jessy savage, victoria digital marketing, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, victoria bc, vancouver island

Jessy Savage: Building Purpose-Driven Digital Growth Through Victoria Digital Media

Jessy Savage is a Canadian entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of Victoria Digital Marketing (VDM), one of Vancouver Island’s emerging full-service digital marketing agencies. Jessy began her career by earning early leadership roles in national franchises before launching her own business during the 2020 pandemic.

What began as a solo freelancing venture has grown into a multi–six figure agency serving organizations across North America, including nonprofits, tourism operators, tech firms, and Island-based small businesses. Through VDM, Jessy leads a multidisciplinary team specializing in web development, SEO, content strategy, paid advertising, graphic and brand design, with a strong focus on community impact and ethical business growth.

jessy savage, victoria digital marketing, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, victoria bc, vancouver island

Jessy previously served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division, where she contributed to governance, communications strategy, and province-wide advocacy initiatives. That experience shaped her long-term commitment to community work and now informs the nonprofit and social-impact support embedded within Victoria Digital Marketing. Through VDM, Jessy works closely with local charities, social enterprises, and community organizations to strengthen their digital presence, clarify messaging, and increase their capacity to reach the people they serve. She continues to mentor emerging professionals in marketing and entrepreneurship, contributing to the development of future talent across Vancouver Island.

Across every chapter of her career, Jessy has remained dedicated to accessibility, community engagement, and empowering local businesses to grow with clarity, integrity, and confidence.

THE BUSINESS.

Victoria Digital Marketing (VDM) is a full-service digital marketing agency built on the belief that local businesses deserve enterprise-level strategy without losing the relationships and community connection that make Vancouver Island unique. Founded in 2020 by Jessy Savage, VDM has grown from a one-person consultancy into a multidisciplinary team supporting organizations across Vancouver Island with brand development, web design, SEO, paid media, and community-driven campaigns.

jessy savage, victoria digital marketing, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, victoria bc, vancouver island

VDM’s work is rooted in collaboration, transparency, and local impact. The agency partners with a wide range of sectors – including hospitality, trades, nonprofits, professional services, and retail – while maintaining a strong commitment to supporting community-based organizations. As the Marketing Director for Think Local First, Jessy leads some of Victoria’s most visible shop-local initiatives, strengthening VDM’s role as a connector between local businesses, media, and the public.

With a focus on sustainable, relationship-based growth, VDM rejects dependency-based models and instead builds digital infrastructure that empowers clients long after the engagement ends. The agency’s expertise, combined with deep ties to the local business community, has positioned VDM as a trusted partner for organizations seeking strategic support, creative excellence, and measurable results. Today, VDM continues to expand its impact while staying true to its community-first foundation.

jessy savage, victoria digital marketing, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, victoria bc, vancouver island

IN HER WORDS.

I recognized my entrepreneurial spirit from a young age because business was part of my everyday life. With two entrepreneurial parents, the idea of creating something on my own never felt unusual. By the time I was ten, my dad had me working in his sign shop, teaching me old-school Corel, Photoshop, and Adobe programs on a Windows 98 computer with only megabytes of storage. For Christmas in 2000, he handed me a box containing my first computer and told me to assemble it myself. It came preloaded with Dreamweaver, Corel, Photoshop, and Word. Around the same time, my school began pulling me out of gym class to learn HTML coding. Those early experiences shaped my confidence in solving problems, building things, and forging my own direction.

FIRST VENTURES

My first ventures were scrappy and resourceful. While other kids set up lemonade stands, my best friend and I did not have parents who would buy juice crystals, so we adapted. Our neighbourhood was full of wildflowers, and that became our product. We set up a stand, sent her older brother and his friend out on bikes to gather flowers, kept everything in water, and sold each stem for a quarter. We paid the boys fairly, and then spent our earnings at the candy store. That tiny operation taught me that with enough creativity and determination, I could build something out of nothing.

CREATIVE EVOLUTION

In my twenties, that same instinct reappeared in an unexpected way. I developed a shredded T-shirt style that began as a personal fashion choice at concerts. I would buy a shirt, step into the bathroom, shred and tie it back together, and walk out wearing something entirely different. Soon, other girls were asking me to cut theirs too. That turned into a small business with a standalone e-commerce site, upcycled materials, custom orders, and self-taught digital marketing. It was fun, expressive, and foundational—skills I would rely on years later.

BUILDING FROM CRISIS

When the pandemic hit, I found myself laid off from my dream job at a digital marketing agency. Instead of spiralling, I channelled that energy into building something new. I built my website from my apartment, sent cold Instagram messages offering free website audits, and filled my days with HubSpot courses and learning. I often say that during COVID, I lost the ability to be bored, and that relentless curiosity became the catalyst for launching VDM. With no investment other than time, I took my first steps toward what would eventually grow into a thriving company.

jessy savage, victoria digital marketing, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, victoria bc, vancouver island

FIRST TEAM MOMENT

One of my most memorable early experiences came when I hired my first team member. I had never considered myself a “boss,” and leadership was new territory. I brought on a designer-developer who was creative, smart, and exactly the kind of person I wanted to collaborate with. After we launched our first WordPress site together, she confessed that she had exaggerated her technical experience during the interview. I laughed because it reminded me of my own early employment days when my answer to tasks I did not know was always, “No, but I will learn.” That moment taught me how important honesty, humour, and trust would be in building a team.

FIRST SIX FIGURES

The first year of VDM brought another milestone. Ten months after starting, I realized I had generated six figures. Many businesses were applying for government grants to improve their online presence, and my SEO content consistently ranked directly under official government grant pages. Work arrived steadily as a result. When I opened my account statement and saw the number, I closed my laptop and took the rest of the day off. It was overwhelming, and imposter syndrome hit hard. Eventually, I understood that financial milestones matter far less than what you choose to do with the opportunity they bring.

INNER OBSTACLES

My journey was never without obstacles, and many of them came from within. I am naturally introverted, shy, and historically uncomfortable being the first person to speak in a room. Even answering the phone used to be a challenge. Running a business forced me to confront those tendencies every day. Something shifts inside me when I step into work mode, and that has allowed me to develop a confidence I did not realize was there. My team plays a huge role in this growth. We support one another, encourage each other, and allow ourselves to be human.

VALUE ALIGNMENT

There was a moment early on when I almost sold the company. A business that wanted to hire me suggested buying VDM outright, and I entertained the idea long enough to enter valuation conversations. Everything changed when the CEO casually bragged about firing an employee for “not jumping fast enough” to help him. The arrogance behind that comment made my decision easy. I walked away, and the company eventually folded. That experience reinforced how essential value alignment is for me. VDM’s identity—our nonprofit donation fund, educational commitments, mentorship, and community contributions—could not have existed if I had sold early.

LEARNING TO SCALE

Scaling the company required a different kind of growth. I had always been a perfectionist, convinced that everything needed to be done my way. When burnout began closing in, I hired my first designer, and giving her autonomy was transformative. She built processes and created SOPs that were entirely different from mine, and they worked. I learned that letting go of control allows others to innovate and elevate the company in ways I could not do alone. True scaling is measured by collaboration, creativity, and freedom, not vanity metrics.

PERSONAL RECKONING

The personal sacrifices were significant, especially because I started the business during a global pandemic. My personal life slipped into the background without me realizing it. The moment that forced me to reassess everything came in 2022 when my brother called during a Zoom meeting—something he never did without warning—to tell me our stepbrother had passed away. After sharing the news, he said, “You do not have to come be with us; we know you are busy with work.” That sentence shattered me. From that day forward, I created boundaries: separate work and personal lines, set hours, and no more being available twenty-four hours a day out of fear. I now choose to work with people who respect life outside of work as much as I do.

CHOOSING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

There was also a moment when I realized my business would succeed because it had to. I had been poached by an agency that promised salary, stability, comfort, and bonuses. I spent three intense months working forty hours a week for them while running VDM on the side. The environment was chaotic, the team was exhausted, and the structure was weak. At the end of those months, I chose not to renew. Walking away from promised security told me everything I needed to know—I was building something better.

FOUND MENTORSHIP

jessy savage, victoria digital marketing, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, victoria bc, vancouver island

Mentorship became a meaningful part of my journey more recently. While living in Kelowna, I admired business leader Nikki Csek and everything she built in the Okanagan. During a period of transition at VDM, I finally gathered the courage to reach out. We spoke over Zoom, and when I asked if she would mentor me, she said yes immediately, noting that very few people ever ask. That moment reminded me that opportunities often appear when you choose to make the first move.

TEAM CULTURE

My leadership style shifted again when my first designer left after two years to pursue a different industry. Her departure made me realize I had never built a true team culture. I reflected on what I had needed earlier in my career and committed to creating that environment. Today, our team leads passion projects, supports nonprofits such as the BC SPCA, CMHA BC, BC Cancer, and Second Chance Cheekye Ranch, and pursues continuous education. We honour mental health with space, understanding, and even a paid day off for World Mental Health Day. Our next staff celebration is a spa day and team photo shoot, not pizza and bowling. Growing alongside the team has become one of the most rewarding parts of this work.

LESSONS LEARNED

The advice I share with aspiring entrepreneurs is simple and hard-earned. Success becomes less about what you earn and more about what you do with it. Every day requires self-belief and resilience. Document everything early—processes, systems, insights—so you can train others effectively later. Choose your circle with intention. If you spend time with five successful founders, you become the sixth.

THE HEART OF VDM

At the heart of my business is creativity. Before the pandemic, I worked in a remote creative director role. Later, in my dream agency job, I experienced the energy of a shared studio—a space with sit-to-stand desks, music, spontaneous brainstorms, and a foosball-table boardroom. That environment shaped the kind of company I want to build. My vision includes a creative studio for VDM where the team can collaborate, strategize, and innovate. As we expand into full print services, from business cards to billboards, a dedicated space would allow us to grow into a full-scale creative hub. And yes, the boardroom table will absolutely be a foosball table.

LOOKING AHEAD

Looking ahead to 2026, my aspirations centre on impact. I want to help more businesses thrive, support my team’s growth, and broaden our reach across Vancouver Island and into the Lower Mainland. My hope is to leave behind a legacy of authenticity. I may be shy, but I have a bright personality and quirky traits that I embrace fully. I want others to feel permission to be their true selves as well. I want students and emerging entrepreneurs to know that even leaders who seem “put together” are not always confident. Be human, be real, be approachable, be kind, give away what you do not need, and leave the world better than you found it.

Follow Jessy and Victoria Digital Marketing on IG: @victoriadigitalmarketing

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Collaborator: This story is created in collaboration between Helen Siwak and the featured subject. As the founder and publisher of Portfolio.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, Helen works closely with entrepreneurs to share their paths of innovation, resilience, and growth. Each story in this series is co-developed through interviews and first-person insights, blending authentic voices with Helen’s editorial expertise to highlight the remarkable individuals shaping British Columbia’s business landscape.