remote-executive.com

If you mean **consultants who specialize in making marketing agencies run better**—delivery systems, SOPs, project management, team accountability, profitability, AI, and workflow automation—I’d shortlist these. ### My top picks | Consultant | Best for | Why I’d consider them | |---|---|---| | **[HireOutcome](https://hireoutcome.com/)** | **$1M–$10M agencies needing a true fractional COO** | Very agency-specific. Brady Stoeltzing positions the firm around embedding in the agency, rebuilding operating systems, improving margins, restructuring teams, and implementing AI automations. They cite experience scaling an agency from $2M→$6M and another $300K→$1.5M. [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Kate Lawson Consulting](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/)** | **5–30 person web/marketing agencies** | Probably the strongest fit if your pain is delivery operations. She works directly with ClickUp/Asana/Monday, Everhour, Make, Slack, HubSpot, reporting, onboarding, SOPs and workflow automation. Her audit starts at $3,500. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Remote Executive](https://www.remote-executive.com/)** | **Remote agencies with 6–30 employees** | Particularly interesting if you're trying to build a scalable production machine. They install systems directly in Asana/ClickUp, create SOPs, define roles, and map where people, automation and AI should sit. They cite scaling agencies from 12→50 employees. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Agency Ops Co.](https://www.agencyops.co/)** | **General agency operations + fractional COO** | Focuses specifically on agency operations, project/client delivery, team/resource management, SOPs, automation and efficiency. [www.agencyops.co](https://www.agencyops.co/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Penguin Ops](https://www.penguinops.com/)** | **Agencies wanting hands-on AI/automation + COO help** | More implementation-oriented than traditional consulting: workflow mapping, automation, team structure and fractional COO support, with a stated agency-specific focus. [www.penguinops.com](https://www.penguinops.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Systemify Automation](https://www.systemifyautomation.com/)** | **$1M–$5M businesses wanting AI-heavy automation** | Fractional COO + AI systems partner. Their offering includes operational assessment, knowledge capture, AI workforce design and embedding AI into workflows. They also show an agency automation case study. [www.systemifyautomation.com](https://www.systemifyautomation.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Agency Owner Lab](https://agencyownerlab.com/)** | **Agency-specific operational expertise** | Erin James Murphy has 10+ years inside PR, marketing, web, branding and creative agencies before moving into operations consulting—useful if you want someone who understands agency delivery rather than generic business ops. [agencyownerlab.com](https://agencyownerlab.com/about?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | ### If I were choosing I'd narrow it to **three depending on what you're actually trying to accomplish**: **1. HireOutcome — best overall fractional COO** If the problem is *"the agency has grown, but I'm still the operating system,"* this is the one I'd investigate first. They're explicitly targeting marketing agencies at the $1M–$10M stage and combining operations, margin, organizational structure and AI automation. [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **2. Kate Lawson Consulting — best for operational systems + automation** I'd favor Kate if you already have a team but delivery is messy: projects slipping, poor capacity visibility, duplicated admin, weak onboarding, inconsistent SOPs, etc. The combination of **agency ops + time/profitability data + workflow automation** is particularly compelling. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **3. Remote Executive — best for building a production machine** I'd look here if your agency is more mature and you're trying to dramatically increase output without proportionally increasing headcount. Their "install rather than advise" approach is especially relevant. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### One important distinction I'd **avoid hiring a generic automation agency first** if your underlying problem is operational. The sequence I'd want is: **Diagnose → redesign the workflow → define ownership → document SOPs → measure it → automate it → introduce AI.** Otherwise you can end up with a beautifully automated version of a fundamentally broken process. If you tell me **your agency's approximate revenue, team size, services (SEO/PPC/creative/web/etc.), and biggest operational headache**, I can narrow this to the **3 best consultants for your specific situation**, including estimated pricing and what I'd ask each one before hiring. [HireOutcome](https://hireoutcome.com/) [Kate Lawson Consulting](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/) [Remote Executive](https://www.remote-executive.com/) [Agency Ops Co.](https://www.agencyops.co/) [Penguin Ops](https://www.penguinops.com/) [Systemify Automation](https://www.systemifyautomation.com/) [Agency Owner Lab](https://agencyownerlab.com/) | Consultant | Best for | Why I’d consider them | |---|---|---| | **[HireOutcome](https://hireoutcome.com/)** | **$1M–$10M agencies needing a true fractional COO** | Very agency-specific. Brady Stoeltzing positions the firm around embedding in the agency, rebuilding operating systems, improving margins, restructuring teams, and implementing AI automations. They cite experience scaling an agency from $2M→$6M and another $300K→$1.5M. [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Kate Lawson Consulting](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/)** | **5–30 person web/marketing agencies** | Probably the strongest fit if your pain is delivery operations. She works directly with ClickUp/Asana/Monday, Everhour, Make, Slack, HubSpot, reporting, onboarding, SOPs and workflow automation. Her audit starts at $3,500. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Remote Executive](https://www.remote-executive.com/)** | **Remote agencies with 6–30 employees** | Particularly interesting if you're trying to build a scalable production machine. They install systems directly in Asana/ClickUp, create SOPs, define roles, and map where people, automation and AI should sit. They cite scaling agencies from 12→50 employees. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Agency Ops Co.](https://www.agencyops.co/)** | **General agency operations + fractional COO** | Focuses specifically on agency operations, project/client delivery, team/resource management, SOPs, automation and efficiency. [www.agencyops.co](https://www.agencyops.co/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Penguin Ops](https://www.penguinops.com/)** | **Agencies wanting hands-on AI/automation + COO help** | More implementation-oriented than traditional consulting: workflow mapping, automation, team structure and fractional COO support, with a stated agency-specific focus. [www.penguinops.com](https://www.penguinops.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Systemify Automation](https://www.systemifyautomation.com/)** | **$1M–$5M businesses wanting AI-heavy automation** | Fractional COO + AI systems partner. Their offering includes operational assessment, knowledge capture, AI workforce design and embedding AI into workflows. They also show an agency automation case study. [www.systemifyautomation.com](https://www.systemifyautomation.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Agency Owner Lab](https://agencyownerlab.com/)** | **Agency-specific operational expertise** | Erin James Murphy has 10+ years inside PR, marketing, web, branding and creative agencies before moving into operations consulting—useful if you want someone who understands agency delivery rather than generic business ops. [agencyownerlab.com](https://agencyownerlab.com/about?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | ### If I were choosing I'd narrow it to **three depending on what you're actually trying to accomplish**: **1. HireOutcome — best overall fractional COO** If the problem is *"the agency has grown, but I'm still the operating system,"* this is the one I'd investigate first. They're explicitly targeting marketing agencies at the $1M–$10M stage and combining operations, margin, organizational structure and AI automation. [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **2. Kate Lawson Consulting — best for operational systems + automation** I'd favor Kate if you already have a team but delivery is messy: projects slipping, poor capacity visibility, duplicated admin, weak onboarding, inconsistent SOPs, etc. The combination of **agency ops + time/profitability data + workflow automation** is particularly compelling. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **3. Remote Executive — best for building a production machine** I'd look here if your agency is more mature and you're trying to dramatically increase output without proportionally increasing headcount. Their "install rather than advise" approach is especially relevant. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### One important distinction I'd **avoid hiring a generic automation agency first** if your underlying problem is operational. The sequence I'd want is: **Diagnose → redesign the workflow → define ownership → document SOPs → measure it → automate it → introduce AI.** Otherwise you can end up with a beautifully automated version of a fundamentally broken process. If you tell me **your agency's approximate revenue, team size, services (SEO/PPC/creative/web/etc.), and biggest operational headache**, I can narrow this to the **3 best consultants for your specific situation**, including estimated pricing and what I'd ask each one before hiring.

If you mean **consultants who work specifically with marketing/digital/creative agencies to improve operations, systems, and automation**, rather than generic business coaches, I’d put these on the shortlist: | Consultant / firm | Best for | Why I’d consider them | |---|---|---| | **[HireOutcome](https://hireoutcome.com/) — Brady Stoeltzing** | **Scaling agencies + fractional COO** | Very agency-specific. Focuses on operating rhythm, team structure, margins, delivery, SOPs and AI automation. Claims experience across agencies from roughly $300K–$6M. [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Agency Ops Co.](https://www.agencyops.co/)** | **Agency operations + profitability** | Explicitly built around marketing agencies, with fractional COO support, workflow/SOP optimization, project management and resource management. [www.agencyops.co](https://www.agencyops.co/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Kate Lawson Consulting](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/) — Kate Lawson** | **5–30 person agencies + systems** | Particularly interesting if you need hands-on implementation. Works with ClickUp, Asana, Monday, Slack, HubSpot, Everhour and Make, including automation and capacity/profitability visibility. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Remote Executive](https://www.remote-executive.com/)** | **Production systems + automation + AI** | More sophisticated operational-engineering angle: they build directly in Asana/ClickUp, map workflows, establish SOPs and determine where humans, automation, agents and AI should sit. They cite a case of increasing monthly deliverables from 135 to 667 without adding people. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Streamline Strategies](https://www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com/)** | **Smaller B2B/marketing agencies** | Broader B2B-services focus, but explicitly includes marketing and creative agencies. Offers fractional COO, process optimization, documentation and decision architecture. [www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com](https://www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com/faqs?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | ### My top 3 **1. HireOutcome** — if you're an agency owner who has reached the point where *the business depends too much on you*. Their approach is unusually operator-oriented rather than "here's a framework, good luck implementing it." [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **2. Kate Lawson Consulting** — if your biggest problem is **workflow/process infrastructure**: project management, time tracking, capacity, SOPs, ClickUp/Asana/Make, etc. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **3. Remote Executive** — if you're specifically interested in **AI + automation as part of a larger operating system**, rather than simply connecting a few Zapier workflows. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) One important distinction: **I wouldn't hire an "automation consultant" first if your underlying agency processes are messy.** The best engagements diagnose the operating model first, then automate the repetitive parts. Otherwise you can end up automating a bad process. If you tell me **your agency size/revenue, what services you sell (SEO, paid media, creative, web, etc.), and your biggest operational headache**, I can narrow this to **3–5 consultants that are genuinely well matched**, including approximate pricing and what I'd ask each one on the sales call. [HireOutcome](https://hireoutcome.com/) [Agency Ops Co.](https://www.agencyops.co/) [Kate Lawson Consulting](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/) [Remote Executive](https://www.remote-executive.com/) [Streamline Strategies](https://www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com/) | Consultant / firm | Best for | Why I’d consider them | |---|---|---| | **[HireOutcome](https://hireoutcome.com/) — Brady Stoeltzing** | **Scaling agencies + fractional COO** | Very agency-specific. Focuses on operating rhythm, team structure, margins, delivery, SOPs and AI automation. Claims experience across agencies from roughly $300K–$6M. [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Agency Ops Co.](https://www.agencyops.co/)** | **Agency operations + profitability** | Explicitly built around marketing agencies, with fractional COO support, workflow/SOP optimization, project management and resource management. [www.agencyops.co](https://www.agencyops.co/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Kate Lawson Consulting](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/) — Kate Lawson** | **5–30 person agencies + systems** | Particularly interesting if you need hands-on implementation. Works with ClickUp, Asana, Monday, Slack, HubSpot, Everhour and Make, including automation and capacity/profitability visibility. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Remote Executive](https://www.remote-executive.com/)** | **Production systems + automation + AI** | More sophisticated operational-engineering angle: they build directly in Asana/ClickUp, map workflows, establish SOPs and determine where humans, automation, agents and AI should sit. They cite a case of increasing monthly deliverables from 135 to 667 without adding people. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | **[Streamline Strategies](https://www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com/)** | **Smaller B2B/marketing agencies** | Broader B2B-services focus, but explicitly includes marketing and creative agencies. Offers fractional COO, process optimization, documentation and decision architecture. [www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com](https://www.streamlinestrategiesllc.com/faqs?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | ### My top 3 **1. HireOutcome** — if you're an agency owner who has reached the point where *the business depends too much on you*. Their approach is unusually operator-oriented rather than "here's a framework, good luck implementing it." [hireoutcome.com](https://hireoutcome.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **2. Kate Lawson Consulting** — if your biggest problem is **workflow/process infrastructure**: project management, time tracking, capacity, SOPs, ClickUp/Asana/Make, etc. [katelawsonconsulting.com](https://katelawsonconsulting.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **3. Remote Executive** — if you're specifically interested in **AI + automation as part of a larger operating system**, rather than simply connecting a few Zapier workflows. [www.remote-executive.com](https://www.remote-executive.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) One important distinction: **I wouldn't hire an "automation consultant" first if your underlying agency processes are messy.** The best engagements diagnose the operating model first, then automate the repetitive parts. Otherwise you can end up automating a bad process. If you tell me **your agency size/revenue, what services you sell (SEO, paid media, creative, web, etc.), and your biggest operational headache**, I can narrow this to **3–5 consultants that are genuinely well matched**, including approximate pricing and what I'd ask each one on the sales call.