Helping large consumer brands drive business outcomes via digital | Founder, Author, Angel Investor & Linkedin Top Voice
Most D2C brands burn cash on day 1. But this skincare brand turned profitable in 90 days with Rs. 0 in ad spend. Here’s how d’you is proving that marketing doesn’t always mean burning cash! Most founders I meet want to spend money on influencer marketing and ads from day one. But Shamika Haldipurkar, the founder of d'you, a premium skincare brand, took a completely different approach and got her first 100 customers organically. I found these really valuable insights from her podcast with Mesa School: 📍Education first - 8 months before launch, they started sharing in-depth skincare education on social. No fancy numbers - just 1000 highly engaged followers who were genuinely interested in skincare. 📍Creating curiosity - They built intrigue around their brand through multiple touchpoints. ↳ Cute and aesthetic packaging that brands never used. ↳ A compelling brand video that showcased lifestyle aspirations. ↳ They combined 11 active ingredients when most brands were doing single-ingredient serums. 📍Word of mouth - As their product was really good and they spent 16 months perfecting it, early customers became their strongest advocates. The impact was incredible: 3 weeks: Flooded with customer testimonials 1 month: Won "Best Serum in India" at the Micro Beauty Awards 3 months: Cash flow positive Today: $3.5M brand with 369% growth Having spent two decades in marketing, this reinforces what I've always believed - strong fundamentals and patient brand building often beat quick scaling through paid channels. It's refreshing to see founders who are willing to play the long game. Yes, marketing is indeed important but first you need to build something worth marketing and make enough so you could actually spend on marketing. What other examples have you seen of brands growing purely through organic marketing?
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story! It's fascinating to see how d'you leveraged education and authenticity to build a loyal customer base. Another key aspect of organic growth is community engagement. Brands like Glossier have excelled by fostering a strong community where customers feel like they are part of the brand's journey. User-generated content and community feedback can be incredibly powerful in shaping a brand's image and driving organic growth. It's a reminder that genuine connections and delivering real value can create a sustainable growth path without heavy reliance on paid marketing.
This is precisely what brand building is. This is a case study that should be taught in business school. Branding is not about campaigns.
It's inspiring to see the power of organic growth in action—true testament to building a remarkable product. 🌱
Building a brand around education and genuine engagement—this is such a smart move! It’s refreshing to see a brand that’s focused on doing things the right way. :)
milliGOLD till now
This is what exactly I have been telling to those who come to me for advice before starting any business. But they don't believe me. Now I have another proven case study to share, after Blue Tea. Thank you for sharing this insightful case study. Apart from Alia's association or shout out, I think they did a descent job, only if this was the strategy.
Word of mouth it is Vikas Chawla 👍
It's impressive how organic growth can outshine paid ads. I’ve seen similar results with homepreneurs focusing on community connections. Taking the time to build relationships really pays off.
Inspiring to see how d'you achieved profitability through organic growth and strong fundamentals. Your insights highlight the importance of a well-thought-out strategy over quick fixes. Kudos to Shamika for her innovative approach and to you, Vikas, for sharing such valuable lessons.
CMO & Head of eCommerce at Fixderma | x Reckitt x Firstcry x Mahindra | 🇮🇳🇸🇬🇹🇭🇲🇾
1dLess than a cr of cumulative gross sales after a year n half of existence in the booming skincare sector doesn’t actually qualify to be beating “quick scaling through paid channels“. The only reason D’you sold whatever it did was because of the organic shout out from Alia Bhat. Which they are milking right now through what you diss, that is paid ads(attached, using names without contract, which I m assuming, is totally unethical btw). Your 0-1 journey isnt always as ardous as the 1-10 journey where you are pitted against the behemoths of D2C. When Every single new customer would need to be dissuaded from another brand just a few good testimonials as your WoM would be lost in the crowded skincare space.