In this episode of Fast Forward, I sit down with Carl LaFever, founder of Improve and Grow, to unpack how he turned two decades in corporate process improvement into a data driven digital marketing agency that has been operating for more than ten years. Carl shares how Lean Six Sigma, a season of burnout, six months overseas with his family, and a Christian retreat center all shaped his philosophy for helping clients grow revenue instead of just cutting costs.

If you are interested in building a service business, using data to make better decisions, or figuring out how AI fits into a real agency workflow, this one will land.

🎙️ We dive into:

• The journey from internal Lean Six Sigma consultant to founder of Improve and Grow
• How a retreat center client went from losing money on Google Ads to a ten times return in six months
• Why “customer success” and “continuous improvement” sit at the core of his agency values
• What changed in SEO and paid search and what has not changed at all
• How website quality and positioning became the missing piece in early client failures
• Using EOS to move from solo operator in the basement to a team that can run without him
• Practical ways his team uses AI for research, brand messaging, and consistency without phoning it in
• The long game vision for creating a business that runs on its own and frees up time to give back

Carl shares grounded perspective on process, leadership, and digital marketing that feels very different from the usual “hack” driven conversations.

👉 Learn more about Improve and Grow
👉 Connect with Carl LaFever on LinkedIn
🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations with founders, operators, and creators building what is next

🎤 Hosted by Jeffrey Mailey
📍 Fast Forward Podcast

#FastForwardPodcast #Entrepreneurship #DigitalMarketing #SEO #GoogleAds #CustomerSuccess #LeanSixSigma #AgencyLife #AIandMarketing #Founders #BusinessGrowth

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 The Journey Begins: From Corporate to Entrepreneurship
02:38 Finding Success in Digital Marketing
05:27 The Importance of Customer Success
08:03 Adapting to Change: The Evolution of Digital Marketing
10:31 Continuous Improvement: A Core Value
13:18 Balancing Roles: CEO, Strategist, and Mentor
16:03 Embracing AI: Enhancing Processes and Creativity
18:45 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations and Growth
31:41 Outro and Where to Connect