Everyone’s talking about AI, discounts, and attribution. But the smartest brands? They’re quietly doubling down on retention, precision, and profitability.In this episode, Aaron Schwartz (Orita) brings together Jessica Levinson (Common Thread Collective), Melanie Balke (The Email Marketers), and Jess Chan (Longplay Brands) to talk about what actually works when acquisition gets expensive and loyalty matters more than ever.They’re covering the hard stuff: what to cut, what to double down on, why “blast the whole list” is still a thing (ugh), and how to personalize without drowning in bad data. It's the clarity every founder, marketer, and retention leader needs right now.💛 Want to make your lifecycle program actually work?👉 Follow Orita on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oritaai👥 Say hi to the guests:Jessica Levinson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalevinson/Melanie Balke – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebalke/Jess Chan – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesschann/Aaron Schwartz – https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaroncharlesschwartz/💛 What’s inside this episode: [3:15 – How brands are navigating tariff messaging and backlash] [8:30 – The wartime CEO playbook: cost cuts, smart pivots, and ruthless focus] [14:00 – Stop blasting. Start segmenting. (For real this time)] [19:00 – The second purchase problem no one talks about] [25:00 – Tools we trust, and the AI we’re still waiting for] [30:00 – Metrics that matter: beyond open rate and revenue per send] [42:00 – Bad advice that just won’t die] [47:00 – One thing every founder should do this quarter]💛 Bonus: 🔗 Learn more at orita.aiPing Aaron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaroncharlesschwartz/