Operator first, advisor second
I'm Merrick Lee Jr., a strategic growth advisor and Fractional CMO in New York City. The "Coolest Guy on the Internet" title came from SEO. The results come from strategy.
A strategic growth advisor in New York City
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 New York City and across the US build a marketing plan that leads to revenue, and then I make sure it gets carried out.
Merrick Lee Jr. is a strategic growth advisor based in New York City, and the founder of Croes Ave, a digital marketing agency he started in 2014. He works with established, owner-led and PE-backed service brands across New York City and the US.
The person on the strategy call builds the campaign
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.
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.
What I do is different from an agency
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.
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.
From fit call to execution
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. Execution is scoped and priced separately, and you're free to use your own team.
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 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.
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.
Established service brands
I work with established, owner-led and PE-backed service brands in New York City and across the US. Four ways to start: a Growth Audit, a Strategy Workshop, an Advisory Retainer, or a Fractional CMO.
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.
Notes from real conversations
Insights is where I write up questions from client and partner conversations, in plain language: lead follow-up, CRM automation, paid search attribution, AI search, and how to give an AI marketing project enough context to be useful.
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.
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.
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.
Ready for a growth plan you can trust?
Book a 30-minute fit call. If it's not the right fit, I'll tell you what is.
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