In this eye-opening episode of Meta Ads: Under The Hood, Megan Winter sits down with Denise, the founder of Slappa's Thongs, Australia's original arch-support thong brand. What began as a personal need during pregnancy has since evolved into a business that blends comfort, innovation, and unapologetic authenticity.

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Denise shares the behind-the-scenes of building a brand with integrity. From navigating copycat competitors to walking away from the relentless sales cycle. You'll discover how strategic decisions around pricing, platform choice, and marketing authenticity have helped Slappa's thrive for over 15 years without compromising their values.

Why eCommerce Entrepreneurs Should Listen

By listening to this episode, eCommerce entrepreneurs will learn how to honour their brand's value while resisting the pressure to compete on price or scale unsustainably. Denise offers a transparent look at the practical and emotional journey of growing a product-based business with intention. From shifting mindsets around copycats to innovating with reverse pricing strategies, this episode is packed with grounded wisdom for any brand owner looking to grow profitably, sustainably, and authentically in the Meta ads space, and beyond.

Key Takeaways

• Purpose-Led Product Innovation Slappa's was born out of a real need. Supportive, open footwear during pregnancy, and evolved into a truly unique product through smart design and manufacturing innovation.
• Being the Original Pays Off As the first Australian-designed arch-support thong using a one-piece closed-cell injection process, Slappa's owns its originality, and the moulds to prove it.
• Copycats as Compliments Denise shares the mindset shift that helped her see imitators not as threats, but as proof of Slappas' success and desirability.
• Realness as a Brand Differentiator From unpolished founder videos to direct DMs, Slappas thrives by being "real", a reflection of their Darwin roots and values-led approach.
• Rethinking Black Friday & Discount Culture After years of participating in sales cycles, Denise made the bold decision to opt out, highlighting how endless discounts train customers to wait for deals, not value.
• Reverse Pricing Strategy that Works Slappas launched a campaign where prices increased instead of dropping, driving urgency, conversions, and full-price sales with minimal ad spend.
• Meta Ads as the Core Platform Meta remains their most effective advertising channel, proving that a focused approach, paired with email and organic content, can outperform broader, scattered efforts.
• Scaling with Intention, Not External Pressure Denise made a conscious choice to stay small and self-funded, maintaining control while balancing business with family life.

Links

• Slappas Thongs Website

Final Thoughts

This episode is a powerful reminder that you don't have to play by everyone else's rules to win in eCommerce. Slappa's has built a brand that lasts. Not because they followed the crowd, but because they followed their truth. Denise's story offers the kind of grounded inspiration and strategic insight that will resonate deeply with founders ready to do things differently.

Meta ads love video. Especially authentic, scroll-stopping content that feels real and connects instantly.

I've created this episode to help you create videos that capture attention, build trust, and drive results. I cover my pro tips, plus highlight different types of video you can create today to create high-converting meta ads.

Free Download - 10 meta ad mistakes small business owners make (and how to avoid them): Download

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: Meta Ads Course

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

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Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

To download the playbook that goes alongside this episode click here: https://www.lumemarketing.com/mistakes

In this episode, I take you through 6-10 mistakes small business owners make with their meta ads - and what to do instead.

I've audited hundreds of meta ad accounts and I've seen the same mistakes being made with Facebook and Instagram ads again and again, so I'm recording this episode to lift the hood on these mistakes so you can steer clear.

This is part two of a two-part series so be sure to listen to last week's episode to discover the other 5 mistakes small business owners make when running meta ads.

Part 1 Episode - Listen here

Free Download - 10 meta ad mistakes small business owners make (and how to avoid them): Download

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: Apply to learn from me

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

To download the playbook that goes alongside this episode click here: https://www.lumemarketing.com/mistakes

In this episode, I take you through the first 5 mistakes small business owners make with their meta ads - and what to do instead.

I've audited hundreds of meta ad accounts and I've seen the same mistakes being made with Facebook and Instagram ads again and again, so I'm recording this episode to lift the hood on these mistakes so you can steer clear.

This is part one of a two-part series so be sure to come back and listen next week to discover the other 5 mistakes small business owners make when running meta ads.

Free Download - 10 meta ad mistakes small business owners make (and how to avoid them): Download

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: Apply to learn from me

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

If your Facebook ads aren't making you money, they're costing you. And I'm not talking about a few clicks and conversions that look good on a report—I mean actual, bottom-line profit.

I've worked with dozens of eCommerce brands inside The ROAS Lab, and every time I see a struggling ad account, it comes down to the same thing: lack of strategy.

Want profitable Facebook ads? You need a solid framework.

Struggling to make your Facebook ads profitable? In this episode, I share the exact 4-rule framework I use to run high-performing Meta ads that drive real eCommerce growth.

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: The ROAS Lab

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Megan Winter is joined by Claire Goldsworthy, founder of The Fashion Advocate, to explore one of the most underrated elements of successful marketing: trust.

Together, they dive deep into how eCommerce brands—especially those with purpose at their core—can build, nurture, and sustain trust with their customers in a saturated and often unethical marketplace.

From the environmental and human cost of fast fashion to the transformational power of purpose-led storytelling, Claire offers real-world insights and strategies that any values-driven business can implement right away. This conversation is both inspiring and practical, filled with empathy, truth-telling, and actionable takeaways.

By listening to this episode, eCommerce entrepreneurs will learn how to build trust in meaningful and authentic ways that turn customers into loyal advocates. You'll discover how trust impacts the success of your Meta ads, why slow and purpose-led brands have a unique opportunity to stand out, and exactly what you can do—starting today—to connect with your customers on a deeper level. Whether you sell fashion or tea, this episode will help you transmute connection into conversion.

• Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: The ROAS Lab

  Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

  Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

  Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

  Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

• The Fashion Advocate: www.thefashionadvocate.com

• Claire Goldsworthy: @thefashionadvocate

Today, we're going to tackle a big question: What do you do when people aren't buying from your online store? And here's a little hint: it's not because they don't want to, it's often about the value they see in what you're offering.

In this episode, we'll dive into what value perception is and why it's so important. Learn how different industries have successfully increased their value perception, and how some might have lowered it without realising they did.

Together, we'll discover strategies to enhance the perceived value of your products and sell more in your online store. I'm super excited to share these tips and strategies with you.

This episode is packed with insights on how to communicate the true value of your products and make your online store more successful.

I hope you enjoy the episode.

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: The ROAS Lab

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

As an eCommerce marketing coach and holistic marketing strategist, I have worked with hundreds of online stores, and a lot of the time, they are pushing customers away without even realizing it.

In today's episode, I'm going to share three common mistakes that online store owners make, how they actually push customers away without even realizing they're doing it, and how you can flip that to start attracting more customers and making more sales.

This episode can help you analyze your own marketing and see if you are making these mistakes.

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: The ROAS Lab

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

In today's episode, we are diving deep into one of the metrics that acts as a really key metric in making informed decisions for your online store: CPA, or Cost Per Acquisition.

Discover what CPA is, how to calculate it, and understand what a 'good' CPA means for your unique business. CPA isn't one-size-fits-all; it's influenced by factors like customer lifetime value and product order averages.

This is a tactical episode packed with insights, so grab a pen and paper—you won't want to miss this!

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: The ROAS Lab

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

I recently had an article published in Inside Small Business: Meta ad strategy: How to slash costs and boost performance with stronger creative. As a marketing strategist who specialises in Meta ads, in this piece, I explain what makes a successful Meta ad, breaking down a case study of a business she worked with. In today's episode I am going to breakdown the casestudy and share with you how you can sell more on your online store using meta ads - with great creative.

Learn how to run your own ads like a pro: The ROAS Lab

Let us take the wheel and run your ads for you: Done-for-you Meta Ads

Unsure which option is right for you: Take the quiz

Megan Winter on Instagram: @meganwinter

Lume Marketing on Instagram: @lumemarketing

Inside Small Business article: ​​here