FRACTIONAL CMO • AI-POWERED MARKETING SYSTEMS

Own the Engine.

Marketing runs on infrastructure. Most businesses lease it monthly and hope it keeps working. Built systems cost less, work better, and belong to you. The engine underneath everything.

In 2018, cannabis delivery brand Flowsent couldn't advertise anywhere—so I built an AI chatbot that handled lead generation, customer service and education. The result? Flowsent reached $1M in sales in its first year in a highly competitive bay area market.

See The ABBI Story Let's Talk About Your Stack →
Build Once. Run Forever.
Rick Bakas - AI-Powered Fractional CMO

Build What Lasts.

Most fractional CMOs rent SaaS subscriptions and forward vendor invoices. This approach is different: Four interconnected systems built from scratch, operating at ~$50/month instead of $1,000+/month in subscriptions.

After 15 years as a fractional CMO, I got tired of paying $149/month for tools that didn't work in regulated industries. Cannabis companies can't use standard lead gen software. Crypto projects get banned from email platforms. Fintech faces compliance roadblocks in every CRM.

So I built my own. Four interconnected tools that cost ~$50/month to operate instead of $1,000+/month in SaaS subscriptions. And when clients need them? I deploy in days, not months.

Bakas Media Hub & Spoke toolbox diagram showing Smart Database as central hub connected to OpenForm lead capture, Terracotta data enrichment, and Concentric Circles Method network intelligence tools

The Smart Database is the hub. OpenForm feeds new leads. Terracotta enriches them. CCM maps their networks. Everything flows back to the hub. One source of truth. Zero data silos. Total cost: ~$50/month in API fees vs $1,000+/month in SaaS subscriptions.

Smart Database (The Hub)

Google Sheets as a Marketing Operating System

Your contact database isn't just names and emails—it's your entire marketing intelligence layer. I architect Google Sheets as the central hub: pulling data from enrichment APIs, storing network scores, tracking outreach sequences, and feeding every tool in the system. No CRM subscription. No vendor lock-in. Just fast, flexible, API-connected intelligence that you own.

Tech Stack: Google Sheets API + Apps Script + PostgreSQL sync

Terracotta™

Waterfall Enrichment Engine

When Hunter.io fails, Terracotta tries Apollo. When Apollo fails, it tries Clearbit. When all APIs fail, it deploys GPT-4 as a research agent. I built this because Clay.com charged $149/month for logic I could own. Terracotta costs $0.03-0.20 per contact enriched, logs every API call, tracks spend, and feeds clean data back to the Smart Database. Built specifically for regulated industries where standard tools don't work.

Tech Stack: Express.js + PostgreSQL + Neo4j + Redis + 4-step API waterfall

Proof Point: Enriched 500 Swift List contacts for $87 total (vs $800+ via Clay)

OpenForm™

Smart Surveys That Talk to Your Database

Traditional forms dump leads into your inbox. OpenForm writes directly to the Smart Database, triggers Terracotta enrichment, and auto-calculates network value scores. When someone submits, I instantly know their job history, social reach, and whether they're a Super-Connector or noise. No manual data entry. No CSV imports. Just structured intelligence flowing into one system.

Tech Stack: React + Google Sheets API + Conditional logic engine

Use Case: Lead capture that qualifies AND enriches simultaneously

Concentric Circles Method™

Find the 5% Who Influence the 95%

Most marketers spray-and-pray to 1,000 people. I map networks to find 8-12 Bridge Connectors—the people who sit between non-overlapping communities. One person who bridges soap makers, vintage jewelry sellers, and crochet artists is worth 100 random Instagram follows. I use graph theory (triangle patterns, structural holes, Eigenvector Centrality) to identify them, then activate sequentially: Week 1 (Tier 1 bridges) → Week 2 (Tier 2 connectors) → Week 3 (Tier 3 hubs).

Proof Point: Swift List: 80% success rate with 12 contacts vs 12.5% cold outreach to 100

What Makes It Proprietary: Manual network analysis (can't be automated by bots)

You're Not Hiring a Consultant. You're Hiring an Operator.

When you work with me, you get more than strategy decks and vendor recommendations. You get working systems deployed into your business—systems I use every day to run my own marketing. The Smart Database becomes your command center. Terracotta enriches your contacts for pennies. OpenForm qualifies your leads automatically. And CCM maps your industry's Super-Connectors so you stop wasting time on cold outreach.

I built these tools because constraints forced me to. Cannabis couldn't use Mailchimp. Crypto couldn't use HubSpot. So I built alternatives. Now you benefit from 6 years of constraint-driven innovation—without paying $12k/year in software subscriptions.

See the Toolbox in Action → Let's Talk About Your Stack →

Why 2018 AI Matters

ABBI Wasn't a Trend. It Was Survival.

2018

ABBI AI Chatbot Built

Cannabis can't advertise → Built AI for conversations
Result: $1M Year One, Zero Ad Spend
↓ 4 YEARS BEFORE CHATGPT

2022

ChatGPT Launches

AI becomes mainstream
Everyone becomes "AI expert"
↓ I'D BEEN SHIPPING FOR 4 YEARS

2026

Still Building AI Systems

Swift List AI SaaS shipping
6 years of AI product experience

In 2026, everyone claims to be an "AI marketing expert." Most discovered AI when ChatGPT launched in 2022.

I built ABBI—an AI chatbot integrated with Facebook Messenger—in 2018. Not because I was visionary. Because Flowsent (a Bay Area cannabis delivery service) couldn't advertise anywhere. No Google Ads. No Facebook Ads. No traditional channels.

So I architected a different system: AI conversations that answered strain questions ("What's good for anxiety?"), educated users on terpenes, qualified leads 24/7, and drove sales. Partnered with CannaMD (licensed cannabis doctors) for medical credibility.

Result? $1M in Year One revenue with zero ad spend. Plus 100k+ organic Facebook fans.

That's the difference between AI as a buzzword and AI as a business tool. I've been shipping AI products for 6 years. Not writing prompts. Building revenue and communities.

The Complete ABBI Story: How We Hit $1M →

Proven Systems, Real Results

Ahead of Trends Since Nike

ABBI AI Chatbot (2018)

10,000+ qualified leads

Pre-ChatGPT AI system for cannabis industry lead generation

Flowsent (2018)

$1M revenue, $0 ad spend

Cannabis delivery business to 7-figures using constraint marketing

Nike (1995-2003)

8 years building systems

Brand systems at global scale

Wine Industry (2006-2012)

Industry transformation

Pioneered social media for traditional regulated industry

REVERB (2020-2022)

National crypto launch

Marketing platform navigating regulatory uncertainty

Swift List AI (2024-26)

AI SaaS shipping

Building AI marketing automation products

View Full Portfolio →

Regulated Industries? I Do Marketing With One Hand Tied Behind My Back

If I can scale cannabis and crypto, imagine what I can do with your brand

Cannabis

Every ad platform banned. Built ABBI AI chatbot in 2018 and scaled Flowsent to $1M revenue with $0 ad spend.

Crypto/Web3

Platform censorship everywhere. Launched REVERB nationally during peak regulatory uncertainty and built community of 10,000+.

Fintech

Trust barriers and compliance mazes. Built PressPay mobile payments 3 years before Apple Pay. Successful exit.

Healthcare

HIPAA restrictions and advertising limitations. Systems that drive growth while respecting every regulation.

Wine/Alcohol

Pioneered wine industry social media 2009-2011—before it was mainstream. $2M DTC revenue through three-tier system.

Your Industry

If I can build systems that work in the most constrained industries, I can architect growth anywhere.

The constraint isn't the limitation. It's the proof I know what I'm doing.

Scaling marketing in regulated industries is like running a marathon with ankle weights. Take them off? I'm already ahead.

When Traditional Marketing Is Banned

I Build Different Systems

What's Banned

  • Google Ads
  • Facebook/Instagram Ads
  • TikTok Advertising
  • Traditional Media Buys
  • Influencer Partnerships
  • Affiliate Marketing

Rick's Systems

  • AI-Powered Lead Generation
  • Content as Conversion Engine
  • Organic Distribution Architecture
  • Community-Driven Growth
  • SEO Systems for Discovery
  • Automated Nurture Sequences

Result: $1M revenue, $0 ad spend at Flowsent

Constraint marketing isn't a limitation. It's a competitive advantage when you know how to architect systems.

Is This For You?

Honest Fit Assessment

Great Fit If You:

  • Need marketing systems that compound, not campaigns that expire
  • Have a real product/service worth building around
  • Understand marketing is architecture, not just "posting content"
  • Can invest $20K-30K/month in fractional CMO partnership
  • Want to build assets, not rent attention
  • Value strategic thinking over execution-only services

Not a Fit If You:

  • Just want someone to "run your ads"
  • Looking for cheap agency work or offshore teams
  • Need immediate results within 30 days
  • Want a "social media manager" to post for you
  • Believe AI is magic, not a tool that requires strategy
  • Can't invest in building long-term marketing systems

If you're in the left column, let's talk.

Let's Chat →
DEEP DIVE CASE STUDY

How Flowsent Hit $1M Revenue in Year One

With $0 Ad Spend in a Banned Industry

The Challenge

Cannabis delivery business. No paid advertising allowed. No influencer partnerships. No traditional growth playbook.

The System

  • AI-powered content engine for organic discovery
  • SEO architecture for high-intent search terms
  • Automated lead nurture sequences
  • Community-driven referral loops
  • Product-led growth mechanics

The Results

$1M
ARR in Year One
$0
Ad Spend
2,500+
Customers
Flowsent Dashboard
Read Full Case Study →
Rick Bakas - Bend, Oregon

From Nike to AI

Building Marketing Systems for 20+ Years

I spent 8 years at Nike (1995-2003) helping build their brand systems. That wasn't about ads or campaigns. It was about systems.

Then I moved to regulated industries—wine, cannabis, crypto. Industries where the traditional playbook doesn't work. Where you can't just "run ads" your way to growth.

In 2018, I built ABBI, an AI chatbot for cannabis lead generation. Not because I was chasing AI trends (ChatGPT didn't exist). Because I needed a system that worked under constraints.

Now I help regulated industry founders who can't advertise but need to scale. I bring Nike-level strategic thinking, AI-powered systems, and a proven track record of building $1M+ businesses without ad spend.

Nike (1995-2003) Brand Systems
AI Since 2018 ABBI Chatbot Pre-ChatGPT
$1M Flowsent $0 Ad Spend, Year One

Want Results Like These?

I'm not for everyone. If you want someone to execute your plan, hire an agency. If you want someone to question your assumptions and find leverage you didn't know existed, let's talk.

Let's Talk → See The Work

30-minute strategy call • No pitch, just insights • See if we're a fit