Build Your Own

One Person Can't Cover Everything.

Hiring a marketing person gives you one skill set. To match our coverage, you'd need a strategist, developer, and content creator. That's $150-270K/year plus management.

Hiring In-House

One person = one skill. Junior to mid-level typical. You manage. Gaps require more hires or contractors.

SocialTide

Two senior founders covering strategy + technology + content. 40+ years combined. We operate, you don't manage.

See Detailed Comparison
ST

SocialTide

Growth Operations: 40+ years combined senior expertise. Strategy (Tara) + technology (Titus) + content + operation. No hiring, no managing, no gaps.

H

Hiring In-House

Build your own team. One hire at a time. You manage them. Fill gaps with contractors. Hope skills cover what you need.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Honest assessment of how we compare. We believe in transparency.

Skill Coverage

SocialTide SocialTide
Strategy + Tech + Content Complete growth coverage
Hiring In-House
Single skill set Marketing OR dev OR content

Experience Level

SocialTide SocialTide
40+ years combined (senior) MBA strategist + Staff engineer
Hiring In-House
Varies (often junior-mid) Affordable hires = less experience

Ramp-Up Time

SocialTide SocialTide
30 days operational Proven systems, immediate start
Hiring In-House
3-6 months to productive Learning your business, tools, processes

Management Overhead

SocialTide SocialTide
Zero - we operate Monthly check-ins, not supervision
Hiring In-House
You manage daily 1:1s, reviews, direction, HR

Vacation/Sick Coverage

SocialTide SocialTide
Always covered (two founders) Continuous operation
Hiring In-House
Gap in coverage Work stops or you cover

Knowledge Retention

SocialTide SocialTide
Client Memory System (permanent) Captured in your system
Hiring In-House
Walks out the door Employee leaves = restart

Total Cost (Year 1)

SocialTide SocialTide
Predictable monthly One investment, complete coverage
Hiring In-House
$60-120K + benefits + overhead Salary, benefits, equipment, training

Hiring Risk

SocialTide SocialTide
Proven track record See our work first
Hiring In-House
Interview ≠ performance 3-6 months to evaluate fit

Institutional Knowledge

SocialTide SocialTide
External, in Client Memory We operate, you own data
Hiring In-House
Internal, in employee Builds in your team

Dedicated Attention

SocialTide SocialTide
Shared across clients Systematic, not hourly
Hiring In-House
100% dedicated Full-time for you

Long-Term Team Building

SocialTide SocialTide
External service We operate indefinitely
Hiring In-House
Growing your team Foundation for larger team

The Install AND Operate Advantage

Here's why Growth Operations delivers results that Hiring In-House can't match.

Complete Coverage, Day One

One hire covers one skill. We bring strategy, technology, and content from the start. No gaps to fill, no contractors to find.

40+ Years, No Hiring Risk

Hiring is a gamble - interviews don't predict performance. We bring proven senior expertise (MBA + Staff Engineer) with track record you can verify.

Zero Management Overhead

Employees need daily management: 1:1s, performance reviews, direction, motivation. We operate autonomously with monthly strategic check-ins.

No Ramp-Up Time

New hires take 3-6 months to become productive. Our systems are proven and our processes are established. 30 days to operational.

Knowledge That Stays

When employees leave, their knowledge walks out the door. Client Memory System captures everything in a system you own - it stays when we go.

Always Covered

Vacation, sick days, turnover - employees create coverage gaps. Two founders means we're always available. Your growth doesn't stop.

Being Honest: When Hiring In-House Might Be Better

We believe in transparency. Here's when Hiring In-House might be the better choice.

You're scaling to need full-time dedicated staff

If your growth needs exceed part-time attention, building in-house gives you 40+ hours/week of dedicated focus. We operate systems, not hours.

You want to build institutional knowledge internally

Some businesses prefer knowledge living in employees, not external systems. In-house builds your internal capability over time.

You have strong management capacity

If you're a skilled people manager and enjoy developing talent, building a team can be rewarding. We're not about team building - we operate.

You're building foundation for a larger team

First marketing hire can become marketing director who builds the department. We're a service, not a stepping stone to internal team.

The Bottom Line

ST

SocialTide

40+ years combined senior expertise covering strategy, technology, and content. No hiring risk, no management, no ramp-up. We operate, you focus on core business.

H

Hiring In-House

Build your own team over time. Full dedication and internal knowledge, but single-skill hires, management overhead, and turnover risk.

Our Recommendation

Choose Growth Operations for immediate senior coverage without hiring overhead. Choose in-house if you're ready to invest in building and managing a team.

Start with a Digital Audit See What You Get

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