The Coolest Guy on the Internet
Strategic growth advisor for established, owner-led and PE-backed service brands. I turn scattered marketing into a predictable growth engine, and my agency Croes Ave builds and runs the work.
The title came from SEO. The results come from strategy.
I'm Merrick Lee Jr., a strategic growth advisor and fractional CMO based in New York City. I founded the digital marketing agency Croes Ave in 2014. Today I help established, owner-led and PE-backed service companies in NYC and across the US build a marketing plan that leads to revenue, and then I make sure it gets carried out.
What does a strategic growth advisor do?
A strategic growth advisor works out where your growth should come from and builds the plan to get there. I look at your positioning, channels, budget, funnel and reporting together, set priorities and KPIs, then hold your team, agencies and vendors to them. You get senior marketing judgment without hiring a full-time executive.
That's different from an agency. An agency is paid to run campaigns. My job is to decide which campaigns are worth running, what they should cost and how we'll know they worked. When you need hands on keyboards, my team at Croes Ave can do the work, or I'll direct the people you already have.
- Nobody trusts the numbers? Start with a marketing audit.
- Leadership isn't aligned? Start with a strategy workshop.
- Need someone to own it? Bring on an advisory retainer or a fractional CMO.
Senior strategy, scoped to where you are
Growth Audit
A fixed-scope marketing audit of your ads, analytics, funnel and CRM, done in 2–3 weeks. You get a clear read on what's leaking, what's working, and a 90-day roadmap to fix it. The fee is credited toward a retainer.
From $3.5kSee what's in the marketing audit →Strategy Workshop
A half or full day with your leadership team, led by a marketing strategy consultant who has built and run the work. We settle positioning, channel mix, budget and KPIs in the room. You leave with a written plan everyone agreed to.
From $2.5kWork with a marketing strategy consultant →Advisory Retainer
Senior advice on call: two strategy calls a month, KPI reviews and oversight of your agencies and vendors. It's a growth marketing consultant who knows your numbers every month, not just once. Three-month minimum.
From $3k/moHire a growth marketing consultant on retainer →Fractional CMO
One to two days a week owning the plan, budget, team and agencies, with board or PE-ready reporting. A fractional CMO gives you executive marketing leadership without a full-time hire. 90-day minimum.
From $8k/moExplore fractional CMO services →A note on fit: because of my exclusive partnership with Almstead, I don't take on tree care, lawn care or landscaping clients. If that's your industry, Almstead is in great hands.
How I work, from fit call to execution
Featured speaker at the Avestor Fund Managers Retreat, Sep 2024
Talks and workshops on who your customer really is, how funnels convert, and what operators should measure.
Results from Croes Ave clients
Father's Day brunch campaign on Meta that packed the room for pennies per guest.
Paid Search campaigns with intake tracked end to end. Over the last 90 days, Paid Search sessions converted to key events at 36.8% — up 44% vs the prior 90 days.
Google Ads and Meta campaigns that fill summer camps and enrollment classes.
“If I have any kind of a problem, any kind of an issue, I call and he picks up — or he calls me right back.”Harry Sgantzos · Owner, Clark's Diner
Croes Ave builds and runs the work
Founded in New York City in 2014: paid search, paid social, email automation and conversion sites for established local businesses.
Community: mentoring the next generation
I love talking with students about careers. In February 2026, I spent the day at St. Raymond High School for Boys' Career Day here in New York City, talking with students and teachers about marketing, starting a business and how AI is changing the way websites and apps get built. Conversations like these remind me why I do this work.
Running a career day or student event? I'd love to be part of it. Get in touch →
Work hard. Live well.
Growth is the job; family is the point. I put everything into the work, and I make sure there's time for the good stuff too: trips with my son Maddox, a game of chess in the cabin, sailing the Greek islands, and showing up sharp for the moments that matter.
Operator first, advisor second
I'm Merrick Lee Jr., a strategic growth advisor and Fractional CMO based in New York City. The "Coolest Guy on the Internet" title came from SEO. The results come from strategy.
I've spent more than 15 years in the app, website and digital marketing space, working with small businesses and enterprise organizations. In 2014 I founded Croes Ave, a digital marketing agency for established local businesses that handles paid search, paid social, email automation and conversion-focused websites. I started it because I kept meeting business owners who paid agencies thousands a month with no idea what they were getting. The dashboards were vague, the calls were quarterly, and the results were always "improving." So I built the opposite: clients see their exact spend, exact cost per lead and exact return, and the person on the strategy call is the same person building the campaign.
As an advisor, my job is different from an agency's. An agency is paid to run campaigns. I decide which campaigns are worth running, what they should cost and how we'll know they worked. I look at positioning, channels, budget, funnel and reporting together, set priorities and KPIs, and hold your team, agencies and vendors to them. When you need hands on keyboards, my team at Croes Ave does the work, or I direct the people you already have.
My background covers AI-driven solutions, marketing automation, SEO, funnels and Google paid search. I believe in transparency by default, and in your accounts, data and customer list staying yours.
Outside of work, I love talking with students about careers. In February 2026 I spent the day at St. Raymond High School for Boys' Career Day here in New York City. Growth is the job; family is the point. You'll find me on trips with my son Maddox, playing chess in the cabin or sailing the Greek islands.
Questions I hear on fit calls
What does a strategic growth advisor do?
A strategic growth advisor decides where growth should come from and builds the plan to get there: positioning, channels, budget, funnel and KPIs. Then they hold the team and agencies accountable to it. It's senior marketing leadership focused on revenue, without a full-time executive hire.
What's the difference between a fractional CMO and a marketing agency?
An agency executes campaigns. A fractional CMO decides what the agency should do, sets the budget, owns the KPIs and reports results to you or your board. Many companies need both. As your fractional CMO, I manage the agencies on your behalf.
How much does a fractional CMO cost?
My Fractional CMO engagement starts at $8k a month for one to two days a week, with a 90-day minimum. If you need less, the Advisory Retainer starts at $3k a month and a Growth Audit starts at $3.5k.
What's included in a marketing audit?
My marketing audit covers your Google Ads and Meta accounts, GA4 and tracking, website and funnel, and CRM follow-up. It takes 2–3 weeks and ends with a walkthrough call and a 90-day roadmap. The fee is credited if you move to a retainer within 30 days.
Do you work with companies in NYC?
Yes. I'm based in New York City and work with companies across the city, and with clients across the US remotely. If you want a marketing consultant in NYC who can also be in the room for a workshop, that's me.
Do you work with tree care or lawn care companies?
No. Because of my exclusive partnership with Almstead, I don't take on tree care, lawn care or landscaping clients. If that's your industry, Almstead is in great hands.
Ready for a growth plan you can trust?
Book a 30-minute fit call. If I'm not the right fit, I'll tell you who is.
Prefer to send a message? Open the contact form
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