How This Award-Winning Boss Runs His Team Differently – and Why It Works
Fresh from winning the 'Employer of Choice' award, UR Digital founder Pulkit Agrawal shares his unconventional approach to leading a small business team.
SEO agency UR Digital has been named Employer of Choice (20 Employees and Under) at the 2025 Business NSW Awards (Sydney region), recognising outstanding workplace culture and leadership. But founder Pulkit Agrawal says the award isn't about perks or ping-pong tables – it's about rethinking what it means to lead.
"It's not the company's first award, but this one means the most," he says. "Small businesses don't have the budgets of corporates, but we do have the ability to build trust, respect and motivation. That's what keeps talent loyal and drives results."
Here are five of Agrawal's 'do it differently' principles – the ones he credits for UR Digital's success:
- Start with a full 'trust bucket'
"Most employers expect staff to earn their trust. I flip it. Everyone starts with 100% trust in the 'bucket.' If mistakes happen, I remove a spoonful. If the bucket ever empties, it's time to part ways. Starting with trust motivates people to live up to it – rather than feeling constantly tested," he says.
2. Trial by project, not interview
"Interviews are theatre," says Agrawal. "A paid project shows me how you really think, communicate and solve problems. Two hours on a real task tells me more than ten hours of rehearsed answers." At UR Digital, new hires prove themselves in practice, not on paper. The approach not only reveals how people handle feedback, but also sets the tone that contribution matters more than credentials. "It's fairer to candidates too – they get to see how we work before they say yes."
3. Reverse mentorship
"Leaders don't have all the answers – and pretending we do is dangerous," he says. "Every quarter I ask junior team members to mentor me in something new, whether it's a digital tool, a cultural trend or a different way of thinking about work. It sends a clear message that knowledge isn't tied to job titles and that everyone's voice has value. It also keeps me sharp."
4. Step back, not in
"I remove myself from as many day-to-day tasks as possible so my focus can stay on strategy and business growth. But more importantly, it shows my team that I trust them to find the answers. People tend to rise to the level of responsibility you give them. When you treat staff as capable decision-makers, they usually prove you right," he says.
5. Celebrate failures publicly
"We've got a Slack channel for failures. Sounds scary, right? But it strips away the shame, sparks creative fixes and turns mistakes into learning moments. We don't punish failure – we punish hiding it. That's why people here take risks without fear – which is when the best ideas are born," he says.
Agrawal says any small business owner can apply these principles: "The lesson is simple – when you build trust and transparency into your culture, you don't just win awards. You build a team that wants to win with you."
UR Digital will now progress as a finalist in the NSW State Business Awards in October.
About us:
UR Digital is a Sydney-based digital marketing agency specialising in SEO, ASO and digital PR. The agency supports growing businesses – typically earning between $3M and $10M annually – through strategic search visibility across traditional and AI-driven platforms. Known for its data-driven approach and clean execution, UR Digital helps brands earn trust and topical authority online.
