Lucas Gabriele

Last month, Youdji hit $4,000,000 ARR. no funding. 2 people (my cousin and me). and no, we’re not a SaaS or an AI company 🧵 here’s how we got there ↓

$4M ARR isn’t massive for a marketplace (hence why we’re still broke). But it’s real. It’s growing. while AI will flood the internet with soulless noise human creation will keep defining what’s real let’s roll!

today, thousands of brands and agencies use it daily to source real, human UGC. I’ve lost count of how many US marketers told me: “how the f*ck are you not bigger in the US already?” It’s coming!

Last month, Youdji hit $4,000,000 ARR. no funding. 2 people (my cousin and me). and no, we’re not a SaaS or an AI company 🧵 here’s how we got there ↓

@oliverwhudson ADS

We’re releasing our winning ad formulas, backed by over £70 million in ad spend in the last 12 months. You’ve been asking us for more help on ad creative, so we put together exactly what you need. It’s packed with real, proven formats that stop the scroll and drive serious results. Inside, we’re breaking down the creative styles we use daily, with real examples like: - Whiteboard explainers that turned supplement myth-busting into a 4x increase in clickthrough rate. - Unboxing videos where the tactile reveal alone drove a massive lift in purchase intent. - Podcast clips that reframed a founder insight into a top-performing retargeting hook. - ASMR ads using subtle sound cues to elevate perceived value and cut CPA in half. - Before & afters that delivered genuine glow-up journeys and became our best trust-building assets. 🚨 Every example in the guide is from actual work we’ve done inside the agency group, with breakdowns of why it worked, what to watch for, and how to make it your own. We’ve tested (and re-tested) every format on this page and these are the ones driving scale for DTC brands right now. Want the guide? Retweet this post Comment “ADS” and I’ll send it over

@TobyWalleruk UGC

UGC creative is still driving millions a month for our eCom client. If you’re not testing the right angles, hooks, and visuals, you’re leaving money on the table. We put together a MEGA swipe file of 150+ high-converting UGC ads so you can steal what works. Want it? RT & Comment ‘UGC’ & I’ll send it over.

Took me 3 years to build the ultimate UGC creator database: 4,200+ vetted profiles. Today, I’m giving it away for FREE. ✅ Pre-qualified (US & Europe) ✅ Filter by industry ✅ Track all partnerships Retweet, like & comment “UGC” — I’ll DM the list. (Must be following)

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been quietly tracking this chart for months never really shared it but it’s become one of the most important signals we have at Youdji monthly DMs exchanged between creators & brands no media spend no growth hack just liquidity, compounding marketplaces live and die by one thing: how often people talk no messages = no deals no trust no life most people track mrr, gmv or signups we look at this because when conversations happen, everything else follows trust is built offers are made orders are placed 95% of this is still just France we haven’t even opened the US floodgates yet learning: if you want retention — create reasons to talk if you want growth — remove friction to connect

Startups don’t fail because the idea was bad. They fail because the founders gave up too soon. Not from lack of effort. From lack of visible progress. When you grow 10% a month on small numbers, it feels like nothing. No virality. No headlines. Just... quiet compounding. But month after month — if you hold on — that 10% becomes something massive. That’s what people don’t see. The early years feel like you’re stuck. But the truth is: you're stacking momentum, not revenue. More like slow, quiet pressure — until it cracked open. If it feels slow, it doesn’t mean it’s broken. It might mean it’s working.🤍

@withveraai - it will take longer than you think - only trust your paying client - retention over acquisition

@TheLucasGab Aweomse stuff! What are the things you would tell yourself right back when you started?

crossed $2M/year in march with my platform - built it with my cousin - 0 employee - 0 VC fund Ask me anything, I’ll answer every single one of you (any subject)

just shipped a micro feature that got WAY more love than expected not a big algo thing not a fancy AI thing just this: 👉 when brands scroll through creator profiles, videos now auto-play they can tap to get the sound without clicking the profile saves a click saves 3–4 sec per profile over 100 profiles? real time saved originally they only had screenshots in the portfolio so the upgrade feels ✨ instant reminder: sometimes it’s not the big features that change the game it’s the small ones that remove real friction if your users browse/search a lot — look for what you can skip for them less friction = more value even if it’s just one click