Dean Gunsolus.
Founder and visionary at Critical Marketing. The strategic eye on every account we run. Based in South Georgia.
Dean Gunsolus is the founder of Critical Marketing. He built the agency on the principle that small and mid-sized businesses deserve the same operator-grade marketing discipline that Fortune 500 brands buy. He is responsible for client strategy, business development, and the long-term vision that drives every engagement.
What I do.
I am the founder and strategic lead at Critical Marketing. My day-to-day is split across new business conversations, client strategy sessions, and the kind of long-horizon thinking that does not fit into a weekly audit. I work alongside Tristan and Richard on every engagement, but my focus is on the "why" rather than the "what."
I started Critical Marketing because I watched too many small businesses get sold marketing strategy that was really just a recycled slide deck with their logo dropped in. Real strategy starts with real understanding of the business. We do not pitch tactics; we pitch outcomes.
How I think about marketing strategy.
Three principles guide my work:
- Marketing must be measured the same way the rest of the business is. By revenue, by qualified leads, by customer lifetime value. Not by impressions, reach, or "engagement."
- The work that compounds beats the work that is easy to invoice. Most agencies sell the work that is easy to bill (placements, posts, campaigns). The work that builds long-term enterprise value (architecture, systems, weekly compounding audits, named-author content) is harder to sell and produces more lasting value. We sell that work.
- Honest partners win. If your business does not need a Facebook ad campaign, we will say so. If your budget cannot deliver the result you want, we will say so. If your industry has a tougher SEO landscape than competitors realize, we will say so. Honest assessment is the foundation of every engagement that lasts.
Let's talk strategy.
Tell us about the business. We respond within one business day.