Case Study: Zilker Partners | Doubled Account Capacity & Cut Ad Ops Time by 50% with Shirofune

Zilker Partners is a U.S.-based boutique agency that combines full-service digital marketing with recruitment of skilled talent. Seeking greater agility, they transitioned from a specialist-driven structure to one that empowers full-stack generalists to manage paid media, SEO, content, and automation. However, this shift brought challenges, especially in sustaining complex, real-time paid campaigns without adding headcount. By implementing Shirofune—an automation platform for daily budget and bid optimizations—Zilker Partners effectively halved the time required for campaign management. With routine tasks streamlined, generalists can focus on strategic initiatives, reinforcing client relationships and delivering high-performance marketing outcomes across their diverse B2B portfolio.

Zilker Partners is a U.S.-based boutique agency uniquely positioned to help organizations get their marketing work done—whether that means executing campaigns through its in-house marketing team or helping companies build internal capacity by recruiting skilled talent. With a dual-focus model that integrates full-service digital marketing and recruitment for in-house roles, Zilker Partners tailors its support to each client’s needs, offering outsourced execution, team enablement, or a strategic blend of both.

Serving primarily B2B clients in software and professional services, Zilker Partners provides comprehensive marketing support across the full funnel. On the digital marketing side, the agency functions either as an extension of the client’s internal team or, in many cases, as a fully outsourced marketing department—managing everything from strategy and execution to consultation and reporting.

To improve agility and reduce operational silos, Zilker Partners shifted from a specialist-driven model to one built around full-stack generalists capable of managing paid media, content, automation, and strategic planning end to end. This transition enabled closer alignment with clients and more integrated execution—but it also surfaced challenges in areas like paid media, where daily optimizations require time and specialized knowledge.

To meet these demands within a leaner structure, Zilker Partners implemented Shirofune, a platform that automates key elements of campaign management such as budget pacing and bid adjustments. The result was a more scalable operating model and one that empowers account managers to stay focused on strategy while maintaining strong performance across channels.

As Zilker Partners restructured its marketing organization to prioritize agility and scalability, the agency saw clear benefits: stronger alignment with client goals and more cohesive, end-to-end strategy execution.

However, the shift to a generalist model also introduced new challenges—chief among them, maintaining high-performance ad operations without a dedicated team of specialists. With fewer hands managing more accounts across more channels, the pressure to deliver results grew exponentially.

Paid media quickly emerged as the most challenging area to sustain. Manual campaign management under this leaner structure demanded a level of technical precision and real-time responsiveness that was no longer sustainable. To ensure consistent performance without increasing headcount, Zilker Partners needed a smarter, more automated solution—one that could empower generalists to manage paid media effectively, without sacrificing quality.

Zilker Partners’ transition from a specialist-led structure to a generalist approach was a strategic response to evolving client needs and the agency’s vision for scalable growth. 

Previously, the agency maintained separate teams for paid media, SEO, content, and development—each staffed with dedicated experts. For example, the paid media team typically included 2 to 4 specialists who managed multi-platform campaigns across Google, LinkedIn, and Meta, handling everything from keyword research to bid adjustments and performance reporting.

While this structure provided deep functional expertise, it also created silos that hindered communication and slowed execution. Account managers (AMs) primarily acted as intermediaries, often coordinating between three or more internal teams without participating directly in campaign implementation.

“We had people who were excellent in paid search or SEO but they were siloed from the client and didn’t always understand the full picture. Account managers were often just passing information back and forth.”

 

— Jake Lira, Senior Marketing Strategist

Zilker Partners redefined account managers as marketing generalists, eliminating the ‘middleman’ approach and bringing them closer to client needs. Today, these new generalists handle 7 to 12 client accounts, overseeing all key channels including SEO, paid media, content, and marketing automation.

“We wanted our generalists to be closer to the client,” says Lira. “Not just coordinating, but actually doing the work—so they could respond faster, make better decisions, and deliver more value.”

This shift, however, required more than just a change in mindset—it required robust tools that could support this new model.

As Jake explains, “Some of our generalists had limited paid media experience, making it challenging for them to manage optimization and pacing across multiple platforms.”

Without the right support systems, maintaining performance at scale across 30 to 40 active clients would have been unsustainable.

As Zilker Partners transitioned to a generalist-led model, AMs took on broader responsibilities—including paid media, SEO, content, and client communications. But one challenge quickly became clear: how to maintain high-performing ad campaigns without overwhelming the team or compromising strategic focus.

Paid media demands relentless attention—budget pacing, bid adjustments, keyword optimization, and creative testing. These tasks require both precision and agility, which can be difficult for generalists managing multiple accounts and disciplines simultaneously. “There was no way our generalists could monitor multiple platforms daily and still keep up with other strategic tasks,” says Jake Lira.

Hiring additional specialists wasn’t a scalable solution. Instead, Zilker Partners needed tools that could extend the capabilities of generalists—enabling them to deliver specialist-level results without increasing headcount.

Moreover, a centralized, user-friendly interface was a critical requirement.

 

Without such a system, the risks were clear: inefficiencies, misaligned strategies, and ultimately, dissatisfied clients—especially in a high-stakes B2B environment where every lead counts.

 

That turning point came with Shirofune. In discovering the platform, Zilker Partners began reimagining how technology could address the very challenges introduced by its shift to a leaner, more versatile team structure.

Faced with growing complexity and limited resources, Zilker Partners set out to find a technology partner that could support its evolving generalist team structure—without sacrificing performance.

The goal was ambitious: identify a single platform that could simplify ad operations across multiple channels, while enabling non-specialist marketers to execute with confidence and speed.

Just as important, it enabled multi-channel management through a single, intuitive interface—a combination few others could match.

Shirofune’s true differentiator wasn’t merely its feature set, but rather its seamless alignment with Zilker Partners’ generalist-led structure. Rather than requiring deep technical expertise, Shirofune offered an intuitive interface that allowed generalists to confidently analyze performance, optimize campaigns, and manage budget pacing—all without having to navigate the complexities of tools like Google Ads or LinkedIn Campaign Manager.

“Some of our generalists didn’t come from a paid media background,” notes Jake. “Shirofune gave them a level of control and confidence that just wasn’t possible in native ad platforms.”

This accessibility proved critical. Generalists at Zilker Partners juggle SEO, content, client calls, and campaign execution—so being able to manage paid media without switching mental gears was essential.

Shirofune also eliminated interface fatigue by consolidating performance insights into a single, unified dashboard. No more toggling across fragmented views with different metrics and layouts. Issues surfaced faster, AI-driven suggestions were easier to apply, and decision-making became more immediate—especially since the person running the campaign was also the one defining strategy and gathering client feedback.

Ultimately, Shirofune significantly streamlined the alignment of strategy and execution at Zilker Partners. Generalists who intimately understood client goals, budgets, and expectations were now empowered to act in real-time—minimizing delays, eliminating miscommunication, and reducing reliance on traditional handoffs between strategy and execution teams.

Shirofune’s implementation at Zilker Partners was smooth, structured, and remarkably low-friction. With approximately 24 active ad accounts to migrate, the team took a systematic onboarding approach—launching one to two accounts per day over the course of a month.

“The process was simple and intuitive. What made it even better was the hands-on support from the Shirofune team. They weren’t just responsive—they proactively helped us tailor the setup for each client.” 

The benefits became evident almost immediately. Budget management grew more precise, human error rates dropped, and optimization insights were surfaced in clear, actionable formats that made decision-making faster and more confident.

With fewer tools to navigate and more relevant data at their fingertips, Zilker Partners’ generalists could act faster and smarter—delivering outcomes without sacrificing strategic oversight.

Ultimately, Shirofune didn’t just help Zilker Partners maintain campaign performance during a critical phase of transformation. It became a catalyst for the agency’s evolution—accelerating its shift toward a more agile, technology-enabled marketing operation.

After adopting Shirofune, Zilker Partners experienced immediate and measurable improvements in how paid media was managed across the agency. Generalists, once limited by time and platform complexity, were now fully equipped to handle campaign execution with speed and precision. 

From simplifying workflows and centralizing operations to reducing errors and enhancing strategic focus, the platform delivered meaningful impact across every stage of ad management. Early performance indicators further reinforced its value—showing that efficiency gains didn’t come at the expense of results.

One of the most immediate and transformative outcomes of adopting Shirofune at Zilker Partners was the empowerment of marketing generalists to take full ownership of paid media. Previously, campaign execution was handled either by in-house specialists or through partial outsourcing. With Shirofune in place, generalists—already deeply attuned to their clients’ goals—could now directly manage and optimize ad campaigns with speed and confidence.

This shift fundamentally changed the rhythm of Zilker Partners’ operations. Because the same person communicating with the client was also executing optimizations, decisions were made faster—and with far more context. Internal handoffs, once a source of delay and friction, were eliminated. The feedback loop shortened dramatically: from client insight to performance insight to execution—all now managed by a single person.

Shirofune’s intuitive platform surfaced key trends and actionable recommendations, enabling generalists to respond in real time without relying on specialists or wrestling with complex dashboards.

“Before Shirofune, a single request could pass through multiple layers—client to AM, to paid specialist, and possibly a QA check. Now, the client insights and platform insights converge within a single generalist, enabling faster, more relevant decisions with far less friction.”

This wasn’t just operational improvement—it was relational. Faster response times, tighter strategic alignment, and clearer ownership led to stronger client trust. For Zilker Partners, Shirofune didn’t just support the generalist model—it helped unlock its full potential.

“One of Shirofune’s biggest advantages is how intuitive and fail-safe its budget management is. With other tools, it was easy to misconfigure something and end up 20% over budget by month’s end. Shirofune’s setup makes those kinds of mistakes far less likely.”

With greater control, increased confidence, and a dramatically simplified workflow, Zilker Partners’ generalists could move faster—without sacrificing the accuracy and accountability their B2B clients demand.

While Zilker Partners is still in the early stages of measuring Shirofune’s long-term impact, the initial results are promising. Of the 24 active paid media accounts, 22 have now fully transitioned to Shirofune, with just two high-sensitivity accounts still managed by specialists for performance benchmarking.

Across the board, early metrics show improved efficiency in CPL and CPA. For Zilker Partners’ B2B clients—where a single closed deal can represent six to seven figures in revenue—even modest efficiency gains create significant financial impact.

In fact, in several cases, just one additional qualified lead—enabled by better campaign optimization—was enough to offset the entire annual cost of paid media.

“While a few accounts have underperformed recently, we believe that’s tied to seasonal trends rather than platform limitations,” said Jake. “Where Shirofune had full control, we saw its optimization logic closely align with the outcomes we were targeting.”

These early results suggest that Shirofune is doing more than streamlining workflows—it’s also starting to deliver measurable performance improvements. More importantly, it signals long-term strategic value as Zilker Partners continues its shift toward a leaner, more agile, and tech-powered marketing operation.

Beyond measurable performance gains, one of the most transformative outcomes of adopting Shirofune has been the significant time savings it delivers—especially for generalists balancing multiple client accounts. By reducing the day-to-day operational burden of managing paid media, the platform has freed up an estimated 6  to 11 hours per week per generalist—time that is now reinvested in strategic planning, creative development, and strengthening client relationships.

Shirofune automates many of the routine, time-intensive tasks: bid adjustments, pausing underperforming ads, reallocating budgets, and surfacing performance insights. With those handled, Zilker Partners’ marketers have shifted from reactive execution to proactive, insight-led strategy—enabling earlier planning cycles, tighter collaboration with sales, and more targeted, high-impact campaigns.

“Before Shirofune, a lot of our time was spent just staying afloat—keeping campaigns running and fixing issues. Now we’re able to look forward, think more creatively, and operate like true consultants.”

The impact is not just anecdotal—it’s quantifiable. The table below outlines time savings across several core ad management tasks per account, illustrating how Shirofune helped Zilker Partners significantly reduce monthly hours spent on operational work:

This efficiency gain has enabled Zilker Partners’ generalists to evolve from tactical executors to strategic advisors—without sacrificing campaign performance. It’s a rare and powerful combination: greater efficiency paired with elevated strategic impact, all made possible by the right technology.

As Zilker Partners continues its evolution toward a leaner, more tech-enabled agency model, Shirofune is set to play an increasingly central role in scaling paid media operations. With generalists now confidently managing campaigns end to end, the team is focused on deepening platform integration, applying Shirofune across all new client engagements, and refining workflows to fully leverage automation.

“In the past, scaling meant adding headcount or cutting corners. Now we’re asking: how can we scale without losing quality, agility, or profitability? Shirofune isn’t just part of that answer—it’s becoming a strategic lever for how we grow.”

Looking ahead, Zilker Partners plans to make Shirofune the default platform for all new paid media accounts—not just for campaign management, but as a source of strategic insights that inform broader initiatives such as cross-channel planning and creative testing. The team is also partnering closely with Shirofune’s product team, providing real-world feedback to help shape future features that support generalist-led agencies.

Beyond automation and efficiency, Zilker Partners sees Shirofune as a valuable driver of transparency. With built-in dashboards and structured reporting tools, generalists can deliver clearer, real-time performance updates—strengthening client trust and strategic alignment.

The team is especially watching the development of Shirofune’s campaign setup functionality, already available in Japan. Once rolled out globally, this feature could further simplify execution by enabling campaigns to be built entirely within the platform—a potential game-changer for agencies with distributed teams and lean operating models.

By embedding Shirofune more deeply into its day-to-day operations, Zilker Partners aims to spend less time on tactical execution and more time delivering strategic value. And with Shirofune as a core enabler, that future is not just within reach—it’s already coming to life.