🍯 New Year... Same You After 2 Weeks

Hello DTC Savage,

New Year, new you, right? Or is it New Year, same you after two weeks? Let’s skip the usual January hype.

In 2025, I challenge you to focus on incremental, daily improvements instead of trying to reinvent yourself overnight. Why? Because the people who crash and burn every year are the ones sprinting for the finish line in January and out of steam by February.

Here’s the reality: lofty goals are achievable, but consistency and commitment are the unsexy secrets that actually get you there.

So don’t be the person who quits when things get inconvenient. Show up. Stay the course. Make it happen.

Decision-Making: The Ultimate Founder Skill

Let’s talk stats. Half of startups don’t make it past the 5-year mark. And no, it’s not because their products sucked or their Facebook ads didn’t work. Most fail because they couldn’t make decisions that actually mattered.

Think about it. As a founder, your life is a nonstop decision factory:

• Road A, Road B, or blaze your own Road C?

• Double down on inventory or stash cash for a rainy day?

• DIY or hire someone who (hopefully) knows what they’re doing?

And here’s the fun part - these decisions will either make or break you.

Most founders fall into one of two categories:

1. Analysis Paralysis - You’re so stuck in “what ifs” that your business moves at the speed of molasses.

2. Hasty Decision-Making - You jump in headfirst and only realize later that you forgot to check if there was water in the pool.

Neither is a great look.

How to Not Be That Founder

The secret? Balance. And no, I’m not talking about meditating your way into clarity (though if it works, go for it).

Here’s the deal:

• Act fast when speed matters.

• Slow down and think when the stakes are high.

• And when in doubt, sometimes the best decision is no decision - at least until you know enough to make a good one.

Finding that balance is what separates the founders who crush it from the ones who crash it.

Tying It Back to Retention

Ok, now let’s tie this back to the tactical execution of retention - because that’s what I do.

Here’s the truth: In business, there is no silver bullet.

Success isn’t about finding that one magic hack. It’s about putting in a full-court press every single day. Tiny, incremental changes will stack up over time and deliver massive results.

Stop wasting time looking for the “one thing” that will fix your business overnight. Spoiler: it doesn’t exist. Instead, focus on getting 1% better every day. That’s it. Just 1%.

Your retention channels don’t have to get more complicated as you scale - you just have to hammer the fundamentals harder. And you have to do it consistently.

What are the fundamentals?

• Optimize your capture.

• Nail your welcome flow.

• Dial in post-purchase flows for repeat purchases.

• Set up your abandonments to not cannibalize eachother.

• Use proper segmentation on campaigns.

Retention isn’t flashy, but it’s where the real money is made. Start small, stay consistent, and watch your retention-driven revenue skyrocket.

Key Takeaways

This year, your decisions will define your success. Will you make them count? Don’t overcomplicate things. Show up every day. Focus on getting just a little better, one step at a time.

Consistency wins. Always.

Lastly, I would love to chat with you on LinkedIn if we aren’t already connected.

Talk soon,
Feras