Growth plan for Hard Yakka, 6 Oct 2026
Scale spend. Hold CAC.
Hard Yakka already sells workwear at deep markdowns: the Men's Quilted Shacket from $35.14, original $100.39. The plan turns that into tested creator video and protects one number: a target CAC of $16.80.
- Target CAC
- $16.80
- New ads a week at peak
- 20
- Creators live by week six
- 10
- Test spend, six weeks
- $24,000
Contents
10 chapters, then the gates and every number’s source.
01 The number
One number protects a $35.14 shacket and a $51.53 boot
The one number to protect is CAC. On a $35 average order at a 40% margin with one repeat order, the ceiling is $28.00. I hold the guard line at $16.80. Those inputs are guesses until your data replaces them, and every test is judged against that line.
Protect
Target CAC: $16.80 on a first purchase
Ceiling = average order × margin × (1 + repeat orders): $35 × 40% × (1 + 1) = $28.00. Guard line = 0.6 × $28.00 = $16.80. Across the ranges: $3.44 to $135.53.
Three moves
- Kill any ad that sits above the guard line of $16.80 once its test spend is used.
- Move budget only to ads that hold target CAC for several days running.
- Report CAC daily so a drift shows up before the next budget decision.
- Men's Quilted Shacket from price, against an original $100.39
- $35.14
- Published
- Order value above which shipping is free
- $150
- Published
- Months of manufacturer's warranty on footwear
- 6
- Published
02 Variety
Trousers, boots and flannel each need their own hook
Each concept has to carry one reason to buy: a markdown like the Men's Check Flannel Shirt at $23.42 against $66.92, a fabric spec like 260gsm cotton twill, or a boot built for a job. One hook, one variable per test.
| Reason to buy | Proof you already have | Ads (proposed) |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric specs in plain sight | 240gsm, Ripstop 60% cotton, 38% polyester, 2% elastane | 6 |
| Built for the toughest jobs | Built for the toughest jobs, our legendary apparel combines durability with modern comfort and style. | 4 |
| Real markdown on the shacket | From $35.14 Original: $100.39 | 2 |
| Six-month boot warranty | comes with a 6-month manufacturer's warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | 2 |
| Thirty-day returns | We accept returns within 30 days of purchase | 2 |
| What customers say | Incredible durability and fit. | 1 |
| Free shipping over $150 | Free Shipping (Orders over $150) | 1 |
| Total | The ad concepts tab | 18 |
Each row is a reason to buy that the brand already has proof for. The count is how many of the ads carry it: a reason with a single ad is a bet, not a pattern, and the next batch of concepts moves toward the reasons that win.
03 Disturbances
Worn-or-washed garments can't be returned, and that is a risk
| Disturbance | Likelihood | Impact | Owner | Gate (proposed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worn-or-washed garments can't be returned, so size doubt may hold buyers back | Med | High | Both | Size-related returns reviewed weekly; pause an ad if sizing complaints rise two weeks running |
| Markdowns to $35.14 from $100.39 may attract bargain buyers who never reorder | Med | High | Me | Monthly cohort payback checked; stop any offer whose buyers never repay CAC |
| Creators miss the job-site look and the clip feels staged | Med | Med | Me | Reject any video where the creator isn't working in the gear on a real job |
| Boot ads drift beyond the 6-month warranty wording | Low | High | Me | Every boot ad checked against the claims sheet before launch; zero unapproved claims |
| Tracking gaps hide true CAC from the first week | High | High | Your team | Purchase events verified end to end before first spend; spend waits until they match orders |
| Free shipping over $150 may not lift a $28.11 trouser order | Med | Med | Both | Average order value read weekly; test the offer only if it holds target CAC |
| Shipping takes 3-7 business days, so delivery doubts could stall first orders | Med | Low | Your team | Delivery complaints counted weekly; escalate when they rise two weeks running |
Scores are my read from outside the company, re-scored in week one with your data. Each risk has one owner and one gate that can be checked with a number, so nobody has to argue about whether it happened.
04 The ceiling
The $28.00 ceiling is a guess until week one replaces it
| Line | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Average order | $35 (range $6.56–$100.39) | Assumption Range from the site product prices (Published); the midpoint is a guess |
| Gross margin | 40% (range 35–45%) | Assumption Replace in week one |
| Repeat orders after the first | 1 (range 0.5–2) | Assumption Replace with cohort data in week one |
| Margin per customer, all orders | $28.00 | Calculated Average order × margin × (1 + repeat orders) |
| Guard line for CAC | $16.80 | Calculated 0.6 × the margin per customer |
The math, with the assumed lines
Ceiling = average order × margin × (1 + repeat orders): $35 × 40% × (1 + 1) = $28.00. Guard line = 0.6 × $28.00 = $16.80. Across the ranges: $3.44 to $135.53.
Range across the assumptions: $3 to $136.
None of these inputs come from your books. They are guesses: $35 average order, 40% margin, one repeat order, giving $28.00. Week one replaces all three with your numbers.
The ceiling is a range, not one number: the most a new customer can cost before shipping and packaging, which I do not have. Replace the guessed lines with yours and every figure below recalculates.
05 Test ramp
Six weeks of tests cost $24,000 before any scale-up
| Week | New ads × budget / ad (proposed) | Weekly test spend | Cumulative | Creators posting | CAC target (proposed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 × $250 | $3,000 | $3,000 | 0 | $17 |
| 2 | 12 × $250 | $3,000 | $6,000 | 2 | $17 |
| 3 | 12–20 × $250 | $4,000 | $10,000 | 4 | $17 |
| 4 | 12–20 × $250 | $4,000 | $14,000 | 6 | $17 |
| 5 | 20 × $250 | $5,000 | $19,000 | 8 | $17 |
| 6 | 20 × $250 | $5,000 | $24,000 | 10 | $17 |
Six weeks, Proposed. Weeks one and two test 12 ads each. Weeks three and four test 12–20 ads. Weeks five and six test 20 ads. Each ad gets $250, so tests total $24,000 and no ad spends long before a verdict.
The math. Week 1: 12 × $250 = $3,000; Week 2: 12 × $250 = $3,000; Week 3: 16 × $250 = $4,000; Week 4: 16 × $250 = $4,000; Week 5: 20 × $250 = $5,000; Week 6: 20 × $250 = $5,000. Total $24,000 (96 ads × $250). A range such as 12–20 counts as its midpoint.
Weeks one and two test what the brand already has, rewritten per reason to buy. From week three, creator videos enter paid only after they beat their own account median. A range of new ads counts as its midpoint in the spend column.
06 Volume
More concepts find more winners for the Raptor range
Each extra concept is another draw at a winner. Hit rate and spend per winner are assumptions: 20 concepts give 2 winners and $18,000 added; 80 give 8 and $72,000. More winners let spend rise while CAC holds.
| Concepts tested / month | Hit rate (assumed) | New winners / month | Spend each winner holds (assumed) | Added spend at target CAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 10% | 2 | $300 / day | $18,000 / month |
| 40 | 10% | 4 | $300 / day | $36,000 / month |
| 60 | 10% | 6 | $300 / day | $54,000 / month |
| 80 | 10% | 8 | $300 / day | $72,000 / month |
The math. 20 concepts × 10% = 2 winners × $300 × 30 days = $18,000 a month; 40 concepts × 10% = 4 winners × $300 × 30 days = $36,000 a month; 60 concepts × 10% = 6 winners × $300 × 30 days = $54,000 a month; 80 concepts × 10% = 8 winners × $300 × 30 days = $72,000 a month.
The hit rate and the spend each winner holds are placeholders. The first thirty days of tests replace them with real numbers, and the table is recalculated the same day.
07 Allocation
$100,000 goes where the shacket and boots prove out
- Test ads on Meta across trousers, boots and outerwear
- $45,000
- 45%
- Creator pay for tradie, builder and landscaper videos
- $25,000
- 25%
- Scale spend behind winners that hold $16.80 CAC
- $20,000
- 20%
- Landing pages for the shacket, Raptor and boot ranges
- $10,000
- 10%
Proposed split of the $100,000 budget; scale spend only grows once a winner holds the guard line, so the shares can shift.
The math. 45% × $100,000 = $45,000; 25% × $100,000 = $25,000; 20% × $100,000 = $20,000; 10% × $100,000 = $10,000. Sum 100% = $100,000.
This split is a proposal. It moves toward scaling as winners prove out, and toward testing when fatigue shows.
08 Channels
Meta first for a $51.53 boot with a 6-month warranty
| Channel | Open when (proposed) | Why wait |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | Week one, once purchase tracking matches orders | Broad reach for tradies, builders and landscapers; the fastest place to test creator video |
| TikTok | When two Meta videos hold the guard line of $16.80 | Same creator clips with shorter hooks; work-day footage suits short video |
| YouTube Shorts | After the first winners prove out on Meta | Boot and jacket demos reuse cut-downs without new shoots |
| Google Shopping | When Meta CAC holds and the product data is clean | Catches people already searching for safety boots and work trousers |
| After the first orders land | Repeat orders carry the $28.00 ceiling, so they are worth capturing |
A channel opens when its condition is true, not when the calendar says so. Until then the budget stays where the CAC is earned.
09 Payback
Free shipping over $150 does not fix a failing payback
Payback is the real constraint, not reach. At a CAC of $10 the first order pays back, with $18.00 left. At $15 it pays back after repeat orders, $13.00 left. At $30 it never does, −$2.00 left, so I stop. At $40 it is −$12.00.
Cumulative margin per customer, order by order, before CAC: $14.00, $28.00.
| CAC (scenario) | First-order margin | Year-one margin | Left after CAC | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $14.00 | $28.00 | $18.00 | First order |
| $15 | $14.00 | $28.00 | $13.00 | After repeat orders |
| $30 | $14.00 | $28.00 | −$2.00 | Never: stop |
| $40 | $14.00 | $28.00 | −$12.00 | Never: stop |
The math. CAC $10: $28.00 − $10 = $18.00 left; pays back: First order; CAC $15: $28.00 − $15 = $13.00 left; pays back: After repeat orders; CAC $30: $28.00 − $30 = −$2.00 left; pays back: Never: stop; CAC $40: $28.00 − $40 = −$12.00 left; pays back: Never: stop.
Read each row left to right: the margin of the first purchase, the margin over the whole horizon, what is left after CAC, and the purchase on which the CAC is earned back. A scenario that never pays back is a stop, not a test.
10 Scope
I run creative for the UK shop; your team owns tracking
Covers
- Creative strategy and ad testing for the Hard Yakka shop
- Creator briefs for tradies, builders and landscapers
- A claims sheet built from your own returns and warranty wording
- Daily CAC, weekly learnings, monthly cohort payback
Doesn’t
- Event tracking: I'd spec it, your team builds it
- Stock, shipping and returns handling
- Decisions on pricing and markdowns
- Anything I haven't seen: your ad account and numbers
What this plan covers is what I can change inside the ad account and the creator program. Everything outside it is named on the right so nobody assumes it is handled.
Gates, written before spend, so stopping isn’t a negotiation.
| Day | Keep going if (proposed) | Stop or change if |
|---|---|---|
| Day 14 | Tracking matches orders and at least one ad sits under the guard line of $16.80 | Purchase events still don't match orders |
| Day 30 | Creators are live, a first winner is found and blended CAC is at or under $16.80 | CAC stays above $28.00 after the full test spend |
| Day 60 | Spend has risen while CAC holds at or under $16.80 | CAC above $28.00 for two weeks running |
| Day 90 | Cohort payback shows repeat orders cover CAC, so spend keeps scaling | Cohorts never repay CAC: stop, don't scale |
Each gate is checked on its day with the numbers in the daily and weekly reports. If the stop condition is true, the spend stops and nothing renews until we talk.
What exists, what’s missing, and the order that’s forced.
| Piece | Exists today | Missing | Forced order |
|---|---|---|---|
| creative | Markdowns: Men's Sherpa Jacket from $35.14, was $100.39 | Tested hooks and a hook library | 1st |
| creators | Work trousers, flannel shirts and safety boots to film | A creator roster and briefs | 2nd |
| claims sheet | Warranty and returns wording on the shop | One approved sheet for ad claims | Week 1 |
| landing pages | 24 products with prices on the store page | Pages per hook and per creator | 2nd |
| reporting | Orders over $150 ship free, a number to track | Event tracking and a CAC dashboard | 1st |
The order is forced on purpose: creative and creators come first because they are what moves CAC, and everything else waits for that data.
Every number, and where it came from.
| Figure | Where it came from | Type |
|---|---|---|
| $35.14 Men's Quilted Shacket from price, against an original $100.39 | https://hardyakka.shop/products/mens-quilted-shacket-fern | Fact |
| $150 Order value above which shipping is free | https://hardyakka.shop/shipping | Fact |
| 6 Months of manufacturer's warranty on footwear | https://hardyakka.shop/faq | Fact |
| Product prices $6.56–$100.39 | product prices in the site product data (13 products), read 2026-10-06 | Fact |
| $35 average order · 40% margin · 1 repeat order | Placeholders, replaced in week one | Assumed |
| $16.80 target CAC | 0.6 of the $28.00 margin per customer | Calculated |
| $28.00 margin per customer | Price × (margin − discount), summed over the orders | Calculated |
| $24,000 of tests (96 ads × $250) | Danilo’s plan, matches Month one | Calculated |
| 0→10 creators in 6 weeks · 7 videos per creator a week | Danilo’s plan, matches Month one and the Creator engine | Proposed |
| $100,000 first budget split 45% / 25% / 20% / 10% | Danilo’s plan, re-set with the team in week one | Calculated |
| 10% hit rate · $300 a day per winner | Placeholders, replaced by the first 30 days of tests | Assumed |
| 303 creator videos a month at 10 creators | 10 creators × 7 videos a week × 52 ÷ 12 | Calculated |
| $5.74 per 1,000 views against a $1 target | Creator cost over the views the assumptions give | Calculated |
| $1,000 base pay · $50 bonus past 100,000 views | Danilo’s plan | Proposed |
| 1,500 median views · 4% breakout (10×) · 0.5% viral (750,000) | Placeholders, replaced by the first month of posts | Assumed |
| Pay bands $300–$600, $500–$1,000, $800–$1,500 | Danilo’s plan | Proposed |
Every figure on this page is listed here with where it came from. Fact means read on the site. Assumed and Proposed are Danilo’s own numbers, to be replaced in week one. Calculated is plain arithmetic on those, with the formula shown next to it.
Month one is where it starts.
Week one: I read your tracking with your team, write the claims sheet from your returns and warranty wording, and brief the first creators. The first twelve ads go live with $3,000 of tests behind them. Proposed.
