He burned out in the music industry. Got fired while battling a rare illness. And fell into SEO almost by accident. Today, Michael Forgie runs Next Step Connect, an agency that helps local businesses rank fast. No fluff. No filler. In this episode, Michael shares how he rebuilt from rock bottom, why AI isn't a threat to local search, and how "drafting" off other businesses gave him a head start. Raw, tactical, and refreshingly honest.