A Bird’s Eye View of Digital Tools

Jenna Ahern spent ten years working in the automotive industry and saw firsthand how businesses changed when Google Ads was first introduced. Jenna observed the knowledge gap between executives and marketing departments as technology advanced, and in 2012 she started Guardian Owl Digital in Louisville, KY, to close that gap and help guide companies’ digital marketing activities.

Guardian Owl Digital educates companies on digital tools and implements them to aid in business growth. Jenna began by working solo and helping small and medium-sized enterprises. By 2016 the company had ten team members assisting major businesses through digital transformations, and Jenna made the leap to focus on the company full-time.

When COVID-19 shut down in-person operations for millions of businesses, Guardian Owl advised clients to run Google and Facebook ads to connect customers to their online web stores. Google Analytics tracks the effectiveness of advertisements so small business owners know how to improve them in order to reach more customers. Guardian Owl also taught clients how to leverage social media to reach more people. The business grew during the pandemic, and Jenna hired more team members.

Digital tools have helped Jenna’s business grow alongside her clients’ businesses. However, she worries about Congressional legislation targeting the digital platforms – like Facebook and Google – that her clients use. These proposals could make it harder for small businesses to use digital tools that help them succeed. Jenna believes that regulating technology will make it more expensive and might dissuade small business owners from investing in tools critical to long-term success. She hopes Congress realizes the importance of digital small business tools before passing laws that will hurt them and Guardian Owl’s clients.