This interview feature of Harry Sanders is part of Exeleon Magazine’s annual issue – The 100 Most Dynamic Leaders. Check out the Full Listing of Exeleon’s 100 Most Dynamic Leaders of 2025.
At just 17, Harry Sanders was navigating life without a home, bouncing from couch to couch and relying on the kindness of others to stay afloat. Today, he leads one of the most successful dedicated SEO agencies in the world, StudioHawk, with over $15 million in revenue and a growing presence in Australia, Britain, and the United States.
What sets Harry apart is not just his entrepreneurial success, but the path he took to get there. His journey has become a case study in resilience, self-teaching, and betting on potential rather than pedigree. Through this exclusive interview with Exeleon Magazine, Harry opens up about the lessons that shaped him, the philosophies that guide his team, and how he envisions the future of both SEO and social impact.
You’ve spoken openly about becoming homeless at 17. Looking back, what were the defining lessons from that period that still guide you today?
Harry Sanders: A lot of the defining lessons from being homeless at such a young age are tough. They’re not sexy or glamorous. They are things like realizing that if you end up in a bad situation, sometimes it’s on you to get yourself out of it. That was the primary lesson I learned.
I was lucky to have people around me — my mentor Graham, my social worker Carla, and the people I couch-surfed with. But even with that support, nothing changes unless you are willing to make it happen yourself. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. That really stuck with me. Change has to come from within.
How did you first discover SEO, and what convinced you to turn it into a business rather than just a side skill?
Harry Sanders: I discovered SEO when I was about 13, playing RuneScape. A few of my buddies who were web developers mentioned this thing you could do so that your website would show up on Google. I found it fascinating. I really wanted to travel, so I started a travel website. I even asked online friends from around the world to write articles for it.
When strangers started finding my site through search, I was hooked. It was the first time I learned something purely because I loved it, not because a school told me to. I gave up video games and spent all my free time building that site. By 14, I was freelancing.
Later, when I was homeless, I went back to SEO freelancing. It wasn’t to start a business, just a way to make ends meet. But eventually, the work grew too big for just me, and that’s when things started to shift.
What was the spark that made you decide to officially launch StudioHawk? What were some of the initial challenges?
Harry Sanders: There was no lightning bolt moment, no grand plan. I was in a government-funded startup program, and my mentor Graham suggested I stop freelancing for agencies and start working directly with businesses. That was the push I needed.
The challenges were pretty much everything. I was couch surfing, had no stable place to live, no money, and no connections. Even having a reliable place to shower was difficult. So, starting a business with zero capital and no network was the first big hurdle.
StudioHawk has grown from $1M to $15M in revenue. What were the biggest turning points that fueled that scale?
Harry Sanders: The first big turning point was hiring my first team member. It wasn’t even planned. I brought someone on who was behind on rent and facing eviction. I told them I would teach them everything I knew. Suddenly, I wasn’t just freelancing anymore. I was responsible for someone else’s livelihood, and that lit a fire under me.
Another leap came in 2019 when we landed our first enterprise client in Australia. That win opened doors to more major brands. Then COVID hit, and suddenly, everyone was online. That digital surge was massive for us.
Now, with AI reshaping how people search, SEO is back in the spotlight again. We’ve been fortunate to be positioned well during each of those major shifts.
You’re known for hiring “wholesome nerds” over resumes or degrees. What qualities do you look for when building your team?
Harry Sanders: Attitude is everything. I want people who genuinely care about what they do and align with the values of the business. SEO is, let’s be honest, a pretty nerdy field. We’re not the flashy marketers or influencers. We’re digging into data, code, research, and finding ways to earn traffic.
That’s why I love wholesome nerds — people who are deeply passionate about something, whether it’s gaming, movies, sports, or anything else. They bring that same curiosity and energy into their work. When you get a group like that together, it creates a culture where people can geek out about SEO and build something meaningful at the same time.
SEO is evolving rapidly, especially with AI changing search. How do you see the future of SEO, and where will agencies like StudioHawk add the most value?
Harry Sanders: AI search is the biggest shift we’ve seen in years, though it’s rolling out more slowly than people expected. Still, the way people search is fundamentally changing. Many are already using AI alongside Google. One day, they might rely entirely on AI.
That shift is huge. AI search still relies on the core principles of SEO, like content structure, authority building, and digital PR. Agencies like StudioHawk are perfectly positioned to go deep into those areas.
The days of generic marketing advice are over. Businesses need specialists to help them adapt to this new landscape. That’s exactly where we come in.
When you think about the next five years, what’s your vision for both StudioHawk and your personal journey as an entrepreneur?
Harry Sanders: For StudioHawk, I believe we can double or even triple in size. Our U.S. office is already doing really well, and if AI search continues to take off, the opportunity is even greater. I think we have a real edge in that space because of our focus and our people.
Personally, I want to build my platform to make a meaningful difference, especially when it comes to youth homelessness. Through the Lighthouse Foundation, I want to help drive real change in how we support young people in difficult circumstances. I also want to use my personal story to influence policy and raise awareness.
Growing a business is great, but growing your impact is even better.
