Industry intelligence

D2C startups

What usually works, what usually breaks, and the numbers that tell you which is happening.

Business models

  • · Own store
  • · Marketplace
  • · Subscription

Important metrics

  • · Contribution Margin
  • · Repeat Rate
  • · ROAS

Common challenges

  • · Rising CAC
  • · Working capital

Key stakeholders

Buyers, users, partners and whoever signs the cheque — often three different people.

Go-to-market

Start founder-led, prove a repeatable channel, then hire against it.

Recommended experts

Rohan Kapoor

Rohan KapoorVerified

D2C Growth Operator

Ex-Mamaearth

Helps with

  • · Diagnosing traffic that doesn't convert
  • · Fixing unit economics on paid ads
CROMeta AdsD2C
Available Tuesday
Nisha Gupta

Nisha GuptaVerified

Startup Finance & Compliance

CA, ex-Big4

Helps with

  • · Building a simple financial model
  • · Runway planning
FinanceComplianceRunway Planning
Available this week
Farah Khan

Farah Khan

Brand & Content Strategist

Ex-Nykaa

Helps with

  • · Finding a brand voice
  • · Organic content that sells
BrandContentCommunity
Available this week

Related Universe problems

  • D2C · Conversion

    We're getting thousands of visitors from ads but almost nobody purchases.

  • Growth · Hiring

    Should we hire a performance marketer?

  • Product · Activation

    Users aren't completing onboarding.

  • B2B · Sales

    Our sales cycle went from 3 weeks to 3 months.