After working close to 20 jobs before he was 19, Derek McWilliam realized he was not employable. He worked too hard and had too many ideas to optimize the operations. Owners didn’t dislike him; he just asked too much from them.
So he began his first of 12 successful businesses. From sleeping under his desk at the office to leading profitable businesses in the real estate, janitorial, online education, hospitality, road maintenance, mining and exploration, and e-commerce industries, Derek strives to pursue a holistic life where he can succeed both at work and at home.
Growing up in a household of 10, there wasn’t much. The budget was usually always tight and food tended to go as fast as it came. But the one thing Jacob did have was his character. At an early age, he was taught to work hard and treat people right.
For Jacob Powell, owning a business meant hard work paid off, and you were rewarded for treating people right. It meant no constraints. It meant freedom. It meant going from questioning every decision based on budget to “how can we make this work?”
So why start another marketing firm?
Throughout the past three decades, any time Derek needed help in marketing, he was never satisfied with the results. Even when he had the money and could pay for the “best” marketing service, he was always left wanting. He found that whoever he’d hire was good at a specific area of marketing — like graphic design, copywriting, web services, radio ads, flash sales, etc.
It was rare to come across marketers who understood business holistically. Few firms understood the work that goes into one dollar of profit and the many areas where money needs to be invested back in business.
Jacob identified many marketing firms were paid regardless of results. They were essentially being paid to do arts and crafts for owners who didn’t know social media, website design, copyrighting or graphic design. They were paid just to “do something.”
Many firms claimed to do strategy; however, it was a strategy within a certain channel like TV, radio, sales, digital etc. Few firms are dedicated to providing strategy as a whole, and far fewer firms earn their income based on results.
About four years ago, Derek and Jacob worked on one project together, became friends, and are now business partners. They shared their distaste for consultants, specifically marketing consultants, and knew small business owners wanted more from their marketing firms. Furthermore, a lot of time is wasted among business owners trying to attract and keep customers. Derek and Jacob wanted to help owners take back that time, conduct proper marketing practices, and be incentivized to deliver results.
So, Derek and Jacob started McWilliam & Powell | Marketing Experts. Drawing from Jacob’s training and Derek’s vast experience, McWilliam & Powell strives to help small business owners attract and keep customers through research, strategy, and tactics.
Jacob and Derek share similar values of faith, family, finance, growth and adventure. They desire to do exceptional work while still being engaged in family life. They want the “double win” — succeeding at work and home. At the end of the day, both Derek and Jacob want to help small business owners achieve that double win.
If you’re a small business owner who wants to grow your business without sacrificing what matters most, visit our website or contact us at https://mcwilliampowell.com.

Regina, Saskatchewan
Member Since: February 22, 2023
Member Category: Marketing
Contact Name: Mr. Jacob Powell, Owner
Phone: (639) 998-2143
Email: jacob@mcwilliampowell.com