Hidden Gems: Meet McKenzie Lewis of Digital Direction

Today we’d like to introduce you to McKenzie Lewis.

Hi McKenzie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always loved storytelling. Writing came naturally to me, so I went to study journalism and began a career in the broadcasting industry. It was there that I had a front-row seat to a major shift where traditional print and television were giving way to digital platforms. The way people were consuming media was changing so fast, and I knew I had to jump on this opportunity.

I also saw that many businesses were struggling to keep up with that shift, including my own father’s company. As a third-generation entrepreneur, I grew up around small business operations and understood both the opportunity and the pressure that come with running one. So in 2020, I founded Digital Direction and began helping a few small businesses improve their online presence, social media, advertising, and content strategy.

For several years, I balanced this work alongside a full-time corporate job, building systems, refining my approach, and learning what actually drives measurable growth. In 2025, I decided to take the leap and make it my full-time focus. That’s when Digital Direction officially became my primary business.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Entrepreneurship is not a smooth road. One of the biggest realizations I’ve had is that no one is coming to save you. You are completely responsible for building the structure, the discipline, and the momentum yourself. There’s no guaranteed outcome, which means you have to stay focused and consistent even on the hard days.

Running my own business has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve done so far in my life. It stretches you in every direction. You’re not just doing the work, you’re also managing operations, finances, client relationships, growth strategy, and constant problem-solving.

Right now, my biggest challenge is balance. There are only so many hours in the day, and I care deeply about delivering the highest-quality work possible for every client. Maintaining that standard while continuing to grow is something I’m still working on. We currently have two part-time team members, and we’re continuing to look for additional support so we can scale without sacrificing quality.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Digital Direction is a full-service digital marketing agency focused on helping small businesses grow through strategic, data-driven, and highly customized marketing solutions. Our services cover the full digital ecosystem. That includes paid advertising across platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok; organic social media strategy and management; search engine optimization (SEO); website development and optimization; email marketing; content creation; analytics and conversion tracking; and broader media placements like connected TV, and out-of-home advertising. We also help businesses build the technical foundation behind their marketing, think things like tracking setup, reporting dashboards, and funnel optimization… so decisions are based on real performance data, not guesswork.

What truly sets us apart is that we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all marketing. Every business gets a custom strategy based on its goals, industry, budget, and growth stage. We don’t plug clients into a template, we build a plan around how their business actually works.

I’m a third-generation entrepreneur, so I was raised around business ownership and understand firsthand the pressures that come with it. So we approach every client relationship like a business partner, not just a vendor. We treat each client’s budget like it’s our own and focus on marketing that drives real return, not just vanity metrics that don’t matter. Our goal is to be an extension of the team. With our clients, we become someone that they can fully trust to think strategically, act responsibly, and care about outcomes.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud that our reputation has been built largely through results and referrals. That tells me we’re delivering real value. I’m also proud that storytelling is still at the core of what we do. My background in journalism shaped how I see marketing. I see it not just as promotion, but as content that connects with the right audience at the right time. Especially in a time where our world is so inundated with AI, I think showing up authentically online is so important.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I have really great memories of going to sporting events with my family. We went to a lot of Atlanta Braves games and Georgia Bulldogs games. We’re a big sports family, so this was a really fun thing to do, and a lot of my friends would come to the games as well. We would often travel for games, and we still do travel some for Georgia football.

Although I was too young to remember, my parents brought me to a tailgate for the 1995 World Series. They went into the game, and I stayed in the parking lot with some other family members. Then in 2021, I was able to take my grandmother to one of the World Series games. Sort of a full-circle moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mydigitaldirection.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mydigitaldirection/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mydigitaldirection/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/107699656/admin/dashboard/

Image Credits
Golden Thread Photography