About Disem
Strategic consulting for digital service companies in New Zealand
Our Story
Founded in 2015 by Sarah Thompson, Disem began with a simple vision: to bring world-class strategic consulting specifically tailored to New Zealand's unique digital ecosystem. After working with global consulting firms and witnessing firsthand the struggles of local digital agencies trying to scale their operations, Sarah identified a critical gap in the market.
The name "Disem" comes from "Digital Semaphore" – a nod to how we help companies signal their direction and navigate the complex digital landscape. In our early days, we operated from a small office in Wellington's creative district, working primarily with small digital agencies facing growth challenges.
By 2017, our success with these initial clients allowed us to expand our team and service offerings. We developed our proprietary KPI framework specifically designed for digital service businesses, which has since become an industry standard in New Zealand. Our expansion continued with offices opening in Auckland and Christchurch to better serve clients across the country.
A pivotal moment came in 2019 when our strategic guidance helped three New Zealand-based digital startups secure significant Series A funding from international investors. This success brought international recognition to our methodologies and established Disem as a leader in the digital strategy space. Our funding preparation methodology was featured in several international business publications.
In 2021, recognizing the growing importance of sustainability in business, we launched our Digital Sustainability Framework, becoming the first strategic consultancy in New Zealand to integrate environmental and social considerations into digital business strategy. This initiative resonated strongly with our clients and the broader business community.
Today, Disem is recognized as New Zealand's premier strategic consulting firm for digital service companies, with a team of specialists across various digital domains. We continue to evolve our services to meet the changing needs of digital businesses in an increasingly complex global marketplace, while staying true to our founding mission of helping local companies thrive in the digital economy.
Our Mission & Values
At Disem, we're driven by a clear purpose: to empower digital service companies in New Zealand to achieve sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
Data-Driven Decisions
We believe that effective strategy must be grounded in robust data and analytics. Our recommendations are always backed by comprehensive research and quantitative analysis, ensuring that our clients make decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions.
Local Context, Global Perspective
We combine deep understanding of New Zealand's business environment with global best practices. This unique approach allows our clients to develop strategies that work within local constraints while leveraging international opportunities.
Sustainable Growth
We're committed to helping companies grow in ways that are financially, operationally, and environmentally sustainable. Our strategies consider long-term implications, not just short-term gains, ensuring that growth can be maintained over time.
Collaborative Partnership
We don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we work closely with each client, becoming an extension of their team to develop customized strategies that reflect their unique goals, culture, and market position.
Continuous Innovation
The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and so are we. We invest heavily in ongoing research and development to ensure our methodologies remain at the cutting edge of strategic thinking in the digital domain.
Practical Implementation
A brilliant strategy is worthless if it can't be executed. We pride ourselves on delivering recommendations that are not just insightful but also practical and implementable within our clients' operational realities.
Meet Our Leadership Team
The expertise and passion behind Disem's success
Sarah Thompson
Founder & CEO
With over 15 years of experience in digital strategy, Sarah previously led digital transformation initiatives at several global consulting firms. She holds an MBA from the University of Auckland and is a certified Digital Business Strategist.
David Chen
Partner, Marketing Strategy
David specializes in marketing channel alignment with a background in digital marketing agencies and SaaS companies. He holds a Master's degree in Digital Marketing from Victoria University of Wellington.
Emma Wilson
Partnership Structure Specialist
With a background in corporate law and business development, Emma brings unique insights into creating successful collaboration frameworks. She holds a law degree from the University of Canterbury.
Michael Patel
Chief Financial Strategist
Michael oversees all funding preparation and financial strategy services. With experience in venture capital and investment banking, he has helped dozens of startups secure over $30M in funding.
Our Achievements
Measurable impact for digital businesses across New Zealand
Digital Companies Served
We've worked with over 75 digital service companies across New Zealand, from early-stage startups to established agencies with international presence.
Funding Secured
Our funding preparation services have helped clients secure over $42 million in external investment, enabling significant growth and market expansion.
Average Revenue Growth
Clients who implement our strategic recommendations see an average of 68% revenue growth within the first 18 months of engagement.
Industry Awards
We've been recognized with 12 industry awards for excellence in strategic consulting, including "Digital Strategy Consultancy of the Year" for three consecutive years.
Client Retention
Our commitment to delivering measurable results is reflected in our 94% client retention rate, with most clients engaging our services for multiple projects.
Proprietary Frameworks
We've developed three proprietary strategic frameworks specifically for digital service companies, which have been adopted by businesses across the Asia-Pacific region.
What Our Clients Say
The impact of our strategic consulting in their words
"Disem's strategic guidance transformed our digital agency from a service provider to a strategic partner for our clients. Their insights into market positioning and service differentiation were game-changing for our business. Within a year of implementing their recommendations, we saw a 75% increase in our average project value."
"Working with Disem was pivotal for our startup's growth trajectory. Their funding preparation process was thorough and insightful, helping us secure $3.5M in Series A funding. But what really sets them apart is their holistic approach – they didn't just help us get funding, they helped us build a sustainable business model that continues to drive our success."
"The KPI framework that Disem implemented for our marketing agency completely transformed how we measure and drive performance. We now have clear visibility into what's working and what's not, allowing us to optimize our operations and deliver better results for clients. Our team productivity has increased by 35%, and client satisfaction scores have never been higher."
Ready to Transform Your Digital Business?
Let's discuss how our strategic consulting can help you achieve sustainable growth and competitive advantage in the digital marketplace.
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