The holiday shipping cutoff doesn’t end the year. It flips the calendar into Q5 — the six-week window where intent spikes, CPMs collapse, and the best customer cohorts of the year are born.

In this episode of the Podcast, we break down why Q5 is the Super Bowl for health & wellness brands and how operators should think about acquisition, offers, and retention heading into January.

Joining the conversation:

Dean Brennan, CEO of Heart & Soil
Dave Huffman, Co-Founder of Fifth Hammer

Together, we unpack:

Why Q5 is an identity-change moment and why that matters for conversion
The December 23 CPM floor and how media economics reset overnight
Volume vs. efficiency: when it makes sense to scale CAC in Q5
Community-led challenges vs. frictionless acquisition models
Why most growth comes from light buyers, not superfans
How January cohorts outperform the rest of the year in LTV
The “acquire + harvest” strategy that carries brands through all 12 months

If you’re a founder or marketer in supplements, health, beauty, or subscription ecommerce, this episode is your reminder that the year isn’t won in Q4 — it’s won in Q5.

Show Notes:

TaxCloud has you covered: https://taxcloud.com/thread/
Explore the PROPHIT System: http://prophitsystem.com

The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questions you might have

Welcome to Q5: The Most Important Quarter You’re Ignoring

Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles &amp; Growth

Welcome to Q5: The Most Important Quarter You’re Ignoring

Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth