I've managed more than $1B in media spend as a Google Partner across Google Ads, PPC, Performance Max, Microsoft Ads, SEO, CRO, attribution, landing pages, and conversion tracking.
Companies usually hire me when Google Ads performance drops, CPA rises, lead quality declines, or revenue no longer aligns with ad spend.
I'm not a "set it and forget it" PPC manager. I specialize in diagnosing why marketing systems stop performing and identifying what needs to change to restore profitable growth.
Over nearly 20 years, I've worked with startups, mid-market companies, and enterprise brands across ecommerce, SaaS, healthcare, insurance, home services, lead generation, and enterprise retail.
Most engagements begin with a Google Ads audit, PPC account review, or strategic growth diagnostic, then evolve into longer-term advisory, performance, or fractional leadership.
What I Do Best
I help businesses answer questions like:
-Why did Google Ads performance drop, and what needs to change to recover?
-Why is CPA rising, and how can we improve efficiency?
-Why is Performance Max spending but not producing quality revenue?
-Why are leads coming in but sales or booked calls are not following?
-Is conversion tracking accurate, or are campaigns optimizing toward bad data?
-Where is wasted budget hiding across keywords, search terms, locations, audiences, or placements?
-Is the issue campaign structure, traffic quality, offer, landing page, or sales follow-up?
-What should be fixed, paused, reduced, restructured, or tested next?
My work typically includes:
-Google Ads audits
-PPC strategy
-Performance Max review and optimization
-Paid search campaign structure
-Search term and keyword analysis
-Conversion tracking audits
-GA4 and attribution review
-Landing page and funnel analysis
-CRO recommendations
-Budget allocation strategy
-Lead quality diagnosis
-Revenue growth analysis
Strategic Google Ads / PPC Diagnostic
A diagnostic is often the best starting point when paid media performance has slowed, become unpredictable, or stopped scaling.
A full diagnostic may include:
Jonathan S. earns an estimated $5.6k/mo. That's 3.8× the typical freelancer and more than 99.61% of everyone we track.
-Google Ads / paid media account review
-Performance Max analysis
-Search campaign structure review
-Conversion tracking audit
-Landing page and funnel analysis
-Geographic and audience inefficiencies
-Budget allocation review
-Search intent alignment
-Attribution gaps
-CRO opportunities
-Scaling constraints
-Revenue leak identification
Deliverables typically include:
-Loom walkthrough
-Live strategy call
-Prioritized findings
-Quick wins
-Strategic roadmap
-Clear recommendations
Select Experience
Diamond Resorts International - Built inbound acquisition and call tracking infrastructure that contributed to record lead growth during a major scaling period prior to acquisition by Apollo Global Management.
Blink Health - Built ecommerce acquisition from the ground up, scaling from zero to seven figures in monthly revenue during a key funding stage.
Game Server Hosting Category Leader - Long-term strategic partner during a 6+ year growth phase, helping scale Google Ads, paid acquisition, SEO, CRO, localization, and international expansion. Oversaw mid-six-figure annual media investment and worked directly with ownership on positioning and long-term marketing strategy.
Leesa Sleep - Supported launch strategy and paid acquisition across US and EU markets before transitioning into an advisory role as the internal team matured.
Health Insurance Company - Served as Fractional CMO overseeing lead generation, Google Ads, attribution, landing pages, funnel optimization, reporting, and marketing system alignment.
Credentials
-Google Partner
-SEMrush Partner
-CallRail Diamond Partner
-Upwork Top Rated
-Upwork Expert-Vetted
-On Upwork since 2011
-5-Star Reviews
Ideal Fit
I'm often brought in when leadership needs a senior outside perspective to identify what is no longer working in Google Ads, PPC, tracking, or the broader acquisition system.
I work best with companies that:
-Are actively spending on Google Ads or paid media
-Need a senior PPC and growth perspective
-Want to understand what is actually driving or limiting performance
-Need strategic clarity before scaling further
-Want clear recommendations, not generic campaign maintenance
If performance no longer makes sense, I can usually identify why quickly.
Jonathan Stec
Founder & Principal, FirestormSEM