If you’re an ecommerce founder struggling with growth, fighting for profitability, and unsure how to scale your marketing without wasting money, this conversation between Adam Callinan and AndrewStartups delivers a masterclass.

Andrew’s been at it for nearly 20 years, helping tech and ecommerce brands build growth engines without relying on massive ad budgets. He’s worked with B2C giants like Tinder and dozens of B2B SaaS brands, and he runs Growth Experts, a fractional marketing service that fixes what most founders get wrong.

Here’s a breakdown of his proven strategies for scaling ecommerce growth profitably, avoiding common pitfalls, and building resilience as a founder.

What Most Ecommerce Founders Get Wrong About Marketing

AndrewStartups sees the same mistake over and over again: founders skipping marketing and jumping straight to advertising.

• Marketing ≠ Advertising: Founders often waste thousands (sometimes millions) of dollars on ads without building the foundation for sustainable ecommerce growth.
• Three key areas of marketing that must come first:
  • Messaging: Nail the value proposition and know exactly how to communicate it.
  • Analytics: Set up robust tracking to understand what’s working (or not).
  • Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Improve the website or app to convert better before driving traffic.

“Advertising without a marketing foundation is almost always a mistake. You’re lighting money on fire.”

Instead, Andrew focuses on organic growth strategies first, testing messaging, offers, and platforms to find out what converts—before spending on ads.

How Ecommerce Brands Should Actually Spend to Drive Growth & Profit

Paid media can work, but not before the groundwork is done. Andrew’s ecommerce growth process looks like this:

• Finalize the foundation (messaging, CRO, SEO, social strategy).
• Test organic channels to find traction:
  • Partner marketing
  • Community engagement
  • Direct outreach (LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, niche groups)
• Once organic wins are clear, then layer on paid ads—with a clear strategy to avoid waste.

“I’m scarcity-focused. I want to prove things out for free before you spend.”

Paid Ads Alone Are a Trap for Ecommerce Profitability

Adam and Andrew both saw massive ROAS from paid ads back in the “Facebook glory days” (2015-2017). Those days are long gone.

• Today’s ecommerce brands face skyrocketing acquisition costs.
• Building on paid media alone makes you fragile.
• Attribution is broken, and platforms like Facebook/Meta and Google are pay-to-play more than ever.

“It’s the easiest it’s ever going to be today, and it’s still incredibly hard.”

For long-term ecommerce profit, you can’t be dependent on algorithms or ad spend. You need:

• Organic growth engines
• Partnerships
• Community and influencer engagement that drives lasting discovery

What Works in Ecommerce Growth Right Now

Here’s what Andrew sees actually driving ecommerce growth in 2024:

1. Influencer Equity Deals

• Instead of paying influencers for posts, bring them in as equity partners.
• They become authentic brand advocates, bringing their audiences with them.
• Example: Get the #1 influencer in your space to become a “founder” and build credibility + exposure.

2. Community Takes Time and Money

• Everyone wants a community, but no one talks about the cost and time involved.
• Building community-first brands in ecommerce is powerful but resource-intensive.
• Focus on quality content, authentic engagement, and patience.

3. Off-Page Social Media Marketing

• Forget spending hours creating daily posts for your own page.
• Spend time in subreddits, LinkedIn groups, Quora, and niche forums, adding value and engaging in conversations.
• It’s high ROI for early-stage ecommerce founders without budget.

4. PR + SEO + Paid Media = Conversion Trifecta

• Press coverage + solid SEO + paid media creates trust.
• People search your brand, find credible PR, and convert at a higher rate.
• Integrated marketing strategies matter more than ever for ecommerce brands.

What’s Not Working Anymore in Ecommerce Growth

If you’re doing any of these, rethink your strategy:

• Spending on ads before your funnel is optimized
• Over-relying on social media organic content without spend
• Expecting virality on platforms that are built to make you pay for reach
• Neglecting SEO and CRO, which dramatically lowers your ROAS
• Trying to “build a community” without investing time, money, and value

“Social media is mostly a waste of time unless you’re already spending money.”

Building Resilience: The Mental Game of Ecommerce Founders

Adam and Andrew also dive deep into what it takes to stay mentally strong in the rollercoaster of building an ecommerce or SaaS brand.

Key Takeaways on Founder Resilience:

• Quit drinking: Alcohol doesn’t help performance, especially for founders.
• Stay physically active: Running, hiking, or hardcore challenges help reset your mental baseline.
• Settle down with a partner (if it works for you): Emotional stability translates to business stability.
• Meditate and journal: Founders need clarity and focus, especially in the hardest moments.
• Build anti-fragility through hard things: Push your limits physically or mentally, so the next business challenge feels smaller.

“Every time you do something hard, you’re proving to yourself you can handle anything.”

Ecommerce Growth Lessons You Can Act on Today

Here’s your actionable checklist if you’re looking to grow and scale an ecommerce brand profitably:

1. Audit your marketing foundation: Fix messaging, CRO, SEO, and analytics.
2. Don’t touch paid ads yet: Validate your offer and channels organically first.
3. Find partners with big audiences: Equity deals with influencers can shortcut years of work.
4. Get off your own social pages: Go where your audience already hangs out (Reddit, LinkedIn, Quora).
5. Invest in your own resilience: Your mental and physical health is a business advantage.
6. Play the long game: Focus on sustainable profit, not just growth for growth’s sake.

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