Manny Shah: Women entrepreneurs leading Australia’s online business boom

Women are fast emerging as the early winners in Australia's online business boom, with new data and market experience showing they are more likely to reach out for professional help with digital marketing from day one.
 

According to Manny Shah, cofounder and director of Rank My Business, this proactive approach is setting women-led start-ups apart from their peers and fuelling a major trend in the small business sector.
 

"Across the start-up and small business space, we are seeing women build strong online businesses at record speed," Shah said.
 

"The key difference is that they don't wait until things start going wrong to get help. They reach out to experts early, get their strategy right from the beginning and that accelerates their results.
 

"We have reviewed our work with start ups over the last three years and this trend is clear. Women led businesses are succeeding early and fast. They are involving us in their launch and scaling from day one."
 

A growing digital trend
 

Australia has seen a surge in female-led online businesses, spanning e-commerce, consulting, creative services and lifestyle brands. Unlike many male counterparts, who often attempt to manage their digital presence alone until they reach a certain size or hit roadblocks, women entrepreneurs are embracing collaboration and professional support from the outset.
 

Shah said this behaviour is driving a clear trend in the digital marketing industry.
 

"We're receiving more calls from women launching businesses online who want their websites, social media and search strategies set up properly from day one. That's very different from the traditional pattern where businesses only come to us when they've already disappeared from Google or their ads stop working."
 

Why women are building momentum faster
 

By outsourcing early, women-led businesses avoid common mistakes such as relying on quick DIY websites, inconsistent branding or under-optimised search strategies. This means their campaigns are built on strong digital foundations and can grow steadily over time.

"Getting the fundamentals right including SEO, paid ads, content and social media, creates compounding results," Shah explained.
 

"When you wait until you're in trouble to call in an agency, you've usually lost time, money and opportunities. Women are skipping that pain by acting early and it shows in how quickly they are building traction online."
 

The rise of partnership thinking
 

Shah said the trend also reflects a broader cultural shift in how entrepreneurs view marketing partnerships.
 

"The women we work with often see us as partners, not just providers. They want collaboration, transparency and long-term planning. That mindset is powerful as it creates trust, consistency and most importantly, growth."
 

A call to new business owners
 

Shah encouraged all start-ups to take note of this emerging trend.
 

"Digital marketing is no longer something you can set and forget, or leave until later. The businesses that succeed are those that take it seriously from the beginning. Women are leading the way in this space and it's a big part of why their ventures are scaling faster and with less stress."
 

About Manny Shah
 

Manny Shah is the cofounder and director of Rank My Business, a performance-driven digital agency helping small to medium businesses grow through ROI-first strategies across SEO, paid ads, content, social media and web. Rank My Business is leading the AI charge with AEO and GEO strategies, helping clients maintain visibility in a search landscape driven increasingly by generative AI.

About Rank My Business
 

Rank My Business is a Melbourne-based digital marketing agency serving clients across Australia, the US, UK, UAE and India. Founded by Kunal and Manny Shah, the agency offers end-to-end services including SEO, Google Ads, social media, content, website design and reputation management. Known for its ROI-first, transparent approach, the agency has grown on a 90 referral rate without paid advertising and is celebrated for its long-term client partnerships. Visit www.rankmybusiness.com.au.