Digital Agency Melbourne Client Stories

A Decade-Long Partnership: What We Learned About Loyalty

Jay Boston | July 11, 2025

3:33

Some client relationships are transactional. Others are transformational.

For us, the story of Energy Lab - and its founder, Brian - is one of the most treasured partnerships we’ve ever had. It’s a reminder that loyalty, trust, and shared ambition can build something far bigger than contracts or projects.

It builds connection.

The beginning: A simple logo request

Fourteen years ago, Brian reached out to ID Digital Agency with what seemed like a small request:
“Can you help me with my logo?”

Back then, Energy Lab was a small player in the energy efficiency space. But even in that first conversation, we saw something: ambition, curiosity, and a hunger to innovate.

The journey: building, expanding, innovating

Since that logo, we’ve worked side by side with Brian and his team to:

Build and rebuild the Energy Lab website - three times, to match their evolving vision.
Develop a custom energy efficiency reporting engine that slashed reporting time for tens of thousands of clients.
Expand the business internationally to Europe and Vietnam, opening new markets.
Enhance systems to handle both volume builders and individual homeowners with precision.
Create new mini-businesses targeting niche audiences with specific needs - such as Magic Energy Box.
Refresh collateral, signage, and messaging to reflect their shift from “reporting company” to technology and innovation leader.

Every project, big or small, has been a leap forward - powered by Brian’s willingness to explore, experiment, and push boundaries.

The low point: A mistake that could have ended everything

In 2013, disaster hit. One of our team members, in an instant, accidentally deleted a huge amount of Energy Lab’s reporting data.

One little SSH command. Seconds. Gone.

We were gutted.

What happened next taught us the meaning of real partnership. We called Brian, told him exactly what happened, held our breath, and braced for the fallout.

Brian’s response? Calm, understanding, and focused on the big picture.

We worked relentlessly to recover what we could, rebuilt trust day by day, and learned one of the most important lessons in business: honesty earns loyalty.

The now: trusted partners and good mates

Today, we don’t just deliver projects for Energy Lab - we’re part of their strategic ecosystem.

We provide recommendations, insights, and advice - most of which Brian approves and runs with.
We help navigate challenges, like the collapse of Porter Davis Homes and its impact on Energy Lab - by focusing on what’s next.
We innovate together, tapping into new technologies, ideas, and opportunities.

And somewhere along the way, Brian became more than just a client.

He became a mate.

From sand dune jumping to dinners and movies, we celebrate wins, survive losses, and remind each other why we do what we do.

What this partnership taught us about loyalty

Trust isn’t built in contracts - it’s built in conversations, mistakes, and recoveries.
Innovation flows when clients see you as a partner, not a supplier.
Longevity comes from shared values, not just shared goals.

Brian and Energy Lab have shown us that with the right people, business can be a decade-long adventure - one filled with growth, challenge, and plenty of laughter.