About
Karen Arguello, Founder & CEO
Karen is a strategic operator and team builder based in San Francisco, with roots in Oregon and Maui. Her career spans the full spectrum of advertising technology—working across social platforms, ad networks, publishers, agencies, and performance DSPs. She’s built systems and scaled teams that support over $1B in annual ad spend, and she’s done it by focusing on clarity, collaboration, and long-term thinking.
During her seven years at Liftoff, Karen built the global operations team from the ground up, growing it from just two people to over 35 across multiple functions. She launched and scaled new specialties including fraud prevention, data analytics, product operations, learning and development, and product marketing.
Since then, Karen has advised startups and large organizations alike—from small apps growing their user base, to a global CTV platform launching a performance product, to a bakery seeking operational efficiency. No matter the size of the company or the complexity of the problem, she brings the same approach: build strong foundations, create sustainable processes, and empower teams to do their best work.
She’s especially skilled at bridging the gap between technical and commercial teams, helping organizations navigate the messy middle between vision and execution. Karen is energized by creating structure out of ambiguity, and helping individuals and teams uncover and play to their strengths.
ForgeGrove
ForgeGrove was born out of a reaction to the burnout-inducing, “move fast and break things” culture that dominates both advertising and AI. We saw firsthand how AI solutions were being dropped into organizations without thoughtful planning, context, or concern for how real teams actually work. The result? Chaos disguised as innovation.
At ForgeGrove, we take a different path:
We believe in building with intention.
That means considering both the capabilities of technology and the realities of human nature. It means designing systems people will actually use. It means taking smart, calculated risks—not reckless ones. And it means prioritizing happy, aligned, and accountable teams, because we know that’s where the best work happens.
We don’t do hype.
We don’t do one-size-fits-all.
We do substance, sustainability, and clarity—especially when things are messy.
Contact Us
We work with a select number of clients to ensure every engagement is thoughtful and impactful. Tell us more about what you need — if it’s a good fit, we’ll reach out to schedule a free intro call.