About Evolve Business Strategy

Small businesses deserve the same opportunities as the big guys. Most agencies treat you like an ATM. We treat you like a partner.

Strategy-First SEO for Businesses That Want to Dominate​

WHAT MAKES EVOLVE DIFFERENT

The Truth About Digital Marketing

I started Evolve because I was tired of watching small business owners get screwed by big agencies.

Overcharged. Ignored. Locked into contracts they couldn’t escape. Meanwhile, Fortune 500 companies got white-glove service, dedicated teams, and actual strategic thinking.

That’s not fair. And I’m here to change it.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities—the restaurants where we celebrate, the law firms that guide us, the local shops that sponsor our kids’ teams. They work harder, care more, and serve better than any national chain.

But when it comes to digital marketing? They get treated like second-class citizens.

Not anymore.

Dark blue icon of a person sitting at a desk with a laptop. Various document icons representing data reports, user profiles, and technical settings float above the computer.
I'm Not Just an "SEO Guy"

Most people think SEO is all I do. It's not.

Yes, SEO is often where we start—because if you're invisible on Google, nothing else matters. But I'm a fractional CMO for most of my clients. Sometimes I'm their operations manager. For one large medical technology company, I'm their acting Director of Business Development.

I'm Not Just an "SEO Guy"
An outdoor scene of the Niskayuna Farmers Market with people browsing vendors under white and blue tents on a sunny day. A banner in the foreground reads "NISKAYUNA FARMERS MARKET," and a sign to the right marks the "Niskayuna Community Center at 1690 Union St.
My Background
  • Top 1% Project Manager (Fortune 500 company)
  • Director of Operations (major agency)
  • Built and sold award-winning magazine
  • MBA + Engineering + Psychology degrees
  • Award-winning journalist & photographer
  • From Herkimer, lives in Niskayuna
My Background
Jim Gilbert, wearing a red plaid shirt, smiling and shaking hands with a woman in front of a local brick storefront.
I've helped clients:
  • Build their brands from scratch
  • Add profitable menu items (restaurants)
  • Hire employees and even law partners
  • Launch cannabis dispensaries in newly legalized markets
  • Compete in brutal med spa and pest control markets
  • Balance budgets and find new revenue sources
  • Even downsize strategically to build smarter, more sustainable businesses
I've helped clients:
An illustration of a man reviewing a digital marketing plan. Icons around him represent web browsing, financial growth, laptop analytics, local business management, and a checklist.
Why?

Because small business success isn't just about SEO. It's about strategy, operations, positioning, and revenue.

And because I care about your success—because that means my success.

When you win, I win. Simple as that.

Why?

Why Choose Us

Why Evolve?

Fractional CMO

Strategy + Operations for small businesses, not just SEO

No Contracts

No long-term commitments. I earn your business every month.

No BS

No waste, no autopilot, no bloated meetings

Fair Pricing

$500-2,500/month – transparent and affordable

Local Roots

Upstate NY based – we understand your market

Experience

20+ years from Fortune 500 to startups

WHAT I LEARNED AT BIG AGENCIES (And Why I Left)

At the big agency, we’d have 8 people around a table for a 2-hour client meeting. That cost the client $4,000-5,000.

And you know what got done? Nothing.

Clients would have large retainers, and we’d go months without touching their accounts. Autopilot. Waste. Neglect.

Small businesses can’t afford that. Honestly, neither can big companies—they just don’t realize how much they’re burning.

That's why at Evolve:

Our Philosophy

The David vs. Goliath Factor

Here’s what gets me fired up:

I love seeing David beat Goliath. I get off on it.

When a small local business outranks a national chain, that’s my high. When a solo practitioner dominates against a 50-attorney firm, I’m pumped.

You’re not supposed to win against the big guys. They have bigger budgets, bigger teams, bigger everything.

But you know what they don't have?

Local knowledge

You understand your community. They don’t.

Agility

You can adapt quickly. They’re slow and bureaucratic.

Personal touch

You care about every customer. They’re just numbers.

I have a small team of experts:

Dark blue outline icon featuring a magnifying glass over a globe, an upward growth arrow, and a box with the text "SEO.

SEO Specialists

An orange outline icon of a computer monitor displaying a document, a pencil, a gear, and a code tag

Web Designers

Dark blue outline icon of a camera

Professional Photographers

An orange outline icon of a person at a desk holding a large pencil next to a checklist document.

Writers

A dark blue outline icon featuring a web browser window connected to a lightbulb, a coding tag, a gear, and a command prompt document

Technical Specialist

Why small?

Because I don’t need 8 people around a table billing $5K. I need the right person for the right job at the right time.

You’re not paying for overhead. You’re paying for expertise.

OUR SYMBOL: THE BUTTERFLY

We chose the Karner blue butterfly as our logo for a reason.

It’s a rare, endangered butterfly that lives right here in the Albany Pine Bush. It only survives in specific ecosystems—just like your business only thrives when optimized for your local market.

The butterfly represents transformation. Strategy. Local roots. Adaptation.

Every business starts as a caterpillar. But with the right conditions and the right strategy, you can fly.

Read the full story about our butterfly logo →

Evolve logo - strategy-first digital marketing agency
A high-detail illustration of a vibrant blue butterfly with open wings against a white background

MY PROMISE TO YOU

I won't

❌ Lock you into contracts
❌ Bill you for meetings that accomplish nothing
❌ Put your account on autopilot
❌ Overpromise to close the deal
❌ Treat you like an ATM

I will

✅ Treat your money like my own
✅ Work on your business every week
✅ Meet with you monthly (transparent reporting)
✅ Tell you the truth—even when it’s hard
✅ Help you beat the big guys
✅ Celebrate your wins like they’re mine (because they are)

FAIR PRICING

$500-2,500/month (based on your needs and market competition)

Not $5,000-10,000 like the big agencies. Small businesses deserve the same quality without the Fortune 500 price tag.

No long-term contracts. If I’m not delivering, fire me. That keeps me accountable and you in control.

Schedule Your Free Strategy Session