Scaling Smarter: A People-First Approach to Growth | Kate Donovan

In this compelling conversation, Kate Donovan, founder and CEO of  CAMP Digital, shares how she transformed from a dyslexic social worker into a tech-savvy entrepreneur who revolutionized marketing for the home services industry. After being told by Google to "get out of auto" and enter the home services space - which was a "technological desert" in 2018 - Kate built a capacity-aligned marketing platform that has scaled to serve trades businesses across multiple verticals.

The episode explores Kate's unique approach to scaling businesses through her four-pillar philosophy: people, process, data, and technology. She discusses the critical balance of leveraging AI without creating liability, the importance of slowing down to go faster, and why understanding your team's capacity is essential for sustainable growth. Kate's social work background shines through in her people-first leadership style and commitment to hiring diverse talent, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, and second-chance employees.

This conversation is perfect for service business owners, marketing leaders, and entrepreneurs looking to understand how technology can solve real business problems while maintaining a human-centered approach to growth.

What You'll Learn:

• The CAMP Framework: How Capacity Aligned Marketing Platform revolutionizes service business marketing by connecting capacity management with ad spend
• The "Three Times Rule": Kate's philosophy that if you do something three times, you should automate it with technology
• AI Implementation Strategy: How to leverage AI tools while avoiding data privacy pitfalls and regulatory compliance issues
• People-First Scaling: Why hiring for diversity and creating inclusive culture drives business differentiation
• The Spinning Plates Analogy: How to balance people, process, data, and technology for sustainable growth
• EOS Integration: How the Entrepreneurial Operating System supports scaling from startup to established business

Resources Mentioned:

• Camp Digital: Home services marketing platform (capacity-aligned marketing)
• Capacity Pro: Dashboard that manages marketing spend based on technician capacity
• EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System): Business framework both hosts implement
• HubSpot: CRM and marketing platform discussed
• Google My Business & Google Ads: Platforms referenced for home services marketing
• ChatGPT: AI tool discussed with privacy considerations
• Dealer Teamwork: Sean Stapleton's company (Katie's brother) where she previously worked