Dragonproof eCommerce

Your data is worth obsessing over. This week, Rick is joined by Keifer Hunniford, Miva's Senior Director of Product Integrations, to discuss the inherent challenges of integrating sophisticated software for complex businesses. Why is the dialogue between the many software systems which drive a business so important?

Can you run your business in 225 work days per year or less? Study after study show the emotional, mental, and physical benefits of taking “downtime” from work life, but for many entrepreneurs, slowing down feels like failure. In fact, downtime is a wellspring for creative inspiration, innovation, and increased productivity. Rick explores why building “off” days into a busy yearly schedule is crucial for sustaining long-term success.

Take a peek inside an internal business development talk exploring how Miva's product, employee, and ownership history set the stage for the perfect customer relationship. Rick connects the dots between major milestones of the company's development and the process of developing bullseye products for the exact right customer.

Is there an overall breakdown in the quality of customer service? With millions of workers leaving the labor pool, consumer demand surging, and a rise in abusive customers, many customer support systems are strained to the breaking point. As we move towards a permanently hybrid workforce, what issues are arising in year 3 of our new reality which are only revealing themselves now? Rick welcomes Rich Rauscher, PhD, Executive Vice President of Miva and information systems expert.

In-person industry trade shows are back, led by the retail extravaganza ShopTalk. What trends are dominating the room in 2022? Rick identifies the hot topics being discussed at this year's event, but suggests the real value of trade shows lies in the ability to leverage time and evaluate potential partners, moving past the latest shiny things to true collaboration.

Human-centric decision-making can create incredible tailwinds for a business - and the opposite is also true. Rick examines the downstream effects of values-based leadership decisions, and how to harness them for the best results.

The invasion of Ukraine is a global crisis with far-reaching geopolitical consequences, including unknown impacts upon the U.S. economy. For business leaders just emerging from the challenges of the Covid era, this event will require a recommitment to values and work modalities which inspire confidence and hope. Rick suggests that the best course of action for US businesses is neither panic nor obliviousness, but instead a sober situational awareness relative to the unique context of every company. Most importantly, leaders need to focus on elements they can control, while staying connected to the “north star” of their core mission.

What is the nature of happiness? A rapidly shifting digital economy and once-in-a-generation stresses demand that employers support an emotionally balanced workplace - starting with themselves. This week, Rick and Rich unpack the factors that drive happiness, how personal joy can ripple through an organization, and why choices that prioritize emotional health align with company goals.

Rick and Scott dig in to how in a remote-first world you can no longer manage your team and gauge the emotional temperature by leaning on pony walls and observing while people work. The pandemic has now instituted a permanent sea-change in the tools required to emotionally support and manage your staff - but the ultimate goal of a psychologically safe work environment is still of utmost importance for your business.

Coming back strong from the extremely uncertain conditions of spring 2020, Maya Jewelry drew upon the power of its community and network of artisans to build an outstanding new chapter for the brand. Owner Corey Lolley joins Rick Wilson to discuss some of the intangibles which factor into sustainable business, starting with investing humanity into every step of the decision-making process.

The key to building a soulful business which sustains in all seasons often comes down to expressing an optimistic, passionate, and nuanced point of view - and then translating that stance into a trustworthy shopping experience. In this episode, Rick Wilson sets the table for a very successful 2022 by encouraging business to foreground their most valuable asset: soul.

Getting your business over the finish line after 2021 has been an endurance challenge - but for many leaders, personal self-care is the first thing to be sacrificed. As Rick Wilson explores in this episode, self-care is integral to good leadership. Rick connects his personal wellness journey to the unique challenges our industry faced this year, including how to deal with success and failure, how to model good behavior for workers, and the organizational dividends that come from good health and mental balance.

Every time a brand places an ad, issues a statement, or sends an email, it is entering a complex environment of culture, opinion, and the pressure to take a stand on everything. Finding a sustainable way to use that voice requires true awareness of a specific business' role in society, with an emphasis on what's directly relevant for worker and customers. In this episode, Rick Wilson identifies key concepts which support successful modern business communication.

Auto shoppers visiting dealer lots in 2021 found low inventory and substantial upcharges on whatever was left. The reason was a microchip shortage, fueled in large part by sellers' failure to adapt to Covid demand volatility in the first half of 2020. Rick Wilson unpacks how the relationship between car dealers and semiconductor fabs illustrates smart tactical decisions around supply chain. Complex tactics & decision-making skills like these are required in every business, every industry.

The best businesses have absolutely no daylight between their core purpose, their sales strategy, and their internal structure. In this episode, Rick Wilson highlights why alignment is the key principle for any business, with examples of brands that get it exactly right. Why you make your products, the way you make them, and how you sell them are all spokes of the same wheel.

Everything from product pricing to brand voice on Twitter relies on one key concept: situational awareness. Businesses must continually weigh every internal decision against a clear-eyed look at external conditions, even when those conditions are uncontrollable. In this episode, Rick Wilson explores the principles and practices brands need to foster intentional, marketplace-aware strategy.

Sensationalistic headlines about labor, GDP, or the Dow have far less to do with the success of independent business than most sellers think. In this episode, Rick Wilson describes how to sidestep an obsession with macro economics, and figure out the correct timescale to analyze progress.

The dust has somewhat settled after the U.S. business community's dramatic shift to remote work last year, and for now, it is clear that the changes have stuck. In this episode, Rick Wilson connects the concept of healthy internal work culture to the viability of that business in a constantly changing external world. Part 4 of his series exploring principle-driven business strategies for the modern entrepreneur.

The silver bullet of ecommerce strategy is simple: Figure out what problem you're solving, and then make sure you have people to solve it for. The trick, as Rick Wilson argues on this episode of the Dragonproof Pod, is to have personal, principled passion for both. Whether you are trailblazing new products or refining existing projects, your choices must be dictated by more than market research. 3rd in a series of “Dragonproof Principles” for entrepreneurs.

The nature of entrepreneurship in the digital era is a story of nonstop change. Industry legends and business modalities from just a few years ago are already dated, as the currency of the online economy has moved from logistics to attention to influence. Yet there are core principles and drives which transcend the trends of the day for any true entrepreneur. Rick Wilson describes what it takes to successfully launch a business and shepherd it through inevitable ups and downs on the way to sustainable success.

Rick Wilson's 2019 book “Dragonproof” broke down the inner workings of ecommerce for online sellers who found themselves facing an unbeatable foe in Amazon. Now, Rick is launching a new book project which transforms lessons from the first 20 years of ecommerce into core principles for successful business, leadership, and personal happiness. This audio episode workshops one of the key themes of the book - the rapidly changing nature of entrepreneurship and the strategic opportunities which always follow.

Excess jobs plus stagnant worker participation means a labor crisis for 2021 businesses. For many workers, the Covid era has been a gut check on which jobs are worth risks and pay - and the ecommerce industry is ready to offer an alternative. Rick Wilson explores why remote, digital, flexible jobs connected to online selling are the new frontier for the labor market.

Last week, 300+ leaders of business gathered in Sun Valley, Idaho for an annual summit where handshake deals set the agenda for all U.S. businesses. Rick Wilson unpacks the 3 key issues being talked about, and how these matters will affect entrepreneurship at every level. Amid the oversized wealth and power at the event, there are inherent blind spots which will benefit small businesses by allowing new disruptions to arise.

At the start of pandemic, online apparel pioneer SCOTTeVEST faced an incredible challenge. With a product line geared toward travel and adventure customers, global lockdowns struck an immediate blow to orders. SCOTTeVEST C.E.O. Scott Jordan joins Rick Wilson to share the detailed strategy he applied to a long year of uncertainty, with ultimately winning results.

Amazon Prime Day has taken on the air of a national holiday lately, with breathless anticipation of schedules and discounts. But with the sale netting less than a typical day's revenue for the marketplace, what's really motivating it? Independent sellers should be aware of the true underpinnings of the event, in order to leverage it for all its worth. Rick Wilson breaks down the context on this audio episode of the Dragonproof Pod.

Last week, the D.C. Attorney General filed landmark anti-trust charges against Amazon. It's a move that will be extremely relevant to all independent ecommerce sellers, who have long been backed into a corner by Amazon's monopolistic price controls. Rick Wilson breaks down the new court case, and contextualizes what it means for merchants who desperately need some breathing room after a relentless 2020/2021.

As tech titans grapple with the complicated issue of content moderation, individual entrepreneurs are putting pen to paper and creating great content that is personal AND effective. John Lawson, author of the best-seller “Kick Ass Social Commerce for E-preneurs: It’s Not About Likes - It’s About Sales” joins the podcast to tell Rick Wilson what the true purpose of content is, and how to put it in front of the right people. It’s a fun and freewheeling conversation that is relevant to all sellers trying to figure out how and why to speak to their audiences.   Check out John Lawson’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Kick-Social-Commerce-preneurs-Likes-ebook/dp/B00HZNSXLS

When Basecamp CEO Jason Fried suddenly announced that there would be no more political debate allowed in his company’s social media and internal communications, it set off a firestorm of reactions online. Rick Wilson takes a nuanced look at the issue of “mission-focused” vs. “social impact” brands, and reviews new reporting which reveal a more complicated set of variables than meet the eye. Was this a matter of content moderation, or was some criticism simply too uncomfortable for the company to bear?

The recent documentary “WeWork: Or The Making & Breaking Of A $47 Billion Unicorn” by director Jed Rothstein tells the story of former C.E.O. Adam Neumann’s hyperbolic ascendancy and crash. On this audio podcast, Rick Wilson draws the connection between the entrepreneurial megalomania depicted in the film and the real-world moral challenges that every business leader must face.   You can also listen to this content the pod platform of your choice at: https://dragonproofbook.com/podcast

Ecommerce veteran Todd Theodossin has navigated the challenges that each new era has delivered - from convincing pre-digital manufacturers that online selling was viable, to battling Google’s opaque SEO rules, to holding onto products and content against brutal Amazon ecosystems. These issues inform the current seller environment as we head into a new ecommerce gold rush. Rick Wilson leads a deep dive into one business’ wild ride across 20 years of selling. 

Established ecommerce sellers have been trained to fear Amazon and with good reason. Battles over customer data, branding tools, and unstainable margins previously made marketplaces a no-go for ecom businesses with thriving “conventional” online sales. Tim Jordan, host of the AM/PM Podcast and Amazon entrepreneurial guru, joins Rick Wilson to discuss why now is the perfect moment to diversify a sales portfolio, and how to launch on marketplaces while the opportunities are still immense. 

Rick Wilson explores the legal, moral, and strategic implications of the vaccine rollout on the ecommerce industry. The broadly interconnected global ecosystem which is inherent to all ecommerce makes the issue of vaccination crucial for business leaders to address. What are the responsibilities - and boundaries - for online sellers who require a safe and healthy workforce?     

What kind of thinking drives a business that thrives across generations? Andy Brabec, Ecommerce and Marketing Director for legendary jewelry icon Borsheims, joins the Dragonproof Podcast to share how this 150-yr retail powerhouse leveraged technology in 2020 to stay focused on the emotional connection between customers and products. A concierge-type shopping experience translated seamlessly from flagship store to online, demonstrating how personal service is a key to enduring success.  Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/36gHY6v 

When the iconic CEO of the world’s largest online marketplace announces he’s stepping down, every entrepreneur should take note. Rick Wilson, CEO of Miva, Inc., dives into the implications of Jeff Bezos’ surprise retirement for the broader world of independent ecommerce, in this in-the-weeds talk.  

The life-saving application of online selling technology in 2020 crystallized a long-in-the-making transformation of consumer culture. The question now is, how do we shepherd the ecommerce industry to promote prosperity and wellbeing, in a way that is sustainable, fair, and wise? Rick Wilson explores how expertise, driven by self-reflection, is urgently needed right now by ecommerce businesses and professionals who suddenly find themselves driving the global economy.    Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/36gHY6v 

Rick Wilson looks at July through December 2020 in his review of the year’s important ecommerce themes. Ecommerce professionals grappled with a public health crisis, how to respond to massive social justice protests, colossal logistical challenges, the effects of the video conferencing boom, and the need to anticipate wild shifts in consumer behavior. In this episode, Rick revisits several inspiring conversations with show guests thru the second half of the year.  Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/36gHY6v 

The devastating impacts of 2020 upon our collective health and economy will be studied for years to come - but one of the more positive stories of this year has been the solidification of ecommerce as a primary driver of American business. Across more than 2 dozen podcast episodes, Rick Wilson has explored the challenges of running an ecommerce business in 2020 in real-time - illuminating a true coming of age for an industry which has become a critical lifeline for sellers and consumers alike. This special 2-part episode revisits the month-by-month evolution of the year from today’s perspective.    Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/36gHY6v 

Sellers – like all Americans – are understandably weary after a long, challenging year, capped off by the 2020 election cycle. As we approach the holidays and a new economy in 2021, Rick Wilson speaks with audience-favorite ecommerce guru John Lawson about the sustainability of 2020’s industry growth, the long-term impact of trade wars, and the enduring power of social connections between buyer and seller. 

The holiday shopping season is always a disruptive event for online sellers - and in 2020, the added global disruptions brought on Covid have heightened consumers' collective need for products and services that bring solace, humanity, and hope.   There is no more precious object in one's home than a family photo. We turn to these emblems of memories, experiences, and good emotions during times of stress and to celebrate all that we love. That's why ScanMyPhoto's unique photo digitization services are such a hit during holiday shopping seasons, and never more so than in 2020.   In this episode, Mitch Goldstone of ScanMyPhotos.com joins Rick Wilson for an update on how this business is preparing for the "good disruption" of the upcoming holiday period.   For more information, please visit https://www.ScanMyPhotos.com   To see the New Yorker illustration referenced, visit https://www.newyorker.com/cartoon/a24112   Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/36gHY6v

“Restructuring” is a form of bankruptcy which reorganizes a business - but all businesses can apply these principles to guard against unplanned stresses. This constructive quick take shares the 5 key ways any business can apply those same concepts to protect against major disruption.    

More of a late summer "spring training" than a vacation, Rick shares how lessons learned over the past month of working travel are perfect preparation for the intense months to come. With the most unique and challenging holiday season in ecommerce history approaching, against a backdrop of Covid and the election, it's the right time to assess how we can leverage technology to streamline, stay safe, and succeed.    

With the major release of Miva 10 software imminent, Rick juggles the round-the-clock demands of the rollout with his freewheeling, in-progress road odyssey. Here's the hat trick: how do you break free from stagnation/status quo, while simultaneously being a grounded, helpful, authoritative leader? This week, the dispatch from the RV!

This week, Rick shares impressions and experiences of his "walkabout" - using a work-from-the-road adventure to clear lockdown stagnation and explore new ways of working/living. The back half of 2020 continues to challenge us on every front - public health, economic distress, and emotional wellbeing. Conditions are shifting rapidly, but many of us still feel stuck. How can we "move the energy" in our own lives and businesses in a way that's healthy, invigorating, healing, reorienting, and safe?

The sudden shift to remote work in all kinds of businesses means more freedom to live and work anywhere. Rick Wilson is getting ready to flex that freedom with a "working walkabout" - a multi-state road adventure while simultaneously getting the job done. In part 1 of a series, Rick shares his goals and preparation for the trip. Stay tuned for more updates from beautiful spots throughout the West. 

Business communication during Covid has undergone a sea change. While at first we all tried to replicate the in-person experience of meetings, conventions, and live events, it's becoming clear that producing high quality content which engages and entertains will now be one of the key roles of every business. No longer relegated to marketing/social media, "content" now increasingly describes the way we manage teams, share ideas with peers, and serve clients. Rick Wilson spoke with Retail Global CEO Phil Leahy, mastermind of complex, tech-driven conferences like Mivacon Digital Day. These events now must adapt to long-in-the-works communication trends which have fully crystallized in 2020.     For more information about Phil Leahy and Retail Global, please visit:  https://retailglobal.com/speakers/phil-leahy/  For free access to the full content of Mivacon Digital Day as referenced in the episode, please visit:  https://mivacon20.com/session-recordings 

As professional conferences and trade shows go digital to protect public safety in 2020, an important aspect of these events must be championed - the human, interpersonal connections that are made there by co-workers and peers.    On this special episode of the Dragonproof Podcast, Rick Wilson calls up 2 beloved veterans of Miva's annual MivaCon gathering, to chat about some of their favorite memories and the people they've met along the way. Guests Leslie Kirk and Bruce Golub, each ecommerce maestros who have helped businesses reach new heights of success, prove why our humanity, technology, and business success always fuel one another.    For more information about MivaCon Digital Day 2020, please visit:  https://mivacon20.com  

Great leaders in business often stifle their own well-being in favor of company goals. But as Rick Wilson explores in the latest Dragonproof pod, excellent leadership and thoughtful self-care fuel one another for the great benefit of both. "Strategic opportunities" are not limited to market positioning & mergers - often the greatest gift our businesses give us is the ability to heal ourselves.

Face masks are the public's primary defense against transmission of COVID-19. Between shortages, lockdowns, and closed physical businesses, ecommerce has now become the key method for the public to acquire masks. From DIY sellers on Etsy, to big apparel brands using logo masks as ecommerce upsells, online sellers have identified holes in the marketplace, listened to customer demand, and navigated messaging challenges to connect people with life-saving products. On this episode of the Dragonproof Podcast, Rick Wilson explores how our industry has adapted to the new COVID reality, in a fast-moving story about what drives innovation in the world of 2020.

Marketing is more than just selling - it's about opening a personal, informative, and engaging dialogue between customer and company. But it's impossible to predict next year's - or even next week's - conditions. So how do you craft a marketing plan that speaks effectively at high tide and low tide? Coleman and Company's Director of Business Development and Marketing, Marc Vila, joins Rick Wilson to outline the most important aspects of "evergreen" marketing. For businesses which are now grappling with complex issues around when and how to speak, this essential talk connects the dots between highly effective content, maximum efficiency, and the happy customers who are served by both. To listen to Marc on the Custom Apparel Startups podcast, please visit: https://customapparelstartups.com/podcasts/

What can businesses and organizations do to support, listen to, and demand equity for communities of color right now? Educator, organizer, and activist Maureen Benson joins Rick Wilson to discuss the historical and social contexts underpinning America's current moment of awakening around the subject of racial justice. This challenging and heartfelt discussion probes how societal change begins with self-awareness, cultural humility, and a personal commitment to do better. With practical steps for opening this dialogue in the workplace and beyond.   For more information about the resources highlighted in this episode, visit: Maureen Benson https://www.maureenbenson.org/ Code 2040 https://www.code2040.org/ Son of Baldwin https://www.facebook.com/sonofbaldwinfb/ White Fragility https://www.npr.org/2020/06/17/879136931/interrupt-the-systems-robin-diangelo-on-white-fragility-and-anti-racism Octavia Butler https://bookriot.com/octavia-butler-books/ Cultural Humility https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_humility New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander https://newjimcrow.com/ Community Ready Corps http://www.crc4sd.org/ Tema Okun https://www.thc.texas.gov/public/upload/preserve/museums/files/White_Supremacy_Culture.pdf Black Girls Code https://www.blackgirlscode.com/ Sonya Renee Taylor https://www.instagram.com/sonyareneetaylor/?hl=en

With more than 800,000 active podcasts currently airing, it can be hard for a brand or individual to cut through the noise. Yet, with the avalanche of crises, characters, and political movements of 2020, more of us want to be heard than ever before. Rick Wilson and Richard "RichE" Otey explore what it means to create positive, relevant, and meaningful podcast content, on this meta-episode of Dragonproof.