Elias Rust is part of a new wave of digital strategists who understand today’s attention economy better than most. At just 23, he’s already managed over $5 million in paid advertising across platforms like Meta, Google, and YouTube—delivering results that speak louder than any pitch deck.
Through his agency, Rust Proof Marketing, Rust (@eliasthemarketer on Instagram) has built a reputation for creating performance-driven campaigns that help businesses—especially those stuck relying solely on outdated methods like mail-in letters—generate more leads, more efficiently, with strategies built for today’s digital landscape.
Marketing Wasn’t a Career Choice—It Was an Obsession
Rust’s fascination with marketing started young—long before landing clients or launching campaigns. He remembers his dad tossing out stacks of “junk mail” without hesitation, while he’d quietly pull them out or ask to read them first.
“I didn’t understand why I was drawn to it at the time,” Rust says. “But I enjoyed reading those ads. I was curious about how they made businesses money and the kind of people who responded to them.”
That curiosity evolved into obsession. At 18, while growing his first print-on-demand eCommerce business, he discovered paid advertising—and everything clicked. From there, he immersed himself in the world of marketing: reading books, binging YouTube breakdowns, listening to hours of podcasts, and buying online course after course. All voluntarily. All to understand how to drive real results.
“I wasn’t trying to ‘get into marketing’—I wanted to master it. I wanted to understand what actually moves people to act.”
That mindset became the foundation of his career. He started working with clients, managing bigger budgets, and refining systems that consistently turned digital traffic into tangible business growth.
Case Study: Giving Fresh Start Now a Digital Engine
One recent example of Rust’s impact is Fresh Start Now, a Portland-area automotive lead business that had relied almost exclusively on mail-in advertising for over a decade. Response rates were slipping, and they needed a more scalable, modern solution.
Rust built a digital engine from the ground up—designing and launching paid campaigns that began generating 100+ qualified leads every month at an average cost of just $12 per lead.
In an industry where lead costs often exceed $50, this was a game-changer. And it didn’t come from a plug-and-play template. Rust developed a custom system tailored to Fresh Start Now’s target market, reworking their entire growth strategy for the digital age.
“We didn’t just run ads,” Rust explains. “We replaced an outdated system with one that’s built to scale—and built for the way people actually make decisions today.”
Case Study: Alvaro’s Tacos—Taking Over Google Maps
Another standout success: Alvaro’s Tacos, a local food truck with great food but limited digital visibility. Rust launched a targeted Google Maps campaign to make their business show up in top results for searches like “tacos near me” and “restaurants near me.”
By strategically using Google Local Ads and optimizing their map listing, Rust drove consistent foot traffic from people searching nearby. The result? A $250 ad budget turned into over $2,500 in revenue in just one month.
“For local businesses, dominating Google Maps is often more valuable than social media,” Rust says. “It puts you directly in front of people who are ready to spend money right now.”
That campaign not only drove short-term revenue—it helped solidify Alvaro’s Tacos as one of the top growing food trucks in their area, both online and offline.
Strategy-First. Platform-Native. Results-Oriented.
Rust’s work is grounded in a sharp understanding of where attention lives—and how to convert it. His strength lies in combining conversion psychology with fast-cycle testing, platform-native creative, and a deep understanding of digital behavior.
Where many marketers focus on vanity metrics or outdated tactics, Rust keeps his eyes on three core pillars:
- Lead volume
- Customer acquisition cost
- Return on ad spend
Every campaign is reverse-engineered from those outcomes. No fluff. No filler. Just growth.
Rust may be 23, but his work reflects the mindset and execution of someone who’s been in the game for a decade. With an obsession for the craft and a system-oriented approach, he’s helping businesses transition from outdated tactics to high-performance marketing that actually works.
In a landscape where digital fluency isn’t optional, Rust represents what the future of advertising looks like: sharp, fast-moving, and focused on numbers.
