Test. Learn. Adjust. Stop chasing the quick wins.
Key illuminated insight
Sustainable marketing growth is built by testing small, watching the right signals, and tying short-term performance to long-term outcomes like CAC, revenue, and contribution margin. The smarter your measurement, the faster you learn—and the better you grow.
Step into full illumination
Let’s get one thing out of the way: I didn’t lose any weight this week.
And I’m not beating myself up about it. Because this is a test-and-learn journey—not a crash-and-burn one.
Last week I committed to losing 10 pounds. Not overnight. Not with a fad or a silver bullet. With small, consistent changes that compound over time.
The first test? Portion control.
No tracking calories. No cutting out chips or popcorn. Just… a little less on the plate.
Now, it wasn’t the easiest week to start this. My son graduated—cue the celebrations, restaurant meals, and champagne toasts.
But here’s the win: I did eat less than I did the week before. And I kept up my exercise routine.
I may not see the results on the scale yet. But I know I’m building the discipline to measure, adapt, and keep going. One small change at a time.
Founders—marketing works the same way.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about where your marketing dollars are going—or why they don’t seem to be translating into growth—you’re not alone.
The pressure to get quick wins is real. Investors want results. Teams want clarity. And sometimes, marketing feels like a guessing game.
But what I’ve seen again and again? Sustainable growth doesn’t come from chasing hacks. It comes from building a system that tests, learns, and adjusts.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
When everything feels urgent, the instinct is to fix everything at once. But real progress comes from narrowing the scope.
Pick one variable. Test it. Learn from it. Whether that’s a new message, a channel shift, or a clearer call to action—start small and smart.
That’s what I’m doing with portion control. No big overhaul. Just one thing I could do consistently.
Measure what matters to the business.
It’s easy to get stuck reporting on surface-level metrics. But those don’t help you make confident decisions.
In my weight journey, I check the scale once a week. I’m not chasing daily swings—I’m watching trends.
In marketing, you need the same discipline. Instead of chasing clicks, ask:
Are we lowering CAC?
Is this channel helping us grow revenue?
What’s the contribution margin after marketing spend?
Those are the metrics that tell you whether marketing is moving the business forward—or just burning budget.
Use short-term signals to guide long-term impact.
I get it—CAC and revenue take time to move. But you don’t have to wait six months to know if a campaign’s working.
Look for early indicators:
Are people clicking and converting?
Are your leads progressing through the pipeline?
Are sales teams actually using what you’re sending?
Watch short-term signals like CTR, cost per lead, pipeline velocity, and sales acceptance. They help you make smarter decisions sooner—and adjust before overspending.
Give the system time to work.
No weight loss this week doesn’t mean I throw in the towel. It means I stay curious, look at the data, and adjust.
My data? Blood pressure lower ✅. Higher energy levels ✅.
Same goes for marketing. Not every campaign will be a winner. That’s not failure—it’s feedback.
The founders I work with aren’t doing anything “wrong.”
They’re often juggling 12 things at once, wearing multiple hats, and trying to grow without a senior marketing partner. That’s hard.
But when you give yourself space to test, track, and tweak—without expecting instant perfection—you create room for sustainable growth.