“We’ve been able to sustain double-digit million-dollar sales while investing only minimally in paid media. It’s not a strategy I’d recommend for every brand, but it forced us to sharpen our retention engine and lean into brand equity in a way that paid media often masks. The lesson: when you take away the safety net, you see what really drives loyalty and growth. With the right agility, strong incrementality discipline, and today’s technologies, brands can punch far above their weight, and we’ve proven it.”