2012 – 2013
Revitalized paid acquisition and retention for a flash-sale e-commerce brand, transforming an unprofitable growth model into a scalable acquisition engine.
The Clymb, an outdoor gear liquidation site, relied heavily on paid acquisition for growth. With slim product margins and aggressive spending, acquisition costs outpaced revenue gains. A generous referral program added more high-cost acquisition, alarming investors who feared it would burn through available capital.
In response, the company eliminated senior marketing leadership, keeping only ICs. Interim CMO Ginny Hutchinson hired me to audit the marketing department, present a turnaround plan to the CEO and VC representatives, and lead the transformation.
I began with a comprehensive audit of channels, spend, ROI, and competitive positioning, identifying high-cost inefficiencies, underutilized assets, and market opportunities we were missing. This included a formal competitive analysis comparing The Clymb’s acquisition tactics, merchandising mix, and content strategy against key flash-sale and outdoor retail competitors—highlighting differentiators we could amplify and gaps we needed to close.
From that foundation, my plan focused on:
The turnaround required both high-level strategy and hands-on execution, plus recruiting specialized partners where needed.