Hiring your first marketer shouldn’t feel like a gamble.
I help SaaS founders de‑risk their first marketing hire by building the clarity, structure and collaboration marketing needs to succeed.… before they ever write the job ad.
Because even the perfect marketer will fail in a business that isn’t ready for them.
Why Your First Marketing Hire So Often Fails (80% Don’t Make It 12 Months)
Most founders think hiring a marketer works the same way as hiring sales, ops or dev.
It doesn’t.
A marketer’s success depends entirely on the systems and clarity around them — not just their talent.
Without:
- Clear business + marketing goals
- Realistic budgets
- Defined responsibilities
- Collaboration with sales, product + CS
- Feedback loops
- Measurement tools
- A 30/60/90 onboarding plan
…your marketer is stepping into chaos with no map, no compass and no way to show progress.
And then founders blame the hire, when the environment was the problem.
Your business needs to be ready before your marketer arrives.
That’s what I fix.
The Pain
If you’re a founder, this probably feels familiar:
- You know you need marketing, but you’re not sure who to hire
- Every job description feels vague or overstuffed
- You’re worried about wasting money on the wrong hire
- You don’t want to figure it out as you go, but you don’t know where to start
So hiring feels risky.
And delaying feels just as dangerous.
Free Guide — The First Marketing Hire Minefield
Marketing hires fail for reasons founders don’t see —
not talent, but context, clarity and readiness.
This short guide explains:
Why first marketing hires are structurally complex The 7 main risks founders overlook The gap recruiters can’t fix What needs to be in place before you hire
Enter your email to get the guide and avoid costly mistakes before you recruit.
What I Actually Do (The Part Recruiters Can’t)
Recruiters fill roles. They do not prepare your business to make that role successful.
I help you:
- Define the marketing outcomes your business actually needs
- Translate business goals into practical marketing objectives
- Identify the right type of marketer (no more unicorn shopping lists
- Set budgets, expectations and KPIs
- Build cross-department collaboration and communication
Create a simple, sustainable marketing framework
Develop a clear onboarding + 90-day success plan
You’re not just filling a vacancy, you’re creating the conditions for marketing to work.
The real cost of getting it wrong
When first marketing hires fail, it’s not just about the salary:
Financially
3-5x the annual salary when you factor in recruitment, training, lost opportunities, and starting over
Operationally
6-12 months of stalled growth while you figure out what went wrong
Emotionally
Your confidence in marketing takes a hit, your team questions leadership decisions, and you wonder if marketing actually works
Strategically
Competitors gain ground while you're stuck firefighting instead of growing
How We Can Work Together
Marketing Readiness
Fast, Focused Clarity
A choice of sharp, strategic sessions to answer the big questions:
Are you ready to hire?
What type of marketer do you really need?
You’ll walk away with clarity and direction.
Marketing Hire Strategy Sprint
Perfect for founders preparing to hire.
Over 5 days, we build the complete foundation your marketer needs:
Goals → workflows → expectations → collaboration → measurement → onboarding.
By the end, you have a marketing function ready for lift-off.
Hire & Onboarding Mentor
Tailored, hands-on support to build your marketing infrastructure properly.
Min 6 weeks, we’ll define your objectives, audit your systems, clarify your role requirements, and prepare a full hiring + onboarding strategy.
Why Founders Choose Me Over Anyone Else
With nearly 25 years in marketing, as a PAYE hire, a department-builder, and a consultant, I see nuances others overlook.
My background working in five countries, running teams, integrating marketing into unprepared organisations, and repairing dysfunctional setups gives me a clear-eyed, practical perspective.
I’m known for:
- Getting to the point quickly
- Making complex ideas easy to understand
- Seeing structural gaps immediately
- Bringing cross-cultural insight to collaboration and communication
Being honest, direct, and human, without fluff or ego
My approach is shaped by real experience, global context, and a deep belief in collaboration as the engine of success.
The Transformation You’ll Feel
Founders often come to me unsure, overwhelmed or afraid of getting the hire wrong.
They leave feeling:
✔ Confident
You know exactly who you need and why.
✔ Prepared
Your systems, expectations and workflows finally make sense.
✔ In control
You understand what “good” looks like, and how to measure it.
✔ Supported
You’re not making high-stakes decisions alone.
✔ Future-focused
You’re building a function that can grow with your business.
This work strengthens your marketing, your leadership, and your entire business structure.
My Values (Because Who You Work With Matters)
I believe in:
- Collaboration as the foundation of success
- Diversity and immigration as drivers of innovation
- Respect for individuality
- Lifting others, not dividing them
- Systems that support people
- Long-term thinking and consistency
These values shape how I work and the impact I create.
My role isn’t to impress you with jargon, it’s to help you build something sustainable.
You’re Not Just Hiring a Marketer. You’re Building a Marketing Function.
And you shouldn’t do that alone.
Book a free 30-minute 1:1 consultation. I’ll give you honest, unbiased advice on how to approach your first marketing hire, whether we work together or not.
If you prefer to email, send it to annique@tatedigitalconsulting.co.uk
annique@tatedigitalconsulting.co.uk
07919610443