performance
marketing,
with taste.
paid media and creative consulting for brands that care about results and don't want to sacrifice taste to get there.
i work with some cool clients
my point of view
most paid media underperforms because strategy, creative, and execution are split across too many people. nobody's connecting the dots.
when one person owns all three — and actually cares — results compound.
what I do
three ways to work together.
full account management
I run your paid media end-to-end — strategy, builds, optimization, and reporting across google, linkedin, and meta. I own it like it's mine. creative support (briefs, ad design, testing) available as an add-on.
creative testing consulting
you're running ads but not learning from them. I audit what's running, build a structured testing framework, and design experiments that compound. works standalone or alongside your existing team.
growth strategy consulting
you have the team but need direction. I work with founders and marketing leads to figure out what's actually worth doing — which channels, which audiences, how to structure it. strategy only, no retainer.
work that moved the needle.
real results. clients anonymized.
problem
paid media contributing zero to pipeline. built the channel from scratch — Google Search for high-intent demand, LinkedIn ABM to reach senior buyers at target accounts, YouTube retargeting to stay top of mind.
channels
outcome — full month
~10 SQOs/month at $1,879/SQO. ~8 meetings booked. A VP at SiriusXM posted about seeing our YouTube ad in the wild. consistent pipeline, including 6-figure LTV deals from cold paid.
problem
Frank Sinatra album launch — needed to drive vinyl and CD sales with no paid media history.
channels
creative
tested static vs. Reels built around nostalgia and romance. iterated on hooks and formats to find what converted.
outcome — shopify, month 1
Sessions +499%. Total sales +1,400%. Orders +1,100%. Conv. rate +107%.
problem
Google Shopping running but underperforming. conv. value/cost of 15.43 overall — Branded (USD) at 4.05, Remarketing at 1.23.
channels
outcome — post-restructure
Overall conv. value/cost: 15.43 → 17.37. Google Shopping: 19.40 → 22.81. Branded (USD): 4.05 → 7.87. Conv. value +16% on the same spend.
some categories need someone who knows the rules.
restricted categories — vaping, cannabis, supplements, fintech — require platform policy expertise, compliant targeting, and creative that won't get accounts flagged. most agencies pass. I don't.
problem
highly regulated DTC category. most agencies decline the work.
channels
outcome
Consistent 8x ROAS in a category where most agencies won't touch the account.
not an agency. a strategic partner.
I work with a focused number of clients at any time — senior-level attention on your account every week, not a junior AM managing 14 others.
the honest take
consultant vs. agency
| typical agency | spencer consulting co. | |
|---|---|---|
| who does the work | a junior strategist managing 8–12 accounts. the senior who sold you moves on. | me. every brief, every optimization, every report. |
| attention | monthly strategy reviews, if you're lucky. templated reporting. | something breaks friday — it gets fixed friday. |
| incentives | retainer renewal regardless of results. high turnover. | I live on results and referrals. same person, always. |
| creative ownership | briefed out. feedback loops are slow. sometimes not offered at all. | strategy, briefing, execution — no telephone game. |
| best fit | $100k+/month, multi-channel, full creative production at scale. | $10k–$80k/month, senior attention on the work, pipeline focus. |
longer read on this: paid media consultant vs. agency — which one do you actually need? →
in their words.
from former managers and clients.
two clients this week did nothing but gush about how much they love working with you. you're calm, sharp as all hell, and handle client questions not with answers, but with plans.
former VP · paid media agency
hard work and dedication — bearing fruit, with leads progressing to final stage before close. great combination of patience, relationship building, and marketing execution.
former VP · B2B SaaS agency
delivered excellent work that the client appreciated. they specifically mentioned: "we've been through 2 other agencies and the work you've already delivered is very impressive — you're a very engaging presenter."
former director · paid media
how it works
no 40-slide decks. just a clear path to results.
discovery call
30 minutes. goals, channels, current state. no pitch deck.
audit + proposal
I review your accounts and creative. clear gaps, scoped proposal.
kick off fast
once aligned, I move. first deliverables within 5 business days.
results + iteration
weekly optimization, transparent reporting. you always know where things stand.
i'm shelby.
after 10 years of going out of scope — feeling physically ill pushing creative that was lame, questioning why taste is treated like an afterthought in performance marketing — I didn't return to agency life and bet on myself instead.
the reality is most brands don't need someone to execute. they need someone to discern, challenge, and have opinions about what they're putting in front of thousands of people a day.
I work with a focused group of clients at a time. your account gets the same attention I'd give my own.
let's
talk.
tell me what you're working on. no commitment, no hard sell.