Tired of marketing that eats your time and shows no return?
You started your business to do what you love. Not to wrestle with email campaigns, chase agencies, or babysit a dozen tools that don't talk to each other.
Phase5 Systems turns marketing chaos into predictable, hands-off growth. Real strategy from real partners. Powered by AMI, our self-learning AI engine.
Sound Familiar
You don't have a marketing problem. You have a marketing chaos problem.
Here's what we kept seeing from owners just like you:
Agencies that send pretty reports but no real results.
Freelancers who are one person, here today, gone tomorrow.
DIY tools that do nothing without a strategy behind them.
You, stuck doing it all yourself at 10pm.
Sound familiar? It should. It's the same trap most growing businesses fall into.
We built Phase5 to break it.
Real partners. Not another agency.
Phase5 Systems was built by two operators who got tired of watching good businesses get burned by bad marketing. We bring 40+ years of combined experience and a decade of helping small businesses turn chaos into steady growth.
When you schedule a meeting, you'll talk to a founder. Every time.
No sales reps. No gatekeepers. Just direct access to the people building your growth engine.
What Phase5 Means
The name is not decoration. It is the five things every client gets, every time.
People
You get real partnership. Direct access to the founders. No junior reps, no gatekeepers, no handoffs. We treat your business like our own because that is how we win together.
Product
AMI, our AI-native email marketing engine. Built from the ground up as artificial intelligence, not bolted onto a legacy system. Layered on top of data-driven marketing strategy.
Process
You get clear, repeatable systems. Custom strategy up front. Automated execution in the middle. Regular reporting so you always know what is happening and can see measurable progress every month.
Price
You get flat, fair, month-to-month pricing. No locked-in contracts after your first 3 months. No hidden fees. No surprise bills. Big impact on a small business budget.
Promotion
You get results-first marketing. Targeted SEO, social, and email that attract the right customers and generate real leads. All at a fraction of what traditional agencies charge.
Five parts. One system. Zero excuses. That is what Phase5 stands for.
Powered by AMI
Meet AMI (pronounced Amy).
This is your moat. And no agency has anything like it.
AMI (say it "Amy") is our proprietary, AI-native email marketing engine. She's built from day one as an Artificial Intelligence, not bolted onto an old platform. She studies your website, examines your past emails, and learns how your customers actually behave. Then she goes to work.
The result? Email and messaging that sounds like you, lands in the inbox, and drives real revenue.
35 to 55%
Open Rates
Most companies sit near 21%. Our clients typically see rates closer to 35-55%.
3 to 5x
Higher Engagement
More clicks, more replies, more sales
24/7
Hands-off Execution
AMI runs while you run your business
Always
Learning
Every send makes the next one smarter
Think of AMI like the best line cook in the kitchen. You set the menu. She handles the rush, every night, without missing a plate.
Tools don't grow your business. A system that learns does.
We do business differently. On purpose.
These are the lines we won't cross:
100% customized
No templates. No cookie-cutter playbooks. Built for your business.
Transparent flat pricing
No lock-ins after your first 3 months. No surprise overages. You always know the cost.
Hands-off for you
We run it. You run your business.
Real ROI
We track revenue, not vanity metrics.
Local and community-first
We hire local and invest local. Denver and Boulder proud.
No fine print. No games. Just a partner who has your back.
Meet the Team
Doug Sabanosh
Co-Founder and CEO
Doug Sabanosh is Co-Founder and CEO of Phase5 Systems. He has worked in digital marketing since the late '90s, and for more than a decade he has partnered with small and mid-sized business owners to turn marketing chaos into steady, predictable growth.
His roots are in storytelling. Doug started at Time Inc. and SKI Magazine as a journalist, editor, and gear reviewer. He went on to lead digital sales, marketing, and operations at Mountain Sports Media, home to SKI Magazine, Skiing Magazine, and Warren Miller Entertainment. There he led a team of 11, managed the P&L, and grew revenue 160%. He is also a Lowell Thomas Award winner.
In 2001, he pioneered one of the industry's first online subscription and email marketing models. That instinct, turning content into real revenue, is the one he brings to Phase5 today.
Doug leads strategy, planning, and client relationships. His goal is simple: free owners from the marketing grind so they can build the company they love.
Scott Merselis
Co-Founder and COO
Scott Merselis is Co-Founder and COO of Phase5 Systems. He spent his career building the engine room of marketing for fast-growing companies like GoTo, SambaSafety, and Businessolver, leading marketing operations, automation, and the tech stacks that turn campaigns into revenue.
He's also a hands-on builder. Scott holds a Full Stack Web Development certification and puts it to work architecting AMI from the ground up, not just overseeing it.
He was named to Marketo's Fearless 50, a national list of top marketing automation pros. At Phase5, Scott runs operations and leads the build of AMI, our self-learning AI engine. His job is simple: make growth feel effortless for every client.
Nick Walker
Account Executive
Nick Walker is Account Executive at Phase5 Systems. He runs SEO strategy and digital execution across client accounts, and serves as the closing point of contact when new clients come on board.
His background spans data analytics, digital marketing, and AI product design. He's built GA4 attribution frameworks tracking 30+ key events across 10+ acquisition channels, developed Power BI dashboards for executive stakeholder reporting, and completed MIT's AI Products and Services program. He graduated from CU Boulder with a B.S. in Information Science and a minor in Business in May 2026.
At Phase5, Nick builds and executes SEO campaigns, manages client analytics, and supports go-to-market efforts for AMI, our self-learning AI engine. He works across the full stack of a marketing operation, from keyword strategy and website builds to CRM automation and performance reporting. His job is simple: keep every project moving and turn client data into results you can see.
Doug is the strategy and people side. Scott is the systems and tech side. Together, they cover the whole field.
This isn't their first build together. The two ran the inbound engine for entrepreneur Glen Springer at Gabriel Sales. Scott built the tech, Doug ran SEO and content, proof this partnership works before Phase5 ever existed.
Why we do this.
You didn't start your business to become a marketer. You started it to build something you believe in.
Our mission is simple.
Free you from the marketing grind. Turn chaos into steady, predictable growth. And give you back your time.
That's the whole game.
Ready to make marketing the easy part?
Warren Miller used to say it best: "If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do."
Ready to Grow without the Chaos?
One conversation with the owners. No sales reps, no slide decks. Just a straight read on your marketing and what predictable growth looks like for you.
Pick a time that works for you on our calendar.
Get Your Free Strategy Call
Fill out the form and we'll reach out within 24 hours.