Scaling a DTC brand from $1M → $10M isn’t about finding more “hacks,” it’s about focusing on the right growth lever at the right revenue stage.

In this episode, Richard and Joy, break down a practical “one move per stage” roadmap for scaling through seven figures into eight.

What you’ll learn in this video

• $1M → $2M: Why creative volume is the unlock (and why the benchmark is ~100 ads/month)

• $2M → $3M: Build a marketing calendar (one marketing moment per month) to create “reasons to buy” beyond evergreen

• $3M → $4M: The stage where brands stagnate most: offer market fit + offer testing (and why it’s so industry-dependent)

• $4M → $5M: Creative again—but at a different level (think 100 ads/week)

• $5M → $6M: Product development for LTV (front-end vs back-end products, subscription angles, upsell paths)

• $6M → $7M: When “tactics” finally matter—international expansion, audience expansion, email, CS, and other incremental edges

• $7M → $8M: Why media buying becomes bespoke (your account structure should reflect what’s working: promos, whitelisting, LP testing, subscription, etc.)

• $10M+: The real unlock becomes people—why one A-player operator can outperform 10 average hires

The big takeaway

Most brands don’t need more noise—they need ruthless prioritization. The fastest path to $10M is doing the right thing for your stage, deeply, before moving on.

Show Notes:

• See how Attentive helps connect people and the brands they love.: https://bit.ly/4ag8oEJ

• Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com

• The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have