This is one of the questions founders eventually have to answer:
Do we hire someone? Hire an agency? Or try to do it ourselves?
There isn't one answer.
It depends on what the company actually needs.
When internal makes sense
An internal team can be useful when:
- Marketing is a major company function
- There's enough ongoing work to support specialists
- The company needs deep product knowledge
- Marketing requires constant collaboration with product and sales
- There is budget for multiple skills
The challenge is that marketing is no longer one job.
You might eventually need:
- GTM
- Product marketing
- Content
- Social
- Paid media
- SEO
- Design
- Video
- Partnerships
- Creator marketing
- Analytics
Hiring one person doesn't necessarily give you all of that.
When an external team can make sense
An outside team can be useful when the company needs multiple capabilities without building a large department immediately.
For example, a startup might need:
GTM strategy + messaging + content + LinkedIn + paid + creator campaigns
but doesn't need six full-time employees.
An external team can provide access to those skills without every role becoming a permanent headcount decision.
The hybrid model
For many growing companies, the answer is both.
You might have:
Internal: CMO / Head of Marketing
External: Content + social + paid + creators + AI visibility
Or:
Internal: Growth marketer
External: GTM + positioning + creative + specialist campaigns
This can work particularly well when the internal person owns strategy and priorities while an external team provides execution capacity.
Don't hire for a title. Hire for a problem.
This is the part founders often miss.
Instead of:
“We need a CMO.”
Ask:
“What do we actually need this person to accomplish?”
Maybe the company needs a GTM strategy.
Maybe the website doesn't convert.
Maybe nobody knows how to explain the product.
Maybe there isn't enough content.
Maybe paid acquisition isn't working.
Maybe the founder has no time to build thought leadership.
Maybe the company needs AI search visibility.
Those are different problems.
Look at the stage
A very early startup might need someone who can do a bit of everything.
A Series A company may need repeatable acquisition.
A Series B company may need specialists and management.
A larger scaleup may need a full internal marketing organisation.
The right model changes as the business changes.
The cost isn't just salary
When comparing in-house and external marketing, consider the total cost:
Salary + benefits + recruitment + management + software + contractors + specialist agencies + creative + media spend.
An internal hire can be the right decision.
An agency can be the right decision.
A hybrid can be the right decision.
The mistake is assuming one model is automatically better.
A simple decision framework
Ask:
Do we know what our strategy is?
If no → you may need strategic help first.
Do we know what needs to be executed?
If no → clarify the GTM and priorities.
Do we have enough recurring work for a full-time specialist?
If yes → internal hiring may make sense.
Do we need several specialist skills right now?
If yes → an external team may provide broader coverage.
Do we already have a marketing leader?
If yes → external execution can fill capability gaps.
Marketing isn't a headcount problem.
It's a business problem.
Start with what needs to get done.
Then decide who should do it.
FAQ
Is an agency cheaper than an internal marketing team?
Not automatically. Compare the total cost and the amount and range of work you need.
Can an agency work with an internal CMO?
Yes. An external team can provide specialist execution or additional capacity alongside an internal marketing leader.
When should a startup hire its first marketer?
There isn't a fixed revenue or funding threshold. The decision depends on the company's growth goals, customer acquisition model and existing founder capacity.
