How Two Brothers Built a Marketing Agency from Scratch with Dan Knowlton

Be a Marketer with Dave Charest

Dan Knowlton didn’t plan to build a top-performing content agency by dressing up in wigs and fake mustaches — but that's what helped him stand out.

In 2015, Dan and his brother Lloyd launched their marketing agency, Knowlton, from a spare room in their parents' house. No roadmap. No fancy setup. Just two brothers figuring it out as they went. What changed everything? Defining clear roles, setting long-term goals, and creating content people actually want to watch.

"It has taken us so much longer to get to where we are now than I thought at the start point," Dan says, reflecting on the patience and persistence it took to grow a sustainable business.

In this episode of Be A Marketer, host Dave Charest talks with Dan about growing from chaos to clarity. They unpack how to align your marketing with your strengths, what most small businesses get wrong about content, and why measuring results will sharpen your focus.

You’ll hear how Dan treats his agency like a client, how one strategy helped them double in size, and what Dan thinks every small business owner should start doing today.

Additional Resources:

• Getting started with the Automation Path Builder
• Using Constant Contact SEO tools
• How to Set Up an Effective Automated Welcome Email Series (with Examples)
• Set up to automatically resend to contacts who don’t open their email feature in Constant Contact

Meet Today’s Guest: Dan Knowlton of Knowlton Marketing

☕ What he does: Dan Knowlton is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Knowlton, a UK-based marketing agency he started with his brother in 2015. The duo is known for blending creativity with strategy to create content people actually enjoy. Knowlton has worked with major brands like the BBC, Nestlé, and Constant Contact.

💡 Key quote: "No one cares about your brand. All they care about is problems they've got and how they can most effectively solve them."

👋 Where to find Dan: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Podcast

👋 Where to find Knowlton Marketing: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok

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