Sales Leader Builds Automation Systems for Local Businesses

My defining moment came when I walked away from a stable 20-year career leading B2B sales teams to start Growth Catalyst Crew. Everyone thought I was crazy leaving guaranteed income to help "small local businesses with digital marketing."

The pivot happened when I realized most agencies were charging premium prices for cookie-cutter solutions that didn't work for local service businesses. I bet everything on building proprietary AI systems and automation that could deliver measurable results—like 40%+ response rates on follow-up sequences when industry average was 15%.

Within 90 days, our first electrician client in Augusta saw 80% organic traffic growth and consistent job bookings. Our healthcare client broke past 50 reviews (stuck there for 3 years) to over 200 reviews in 12 months, hitting top 3 Google Maps visibility.

The real breakthrough was proving that automation doesn't have to be impersonal. While competitors were selling expensive retainer packages, we built systems that actually worked—like helping clients collect 100+ Google reviews without gimmicks or getting 51% email open rates with seasonal campaigns. My advice: Don't just solve problems differently—solve problems others won't touch because they seem too specific or small-scale.

Raymond Strippy, Founder, Growth Catalyst Crew