A real example of replacing agencies with one accountable hire
About Zen Dental Studio
Zen Dental Studio operates two dental clinics in the Bay Area. It is a competitive market where Google Ads plays a direct role in patient acquisition.
For Zen Dental, marketing is not branding work. It is lead flow. If ads underperform, chairs sit empty.
Where Things Were Breaking
Before working with Pavago, Zen Dental relied on agencies to run Google Ads.
The experience was familiar.
Monthly retainers, inconsistent performance, slow changes. A lot of explaining the same context again and again.
The spending kept going out, but the confidence in the setup never really grew. Zen Dental did not feel like marketing was under control.
The Core Issue
The problem was not Google Ads as a channel. The problem was ownership.
Agencies worked on the account, but no one inside the business truly owned it. Campaigns were adjusted, but there was no long-term thinking. No one was responsible end-to-end.
Zen Dental wanted one person whose job was to care about performance every single day.
Why Hiring Locally Was Not Realistic
Hiring a Google Ads specialist locally in the Bay Area comes at a high cost.
A mid-level to senior Google Ads manager typically costs $5,000 to $7,000 per month in salary alone, not including hiring time, benefits, or risk.
For a two-location dental practice, that is a heavy commitment.
Zen Dental needed senior-level execution without locking into Bay Area pricing.
The Hire
Through Pavago, Zen Dental hired a Pakistani Google Ads specialist with five years of hands-on experience.
The cost was $1,400 per month.
This was a full-time hire, not a freelancer. The specialist worked only on Zen Dental’s account and was treated like an internal team member.
Cost Savings (Clear and Simple)
Here is the math that actually matters.
Before
- Google Ads agency fees typically range from $3,000 to $5,000 per month
- Limited ownership
- Shared attention across multiple clients
After
- Full-time Google Ads specialist at $1,400 per month
- Dedicated focus
- Direct communication
- No middlemen
Result
Zen Dental reduced Google Ads management costs by roughly 60 to 70 percent, while gaining full-time ownership instead of partial agency attention.
Those savings alone covered the role several times over.
What Changed Operationally
The biggest shift was speed.
Before:
- Changes required tickets or emails
- Updates took days
- Performance issues lingered
After:
- Campaign changes happened immediately
- Issues were flagged proactively
- Testing became continuous, not occasional
Zen Dental no longer waited on an agency’s schedule. The specialist worked on the account daily and adjusted based on real performance, not monthly reports.
ROI That Made Sense
The ROI was not just lower cost.
Zen Dental gained:
- Faster iteration on ads
- Better control over spending
- Someone accountable for results every day
- Less founder time spent managing vendors
Instead of paying more and hoping for better outcomes, they paid less and gained control.
That is real ROI.
Founder Feedback That Matters
During onboarding, there were moments where extra support was needed. Pavago stepped in quickly to help the hire ramp properly and made it clear that replacements were available if needed.
Zen Dental’s founder shared:
“Whenever I had an issue, your team jumped in immediately to support the hire or offer alternatives. The support has been exceptional.”
That matters because offshore hiring only works when support exists after the hire is made.
Why This Worked
This worked because Zen Dental did not hire cheaply.
They hired a capable.
The specialist had real experience. The expectations were clear. The role was full-time. The hire was treated like part of the team.
Geography reduced cost. It did not reduce standards.
Pavago’s Role
Pavago did not run the ads.
They helped Zen Dental find a qualified Google Ads expert, vetted for skill and reliability, and structured the hire so the risk stayed low.
That was the value.
The Takeaway
Zen Dental stopped renting marketing through agencies and started owning it through one accountable hire.
They cut costs.
They moved faster.
They gained control.
For a growing business, that combination matters more than any tactic.
Replace Your Agency with One Accountable Hire
