world,” as Lee points out.

“To be involved in that as a homegrown company is impressive. New Era was huge.

“Glen, who started as an apprentice, dealt with New Era as the lead account manager and he played a key role in generating success for them.”

The success of Mabo’s own talent clearly means a great deal to the company. Its own statistics show 94% of apprentices stay on at the company.

“Some of our best staff started out as apprentices and are still here. It’s quite nice to think you’ve helped shape people in that way,” Lee says.

Mabo stands alongside other Middlesbrough digital successes including Big Bite and Double Eleven as evidence of a thriving sector in the town centre, creating jobs and being at the forefront of industry innovation.

Lee believes some of the town’s own characteristics have played a part in the digital story.

“We all have a fighting mentality being from the North, he says.

“I think there’s an inclination to want to prove ourselves. We have people with that mentality here. We have a massive itch to improve ourselves.

“We’ll keep on diversifying. We’ll keep on changing. We’ll survive if we keep on developing and investing in our staff. We want to become the best independent marketing agency in the UK and that’s quite a shout…”

You’d be brave to bet against the Mabo machine.