Nathan is Co-CEO of Digital Wonderlab. We spoke to him about how DWL approaches strategy - and why so many organisations are getting it wrong.
What’s the most common mistake you see organisations make with digital strategy?
Starting with technology instead of reality. People come to us saying “we need a new platform” or “we need to implement AI” when the actual question should be “what’s really going on in our organisation and where are the biggest opportunities?”
The best strategy always starts with honest assessment. What’s working? What isn’t? What does the data actually tell us versus what we assume? That’s why our first quarter theme is “Standing in Reality” - because you can’t plot a course if you don’t know where you’re standing.
How does DWL’s approach to strategy differ from a typical consultancy?
We don’t hand you a strategy document and walk away. We’re a digital agency with strategy capability, not a strategy firm with no delivery. That means the people building your strategy are the same people who understand what’s technically possible, what’s commercially viable, and what’s actually going to work in your context.
We also challenge. Clients don’t always love it in the moment, but they value it enormously in hindsight. If we think you’re solving the wrong problem, we’ll say so. If the data contradicts the narrative, we’ll show you. That’s not confrontational - it’s respectful. We’d rather have an uncomfortable conversation now than watch you spend six months heading in the wrong direction.
What does good digital strategy look like in 2026?
Connected. The days of treating your website, your CRM, your internal systems, and your customer experience as separate workstreams are over. Good strategy in 2026 is about how everything joins up - data flowing between systems, automation removing friction, AI making sense of complexity.
It’s also honest about AI. Every board wants an “AI strategy” right now. The organisations that will get the most value are the ones that take the time to understand where AI genuinely helps versus where it’s a distraction. That requires curiosity and discipline, not just enthusiasm.
You’ve been leading DWL for over a decade. What keeps you motivated?
The impact. When we get it right, we see organisations genuinely transformed - not in a press-release way, but in the way their teams work, the way their users experience their services, the way their data informs their decisions. That’s what keeps the whole team going.
And the curiosity. That’s not just a brand phrase - it’s how we actually operate. Every new client, every new sector, every new technology is an opportunity to learn something. The day we stop being curious is the day we stop being useful.
What would you say to a CEO who knows they need to move but isn’t sure in which direction?
That’s exactly the right place to be. Uncertainty isn’t a weakness - it’s the starting point for good strategy. The worst decisions are made with false confidence.
Start with exploration. Get the data. Understand the landscape. Then make decisions grounded in evidence, not assumptions. That’s what we help organisations do, and it’s where some of the best work begins.
If you’re standing in that uncertainty right now, book a strategy session. Let’s explore what’s possible.