Meta vs. Margin: Why Reasonable Goals Win Long-Term
The Andrew Faris Podcast
Operational Discipline and the Limits of AI
Andrew cautions that operational processes and AI implementation take time and effort to yield reliable results.
MOVE SUPPLY CHAIN
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RICHPANEL
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What if the biggest risk to your brand isn’t competition or CPMs - it's how you define success?
In this episode, Andrew walks through a practical framework for setting reasonable, operator-grade goals using EOS (10-year → 3-year → 1-year → quarterly), then pressure-testing those goals against your real constraints: product pipeline, supply chain, hiring, onboarding, and P&L design. We dig into why “rocket ship” thinking so often creates chaos: over-hiring, over-buying inventory, and chasing vanity targets - and how durable brands actually grow: methodically, with clear success criteria and a bias toward profitability.
You’ll learn how to translate vision into numbers; why returning-customer mix lowers CAC% over time; how to engineer margin through supplier work (terms, lead times, BOM interrogation); and when to seize moments without over-leveraging. Real operator cases—Born Primitive, Simple Modern, Natural Dog Company, CTC—illustrate why steady compounding beats aggressive targets that break systems. If you want a calmer calendar and a fatter P&L, this is the playbook.
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CHAPTER TITLES:
00:01:06 - Using EOS As a Framework
00:04:10 - What Is Motivating You & Your Goals (For Your Business)
00:07:42 - How Can Your Vision Be A Constraint?
00:09:01 - Examples of Great Brands
00:16:16 - Andrew defines a Rocketship Business
00:19:10 - Good Businesses Build Steady Overtime
00:25:31 - The Secret Sauce Brands Are Using To Grow
00:28:33 - Maximizing Key Moments
00:30:34 - P&L Design
00:32:53 - Don’t Let The Promise of A.I. Fool You
00:34:49 - Goals for AJF Growth
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ADMISSION
Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast
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FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW
X: https://x.com/andrewjfaris
Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com
Work with Andrew: https://ajfgrowth.com
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