Carpet Boost AI Case Study: From Burnout to Breakthrough - 

John Williams, Founder of Carpet Boost AI

About Carpet Boost AI

Carpet Boost AI is a digital marketing agency specialising in lead generation for carpet cleaning businesses. Uniquely positioned as industry experts, they blend deep sector knowledge with cutting-edge AI to deliver high-quality leads through social media and digital channels. The company grew rapidly from startup to over £1 million in turnover before strategically scaling back to around £600k to focus on stronger profit margins and sustainable growth.

1. The Challenge: A Toxic Job, a Dream of Freedom

Back in 2020, I was stuck in a job that was slowly grinding me down. I worked in a high-pressure, corporate engineering environment that, on the surface, looked successful. But underneath, it was a toxic mess. The culture was cutthroat, I was bullied, and every Monday felt like a battle just to survive the week. I’d been in the industry nearly 20 years, and the thought of doing the same thing until retirement filled me with dread.

Worse, I was becoming a stranger in my own home. After one particularly long business trip, my one-year-old son barely recognised me. My wife said, "You were gone so long, he kind of forgot who you were." That hit me like a tonne of bricks. That night, I made a decision: I was going to become a work-from-home dad, no matter what.

But I had no formal business training, no sales skills, and no idea where to start.

2. The Journey: From Side Hustle to Six-Figure Months

I started learning digital marketing on the bus to work, at lunch, and late into the evenings. After months of rejection and failed attempts, I finally landed my first client — an eCommerce business. It didn’t go well. But then, a spark of opportunity: a carpet cleaner in the US took a chance on me and my chatbot lead generation idea.

It worked. Despite the off-season, we got him booked out. That one client turned into 20 within 48 hours after he shared his results at a franchise expo. From there, Carpet Boost AI was born — a specialist marketing agency serving the floor cleaning industry. We now work with 80–100 clients across the US, helping them get a consistent stream of jobs through automated, conversion-driven advertising.

3. The Breakthrough: Knowing the Numbers

While I had the marketing nailed, the financial side of the business was another story. I avoided the numbers, found tax returns stressful, and didn’t have a clear view of our profitability. That’s when I came across MBS Accountants and Ian Morgan. What stood out was how forward-thinking they were — using automation, systems, and data just like we did.

I brought Ian in as a fractional CFO, and it quickly became clear that we were leaving serious money on the table. Working closely with MBS Accountants, we overhauled the way we tracked and interpreted our numbers. One major breakthrough came when they spotted a hidden issue in our new client offer — we were promising a money-back guarantee that was quietly draining profit. Together, we reframed it as a “free additional month” offer instead, which instantly boosted take-up and removed the cashflow risk.

Weekly dashboard reviews and tighter control of spend meant we could scale without the chaos — and within months, our profits jumped by nearly £20k/month.

4. The Results: More Profit, More Clarity, More Freedom

* £20k/month additional profit from one strategic change

* A clear financial dashboard and forecasting tools

* More confident decisions based on real-time data

* Peace of mind that the business is financially solid

* More personal freedom – I now take Fridays off, travel freely, and bought my first home

5. Lessons Learned: What I'd Tell Other Business Owners

*You don’t have to be good at everything.** Hire experts where you’re weak.

*The right numbers give you power.** You can’t fix what you can’t see.

*Execution is everything.** Once we saw the gap, we acted fast. That’s where the value is.

*Mindset matters.** I used to think mindset was fluff. Now I know it’s the foundation.

*The journey isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.** If you're stuck, start moving. Even small steps add up.

Final Thought

If you’re in business and want more clarity, confidence, and profit, get someone on your team who sees what you don’t. For me, that was MBS. I’m no longer guessing. I’m building with purpose.

Not every business will see results like this. But if you’re ready to take ownership of your finances and act on the data, the possibilities are massive.