Revenue is a climb.
I build the route.

Most ad accounts don't need more budget. They need a structure built to scale. For 7+ years I've built paid-media engines for D2C, e-commerce and ed-tech brands — ads, creative, landing pages, tracking — proved them on a small budget, then scaled in stages. Profitable the whole way up.

7+ years in performance marketing Accounts across NZ · UK · US · EU · India Co-founder, Affirmed
The casework

Real accounts. Real dashboards. Nothing modelled, nothing rounded up.

Three engagements, three very different problems. Same discipline: diagnose the structure, prove the fix small, scale it in stages.

E-commerce · Electronics New Zealand + Australia Google Ads Dec 2025 – Jun 2026

We turned off the campaigns that were "working." Revenue went up 17×.

A portable-display brand handed over an account doing NZ$5,543 a month at 2.9×. The flagship campaign ran at 0.9× ROAS, losing money on every sale. We built a new structure alongside the old one, proved it on a small budget, then retired the legacy campaigns. ROAS climbed to 5.7× on a flat budget. Only then did we scale. May 2026: their first six-figure month.

Monthly tracked revenue · NZDDec 2025 → Jun 2026
Monthly revenue
NZ$0
was NZ$5,543 · ~18.8×
ROAS while scaling
0×
was 2.89× · up, not down
Conversions / month
0
was 9 · ~16×
7-month return
0×
NZ$117,688 → NZ$457,248

Stop the leak

Killed a 0.9× flagship, a zero-conversion competitor campaign and a graveyard of dead tests. Paused, not deleted, as a rollback net.

Rebuild the engine

Six purpose-built campaigns on target-ROAS. Full PMax, feed-only PMax, generic Search, brand defense at up to 41×, and a second market opened from scratch.

Scale in stages

Dec to Mar: flat budget, revenue 13×. Then staged budget steps, never one big jump. Return held at 3.6 to 3.8× through six-figure months.

Figures pulled directly from Google Ads. Client name withheld under NDA, available on request.
Ed-tech · Webinar funnel India Search · YouTube · Demand Gen Sep 2024 – Mar 2025

From 9 leads a month to 3,796. CPL down 90%.

A leading ed-tech brand needed webinar registrations at a cost the funnel could afford. We rebuilt tracking, wrote persona-specific ads, layered in YouTube and Demand Gen, and scaled spend from ₹61K to ₹27L a month. CPL fell from ₹6,854 to a record ₹559. When efficiency mattered more than volume, we halved spend and still delivered 1,848 leads.

Leads per monthSep 2024 → Mar 2025
Leads / month (peak)
0
was 9 · 421×
Record CPL
0
was ₹6,854 · −92%
Monthly spend scaled
0L
from ₹61K · profitably absorbed
Recovered registrations
0%
via SMS/WhatsApp automation · ₹0 ad spend

Precision before volume

Persona-specific ad copy and rebuilt conversion tracking took leads from 9 to 111 in the first month. 12× before the budget moved.

Multi-format scale

YouTube and Demand Gen layered on Search, with audiences built from webinar data. 941 leads at a record-low ₹559 CPL.

Beyond the ad platform

Payment-recovery automation brought back 18% of lost registrations. Sub-2-second landing pages lifted on-page conversion throughout.

Figures from Google Ads and the brand's CRM. Client name withheld, available on request.
D2C · Protein supplements India Meta + Google Ads Apr – Jul 2022

₹6,000 a day became ₹25,000 a day. The return held above 4×.

A protein supplements brand wanted scale without wrecking their economics. The goal we agreed: grow aggressively, keep gross ROAS above 4. We rebuilt buyer personas from scratch, tested UGC against proven winners, and opened Google Ads as a second channel. Monthly revenue went from ₹4.66L to ₹33L in 90 days. The floor never broke.

Monthly gross sales · INRApr → Jul 2022
Monthly gross sales
0L
was ₹4.66L · 7×
Daily ad spend
0
from ₹6,000 · 4× scale
Gross ROAS at peak scale
0×
target ≥4 · held while 4×-ing spend
Orders / month
0
was 367 · 6.5×

Personas, not guesses

Deep audience research became buyer personas. New audiences on proven creatives lifted May to a 5.65× gross return.

Creative testing engine

UGC and new formats tested against existing winners. Variations of the same audience found pockets that cut CPA.

Second channel, more headroom

Google Ads opened in June to catch high-intent demand Meta was creating. Gross daily sales grew from ₹45K to ₹1.06L.

Figures from Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads and the store's order reports. Delivered with ENSO Business Consulting.
Inside the engine room

I live in these dashboards so you don't have to.

Google Ads campaign dashboard
Campaign view · client names blurred
Google Ads campaign dashboard
Campaign view · client names blurred

Screenshots straight from live accounts, identities blurred. If we talk, I'll walk you through the real thing.

How I work

Every account is an expedition. You don't sprint to a summit — you climb in stages.

Diagnose the structure

One question first: if we tripled the budget tomorrow, where would the money go, and would it come back? Most accounts fail this test.

Stop the leak

Campaigns that "make sales" at 0.9× are subsidies you pay the ad platform. I retire them once there's a proven, more profitable home for the spend.

Prove it small

New structure runs on a pilot budget next to the old one. Value-based bidding, clean naming, one job per campaign. Evidence before fuel.

Scale in stages

Budget steps, never big jumps that reset learning. Defend brand demand, open new markets, and hold the return while revenue compounds.

The rack

Every climber carries their own gear. This is mine.

The skill stack, packed the way a rack gets packed — every piece earns its weight.

The rucksack — unpacked on scroll
Ice axe

Google Ads

The primary tool. Search, Shopping, PMax, Demand Gen — placed with intent, swung with precision.

Rope

Conversion Tracking

The lifeline. GA4, GTM, server-side. If the rope isn't clipped, nothing above it matters.

Crampons

Meta Ads

Grip on shifting terrain. Creative testing, audiences and scale without slipping.

Compass

Data & Analysis

Reads the mountain. N-grams, cohorts and dashboards that tell the truth.

Carabiner

Landing Pages & CRO

Where traffic clips into revenue. Fast pages, clear offers, no slack in the system.

Headlamp

AI Workflows

Light for unmapped ground. Agents and automations doing the grunt work overnight.

Figure-8 knot

Copywriting

Ties the message to the audience. Hooks, angles and ads people actually read.

Harness

Product Feeds

Holds the catalogue together. GMC, supplemental feeds and titles machines can rank.

The journey

Seven years, one climb. From writing product listings to running accounts on four continents.

The first two years were flat ground — words, listings, first ad budgets. The real climb started after Insane Marketers.

Off the dashboards

The discipline isn't a work trait. It's a lifestyle.

Everything I know about scaling slowly, breathing under load and holding form when it hurts — I learned it here first.

Niku mountaineering during the Basic Mountaineering Course at NIM
Mountaineering
BMC · NIM · 15,300 ft

Basic Mountaineering Course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Rock craft, ice walls, load ferries — and a 15,300 ft Himalayan summit after weeks of staged climbs.

Star-trail yoga mat with a conch shell
Yoga
200-hr certified teacher

200-hour certified yoga teacher. An hour on the mat before the dashboards open — breath first, bids later.

Niku training with mudgar and gada clubs
Mudgar & Gada
Ancient Indian club training

Heavy wooden clubs, slow circles, zero shortcuts. The old akhara strength practice that modern gyms forgot.

Silambam
Tamil staff martial art

One of the world's oldest martial arts — footwork, rhythm and a fast-moving bamboo staff that punishes a wandering mind.

Certified, then field-tested

Certifications

Tap a card with ↗ to verify the credential.

Word of mouth

What the people who hired me say.

Every quote below is a public LinkedIn recommendation, unedited except for length.

Video testimonial · coming soon
Video testimonial · coming soon
"

Niku is someone you can rely on when it comes to performance marketing. I've worked with him on a couple of projects, and he consistently brought a strong understanding of Google Ads along with a practical, problem-solving approach. He's proactive, detail-oriented, and easy to collaborate with, always focused on driving results. Would definitely recommend working with him.

Aakash Ajitkumar
Aakash Ajitkumar
Growth Marketer · D2C
Managed Niku
"

I've worked closely with Niku on digital marketing, and they bring a strong mix of clarity, ownership, and execution. Highly recommended.

Pritam Kudev
Pritam Kudev
MANNLICH
Client
"

Niku is one of those rare paid media experts who brings sharp strategy, calm execution, and genuine partnership to every engagement. He jumped in with us during a busy period and immediately created structure, clarity, and momentum. Smart, reliable, and collaborative; the kind of person you want in the trenches with you. Any team would be lucky to have him.

Youssef Azmy
Youssef Azmy
Strategic Advisor & Founder · Ex-Ogilvy
Teammate
"

I've had the privilege of working with Niku Mandal for the past 5 months, and I can confidently say he is a rare blend of creative genius and strategic clarity. As a Phonics Coach on a mission to empower women by helping them become certified Phonics educators and start earning from home, I needed someone who not only understood ads but also understood people. Niku did exactly that. From day one, he approached my Meta Ads campaigns with fresh eyes, deep empathy, and sharp marketing insights. He didn't just run ads—he crafted high-converting campaigns, designed thumb-stopping creatives, and helped me position my message in a way that deeply resonated with my audience of aspiring women educators. What I appreciate most about Niku is his consistent communication, data-driven approach, and his ability to simplify even the most complex ad strategies for me. He always brings solutions to the table and has played a key role in driving leads, building my brand presence, and increasing enrollment in my programs. If you're looking for someone who actually cares about your growth, knows Meta Ads inside out, and brings a results-focused mindset with heart—Niku is your guy.

Akshita Jasolia
Akshita Jasolia
Founder & Teacher Trainer
Client
"

Working with Niku Mandal has been one of the most rewarding experiences in our marketing journey. From day one, Niku brought not just his expertise in performance marketing and growth strategy, but also an incredible work ethic and a mindset that thrives on challenges. What I admire most about Niku is his unwavering dedication. No matter how tough the goal or how tight the timeline, he approaches every task with focus, energy, and a genuine desire to make things better. He's the kind of person who doesn't wait to be asked — he sees what needs to be done and steps up, every single time. Beyond his skills, Niku is simply a joy to work with. His positivity, curiosity, and collaborative spirit made a real impact on our team culture.

Nivedya Vijayan
Nivedya Vijayan
VP Operations · Ira Skills
Teammate
"

I had the pleasure of working closely with you at Ira Skills, where we collaborated on a range of marketing initiatives that significantly enhanced our campaign performance. Your ability to combine creativity with data-driven decision-making — a rare combination that drove measurable results across multiple campaign. Beyond technical skills, I believe he is a proactive team player and a natural communicator. Whether leading a campaign or supporting others. And I'm confident that "Niku bhai" will be a valuable asset to any organization.

Milan A Kumar
Milan A Kumar
VP Strategic Alliance · Ira Skills
Teammate
"

I had the pleasure of working closely with Niku during his time as a freelance Google Ads specialist for Scandinavian Biolabs. Niku brought not only a strong technical understanding of Google Ads but also a broader perspective that included copywriting, landing page optimization, and strategic thinking—skills that added significant value to our campaigns. One of his most impressive contributions was solving a complex, long-standing issue with rejected product feeds due to multiple pricing discrepancies on our landing pages. Despite multiple consultants trying to resolve it over two years, Niku's persistence, methodical experimentation, and problem-solving skills led to identifying and addressing the root cause, providing a solution that had eluded others. Beyond his expertise, Niku's communication skills and collaborative approach made him a pleasure to work with. I would recommend him to anyone in need of a dedicated and well-rounded Google Ads specialist.

Christian Harboe
Christian Harboe
Growth · Scandinavian Biolabs
Managed Niku
"

I had the pleasure of working with Niku both as a colleague and client. He's one of the most talented Google Ads specialists I've come across - the kind who actually delivers results, not just talks about them. What impresses me most is how he's always learning and immediately putting that knowledge to work. His attention to detail and proactive approach have saved us from potential issues more times than I can count. If you're looking for someone who'll genuinely care about your campaigns and constantly find ways to improve them, Niku's your person.

Luat Duong
Luat Duong
Google, Acquisition & CRO · Omre
Client
"

I had the pleasure of working with Niku Mandal, a highly skilled digital marketing expert. Niku consistently impressed me with his ability to manage and optimize campaigns on both Meta and Google, ensuring the best possible outcomes. His approach to brainstorming ad angles and researching various customer personas was instrumental in driving the success of our marketing initiatives. Niku is not only results-oriented but also a responsive and dedicated team player. His collaborative spirit and attention to detail made working with him an absolute pleasure. I highly recommend Niku for any role in digital marketing—he's an asset to any team!

Siddhant Gupta
Siddhant Gupta
Performance Creative Director
Teammate
"

Niku is hands down one of the most diligent and hard working individuals I've come across… working with him was a lesson in what an incredible work ethic looks like.

Ayushi Kotak
Ayushi Kotak
GTM & Growth · Cornell
Client
"

Niku did amazing work for our Brand, He understood the brand, product details, and audience completely before starting the work. I highly recommend Niku for performance marketing for any brand.

Samvith Sunkara
Samvith Sunkara
CEO · Exotic Flora
Client
"

Niku is friendly and extremely helpful. We worked together on several accounts, and I was lucky to call him my coworker. Niku is amazing at his job! He is good with the clients, does whatever it takes to help colleagues and gets things done. He makes sure that everyone is on the same page and focused on the main goal. He has excellent time management skills. I highly recommend Niku as a Performance Marketing Manager and would love to work together again.

Nidhi Gupta
Nidhi Gupta
Digital Marketing · D2C
Teammate
"

There are some people around you who help create an amazing culture in an organisation, and that's Niku. I missed not working with him more each day since he left the organisation and it just kept on growing, and that was truly because of the kind of person Niku is. A very frank and funny individual, always doing the work with full commitment and helping spread a lot of positive vibes and energy. Loved working together and loved the way he would tackle challenges and still be positive about things, a great co worker indeed, spreading smiles all the way through.

Amritanshu Jaiswal
Amritanshu Jaiswal
Colleague
Teammate
"

Niku was a responsive, well-mannered, and extremely efficient team member. As his senior and mentor, it was great working with him. He was always eager to learn and implement and he handled his daily responsibilities with absolute dedication. This person is a team player with a great sense of humor and an even better attitude. I wish him luck on his future endeavours!

Naintara Gurung
Naintara Gurung
Lead Gen & Conversion Copywriter
Mentor
"

I worked with Niku for over 2 years, directly & indirectly managing him. He is one of the most dedicated person I've worked with & a team player always helping his teammates. Niku is aware of what he can improve upon & takes action in those directions. He is a great addition to any team working on digital / performance marketing.

Prakhar Kumar
Prakhar Kumar
Co-founder · ScaleX Media
Managed Niku
"

Niku is a very good mentor who takes time to teach other without hesitation His energy and enthusiasm always remains Same at any time. He is completely a data driven person and expert in Google ads

Mugeebur Rahman Khan
Mugeebur Rahman Khan
Performance Marketing Manager
Teammate
"

It's a story of a young person living in the woods. Not far from here but far enough. Niku comes from a place where he did not have the basics sorted. Where the opportunities are limited and do not come with huge potential. Niku is someone who creates the opportunity. He does not wait for one. His story always inspired me. Niku worked with me for a short period of time and in that period, he brought hard work, energy and positivity for me and the team. He has a go-getter attitude and he pushes limits to deliver. I am sure he will great fit for any company he works in. Looking forward to see how your story unfolds.

Aman Singh
Aman Singh
Colleague
Managed Niku
"

Worked with Niku, he's highly skilled, a great team player & a nice person Its always amazing discussing ideas & working with him as you get to learn something new

Udit Vedi
Udit Vedi
Performance Marketer
Teammate
"

Worked with Niku on several e-com accounts where he was the media buyer and managed execution of fb and google ads. In addition to funnel ideation, audience research and campaign optimization, Niku was also responsible for KPI tracking and data analysis. It was great brainstorming with him, be it content strategy or website CRO. He is diligent, sincere and an absolute team player.

Abhishaik Sud
Abhishaik Sud
BI & Strategy · Autodesk
Teammate
"

I have worked closely with Niku and always found him to be a very focused and driven individual. He even has this infectious energy that seems to motivate everyone working along with him. I have consistently seen him taking the lead for new initiatives, and his reliability as well as good nature make running after deadlines a lot easier for his team!

Karamveer Singh Grewal
Karamveer Singh Grewal
Co-founder · ScaleX Media
Senior
"

I have worked with Niku for over a year. He is a great Media buyer and very efficient with his work. His knowledge of Ad managers is of great help. He is always ready to work on new initiatives and experiments.

Jay Hariyani
Jay Hariyani
Growth Manager
Managed Niku
"

Niku ensures there is a flow of ideas and enthusiasm in the team and the work that he does. He brings integrity and authenticity to his work and overall presence. And makes sure that the team is motivated. He is the go-to person for getting refreshing ideas and perspectives and is always the person first to offer help and support.

Srikavi S.
Srikavi S.
Strategic HRBP · Tech
Teammate
"

Amazing person to work with. His expertise in google ads is amazing.

Suraj N
Suraj N
Performance Marketing · ScaleX Media
Teammate
"

Niku is one of the hardest working people I've come across in my career spanning almost 2 decades. He's a learner for life...actively working to master new skills to he can give his best to any role! Within about 10 days of hiring him for one of my client's Instagram projects, he was training new people for the work and eventually supervising a team of 15 people. Niku will prove to be an asset for any company, given his grit and determination. Above all, he's a gem of a guy you can rely on for just about anything!

Ruchika Anand
Ruchika Anand
Content Strategist · 12+ yrs
Managed Niku
"

Niku is dedicated and hardworking. He is also one of the kindest person I have worked with. He has the ability to get things done systematically and swiftly. I see a lot of potential in him.

Prashanth Shankar
Prashanth Shankar
3x Early-Stage Startups
Teammate
"

I worked with Niku a few years back as his mentor. I have to say he is a dedicated person who not only does a great job but also understands the process and provides insights which helped me to optimise our process of working. He is definitely a smart person, a great learner (hence a great teacher, I am sure) and his entrepreneurial spirit is what makes him shine like a star.

Lakshya Singh
Lakshya Singh
Growth Marketing · AI Startups
Mentor
"

Niku proved to be a great person to work with. He is a detail-oriented, target-oriented, ambitious, and strong co-worker, his knowledge is vast and thorough. Niku provided outstanding results for Fab On Go. Give him the really challenging tasks, the ones that everyone else is struggling with, and he will get them done. I could always depend on him to set the best example as an intern at Fab On Go. I enjoyed working with him on the various projects we took on.

John Britto J
John Britto J
Amazon Brand Builder · FabOnGo
Managed Niku
01 / 15

All 27 public recommendations · read on LinkedIn ↗

Niku Mandal
Tinsukia, Assam → the world
About

Small town. Global accounts.

I'm Niku. I run performance marketing from Tinsukia, a small tea town in Assam, for brands selling in New Zealand, the UK, the US, Europe and across India. The dashboards don't care where you sit. They care whether you can read them.

My toolkit runs the full stack: Google and Meta ads, ad copy, creative direction, landing pages, conversion tracking and AI-powered workflows. I co-founded Affirmed, a Google Ads agency for e-commerce brands, with Louis Bogdan. I am also building SuperCousins, and I've led performance marketing for ed-tech and D2C teams from ₹2K a day to ₹90K a day.

Outside the dashboards I'm a trained mountaineer and a 200-hour certified yoga teacher. I've stood at 15,300 ft on a Himalayan top after weeks of staged climbs. That's also how I scale ad accounts. In stages, with checks, no reckless jumps.

Google + Meta Ads The PPC Hub Ads2AI · Mike Rhodes NIM Mountaineer · 15,300 ft 200-hr Yoga Teacher AI-powered workflows
Affirmed
Co-founder · Google Ads agency

Google Ads management for e-commerce brands that would rather scale profit than spend.

SuperCousins
Founder · Performance marketing

Performance marketing for Indian D2C and coaching brands. Ads, funnels and creative under one roof.

Work with me

Your account is probably leaking. Want to find out where?

Bring your dashboard. I'll tell you what I'd fix first, what I'd scale, and what I'd switch off. No deck, no fluff, just the numbers.

Book a call