01
In-house · the cost
$60K salary + ~$15K benefits + tools ($3K–$10K) + management time = $80–$90K/yr fully loaded.
Comparisons
In-house marketer vs agency — the real math.
$60K/yr in-house marketer vs $36K/yr Heist Plant Your Flag. The cost gap is half the story. The skill gap is the other half.
02
In-house · the gap
One person can't do website + SEO + ads + CRM + content + design. They'll be good at one, mediocre at the rest.
03
Agency · the math
$36K/yr ($3K/mo Own Your Backyard) covers a team across all five functions. No benefits, no management overhead, no turnover risk.
When in-house wins
- $5M+ revenue with consistent volume.
- A specialized niche where deep product knowledge matters more than marketing breadth.
- Founder wants daily direct control of execution.
When agency wins
- Under $5M revenue.
- You need 5 disciplines covered simultaneously.
- You'd rather invest in the business than manage a marketing hire.
The hybrid
$10M+ contractors often run an in-house marketing lead PLUS an agency. The internal person owns brand + strategy + vendor management. The agency does execution. Best of both at the right scale.
The Heist Way
Ready to plant your flag?
15-minute call. No pitch deck. No pressure.