CMOGROW

Advisory Retainer

A senior outside voice, on call for the calls that matter.

The Advisory Retainer is for CEOs and operators who already have a marketing leader, and who want a senior outside voice in the room for positioning calls, hiring calls, budget calls, and the moments when the operating plan is about to wobble.

Contact for pricing

What you walk away with

Outcomes, not deliverables.

We measure the engagement by what changed in the business, not by what showed up in a folder.

Sharper decisions on the hard calls

Positioning, pricing, hiring, budget, and org design get the second opinion of a three time CEO who has lived the call before.

A coach for your marketing leader

I make your CMO or marketing lead better. They get the senior peer they cannot get inside the building.

A steady operating cadence

Monthly working call. Async access in between. Quarterly check on the scorecard and the plan.

Confidence on the AI question

A clear point of view on where to use AI in your marketing system, where to wait, and how to brief the team.

How it works

A simple operating cadence.

  1. Step 01

    Onboard

    Two hour kickoff. I read the data, meet the team, and understand the operating plan and the open questions.

  2. Step 02

    Operate

    One 60 minute working call per month with you, plus async access on email between calls. Topics set by you a week in advance.

  3. Step 03

    Review

    Quarterly review. Run the scorecard. Reset the next quarter. Decide whether to continue, pause, or move to a deeper engagement.

Who this fits

A clean yes if any of these are true.

  • You are the CEO or founder and you already have a marketing leader.
  • You want a senior outside perspective without bringing a vendor into the meetings.
  • You want a coach for your CMO or VP of Marketing.
  • You want a steady cadence, not a fire drill engagement.
  • You value plain English advice from someone who has been in the seat.

Who it does not fit

Honest no. We will point you to a better fit.

  • You need a CMO inside the business. That is the Fractional CMO engagement.
  • You need an outside team to build the strategy. That is the Growth Strategy Sprint.
  • You are looking for daily access to me. The retainer is monthly plus async, by design.
  • You want me to manage your agency or vendors. I will give input. I will not own their work.

Common questions

Asked and answered.

How much access do I get?
One scheduled working call per month, async access by email between calls, and a quarterly review. Most clients send two to three async questions per month. I reply within one business day.
Can my CMO join the calls?
Yes. Many clients use the retainer as a coaching relationship for the marketing leader plus a sounding board for the CEO. We design the cadence so both get value.
What is the minimum term?
Six month minimum, month to month thereafter. Strategy work compounds when the relationship is steady. Two months is not enough to be useful.
How does pricing work?
Set on the first call based on scope and frequency. Tell me about the company and the open questions and I will give you a number.
Is this the right step before hiring a CMO?
Sometimes. If you are trying to figure out what to hire for, the Growth Strategy Sprint is usually a better fit. The Advisory Retainer is for when you already have the leader and need a steady senior perspective.

Ready when you are

Bring the question. I will bring the playbook.

30 minutes. No pitch. If we are not the right fit, I will tell you and point you to a better one.