Don’t hire an email agency—or an intern—until you read this.
☕ The Growth Espresso Edition #116
🗓️ Tuesday, 27th May 2025
Hi, and welcome back to Growth Espresso - your one-stop destination for everything e-com.
Hey hey,
Let’s talk about a question I hear way too often from DTC founders:
“Should we just hire an agency for our emails?”
The honest answer? It depends.
(Yeah, I know. Annoying. But stay with me.)
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision.
Sometimes an agency’s the rocket fuel you need.
Sometimes it’s like hiring a private chef… when all you needed was a microwave and a good grocery list.
So instead of preaching, let’s walk through 3 real-world scenarios (based on brands we’ve spoken to or worked with), and unpack what you actually need.
🧴 Story 1: Hired Too Soon = Chaos
A DTC skincare brand, doing around $30K/mo in revenue, got excited.
They hired a fancy agency for $4K/mo expecting fireworks.
The agency, to their credit, built flows and ran campaigns. But the results? Meh.
Why?
The brand was still testing offers, creatives, bundles.
They weren’t even clear on their top 3 customer personas.
🧠 What we learned:
If you’re under $50K/month and still finding your brand tone or product-market fit, hold off.
Focus on clarity first. An agency can’t scale confusion.
Not sure if you’re in too early?
Book a free Email Audit — we’ll let you know if you’re ready or not. No strings, no judgment.
💻 Story 2: The “Email Guy” Gone Rogue
This brand didn’t want to spend on an agency.
Instead, they hired a freelancer from a Slack group.
Week one was fine.
Week two… disaster:
Broken tags: “Hey {{first_name}}”
Discount codes stacked on top of each other
A “last chance” email sent… on the first day of the sale
When they asked for reports, the freelancer ghosted.
🧠 What we learned:
“Affordable” help can cost you more in damage control.
Always vet for ownership, not just skills. And if they call themselves an “email wizard,” run.
📬 Feel like your “email guy” is overwhelmed?
Get a free audit. We’ll tell you where the gaps are—and if a hybrid model could save your sanity.
📈 Story 3: The Hybrid That Worked
This brand was doing $250K/month.
They had a solid Klaviyo setup—but no bandwith to level it up.
Instead of going fully in-house or fully outsourced, they did something smarter:
✅ Kept strategy internal
✅ Brought on an agency to revamp flows, test campaigns, and scale performance
✅ Maintained control, gained bandwidth
The result?
52% boost in email revenue
3x more campaign frequency
Fewer mistakes, better stories, more sales
“It felt like our team grew overnight—without any new hires.”
🧠 What we learned:
The hybrid model works.
You keep the brand DNA. The agency brings horsepower. It’s not either/or anymore.
⚡ Think you’re moving too slow?
We’ll audit your email setup and show you how to ramp up fast (even without hiring 5 people).
When an agency actually makes sense
Not every brand needs agency support right away—but when the timing’s right, it can be a game-changer. Here are three moments when bringing in the pros can seriously pay off:
1. You’re Ready to Sprint, Not Jog
You’ve got traction, your ops are tight, and now it’s go-time.
You need velocity—more tests, more segments, more revenue.
A good agency gives you the firepower (and sanity) to scale without breaking things.
2. You’ve Hit a Plateau
Your email revenue’s been… fine. But nothing’s moving the needle.
This is where outside brains help. An agency brings fresh eyes, sharper strategy, and creative ideas you haven’t tried yet.
3. Your Brand Lives in the “Hard Stuff” Zone
Selling in regulated or high-touch categories—like CBD, luxury, or supplements?
You’ll want people who’ve already navigated that maze. The right agency knows the pitfalls, the tricks, and the workarounds—so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
Not sure where you fall?
Let’s make it easy.
We’ll audit your current email setup—flows, campaigns, performance—and give you a clear plan.
No pressure. No pitch fest. Just clarity.
Or reply to this email and say: “I want an honest look at my email.”
No matter what path you pick, just remember:
Don’t chase silver bullets. Chase fit.
Talk soon,