Joe Marston 🚀's Linkedin Analytics

The level of creative output I’ve seen from GPT this week is actually wild 🤯 GPT-4o can now generate near on-brand ad concepts from barely any input. It's kind of ridiculous. With minimal direction and a vague prompt, it returned polished, (nearly) ready-to-use creatives in seconds. Just need to feed in some product images and you're good to go. But, when access isn’t the advantage anymore, execution becomes everything. Everyone now has the tools but not everyone knows how to use them. I’ve already seen job posts for Prompt Engineers and AI Strategists. Brands are adapting, fast. We’ve already woven it into our creative workflows for: → Smarter research → Faster iteration → Scalable testing Because when every brand can produce “pretty good” ads at volume, the ones that actually perform will be built on insight, strategy, and taste. This shift isn’t about replacing creativity, it’s about amplifying it. For DTC brands looking to scale, creative testing just got a serious upgrade. Game officially changed.

Being time-rich > Being cash-rich. Most entrepreneurs grind their way to success… and then realise they have no time to actually enjoy it. Make sure you’re prioritising … 📌 Family first: Block off key dates, family trips, one-on-one time. 📌 Personal growth: Lock in adventure days, training, and learning. 📌 Business priorities: Revenue-generating activities come LAST. Why? Because if you don’t plan your personal life first, your work will consume everything. The real flex is scaling while living life on your own terms. Who else is setting up their year this way?

Most people aim for incremental growth. Jesse Itzler’s philosophy? Choose a MISOGI. It’s a Japanese concept: Every year, do one massive, scary, year-defining thing. Here are some of mine. ✅ Moved to Dubai ✅ Spent 1+ month in NYC networking ✅ Retire Family (goal for next year) MISOGI = The thing you’ll tell stories about in 20 years. Most business owners stay stuck because they’re chasing "safe" goals. Play bigger. Pick something audacious. Then engineer your year around it. What’s your Misogi for 2025?

Confession: most DTC founders I speak to haven’t touched their email flows in months. They just set and forget. Not because they don’t care, but because they’re juggling: – Meta performance – Creative production – Inventory headaches – Scaling problems – Burn from the last agency Email feels like the “we’ll get to it later” channel. BUT, the brands we work with that scale profitably have got retention locked in early. Especially through email. I’ve seen founders spending £50k+/month on paid and still not have: - Abandon cart & checkout flows - Welcome series - Post purchase - Site abandonment - Cross Sell - Winback - Sunset We’ve implemented a proven flow system across our clients and instantly saw email driving 20–30% of monthly revenue without lifting a finger. So we’ve packaged it. 9 plug-and-play flows. Tested copy. Pre-built sequencing. Built for any CRM. And designed to work for brands doing up to 500k/month. If you’re scaling a brand and want email to become your most profitable channel (without building it all from scratch) head to the comments where I’ve posted a link to more details. Stop sleeping on your owned revenue.

The brands scaling past 8 figures have one thing in common: Relentless creative iteration at high volume. Here’s the system that separates them from brands that plateau: 1️⃣ High Creative Velocity You’re not testing enough if you’re launching <10 creatives a week. Winning brands push 50-100+ per month. 2️⃣ Iterative Workflows Testing isn’t just about new ads. It’s about: - Iterating top performers (new hooks, formats, CTAs) - Rapid-turnaround variations (text overlays, colours, pacing) - Isolating variables to find why something works 3️⃣ Data-Driven Creative Testing Your best ads will come from testing angles you didn’t expect to work. Top brands: - Tag creatives based on messaging, format & style - Analyse soft metrics (CTR, thumb-stop, hold rate) - Scale what moves the needle 4️⃣ Seamless Media + Creative Collaboration The #1 bottleneck in scaling ads isn’t bad creative, it’s poor feedback loops. If your media buyers and creative strategists aren’t in sync, your ads will fail. 5️⃣ Creative Operations = The Hidden Growth Lever At scale, creative volume isn’t just about ideas. It’s about systems. - Proper asset tagging & naming conventions - Dashboarding creative data for analysis - Efficient workflows between media + creative Most brands think they have a media buying problem when in reality, they have a creative execution problem. Fix your creative volume, and your ad performance will take care of itself. Ready to elevate your brand with performance-driven creative? Let’s chat.

DTC founders: stop wasting time juggling 5 vendors to keep your business compliant. We’ve just partnered with doola – and here’s why that matters for you 👇 Whether you're scaling on Shopify, Amazon, or TikTok Shop, your growth stalls fast if your back office is messy. doola is our go-to for founders who want to streamline the boring but critical stuff: business formation, bookkeeping, tax filings, and compliance. All under one roof. The ultimate Business-in-a-Box™ solution for E-Commerce entrepreneurs. We’re talking: ➡️ Business Formation: Setup your business LLC legally in the United States. ➡️ Registered Agent: Never miss legal documents, government notices, or important mail. ➡️ Sales Tax & Resale Certificate: Ensure compliance and unlock tax-free purchasing for your business. ➡️ Dedicated Bookkeeping: Stay organised with better bookkeeping tailored to your business. ➡️ Invoicing: Simplify your invoicing process and get paid faster. ➡️ State Tax Filings: Meet state tax requirements effortlessly with their expert support. ➡️ Business Tax Filings: File your business taxes accurately and on time. ➡️ CPA Tax Advisory: Access professional tax advice to optimise your business finances. ➡️ E-Commerce Analytics: Track your analytics accurately with doola to scale with confidence If you’re running a DTC brand from the UK, EU, or beyond and want a compliant US entity with zero stress, this is how you do it right. This partnership means Soar brands get faster access, smoother setup, and the support you need to scale globally without the legal admin headache. If that’s been sitting on your to-do list for months… We’ve just made it easier. Get a demo today and use DOOLASOARWITHUS10 for 10% off. Link in the comments.

We achieved a 50% increase in thumbstop ratio with a simple creative iteration. Small changes = huge impact in performance We tested a green screen commentary over an iMessage-style conversation, and the results were game-changing: - 37.92% thumbstop ratio, a 50% increase over the ad account average - £22.7K spend in 30 days with a 2.5x ROAS - Became the leading creative in terms of performance Why did it work? ✅ "Ugly" hooks that feel native stop the scroll ✅ Iterating on a winning angle kept engagement high ✅ Testing unconventional formats unlocked new audience engagement Sometimes, the smallest creative tweaks drive the biggest performance lifts. Want to know what’s working right now in performance creative? Let’s chat.

Your ad account is a mess and it’s killing your performance. Most brands launch ads, get a few sales, and scale without a plan. Then they wonder why ROAS tanks. Winning campaigns don’t happen by chance. They need structure. Here’s how we layer creative across the funnel for predictable, scalable growth: Top of Funnel (TOF): Drive awareness & hook cold audiences ✅ Broad targeting (age, gender, location, no past buyers) ✅ 6+ creatives per ad set to test what resonates ✅ Thumb-stopping visuals & messaging to spark curiosity Goal: Pull fresh leads into your ecosystem. Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns: Capture high-intent buyers ✅ Dynamic targeting for shoppers likely to convert ✅ 8+ creatives, with £50+ allocated per piece ✅ 10% of the budget for re-marketing to keep engagement high Goal: Make conversions effortless with USPs & product benefits. Middle/Bottom of Funnel: Convert warm leads ✅ Retarget visitors, engagers & cart abandoners (90-day window) ✅ Dynamic remarketing to show products they’ve already viewed ✅ 6+ creative variations per ad set to keep content fresh Goal: Seal the deal with testimonials, UGC & urgency-driven messaging. The best brands test constantly: 📌 3–5 variations per ad set to gather initial data 📌 Analyse CTR, ROAS & engagement rates (we use Motion & Triple Whale) 📌 Double down on winning creatives & iterate non-stop If you’re not structuring your ad account like this, you’re burning budget. Where’s your biggest gap right now? Let’s chat. 👇

I know why your CPA is skyrocketing… Most brands don’t have an ad account problem. They have a creative iteration problem. A single “winning” creative won’t scale your brand. The brands consistently crushing paid social have a structured system for testing, analysing, and iterating on creative. Here’s what that process looks like: 1️⃣ Test new concepts. Launch fresh creative ideas to see what resonates. 2️⃣ Review performance. Analyse data on Motion to understand what’s driving results. 3️⃣ Scale winners, iterate on losers. Double down on what works, refine what doesn’t. 4️⃣ Build new iterations. Adapt winning elements into fresh creatives. 5️⃣ Test again. Validate iterations and refine performance. 6️⃣ Feedback loops. Use tools like Foreplay to gather insights before launch. Rinse and repeat. Brands that win on paid social don’t guess. They run a tight creative feedback loop that turns insights into action BEFORE their performance tanks. If you’re not iterating at this level, you’re burning ad spend. Time to fix that. Need some killer creative for your next campaign? Get in touch.

Forecasting like a CFO helped us to scale a brand 110% YOY, a 79% increase in new customers and a 90% boost in net profit. Last year’s learnings = this year’s wins Black Friday 2023 didn’t hit its full potential for this client. The biggest issue? The discount structure was too weak. While some products had up to 50% off, best-sellers only had a 10% discount which meant customers lost interest fast. The perception of a strong sale wasn’t there, and without that urgency, conversions suffered. The result? Slower sales, lower conversion rates, and no room to scale aggressively. For 2024, we took a data-first approach and built an offer that was designed to scale: ✅ Customer research: We used KnoCommerce to collect feedback on what discounts actually moved the needle. ✅ Profitability modelling: We ran the numbers through our Unit Economics Calculator to ensure the sale was both compelling and profitable. ✅ Clear, simple messaging: No more "Up to X%" confusion, just a straightforward, high-impact offer. By getting the offer right first, we were able to push harder with creative and media spend, leading to: 📈 110% YOY revenue growth 👥 79% increase in new customers 💰 90% boost in net profit A weak offer will hold back your growth no matter how much you spend. But a strong one does the heavy lifting for you. Our Growth Map helps us to get this right every time. It helps you to know exactly where your headed and set clear targets. Now is the perfect time to start forecasting for BFCM 2025, download it now. I'll leave the link in the comments👇

We scaled an ad concept to 7 figures using one hook. This single hook changed everything: 👉 "If you want to make your home look more expensive..." One Hook. Multiple Iterations. 7-Figure Revenue. Most brands think they need a constant flow of new ideas to scale. But really, when you find that silver bullet, drive volume iterations to ride the wave. This wasn’t just a strong performer, it became the foundation for scalable growth. How? By iterating, not replacing. We didn’t treat this as a one-off. Instead, we expanded, adapted, and refined the creative across multiple formats and products. Here’s what made it work: 1️⃣ Seasonal adaptations: The core hook was tweaked for different moments throughout the year, keeping it relevant. 2️⃣ Diverse first frames: Instead of repeating the same format, we tested: - Unboxing videos to capture excitement - Face-to-camera explainers with influencers - Styled product shots for a high-end aesthetic - How-to tutorials to showcase real-life value 3️⃣ Launchpad for new products: The messaging was used to introduce new product lines, aligning with customer desires. One hook can scale your brand if you execute it properly. ✅ Consistency builds trust. Customers recognise and engage with familiar messaging. ✅ Format variety maintains interest. Keeps creatives fresh and prevents ad fatigue. ✅ Seasonal relevance increases urgency. Timely tweaks make messaging feel essential. ✅ Winning hooks drive product launches. A strong creative foundation accelerates growth. This is how you scale with precision. Stop chasing trends, start doubling down on what works. What’s your brand’s winning hook? If you don’t know, let’s find it. 👇

Soar with Us managed £70M+ in ad spend and generated £250M+ in revenue in 2024, so we know what works. We’ve helped brands go from plateaued growth to predictable, profitable scaling by using one core system. And now, we’re handing it over to you. This is the exact financial forecasting system we use on our clients to scale them to 7, 8 figures. 🚀Introducing The Growth Map. A 12-month financial system designed to help brands scale profitably, track performance, and make smarter decisions. What does it do? ✅ Helps you forecast revenue, cash flow, and profit so you can plan ahead. ✅ Gives you a complete P&L so you know exactly where your money is going. ✅ Breaks down unit economics so you can price, scale, and acquire profitably. ✅ Tracks actuals vs. forecast so you stay accountable and adapt in real time. ✅ Aligns your marketing calendar with financial goals for smarter spending. ✅ Builds LTV models so you can stop relying on one-time purchases. The best brands run their numbers like a CFO. The ones that don’t burn through ad spend and wonder why they’re not scaling. Now, we’re giving you the blueprint. We’ve had 100K+ downloads of our free resources, helping hundreds of brands scale faster and smarter. From unit economics calculators to high-converting hooks, landing page guides, and Black Friday playbooks, every resource we’ve shared has been built from real-world experience scaling DTC brands. But this? This is our biggest resource yet. Want to see how it works? Like this post Comment "GM" in the comments, and I’ll send over the details.

You plan your KPIs. You track ad spend. You forecast your pipeline. But how seriously do you design your life? Zachary Murray just shared one of the wildest personal hacks I’ve heard on the pod: He turned his 2024 goals into a hardcover coffee table book. Not a Google Doc. Not a Notion board. A printed, high-quality book that lives on his shelf. “If I spend 3 days building a vision for my life and still don’t follow through, that’s a different level of shame.” It’s brilliant. The level of intention and visualisation that goes into something like that forces you to see your goals differently. He didn’t just list revenue targets or gym milestones. He wrote a life thesis. He split his goals into Personal, Business, and Wealth. He even assigned fictional characters or real people to each area of his life. Why? Because self-accountability gets real when your goals live on your shelf in a hardcover format. Not buried in your Notes app. There’s a lesson here for founders: Most of us treat our brand with more clarity than we treat ourselves. What if you built a brand strategy deck, for your life? 📌 Define your "why" 📌 Break goals into clear buckets 📌 Assign a vision, not just a metric 📌 Make it visual, make it tangible 📌 Review it every week Zach calls this his personal “P&L for life.” And honestly? I’m thinking about doing the same. Also, was great to catch up with him in Vegas at Shoptalk, it had been a while since we caught up. I’ll drop the podcast link in the comments so you can hear his full take. You’ll want to take notes.

In Vegas for Shoptalk – let’s catch up The networking doesn’t stop after NYC. I’m in Vegas from 20th to 27th, meeting with partners old and new - Klaviyo, Order Editing, Tapcart, Postscript - and making the most of everything happening around Shoptalk. You’ll find me at: 👉 Dataships & Klaviyo Happy Hour 👉 Customers.ai Happy Hour 👉 Agency dinner hosted by Rachel Jacobs 🇺🇦 If you’re around and want to talk D2C growth, creative strategy, or just grab a coffee, lunch, or dinner, let’s do it. Drop me a message.

I started my agencies from a spare bedroom. Today they’re both worth multi 7-figures. How I went from a broke kid to a multi-million £ entrepreneur: (Without any formal training or business school - you don't need it) 1/ Mistakes, a lot of mistakes. 2/ Failed my first few brands but kept experimenting. 3/ Eventually noticed gaps in the ecom space. 4/ Met my Co-founder and defined what set us apart from competitors. 5/ Took out a loan and invested in mentorship. 6/ Spent months doing cold outreach. 7/ Faced rejections for months before signing our first clients. 8/ They were paying us so little that we were still dead broke. 9/ Took on our first ‘employee’, we needed their expertise and commitment to our vision. 10/ The best thing we did was never give up even when we wanted to. 11/ Client results/ feedback started to spread and our reputation kept building. 12/ Eventually, we started scaling. 13/ We started stacking skills and expanding our services. 14/ We decided it was time to add to our team of 3. 15/ We prioritised hiring cultural fits (we want our team to grow with our business) 16/ And brought in people more skilled than us. 17/ Elevated the business by filling in knowledge gaps. 18/ For the first 4 years, not a single person voluntarily left. 19/ We experienced explosive growth, yet retained 95% of our clients last year. 20/ Today we’ve built our team to 60+ people and scaled 250+ brands. It’s not supposed to be easy. You’re supposed to fail a lot. If you’re in the thick of it right now, keep going. You don’t need a perfect plan. Just relentless execution, clear lessons, and the right people around you. Follow me for more honest takes on growing an agency, scaling brands, and everything in between.

We scaled a beauty brand from £15K/mo to £50K/mo on TikTok, while maintaining CAC. Scaling on TikTok is about solving creative bottlenecks and structuring campaigns for stability. 📊 Key Wins: ✅ 200% increase in ad spend (Sept vs Jan, excluding Q4) ✅ CAC & CPA remained stable (+5% increase) ✅ CPC decreased by 30% The Problem: The brand struggled to control CAC beyond £1K/day in TikTok spend due to high CPCs, creative fatigue, and poor post-click experience. Traffic was going straight to the homepage, leading to major drop-offs. What We Did: 1️⃣ Creative testing structure: Built an iterative feedback loop to improve performance 2️⃣ Scaling structure overhaul: Shifted from SPC-heavy campaigns to horizontal scaling for stability 3️⃣ Reviving winning creative angles: Brought back high-performing "Us vs. Them" & Objection -Tackling ads 4️⃣ Bigger creative swings: Introduced native elements (Podcast, iMessage, Post-it style ads) to drive CPC down 5️⃣ Post-Click Optimisation: A/B tested landing pages & PDPs for better conversion rates The Result? Predictable, scalable growth without sacrificing efficiency. If you’re struggling to scale on TikTok, this is the framework you need. Drop a comment or DM to chat about how For You Advertising can help! 🚀

This one networking tip has made me millions 📈 Comment “network” and I’ll send you 4 other tips to maximise your networking efforts. #networking

Six years ago, we were broke, in debt, and surviving on a £1,000 PayPal loan. Now? We’re here. I missed the team social because I was in the US for networking, but seeing this photo made me reflect on our journey. The size of the team. The energy. The growth. It made me think back to six years ago, when we were working from our uni bedrooms, in debt, and taking out a £1,000 PayPal loan just to keep things moving. Back then, the idea of building something like this felt impossible. Now, seeing the full Soar With Us and Hambi Media team come together, completely aligned and pushing towards the next level, is unreal. Each year, the room gets bigger. The vision gets sharper. The belief gets stronger. It’s a reminder that everything compounds. The risks, the late nights, the bets you make on yourself. Here’s to the next stage of the journey.

Learn how to scale your agency to 7 figures in just 3 days. Most agencies hit a ceiling because they believe more leads = more revenue. The reality is the right connections will accelerate your growth 10x faster. That’s why, from 28th - 30th March in the Dominican Republic, 30 agency founders will come together for an exclusive mastermind, getting access to proven blueprints for scaling to 7+ figures. Who’s hosting? 👤 Nigel Thomas - Built two multi-7-figure agencies, grew his personal brand to 100,000+ followers, and has mentored over 35 marketing agencies in the last year. You’ll learn from experts like: - Timothy Armoo, who sold his agency at 27 for 8 figures - Joe Gannon, the brains behind personal brands like Ali Abdaal and Sahil Bloom - Romans Ivanovs & Kristina Radeva, Co-founders at Big Growth Group who build high-profit, self-sufficient agencies - Lara Acosta, the UK's #1 female creator who's helped over 700 entrepreneurs build their personal brand. And because big ideas come from big experiences, expect… - Padel tournaments - Beach BBQs & dinners - Scuba Diving - After parties No fluff, no generic advice, just high-level insights from those who’ve actually done it. There are only 30 spots available. If you’re serious about taking your agency to the next level, this is where you need to be. Apply now to secure your spot, link in the comments.