Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth

In this solo episode of the Podcast, Taylor shares a powerful lesson from Cozy Earth’s CMO, who broke free from the measurement rabbit hole to create a viral TikTok challenge that earned 10M+ impressions over Memorial Day weekend. If you’re a CMO, marketing leader, or operator stuck in the endless loop of attribution models and incrementality debates, this episode is your permission slip to zoom out. Taylor introduces the concept of “Best Available Truth”—a mindset shift that allows you to act with confidence even in the face of imperfect data. Learn how Cozy Earth leveraged their team, their product, and a simple idea to generate massive reach, build community, and create a moment that cut through the noise—without obsessing over the perfect CAC. What you’ll learn: * Why chasing attribution perfection is a trap * How to build a system that enables bold marketing ideas * The behind-the-scenes of a 10M-view viral campaign * What great CMOs do that no one else in the org can Ready to stop measuring and start creating? Hit play and get inspired. Show Notes: * Join the Growth Strategy Deep Dive: https://webinar.commonthreadco.com/strategic-growth-grade [https://webinar.commonthreadco.com/strategic-growth-grade] * Common Thread listeners get $250 by depositing $5,000 or spending $5,000 using the Mercury IO credit card within your first 90 days (or do both for $500) at mercury.com/ctc [http://mercury.com/ctc].! * The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com [podcast@commonthreadco.com] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm * Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group [https://co-mercury-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/legal/Choice+-+Mercury+Deposit+Program+Disclosure+Statement+-+05_01_24.pdf], Column, N.A. [https://column.com/legal/sweep-program-network-banks], and Evolve Bank & Trust [https://co-mercury-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/legal/Evolve+-+Deposit+Program+Custodial+Agreement+-+12_21_22.pdf], Members FDIC.  * The IO Card is issued by Patriot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard. Learn more about cashback [https://mercury.com/credit]. * Working capital loans provided by Mercury Lending, LLC NMLS ID [https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/]: 2606284.

Is your brand truly set up for growth? Or just treading water? In this episode of the Podcast, Taylor and Richard introduce CTC’s brand new Strategic Growth Scorecard—a 7-metric framework designed to help you quickly assess the strength of your growth engine. You’ll learn: * Why we replaced ROAS with IMR (Incremental Marginal Return) * The key metrics behind sustainable, efficient growth * How to identify red flags in your customer acquisition strategy * What separates brands that scale from those that stall If you’re an 8-figure brand trying to grow in today’s volatile market, this tool is built for you. Get instant clarity on your brand’s biggest growth opportunities—and where you’re most at risk. Show Notes: * Download the scorecard: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/strategic-growth-grade-scorecard [https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/strategic-growth-grade-scorecard] * Common Thread listeners get $250 by depositing $5,000 or spending $5,000 using the Mercury IO credit card within your first 90 days (or do both for $500) at mercury.com/ctc [http://mercury.com/ctc].! * Sign up for a 30 day trial and TaxCloud will give you free migration onboarding services when you decide to make the switch. Check it out at taxcloud.com/thread [http://taxcloud.com/thread] * Explore the PROPHIT System: prophitsystem.com [http://prophitsystem.com] * The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com [podcast@commonthreadco.com] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm * Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group [https://co-mercury-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/legal/Choice+-+Mercury+Deposit+Program+Disclosure+Statement+-+05_01_24.pdf], Column, N.A. [https://column.com/legal/sweep-program-network-banks], and Evolve Bank & Trust [https://co-mercury-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/legal/Evolve+-+Deposit+Program+Custodial+Agreement+-+12_21_22.pdf], Members FDIC.  * * The IO Card is issued by Patriot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard. Learn more about cashback [https://mercury.com/credit]. * Working capital loans provided by Mercury Lending, LLC NMLS ID [https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/]: 2606284.

95% of ecommerce brands are worth ZERO. Why? In this episode, we unpack the harsh reality behind most DTC businesses, why logical decisions don’t drive entrepreneurship—and what actually does. Taylor and Richard dive deep into: * The real odds of building a valuable brand * Why success in ecommerce is often delusional by design * How to align your business model with your personal financial goals * The traits that separate the 5% from everyone else If you’ve ever wondered whether your business is on the right path or what it takes to build one that truly matters this episode is for you. Show Notes: * Common Thread listeners get $250 by depositing $5,000 or spending $5,000 using the Mercury IO credit card within your first 90 days (or do both for $500) at mercury.com/ctc [http://mercury.com/ctc].! * Explore the PROPHIT System: prophitsystem.com [http://prophitsystem.com] * The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com [podcast@commonthreadco.com] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm * Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group [https://co-mercury-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/legal/Choice+-+Mercury+Deposit+Program+Disclosure+Statement+-+05_01_24.pdf], Column, N.A. [https://column.com/legal/sweep-program-network-banks], and Evolve Bank & Trust [https://co-mercury-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/legal/Evolve+-+Deposit+Program+Custodial+Agreement+-+12_21_22.pdf], Members FDIC.  * The IO Card is issued by Patriot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard. Learn more about cashback [https://mercury.com/credit]. * Working capital loans provided by Mercury Lending, LLC NMLS ID [https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/]: 2606284.

Are you obsessively tweaking your ad campaigns only to see flat results? In this episode of the Podcast, Richard sits down with Luke Austin, to expose why daily bid and budget changes are wasting your time and money. They dive into the root issue behind inconsistent performance: a lack of belief in the data. Luke shares the system CTC uses to align teams, set targets with confidence, and stop the reactive cycle. You’ll learn why geo holdout testing is the most trustworthy signal in media buying, and how shifting focus to creative output rather than micromanaging ad accounts is the real unlock for growth. If your team is stuck in the weeds, this conversation will show you how to rise above and operate with clarity. Stop second-guessing. Start scaling with confidence. Show Notes: * Go to alialearn.com [http://alialearn.com] and mention our podcast on the demo, to get 30 days free and 20% off! * Sign up for a 30 day trial and TaxCloud will give you free migration onboarding services when you decide to make the switch. Check it out at taxcloud.com/thread [http://taxcloud.com/thread] * Explore the PROPHIT System: prophitsystem.com [http://prophitsystem.com] * The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com [podcast@commonthreadco.com] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

Ever wonder how $10M+ ecommerce brands make their next move? In this episode of the Podcast, Taylor and Richard walk through a real world growth scenario pulled directly from CTC’s work with a 9-figure brand. Using live data from our proprietary platform, Statlas, we break down exactly how our team evaluates performance, spots hidden opportunities, and decides what to do next. What You’ll Learn: * What to do when you’re overperforming * Why beating your forecast might signal a problem * How a growth strategist holds the tension between short-term efficiency and long-term scale * The metrics and hierarchy we use to power every decision If you’re serious about scaling your brand with clarity, precision, and profit in mind this is the inside look you need. Show Notes: * Go to https://your.omnisend.com/CTC [https://your.omnisend.com/CTC] to get 20% off your first 3 months with code CTC20. * See Taylor’s Tweet: https://x.com/TaylorHoliday/status/1920552618914373992 [https://x.com/TaylorHoliday/status/1920552618914373992] * Explore the PROPHIT System: prophitsystem.com [http://prophitsystem.com] * The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com [podcast@commonthreadco.com] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm