The Full Stack Marketer: Wearing Every Hat (and Sometimes a Cape)
- lmahrra
- May 29, 2025
- 3 min read
Ever been introduced as “our marketing team” — when you are the marketing team? If so, this one’s for you.
Being a full stack marketer — the person tasked with doing all the marketing things in a start-up or small business — is one of the most creatively liberating, professionally stretching, and emotionally exhausting jobs you can take on. And I'm speaking here from experience!!
You’re the strategist, the copywriter, the performance marketer, the HubSpot tinkerer, the event planner, the brand guardian, the slide deck saviour… and sometimes the person making a social video on a Sunday night with Canva and a prayer.
There are highs, there are lows — and there’s a conversation we need to have about what happens when businesses don’t invest properly in marketing, thinking one person can do it all.
The Upside: Freedom, Variety, and Getting Stuff Done
Let’s start with the good bits, because there are plenty.
You get to be wildly creative: No waiting for five layers of approval. You’ve got the idea, the instinct, and the autonomy to make it happen.
Fewer meetings, more making: No 'catch-ups' about the next catch-up. You can actually do the work instead of just talking about it.
No marketing by committee: You’re not fielding five contradictory opinions on font choice. You get to make the call and move on.
You learn everything: From analytics to automation, branding to blog writing, you’ll develop a Swiss Army skillset. No two days are ever the same — and that keeps things interesting.
The Reality Check: It’s Not Sustainable Forever
Now let’s talk about the flip side — because being a full stack marketer also comes with a heavy dose of doing too much, with too little.
No budget = limited impact: You can’t build a world-class brand on a shoestring. And yet that’s often the ask.
No time for strategy: You’re so busy executing that long-term planning, brand thinking, or data deep dives become luxury items.
Burnout is real: Switching gears 20 times a day, chasing content, fixing broken workflows, launching campaigns, and answering sales requests all before lunch? It’s exhausting.
Too many hats = pressure overload: You’re the doer, the thinker, the fixer, the diplomat — and let’s not forget the unofficial IT support and slide deck magician.
No expertise in specialist areas: You might know of SEO, video editing, or graphic design — but that doesn’t mean you’re the right person to do them all. And when there’s no external support, quality can suffer.
Data gets deprioritised: You want to learn from what’s working… but the dashboard hasn’t been touched in weeks because you’re still trying to get the next campaign out the door.
It’s like trying to boil the ocean: You’ve got great ideas. Big ideas. But you’re just one person. And sooner or later, the lack of support starts to show.
Dear Start-Ups: Your Marketer is Not a Miracle Worker
Hiring a full stack marketer can be a smart move — at first. But if your growth strategy depends on one person doing it all, you’re not setting them (or your brand) up for success.
Good marketing is a team sport. It needs time, tools, budget, and people. It’s not just about campaigns — it’s about connection, consistency, and creativity. And that doesn’t come from burning out your one marketer or expecting them to be a video editor, designer, copywriter, and strategist all rolled into one.
Closing Thought: It’s a Wild Ride, But It Can’t Be the End Game
I’ve loved the freedom, the speed, the ability to just get things done without red tape. But I’ve also felt the weight of trying to do everything — and the guilt when something slips.
Being a full stack marketer builds resilience, range, and resourcefulness. But it also highlights the limits of going it alone.
So here’s to the marketers doing it all. You’re incredible. You’re creative. But you deserve support. You deserve investment. And you definitely deserve to take a lunch break without your laptop.
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