About Gavan Thorpe

Gavan Thorpe is an operator and scale‑focused CEO with a passion for helping small businesses thrive online. Having grown up in the Utah valley, he studied computer science and began his career working on search and advertising technology at Ah‑ha.com, which was later acquired by Ancestry.com. He then moved into leadership roles at OrangeSoda, a local search and advertising startup, where he led operations and technology teams. In 2013 he joined Boostability, initially to run operations. Within a year he became Chief Operating Officer, then president, and by 2017 he was appointed CEO. In this role he has transformed Boostability into one of the world’s largest white‑label SEO providers while maintaining a focus on affordability for small businesses.

Professional headshot of Gavan Thorpe, CEO of Boostability
Gavan Thorpe

As CEO, Gavan tells the story of Boostability’s evolution. In a 2019 interview on the Local Search Insider podcast, he explained that the company was created as a way to make professional SEO accessible to plumbers, dentists, and other small businesses who “had no desire to do SEO themselves” and needed a trusted partner. This insight came came from his experience a traditional step‑by‑step SEO guide and realising that small business owners didn’t have time or expertise to manage marketing software or processes. He and the early team pivoted to provide SEO as a service at scale, with the company now powering search visibility for more than 26,000 businesses worldwide.

Under Gavan’s leadership, Boostability has repeatedly earned recognition as a great place to work and as a fast‑growing company. It has been named to the Inc. 5000 list six times and has been recognised by Comparably as a Best Company for Work‑Life Balance, Compensation and Leadership. Gavan himself has twice been ranked among the Best CEOs for Women and won Comparably’s Best CEO award in 2018. He attributes these honours to a people‑first culture that emphasises employee growth, inclusive decision‑making and transparency.

Leadership Philosophy & Culture

Gavan believes great companies are built by empowering people. He fosters an inclusive culture where every employee’s voice matters and invests in continuous training and mentorship. He champions flexible work‑life balance and community giving, including programs like BoostCares and BoostEquality that support local initiatives and diversity in tech. This people‑first ethos drives innovation and delivers results for partners across the globe.

Recognition & Impact

Under Gavan’s leadership, Boostability has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list multiple times and has been celebrated by Comparably for Best Company Work‑Life Balance, Compensation, Leadership and CEO awards. Gavan himself has twice been named a Top CEO for Women and was recognised among the Best CEOs in 2018. These honours reflect his commitment to creating a workplace where employees and partners can thrive.

Media & Interviews

Hear Gavan share his insights on industry trends, leadership and the future of SEO. Watch his guest appearances and interviews below:

  • “Above the Cloud” podcast – Gavan discusses local search trends, zero‑click searches, and small‑business SEO with Charles Laughlin (2019).
  • SuperbCrew interview – Highlights Boostability’s role as a white‑label SEO leader and its sixth inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list (2021).
  • Digital Marketing Trend Report 2023 – A panel of experts, including Gavan, predicting SEO and digital marketing trends.
  • Geo-Vertical Grid webinar – Boostability’s marketing team, including Jack Wendt and Dennis, demonstrates how local SEO works at scale
  • ATC 29: Zero Click Searches – Gavan discusses the growth of zero‑click searches and how SEO firms can adapt (YouTube).

 

Outside of work, Gavan loves spending time with his family, mountain biking and exploring Utah’s outdoors. He actively mentors young marketers and entrepreneurs in the community and participates in local tech events. His passion for empowering people and building connections extends far beyond the workplace

Featured Videos

Dennis Yu and Jack Wendt joined Gavan at Boostability’s Utah headquarters for a deep dive into the Geo‑Vertical Grid – the company’s proprietary framework for mapping local service demand. In this lively webinar, they explored how Boostability uses data to target content by geography and industry, empowering agencies to deliver tailored SEO campaigns at scale. Gavan’s openness to share internal methodologies reflects his commitment to education and partnership within the marketing community.

More Stories & Connections

Gavan’s journey from computer science student to CEO is marked by perseverance and an insatiable curiosity about how technology can empower small businesses. After building search advertising systems at Ah-ha.com (later acquired by Ancestry.com), he cut his teeth scaling operations and technology at OrangeSoda, a local search startup. These experiences taught him that data, systems, and people must work together to create outsized impact.

Throughout his career, Gavan has sought mentors and in turn become one. He often credits early advisors for teaching him the importance of listening deeply to customers and employees. Today he mentors young marketers and entrepreneurs across Utah’s booming tech corridor and beyond, sharing lessons on leadership, product-market fit, and balancing family life with entrepreneurship. He’s a familiar face at local tech meetups and startup weekends, where he offers encouragement and networking introductions.

Gavan is also deeply committed to community service. He helped launch BoostCares and BoostEquality initiatives to support local nonprofits, LGBTQ+ causes, and diversity programs in tech. When he’s not at the office, you can find him mountain biking with his family in the Wasatch mountains or volunteering at community bike trails. These connections—to people, place, and purpose—shape the empathetic leader he is today.

Scroll to Top