Sterling Montes

Ending dandruff @byeflakes • Growth Marketer #dtc Past: @loveyourboka (acq) @Nectarsleep / @Dreamcloud • Consulting:

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@zachmstuck @itmebenjamin @mengotomars @elonmusk

[corbin @corbin_braun]

Pitch me your startup in 0 words

[Ashwinn @Shwinnabego]

Run clubs, but for drinking

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@zachglabman I 100% comprehend

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@iiiitsandrea lol

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@ashvinmelwani how did you get this far without ever doing a founder video

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@AmandaMGoetz Ira Glass @iraglass

[Christina Farhat @farhatchristina]

why is everyone on LinkedIn thrilled

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@peterczepiga Yewwww

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@connorrolain

[Chris @citehchris]

putting a 3rd caffeinated drink in your anxiety riddled body big dawg?

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@aaronistan need this

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@thesamparr Mexico City

[Jesse Pujji @jspujji]

One founder I know sleeps 3 hours a night and mainlines Red Bull.

Another runs a bigger company and coaches his daughter's basketball team.

They both face the same chaos, but one is thriving while the other’s dying.

What the hell is the difference?

I spent years obsessing over this. I read every leadership book and hired a bunch of coaches.

Then I stumbled on this simple concept that sounds like corporate BS:

"Above the Line" vs "Below the Line" thinking.

⬇️ Below the Line:

you're in fight-or-flight mode 24/7. Every email feels like a fire and every meeting is a battle.

⬆️ Above the Line:

same shitstorm, different brain. You're curious instead of defensive. Problems become puzzles.

Sounds simple, but it’s not.

So I created this stupid-simple daily check-in. Like, embarrassingly basic. Five questions I ask myself every morning. Takes 2 minutes.

Then I track what sends me "below the line" (aka Zoom calls 😂).

After a few weeks, my COO pulled me aside and said "whatever you're doing, keep doing it."

I'm not saying this fixes everything. Your burn rate is still your burn rate.

But if you're tired of feeling like you're constantly putting out fires with gasoline...

I turned my whole system into a PDF. The exact questions, the trigger tracker, everything.

Drop "️‍🔥" in the comments if you want it. I'll DM you the link.

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@MaxLanglois3 @PhilKiel We added cost caps, cpa is better but volume is down 63%

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@thesamparr My recent personal favorite is this one... 👀❄️
https://t.co/QfSFnuFEYg

[Sam Parr @thesamparr]

Flakes.

A new(ish) dandruff shampoo brand.

I'm getting SO MANY ads from it on social (yeah, ya boy's flaky).

I've never seen such captivating ads. They tell a story and are very, very attention getting.

Anyone else getting these? They're amazing.

[Drew Fallon @drewfallon12]

UNILEVER TO ACQUIRE MEN'S CARE BRAND DR SQUATCH

Private Equity group summit partners was reportedly exploring a $2B sale last year for the brand when it was generating $90m in EBITDA

Dr. Squatch raised one VC round before being acquired by Summit in 2021

2024 sales for Dr Squatch were reported to be ~$400m with EBITDA at $90m, implying EBITDA margins over 20%

Some comps:
- Touchland: 16x EBITDA
- Hero: 14x
- Naturium: 21x
- Aesop: 20x

There's a REALLY good chance this EBITDA multiple surpasses Aesop's when it was acquired for $2.5B by L'Oreal. Dr. Squatch has reached a very critical scale appealing to an audience that has not really been cracked since Axe.

Axe, also owned by Unilever, has been on a decline and Unilever's overall personal care segment shrank 1.5% last year with ~$14B in sales, so effecitvely subbing in Dr. Squatch for Axe makes a ton of sense.

What a day for Men's care!!!

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@CoryDobbin GPT

[Sterling Montes @sterswords]

@connorrolain Bison > field mice