In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Danny Leibrandt joins Dave Carroll—the founder & CEO of DOPE Marketing, a direct-mail software and fulfillment company that lets small businesses and agencies send laser-focused mail with no minimums. DOPE Marketing just landed on the Inc. 5000 for the second year in a row (No. 475 last year, No. 675 this year) and now runs a 100+ person print operation that integrates with tools like HighLevel and Zapier to trigger postcards, handwritten notes, and even branded boxes from real-time customer actions. Dave also owns Lion’s Share Maintenance, giving him rare credibility on both the home-service and SaaS sides.

Dave breaks down the growth arc—from $0→$2M→$8M→$17M→~$30M—without the chest-thumping. He talks about why stress is relative, how sobriety and routine sharpened his leadership, and why “horse blinders” (saying no to shiny objects) let DOPE Marketing scale faster. We get tactical on building operating systems (EOS), turning expectations into metrics, and delegating so the founder isn’t four laps ahead of the team with no one translating the plan.

You’ll hear practical playbooks for automating offline mail like digital ads, modeling your best customers, and stacking cross-channel touches that actually convert. Plus: time ownership, buying back your minutes, the “marathon not a sprint” mindset, and the importance of staying inspired (shoutouts to Tommy Mello, Jesse Itzler, Kobe, and Nipsey). If you’re a home-service owner or agency looking for real growth levers—and a reminder to slow down so you can scale up—this one’s a must-listen. Connect with Dave everywhere online and check out DOPE Marketing to see how automated direct mail can become your next unfair advantage.

Dave Carroll, Founder of DOPE Marketing:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.l.carroll.7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davedopemarketing/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopemarketing/

Website: https://www.dopemarketing.com/

Danny Leibrandt, Founder of Pest Control SEO:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt

Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com

Pest Control SEO: https://pestcontrolseo.com/

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Dave Carroll

01:54 Reflections on Rapid Growth

03:37 The Importance of Personal Growth

07:17 Focusing on Core Business Opportunities

11:54 Dave's Journey from Troubled Youth to Entrepreneur

22:31 Defining Success and Parenting

27:53 Balancing Family Life and Business Responsibilities

34:54 Prioritizing Health and Wellness

40:04 The Secret to Rapid Business Growth

49:12 The Marathon of Business

55:17 Learning from Influential Figures

01:00:29 The Importance of Slowing Down

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