Remember all the uncertainty in 2020 with COVID and how it all turned into sunshine and roses? It was thrilling to be in the land of ecommerce growth and cheap working capital and 10x multiples. Those days are gone, and they’re not coming back — at least not in that form.

Revenue and ROAS don’t matter if your cash is running low. The real metric of success is cash in the bank — sustainable, buildable, reliable cash. Not the spike. Not the dashboard number. The actual dollars available to fund your next move, pay your team, and keep the lights on. Build toward that metric. It’s the one that keeps you in the game long enough to win.