Digital Edge's Thrilling Journey: From Nasdaq to Meeting Wix's CEO. An Interview with Ian!!!

The past three weeks have been incredibly exciting for Digital Edge, filled with remarkable milestones, groundbreaking experiences, and exciting encounters in the world of digital innovation. From the bustling streets of New York City to the heart of London, and a personal meeting with the CEO of Wix, our journey has been a whirlwind of excitement and growth.

In this blog, we take you on a ride through these extraordinary weeks, with Ian serving as your guide. His insights, experiences, and revelations will shed light on the incredible events that unfolded, providing a glimpse into the essence of Digital Edge's passion for pushing boundaries in the digital landscape.

Join us as we recount our recent adventures, from appearing on the Nasdaq in New York to being honoured as special guests at The Wix Studio event, and finally, receiving an invitation to meet the visionary behind Wix, CEO Avishai Abrahami.

It's a story of ambition, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. So, let's dive into the excitement and explore the magic of the past three weeks together!

Can you describe your first impressions of meeting Avishai Abrahami, the CEO of Wix?

He was amazing. When I first saw him, he was sat chilled and comfortable. He was casual and unassuming. He was open, and looking to have conversations. He's such a grounded, down to earth guy, yet so incredibly impressive.

How did it feel to be a special guest at the Wix Studio Conference in London and meet high-ranking individuals from Wix?

The Wix Studio team were all amazing, wonderful people. They reflected the culture that has been created at Wix, a credit to the company. It was amazing to be in a room with other leading Wix partners and seeing how diverse the Wix partners are in terms of individual business models and how they work.

One guy, a keynote speaker around the north of England was very marketing focused then there’s some that simply don’t want to join a team. Some who simply use Wix as a bolt on. All good people who have a common goal which is to build their business. Seeing different business models and the way they are approached was very interesting.

It was impressive that Avishai came to such an intimate event. Being the CEO of Wix, a $5.5-billion business and still taking time to come and meet some of the leading British partners was humbling.

He absorbed the whole evening. He was so open to what people had to say, creating an atmosphere which was open and warm where people were comfortable to say things.

We had great, powerful discussions with him and his team. It was all very captivating. I was blown away by the conversation itself.

Could you share a memorable moment or key takeaway from your time at the Wix Studio Conference?

Meeting Yakir, Alex, Matan, Bar and Chen who are part of the Wix Studio team (Please forgive me if I missed you out, I am not so good with names. I have you all pictured in my head). So much fun and energy and so helpful. To meet Yakir again yesterday when I went back to London to meet Avishai Abrahami was great. It was so humbling to meet Avisahi, it was hard to believe it was him.

Meeting the partners was also eye-opening with such wonderful conversations.

The whole experience made me proud to be part of the Wix Enterprise and being in a position where we can offer solutions to those who need them.

What does being a guest at an event like the Wix Studio Conference mean for Digital Edge and its clients?

We are a leading provider of Wix solutions in the UK and beyond. Our clients can have confidence that we are one of the leading suppliers of Wix websites. We now have a better understanding of the new Wix Studio platform and how it can be used.

Wix Studio is very fluid. It is the most advanced, easiest and helpful CMS to use ever. It was abundantly clear that feedback raised by individuals has been, not only acknowledged but also, actively implemented.

The commitment to addressing user needs and enhancing the Wix platform's capabilities was evident throughout our discussions. It's truly inspiring to see how responsive and user-centric Wix is in continuously improving the platform for its users.

How has your recent meeting with Avishai Abrahami influenced your perspective on website development and digital solutions?

I have been highly influenced. I’m positive about Wix. Platforms we have seen as competitors in the past, are unsecured, open source, constantly need updating and in 2023 there is no place for that. They aren’t connected to Google like Wix is, there is no competition really.

Can you tell us about the significance of Digital Edge appearing on the Nasdaq in New York? How did it feel to be part of this moment?

Being on one of the most influential buildings in the world blew me away, I was star struck! Wix doing this proves they are community driven and are looking for opportunity to lift up the partners that make Wix who they are today. It was a proud moment.

What exciting developments or innovations in the digital world have you encountered during your recent experiences?

Wix blocks is a really exciting venture which we have started working on and already have 3 Blocks ready to move into the app market. There has been lots of things in Wix Studio excite me!

Such as being able to offer editing to clients without messing the site up. Wix Studio have come up with a new interface where you can invite the client and provide them access to images and text. Wix Studio is now a scalable pixel platform. In Editor X, you needed to be specific to spacing.

There is also a great new feature for collaboration where team members can all be in on the editor together and make comments, make changes and updates together.

In Studio, setting pixels means it’ll scale itself correctly, much more simplified than it was and beyond anything any competitors such as WordPress, Webflow and Magento, are currently offering. Also, where will AI take us? Wix have already been implementing AI into the web design which provides partners with a fantastic tool to improve services.

How do you envision these experiences impacting Digital Edge's approach to serving clients and providing digital solutions?

DE have been working on Wi for 7 years and pushing the boundaries for at least 2 years now and are leading the way in Wix Solutions . With the latest updates, we believe the Wix Platform has grown head and shoulders above its competitors.

And things will only get better in the next year and beyond as Wix continue to push out innovation in the website world.

There has never been a better time to create a website and with our experience of building websites and Velo software solutions over the last 7 years, we are in prime position to support those ready to move over into a more secure and supportive platform that provides an interface that is unmatched.

Were there any unexpected insights or revelations that emerged from your interactions at these events?

Most expensive website ever sold on Wix was 11 million dollars. I always “love it” when a client says they will start off with Wix and move over to WordPress when they have more money!! Makes me feel like saying, “Sit down….”!!

I was surprised by Avishai’s prediction that Magento and Wordpress will be defunct in the next 10 years. We have lived in a world of Wordpress and Magento for a long time now and these platforms were there from the start of the internet evolution. So to hear that and knowing the power of Wix, it was a pretty big claim.

How do you see the role of Wix in shaping the future of web development and design?

Wix is leading the way in the future of web development and design. I like to call it “Trail Blazing.” WordPress isn’t owned by anyone. The Wix owner and team listen and act upon what feedback they get from their users.

Following 17 years of playing catch up with it’s competitors, it is now leading the way, and I can’t see anything that will stop them taking this further and eliminating open source web design from the market. The CEO of WordPress isn’t around to do anything about it.

In what ways can the knowledge and connections gained in the past three weeks benefit Digital Edge's clients?

A lot is confidence. The fact that they are working with leading Wix Enterprise professionals should instil confidence in us. We know how it all works, we have been around long enough to understand the parts that make up Wix.

We have been through all of the transitions and are respected partners within the Wix Community.

Confidence, confidence, confidence! We are a safe pair of hands when it comes to Wix.

What advice or inspiration can you offer to businesses looking to stay at the forefront of digital innovation, as Digital Edge does?

Listen! Listen to customers! Listen to clients! Listen to the people around you and surround yourself with people who push the boundaries.

How do you personally stay motivated and passionate about the constantly evolving digital landscape?

It is a whirlwind and you literally can not turn off. But within that digital landscape, it’s still about the people and goes back to listening. I’m passionate about listening and being creative.

It boils down to our values- collaboration, creativity and outstanding value. When you live your life by the values you have, you don’t get bored or drained and every day is an exciting day.

What do you look forward to in the coming months as Digital Edge continues its journey in the digital world?

I believe we are moving into a new space. Where our designs are only going to get better, our software solutions are going to push the boundaries further.

If you could summarise the past three weeks in 3 words, what would it be, and why?

Established, Confident and Fun! Because I am starting to see how established we are in the Wix arena. We have been around it for long enough now. When your business is in lights on the NASDAQ, why wouldn’t you be. And fun, because we have had so much fun with a group of people that I absolutely LOVE!

I believe Wix’s values align with ours. They are collaborative, creative and add outstanding value. The team is so much fun, young and fresh and ready to go. I believe we are building something very similar here at Digital Edge.

Through Ian's firsthand account, we've delved into the heart of our experiences, and the resounding message is this: Digital Edge is committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the digital world. We're not just building websites; we're crafting digital experiences that captivate, inspire, and transform.

So, what's next for Digital Edge? We're eager to continue our pursuit of innovation, to discover new horizons, and to empower our clients with the latest advancements in the digital landscape.

Our journey is far from over, and we invite you to stay with us as we embark on new adventures, always striving to redefine what's achievable in the world of digital solutions.

Thank you for joining us on this incredible ride. The best is yet to come, and we can't wait to share it with you!!