Sarah Servold / Experience
[email protected] Contact →
Vol. XV · San Diego · 2026 AI · Growth · E-Commerce

Sarah
Servold.

AI Strategist & Growth Leader. Operator, builder, advisor.

Finance kid turned ad-agency lead, turned DTC co-founder, turned multi-venture operator, turned AI-systems builder. I've scaled brands from zero to $7M, sold a 100-driver logistics company, co-authored a bestselling cookbook, and now use AI to build custom systems that let businesses grow and operate efficiently — without the ball and chain of SaaS subscriptions that don't quite fit how the work actually gets done.

Sarah Servold — AI Strategist & Growth Leader, San Diego CA
San Diego · 2026
15+
Years building DTC brands
Career-wide
$7M
Built from scratch, no VC
Pete's Real Food
+66%
YoY revenue growth
Hobbs Modern, 2026
100+
People managed
Servold Logistics DSP

In this issue.

01 — 07
Chapter 01
Selected work

The problem. The solution. The receipts.

Five case studies, each starting with a real business problem — leaky SMS tools, a CMS that couldn't keep up, scattered data, a manual sourcing grind, a dormant email list. What follows is what I actually built.

Case 01 · 2026AI + Lead Reactivation

Texts so smart, the leads text back.

Full-stack build · TypeScript + AWS + Twilio · TCPA-compliant SMS reactivation for high-volume legal lead generation

The problem

The team was paying recurring SaaS fees for a third-party SMS platform they couldn't fully control — limited routing logic, no real compliance gate, and zero ownership over brand voice or lead data. Aged legal leads were sitting untouched across legal verticals, and when a lead didn't qualify for the original case type, that was it — no way to reroute, re-monetize, or recapture value. The system couldn't handle the nuance of re-engaging leads at scale without tripping TCPA wires, and every disqualified lead was just lost revenue.

My solution

Built the entire platform from scratch — a TCPA-compliant SMS + AI conversation engine that re-engages aged legal leads and keeps them in play even after they disqualify for the original case type. AI reads every inbound reply, detects intent and flags crisis cases, then generates personalized responses that keep the conversation moving. Leads flow through a qualification and routing system that re-monetizes disqualified contacts across case types and verticals — so a lead that doesn't fit one case can still convert on another, maximizing the lifetime value of every contact in the database. The operator console lets the team manage campaigns, edit AI behavior, and monitor conversations in real time — no developer needed. Every outbound message runs through code-enforced TCPA compliance on every send. Replaced the recurring third-party SaaS entirely and gave the team full ownership over their routing logic, brand voice, and lead data.

  • AI-powered conversation engine — reads intent, flags crisis cases, generates personalized responses that keep leads engaged
  • Lead qualification and routing system — re-monetizes disqualified contacts across case types and verticals so no lead is wasted revenue
  • Code-enforced TCPA compliance on every send — built into the platform, not bolted on
  • Operator console — campaign management, AI behavior controls, and live conversation monitoring, no developer required
  • Full platform replacing the incumbent SaaS stack — Twilio SMS + voice warm-transfer, lead distribution, Airtable, zero recurring SaaS fees
TypeScriptAWS CDKDynamoDB SQSLambdaAPI Gateway Next.jsTwilioClaude API LiteLLMAirtable
Platform · Case 01
0dead leads

Every disqualified contact gets rerouted through a qualification and routing system across case types and verticals — turning aged-out, written-off leads back into revenue.

Confidential client — no public link
Case 02 · 2025 — PresentAI + Lead Gen

National Legal Lead Gen Firm. AI builds the pages. QC makes sure they're good.

Full-stack build · Next.js + Supabase + Vercel · High-volume legal lead generation

The problem

The firm needed a website they could fully control end-to-end. They publish a massive volume of content and needed to manage it all in one place, optimize for SEO and AI discovery, capture and qualify leads, and run A/B tests — without relying on developers or third-party software. When new cases break, the firms that publish first capture the leads — and they had no way to move that fast.

My solution

Built a custom web platform with a fully controllable site, a CMS tailored to high-volume content needs, built-in lead forms with quality control workflows, and an A/B testing framework for continuous optimization — all SEO- and AI-friendly from the ground up.

  • AI content engine — takes a campaign brief and generates a full SEO-optimized landing page mirroring the quality of professional content writers, allowing the team to be first to market when new cases break
  • AI case page agent — parses Google Docs into publish-ready landing pages with hero, narrative sections, FAQs, condition grids, and multi-step lead forms
  • 30+ point automated QC engine — title coherence, semantic matching, SEO validation, cross-field consistency
  • Server-side Sharp image pipeline — auto-resize, WebP conversion, cloud storage
  • Full SEO foundation: JSON-LD, OpenGraph, dynamic sitemap, llms.txt, structured data for AI discovery
  • Draft preview system via edge functions; architecture ready for Microsoft Clarity + cookie-based A/B
Next.jsSupabaseVercel LovableSharpEdge Functions JSON-LDGoogle Docs API
Platform · Case 02
1stto market

AI takes a campaign brief and publishes a full SEO-optimized landing page — letting the team capture leads on new cases before competitors even have a page up.

Confidential client — no public link
Case 03 · 2025 — PresentE-commerce + Lifecycle

Hobbs Modern. +66% revenue, zero new grey hairs. Almost.

Lead growth partner · Mid-century modern furniture retailer

The problem

A mid-century modern furniture retailer with a dormant email list, a Shopify store that wasn't converting, and no lifecycle marketing in place. They needed revenue growth without adding headcount.

My solution

Led full e-commerce, brand, and marketing strategy — reactivating the list via Klaviyo, running weekly campaigns with subject line testing, rebuilding Shopify with retention-first UX, and writing the SOPs and onboarding the VA to run it all.

  • 35.1K sessions (+36% YoY) · $331.4K revenue (+66%) · 131 orders (+22%) · CVR +6%
  • 45%+ open rates reactivating dormant audiences
  • Full Shopify rebuild: theme, homepage, PDP, collections, content strategy
  • SOP development, VA hiring/onboarding, custom Notion dashboards for COGS + margin
Revenue YoY
+66%
Sessions YoY
+36%
Orders YoY
+22%
Email opens
45%+
Live site · Case 03
+66% YoY revenue

Dormant list reactivated. Shopify rebuilt. SOPs written. Email open rates from 18% to 45%+ in three months.

Visit hobbsmodern.com
Case 04 · Built with Claude CodeBI + CRM + Logistics

The BI platform. We replaced the spreadsheets. They did not fight back.

Custom operational system for Hobbs Modern · Next.js + Prisma + Neon Postgres

The problem

Hobbs had data scattered everywhere and no clear way to use it. They couldn't tell how long to hold inventory before discounting, which designers moved fastest, or which items had the best margins. Client and trade contacts lived in different places, restoration projects had no central tracking, and logistics with shippers was happening entirely over text.

My solution

Built an integrated, AI-driven operational system unifying e-commerce, project management, and logistics — replacing five disconnected SaaS tools with one custom platform.

  • Custom CRM for clients and trade contacts with deal stage tracking
  • Project management platform for restoration tasks — no more lost photos, no more missing POs
  • Logistics platform to coordinate shippers and track deliveries across the country
  • BI dashboard: real-time inventory aging, true cost profitability per SKU, automated weekly margin reports
  • Unified data from Shopify, Notion, and logistics providers
Next.jsPrismaNeon Postgres Shopify GraphQLVercelClaude Code Resend
System · Case 04
5 SaaS tools replaced by 1 custom platform

Unified e-commerce, project management, CRM, and logistics — powering decisions on keep / discount / auction, what to buy next, and which designers perform best.

Internal tool — no public link
Case 05 · Python AI Agent25+ cities · Daily reports

Auto-sourcing. Teaching robots to shop Craigslist.

AI buying agent for Hobbs Modern

The problem

The owner was spending an enormous amount of time manually searching the internet for pieces to buy — repetitive work that pulled focus away from higher-value decisions.

My solution

Built an AI agent that continuously searches and scrapes the internet for the right kinds of pieces, delivering a curated stream of opportunities instead of hours of manual digging.

PythonBeautifulSoupWeb Scraping SMTPHTML EmailCron Jobs
Agent · Case 05
01ScrapeBeautifulSoup crawlers scan Craigslist across 25+ metro areas daily
02ScoreQuality algorithms evaluate authenticity, condition, brand, price-to-value
03ReportAutomated HTML email lands in the inbox every morning with top finds
Internal agent — daily reports
Best practice looks good on a slide. I'm interested in what actually ships.
— Personal operating principle, since 2012
Chapter 02
The arc

From finance desks to AI agents.

I didn't come to AI from a computer science lab. I came from a credit risk desk, an ad agency floor, a meal-prep kitchen, and a DSP fleet. Everything I build now is shaped by that — the operator's eye for what actually matters, and the builder's instinct to just go make the thing.

2001 — 2007
New York

The finance years. Numbers, risk, spreadsheets.

Trained in finance & economics. Spent the early years in roles where the numbers had to add up or people got hurt.

  • Longwood University — B.S. Business Administration · Finance & Economics · GPA 3.9
  • Citigroup — managed credit risk and project implementation for global accounts in Energy & Mining
  • Spectrum Consulting — innovative tax strategies for high-net-worth clients
  • Co-authored "What Factors Motivate Financing & Investment Decisions?" — ASBBS Conference, 2001
2001 — 2013
NYC · Atlanta · San Diego

The agency years. $4.3M budgets and a Marine Corps rebuild.

Pivoted into advertising, where I learned how to stretch a budget and make creative work actually perform.

  • MediaWorks / OMD — interactive campaigns for Fortune 500 clients (HP, Esquire, Pfizer); media plans for Johnson & Johnson
  • J. Walter Thompson (JWT) — ended as Account Supervisor on U.S. Marine Corps recruitment + sponsorship marketing
  • Managed $4.3M regional budgets across 90 clients; led a team of 3 AEs
  • Led the $3.4M Marines.com rebuild — JWT Atlanta's largest digital project; tripled qualified leads
  • Grew Northeast qualified leads 169% (4,670 → 12,569) in two years through Live Nation, pro sports, radio partnerships
  • Program wins: Marine Corps War College branding · Scholarship Foundation 50th anniversary (two national TV spots) · JLASS simulation exercise
2012 — 2026
Meal delivery

The founder years. Zero to $7M, no VC.

Co-founded Pete's Real Food and Paleo On The Go — the first company to ship fresh, ready-to-eat meals nationwide.

  • Grew to $7M by 2017 — no external funding; influencer partnerships, affiliate programs, nutritionist referrals, local activations
  • Iterated across 7+ e-commerce platforms (WordPress → Squarespace → BigCommerce → UltraCart → Shopify Plus)
  • 62–65% Klaviyo open rates · 79% retention · $238 AOV for POTG
  • Developed 150+ fresh meals per season for 15 years across paleo, keto, AIP, Whole30®, gluten-free
  • Built first-of-its-kind nationwide perishable shipping logistics
  • Managed a 30-person team; co-authored bestselling cookbook Paleo By Season (2014)
2013 — 2025
Multi-venture

The operator years. Consumer products, last-mile, brand identity.

While running Pete's, took on operator-level projects across wildly different industries — each one sharpened a different muscle.

  • Primal Kitchen (2013–14) — developed the industry's first real-ingredient mayo and clean-label dressings; nationwide grocery distribution. (Brand later acquired by Kraft Heinz.)
  • Servold Logistics — Amazon DSP (2020–21) — launched, scaled, and sold a profitable last-mile logistics company in under 12 months. Managed 100+ drivers.
  • Threadline (2025) — full brand identity for a registered investment advisor
  • Second Crown (2025–26) — brand identity + full Shopify build for a vintage Rolex business
2025 — Present
AI-native work

The AI years. Replacing SaaS, built around the operator.

Now working as an AI strategist and growth consultant across four active clients — using Claude Code, Python, Lovable, and the modern stack to build real production systems that free operators from the subscription stack that doesn't quite fit.

Instead of duct-taping six SaaS tools that each do 60% of what the business actually needs, I build the one tool that does 100% — specific to how the business actually runs.

  • Hobbs Modern — lead e-commerce + marketing; custom BI platform, automated sourcing agent, +66% revenue YoY
  • National Legal Lead Gen Firm — full-stack legal lead gen platform with AI content engine, AI case page agent, and 30+ point QC engine
  • National Legal Lead Gen Firm (SMS) — in-house SMS reactivation platform replacing incumbent SaaS, AI-powered lead re-engagement with routing system that re-monetizes disqualified contacts across legal verticals, 499 passing tests
  • RevitaBite — brand build, Shopify rebuild, AI-generated creative, CRO/SEO landing pages
Chapter 03
The AI lab

AI, but for real operators.

I don't build AI demos. I build systems that replace SaaS bloat, automate the boring work, and fit how the business actually runs — for clients who need ROI, not a pitch deck.

Legal Lead Gen + AI ContentNational Legal Lead Gen Firm

  • AI content engine — brief to SEO-optimized landing pageClaude API
  • Full-stack CMS + AI case page agentNext.js
  • 30+ point automated QC engineEdge
  • Dynamic SEO + llms.txt + JSON-LDSEO
  • Multi-step lead capture formsSupabase

Business IntelligenceHobbs Modern

  • Real-time inventory agingPrisma
  • True cost profitability per SKUPostgres
  • Full CRM + deal pipelineClaude
  • Automated weekly margin reportsResend

Sourcing & Creative AgentsHobbs · RevitaBite · Pete's

  • Craigslist scraper · 25+ citiesPython
  • Quality scoring + HTML reportsBS4
  • AI food photography systemMidjourney
  • Ad creative generation at scaleFreePik

SMS & Lead ReactivationNational Legal Lead Gen Firm

  • TCPA-compliant SMS + AI conversation engineTypeScript
  • AI reads intent, flags crisis, generates responsesClaude API
  • Qualification & routing system re-monetizes disqualified leadsAWS
  • Operator console — campaigns, agents, live monitoringNext.js
  • Replaced incumbent SaaS platform entirelyFull platform
Claude CodeClaude API PythonBeautifulSoup Next.jsTypeScriptSupabase VercelPrisma AWS CDKDynamoDBSQSLambda TwilioLiteLLMAirtable Lovable MidjourneyFreePik AI SeedreamSeedance 2.0 FluxNano Banana Pro Flex GeminiNotebook LM ChatGPT
Chapter 04
Full experience

Every role. Reverse chron.

The working résumé — optimized for skim, dense on detail, print-friendly if you hit Cmd+P.

Oct 2025 — Present
San Diego
AI Consultant & Growth AdvisorHobbs Modern · Mid-century modern furniture

Lead ecommerce, brand, and marketing strategy. Rebuilt the full digital presence, deployed AI-powered operational tools, and drove measurable revenue growth through data-driven lifecycle marketing and systems optimization.

  • Architected and shipped a custom BI platform (Claude Code) unifying e-commerce, project management, and logistics — real-time inventory aging, true cost profitability, full CRM
  • Built an automated sourcing agent in Python — scrapes Craigslist across 25+ cities, quality-scores listings, sends automated HTML reports
  • Rebuilt full Shopify experience: new theme, homepage, PDP, collections, content strategy
  • 35.1K sessions (+36%) · $331.4K revenue (+66%) · 131 orders (+22%) · CVR +6% YoY
  • Own Klaviyo strategy — 45%+ open rates reactivating dormant audiences
  • SOP development, VA hiring/onboarding, custom Notion dashboards for COGS, shipping, margin
Dec 2025 — Present
Remote
AI Consultant & BuilderNational Legal Lead Gen Firm

Hands-on technical and strategic partner for a national legal lead generation firm — building production systems across web, content automation, compliance, and lead reactivation.

  • Built the firm's full-stack legal lead gen platform with AI-powered CMS, automated QC engine, and server-side image optimization
  • Architected an AI content engine — takes a campaign brief and generates a full SEO-optimized landing page mirroring the quality of professional content writers, so the team is first to market when new cases break
  • Built an in-house TCPA-compliant SMS reactivation platform replacing the incumbent SaaS stack — AI conversation engine that re-engages aged leads and reroutes disqualified contacts across case types to recapture value; lead qualification and routing system, Twilio SMS + voice warm-transfer, operator console for campaign and agent management; 499 passing tests, zero recurring SaaS spend
Dec 2025 — Present
Remote
Brand & Growth ConsultantRevitaBite

Led brand development, e-commerce build, and paid acquisition strategy from concept through launch.

  • Drove business planning for RevitaBite — product development, brand positioning, go-to-market from concept to launch
  • Rebuilt chewrevitabite.com on Shopify; launched multiple CRO + SEO landing pages for Meta + Google
  • Developed AI-generated product photography, hero video, social ads, and campaign creative
  • Paid ad strategy across Meta + Google: audience segmentation, positioning, full-funnel visual consistency
2012 — Jan 2026
Co-Founder & Director of MarketingPete's Real Food & Paleo On The Go

Built and led the industry's most respected prepared meal delivery brand. Pete's Real Food was the first company to ship fresh, ready-to-eat meals nationwide. Oversaw all marketing, e-commerce, and digital strategy from inception through years of sustained growth.

  • E-Commerce Leadership: iterated across 7+ platform builds (WordPress, Squarespace, BigCommerce, UltraCart, Shopify Plus)
  • Marketing Optimization: 62–65% Klaviyo open rates, 79% subscription retention, $238 AOV for POTG; full lifecycle marketing, segmentation, automated flows
  • Grassroots Growth: grew to $7M by 2017, zero external funding — influencer partnerships, affiliate programs, nutritionist referrals, local activations
  • Product Development: 150+ fresh meals per season for 15 years across paleo, keto, AIP, Whole30®, gluten-free
  • Operational Pioneering: first-of-its-kind nationwide perishable logistics; packaging innovations; regional fulfillment
  • Team Leadership: managed 30-person team across kitchen, fulfillment, CX, and marketing
Apr 2025 — Jan 2026
Ecommerce + Brand ConsultantSecond Crown · Vintage Rolex & luxury watches
  • Developed brand identity, logo, and built Shopify site from scratch
  • Led product photography, SEO, content strategy, Google Search Console + Merchant Center setup
Apr 2025
Marketing ConsultantThreadline · Registered investment advisor

Developed full brand identity for an RIA — naming, visual identity, typography, brand voice — delivering a strategic brand foundation for high-net-worth financial advisory services.

2020 — 2021
Owner & OperatorServold Logistics — Amazon Delivery Service Partner (DSP)

Launched, scaled, and sold a profitable last-mile logistics company under Amazon's DSP program in under 12 months. Managed 100+ drivers, thousands of daily deliveries, built hiring and training systems, executed a full exit.

2013 — 2014
Product Development ConsultantPrimal Kitchen

Developed and co-packed the industry's first real-ingredient mayonnaise and clean-label dressings/marinades. Products went into nationwide grocery — establishing the foundational product line before Primal Kitchen was acquired by Kraft Heinz.

2007 — 2013
NYC · Atlanta · San Diego
Account Supervisor → Senior AEJ. Walter Thompson (JWT) · U.S. Marine Corps
  • Managed $4.3M regional advertising budgets; led team of 3 AEs across 90 clients
  • Led $3.4M rebuild of Marines.com — JWT Atlanta's largest digital project; tripled qualified leads
  • Grew Northeast qualified leads 169% (4,670 → 12,569) in two years through integrated partnerships (Live Nation, pro sports, radio)
  • Program wins: Marine Corps War College branding · Scholarship Foundation 50th anniversary (two national TV spots) · JLASS simulation exercise
2001 — 2007
New York
Early careerMediaWorks / OMD · Citigroup · Spectrum Consulting
  • MediaWorks / OMD — interactive campaigns for Fortune 500 (HP, Esquire, Pfizer); media plans for Johnson & Johnson
  • Citigroup — credit risk and project implementation for global accounts in Energy & Mining
  • Spectrum Consulting — innovative tax strategies for high-net-worth clients

Education

Longwood UniversityB.S. Business Administration · Finance & Economics · GPA 3.9

Publications

Paleo By Season (2014)Co-authored bestselling cookbook — seasonal real-food paleo cooking

Research

What Factors Motivate Financing & Investment Decisions?Co-author · ASBBS Conference, 2001

Chapter 05
Skills & stack

The skills. The stack.

Full-stack operator — strategy, execution, engineering. What I've shipped with, what I reach for day one, and what I've taught teams to run without me.

Growth & StrategyDemand gen, CRO, brand

  • Growth & demand generationcore
  • Full-funnel marketing strategycore
  • Conversion rate optimization (CRO)core
  • Brand positioning & storytellingcore
  • Campaign strategy & creative directioncore
  • A/B testing & performance optimization
  • Data & KPI analysis (CAC, AOV, LTV)
  • Audience segmentation & offer optimization

E-commerce & RetentionSubscription, lifecycle, email

  • Shopify & Shopify Plus7+ builds
  • Klaviyo62-65%
  • Recharge subscriptions
  • BigCommerce · WordPress · UltraCart
  • Retention & lifecycle marketingcore
  • Email & CRM strategycore
  • Digital customer journey design
  • Website UX

AI & EngineeringClaude Code, Python, full-stack

  • AI systems & automationcore
  • Claude Code · Claude APIdaily
  • Python · BeautifulSoup
  • Next.js · React · TypeScript
  • Supabase · Vercel · Prisma · Postgres
  • AWS (DynamoDB · SQS · Lambda · CDK)
  • Twilio (SMS + Voice)
  • LiteLLM
  • Lead distribution platforms
  • Airtable
  • Lovable
  • Midjourney · FreePik AI
  • Seedream · Seedance 2.0 · Flux
  • Nano Banana Pro · Flex
  • Gemini · Notebook LM · ChatGPT

Paid, SEO & AnalyticsMeta, Google, GA4

  • Meta Ads$7.4 ROAS
  • Google Ads
  • SEO (technical + content)core
  • Google Search Console + Merchant Center
  • GA4 · Triple Whale · Hotjar
  • Microsoft Clarity
  • JSON-LD · OpenGraph · llms.txt

Operations & ProductP&L, supply chain, product dev

  • Supply chain & nationwide logistics
  • P&L · COGS · margin analysis
  • Packaging innovation & fulfillment
  • Product development (food / supplement)
  • 150+ meal dev/season · 15 years
  • SOPs & VA hiring/onboarding
  • Notion dashboards · Gorgias · Stamped

Leadership & AdvisoryCross-functional, founder-level

  • 30-person DTC teamPete's
  • 100+ driver fleetServold
  • 90-client agency bookJWT
  • Cross-functional leadershipcore
  • Founder & operator advisorycore
  • Marketing systems & SOP development
Chapter 06
Praise

They said nice things. Receipts below.

Unprompted words from clients and co-founders.

"
Sarah didn't just give us a strategy — she built the entire system and trained our team to run it. Our email open rates went from 18% to over 45% in three months.
— Ryan, Hobbs Modern
"
Working with Sarah felt like having a co-founder in the room. She asked the right questions, challenged our assumptions, and then got to work building.
— Justin, Threadline
"
You seriously turned my vision into reality with that website. It's exactly what I imagined and more! Wow! You are so talented! Thank you!
— Kristen Campbell, Campbell Coop
Chapter 07
Contact

Let's build something that compounds.

Open to full-time roles, fractional leadership, and select consulting engagements. I promise I reply faster than your current agency.

Email

[email protected]

Phone

917-273-2477

Based in

San Diego, CA

© 2026 · Sarah Servold All rights reserved