Stuck at $20k+ in monthly e-commerce revenue and unable to scale?

You know your business has potential. You can see the opportunities ahead. But every time you try to scale up, you hit the same invisible ceiling. 

Whether you’re making $20,000 or $50,000 monthly revenue, you just can’t seem to break through and scale up. This revenue plateau is frustratingly common, but we may have the answer. 

The growth trap that's keeping you stuck 

Here's the thing about hitting a revenue ceiling month after month - you're in what we call the "growth trap." You are making enough money to pay the bills. However, you do not have enough to invest in marketing that will help you reach the next level.

This isn’t just about having less money to spend on marketing. It’s about being stuck in limbo where every marketing dollar feels precious and every failed campaign or underperforming ad feels like a personal blow. 

Most marketing agencies ask for high upfront fees, fixed monthly retainers, and long contracts. They do this even if they’re not delivering the results you need.

It is like being asked to pay for a gym membership upfront with no guarantee that you'll actually get fit. The risk is all on you, while the agency gets paid either way.

The traditional agency model doesn't work for everyone

Think about it from your perspective as a business owner stuck at this revenue level:

Cash flow constraints: Every dollar is crucial for scaling, but some agencies demand thousands upfront before beginning any work. You’re being asked to invest money for results that aren’t guaranteed. When you’re at $20,000 monthly revenue, a $5,000 setup fee isn’t just expensive, it’s a significant portion of your monthly profit. 

Fixed costs with variable results: You're paying the same monthly fee no matter what your ROAS is. This means the agency is hitting their revenue targets regardless of whether you’re hitting yours. When you’re paying $3,000 a month and getting a 2:1 ROAS, you’re essentially paying someone to break even on your marketing. 

Misaligned incentives: The agency may not prioritise achieving agreed-upon goals since they get paid regardless of the campaign's success. They might be managing 20 other clients and as long as they’re keeping everyone happy, they’re meeting their own business goals. It’s not because they don’t care, it’s because the traditional model doesn’t reward exceptional performance, it rewards consistency and client retention. 

Long-term contract pressure: Many agencies lock you into a 6 - 12 month contract, which can feel terrifying if you’re already cash flow constrained. You're committing to tens of thousands of dollars in fees before you know if the relationship will work. At your revenue level, getting locked into an underperforming agency relationship could not only be frustrating but business-threatening.

This traditional model can often leave those who need marketing support and are ready to grow as the ones who can least afford the risk.

What if your agency's income was tied to your results?

Imagine working with a marketing partner whose success was directly linked to yours. Where they prospered when you did. Where your wins became their wins, and they had an additional incentive to push your campaigns to maximum performance.

That's exactly what our new pay-per-performance model can offer.

Why this model works perfectly for $20k or more revenue businesses

We've developed a completely different approach for e-commerce businesses stuck in the $20k or more monthly revenue range and not able to scale. Instead of the traditional agency model, we offer a performance-based partnership that adjusts with your results.

Here's how it works:

Commission-based performance payment structure

Say goodbye to big, fixed monthly retainers that can hinder your cash flow regardless of the results. Say hello to our unique commission-based performance model where you only pay the minimum performance fee to cover our hard costs needed for the campaigns. 

At the end of the month, if we reach profitability targets, you may also pay a small commission. This rate is based on the results we’re able to achieve. If we don’t achieve the targets, you don’t pay the commission. 

Performance-based pricing

If your commission is never higher than the performance payment, then that’s all you’ll pay per month. Commission will only kick in when it is higher than the minimum performance payment. This means our hard costs are covered, but we are then only getting paid more for our performance. Get better results? We earn more commission. Results plateau? So does our commission. Our income is tied to our performance. It's that simple. 

True partnership alignment

When you win, we win. When your revenue grows, our income grows. We're not just your agency, we're your growth partner with more skin in the game. No need to renegotiate contracts or find new agencies as you scale. We’re incentivised to pursue the strategies that deliver the highest returns for your business, even if they require more work from us. We become invested in your business growth in a way that most traditional agencies can’t match. In addition to this, as the business scales, we will reinvest back into your business creating a true partnership.

Less risk for you

The traditional agency risk is eliminated. If we don't perform, we don't get paid the big dollars. Our performance model means we’re betting our time, expertise and resources on our ability to grow your business. You’re not wondering if you can afford another month of agency fees if results don’t materialise. Focus on other areas of your business, confident that your marketing agency shares your commitment to achieving positive results. 

How the performance model differs from traditional agencies

If you want to know how pay-per-performance marketing works, check out our complete guide to pay-for-performance marketing blog.

The key difference is instead of paying for time and hoping for results, you're paying for actual outcomes. We track specific performance metrics that matter to your business. These are usually ROAS, revenue growth, or customer acquisition cost. Compensation is directly tied to improvements in these areas.

Breaking through the monthly sales ceiling

We have helped other ecommerce businesses that are stuck at the same monthly revenue every month. We found common patterns that hold them back.

• Inconsistent ad spend
• Lack of systematic testing
• Fear of investment
• Limited expertise
• Not enough quality creative that target specific pain points
• Not enough time spent identifying new opportunities
• Incorrect or inconsistent messaging
• Lack of knowledge on how to master the sales funnel process
• Lack of understanding of how AI works on the various platforms like Meta and Google
• How to and when to effectively scale a brand while maintaining a profitable ROAS

Our performance model addresses these issues. We bring consistent investment, systematic optimisation, guaranteed accountability, and expert management, all without the traditional agency risks.

This isn't about working harder or faster

This isn't about us working harder for performance clients versus retainer clients. We bring the same level of expertise, dedication, and strategic thinking to every partnership. 

This model is about aligning value based on a common goal. We make sure to set priorities based on maximising profitability as that is the main goal for our e-commerce clients.

The performance model also doesn’t lock you in to only getting a set amount of hours out of your agency. You aren’t billed based on time, you’re billed based on results. This can be a game-changer for an e-commerce brand when they have specific goals and want to scale without spending more on marketing.

The reinvestment model that shares success and fuels growth

Our performance-based model is built on a simple principle: that when our clients grow we grow too. In keeping with this theme, we have introduced a reinvestment structure that rewards strong performance with increased creative support. 

After a period of time of exceeding agreed sales targets, we can offer to reinvest a portion of our commission back into your campaigns by increasing our creative work. This ensures the creative output keeps pace with the demands of scaling. 

To support this, the additional creative production comes at no added cost to you. 

This approach reflects our confidence in the strategy, our commitment to your long-term growth and our willingness to invest in you. As performance continues to scale, so too will our contribution. This ensures that every dollar invested drives measurable, lasting results. 

Want to break through your revenue ceiling with us?

If you feel stuck with your $20k or more monthly revenue, reach out to explore other options. We're here to be your true performance partner. You can also check out our pay-for-performance e-book to find out even more.

Our pay-per-performance model isn't right for every business. It's for ambitious e-commerce businesses looking to scale with reduced risk while still accessing top marketing expertise.

The question isn't whether you can afford to try this approach; it's whether you can afford to stay stuck where you are.

Ready to scale your business with a true performance partner? Contact us to learn how our pay-for-performance model can help you increase your revenue.