Mark Burns

Step 1: Geography degree at Lancaster University = thousands of Lake District hours, 3 years of drunken blur, 3 months in a shack in Pune, India.

Step 2: International Development Masters Degree at Birmingham University = 12 months of studying, working, saving and 6 months fighting off malaria, flies and food poisoning in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Step 3: Return to England poor, 5 stone lighter and in need of work. Stumble into The Searchworks (UK #1 PPC agency) begging for a job, training, food and shelter.

Step 4: Work your ass off for 2 years, sucking in all knowledge. Move from Executive to Manager roles and work on the largest PPC accounts in the UK. Re-train to include SEO and Affiliate Management to your C.V.

Step 5: Run away to Australia after a harsh, cold winter makes you decide that 30’C, beaches and surfing is calling you.

Step 6: Surf, tan, travel. Oh and set up your own online marketing company running PPC, SEO, Display and social media strategies for over 10 different clients.

Step 7: Join a local Australian business and re-develop their online strategy to create government praised online marketing campaigns through PPC, SEO, website re-design and social media activity both in Australia and south-east Asia.

Step 8: Decide that perhaps the continuous days of sunshine, gorgeous beaches and beautiful is not for you and move back to the cold, rain and bustle of London.

Step 9: Join an international marketing company and set up their online division. Develop your international search and social media skills further still through continuous reading, conference attending and client activities.

Step 10: Become recognised as an expert in your field and be offered champagne where-ever you go, women fall at your feet and buckets of money.

(Still waiting for the champagne, women and money – can’t be long now!)