Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Golden.
Hi Justin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my business out of a desire to change my lifestyle. My wife and I had both worked 9-5’s and felt disenfranchised from the American Dream. For us there had to be more than just going to work in order to pay a mortgage and hopefully save for some far off retirement where we’d actually get to enjoy ourselves. We wanted to spend time with our young kids and travel as much as possible. I left a job with a car dealership in 2019, made only $500 my first month, and never looked back.
I had been in different marketing roles before and knew how to run Google Ads. I niched down on just PPC ads for small businesses and set out to generate a decent income, one that would hopefully replace my salary. It took several years and a lot of ups and downs, but today That PPC Guy helps clients from all over the US and generates a healthy five-figure MRR.
In the last four years my family and I have traveled the US in our RV and visited 40 states and 32 National Parks. We chose Florida as our home base because we love warm weather, being close to the ocean, and benefit from no income tax.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
it has definitely not been a smooth road! I owe my success to grit and determination. Those two mindsets don’t eliminate struggles, but are tools to help overcome them.
I made several classic mistakes when I first went out on my own: undercharged clients, offered too much of my time, tried to do all the things, and spent too much time trying to convince businesses to run Google Ads. I discovered that my best clients were already running ads, and were willing to pay someone to improve performance.
I also had issues with getting my own messaging right. There are thousands of people offering the same service I do, so why choose me? it took me a couple years to figure this out! I help businesses avoid wasted ad spend by optimizing campaigns around targeting and messaging with a focus on conversions.
A big challenge was also just getting out there and talking about what I do. Imposter syndrome tries to remind you that you don’t have many clients, or aren’t as successful as the big agencies. I had to talk about what I do, with my friends, on LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. Eventually people started recognizing me as a go-to for Google Ads.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
That PPC Guy has found a niche helping small businesses run Google Ads. We help these clients show up when people are searching for their products or services and track key events like phone calls, form submissions, purchases and even physical store visits.
I meet with my clients regularly and have built relationships that have lasted years. My clients appreciate having direct access to me when they need it. I have heard a lot of complaints about 1-800 numbers and unanswered emails from prospects when I’m talking to them. They were sold a service and sometimes they just want to talk to someone about where their money is going. All my clients have my cell number!
My goal is to make Google Ads accessible to business owners. I educate my clients on best practices, and share all my “secrets”. The more a business owner knows about how PPC ads work, the better. I’m being paid to manage and act on the business owners behalf so that he/she can go do more important things. There’s no need to pretend like I have proprietary information, or that running PPC campaigns is hard.
What are your plans for the future?
The goal right now is to keep things steady. I do not subscribe to the hustle culture and do not care to 10x my business. I love what I have built and feel an obligation to my clients to perform at a high level. I need to stay on top of new features, read up on what other PPCers are doing, and test my own theories on how to optimize results. I welcome new business of course! There’s too many people selling hustle and grind though. For me, a successful business gives me income and freedom while growing organically.
We have plans for more travel coming up in 2025, including making our way up to Niagara Falls and Maine. One of the cool benefits of traveling so much is the opportunity to meet with clients face-to-face. I plan on doing more client visits in 2025 as well. In a world of Zoom meetings there’s nothing like catching up with someone in real life.
Pricing:
- $500/mo Search campaign management and optimization
- $850/mo Search, Shopping, PMax, Display campaign management and optimization
Contact Info:
- Website: thatppcguy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carcrazyj/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatppcguy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justingolden82/
- Twitter: https://x.com/carcrazyj?prefetchTimestamp=1730210437032
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@that_ppc_guy
