your CAC doubled overnight

In 2021… everything changed.

I remember the exact week iOS 14.5 rolled out.

Tracking broke. CAC shot through the roof.
Brands that thought they were stable… weren’t.

Why?

Because they didn’t own their channels.
They were renting from Apple… renting from Meta… and overnight, the rent doubled.

For one of my brands, we went from a predictable ad machine… to chaos.
Same offers. Same creative. Same funnels.
But suddenly, nothing worked.

It was the most important lesson of that year:
If you don’t own the channel… you don’t own the business.

Fast forward to today…

Platforms keep changing the rules.
Meta tweaks an algorithm… your CAC doubles.
Tariffs shift… your margin disappears.
TikTok could flip tomorrow… and where would you be?

Smart founders don’t gamble.
They diversify into owned channels that:

… promote you even when Meta doesn’t
… get cheaper over time (relationships > auctions)
… create a safety net when the next update hits
… compound, making your paid ads more effective

And the best “owned channel” most brands are missing?

Your influencer community.

It’s like an email list… but social.
Once you own the relationships, no platform can rip them away.

That’s why I’ve partnered with SARAL (getsaral.com).

SARAL helps you own your creator community:

… all your influencers in one place
… campaigns activated on your terms
… a moat around your brand that only gets stronger with time

I’ve always believed in owning whatever community you can…
Email. SMS. And now, influencer communities.

If you’re tired of building your business on rented land…
👉 Check out SARAL here

Because the next “iOS 14.5 moment” is always just around the corner.

Jordan West

Ps. Speaking Of Owned Channels I just sat down with Caleb Alvarez (who literally engineers virality for founder led content in DTC)

You should definitely check out this interview!