There aren't many businesses that do really really well and never advertise. Those that do have typically been around for a long while and aren't in the first few years of business - regardless of their experience prior to starting the new business.

I'm more leary of all of the other things I pay for, to be honest. I'd rather pay for his advertising than for my insurance agent's trip for selling enough of a certain product or the trip to Europe sponsored by a vendor of another business I frequent.