The Pivot That Was Not Really a Pivot
People who know me as a digital marketing professional sometimes express surprise when they learn I also run a digital forensics company. The framing of “pivot” implies a departure, a change of direction. But for Derick Downs, the move from marketing agency to digital forensics specialist was not a departure — it was a deepening. Both practices emerge from the same foundational skills, serve overlapping client communities, and reinforce each other in ways that continue to surprise me.
This post is my attempt to explain how that professional journey unfolded — from starting in digital marketing in San Diego in 2005 to founding Octo Digital Forensics two decades later.
Digital Marketing: The Foundation (2005–2015)
When I started Derick Downs Digital Marketing in 2005, the digital landscape was genuinely exciting. Search engine advertising was maturing. Web design was transitioning from static HTML to dynamic CMS platforms. The analytics tools that would eventually become Google Analytics were primitive by today’s standards. I built expertise across all of it — SEO, PPC, web design, content — because clients needed all of it, and because I was genuinely curious about how the technology worked.
By 2010-2012, Derick Downs Digital Marketing had developed a client mix that would prove significant: a substantial number of attorneys and law firms. Legal clients are demanding — they value precision, documentation, and accountability. Working with them shaped how I approach every client engagement, not just the legal ones. The discipline required by legal marketing work raised my standards across the board.
The Convergence: Working With Legal Clients on Digital Evidence
The forensics path began informally. A San Diego family law attorney who was also a marketing client mentioned a case involving phone data. Could I help analyze text messages from a device? I could extract information from it in a preliminary way, but I lacked the formal methodology and tools to do it in a court-defensible manner. That gap bothered me professionally.
I started learning. Researching forensics tools, studying evidence handling requirements, understanding what chain of custody documentation actually meant in legal practice. The more I learned, the clearer it became that there was a real business need — a gap between what the legal clients I already served needed and what was available to them locally from reliable, technically competent practitioners.
Building the Credential Foundation (2015–2020)
Earning forensics credentials took years, not months. The Cellebrite Certified Operator (CCO) certification was the starting point — hands-on training and examination in mobile device data extraction using Cellebrite UFED hardware. Then the Cellebrite Certified Physical Analyst (CCPA) — the advanced tier, covering deep mobile data analysis, deleted artifact recovery, timeline construction, and expert report preparation. Then Magnet Forensics AXIOM certification, covering computer and broader digital investigation work.
I did not open Octo Digital Forensics for client work until I was confident the methodology was professionally defensible. The certifications came first. Derick Downs ran the forensics work informally for trusted clients while building the formal credential stack, then launched Octo Digital Forensics formally once the technical foundation was in place.
Running Both Companies: The Day-to-Day Reality
In 2026, Derick Downs Digital Marketing and Octo Digital Forensics coexist as complementary businesses. The marketing agency serves 25+ active clients with SEO, Google Ads, web design, AI automation using Claude AI, and managed hosting. The forensics company handles case-specific investigations — mobile device extractions, computer forensics, cloud data analysis, deleted data recovery — for attorneys, HR departments, and individuals.
The operational model is different by design. Marketing is ongoing — monthly retainers, continuous campaign management, regular reporting. Forensics is case-specific — each investigation has a defined scope, a deliverable (the forensics report), and a conclusion. The two models balance each other: marketing provides steady recurring revenue, forensics provides project-based engagement. Together they create a more resilient business than either would alone.
What the Journey Taught Me
The most important thing I have learned from building two professional practices over 20+ years is that credibility is earned through methodology, not marketing. Derick Downs Digital Marketing has a reputation for transparent, results-oriented client work because I have been consistently transparent and results-focused for two decades. Octo Digital Forensics has credibility with attorneys because the investigations I produce are methodologically sound and legally defensible.
In both businesses, the same principle applies: expertise without documentation is opinion. In marketing, documentation means transparent reporting and clear strategy rationale. In forensics, documentation means chain of custody records, hash verification, and methodology sections in every report. The standard is the same; the domain is different.
Learn more about my background on the about page and bio page. For marketing services, browse our services. For forensics, visit Octo Digital Forensics. For either, contact me directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How did Derick Downs go from digital marketing to digital forensics?
The transition was gradual and demand-driven. Derick Downs started in digital marketing in 2005 with a client base that included many attorneys and law firms. Those clients needed digital evidence support that was not available locally from technically competent, legally-process-aware practitioners. Derick pursued forensics training over several years — earning Cellebrite CCO/CCPA and Magnet AXIOM certifications — before formally launching Octo Digital Forensics.
Q: When did Derick Downs start Octo Digital Forensics?
Octo Digital Forensics was formally launched around 2020, following several years of forensics credential building. Derick Downs pursued Cellebrite CCO/CCPA and Magnet AXIOM certifications in the 2015-2020 period before opening the forensics company for client work. The credential foundation preceded the business launch.
Q: How does Derick Downs manage both a marketing agency and forensics company?
Derick Downs Digital Marketing operates on a monthly retainer model — ongoing SEO, Google Ads, web design, and hosting management for 25+ clients. Octo Digital Forensics operates on a case-specific model — defined scope investigations with report deliverables. The two operational models complement each other: marketing provides recurring revenue, forensics provides project-based engagement.
Q: What skills from digital marketing transferred to digital forensics?
The most directly transferable skills were rigorous data analysis, evidence-based conclusion building, meticulous documentation, and clear communication of technical findings to non-technical audiences. Both disciplines require translating complex technical analysis into clear, actionable findings for clients — attorneys and business owners — who need to understand the findings without necessarily understanding the technology.
Q: Can Derick Downs serve as both a marketing consultant and forensics expert for a law firm?
Yes. Several law firms in San Diego engage Derick Downs Digital Marketing for marketing services and Octo Digital Forensics for case-specific digital evidence investigations. The dual engagement provides the convenience of a trusted advisor relationship across two distinct professional needs, with Derick’s familiarity with the legal industry benefiting both services.
Q: What is the advantage of running both marketing and forensics practices?
The combination creates business resilience (two revenue models), cross-disciplinary analytical sharpness (forensics methodology improves marketing analytics rigor), a unique professional profile that distinguishes Derick Downs from single-discipline competitors, and service breadth for legal clients who need both marketing and evidence investigation support.
