Drop Funnel

So, someone threw me a wild question the other day: “What’s the oldest thing you own that you still use every day?” I started picturing my scuffed-up coffee pot, the ballpoint pen I’ve had since high school, or those sneakers that are basically duct tape at this point. But then it hit me like a stray elbow in a mosh pit—the oldest thing I own and lean on daily isn’t some raggedy keepsake. It’s my GoHighLevel (GHL) account, the digital beast I’ve been riding since 2018 when I first fired it up to drag my pal Sarah’s dog grooming shop out of the dark ages. Seven years later, on this lazy Sunday afternoon, June 15, 2025, at 4:05 PM, I’m still cracking open GHL every single day to keep my marketing hustle alive. Why’s this “ancient” software still my go-to? Grab a seat, maybe a warm soda, ‘cause I’m about to spill why GHL’s my trusty old lighter that never fails to spark, packed with stories from the grind and a few reasons it’s still the king of my toolbox.

How GHL Became My Oldest Sidekick

Back in 2018, I was a broke freelancer, scraping by on gigs for small businesses. Sarah, my buddy who runs a dog grooming biz, was in a straight-up mess—her “CRM” was a spiral notebook, her emails were a free app that crashed weekly, and her leads were slipping through the cracks like kibble on a kennel floor. I’d caught wind of GHL, this new platform by Shaun Clark and Varun Vairavan that promised to be a one-stop shop for CRM, funnels, and automation. Sounded too good to be true, like a $5 taco that doesn’t wreck you later. I snagged a 14-day trial, fell in love, and shelled out $97/month for the Agency Starter plan. That account’s been my digital wingman ever since, the oldest “thing” I own in my business arsenal. It’s not a rusty wrench or a faded T-shirt, but in 2025, it’s the software I fire up daily like I’m brewing my morning coffee.

What’s GHL Doing for Me Every Day?

For the uninitiated, GHL’s a cloud-based platform that’s like a punk rock band with every instrument nailed down. It’s got:

• CRM & Pipelines: Tracks leads and clients like a bounty hunter, with deal boards to keep sales tight.
• Funnels & Sites: Slaps together landing pages or websites so I don’t need to beg a coder or pay for ClickFunnels.
• Emails & Texts: Blasts out campaigns—welcome emails, booking nudges, whatever keeps the ball rolling.
• Bookings: Calendars so clients can schedule without me playing phone ping-pong.
• Payments: Hooks up with Stripe and PayPal to grab cash for gigs or gear.
• White-Label Hustle: Lets me rebrand it as my own software to flip to clients like Sarah.
• Reports: Shows me what’s slamming or slumping in my campaigns.

Every day, I’m in GHL checking leads, tweaking a funnel, or sending a text blast. It’s like tying my shoelaces—can’t start the day without it. For Sarah’s shop, I use it to fire off “Book your pup’s spa day!” texts to new leads, which bumped her bookings by 22%. For my own clients, it’s running everything from consult calls to merch sales.

Why I’m Still Clinging to GHL in 2025

Seven years in tech is like dog years—most tools I used in 2018 are either toast or gathering digital dust. So why’s GHL still my daily jam? Here’s the raw truth, straight from my own scrapes and what’s floating around on X and sites like SupplyGem.

1. It’s My One-Stop Dive Bar

Back in the day, I was juggling Mailchimp, Calendly, and some sketchy free CRM, dropping $180/month for a setup that felt like herding feral cats. GHL’s all-in-one deal—CRM, funnels, emails, texts, bookings—means I’m not bouncing between apps like a drunk pinball. SaaS Metrics says it can replace 5-10 tools, and I’m nodding hard. It saved me $90/month and hours of cussing. Sarah ditched her $120/month email app and Calendly, and her biz runs smoother than a freshly groomed poodle.

2. Automation That Doesn’t Choke

GHL’s workflows are like a bartender who knows your order before you sit down. I set up a sequence for Sarah that texts leads 3 minutes after they hit her site, emails a coupon if they don’t book in a day, and reminds them before their slot. It’s cut her no-shows by 18%. I once tanked a workflow by forgetting to hit “save”—felt like a moron—but when it’s dialed in, it’s pure gold. SupplyGem geeks out over the drag-and-drop builder, and even a tech-clutz like me can make it wail.

3. White-Labeling Makes Me Look Like a Wizard

As a small-time agency guy, GHL’s white-labeling is my ace in the hole. I slap my logo on it, use a custom domain (app.myhustle.com), and clients think I’m some tech prodigy. Sarah’s clients see “Sarah’s Doggy Spa” on their booking portal, not “GoHighLevel,” and it’s pro as a fresh ink sleeve. I’ve resold GHL to two clients at $250/month each, and HighLevel’s site says this is why agencies are all-in. Good luck pulling that with HubSpot.

4. Payments That Don’t Make Me Cry

GHL’s Stripe and PayPal hookup means I can sell anything—consults, courses, or Sarah’s doggy bandanas—right in a funnel or calendar. I set up a $40 grooming package for Sarah, and payments hit her Stripe faster than a greyhound chasing a squeaky toy. No janky redirects like some CRMs. Fuel Your Digital says this is a big reason marketers stick with GHL, and I’m using it daily to track my cash flow.

5. A Crew That’s Got My Back

GHL’s got 60,000+ users, a Facebook group like a rowdy biker bar, and support that doesn’t leave you hanging. When I botched Sarah’s SMS setup by fat-fingering a Twilio key, support had me fixed in 8 minutes flat. I’ve seen X posts hyping the community for dropping hacks, like tweaking funnels for mobile bounce rates. It’s like having a posse for your marketing fights.

6. Price That Doesn’t Kick Me in the Teeth

At $97/month for the Agency Starter plan (or $970/year), GHL’s cheaper than a night out in 2025. Compare that to HubSpot ($50/user/month), ClickFunnels ($97-$297), and Calendly ($8-$16/user). Sarah’s on the $97 plan and says it’s less than her shop’s shampoo budget. X users brag about saving $800+/year with GHL, and I’m right there with ‘em.

It’s Got Scratches, But I Love It

GHL’s not perfect—it’s like a vintage motorcycle, badass but needs a tune-up sometimes. The dashboard’s a bit like a punk zine—cool but messy. Sarah was lost for days, and I spent 10 hours figuring it out. I’ve hit glitches, like a funnel that froze ‘til I rebooted