Beyond SEO®

About Beyond SEO®

Welcome to Beyond SEO® (https://growthack.io/beyond-seo?insight-category=podcast) with Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/). From search and content to product, data, and strategy, we dive into the ideas and conversations that go beyond SEO. Each episode takes you inside candid conversations with marketers, founders, and digital leaders who turn complex business challenges into measurable success. Hosted by Kevin Kapezi (Founder) (https://growthack.io/about/kevin-kapezi) and the team at Growthack, an award-winning SEO consultancy, Beyond SEO cuts through the hype to uncover the systems, data, and mindset behind sustainable online growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Growthack.io

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Oct 2025

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   She SOLD Her Agency To Her Employees (Life After Exit) with Susan Hallam MBE | S2 EP15 Beyond SEO®

   Susan Hallam MBE founded Hallam in 1999, grew it into one of the UK's best-known digital agencies, and in 2025 sold it to her own employees through an employee ownership trust. She was also my first boss in the agency world, back in 2017. In part one we get into the brown envelope from the Cabinet Office, why she thinks nobody is born an entrepreneur, the ten years she worked alone before the business took off, and what two and a half decades of ethical SEO taught her about the AI shortcuts agencies are taking now. 0:00 Beyond SEO is back for season two 2:02 Welcome, Susan 2:55 The brown envelope and Buckingham Palace 5:35 "I didn't expect to be an entrepreneur" 8:02 Ten years alone before the liftoff 9:08 1999, Google, and the Wild West of SEO 10:20 AI content is the new black hat 12:20 Hiring people smarter than you 14:40 Staying independent, and saying no to VC 16:50 From management buyout to employee ownership 21:30 What she would do differently: niche down sooner 23:20 Being a woman founder, and learning to say yes 28:25 The lonely side of running a business 30:00 Resilience, burnout and COVID 33:05 "Work-life balance is a myth" 36:10 Briefs, feedback and the laundry list of 10 things 39:40 "Okay, what are you paying me for?" 42:30 Part two is coming Part two goes deeper into scaling an agency, how a founder's role changes as the business grows, and what the future looks like for agencies. Beyond SEO® is hosted by Kevin Kapezi, founder of Growthack. Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   23 Oct 2026

   “They Are Going To Die” | Beyond SEO® Season 2 Trailer

   Beyond SEO is back for Season 2, and this time we're going beyond marketing. Growthack has evolved and the show has evolved with it. This season I'm sitting down with founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders about what it actually takes to build and grow a business: the decisions, the challenges, the mistakes, and the stories behind the growth. Episode 1: Susan Hallam MBE founded Hallam in 1999 and sold it to her own employees in 2025. Beyond SEO® is hosted by Kevin Kapezi, founder of Growthack. #BusinessPodcast #FounderStories #UKBusiness #growthack #beyondseo Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   20 Mar 2026

   How Frontify Drives B2B SaaS Growth in the AI Search Era with Edd Wilson | Beyond SEO® EP14

   Final Episode of Season 1 👉 Read our thoughts here: https://growthack.io/beyond-seo/ In Episode 14 of Beyond SEO®, Kevin Kapezi and Glen Chamisa sit down with Edd Wilson, who leads Organic Growth at Frontify, to break down what actually drives growth in modern B2B SaaS. This isn’t a conversation about rankings or traffic. It’s about how SEO has evolved into a cross-functional growth system that connects product, brand, content, and commercial performance in the AI era. From working across product marketing and CRO to aligning with sales and revenue teams, Edd shares how Frontify approaches organic growth as an orchestration problem rather than a channel. What You’ll Learn – Why SEO as a silo is fundamentally broken in SaaS – How Frontify connects SEO with product marketing and brand – The shift from traffic metrics to revenue and opportunity value – How AI search is changing discovery, positioning, and visibility – Why most SaaS content strategies fail to drive real business impact – How to use sales calls, CRM data, and customer insights to shape strategy – What “organic growth” actually means in a modern B2B organisation 🧠 Key Insight Organic growth today is not about ranking pages. It’s about orchestrating visibility across channels, aligning messaging across teams, and translating that into commercial outcomes. As Edd puts it, the real shift is moving from SEO as execution to SEO as orchestration across the entire business. 🎯 Who This Is For – B2B SaaS founders and marketing leaders – In-house SEOs and growth teams – Agencies working with SaaS or enterprise clients – Anyone navigating AI search, LLMs, and modern discovery About Beyond SEO® Beyond SEO® explores what actually drives growth in modern search. From SEO and content to product, data, and commercial strategy, each episode breaks down how leading brands are building visibility, trust, and revenue in a changing search landscape. Connect with Edd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddwilson/ Frontify: https://www.frontify.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Beyond SEO & Edd Wilson 01:00 From SEO to Organic Growth Thinking 02:00 Why SEO Should Not Be Siloed 04:00 AI Search & The Shift in Discovery 06:00 Agency vs In-House: The Commercial Gap 09:00 Why Traffic Is the Wrong Metric 12:00 Reporting on Revenue, Not Clicks 14:00 Getting Access to CRM & Sales Data 17:00 Using Customer Conversations for Strategy 19:00 Brand Is No Longer Separate from SEO 21:00 Working Across Product, Brand & Growth 23:00 What Makes Great Modern SEOs 26:00 CRO, Website Strategy & “SEO as Systems” 29:00 Quick Wins: Using PPC Data for SEO 32:00 Building an Organic Growth Function 35:00 Aligning with Product Teams 37:00 SaaS Content Strategy That Actually Converts 41:00 Orchestrating Content Across Channels 45:00 Why SEO Budgets Lag Behind Paid 47:00 AI Search, LLMs & The Future of SEO 51:00 90-Day Growth Plan for SaaS 54:00 Final Thoughts & Closing #B2BSaaS #SEO #AISearch #DigitalMarketing #ContentStrategy #GrowthMarketing #SaaSMarketing #BeyondSEO #OrganicGrowth #MarketingStrategy Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   16 Mar 2026

   Why Your Ads Don’t Work (And What Most Brands Fix Too Late) with Matt Daley | Beyond SEO® EP13

   Why do so many digital ad campaigns fail? 👉 Read our Insights here: https://growthack.io/beyond-seo/ In this episode of Beyond SEO, Kevin Kapezi and Glen Chamisa sit down with Matt Daley, founder of RUNWAY FIVE, to explore the realities of growing, exiting, and rebuilding in digital marketing. Episode Topics • Building and exiting a digital agency • The identity shift after leaving a business • Moving to Spain and designing a better lifestyle • Why many digital ad campaigns fail • Aligning paid media, SEO, and growth strategy • The rise of the Fractional CMO model • Building RUNWAY FIVE Matt shares his journey from building a digital agency over more than a decade, navigating a management buyout, and eventually stepping away to rethink his next chapter. The conversation dives into the strategic and emotional realities of leaving a business that defined your identity for years. We also explore the bigger picture behind performance marketing today. Matt breaks down the fundamentals of profitable digital advertising, why many brands believe their ads “don’t work,” and what marketers should check before changing budgets or creative. Finally, we discuss Matt’s new venture RUNWAY FIVE, his shift toward consultancy and strategic advisory, and how the Fractional CMO model is helping brands connect paid media, SEO, and broader growth strategy. This episode is a must-watch for founders, marketing leaders, and agency owners thinking about the future of performance marketing. 00:00 Introduction to Beyond SEO 01:10 Matt Daley’s background in digital marketing 03:45 Building a digital agency and early lessons 08:30 The inflexion points that drove agency growth 14:10 The reality of exiting an agency 18:45 Detaching identity from the business 23:30 Moving to Spain and designing a new lifestyle 27:40 When brands say “ads don’t work” 31:10 How paid media and SEO should work together 36:00 The shift to consultancy and Fractional CMO 41:00 Building RUNWAY FIVE 46:00 Advice for founders and marketing leaders Guest Links Connect with Matt Daley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdaley/ RUNWAY FIVE https://runwayfive.com/ About Beyond SEO Beyond SEO is a podcast by Growthack exploring what truly drives modern marketing growth across search, content, data, and strategy. Hosted by Kevin Kapezi and Glen Chamisa. #PaidMedia #PPC #AgencyLife #BeyondSEO #DigitalMarketing #MarketingStrategy #FractionalCMO #DigitalAdvertising #GrowthStrategy Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   27 Feb 2026

   Why Marketing Data Goes WRONG (learn how to fix it) with Thierry Ngutegure | Beyond SEO® EP12

   Data isn’t the problem. The way marketing teams use it is. 👉 Read our Insights here: https://growthack.io/beyond-seo/ In EP12 of Beyond SEO, Glen sits down with Thierry Ngutegure, Head of Data Storytelling at Six Chillies, to unpack why marketing data often fails to drive decisions — and how to fix it. From a broken reporting culture to fragmented dashboards and stakeholder misalignment, this episode explores why more data rarely leads to more clarity. Thierry shares how he went from biological sciences to digital PR to leading insight teams, and why he calls himself a “data translator” — sitting between technical analysts and decision-makers to turn overwhelming data into clear stories that drive action. This episode covers: • Why most marketing reporting fails stakeholders • The “Why → How → What” framework for data storytelling • How large brands misuse data through fragmentation • The confidence gap stopping teams from challenging insights • What AI gets wrong about data (trust and taste) • Why taste will matter more than ever in an AI-driven world • The mindset shift required to move from implementer to strategic leader Thierry also shares why he did stand-up comedy to overcome public speaking fear, how to build a cross-department data culture, and why “imposter syndrome” is something you should actively pursue. If you work in SEO, paid media, analytics, insights, or marketing leadership and want your data to influence decisions, not just sit in reports — this episode is essential. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:10 Thierry’s unconventional path into data 03:48 Becoming a “data translator” 06:54 Why → How → What storytelling framework 11:03 Stop stereotyping stakeholders 18:14 Why Thierry did stand-up comedy 24:04 “Pursuit of imposter syndrome” mindset 25:24 How big brands misuse data 30:30 Removing bias from data 34:56 Fixing broken reporting in agencies 43:02 Moving from Specialist to Marketing Leader 47:00 Stakeholder storytelling and unlocking budget 51:40 Using trend data to shape product strategy 55:55 Why Six Chillies was founded 01:00:00 Buying a car entirely through ChatGPT 01:04:10 AI, trust, and the collapse of certainty 01:06:30 Why taste will outlast automation Follow Thierry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thierryngutegure/ Six Chillies: https://www.sixchillies.com/ #DataStorytelling #MarketingData #DigitalMarketing #BeyondSEO Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   13 Feb 2026

   Doughnotts: From £10 Side Hustle to Multiple Retail Stores with Wade Smith | Beyond SEO® EP11

   Doughnotts started with £10 and a side hustle mindset. Now it is multiple retail stores, big expansion plans, and a franchise model built around customer service. In EP11 of Beyond SEO, Glen and Kevin sit down with Wade Smith to unpack the real story behind building one of Nottingham’s most recognised doughnut brands. This episode covers the unglamorous bits people skip: learning by doing, brand naming battles, domain drama, retail economics, why business rates crush stores, and why Wade believes customer service outweighs product. Chapters 00:00 Intro and guest welcome 00:55 Who Wade is and what Doughnotts is 02:12 The real origin story. Man vs Food, broke beginnings, first sales 07:19 Early lessons. Persistence, learning by doing, staying honest 08:14 Ego check. The Ferrari story and “business money is not your money” 13:57 Naming, rebrands, cease and desist letters, domains, trademarks 16:26 Becoming the face of the brand and managing public identity 25:26 Scaling decisions. Physical stores, supermarkets, and why Co-op did not work 26:40 The kiosk-on-wheels model. No rates, lower risk, faster expansion 29:04 Why experience matters. Lighting, vibe, and what brands like 200 Degrees get right 34:51 Online sales as a data engine, not just revenue 38:06 COVID. The bakery gamble, survival mindset, and the cookie pivot 40:05 If Doughnotts disappeared tomorrow. What Wade would do differently 42:28 UK investment reality. Due diligence, negotiations, underpromise and overdeliver 43:29 Franchising model, economics, and “customer service franchise” thinking 55:17 Where to follow Wade and Doughnotts 55:48 Outro Follow Wade: @wadey_doughnotts Doughnotts: https://doughnottsofficial.com/ Instagram and TikTok: @doughnottsofficial Growthack: https://growthack.io/ Beyond SEO playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmk-iXDeDmI&list=PLyRi3SnB4M7bqeTm2Ku_kNhypxZeuUiSW #BeyondSEO #Doughnotts #WadeSmith #Nottingham #Entrepreneurship #Hospitality #Retail #Franchising #BrandBuilding #CustomerExperience Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   30 Jan 2026

   From Royal Marines to Building a Coffee Brand (And Becoming an SEO) – Luke Dalton | Beyond SEO® EP10

   In this episode of Beyond SEO, Glen and Kevin sit down with Luke Dalton — former Royal Marines Commando / UK Special Forces, now an SEO specialist and founder of Contact Coffee. Luke breaks down what the military taught him about planning, resilience, and execution, and how those lessons translate into modern marketing — where the rules change fast, expectations are messy, and strategy only matters if you can actually implement it. We also get into the real-world stuff most “marketing journeys” skip: - The identity shift after leaving the forces - Building a brand without a business plan (and why that sometimes works) - Why social reach often doesn’t equal revenue - Why email still outperforms most channels for intent + ROI - Micro-influencers vs “big names” (and what actually worked for Contact Coffee) - SEO expectations, agency checklists, and what business owners should focus on instead - Luke’s side project that’s outranking major brands like Costa (with basic execution) If you’re into marketing, entrepreneurship, e-commerce growth, or career transitions, this one’s for you. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Beyond SEO + Luke joins (Royal Marines → SEO) 01:00 – Leaving the Marines: deployments, downtime, and the “entrepreneur spark” 02:10 – Starting Contact Coffee while still serving 03:10 – Military skills that translate to marketing: resilience + execution 05:40 – The identity shift after leaving the forces (the bit people don’t talk about) 08:05 – Military planning frameworks and why agencies often fail continuity 10:40 – Contact Coffee origin story: from Afghanistan to a UK gap in the market 13:20 – KPIs vs organic growth: expectation-setting when money’s involved 15:30 – Loving the grind: why founders need the ugly phase 17:20 – “Mission-led SEO”: why product + operations come before strategy 19:15 – Why coffee matters in the military (and “Give a Coffee” campaign) 24:00 – Social media reality: full-time job, lower posting, more ROI elsewhere 26:00 – Email vs social: why intent wins (and “viral” doesn’t always pay) 28:45 – Influencers: micro-influencers strategy that actually drove returns 31:00 – SEO expectations: why business owners get it wrong (and how to fix it) 36:15 – When SEO budget is misallocated (and why SEO should start at build stage) 39:00 – Integrity in agency work: telling clients the uncomfortable truth 42:00 – Advice to business owners: understanding SEO + outsourcing properly 45:00 – Consultant vs agency: why experience beats checklists 47:25 – 2026 e-commerce SEO: category/collection pages + schema basics 50:10 – Luke’s side project: outranking Costa with simple execution 52:15 – Why every SEO needs a side project to test and break things 53:50 – Where to find Luke + outro Find Luke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-dalton-ccco/ Contact Coffee: https://www.contactcoffee.com/ Luke’s project: workingfromcoffeeshops.co.uk #BeyondSEO #MarketingPodcast #Entrepreneurship #SEO #Ecommerce #FounderJourney #military #VeteransInBusiness #BrandBuilding #EmailMarketing #DigitalMarketing #CareerTransition #royalmarines #royalmarinecommando #UKBusiness Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

8. 

   21 Jan 2026

   Inside Growthack: Technical SEO in 2026 — What Brands Need Now with Glen Chamisa | Beyond SEO® EP09

   In this episode of Beyond SEO, Kevin flips the script and interviews Glen Chamisa — Growthack’s technical SEO lead and the usual host of the show. We go deep on what technical SEO really looks like in 2026: not just audits and jargon, but execution + stakeholder communication + commercial impact. Glen shares how his computer science background shaped his approach, why many ecommerce brands (especially supplements, skincare and healthcare) build hidden technical debt as they scale, and why the SEOs who win next will be the ones who can “show their working” — like GCSE maths — and translate technical fixes into revenue outcomes. What you’ll learn: - Why technical SEO is getting its “moment” in the AI era - How fast-growing brands outgrow crawlability, indexing and site architecture - Why brand + paid can mask technical problems until it’s painful - How compliance changes content velocity in supplements/health - The skill gap for 2026: implementing + explaining (not just knowing) - How to communicate SEO to COOs/finance-led stakeholders in ROI language Chapters: 00:00 Intro + flipping the script (Kevin interviews Glen) 01:00 Why Glen joined Growthack (personal goals + team direction) 03:15 How Glen’s podcast built communication + hosting skills 06:00 Thinking “Beyond SEO”: how other disciplines improve SEO 10:05 Supplements/healthcare SEO: compliance vs speed (and why it matters) 11:45 E-commerce scaling issues: crawlability, indexing, variants, duplicates 13:10 Why brands ignore technical foundations (brand masks the problems) 16:05 2026 technical SEO: deep knowledge + implementation + transparency 19:15 The communication gap: how SEOs navigate finance/COO scrutiny 22:00 “Show your working”: translating fixes into revenue outcomes 24:00 Glen’s hobbies + how to connect (LinkedIn) Connect with Glen Find Glen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-chamisa/ About Growthack Growthack helps brands win organic growth through technical SEO, migrations, data integrity and AI-era visibility. https://growthack.io/ Subscribe for weekly episodes on SEO, content, product data, analytics and growth strategy. #TechnicalSEO #SEO #EcommerceSEO #AISEO #DigitalMarketing #SEOStrategy #WebsiteMigrations #DataIntegrity #CrawlBudget #GrowthMarketing #BeyondSEO #Growthack Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

9. 

   21 Jan 2026

   GEO Explained: How to Win in AI Search Without the Hype | Beyond SEO® EP08

   AI search has spawned a new wave of acronyms, e.g. GEO, AEO, LLMO, and it’s creating confusion for brands and SEOs alike. In this internal roundtable at Growthack, Kevin, Glen and Sarif break down what these terms actually mean, where “GEO” came from, and what’s genuinely changing (and what isn’t) as AI Overviews and zero-click behaviour reshape search. We also talk openly about the commercial reality: prospects are asking for “AI search specialists”, even when the winning play is still strong fundamentals. In this episode, we cover: - Why GEO exists (and why it’s dividing the SEO industry) - What AI Overviews and zero-click really change for traffic and intent - The ethical line: educating clients vs selling jargon retainer - What’s changed vs what hasn’t (content, technical, links still matter) - Why brand sentiment, community and “off-site signals” are getting louder - The practical 2026 focus: foundations first, then smart distribution Key takeaway: if you’re not performing in traditional search, “AI SEO” won’t save you. Fix the basics first, then earn visibility everywhere your customers are. If you want to talk through your SEO foundations, content strategy, or how AI search impacts your category, reach out: Follow Growthack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkapezi/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-chamisa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarif-sarker/ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: GEO, AEO, LLMO & AI Search (Too many acronyms) 00:48 – Why this episode: debunking myths + losing a deal over “AI specialist” optics 01:31 – Where “GEO” came from: LLM growth + research paper context 03:26 – The real reason acronyms keep spawning (shiny object syndrome) 05:32 – AI Overviews, zero-click, and the “nothing new” argument 07:18 – Why brands push GEO: exec-level buzzwords + SEO industry pressure 09:16 – The ethical line: education vs selling jargon retainers 11:31 – The bubble question: does AI hype actually make money? 12:34 – Fundamentals first: tech foundations before “advanced techniques” 14:50 – What’s actually changed: prioritising off-site signals and sentiment 17:39 – “Name 3 things”: GEO vs SEO challenge + PR/brand mentions aren’t new 19:07 – Practical focus for 2026: technical, content, links + clear messaging 24:16 – Entities + being where customers are (YouTube, Reddit, communities) 26:28 – Final takeaway: levels to this — basics before advanced plays #SEO #AISEO #AISearch #GEO #AEO #LLMO #SearchMarketing #GoogleAIOverviews #ZeroClickSearch #TechnicalSEO #BrandMarketing #GrowthMarketing Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

10. 

    15 Jan 2026

    Building Business Financial Clarity in 2026 with Jack Moore | Beyond SEO® EP07

    In episode 7 of Beyond SEO, we’re joined by Jack Moore, founder of My Finance Function, to unpack what financial clarity really means for owner-led businesses heading into 2026. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why cash flow matters more than profit for most businesses - The biggest financial mistakes founders make when planning for growth - When it makes sense to bootstrap vs raise investment - How planned losses differ from uncontrolled burn - The metrics business owners should actually be tracking - Why marketing budgets are often cut first — and why that’s risky - How AI and automation are changing finance (and where human judgment is still critical) - What financial clarity should look like going into 2026 If you’re a founder, agency owner, SaaS operator, or running an owner-led business, this episode will help you think more clearly about money, growth, and decision-making in the year ahead. 00:00 – Welcome to Beyond SEO + introducing Jack Moore (My Finance Function) 00:52 – Jack’s background: from apprenticeship to audit → outsourced finance 02:08 – Why compliance isn’t enough: cash flow + forward planning matters 03:26 – The #1 mistake founders make: only looking backwards at the numbers 05:06 – What outsourced finance actually does (and why it saves founders time) 06:33 – 2026 planning + the UK budget: minimum wage impact and pricing decisions 08:45 – “Kaplan Hall of Fame” AI mistake + what it teaches about verification 12:26 – Bootstrap vs raise: when external investment actually makes sense 16:33 – The danger of funding: overspending, losing discipline, repeating cycles 22:15 – The core metrics to track: cash runway, debtor days, gross vs net margin 30:23 – When bookkeeping isn’t the issue: making strategic decisions (hiring, capex) 32:00 – Finance in 2026: automation, dashboards, AI—plus hallucination risk 37:32 – Jack’s key advice for 2026: financial clarity isn’t a luxury anymore 38:49 – Where to find Jack + what My Finance Function is building next With rising costs, minimum wage increases, tighter margins, and more pressure on cash flow, many businesses are still making decisions based on historical numbers rather than forward-looking insights. This conversation cuts through compliance, myths about growth, and surface-level reporting to focus on what actually keeps businesses alive and scalable. About the guest Jack Moore is the founder of My Finance Function, delivering outsourced finance operations for owner-led and growing businesses. With a background in audit, compliance, and strategic finance, Jack helps businesses move beyond bookkeeping and into real financial decision-making. Useful links 🔗 Connect with Jack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackmoore7/ 🔗 Learn more about My Finance Function: https://www.myfinancefunction.com/ If you got value from this episode, like, subscribe, and follow Beyond SEO for more honest conversations on growth, strategy, data, and decision-making that go beyond traditional SEO. #growthack #BeyondSEO #SEOpodcast #finance #business #startups Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

11. 

    28 Nov 2025

    Inside Growthack: What Does the Future Look Like for a Specialist SEO Team? | Beyond SEO® EP06

    In Episode 6 of Beyond SEO, Glen Chamisa sits down with Founder Kevin Kapezi and SEO Strategist Sarif Sarker to explore the future of Growthack, from moving beyond a one-man consultancy to building a small, senior “special forces” SEO team. Together they break down: 1. Why long-term 5-year plans don’t make sense in 2025. 2. The shift from consultant → leader. 3. How a lean expert team can outperform larger agencies. 4. The differences between B2B and eCommerce SEO. 5. What Growthack wants to achieve in the next five years. 6. Why specialist-led client relationships work better than account management layers. If you’re a CMO, marketing leader or senior SEO looking to understand how small teams scale impact — this is the episode. 00:00 – Introduction 00:20 – Meet Kevin & Sarif 01:40 – Why 5-year plans don’t work anymore 02:20 – Growthack’s next 6–12 months 03:00 – From consultant to specialist team 04:30 – Technical, content and strategic roles 05:15 – Why specialists should stay client-facing 06:50 – What excites the team about the future 08:00 – “If you want to go far, go together” 09:00 – Kevin’s mindset shift from doing → leading 11:00 – Advice for SEOs wanting to hire their first team member 13:00 – Sarif: The impact of a proper team structure 14:30 – B2B vs eCommerce SEO 16:30 – Why B2B is more interesting than people think 18:00 – Patience + buying cycles in B2B 19:10 – Glen: Why Growthack can compete with bigger agencies 20:00 – Recent client wins & performance stories 21:00 – How Growthack builds trust with clients 22:00 – What Growthack wants to be saying in 5 years 24:00 – Final thoughts & how to get in touch Work with Growthack We help eCommerce and B2B brands improve technical SEO, fix data issues, navigate migrations and unlock sustainable growth. We only take on clients who fit our specialist model. Get in touch: https://www.growthack.io #growthack #BeyondSEO #SEOpodcast #SEOcareers #technicalSEO #contentstrategy #SEOteam #B2BSEO #ecommerceSEO #digitalmarketing #agencylife #SEOfuture Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

12. 

    27 Nov 2025

    Inside Growthack: 5th Year Anniversary & Sarif's Journey from Intern to Strategist | Beyond SEO® EP05

    In this special 5-year anniversary episode of Beyond SEO, Glen (Host & Technical Lead) sits down with Kevin (Founder of Growthack) and Sarif (SEO Strategist) to look back at how Growthack went from a solo consultancy to a specialist SEO team working with leading B2B and eCommerce brands. You’ll hear how Growthack started in 2020 while Kevin was still at Experian, why he chose to focus on smaller, high-impact clients, and how the Growthack brand, name and website were pulled together at the very beginning. We also walk through Sarif’s full journey – from arriving in the UK, taking a chance on a marketing path, and joining Growthack as a content intern in early 2022… to becoming a full-time SEO Strategist owning content process, client communication, and commercial outcomes. If you’re interested in SEO careers, building an agency, or how people actually grow inside a small specialist team, this episode is for you. What you’ll learn in this episode 1. How Growthack started in 2020 during lockdown while Kevin was still at Experian 2. The story behind the Growthack name, branding, and first website 3. How Sarif joined as a 6-week intern and ended up creating his own role 4. Why real client work matters more than just “learning SEO” in theory 5. How content strategy at Growthack goes beyond “traffic” and into commercial value 6. Why SEO is 30–40% technical and 60–70% communication 7. How working across B2B, eCommerce and SaaS accelerates learning 8. Why Growthack is built as a platform for self-development, not just a job 00:00 – Intro: Welcome to Beyond SEO with Growthack 00:18 – Growthack’s 5th Year Anniversary & Team Reflections 01:02 – From Solo Consultant to Specialist SEO Team 02:06 – Sarif’s Journey: Joining Growthack in Early 2022 03:14 – How Growthack Started in 2020 (Experian, lockdown, side projects) 04:09 – Choosing the Name “Growthack” & DIY Branding 04:57 – Sarif’s Internship: Design, Content & Rebuilding the Website 06:00 – From Intern to Junior Exec: Doing “a bit of everything” 07:02 – Learning SEO via YouTube + Real Client Work 08:20 – Moving into a Strategic Role & Owning Content 09:45 – Content Beyond Traffic: Commercial Value & ROI 11:00 – Why Real Conversations with Clients Shape Strategy 12:15 – Working Across B2B, eCommerce & SaaS (and why it matters) 13:06 – “It Depends”: Industry, context & hard conversations in reporting 13:35 – You Can’t Learn SEO Without Doing It 14:35 – Why Kevin Hired Sarif: Initiative, Websites & Freelance Work 15:35 – Sarif’s Background: From Bangladesh to the UK & Choosing Marketing 17:05 – Discovering SEO as an Introvert-Friendly Path (then realising it’s not just “behind a laptop”) 18:02 – SEO as Football: Technical vs Positioning & Communication 18:13 – Kevin: Technical SEO is 30–40%, Communication is 60–70% 19:21 – Building SEOs Who Can Sit in the Room with CMOs & Brand Leads 20:05 – University vs Real-World Experience in Marketing 20:45 – The Self-Development Piece: Why Growthack Exists 22:00 – Growthack as a Platform to Create Your Role 23:41 – How the Business Has Changed: Kevin Doing Everything → Real Team 24:56 – Glen & Sarif Taking Ownership, Freeing Kevin to Work on the Business 25:32 – Sarif Now: Full Lifecycle Ownership of Client Content 27:00 – Taking Responsibility & Fixing Problems Before Clients See Them 28:09 – Closing Thoughts & 5-Year Reflection 28:25 – Follow the Podcast & Get in Touch Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

13. 

    21 Nov 2025

    Inside Growthack: How Migrations, Data & AI Are Changing SEO | Beyond SEO® EP04

    What’s really changing in SEO right now? In this internal episode of Beyond SEO, Kevin, Glen and Sarif take you inside Growthack to break down the technical work, strategic thinking and data challenges shaping modern SEO. From website migrations and data integrity to server-side tracking and the impact of AI on search, this episode shows how Growthack approaches SEO differently — and why brands are shifting away from the traditional agency model. If you want an honest, practical look at how a specialist team executes, this is it. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why migrations are becoming one of the most critical SEO services - How broken or missing tracking is costing brands growth - Why AI is exposing weaknesses in brand, content, CRO and CRM - How data integrity and server-side tracking change decision-making - Why Growthack’s agile model outperforms traditional agencies - What “good-fit clients” look like (and who Growthack avoids) - How SEO links with brand, paid, CRO, PR and email in 2025 - Why transparency, detail and communication matter more than ever Chapters 00:00 – Intro: Beyond SEO with Growthack.io 00:18 – Meet the team: Kevin & Sarif introductions 01:20 – What we’re working on now & AI disruption 01:46 – Why migrations are a core focus at Growthack 03:30 – Reporting, analytics & making sense of AI-era data 04:52 – “Your data is a mess” – data chaos, AI & the need for clean inputs 05:39 – Server-side tracking and why it’s so complex (but necessary) 06:11 – Fix your brand, product & fundamentals before chasing AI 07:33 – Why clients really choose Growthack (and our best-fit client profile) 10:27 – Small enough to care, big enough experience: the anti–big agency model 11:06 – UK awards nights & competing with larger agencies 12:38 – Client feedback: easy to work with, quality, and retention 15:02 – Transparency, calling out bad data & not hiding issues from clients 17:00 – How we approach growth “beyond SEO” (brand, audience, outcomes) 18:07 – Case study: elementsuite, content planning & brand-aligned SEO 21:19 – Unified marketing: SEO, email, paid, CRO and social working together 23:47 – What a good-fit Growthack client looks like & using specialist partners 24:53 – “It’s all connected” – closing thoughts 25:18 – Call to action for eCommerce & B2B brands looking for growth Work with Growthack We help eCommerce and B2B brands improve technical SEO, fix data issues, navigate migrations and unlock sustainable growth. We only take on clients who fit our specialist model. Get in touch: https://www.growthack.io #SEO #TechnicalSEO #AISearch #SearchMarketing #DigitalMarketing #WebsiteMigration #DataAnalytics #ServerSideTracking #FutureOfSearch #Growthack #BeyondSEO #SEOTips #MarketingTrends #EcommerceSEO #B2BMarketing Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

14. 

    14 Nov 2025

    Success vs Fulfilment (Bonus Episode) with Charlie Phillips | Beyond SEO® EP02

    What does success really mean in business and life? In this bonus episode with Charlie Phillips, we kept the camera rolling and the mics live for this more personal conversation, which was supposed to be off the record! Charlie explores what truly motivates him, his dad, and how he inspired him to become an entrepreneur from an early age, as well as why entrepreneurs need to maintain a positive mindset around money. 00:00 Intro – Bonus Episode with Charlie 00:21 The “Bars of Gold” Mindset & Comparison Trap 01:23 Money, Success and the Fulfilment Gap 02:26 Happiness vs Fulfilment – Internal vs External Drivers 03:33 Purpose, Fatherhood and Staying Grounded 05:11 The Mountain Analogy – Finding Alignment in Business 07:21 Saying No, Client Fit and the 10K Ceiling 09:49 Revenue vs Profit – Why Charlie Went Solo 12:26 Investing in Yourself – Mentors, Mindset and SNME 15:40 Money Mindset, Confidence and Need vs Want 18:18 Desperation in Decision Making 19:17 Outro – Where to Find Charlie and Growthack If you'd like to see the previous conversation, tune in to EP02: LinkedIn as a Sales Engine: Systems, Branding & ROI. Growthack.io specialises in building SEO systems that drive revenue by combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help your business scale smarter. No hype. No guesswork. Award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Connect with us: Growthack.io → https://blog.growthack.io/ Charlie Phillips → https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-p/ Glen Chamisa → https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-chamisa/ Kevin Kapezi → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkapezi/ #BeyondSEO #successmindset #personalgrowth #Growthack #CharliePhillips #personaldevelopment #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurmindset #businessgrowth #businesssuccess Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

15. 

    6 Nov 2025

    Building B2B Brands That Actually Stand Out with Azeem Ahmad | Beyond SEO® EP03

    Glen⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-chamisa/) and ⁠Kevin⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkapezi/) sit down with ⁠Azeem Ahmad,⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/azeema1/) international marketing speaker and strategy director of ⁠Reflect Digital⁠ (https://www.reflectdigital.co.uk/), to unpack what it really takes to build B2B brands that people remember. By the end of this conversation, you’ll learn: - How brand building works differently in B2B compared to B2C - How to balance short-term performance with long-term brand growth - Why creativity and emotion still matter in “boring” B2B industries - How to build trust, community, and human connection in your marketing - The skills and mindset that define the next generation of B2B marketers 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:16 Guest Intro – Azeem Ahmad (Azeem Digital) 00:01:18 Azeem’s Background and Career Journey 00:03:15 Challenges and Wins in Global B2B Marketing 00:04:26 Internal Communication and Leadership Challenges 00:07:34 Dealing with Egos and Navigating Politics in B2B 00:09:26 The Role of Good Managers and Empowering Teams 00:14:33 Integrity, Data, and Speaking the Truth in Business 00:16:23 Moving from In-House to Agency – Lessons Learned 00:20:21 Continuous Learning and Staying Uncomfortable 00:26:02 Seeing the Bigger Picture Beyond One Channel 00:31:00 From Specialist to Strategic Leader – Confidence and Delegation 00:38:06 Public Speaking and Representation in Marketing 00:43:11 Overcoming Fear and Finding Your Voice on Stage 00:49:49 Why B2B Marketing is Seen as “Boring” and How to Fix It 00:52:10 Letting Customers Go to Build Trust 00:55:03 The Rise of Creativity and Human-Centred B2B Brands 00:56:52 Learning from B2C and Adding a Human Face to B2B 01:01:09 Future Skills and Mindsets for the Next Generation of Marketers 01:06:02 Exciting Projects – The “Search Pulse” Report 01:11:12 Trust, AI, and Changing Search Behaviour 01:13:53 Where to Connect with Azeem 01:15:02 Outro – Subscribe and Connect with Growthack.io Search Pulse Report here: https://searchpulse.reflectdigital.co.uk/ Growthack.io specialises in building SEO systems that drive revenue by combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help your business scale smarter. No hype. No guesswork.Award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Connect with us: Growthack.io → https://blog.growthack.io/ Azeem Ahmad → https://www.linkedin.com/in/azeema1/ Glen Chamisa → https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-chamisa/ Kevin Kapezi → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkapezi/ #BeyondSEO #Growthack #AzeemAhmad #AzeemDigital #B2BMarketing #BrandBuilding #PerformanceMarketing #MarketingPodcast #DigitalMarketing #B2BBranding #MarketingStrategy #LinkedInMarketing #GlenChamisa #KevinKapezi Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

16. 

    30 Oct 2025

    Turn LinkedIn into a Sales Engine: Systems, Branding & ROI with Charlie Phillips | Beyond SEO® EP02

    In this episode, Glen Chamisa and Kevin Kapezi sit down with Charlie Phillips, Founder of ATOM Promos, to unpack how building the right systems can make sales more scalable, consistent and profitable. By the end of this conversation, you’ll learn: - How to build a predictable sales system that drives results - Why personality alone isn’t enough in modern sales - How LinkedIn can become your most valuable sales channel - Actionable ways to improve your sales performance and personal brand 00:00:00 Introduction – Beyond SEO with Growthack.io 00:00:22 Guest Intro – Charlie Phillips from ATOM Promos 00:02:10 Charlie’s Journey: From Sales Starter to Systems Builder 00:05:45 Habits, Consistency and Lessons from Early Career 00:10:30 Building Predictable Sales Systems 00:14:50 Scaling Ethan Golding’s Coaching Business from $20K to $75K/month 00:19:15 The Difference Between Top Performers and Strugglers 00:24:00 What Makes an Effective Sales Process 00:28:20 Creating Structure and Consistency in Sales 00:33:10 Process vs Personality – The Truth About Sales Success 00:37:25 How to Build Confidence and Communicate Better 00:41:10 The Modern Sales Mindset – What’s Changed 00:45:00 The Salesperson as Consultant and Problem Solver 00:48:20 Balancing Persistence with Empathy 00:51:45 Common Misconceptions About Sales Today 00:54:10 LinkedIn and Personal Branding for Sales Professionals 00:56:45 Creating Trust-Driven Content That Converts 00:59:10 Measuring ROI and Building a Strong Online Presence 01:01:00 Closing Thoughts and Where to Connect Growthack.io specialises in building SEO systems that drive revenue by combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help your business scale smarter. No hype. No guesswork. Award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Connect with us: Growthack.io → https://blog.growthack.io/ Charlie Phillips → https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-p/ Glen Chamisa → https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-chamisa/ Kevin Kapezi → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkapezi/ #BeyondSEO #SalesSystems #LinkedInMarketing #Growthack #CharliePhillips #ATOMPromos #SalesTraining #PersonalBranding #B2BMarketing #PredictableGrowth Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

17. 

    30 Oct 2025

    The Testing Mindset: Inside SaaS Growth & AI Search with Ryan Jones | Beyond SEO® EP01

    Welcome to Beyond SEO, the podcast by Growthack.io where we explore what really drives brand growth, from search and content to data and strategy. In this first episode, Glen Chamisa sits down with Ryan Jones, Marketing Manager at SEOTesting.com, to unpack how experimentation shapes modern SEO. - Why testing matters more than ever in SEO - How AI search and LLMs are reshaping discovery - Building a testing culture inside SaaS and small teams - The balance between brand and acquisition - Lessons from running marketing for a bootstrapped SaaS 00:00:00 Introduction – Beyond SEO with Growthack.io 00:00:18 Guest Intro – Ryan Jones from SEOTesting.com 00:01:39 The Power of Testing in SEO 00:05:23 Why Most Businesses Avoid Experimentation 00:06:45 How AI Search Is Changing the Game 00:08:44 When and How to Test Campaigns Effectively 00:10:44 Building a Testing Culture in Marketing 00:11:56 Managing Time and Focus in Small SaaS Teams 00:18:33 SaaS Onboarding and Retention Strategies 00:18:43 Understanding the SaaS vs E-commerce Difference 00:31:03 Personal Branding vs Company Branding in SaaS 00:37:05 Word-of-Mouth as a Marketing Channel 00:38:52 Brand vs Acquisition – Which Should You Prioritise? 00:41:00 Lessons for Start-ups and Resource Management 00:44:53 Core Values at SEOTesting.com 00:51:44 Biggest Lessons from SaaS Marketing 00:55:11 Closing Thoughts and Where to Connect Growthack.io specialises in building SEO systems that drive revenue by combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help your business scale smarter. No hype. No guesswork. Award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Connect with us: Growthack.io → https://blog.growthack.io/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthackdigital Ryan Jones → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-g-jones/ SEOTesting.com → https://seotesting.com Subscribe for more conversations that go beyond rankings and into what really drives growth. #BeyondSEO #SEOTesting #SEO #SaaSMarketing #Growthack #RyanJones #SearchMarketing #Podcast #StartUps Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

18. 

    24 Oct 2025

    Beyond SEO®: Trailer

    Welcome to Beyond SEO with Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/). From search and content to product, data, and strategy, we dive into the ideas and conversations that go beyond SEO, revealing how high-impact teams connect brand with real commercial impact. Each episode takes you inside candid conversations with marketers, founders, and digital leaders who turn complex business challenges into measurable success. Hosted by the team at Growthack, an award-winning SEO consultancy, Beyond SEO cuts through the hype to uncover the systems, data, and mindset behind sustainable online growth. Growthack.io (https://growthack.io/) helps brands go Beyond SEO, specialising in building SEO systems that drive revenue: combining technical, content, data-driven insights and AI-ready strategies to help businesses scale smarter. Practical, award-winning SEO that helps your brand stay discoverable, trusted, and ready for what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

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