An agency, an in-house hire or a freelancer. Why founders choose us.
You have three ways to buy growth: a founder-led agency, a full-time hire or a freelancer. Eight points, side by side, so you can decide with your eyes open.
Point by point, side by side.
Eight things that decide whether your marketing moves the business, and how a founder-led agency stacks up against an in-house hire and a freelancer on each.
Growth Bully
In-house hire
Freelancer
Who does the work
A founder-led team. We stay close to your account and the people building your campaigns are senior, not learning on your budget.
One person you hire and manage. Their experience caps what you get, and you carry the training.
Whoever you found. Quality swings from one hire to the next and you rarely know what you are getting until the work lands.
Who does the work
A founder-led team. We stay close to your account and the people building your campaigns are senior, not learning on your budget.
One person you hire and manage. Their experience caps what you get, and you carry the training.
Whoever you found. Quality swings from one hire to the next and you rarely know what you are getting until the work lands.
Speed to launch
We are built for output. Systems, templates, and a team ready to go mean we move from kickoff to live in weeks.
Slow. You write the job spec, interview, hire, then wait out a notice period before any work starts.
Depends on their queue. You wait in line behind their other clients and their other priorities.
Speed to launch
We are built for output. Systems, templates, and a team ready to go mean we move from kickoff to live in weeks.
Slow. You write the job spec, interview, hire, then wait out a notice period before any work starts.
Depends on their queue. You wait in line behind their other clients and their other priorities.
Breadth of skills
Ads, the videos and images in them, and strategy under one roof. The same team that plans your growth also builds and runs it.
One skill set. Someone hired to run your ads is not a strategist or a designer, so the gaps stay open.
Narrow by design. Most freelancers do one thing, so you end up stitching several together.
Breadth of skills
Ads, the videos and images in them, and strategy under one roof. The same team that plans your growth also builds and runs it.
One skill set. Someone hired to run your ads is not a strategist or a designer, so the gaps stay open.
Narrow by design. Most freelancers do one thing, so you end up stitching several together.
Accountability and sign-off
We review and sign off on every deliverable before it reaches you. The bar is set at the top and held there.
You are the last check. The quality of the work rises and falls with how much time you have to review it.
Light. Once the invoice is paid, the attention often fades and the follow-through is on you.
Accountability and sign-off
We review and sign off on every deliverable before it reaches you. The bar is set at the top and held there.
You are the last check. The quality of the work rises and falls with how much time you have to review it.
Light. Once the invoice is paid, the attention often fades and the follow-through is on you.
Cost predictability
A clear monthly cost and a defined scope. You know what you are getting and what it costs before we start.
Salary plus tools, benefits, and the cost of management time. The full bill is bigger than the headline.
Project by project and hard to forecast. Scope creep and rush fees make the real cost a moving target.
Cost predictability
A clear monthly cost and a defined scope. You know what you are getting and what it costs before we start.
Salary plus tools, benefits, and the cost of management time. The full bill is bigger than the headline.
Project by project and hard to forecast. Scope creep and rush fees make the real cost a moving target.
Ramp-up time
A fixed onboarding process gets us productive fast. We have done this many times and we do not start from scratch.
Months. A new hire has to learn your business, your tools, and your market before they add real value.
Variable. Every brief is a fresh start, and context gets lost between projects.
Ramp-up time
A fixed onboarding process gets us productive fast. We have done this many times and we do not start from scratch.
Months. A new hire has to learn your business, your tools, and your market before they add real value.
Variable. Every brief is a fresh start, and context gets lost between projects.
When someone is out
The work keeps moving. You are backed by a team and a system, so one person being sick or away does not stall your growth.
Single point of failure. If your one hire is sick or leaves, your marketing stops with them.
You are exposed. If they go quiet, get busy, or disappear, your campaigns go dark with no backup.
When someone is out
The work keeps moving. You are backed by a team and a system, so one person being sick or away does not stall your growth.
Single point of failure. If your one hire is sick or leaves, your marketing stops with them.
You are exposed. If they go quiet, get busy, or disappear, your campaigns go dark with no backup.
What we measure
Revenue and qualified leads. We report on the numbers that grow the business and tie every campaign back to money.
Often whatever is easiest to report. Likes and reach can fill the gap when results are slow.
Usually deliverables shipped. The focus is on the task done, not the business outcome it produced.
What we measure
Revenue and qualified leads. We report on the numbers that grow the business and tie every campaign back to money.
Often whatever is easiest to report. Likes and reach can fill the gap when results are slow.
Usually deliverables shipped. The focus is on the task done, not the business outcome it produced.
A team built for output and results, not headcount.
A single hire gives you one skill set and one point of failure. A freelancer gives you one task at a time and no backup. We give you a founder who stays close to the work, a team that covers your ads, the videos and images in them, and the plan, and systems that keep your growth moving even when life gets in the way.
We sign off on every deliverable. Nothing reaches you until it meets the bar. You are not handed to a junior the day the contract is signed, and you are not left chasing a freelancer who has gone quiet. You get senior attention, focused on the numbers that grow your business.
The work, by the numbers.
Average client retention. Clients stay because the work pays back.
How fast new leads get a follow-up, run by the CRM protocol so nothing goes cold.
Return on investment on a Mother’s Day campaign for Sterling Jewellers. Every deliverable traces back to the outcome it was built for.
By the clients we work for. The live campaign numbers are on our results page.
Ready to work with a team that shows up?
Tell us about your business and we will show you exactly how we would build and run your growth.
What our clients say.
The Growth Bully's targeted approach brought us quality leads, increasing inquiries and bookings for Busy Bee. Their commitment made a real difference.
Duncan Friggieri
Business Development Manager at Busy BeeThe Growth Bully has been a true partner, delivering tailored strategies that drive lasting growth and impactful results.
Alexia Sant Manduca
Director at Fontanella Tea Garden & Vinum Wine BarThe Growth Bully revolutionized our eCommerce sales with precise targeting and optimized ads, achieving impressive ROI.
Carolina
Marketing Manager at LiquigasWorking with The Growth Bully has been seamless and rewarding. Their professionalism and strategic approach consistently deliver impressive results.
Joseph Barbara
Director at James CaterersThe Growth Bully has been an exceptional partner, combining professionalism and expertise to consistently deliver outstanding results.
Zach Ciappara
CEO at FreeHourThe difference, answered straight.
Is an agency better than hiring someone in house?
It depends on what you need. One in house hire gives you dedicated hours but caps you at one person's skill set across strategy, running ads, making ads and tracking. An agency gives you the full skill set immediately, without recruitment time, notice periods or training cost.
Why use an agency instead of a freelancer?
Freelancers can be excellent, but you are buying one person and their queue. Cover disappears when they are ill or busy, and quality swings between hires. A team carries redundancy, review and a documented process, so the work does not stop when one person does.
What does founder led actually mean here?
It means the founder is in the work, not just on the sales call. Stephen Ellul reviews and signs off what leaves the agency, so the standard on your account is the standard the founder is willing to put a name to. Senior attention is the default.
Do you work with businesses outside Malta?
Yes. Growth Bully is based in Malta and a large part of the client base is Maltese, but the systems run just as well for international and remote clients. Google ads, Facebook and Instagram ads, lead generation and follow up do not care where the office is.
What happens if the campaigns are not working?
We say so, in the monthly report, with the reason and the change we are making. A weak month gets diagnosed rather than buried under flattering numbers. If the problem is the offer or the sales follow up rather than the ads, we will tell you that too.
Bring the numbers. Leave with a plan.
We look at where the money leaks and what we would fix first. The plan is yours to keep, with or without us.
30 minutes with Stephen. No pitch, no deck.