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Thriving in a Lean Marketing Ops Team

If you’ve ever been the one-person marketing ops team wearing all the hats, this one’s for you.

At Mops-apalooza 2024, I shared lessons from my own journey — from lone wolf to team builder to consultant — and what it takes to not just survive but scale as a small MOPs team. Because let’s be real: being “small but mighty” isn’t just a vibe. It’s a survival strategy.

The Reality of Small MOPs Teams

Small teams face unique pressures. We’re often expected to do it all — and do it flawlessly.

Here are a few challenges that will feel familiar to many of you:

  • Balancing volume vs quality
  • Struggling to carve out time for strategic work
  • Learning how (and when) to say “no”
  • Working in isolation, without like-minded peers
  • Constantly juggling priorities

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Staying Focused When Everything Feels Urgent

One of the hardest parts of being in a small team is focus — because when you’re pulled in all directions, nothing moves forward.

That’s where a maturity model can help. It gives you a framework for assessing where you are today and what to prioritize next — without getting stuck in firefighting mode.

Steps to stay focused:

  • Anchor to your org’s priorities, not just requests
  • Use documented workflows to reduce rework
  • Timebox strategic thinking (yes, put it on your calendar)
  • Don’t confuse “urgent” with “important”

Is It Time to Hire?

Every solo MOPs hero hits a tipping point. Here’s how to spot it:

  • Projects pile up faster than you can finish them
  • Key initiatives are getting delayed (or dropped)
  • You’re stuck in tactical mode 90% of the time

When that happens, you’ve got three options:

  1. Build the case: Use data to justify headcount
  2. Get creative: Explore agencies, freelancers, contractors
  3. Automate: Free up time with smarter tooling

Tips to Scale Without Burning Out

Scaling isn’t just about hiring. It’s about setting up systems that make growth easier. Here are three things I always recommend:

Document your processes 🧾 Create playbooks and templates now — not later. Future-you will thank you.

Choose tools with care 🛠️ It’s tempting to grab what’s cheap or easy, but choose platforms that can scale with you.

Align cross-functionally 🔁 Educate your peers on what MOPs does (and doesn’t do). You’re not a vending machine — you’re a strategic partner.

Final Thought

I’ve gone from solo-operator to growing teams of 8+ and now support global SaaS orgs as an independent consultant. And what I know for sure is this:

Being small isn’t a weakness, it’s an opportunity to build smarter, leaner, and with more intention.

Your size doesn’t define your impact. Your structure does.