The background, experience, and story behind Evolve Business Strategy
Meet Evolve Founder, Jim Gilbert
Small businesses deserve the same opportunities as the big guys. Most agencies treat you like an ATM. We treat you like a partner.
You’ve read about Evolve. Now let me tell you a bit about myself—and why my background helps me understand the challenges you’re facing.
I’ve spent 20+ years in digital transformation, marketing, and business operations. I’ve worked at Fortune 500 companies, led teams at major agencies, and built my own businesses. I’ve seen what works at scale and what works for small businesses.
Here’s my story.
THE EDUCATION: THREE PERSPECTIVES
I don’t have a traditional marketing background. Instead, I have three degrees that work together:
Engineering (Undergraduate)
Systems thinking. Process design. Data-driven problem solving.
I approach business challenges like an engineer—diagnose the problem, design the solution, test and optimize.
What this means for you:
I don’t just throw tactics around. I build systems that work—repeatable processes for SEO, content, conversions.
Psychology (Undergraduate)
Understanding people. What motivates behavior. What builds trust.
Marketing isn’t just algorithms and keywords—it’s understanding why people make decisions.
What this means for you:
I focus on what actually makes customers choose you over competitors. Not just rankings—conversions.
MBA (Graduate)
Business strategy. Financial fundamentals. Return on investment.
I care about whether your business is profitable and sustainable, not just whether your website looks nice.
What this means for you:
Every recommendation I make is tied to business outcomes, not just marketing metrics.
These three perspectives together mean I can help with strategy, operations, and execution—not just one piece of the puzzle.
Education:
- Engineering (Undergrad)
- Psychology (Undergrad)
- MBA (Graduate)
Experience:
- Top 1% Project Manager, 3 years running (Fortune 500)
- Director of Operations (marketing agency)
- Founded and ran award-winning publication
- 20+ years in digital transformation and marketing
What I Do:
- Fractional CMO for small businesses
- SEO and local search strategy
- Business operations consulting
- Digital transformation
Where I’m From:
- Herkimer, NY (born and raised)
- Niskayuna, NY (current)
- Upstate New York, always
THE EXPERIENCE: LEARNING AT EVERY LEVEL
Fortune 500 Digital Transformation
Early in my career, I worked at one of the largest publishing companies in the world, managing digital transformation projects.
I was fortunate to be recognized as a top 1% project manager three years in a row—out of a few hundred project managers across the company.
What I did:
- Led the transition from physical textbooks to digital-first products
- Managed cross-functional teams and complex timelines
- Helped build early online learning platforms
What I learned:
How to manage complexity. How to lead teams through change. How to execute large-scale transformations without breaking things.
That experience taught me discipline and process—skills that serve my clients well today.
Marketing Agency Operations
Later, I became Director of Operations at a large marketing agency in Upstate New York, overseeing multiple departments:
- SEO teams
- Digital advertising
- Creative and production
- Web development
- AI and automation
What I learned:
- Ran campaigns across dozens of industries—legal, healthcare, retail, restaurants, B2B
- Saw firsthand what actually drives results versus what sounds good in a proposal
- Learned which tactics work and which are just expensive distractions
But I also learned what frustrated me:
Too many bloated meetings. Too much waste. Small business clients getting generic strategies while big clients got custom attention.
That frustration eventually led me to start Evolve.
Built My Own Business
I also spent years running an arts and entertainment magazine. We won Best Arts Publication multiple years in a row in our market.
What I learned:
What it’s like to run a small business. Make payroll. Compete for attention. Build something from scratch.
I’m not just consulting on business strategy—I’ve lived it.
The Full Range
Over the years, I’ve helped:
- Stay-at-home moms launch small businesses
- Solo practitioners compete against large firms
- Multi-location companies manage growth
- New businesses (like cannabis dispensaries) enter regulated markets
- Established businesses adapt to changing competition
From Fortune 500 to startups. From corporate to scrappy. I’ve seen how different businesses face different challenges.
WHY I LEFT THE AGENCY WORLD
At the big agency, I kept seeing the same problems:
Waste. Eight people in a meeting accomplishing nothing. Clients paying $4,000-5,000 for two hours of talking.
Neglect. Large retainers but accounts sitting on autopilot for months.
Inequality. Fortune 500 clients got custom strategies and senior attention. Small businesses got templates and junior staff.
Small businesses work harder and care more about their communities. But they were treated as second-tier clients just because they couldn’t afford $10,000/month retainers.
I couldn’t keep doing that.
So I started Evolve to work directly with small businesses—giving them the same strategic thinking and attention that big companies get, without the waste and without the inflated price tag.
UPSTATE ROOTS
I grew up in Herkimer, a small town in the Mohawk Valley. I’ve spent my whole life in Upstate New York.
Today I live in Niskayuna with my wife. We raise golden retrievers and chickens. I have a boat on the Mohawk River and I hike the Adirondacks when I can.
I’m comfortable on a tractor or behind a computer.
That matters because I understand small-town businesses. I understand communities where everyone knows each other. I’m not a consultant from somewhere else—I’m from here.
When I help a local business succeed, I see it in my community. That’s meaningful to me.
WHAT DRIVES ME
I need to be honest about something: I love seeing underdogs win.
When a local business outranks a national chain? That makes my day.
When a small firm beats a big competitor in search results? That’s what gets me fired up.
Because you’re not supposed to win. They have bigger budgets, bigger teams, more resources.
But you have advantages they don’t:
- Local knowledge and relationships
- Agility and quick decision-making
- Personal touch with every customer
- Authenticity
My job is to help you leverage those advantages—and make sure you show up when people search.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
My kids are grown and living their own lives. I’m building Evolve as something I can do for the next 20 years.
I work remotely, which means I can help clients anywhere—but Upstate New York will always be home base.
I genuinely enjoy this work. Helping businesses figure out what’s holding them back. Building strategies that actually work. Watching small businesses grow and succeed.
I’m not looking to build a huge agency. I want to work with clients where I can actually make a difference.
MY APPROACH
I’m practical. I don’t promise overnight results or #1 rankings. I tell you what’s realistic.
I’m direct. If something’s not worth doing, I’ll tell you. If you’re wasting money somewhere, I’ll say so.
I’m hands-on. You’re working with me, not a junior team member who’s learning on your account.
I’m invested. When you win, I win. Your success is how I grow.
WHAT I PROMISE
I won’t:
- Lock you into long-term contracts
- Waste your time with bloated meetings
- Put your account on autopilot
- Overpromise results to make the sale
I will:
- Treat your budget like it’s my own
- Work on your business every week
- Show you exactly what’s happening each month
- Tell you the truth, even when it’s not what you want to hear
- Help you compete and win
LET’S TALK
Now you know my background and approach.
If you’re looking for a partner who understands business strategy, has done this work at multiple levels, and genuinely wants to see you succeed—let’s talk.
Book a free 30-minute call. I’ll review your situation, show you where competitors are beating you, and give you honest feedback on what it would take to improve.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just straight talk.