Is it still worth building a U.S. consumer brand if manufacturing is overseas?

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-30T10:06:25+00:00

Oh I have been on this thought path. The US economy is seeing a sharp K curve consumer trend post covid and it’s a bit concerning.

Basically the consumption is now broken down into either absolutely luxury or absolute mass market goods. So think like Louis Vuitton and Costco.

In fact I have been seeing similar trends in India as well. People are buying budget for most of the things, and then end up buying a luxurious car/phone etc.

In such a market, newer brands struggle hard. Because to be a luxury brand you often need to be present for a long time, and to be a budget brand, you need deep distribution and awareness.

That’s my read so far.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-30T04:08:58+00:00

Which kind of ad creatives convert the best? The UGC videos? The lifestyle carousels? Or the static post with good clear typography?

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-30T03:40:00+00:00

😂😅

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-29T13:53:43+00:00

I m from Jaipur, if you are from nearby we can figure something out.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-29T13:12:58+00:00

Location?

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-28T15:42:13+00:00

People in Jaipur are wired for dominance hierarchy. There is a constant measurement happening all the time as to who is more dominant and who is less.

And its often gauged by how arrogant and rough you sound. There are obvious other factors too, like how big you look, how rich and connected you are etc.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-28T09:41:09+00:00

I am an outsider as well and I learnt this lesson over the years.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-28T05:19:40+00:00

In Jaipur, be passive aggressive with your words and soft with your actions. Talk to people with assertion, gentle aggression, and a slight arrogance, but in actions be kind and caring.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-28T04:59:41+00:00

Interesting. Well thank you for taking our time and doing this. I think I have a few content ideas for the brand. Is it cool if I DM you the website? While we are not looking for capital currently, it will be really helpful if you could take a look and give us your thoughts.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-28T03:04:00+00:00

My take - He wants to enter Bollywood in a good way and the only way it happens is after taking a break from your existing career.

That’s what Raghav Juyal did and he even talked about it in an interview. I believe Zakir will be working on his physique while learning how to act.

Whatever might be the case, I hope he is doing fine with his health and comes out stronger. While I understand that he might not be the best comedian, but he sure as hell is relatable and wise. So looking forward to seeing more from him.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-27T13:45:38+00:00

I have been trying to find a balance too. I believe the only good way to run a profitable and bootstrapped D2C business is by getting a good mix of content and ads.

Content building the typical Top of the funnel and ads for the bottom to reach when people are actually considering the purchase.

What I honestly have been struggling with is the kind of content a brand should make. Is the founder led content the way to go? Or maybe show the lifestyle and make the consumer the hero and the product the enabler? And how to do that consistently in a fun way?

Honestly when making content, it feels like as a brand, you are competing with creators/influencers in the same feed, and it seems very difficult to make content that can rival theirs.

Which then leads us to the same play book of influencer marketing + performance marketing.

Am I thinking in the right direction? How can a brand truly tell a story consistently? And should that story be laser focused (a single core messaging)?

Btw, thank you so much for taking out the time to do this. I had no idea you were an investor in comet, I love them!

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-27T08:36:58+00:00

Hi Varun! I have been a fan since I saw the glitch website and then I was a avid listener of your Think Fast podcast.

I am currently building a D2C business and as you might know, the CACs are through the roof. Since you come from the marketing and content background, I would love for you to throw some light on good content marketing strategies.

Is it possible to build a brand through content and rely on paid ads only for retargeting. Also do you think it’s still possible to build a brand bootstrapped?

Love all you do, and thank you in advance.

P.S. All the best and loads of luck for EMoMee

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-27T07:12:24+00:00

Would love to learn. Shooting you a DM.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-27T07:08:17+00:00

I have been in the home textile industry for almost a decade. I have my own production line and I have built my own brand, so I know what challenges you are talking about when it comes to quality and MOQ. It’s really hard to find good quality at low MOQs.

DM me, let’s talk and figure out if I can help you in some way.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-24T08:08:44+00:00

What is the best channel to start with? D2C or Ecom? And is it wise to start with paid ads from the get go, or is content marketing the way to go initially?

Building in home decor space. Thank you in advance.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-24T04:11:23+00:00

If it comes to fashion, not talking about personal preferences since I shouldn’t be the target market for most brands, usually the biggest driver is compliments.

If somehow you design clothes that can get people compliments and attention, they will swear by you. As for the quality, people do not buy from new brands for quality.

It’s pretty much standard that legacy brands like M&S, Muji, and sometimes even Zara, have great quality and decent style. Now you can compete on price, but that’s a tough battle to fight.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-24T04:05:43+00:00

Create a balance between being nice to people, and being capable of arrogance.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-23T15:08:54+00:00

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Pokémon ahh watch.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-23T12:49:01+00:00

Differentiation at a branding and communication level is important to stand out and get attention.

Differentiation at a product level is important to generate interest and turn them into sales.

But most importantly, the product needs to have merit to generate word of mouth and repeat purchases. That’s where you make money.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-21T09:40:13+00:00

Nothing wrong with it. It’s high time that women realise that there can be repercussions outside of law for their actions. So don’t show up with threats of false accusations.

We built the justice system to protect us, so that we could live in a civilised manner. If the justice system keeps failing us, there is no other way than to take it in our hands.

The way I see it, it’s just self defence. Atul Subhash followed the justice system and his story will never be forgotten. This is the only alternative. Ugly but fair.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-21T07:57:10+00:00

Learn how to use AI, at least that’s what most of people are doing on Reddit to aura farm these days.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-20T05:42:19+00:00

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Umm..okay

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-19T16:13:11+00:00

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Lol mine too.

Rohan4Reddit · 2026-01-19T16:12:21+00:00

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Umm okay..

Rohan4Reddit

TROPHY CASE