Daily Revenue
ACHA Partnership
OVERVIEW
Thread the Needle (TDN) is a custom-apparel company born from a lifelong love of hockey. Built by players, for players. Founded by Thomas Pugh, the brand began as a local operation serving a few rinks across the Carolinas.
When Thomas came to TVG, he had strong word-of-mouth traction and a loyal base of repeat teams, but growth had plateaued. He was ready to take the leap from “local favorite” to “national name.”
In just a few months, our CORE Growth Engine helped TDN go from sporadic orders to daily sales, expanding beyond regional boundaries and generating consistent cash flow, all while keeping the brand’s authentic, player-first ethos intact.
THE CHALLENGE
Thread the Needle had a proven product and community love, but was limited by three things
Markus Trillsch
Founder Nutrabound, Flow Supplements
Key challenges we identified:
Geographic ceiling. Most sales came through Carolina-based rinks and referrals.
Limited tech and marketing systems. Ads were run manually with minimal results.
Agency burnout. A previous agency had over-promised, under-delivered, and left Thomas skeptical of outside partners.
THE STRATEGY
Niche Domination Strategy
Doubled down on hockey funnel creative before expanding to basketball or lacrosse
High-Intent Ad Targeting
Built ad structure targeting club teams, leagues, and college programs
Authentic Creative Direction
Focused on creative that made a small brand feel like a major player
Ad Strategy Rebuild
Precise budget allocation and creative testing framework
Automation & Lead Capture
Custom email flows and backend automation (Zapier, Typeform, CRM sync)
Elevated Brand Perception
Scroll-stopping ads using TDN's mockups and team photos for professional positioning
CREATIVE EXAMPLES
Welcome Flow Email
Welcome Flow Email
Welcome Flow Email
Welcome Flow Email
Welcome Flow Email
CLIENT INTERVIEW
THE RESULTS
Within weeks, momentum shifted from sporadic orders to consistent demand
Thomas said it best
THE PARTNERSHIP
What started as a chance Instagram ad turned into one of the most rewarding founder-agency partnerships we’ve built.
Our team worked side-by-side with Thomas to optimize not just his ads and emails, but his entire workflow. From quote requests to production handoffs. The result: a brand with momentum, credibility, and a clear path to national expansion.
CORE TAKEAWAYS
Focus beats fragmentation: double down on what’s already working before diversifying
Founder-agency alignment drives speed and execution
Great marketing can make a small business look like a category leader and convert like one, too