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Most Brands Aren’t Growing
They’re Just Spending More Money
Revenue can go up while the business quietly gets weaker.
Higher ad spend. Lower margins. Slower payback. More stress.
If that feels familiar, you’re not alone. And it usually comes down to three things most brands misunderstand at the same time.
We just published three pieces that cut through the noise and explain why growth breaks, where it leaks, and what actually scales.
Read them in order. They stack.
The Metric Everyone Quotes (and Almost Everyone Gets Wrong)
LTV:CAC is everywhere. Pitch decks. Board meetings. Slack threads.
And most of the time, it’s lying to you.
Not because the metric is bad, but because it’s almost always calculated wrong.
This breakdown shows:
Why your “healthy” ratio might be hiding risk
How undercounted CAC quietly kills profit
The difference between feeling profitable and actually being profitable
If you’ve ever said, “The math works… I think,” start here.
Acquisition Gets Applause
Retention Pays the Bills
More traffic feels like progress.
More customers feel like momentum.
But retention is what keeps the lights on when CAC rises, and platforms change the rules again.
This piece explains:
Why retention quietly outperforms acquisition over time
How small improvements compound into serious profit
What retention actually means beyond sending more emails
If growth feels harder than it used to, this is why.
Crossing $1M Isn’t the Finish Line
It’s Where the Game Changes
Hitting $1M feels like proof you’re doing something right.
It’s also where many brands stall, break, or burn out.
The systems that got you here won’t carry you forward.
This article walks through:
What actually changes after $1M, and what doesn’t
Why complexity sneaks in faster than revenue
What founders must stop celebrating and start measuring
If you’re approaching or already past $1M, this one hits close to home.
Why These Matter Together
These aren’t random topics. They’re one system.
LTV:CAC tells you if growth makes sense
Retention determines whether that math improves or decays
Scale dynamics decide whether your business can handle success
Miss one, and everything feels harder than it should.
This Is Where Real Growth Starts
Most brands don’t fail because they lack ambition.
They fail because they keep scaling the same assumptions that worked when the business was smaller.
The brands that break through don’t chase louder channels or shinier tactics.
They get clearer.
They understand their numbers.
They build for retention, not just reach.
They upgrade their systems before growth forces the issue.
That’s the difference between momentum and exhaustion.
If something in this newsletter made you stop, nod, or rethink a decision, don’t brush it off. That pause is the signal.
Turn Insight Into Action
Clarity only works if you use it.
This week, challenge one assumption you’ve been carrying:
Is your LTV actually profitable after margin
Is retention compounding or quietly leaking
Are your systems built for the business you want, or the one you used to have
And if you want a sharper, data-backed view of what’s really happening inside your business:
Get your free Commerce Signal diagnostic →
https://thecommercesignal.com
Because growth feels very different when you know exactly what’s driving it.
Don’t Forget…
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