How PetLab Co. Made $100M in Year 2 Using Ecommerce, Paid Media, and a Well-Executed Funnel
PetLab Co. is a fast-growing brand that sells dog products like probiotics and dental supplements. What’s impressive isn’t just their revenue—$100M in their second year—but how they achieved it: validating products with ads before production, scaling with paid media, and building a high-converting funnel.
In this article, I break down their entire strategy and how you can apply it to your business. You’ll also find a video walkthrough, access to their funnel design in Figma, and a document with real examples of ads, emails, and product pages.
Validate Before You Build
Before producing any product, PetLab Co. runs ads to validate demand. If people click, engage, or even pre-order, they move forward with manufacturing. This reduces risk and ensures that every product has a market.
This mindset is key: they don’t assume— they test.
Sales Channels: Control the Experience
They sell across marketplaces like Amazon and big-box retailers like Chewy and Walmart. However, their main sales driver is their own ecommerce store.
Why ecommerce matters:
Higher profit margins.
Full control over the customer journey.
Ability to collect and use customer data.
Easier to generate repeat purchases and upsell.
Selling direct allows them to scale profitably and build long-term brand equity.
Driving Traffic: Paid Media as the Growth Engine
PetLab Co. uses multiple channels—SEO, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X—but Facebook Ads is their core driver.
They invest $5M–$10M/month in paid ads because:
It allows for rapid, predictable scaling.
Every action is measurable.
Ads are optimized in real-time to reduce CAC and boost ROAS.
Paid media fuels their entire growth system.
The Funnel, Step by Step
Here’s how they guide a user from seeing an ad to becoming a loyal customer—and how each step connects to the next.
Top of Funnel Ads (TOF) – The hook Problem-driven ads grab attention (e.g., “This could drain your dog’s happiness”). These click-worthy pain points drive users to the next step.
Pre-Sell Article – Build trust Ads lead users to an educational article addressing their concern and introducing a solution. This warms up cold traffic and builds authority before selling.
Retargeting Ads – Overcome objections If users don’t convert, they see success stories and testimonials via retargeting ads. This social proof reduces skepticism and encourages purchase.
Optimized Product Page – Convert Retargeting ads drive to a high-converting product page designed for CRO (conversion rate optimization) and AOV (average order value). Small tweaks here = big revenue gains.
Abandoned Cart Emails – Recover sales If someone leaves without buying, automated emails remind them, address objections, and offer incentives to complete the purchase.
Post-Purchase Upsell – Boost order value After buying, users see an upsell page with related products at a discount. This maximizes order value instantly.
VIP Community – Increase LTV Buyers are invited to join a private community, which fosters loyalty, increases repeat purchases, and boosts lifetime value (LTV).
How to Build a Funnel Like This
Step 1: Research
Understand your audience:
Desires: what they want.
Fears: what they want to avoid.
Frustrations: what they’ve tried that didn’t work.
Objections: what’s stopping them from buying.
Where to look:
Reddit, Quora
Amazon reviews
Competitor testimonials
Keyword research, Answerthepublic
Log everything into a document and use ChatGPT or Jasper to generate ad copy, social posts, blog content, and more.
Step 2: Strategy
Create an irresistible product offer.
Find ways to increase AOV (bundles, upsells).
Develop TOF ad angles and personas.
Write a high-value pre-sell article.
Craft MOF/BOF messages (mid and bottom of funnel).
Build an email sequence for abandoned carts, post-purchase, and retention.
Step 3: Implement & Test
Which offer performs best? (price, product, copy)
Which ads get more clicks and purchases? (copy, creatives, formats)
Which emails have better open and click rates? (subject lines, content)
Optimize based on real data, and scale what works.
Final Thoughts
PetLab Co. shows that with the right product validation, ecommerce strategy, and funnel execution, it’s possible to scale to 8 figures fast. The secret? Understand your customer, solve real problems, and guide them through a frictionless journey.
Choosing the Right E-commerce Platform to Scale Your Brand
Your e-commerce platform is the foundation of your business. It determines how fast you launch, how efficiently you scale, and how profitable you can become. Yet most brands treat this decision as a technical detail—when in reality, it’s one of the most strategic choices you’ll make.
The Two Metrics That Will Transform Your Online Store: Conversion Rate & Average Order Value
Most online brands obsess over traffic. But traffic alone doesn't pay the bills. Two metrics have the power to radically shift your revenue: Conversion Rate (CR) and Average Order Value (AOV).
How PetLab Co. Made $100M in Year 2 Using Ecommerce, Paid Media, and a Well-Executed Funnel
PetLab Co. is a fast-growing brand that sells dog products like probiotics and dental supplements. What’s impressive isn’t just their revenue—$100M in their second year—but how they achieved it: