the process
We don't pitch you a strategy. We build one from inside your company.
Most agencies operate from the outside. They get a brief, build a deck, send deliverables. We do the opposite — we embed directly, get access to everything, and work as an extension of your founding team.
Embed & Audit
Weeks 1–3
What happens in the first three weeks?
We onboard like a new team member. Team intros, working sessions, the works. Then we dig in:
- Strategy audit: What's the current growth plan? Is there one? What channels are active and what's actually performing?
- Team evaluation: Who's on the marketing/growth team? What are their strengths? Where are the gaps? We work closely with each person to understand capabilities, not just titles.
- Data review: Attribution, CAC, LTV, conversion funnels, retention curves — we look at what the numbers actually say, not what the dashboard summary says.
- Founder alignment: We sit with the founder/CEO and align on what success looks like. Revenue targets, timeline, constraints, non-negotiables.
Output:A candid assessment document shared directly with the decision maker. No sugarcoating. Here's what's working, what isn't, and what we'd change.
Rebuild & Execute
Months 1–6
How does HASTE restructure a startup's growth function?
Everything we recommend gets introduced through the founder or CEO — not through us. The team needs to hear strategic changes from their leader, not from an outsider.
- Strategy rollout: New growth plan introduced by leadership to the team with clear ownership, timelines, and KPIs. We prepare the plan — your leader delivers it.
- Team optimization: If someone's in the wrong seat, we surface that to the decision maker. If there's a skills gap, we recommend a hire. All changes flow through leadership.
- Execution: We don't just plan — we execute alongside the team. Campaigns, content, partnerships, paid experiments, lifecycle flows. Hands on keyboards.
- Iteration: Weekly check-ins with the founder. What moved? What didn't? Adjust. This isn't a 90-day waterfall plan. It's a continuous loop.
Stabilize & Exit
Month 6+
When does HASTE leave?
When growth is stable and the team owns it. That's the honest answer. More specifically, we look for:
- Consistent month-over-month growth on the primary metric (usually revenue or activated users)
- A team that owns the strategy and can iterate independently
- Documented playbooks for every active channel and process
- A founder who feels confident in the growth function for the first time
Typical engagement: 4–9 months. Some startups need us for 3. Some need us for 12. We don't optimize for longer engagements — we optimize for the handoff.
pricing
How does HASTE's pricing work?
We charge a monthly fee (think: senior hire salary) plus a small equity stake.
The monthly fee covers our time and execution. The equity aligns our long-term incentives with yours. We don't bill by the hour. We don't charge for deliverables. We're compensated like a team member because that's what we are.
Want to talk specifics? Book a callfrequently asked questions
How is HASTE different from a fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO gives you strategy and oversight a few hours a week. We give you strategy, execution, team building, and daily involvement. We're not advisors — we're operators.
Do you replace our existing marketing team?
No. We work with your existing team, evaluate strengths, and optimize roles. We only recommend changes when someone is clearly in the wrong seat or a critical gap exists.
What if we don't have a marketing team at all?
That's common with early-stage startups. We'll build one from scratch — hiring, onboarding, and leading until the team is self-sufficient.
What kind of equity stake does HASTE take?
Every engagement is different. The equity component depends on company stage, current valuation, scope, and timeline — there's no one-size-fits-all. We discuss specifics during the initial call and structure it so both sides feel the alignment is fair.
Can we extend the engagement if we want?
Yes, but we'll push back if we think you don't need us anymore. Our goal is a clean handoff, not a long-term dependency.