Why so many brands struggle to cross the $5M barrier

Have spoken to 50+ D2C Brand Founders over the past few months.

A lot of DTC brands are stuck in $1M - $5M range.

Not because of the economy.
Not because Meta ads “don’t work.”
And definitely not because they’re lazy.

It’s because what gets them to $1M holds them back after it.
At $1M, hustle is your best friend.
At $5M, it becomes your worst enemy.

Here’s what some of those who broke that barrier admitted:

🔥 The $1M–$5M trap:
– Addicted to paid.
– Their backend is duct-taped together.
– They’re still the customer support lead / ad strategist / warehouse manager.
– They think their brand is “different” (but customers can’t tell them apart from the other 20 tabs they have open).

💡 What actually moves the needle past $5M:
– Repeat rate > ROAS.
– Systems > hustle.
– A real brand people talk about, not just a product they buy once.
– Knowing when to let go (team, ops, agencies, etc.).

Scaling past $5M isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing less — but better.
Cut the noise. Build the machine. Get out of your own way.

👇 What was your biggest unlock after $1M? Would love to hear 👇

#d2c #growth #roas #brand