Dan Khabie is a digital transformation pioneer, currently a co-founder and partner at San Diego’s CourtAvenue. He began his career in 1997 by launching Digitaria, an award-winning digital media agency. Digitaria grew rapidly, working with high-profile clients (Dreamworks, ESPN, NFL, Qualcomm).
After Digitaria was acquired by WPP in 2010, Khabie became global CEO of Mirum, a 2,500-person international digital marketing firm. In 2020 he co-founded CourtAvenue with industry veteran Kenny Tomlin, merging their experience in strategy, technology, and creativity under one roof.
Career Timeline
- 1996: Graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in communications and marketing.
- 1997: Launched Digitaria in San Diego, an award-winning digital marketing agency (clients included Dreamworks, ESPN, NFL, Qualcomm).
- 2010: Sold Digitaria to WPP; became global CEO of Mirum, overseeing a 2,500-employee global agency.
- 2020: Co-founded CourtAvenue with Kenny Tomlin, integrating Digitaria and Tomlin’s Rockfish business into a new digital transformation firm.
- 2021: Secured Kia as CourtAvenue’s first major client, driving $1.3M in revenue that year.
- 2022–2023: CourtAvenue’s revenues climbed to over $21M in 2022 and $30M in 2023; the agency earned AdWeek’s “Fastest Growing Digital Agency” award.
- 2025: Expanded into AI by acquiring BotsCrew (a Ukrainian AI firm); CourtAvenue grew to 200+ employees (about half specializing in AI) in five years.
Early Life and Education
Dan Khabie grew up in Minnesota and showed an early interest in media and technology. He graduated from St. Louis Park High School in 1991, then earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing from the University of Maryland in 1996. Eager to join the tech wave, Khabie moved west after college. By age 25 (the “ripe old age of 25,” as he jokes), he was ready to start his own company in San Diego.
Digitaria: Launching a Digital Agency
At 25, Khabie founded Digitaria in 1997. From the outset he focused on digital media and creative marketing. Digitaria became known for cutting-edge campaigns and big-name clients – for example, its portfolio included Dreamworks, ESPN, the NFL, and Qualcomm. Under Khabie’s leadership, Digitaria earned industry awards and grew to hundreds of employees. Colleagues remember Khabie as an “energetic, charismatic, visionary” leader during these early years.
Digitaria’s success attracted attention: in 2010 the firm was acquired by WPP (a global advertising conglomerate). The deal gave Khabie a seat at the top of a major corporation. He helped integrate Digitaria’s operations into WPP, gaining valuable experience running large teams and global projects.
Leading Mirum: Building a Global Agency
After the Digitaria acquisition, Khabie was appointed Global CEO of Mirum – a newly formed WPP digital agency. Mirum was created by merging multiple WPP-owned shops (nine or more agencies) across six continents. Under Khabie’s leadership, Mirum became a 2,500-person firm working in 27 countries. This role expanded his perspective on international markets and client needs.
At Mirum, Khabie guided large-scale digital transformation projects for international brands. His team’s work spanned the entire digital marketing spectrum: from website strategy and mobile apps to data-driven media campaigns. In interviews he noted that the integration of various agencies allowed Mirum to “get work done in cheaper locations” and pass savings to clients. By running Mirum, Khabie honed his skills in executive leadership, P&L management, and navigating corporate culture.
CourtAvenue: A New Venture in Digital Transformation
Leaving WPP in 2020, Khabie set out on his next entrepreneurial challenge. Together with long-time colleague Kenny Tomlin, he co-founded CourtAvenue – an agency built to remove friction and give clients more time back. The idea was to unite strategy, technology, and creative execution in one place. The name “Court Avenue” is inspired by the first paved road in the U.S. – symbolizing efficiency and innovation.
Starting CourtAvenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic was daunting. Khabie later quipped that 2020 was “the worst possible time to start a business”. The new agency initially had few clients (“goose eggs,” he laughs), but the team pushed forward. By late 2021 they landed a breakthrough project: building an interactive website for Kia’s electric vehicles. This first win generated $1.3M in revenue and proved CourtAvenue’s concept. Khabie, an electric vehicle enthusiast himself, called Kia one of his favorite clients and the “turning point” for the company.
CourtAvenue’s Rapid Growth and Recognition
CourtAvenue’s success was celebrated in 2023 with a Times Square billboard recognizing the agency’s achievement. The agency’s rapid rise was acknowledged that year when it won AdWeek’s Fastest Growing Agency award. In just three years, CourtAvenue expanded from a garage startup to a multimillion-dollar company. By the end of 2022, CourtAvenue’s revenue reached $21.1 million, and by 2023 it exceeded $30 million. The firm opened offices across the U.S. and Latin America, all while building a culture of collaboration and innovation.
Under Khabie’s leadership, CourtAvenue also embraced cutting-edge technology. The company acquired several boutique agencies (like Modifly and Gigantic Playground) to broaden its services, and in 2025 it acquired BotsCrew, a Ukrainian AI development firm.
Khabie explained that adding BotsCrew would accelerate CourtAvenue’s AI-driven solutions, from intelligent chatbots to custom AI assistants. By 2025 CourtAvenue had over 200 employees – roughly half focused on AI and software innovation. This reflects Khabie’s ongoing focus on blending technology with marketing to keep clients ahead of trends.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Beyond running agencies, Dan Khabie is a respected voice in the marketing world. He has been recognized as a LinkedIn Influencer and frequently shares insights on innovation and customer experience. For example, he authored expert articles for AdvertisingWeek on topics like maximizing ROI from marketing technology. He has also spoken at industry events and even served as an adjunct professor at San Diego State University, teaching graduate courses in digital marketing.
Khabie’s reputation is bolstered by concrete examples of success. Under his guidance, CourtAvenue was listed on Inc. 5000’s “Fastest Growing Private Companies” and ranked #58 overall. He often collaborates with technology partners (like Adobe and AWS) to host networking events, embodying his “ecosystem” approach to growth. Dan’s blog posts and interviews are full of practical advice for entrepreneurs – from data-driven marketing strategies to the importance of company culture and curiosity.
Leadership Style and Personal Philosophy
Colleagues and peers often highlight Khabie’s energetic, people-centric style. Those who worked with him describe him as “a field general” who rallies teams around a vision. They emphasize traits like energy, charisma, vision and innovation when talking about his personality. Khabie himself credits curiosity and humility for his success. As one profile noted, he combines “extraordinary business success with humility, curiosity, and a deep humanity”. He often says he’s “relentlessly curious”, always asking why people do what they do.
Khabie also believes in honest self-assessment. He advises entrepreneurs to identify their own strengths and weaknesses — then build teams that balance those gaps. This philosophy is reflected at CourtAvenue: Khabie and Tomlin are the visionaries, but they rely on strong operators and product experts around them. Despite his high-profile roles, Khabie stays grounded with daily routines like family time, basketball games, and meditation, always reminding himself “I am alive, breathing, and surrounded by good people”.
Conclusion
Dan Khabie’s career is a journey of innovation, resilience, and human-centered leadership. From starting a small digital shop in 1997 to leading global agencies and launching a new venture, his story illustrates the power of vision and adaptability. Along the way he has championed values like curiosity and collaboration, showing that even fast-growing businesses stay connected to what matters — the people they serve.
For readers inspired by Khabie’s path, the takeaway is to stay curious and pursue creative solutions. Whether you’re a marketer, entrepreneur or simply curious about tech-driven business, you can follow Khabie’s insights on LinkedIn or explore CourtAvenue’s blog for ideas on digital innovation. Dan Khabie’s biography reminds us that success comes from blending expertise with empathy – a lesson that will resonate in the digital age and beyond.
