Ecomm Breakthrough

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his blueprint for scaling an e-commerce brand beyond Amazon through a strategic omnichannel approach. Drawing from over a decade of experience, Josh debunks the myth that simply adding sales channels drives growth. Instead, he outlines a phased expansion strategy: master Amazon first, then expand to marketplaces, TikTok Shop, Shopify, and retail. He emphasizes building documented systems, hiring capable teams, and approaching each platform as a unique business to avoid operational chaos and achieve sustainable, long-term growth.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Amazon": "00:01:50"  "Shopify": "00:01:50"  "TikTok Shop": "00:01:50"  "Walmart": "00:01:50"  "Etsy": "00:26:43"  "Temu": "00:26:43"  "Shein": "00:26:43"  "Meta Ad Library": "00:46:35"  "Faire": "00:49:22"  Videos and Masterclasses  "Seven Step Hiring Process": "00:23:36"  "CEO Dashboard": "00:25:44"  "How We Generated Over 50 Viral Videos with Our Affiliates": "00:34:32"  "How to Double Down on the Creators that are Actually Driving Sales for Your Brand": "00:34:32"  Recommendations  "Loom": "00:19:01"  "ChatGPT": "00:20:01"  Key Concepts  "Omnichannel Strategy": "00:07:22"  "CAC to LTV Ratio": "00:09:20"  "Product Launch Checklist": "00:19:01"  "Weekly Ad Optimization Processes": "00:19:01"  "Inventory Forecasting Models": "00:19:01"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & The Omnichannel MythJosh introduces himself, the podcast, and debunks the myth that simply adding channels guarantees growth.00:01:50 Stages of E-commerce Brand GrowthOutlines the four stages: launch on Amazon, expansion optimism, hidden complexity, and the breaking point.00:06:30 The Real Problem: Sequence, Not ProductExplains that chaos comes from scaling too soon without systems, not from product quality.00:07:22 Channel-Specific ComplexitiesBreaks down the unique operational demands ...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Will Russell, CEO of Russell Marketing, about effective strategies for launching e-commerce products. Will shares his five-step framework, emphasizing audience building through paid ads, partnerships, virality, and organic growth. They discuss practical tactics for Amazon sellers, such as using product insert cards with QR codes, leveraging surveys for product validation, and segmenting email lists for launch campaigns. Will highlights the importance of nurturing existing customers and using their feedback for product development. The episode offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to maximize launch success and scale their businesses efficiently.Chapters:Introduction to Will Russell and Russell Marketing (00:00:00)Will Russell's background, agency achievements, and book introduction.Strategies for Building an Engaged Audience Pre-Launch (00:00:55)Overview of paid acquisition, piggybacking/partnerships, virality, and organic growth for audience building.Piggybacking and Partnerships Explained (00:01:20)How to leverage existing communities and partnerships to access target audiences.Virality and Organic Growth (00:02:47)Discussion of viral marketing, influencer strategies, and the role of organic content.Summary of Audience-Building Approaches (00:03:53)Recap of paid, partnership, viral, and organic methods for audience growth.Leveraging Existing Customer Bases for Product Validation (00:05:07)Using current customers for product validation, feedback, and preorders to reduce launch risk.The Value of Existing Communities in Launches (00:07:11)How established audiences give a head start and lower costs for new product launches.Applying the Five-Step Framework to Amazon Sellers (00:08:14)Host introduces actionable takeaways, adapting Will's framework for Amazon product launches.Step 1: Product Validation Tactics (00:09:26)Using product inserts, QR codes, and Amazon analytics to validate new product ideas.Step 2: Audience Building and Customer Surveys (00:10:37)Reaching out to existing customers, using surveys to identify pain points and refine products.Step 3: Audience Engagement During Product Development (00:11:50)Keeping customers involved in product design and updates to build anticipation and loyalty.Step 4: Conversion Strategies and List Segmentation (00:13:05)Segmenting email lists for staggered launch campaigns to optimize Amazon ranking and conversions.Step 5: Scaling and Ongoing Audience Engagement (00:14:02)Using product inserts and ongoing engagement to prepare for future launches and scale the business.Review Research and Copywriting Insights (00:14:28)Using competitor reviews for product development and marketing language.Segmentation Strategies for Different Launch Models (00:15:19)How to segment audiences for Amazon vs. crowdfunding launches, prioritizing likely converters.Conclusion and Final Thoughts (00:17:01)Recap, book recommendation, and closing remarks.Links and Mentions:Advertising Tools:"Facebook Ads": "00:01:20""Google Ads": "00:01:20""Reddit Ads": "00:01:20""Amazon Brand Analytics": "00:10:37"Books:"Take Your Idea from Light Bulb Moment to Profitable Business in Record Time" by Will Russell: "00:00:52"Marketing Concepts and Strategies:"Piggybacking": "00:01:20""Virality": "00:02:47""Organic Growth": "00:03:53""Customer Surveys": "00:06:02""Product Insert Cards": "00:09:26""Segmentation for Email/Text Lists": "00:13:05"Content and Influencer Strategies:"User-Generated Content": "00:02:47""Influencer Marketing": "00:02:47""Referral Strategies": "00:02:47"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Will Russell. He is the CEO and founder of Russell Marketing. Russell Marketing is an innovative digital agency specializing in e-commerce launch marketing. To date, they have generated more than 25 million in revenue for over 300 new entrepreneurs. Will has been featured on Forbes, Business Insider, Crain's New York Start-Up nation and many more. Will also has launched the Russell Gibbs Foundation, a family foundation that offers grants and mentorship to 501 C3 partners committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. In November of 2022, Will's first book launch in five. Take your Idea From Light Bulb Moment to Profitable Business in Record Time, was published by Nicholas Brealey. So welcome to the show, Will.Will 00:00:52  Thank you. Thanks for having me, Josh. It's a real pleasure to be here.Josh 00:00:55  When you talk about building an engaged, you know, audience or, you know, building it up a The following. What are what are the channels or strategies to kind of build this following of people before you've even launched a product?Will 00:01:15  By and large, most people are going to lean heavily into paid acquisition.Will 00:01:20  And so, you know, that means paying Facebook or Google or Reddit for ad space and driving traffic using those methods. Now, not everyone has big budgets. They can just plug in. To do that, I always suggest paid acquisition because frankly, is the quickest and easiest way of getting from where you are to where you need to be. But I understand not everyone has the budget. So for those who don't have those budgets, or for those who don't want to rely entirely on those budgets, there's a few other avenues you really look to. One is piggybacking. And so by piggybacking, we're looking for partners or like minded communities that already we have the people we want, and we want to build a connection with the managers or the founders of those communities and essentially piggyback on top of the success they've had to get access to these people. So examples of that might be, maybe you don't want to put $10,000 into a Facebook ad campaign, but maybe you could purchase an advertising spot or in a particular media websites newsletter, or you could write a guest post, or you could do some sort of exchange post promotional exchange with them over a period of six months, where maybe front end of that relationship, they're helping you, but then towards the back end, you're going to balance that out more and start helping them in different ways.Will 00:02:47  So piggybacking and looking at those kind of partnerships is a really good route. Another effort we're going to look to is virality. It's a tough one because it's you know, there are obviously elements to what makes something viral and, and checkboxes that you can go through. But there's always an element of luck there. You don't really know for sure whether a big effort to go viral is going to work. And so it can be a bit of a risk, but virality and that can be things such as word of mouth, marketing strategies, referral strategies and fun content, user generated content, things like ambassadors or affiliate marketing. We might even include some influencer marketing in that. So we've got the virality is certainly a good a good path to go. If you don't want to lean into pushing too much of your budget into paid ads, and then I mean, the fourth and longest one, I suppose is is the organic, you know, people that don't have big budgets and and maybe don't excel. I don't have any partners or I don't have.Will 00:03:53  I can't make things viral. They can't ...

Today on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, we're joined by a true expert at the intersection of technology, data, and e-commerce growth. Ellis Whitehead is the co-founder of DataBrill and a leading mind in PPC management, data science, and business intelligence space. With a PhD in automation and years of experience architecting smart technology for Amazon sellers, Ellis has helped brands leverage data-driven strategies to scale profitably and stay ahead of the competition. He's here to share how sellers can use advanced analytics and Ai to break through the seven-figure ceiling and unlock the path to eight figures and beyond. Ellis, welcome to the show! Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Leveraging AI and data for scaling e-commerce businesses, particularly for sellers with seven-figure sales.Importance of establishing a proper data infrastructure before utilizing AI.The concept of a "data chain" consisting of four essential links: centralized data, capturing history, connecting disparate data sources, and constructing guardrails for AI.Challenges faced by e-commerce sellers regarding messy or disconnected data.The significance of capturing historical data for trend analysis and forecasting.The necessity of connecting various data sources to derive meaningful insights and metrics.The role of structured databases versus unstructured data storage solutions like shared drives.The impact of AI on decision-making processes and the importance of providing accurate context for AI tools.Recommendations for hiring the right talent to manage data infrastructure and AI integration.The critical need for a solid foundation before implementing AI to avoid compounding errors in business operations.In this episode, host Josh Hadley interviews Ellis Whitehead, co-founder of Data Brill, about how seven-figure e-commerce sellers can leverage AI and data to scale effectively. Ellis outlines a four-step “data chain” for success: centralizing data, capturing historical records, connecting disparate data sources, and building guardrails for AI. They discuss common pitfalls, the importance of solid data infrastructure, and actionable hiring advice for building in-house data teams. The episode emphasizes that AI is only as powerful as the data foundation supporting it, offering practical strategies for sustainable e-commerce growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prioritize Data Infrastructure:Invest in building a centralized, historical, and connected data warehouse before layering on AI. This is a full-time job—don't try to do it all yourself.Make Data-Driven Decisions:Use live, visual dashboards to monitor trends, market share, and leading indicators—not just lagging P&L statements. Let data guide your strategic focus.Leverage AI Only After Laying the Foundation:AI can scale your business—or your mistakes. Only deploy AI agents once your data is clean, structured, and governed by clear guardrails.Timestamp:00:00:00 Podcast IntroductionLeveraging AI and data for scaling e-commerce businesses.00:00:58 Guest IntroductionEllis Whitehead's background and expertise in data, PPC, and Amazon seller growth are introduced.00:02:00 AI Hype & Seller ChallengesDiscussion about the overwhelming AI chatter among e-commerce sellers and the feeling of being left behind.00:02:37 The Importance of FundamentalsEllis emphasizes sticking to business fundamentals despite rapid technological changes.00:03:11 Common Data Mistakes in E-commerceEllis introduces the “data chain” concept and outlines common mistakes sellers make with data and AI.00:05:07 Overview of the Four Data Chain LinksEllis lists the four essential links: centralized data, capturing history, connecting data sources, and constructing guardrails.00:07:29 Step 1: Centralizing DataDetailed explanation of why a structured database (like Postgres) is crucial versus using spreadsheets or shared drives.00:09:21 Technical Setup for Centralized DataDifferences between databases and shared drives, and why structure, speed, and reliability matter.00:11:38 Non-Technical Founders & Getting HelpAdvice for non-technical founders: learning, hiring, or consulting for proper data setup.00:15:14 Ongoing Maintenance CaveatEllis explains that data systems require ongoing maintenance due to changing APIs and data sources.00:16:45 Ways to Ingest DataDifferent methods for getting data into databases: APIs, manual downloads, and handling multiple currencies.00:19:15 Navigating Amazon API AccessChallenges and solutions for brands seeking Amazon API access, including using third-party services.00:21:45 Step 2: Capturing HistoryWhy historical data is vital for trend analysis, forecasting, and making informed decisions.00:24:27 Use Cases for Historical DataExamples of how historical data helps with leading indicators, seasonality, and strategic decision-making.00:26:30 Pitfalls of Ignoring TrendsDangers of relying on static data blocks and the importance of trend analysis for inventory and forecasting.00:29:10 AI Automation Cautionary TaleRisks of automating decisions without proper context and historical data.00:31:01 Tracking Keyword Popularity Over TimeHow tracking keyword trends can explain sales drops and inform campaign adjustments.00:33:24 Step 3: Connecting the DotsCombining disparate data sources to calculate advanced metrics and gain actionable insights.00:35:53 Practical Tactics for Data IntegrationHow to use database views, scheduled calculations, and file storage for efficient data analysis.00:37:05 Step 4: Constructing GuardrailsBuilding guidance and guardrails so AI can answer business questions reliably and avoid costly mistakes.00:39:06 Guardrails in Action: Use CasesExamples of how proper guardrails enable AI to deliver actionable, accurate reports and campaign strategies.00:43:12 Building In-House Data TeamsAdvice on hiring the right mix of technical talent or using consultants.00:44:30 Three Actionable TakeawaysSummary of key actions: hire for data roles, let data drive strategy, and only use AI after building a solid data foundation.00:47:38 Final Recommendations & ClosingEllis's final advice: start centralizing data in Postgres and set up guardrails for AI.00:48:07 Book RecommendationsEllis shares influential books: “Warren Buffett Accounting” and “1984.”00:49:30 Favorite AI Tools & WorkflowEllis describes his preferred AI tools and workflow: Claude, VS Code, TypeScript, Deno, Postgres, and git.What is Git? (00:50:19)Explanation of git as foundational versioning software for code and text files.00:51:22 E-commerce Influencer RecommendationEllis recommends following George Meressa for advertising and e-commerce insights.00:51:51 Where to Find Ellis WhiteheadInformation on how to connect with Ellis and Data Brill for further help.00:52:20 Podcast OutroClosing remarks and call to subscribe and review the podcast.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Had...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley introduces his "TikTok Creator Engine," a structured system for turning product samples into loyal brand evangelists. Josh outlines five creator stages—Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Evangelist—and explains how to move creators through each using personalized outreach, gamification, community building, and targeted ad spend. He also details key team roles, essential KPIs, and onboarding strategies to replace the ineffective "spray and pray" approach with a scalable, relationship-driven affiliate program that generates consistent revenue.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"TikTok Creator Engine": "00:01:12""Shopify": "00:01:12""Amazon": "00:01:12""WhatsApp": "00:09:34""CRM (Creator Relationship Management System)": "00:11:42""TikTok Shop": "00:10:40""Fulfilled by TikTok": "00:13:55""Amazon MCF (Multi-Channel Fulfillment)": "00:13:55""Beehive": "21:31""Discord": "22:31""ChatGPT": "23:39"Videos and Playlists"YouTube Onboarding Videos": "00:18:51""YouTube Playlist for New Creators": "24:27"Concepts and Strategies"Creative Briefs": "23:39""Creative Brief": "00:42:53""Bingo Card Game": "28:51""Ad Spend Strategy": "00:39:18""Performance Coach Role": "00:41:54""Affiliate Support Specialist Role": "00:41:54""VIP Program": "00:43:50""Monthly Contests": "00:44:43""Personalized Contests": "00:48:19""Weekly Creator Calls": "26:10"Metrics and KPIs"Contact Information Capture": "00:51:08""Performance Metrics": "00:52:56""Pareto Principle": "00:45:38""Gamification": "00:44:43"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introducing the TikTok Creator EngineA systematic process to turn product samples into loyal brand evangelists, focusing on consistent revenue over viral moments.00:01:12 Host IntroductionJosh Hadley shares his background as an e-commerce entrepreneur, father, and host of the E-com Breakthrough podcast.00:02:17 Core Principles of the SystemThe system focuses on inspiring creators, tracking behavior, doubling down on winners, and ignoring the rest based on performance.00:04:10 Common Problems with Creator ProgramsOutlines issues brands face, such as creators not posting, one-off videos, wasted samples, and overreliance on TikTok DMs.00:06:49 The Five Stages of the Creator EngineAn overview of the five distinct stages creators move through: Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Brand Evangelist.00:10:40 The Required Team StructureDetails the three essential team roles needed to run the engine: Affiliate Support Specialist, Performance Coach, and Store Operations.00:15:03 Stage 1: Inactivated CreatorsFocuses on approving samples and, most importantly, capturing the creator's contact information to move them out of TikTok DMs.00:17:53 The 30-Day Onboarding SequenceA detailed breakdown of the first 30 days of communication, including emails and WhatsApp messages for new creators.00:21:31 Tools for the Activation ProgramDiscusses essential tools for creator activation, including email newsletters, community platforms like WhatsApp, and detailed creative briefs.00:24:27 The YouTube Onboarding PlaylistOutlines a mini-course for creators covering mindset, hook strategy, lighting, audio, and success stories to build relationships.00:28:51 Gamifying Onboarding: The Bingo CardA gamified "bingo card" system that incentivizes new creators to complete key tasks like posting multiple videos.00:30:42 Stage 2: Activated CreatorsCovers the team's actions once a creator posts their first video, including congratulations and providing initial feedback.00:33:29 High ROI Move: Boosting Videos with AdsA strategy to use small, targeted ad spend on new creators' videos to generate initial views and sales.00:35:29 Stage 3: Emerging CreatorsThe goal for this stage is to build consistency with creators who have momentum but aren't posting regularly.00:40:13 Stage 4: Performing CreatorsFocuses on scaling the output of consistent creators by building a personal relationship and offering exclusive VIP program invitations.00:45:38 Stage 5: Brand EvangelistsA high-touch strategy to retain top creators through personalized contests, gifts, and exclusive access to new products.00:50:16 Collecting Creator Contact InfoEmphasizes the critical importance of capturing creator contact information and offers creative methods like auto-DMs and product inserts.00:51:58 Key Metrics to MeasureA breakdown of the essential KPIs to track weekly, including samples sent, post rates, and GMV per stage.00:54:48 Daily Roles of the TeamA summary of the daily action items for the Affiliate Support Specialist and the Performance Coach within the system.00:55:50 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsA summary of the system's benefits, emphasizing that consistent action, refinement, and focus are the keys to success.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  That activation stage is honestly the biggest miss that I see most brands like just completely skipping and they just go from inactivated creator to somebody went viral and it's as simple as that. And and that's all they're relying upon. Whereas we're going to methodically walk all of these creators through these five different stages. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Today, I want to share with you all the TikTok Creator Engine. This is how we're turning thousands of samples into thousands of brand evangelists. This isn't just about like sending out as many samples as you possibly can. The spray and pray approach, just hoping that somebody will go viral. Rather, this is a systematic process that we follow to ensure that every sample we send out actually has the chance of helping some of t...

In this episode, Josh interviews Amy Wees, CEO of Amazing at Home E-commerce Consulting. Amy shares her expertise in product development, sourcing, and sales, emphasizing the benefits of diversifying manufacturing—particularly sourcing from Mexico as an alternative to China. She discusses Mexico's advantages in cost, quality, and logistics, and highlights common mistakes sellers make, such as not knowing their numbers or lacking supplier contracts. Amy stresses the importance of understanding unit economics, building strong supplier relationships, and differentiating products to succeed in today's competitive e-commerce landscape.Chapters:Introduction to Amy Wees and Amazing at Home (00:00:00)Amy Wees is introduced as CEO of Amazing at Home, specializing in private label product launches and e-commerce consulting.Why Source from Mexico? (00:00:28)Amy discusses the importance of diversifying manufacturing, highlighting Mexico's advantages over China for sourcing and supply chain.Mexico's Manufacturing Capabilities (00:02:04)Explains Mexico's strengths in injection molding, electronics, labor costs, and free trade agreements compared to China.Evolving Supply Chains and Workforce Trends (00:03:25)Describes changes in China's workforce, supply chain challenges, and the need for businesses to adapt and evolve.Discovering and Building Trade Shows in Mexico (00:05:35)Amy shares her journey in exploring Mexican factories and starting a multi-category trade show for sourcing.Common Seller Mistakes: Not Knowing the Numbers (00:07:34)Amy identifies the main mistake sellers make: not understanding their costs, margins, and unit economics.Protecting Supply Chains and Supplier Relationships (00:10:12)Emphasizes the importance of contracts, vetting suppliers, and protecting products from being copied.Josh's Key Takeaways for Sellers (00:12:16)Josh summarizes three action items: know your numbers, build strong supplier relationships, and differentiate your products.How to Connect with Amy Wees (00:16:35)Amy offers a free listing review and shares how listeners can contact her for e-commerce advice.Podcast Closing (00:17:05)Josh thanks Amy for joining the podcast.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Amazing at Home": "00:00:00"  "Alibaba": "00:08:59"  "Free Listing Review": "00:16:35"  Books and Resources  "Seller Accountant": "00:12:16"  Key Takeaways  "Understanding Your Numbers": "00:12:16"  "Supplier Relationships": "00:14:37"  "Market Evaluation": "00:15:57"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Amy Wees. Amy is the CEO of Amazing at Home E-commerce consulting, a world renowned company that has helped thousands of brands launch private label products on Amazon and beyond. Amy's knowledge in product development, sourcing, marketing and sales have enabled her to help countless entrepreneurs develop their own successful businesses. So welcome to the show, Amy.Amy 00:00:25  Thank you for having me, Josh. I'm so excited to be here.Josh 00:00:28  I love what you talked about in terms of, you know, diversifying your risk with manufacturing and supply chain, and you've been able to find a lot of that in Mexico. So why don't you tell us more about Mexico? Why have you been so invested lately into, you know, sourcing from Mexico?Amy 00:00:49  Well, you know, it's really we used to go to China all the time. You can go twice a year during canton fair times. And and I still sourced from China. I, I love my manufacturers in China. They're wonderful people. They're very efficient.Amy 00:01:04  Really great. So I don't think that there's anything wrong with China. But at the end of the day, one of the biggest things that all of us have to realize is that we have options and, and that, you know, we don't ever whether it comes to only selling on Amazon, putting your eggs all in that one sales channel basket or only using FBA. What happened during the pandemic? Everybody who is only using FBA, their stuff got stranded. Meanwhile, we tripled our sales because we were able to merchant fulfill. so that's that's, you know, a huge learning thing. And so many people are learning that the restock limits, we talked about that, you know, like, hey, maybe we need to start digging more into these other sales channels so that we are able to drive more traffic to Amazon and have even greater restock limits now that things are changing. Right. so I think it's important to never put all your eggs in one basket and to always know what your your options are.Amy 00:02:04  And so Mexico was a natural, solution. Potential solution. If we look at injection molding and manufacturing around the world. Mexico's number two in injection will be right behind China. So, you know, when we look at even electronics, Latin America is just as high in electronics manufacturing as China is. And a lot of people don't realize that. One of our speakers on the Mexico trip, he's he's an engineer and he specializes in helping electronics companies move their supply chain from China to Mexico. big companies like Seagate have completely moved manufacturing to Mexico. Chinese factories, major factories in China are now reopening new facilities in Mexico. Why? It makes sense, right? It makes sense. You've got free trade. As long as your product is 70%, produced in Mexico. You've got the free trade. So that's a wonderful opportunity there. You actually have lower labor costs in Mexico than you do in China. China labor costs have risen. and you have a highly educated and motivated workforce in Mexico, which that is also changing in China quite a bit.Amy 00:03:25  We're all finding with our factories and, you know, talking with my factory owners, every year after Chinese New Year, a lot of their employees do not return. It's very hard for them because e-commerce has really taken off in China. And so a lot of these, you know, it used to be you can walk through a factory in China a few years ago, and they didn't have, you know, they didn't sell it in e-commerce. Nowadays, that's nearly impossible to find a factory that doesn't sell. And so the workforce is evolving in China, and it's causing some, some issues in terms of supply chain, not only for labour. for quality control, you know, so there's even the Chinese are looking for alternatives to different places to open up factories and things like that. So I think that all of us have to evolve. We look at any company that does not evolve with the times what we find. You know, we look at like the toys R us stories and we look at, you know, the top 50 retailers in the United States of America.Amy 00:04:30  Also on the e-commerce websites. So it's very important for us to pay attention and make sure that we're looking at, okay, what's next. And also when we look at, you know, how many. Issues did we have with, with, ports being backed up and with our. With our supply chain just being at a complete stoppage. and we were all talking about men. For Q4 this last year. You better get your stuff in by August, because there's no way the October timeframe is dead. because there was so much, you know, caught back up and everything prior to this Q4. So this year it was a little bit better. We had some catch up, but we really need to be paying attention. And so for me, I'm right here in San Antonio, Texas. I traveled to Mexico a lot. I love Mexico, and I always see all these things,...

Today's guest is someone our audience already knows and respects — and I'm excited to have him back on the show. Kevin King is not just a veteran Amazon seller… he's one of the most connected and influential figures in the entire Amazon ecosystem. He's been selling online for decades, has built and exited multiple brands, and continues to operate in the trenches — not from theory, but from real-world execution. When Kevin speaks, it's not just his own experience — it's insights gathered from the top 1% of sellers globally. So if you're a 7-figure or 8 figure seller looking to break into the next level, you're about to hear from someone who has a front-row seat to what the best in the world are actually doing right now. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Current state and future of e-commerce for seven-figure sellersImpact of AI on e-commerce operations and marketingDecline of traditional private label Amazon business modelRise of social commerce platforms, particularly TikTok ShopImportance of building authentic brands and customer relationshipsNetworking opportunities at events like Market MastersChallenges sellers face, including confusion and fear about the futureNecessity of adapting to new technologies and automation toolsStrategies for effective sourcing and increasing profit marginsThe significance of prioritizing efforts and focusing on specific channels for growthIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews veteran Amazon seller Kevin King about the future of e-commerce for established seven-figure sellers. They discuss the growing impact of AI, the decline of traditional private label models, and the rise of social commerce platforms like TikTok. Kevin emphasizes the importance of building real brands, leveraging automation, and focusing on human relationships with creators. The episode also highlights actionable strategies for scaling, the value of strong systems, and Kevin's upcoming Market Masters event for networking and learning.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Focus on What Matters MostDon't chase every new tool, channel, or strategy. Pick the highest-priority opportunity, focus your resources on it, and scale it before moving to the next.2. Build and Document SystemsGrowth requires clear systems and processes. Whether tasks are done by humans or AI, success depends on how well you document and structure the workflow.3. Hire Smart People to Run the SystemsAI alone won't build a $100M brand. You need talented leaders who can design, manage, and improve systems while using AI as a tool to enhance results.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comBillion Dollar Seller SummitASM (Amazing Selling Machine)Helium 10 Freedom TicketShopifyTikTokEcom Mastery AIOpen ClawClaudeChatGPTWooCommerceCopyCoderUpwork/FiverrAndrew EricksonSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInAlex Hormozi on LinkedInRyan DeissPerry Belcher on LinkedInDan KennedyRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost!Transcript AreaKevin King 00:00:00  And there is no it's not like ranking in Google in the old way of backlinks where you rank. And basically you can if you type in podcast microphones and you're in Dallas, you can see pretty much the same results as I see down here in Austin with AI, my past search history and your past search history changes that completely. So no, there is no ranking in AI. It's being the answer for what questions people asking to be in the authority.MC 00:00:22  Welcome to the E-com Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh Hadley 00:00:36  Do you want to know what's wor...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares hard-won lessons on the power of focus in scaling an ecommerce business. Drawing from personal experience and mastermind insights, Josh reveals five key things he's saying “no” to—like low-volume product launches, unprofitable SKUs, and distracting sales channels. He emphasizes prioritizing high-impact opportunities, leveraging top-performing creators, and resisting shiny new trends like AI experiments. Josh's disciplined approach highlights how saying “no” to distractions enables entrepreneurs to concentrate resources on what truly drives sustainable, exponential growth.Links and Mentions:Business Influencers & References"Alex Hormozi": "00:02:01"E-commerce Platforms & Tools"Amazon": "00:04:43""Shopify": "00:06:31""TikTok Shop": "00:06:31""Amazon Marketplace": "00:20:16""OpenClaw": "00:23:05""Vibe Coding": "00:23:05"Frameworks & Systems"Momentum Matrix": "00:08:26""Buckets for Product Management": "00:08:26"Business Concepts & Strategies"Hitting Singles vs. Home Runs": "00:04:43""Total Addressable Market (TAM)": "00:06:31""Lifetime Value Potential": "00:20:16""Operational Complexity": "00:21:14"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to Business FocusJosh emphasizes prioritization, focus, and the importance of saying "no" in business strategy.00:01:03 Lessons from Mastermind EventsInsights from recent mastermind groups; entrepreneurs struggle with shiny object syndrome and diversifying too soon.00:02:58 The Power of Doubling DownAdvice to focus on one business for greater success, rather than splitting attention across multiple ventures.00:04:43 Saying No to Small Product LaunchesJosh now rejects launching products with small markets, focusing only on those with large total addressable markets.00:07:25 Prioritizing High-Impact SKUsNo longer trying to scale all 1600+ SKUs; products are categorized by impact and focus is on top performers.00:08:26 Product Momentum Matrix ExplainedBreakdown of four product buckets: sunset, maintenance, profit engines, and brand-defining SKUs.00:15:09 Focusing on Brand-Defining ProductsTeam spends most time on a few top SKUs that align with brand vision and have high growth potential.00:17:05 Saying No to Low Leverage Sales ChannelsRejecting channels like Temu, Shein, Walmart, and some international expansions due to low scalability and complexity.00:18:12 Sales Channel Momentum MatrixSales channels are categorized; focus is on scalable, high-leverage channels like Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Shopify.00:22:11 Rejecting AI DistractionsJosh avoids spending time on AI trends unless they directly drive business growth; team uses AI only for specific use cases.00:26:56 Focusing on Top-Performing CreatorsNo longer catering to all 5000 creators; focus is on the top 5% who drive 95% of TikTok Shop revenue.00:28:03 Conclusion: Focus Over DistractionReiterates the importance of focus and systems for scaling, and invites listeners to share the episode.TranscriptJosh Hadley 00:00:00  I will promise you like 99 times out of 100. The person who doubles down in one single business is going to have far greater returns and success than the entrepreneur that thinks they're going to split their time and diversify themselves across multiple different business units. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. In today's episode, I'm going to be sharing with you guys exactly what I'm saying no to. In my business right now, that is one of the most important things as it relates to business strategy as a whole. I think that business strategy is less. These are the things that I am doing, and it's much more about these are the things that I am specifically not doing in my business and why business strategy is ultimately, hey, there are 1,000,001 different opportunities, but there are limited resources.Josh Hadley 00:01:03  And so really it's prioritizing which of those million and one opportunities do I actually want to take on with my limited time, resources and ability to be able to go execute? Because in general, if you want to see something really succeed, you've got to put some significant amount of time and energy and thought process behind it. So today I'm going to be sharing the five things that I'm saying no to in my own business. And I'm sharing this after coming off of the heels of three different events that I've attended within the last two weeks. So over the last two weeks I've attended a few different mastermind groups, some with e-commerce specific people involved and others with just kind of general entrepreneurs who are all over seven figure sellers. So here are some of like the takeaways. And I heard this over and over again at multiple events. I continue to hear people that they already have a successful busines...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Tyler Jefcoat, founder of The Seller Roundtable, about financial strategies for Amazon and e-commerce sellers. Tyler explains key metrics like COGS, Amazon fees, and advertising costs, and shares actionable tips on optimizing profit margins, managing inventory, and preparing for business exits. He emphasizes the importance of accurate accounting, SKU-level analysis, and disciplined habits for long-term success. The discussion also covers useful tools and resources, including Merchant Spring and the book "Atomic Habits." Listeners gain practical advice to build more profitable and acquisition-ready e-commerce businesses.Chapters:Introduction to Tyler Jefcoat and Seller Accountant (00:00:00)Tyler's background, experience, and introduction to his work with e-commerce sellers.Key Financial Metrics for Amazon Sellers (00:00:38)Breakdown of revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), Amazon fees, and advertising expenses.Profit Margins and Targets for Sellers (00:01:44)Discussion of ideal net profit margins, advertising spend, and benchmarks for healthy Amazon businesses.Net Profit Margin Benchmarks and Market Trends (00:03:59)Analysis of average net profit margins, market headwinds, and acquisition readiness.Preparing for Exit: Case Study and Best Practices (00:05:01)Advice and case study on preparing for business exit, including accounting and inventory management.Return on Capital and Product Portfolio Analysis (00:06:54)Explanation of return on capital, product-level profitability, and portfolio optimization.FBA Fees and SKU-Level Analysis (00:10:18)Importance of monitoring Amazon FBA fees, SKU-level analysis, and correcting fulfillment fee errors.Automating FBA Fee Audits (00:11:45)Discussion on automating FBA fee audits and best practices for large catalogs.Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:12:59)Summary of three key actions: solid accounting, SKU-level profitability, and price testing.Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits (00:15:40)Tyler recommends "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and discusses its impact.Favorite Software Tool: Merchant Spring (00:16:46)Recommendation and overview of Merchant Spring for multi-channel sales integration.Closing Remarks and Contact Info (00:17:28)Final thoughts, recommendation to contact Tyler, and episode wrap-up.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Merchant Spring": "00:16:46"Books  "Atomic Habits by James Clear": "00:15:49"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Tyler Jefcoat. Tyler is the founder and CEO of Stellar Accountant, where he exercises his passion for helping sellers maximize their businesses. Tyler provides financial coaching for sellers totaling more than 100 million per year in e-commerce sales. Tyler also leads the Sellers Roundtable, an exclusive mastermind group for seven and eight figure sellers. Before founding Seller Accountant, Tyler was the co-founder and managing partner for Care to Continue, a home health care company that grew from 0 to 100 employees in four years. So, Tyler, welcome to the show.Tyler 00:00:36  All right, Josh, thanks for having me.Josh 00:00:38  So you have your top line revenue. The next thing we have is you're going to have your cost of goods sold, right? So with your cost of goods sold, you said the average is about 30 to 35% is what you're seeing right now.Tyler 00:00:52  And this kind of landed cost. So if you kind of think about what it costs you to satisfy your Chinese Po and then do the duties freight into the states, I think.Tyler 00:01:01  Across the board, we're seeing literally pretty close to a third 33, 34%.Josh 00:01:05  So if you're below 30% or so, that's a good indication then. Right. Okay. Looking good. All right then next you have your Amazon fees that are going to come up. Right. And I think I'm going to split these up with the advertising separate. So what is your Amazon fees that your 15% commission plus the pick and pack. All that goes into the Amazon ecosystem. You're saying 30 to 35% is what you're seeing there. Is that right?Tyler 00:01:34  To keep the numbers easy is probably another third. So you got about a third in your unit cost to Google. You got about a third and normal Amazon fees.Josh 00:01:44  okay. Cool. And then so all right. So at this point we have 66% right of our revenue going to Cogs in Amazon. And so what you're saying is that the last remaining portion for that POG number that you were talking about is your advertising expense specifically on Amazon. So with your advertising expense, you said ideally you want to be between that 20% to 25%, you know, net gross margin, including the advertising costs in there.Josh 00:02:16  So that means you're going to be needing to sit around somewhere between 15 to 20%. Correct.Tyler 00:02:22  So if we if you think about it, we've got it split into thirds, a third in cogs, a third name is on fee. So we've got 33 points left. I can spend between, you know, roughly 10% on tacos in that model. Let's assume that your cost of goods sold model. Then I'm really going to. So so right. Take another 10% away for ads. That leaves me with a 23% P&G or post advertising gross profit. And I would say that's a really good target. Like, again, I would rather aim for 25 and hit 23 than really flirt with 20 constantly. But yes. So that would be that would be a fairly prototypical private label or kind of brand building seller on Amazon is third, Amazon fees. Third product cogs are about a dime, about ten points going to tacos. And then I've got 22, 23, 24% after ads that I can put towards my overhead.Tyler 00:03:08  And mama wants a boat, you know, whatever it is, that's the money I want.Josh 00:03:12  Makes sense. Makes sense. So with that, and then the other thing you mentioned is, hey, if you have really good cost of goods sold, right, you know, you might be 10 to 20%, right? Well, then you could ramp up your advertising spend. Right. So you can kind of offset those things, but the more profitable you are, the better. Like you said, some people were 30 to 35% that were really getting some premiums, with all the acquisitions that were going on. So this is awesome. This gives us a lot to think about and great targets to shoot towards, especially like net profit margin. You said, you know, ten is kind of the average. You said, right. 15 means that you're really good. You know looking good. You're a good candidate to be acquired. Is that correct?Tyler 00:03:59  Yes. And honestly, coming out of like 2022, I would actually say that, you know, 10% was actually probably pretty good because we did see a lot of headwinds.Tyler 00:04:09  So give your give yourself some grace. Like if you're looking at your piano right now, you know, here in the middle of 2020 and you're like, well, boy, I got 5% last year, I must be dead. That actually might be more normal than you think it is. But don't don't think that that's going to be normal forever. I think we are we're, we're we're continuing to want to see the market get better and we want to we work too hard and we risk too much to take a 2% profit margin for too long. And so getting a 10% is really crucial. And then I think if you're going to exit, getting it closer to that 15% net profit. Yeah.Josh 00:04:38  Awesome, awesome super valuable content. Tyler thanks again. All right. So with that, let's talk about maybe some of the levers that people can be pulling, you know, as they prepar...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Julia Rubien and Nicolette Brunetti of Amie, a TikTok agency for beauty brands. They discuss effective affiliate marketing strategies on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of strong shop operations, community building, and data-driven content. The conversation covers commission structures, contests, retainers, and creator engagement, highlighting the need for strategic planning and long-term investment. Key takeaways include selling the affiliate first, nurturing a supportive community, and ensuring operational readiness before scaling. The episode offers actionable insights for brands aiming to succeed on TikTok Shop.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for success on TikTok Shop, particularly in affiliate marketing.Importance of having a multi-faceted approach to affiliate marketing, including acquisition, commission, and engagement.Financial expectations and ROI benchmarks for brands on TikTok Shop.The significance of community building and engagement with affiliates, particularly through platforms like Discord.Effective methods for attracting and nurturing affiliates, including personalized outreach and tailored incentives.The role of content quality and creator effort in driving sales and engagement.Challenges and lessons learned from past affiliate marketing strategies and contests.The necessity of strong shop operations and inventory management before launching affiliate marketing efforts.The importance of hiring skilled team members with expertise in TikTok Shop and affiliate marketing.Long-term investment and strategic patience required for building a successful affiliate ecosystem on TikTok Shop.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Sell the Affiliate First (Not the Product) Shift your mindset: you're recruiting creators, not just pushing products. Build a compelling commission structure, clear vision, and unique brand positioning so affiliates choose you over higher-paying competitors.Build a Creator Growth Ladder: Design a clear pathway:Start with onboarding + educationAdd retainers to build consistencyIntroduce contests + feedbackIncrease commissions/retainers as GMV growsMake it obvious how creators can level up with you.Fix Operations Before Scaling Affiliates: Before pushing growth:Ensure inventory is stableOptimize listingsSolidify shop operationsDon't scale affiliate traffic to a backend that can't support it. Get your foundation right first.Resources mentioned in this episode:"TikTok Shop": "00:00:36""EukaAI": "00:12:28""KaloData": "00:12:29""Reacher": "00:14:36""Fastmoss": "00:16:51""Discord": "00:19:08""GMV (Gross Merchandise Value)": "00:21:19""ChatGPT": "00:43:16""ecombreakthrough.com": "01:01:28"Special Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.TranscriptJulia Rubien 00:00:00  I think clients think that sometimes it's as simple as, let's just invite everybody to a target plan, and that's that. And one time I had to write out for clients, like all the different strategies that go into affiliate marketing, and without showing the slide, I'll kind of rattle some off. But to us, we think there's acquisition strategy, there's commission strategy, there's engagement strategy, there's partnership strategy, there's sample strategy, tiering strategy, incentive strategy, event strategy, content strategy. So there's all these different strategies.MC 00:00:36  Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh Hadley 00:00:50  Do you want to know what's actually working on TikTok shop right now? What are the strategies some of the top brands are implementing in order to grow their shop sells or attract new affiliates. Well, you're going to love today's conversation. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast.Josh Hadley 00:01:05  I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my jour...

In this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley shares his "essential cash flow playbook" for scaling e-commerce brands without outside capital. He explains how to forecast cash flow, delay payments to suppliers and ad platforms, and strategically use credit cards to extend payment cycles by up to 55 days. Josh details practical tactics, such as rotating credit cards and using services to pay suppliers, to improve cash conversion cycles and avoid debt. He emphasizes the importance of disciplined cash flow management as the foundation for sustainable, rapid business growth.Links and Mentions:Tools and Strategies"Cash Flow Forecasting Spreadsheet": "00:04:53""Credit Card Hack": "00:15:46""Amex Plum Card": "00:20:12"Quotes"Charlie Munger Quote": "00:13:53"Websites"Amazon Advertising Support": "00:16:38"Credit Cards and Financial Tools"Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business": "00:22:46""Amex Gold": "00:22:46""Chase Business Preferred": "00:22:46""Chase Business Premier": "00:22:46""Capital One Spark Cash Plus": "00:22:46"Payment Services"Melio": "00:24:56"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Episode OverviewJosh introduces the podcast, his background, and previews the main topic: the essential cash flow playbook for e-commerce.00:00:57 The Hidden Strategy Behind Top E-commerce BrandsExplains why cash flow management is the secret to scaling without outside capital, especially for bootstrapped entrepreneurs.00:01:54 The E-commerce Cash Flow ChallengeDiscusses common struggles with cash flow, inventory, and taxes that e-commerce brands face.00:03:50 Personal Cash Flow Crisis StoryJosh shares a personal story about nearly missing payroll and the dangers of taking on debt.00:04:53 The Importance of Cash Flow ForecastingIntroduces the cash flow forecasting spreadsheet as a critical business tool.00:05:56 How the Cash Flow Spreadsheet WorksDescribes how to use the spreadsheet to track inflows, outflows, and anticipate cash shortages.00:07:09 Forecasting Purchase Orders and Launch TimingExplains how to use forecasting to time purchase orders and product launches for optimal cash flow.00:08:08 Spreadsheet Walkthrough: Weekly Cash TrackingStep-by-step example of tracking weekly cash balances, payments, and Amazon disbursements.00:11:04 Identifying Cash Shortfalls and SolutionsShows how the spreadsheet highlights cash shortfalls and introduces strategies to avoid predatory loans.00:12:57 When (and When Not) to Use DebtDiscusses rare scenarios where loans make sense and why most e-commerce brands should avoid debt.00:13:53 The Dangers of Leverage Without Financial SophisticationWarns about the risks of leverage for those without advanced financial modeling skills.00:14:54 Credit Card Hack: Delaying PaymentsIntroduces the credit card hack to delay payments to vendors and ad platforms, extending cash flow.00:16:38 Increasing Amazon Billing ThresholdsExplains how to request higher billing thresholds from Amazon to increase payment float.00:17:34 Paying Ad Charges with Multiple Credit CardsAdvises on using multiple credit cards with staggered statement dates to maximize payment delays.00:18:19 Credit Card Application HackShares a tip for applying for multiple credit cards simultaneously to minimize credit score impact.00:19:08 Optimizing Statement Dates for Maximum FloatDetails how to schedule charges for the start of statement periods to get up to 55 days of float.00:20:12 Amex Plum Card for Extended FloatDescribes using the Amex Plum card for up to 90 days of payment float, with trade-offs.00:21:06 Seasonal Cash Flow Management ExampleShows how to use these strategies during high-spend periods like Q4 to avoid cash crunches.00:21:57 Rotating Credit Cards & Tracking RewardsExplains how to rotate credit cards and track perks, rewards, and statement dates for ongoing float.00:22:46 Recommended Business Credit CardsLists the best credit cards for ad spend, rewards, and payment terms.00:23:54 Paying Suppliers with Credit Cards via Third PartiesExplains using services like Melio or Plastiq to pay suppliers by credit card, even if they prefer wire/ACH.00:24:56 Offsetting Credit Card Fees with Rewards & Tax SavingsBreaks down how credit card fees are offset by rewards and tax deductions, making the strategy cost-neutral.00:28:06 Turning Cash Conversion Cycle NegativeDescribes how combining supplier terms and credit card float can result in a negative cash conversion cycle.00:29:06 Cash Conversion Cycle Levers: Positive & NegativeOutlines actions that improve or worsen cash flow, such as inventory turnover and payment terms.00:31:53 Impact of Credit Card Hack on Cash FlowDemonstrates how implementing the credit card hack increases cash balances and enables faster scaling.00:32:55 Action Steps & Forecasting Best PracticesEncourages listeners to implement forecasting, open multiple credit cards, and track statement dates.00:34:37 Conclusion & Free Resources OfferWraps up with a call to action, offering slides and the cash flow spreadsheet via QR code.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  How would you like to be able to delay payments to your suppliers and even like the big advertising platforms like meta, like Google, like Amazon, even TikTok shop by over 55 days without missing a due date or without having your ads turned off. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Would you like to know the number one strategy that sits behind some of the best performing e-commerce brands in the entire world? And this is the strategy that actually sits behind the scenes. It's not outwardly visible, but it allows them to scale infinitely and you never know what's sitting behind the scenes. Today, I'm going to be revealing what that number one strategy is and how you can implement it into your own business.Josh Hadley 00:00:57  My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I'm a father of four and husband to a beautiful wife. I've been in e-commerce business owner for over ten years now, and also an eight figure business owner doing multi millions of revenue on Amazon, Shopify, TikTok shop and also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, the E-com Breakthrough Podcast. So today, what is this number one strategy that sits behind the scenes? It's I'm going to show you it's the essential cash flow playbook. And first you're going to be like oh Josh, that's not that's not hot. That's not sexy. Like, this is this isn't like magic. This isn't the number one strategy. Today I'm going to show you why. It truly is ...

In this episode, the host interviews Amazon and e-commerce expert Bradley Sutton, who shares actionable strategies for successful Amazon product launches. Bradley discusses natural keyword integration, backend optimization, and advanced Helium 10 tools like Historical Cerebro and inventory management. He highlights the importance of monitoring Amazon listing changes with alerts to avoid costly mistakes, and offers advice on budgeting for product launches. The episode concludes with Bradley's personal recommendations and tips for staying informed, providing valuable insights for Amazon sellers aiming to optimize listings, manage finances, and scale their businesses effectively.Chapters:Introduction to Bradley Sutton and Amazon Listing Strategies (00:00:00)Bradley shares his background, passion for Amazon, and discusses incorporating top keywords into product listings naturally.Where to Add Keywords in Listings (00:01:15)Explains ideal keyword placement: bullets, description, backend search terms, subject matter, and special features fields.Special Features Field and Indexing Speed (00:02:47)Describes the special features field, its rapid indexing, and cautions against keyword stuffing since it appears on the listing.Advanced Helium 10 Tools for Launches (00:04:15)Introduces Helium 10 Elite tools like Historical Cerebro for seasonal keyword research and their advantages over traditional methods.Sponsored Ad Placements and New Page One Strategies (00:06:46)Discusses the proliferation of sponsored ad placements on Amazon's first page and the need for updated launch strategies.Three Actionable Takeaways for Product Launches (00:08:37)Host summarizes three key takeaways: title keyword density, running CPR via Amazon ads, and budgeting for initial losses.Financial Acumen and Scaling Successfully (00:10:57)Emphasizes the importance of understanding financials, budgeting, and cash flow to scale an Amazon business.Bradley's Most Influential Business Book (00:12:07)Bradley recommends "The Four Disciplines of Execution" and explains its impact on goal setting and business growth.Underutilized Helium 10 Tools for Sellers (00:13:59)Highlights inventory management and alerts as underused tools, sharing a cautionary tale about ignoring alerts.Where to Follow Bradley Sutton (00:16:45)Bradley shares where listeners can follow him: Serious Sellers Podcast, Helium 10 Facebook group, and Instagram.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"Helium 10 Listing Analyzer": "00:01:51""Helium 10 Cerebro": "00:05:09""Helium 10 Black Box": "00:05:53""Helium 10 Alerts": "00:14:13""Helium 10": "00:15:07"Additional Resources"Brand Analytics": "00:05:09"Books"The Four Disciplines of Execution": "00:12:07"Podcasts"Serious Sellers Podcast": "00:16:45"Social Media Links"Helium 10 Members Facebook Group": "00:16:45""Bradley Sutton on Instagram": "00:16:45"Key Takeaways"Alerts for SKUs": "00:15:07"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Bradley Sutton. Bradley is passionate about everything Amazon and e-commerce. He can talk about anything really. Launch strategy. Keyword research, the Amazon algorithm and everything in between. He has launched hundreds of products on Amazon for himself and clients, and he is privileged to host the most listened to podcast in the world for Amazon sellers. The Serious Sellers Podcast. Meeting helium ten customers around the world is his favorite thing to do with that. Welcome to the show, Bradley.Bradley 00:00:33  Thank you for having me here. It's great to be here.Josh 00:00:35  My question to you, Bradley, is you talked about add some of the top keywords into your listing. Where do you add them into your listing? because I could foresee an issue of, for example, maybe you're selling a calendar, right? And a pen. There's one particular type of pen, or it's a set of markers or something, right. That keeps showing up in the the frequently bought together. But those are very kind of two very different products.Josh 00:01:02  Right? So how would you go about incorporating the marker top keywords into calendar type, you know, a calendar type product and where do you put them right. Does it matter? Is it bullets? Description. Back end.Bradley 00:01:15  There's a couple of different ways. So like the most ideal way is just to get it as organic and natural as possible. You know in there. So like the you know perfect situation would be like for example, let's use that gothic, candle holder. You know, I could like, say in one of the bullet points or description, like, you know, hey, you can put a gothic candle holder on top of the coffin shelf and then you have a real spooky, you know, effect or whatever like that. You know, like something that actually makes sense. That's not that's not keyword stuffing. Yeah. You know, sometimes that doesn't you know, you're not able to do that most of the time though, if you really think about it. I mean, if two products are complementary, there's a way to tie it together.Bradley 00:01:51  I mean, otherwise it wouldn't be complementary with each other. Like like there's got to be a way. But in the extreme circumstances where there's not, of course you've got your search terms, your back end search terms. most Categories still have hidden the subject matter like you can't do it in your edit listing, but like once you create your listing, if you use like helium ten Listing Analyzer or you or your advanced user of flat files like in helium ten Listing Analyzer, we still have the subject matter and even though you don't see it there, it still works like we can tie it in the API in the back end. And then so there's usually 4 or 5 more lines of 50 characters. So you can put some of these keywords and then another one where it's very limited. But like if you just can't put it anywhere, is is this this back end feature that, that categories like home and Kitchen have that's called special features. And that doesn't help for ranking. But special features is like the most it's the craziest field I have seen in Amazon in years where I could put something there.Bradley 00:02:47  And I'll get index for it, like in less than 60s, you know, really, you know, if you change your title or your description, sometimes it takes like up to a day for you to get index or for you even to show up. You change something in the search terms. Like it was amazing that hey, like within 15 minutes you could be indexed, you know, like in the old days, this one is like less than 60s. And I could I prove that two ways. You know, using that special URL, that Ajax URL that that shows what's in the back end, or by actually just running index checker to show that, hey, this wasn't indexing then 60s later it is. So, it's it you have to be careful that you can't keyword stuff like you can in search terms and subject matter because the special features it's actually this is kind of a positive and a negative. the positive of course, is that, you know, you can index almost anything at all, even if like sometimes st...

Josh started his career at American Airlines (AA) and spent 5 years in their MBA leadership development program. Josh's experience at AA further refined his leadership abilities and strategic decision making skills. While employed at AA Josh and his wife Becca started Hadley Designs. As the CEO of Hadley Designs, Josh led the business to gross $100,000+ in revenue within it's first year and in 2022 Hadley Designs crossed the eight figure mark, grossing over $10,000,000 in revenue.In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, standing still means falling behind. In a recent episode of the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast, host and eight-figure brand owner Josh Hadley pulls back the curtain on the real struggles and breakthrough strategies that have propelled his business from the brink of collapse to new heights. This episode is a masterclass for e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to scale beyond seven figures, with a special focus on leveraging TikTok Shop, affiliate marketing, and integrated sales funnels across Amazon and Shopify.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for scaling e-commerce businesses on platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop.Personal experiences of overcoming business challenges, including product failures and financial difficulties.The importance of targeted outreach and building relationships with creators for affiliate marketing.Utilizing TikTok Shop to generate significant gross merchandise volume (GMV) and create viral content.The role of effective sales funnel structures in improving conversion rates and average order value (AOV).Implementing subscription models to create recurring revenue streams.The integration of marketing efforts across TikTok, Shopify, and Amazon to enhance profitability.The significance of product differentiation and niche focus in e-commerce success.The challenges of maintaining profitability on Amazon and strategies to avoid market stagnation.The necessity of hard work and commitment in achieving success in the competitive e-commerce landscape.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his journey overcoming business setbacks and reveals his proven strategies for scaling e-commerce brands on Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop. He details how he rebuilt his business using TikTok Shop affiliate marketing, building a network of creators, and optimizing sales funnels. Josh emphasizes the importance of creator partnerships, viral content, and subscription models, offering listeners a step-by-step blueprint for driving growth and profitability in today's competitive e-commerce landscape. He also provides actionable tips and resources for brands seeking to break through stagnation and achieve lasting success.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Target Niche Creators with Email Collection Use tools like Yuka AI to reach out to creators in your specific niche (not spray-and-pray). Before approving samples, collect their email and phone number to build direct relationships off TikTok. Add them to an automated email flow that nurtures engagement and tracks content creation.Require 30 Videos + Usage Rights Upfront Send a creative brief before sample approval and have creators commit to producing 30 videos in 60 days with unlimited usage rights. This gives you permission to repurpose viral content (100K+ views) as Meta ads without asking, and weeds out freebie seekers while maximizing ROI per sample.Turn Amazon Products into High-AOV Shopify Funnels Take viral TikTok videos and run them as Meta ads driving to dedicated landing pages (not your homepage). Bundle products together, add digital exclusives Amazon can't match, include pre-checkout upsells, and offer a subscription club—turning $25 products into $85+ AOV while generating recurring revenue.Resources & Links SectionJosh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTikTok ShopAmazonShopifyChatGPTEuka AIKalodataStreakWooCommerce

In this solo episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his proven framework for hiring senior leadership in ecommerce. Drawing from personal experience, Josh outlines the costly pitfalls of bad hires and emphasizes the value of securing top 1% talent. He details a structured, three-part interview process focused on track record, culture alignment, and role competence, offering actionable tips for assessing candidates. Josh also discusses the legal and financial implications of hiring, underscoring the importance of systems and focus for business growth. The episode concludes with a call to share and review the podcast.Hiring the wrong person can be a costly "hiring mistake" for any business, impacting your bottom line significantly. This video dives into effective "recruitment" strategies and a robust "hiring process" to help you avoid these pitfalls. Learn about crucial "interview questions" and how to "how to hire" the right talent to propel your e-commerce brand forward.

In this episode, host Josh interviews Pradeep, a scientist-turned-entrepreneur who built a seven-figure Amazon business in under a year. They discuss advanced strategies for Amazon sellers, focusing on negotiating cost of goods sold, building strong supplier partnerships, optimizing inventory and cash flow, and avoiding the pitfalls of launching too many products at once. Pradeep shares actionable tips on supplier negotiations, payment terms, and expense management, emphasizing the need for a sophisticated, business-minded approach to succeed in today's competitive Amazon marketplace.Chapters:Introduction to Pradeep and His Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Pradeep, his scientific background, and transition to Amazon e-commerce and asset acquisition.Beyond Basic Amazon Strategies (00:00:37)Discussion on moving past common optimization tactics to focus on COGS, supplier negotiation, logistics, and inventory.COGS Negotiation and Supplier Relationships (00:01:45)Pradeep explains the importance of negotiating COGS, exclusive agreements, and sophisticated supplier relationships.COGS Tracking and Unit Economics (00:04:19)Emphasis on tracking COGS, using software, and managing multiple brands and inventories.Inventory Management Pitfalls (00:05:44)Analysis of overstocking, poor forecasting, and leveraging inventory in distressed asset acquisitions.Amazon Warehousing Changes and Cash Flow (00:06:53)Transition to how Amazon's warehousing changes impact cash flow and inventory strategies.Cash Flow Mistakes and Overspending (00:07:13)Discussion on unnecessary spending on consultants, poor HR choices, and excessive conference expenses.Negotiating Payment Terms for Cash Flow (00:09:42)Advice on negotiating 30-120 day payment terms with suppliers to improve cash flow and acquisition leverage.Launching Multiple Brands: Cautionary Advice (00:11:50)Warning against launching multiple brands/products without sufficient cash flow and the risks of overextending.Key Takeaways and Action Steps (00:13:04)Josh summarizes actionable steps: focus on supplier partnerships, negotiate terms, and improve cash flow management.Expense Management and Exit Planning (00:15:08)Highlighting the impact of recurring expenses on business valuation and the importance of efficient spending.Closing Remarks (00:15:57)Final thanks and acknowledgments as the episode concludes.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Jungle Scout": "00:12:30"  "Helium 10": "00:12:30"  Key Takeaways  "Supplier Partnership": "00:13:45"  "Negotiation with Suppliers": "00:14:10"  "Cash Flow Management": "00:15:08"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I am excited to introduce you to Pradeep. He is trained as a scientist at Oxford University and Harvard University, and then he became the vice president of Global Business development for a biotech company. During the pandemic, he found himself in a unique situation which led him to start his Amazon e-commerce business. He became a seven figure seller in just 11 months and now has a new business model of acquiring distressed assets, and he also owns a boutique Amazon account and launch management agency. So welcome to the podcast, Pradeep.Pradeep 00:00:36  Thank you so much.Josh 00:00:37  I love that you made the mention of when we go to conferences. And as you listen to speakers speak on stage or even listening to podcasts time and time again, we hear the same optimization strategies and the same keyword strategies, and it's just a new tool that people are using. But instead what you're saying is like, the hard stuff is what people aren't necessarily talking about. People aren't getting into the weeds of cogs and negotiating with suppliers and renegotiating on an ongoing basis, and the finer details of logistics and where you're warehousing things.Josh 00:01:14  And with Amazon, you know, reducing inventory limits across the board for people. What are people doing now to kind of prepare themselves for a world where Amazon does limit you completely and with maybe 1 or 2 months worth of inventory and that's it. And how are you staging your inventory and still winning on Amazon in that environment and then cash flow? I mean, all of these things are such great topics. So yes, let's do a deep dive into each of these. Let's start with the cogs first.Pradeep 00:01:45  Yeah, sure. so what we see is quite interesting with cogs. the cog numbers to start off with, sometimes a minimum, we say 3 to 5, but as Amazon and e-commerce goes more expensive, I think it's about 8 to 10. So if you're buying something for $1, you should be above 8 to 10 in terms of selling prices, if not more, right? What we see is again and again people are saying, hey, we have particularly beginners, hey, we have this 3 to 4, but with inventory, PPC, shipping and all these things, it's just the profits are gone.Pradeep 00:02:21  Before the pandemic or during the pandemic is very profitable. And this is, by the way, experienced. This sounds stupid. I find I find myself finding myself stupid explaining this to someone, but we actually see it every day. Seven, eight, nine figure sellers saying you want this brand because the cogs have gone too expensive because they haven't worked out. Fundamentally, the multiples and the multiples have to be really strong now and the bigger multiple margin to sell. So those cogs are fundamentally negotiable, and you have to have the right product and the cogs are cheap. Price number one. It sounds stupid, but that's what we see. Number two is the negotiation. Hey, we bought 100,000 units. Next time we're going to have three 400,000 units. But you're still selling for the same price. Why? Your your factory should be giving you a note or, you know, handle cash flow or a cheaper price because they're getting raw material cheaper. And what we see is, you know, I sign NDAs, but what we see is some of these aggregators and others who are famous when they go back and some of these factories are quite savvy, say, hey, you raise X amount of money.Pradeep 00:03:29  All of a sudden your cogs are gone up. So, you know. So I think that's again how you negotiate and how you have exclusive agreements for a period of time, particularly on your best selling products. We do this in pharma and other business tools all around the world. You want it for five years. This is the price. If the if if inflation goes down or if the market changes, this is going to be a price. We have the power to change it not you. So it might be having exclusive agreements. And that's how sophisticated you guys we have to get in e-commerce. Because this is no longer a, a mom and pop kind of operation. This has to be sophisticated. Even if your mom and pop or a guy in a basement. That's how you should be thinking. you know, solar. It could be a corporate on your own, but you've got to think like that. So, cogs and how you define the first cogs, the renegotiate the cost is very important.Pradeep 00:04:19  Then thirdly, how are you people storing cogs, right. How are you doing unit economics and how are you storing Excel sheet or software and so forth. And that has to be updated on a daily basis. we see fundamental mistakes and we see fundamental errors as well. You can pick it out straight away from, profit and loss statements as well. so that's something people have to be aware of. And it gets really hard because if you have multiple brands, multiple products, multiple inventory, you know, it's all over the place.

Dr. Mark Young, the Founder and CEO of Jekyll & Hyde Advertising, a powerhouse agency that's been helping challenger consumer brands break through the noise and scale into household names with billions of revenue and exits for nearly three decades.He's also the host of the CPG insiders podcast, the number 2 podcast in all consumer packaged goods niche.Mark is also the author of a new book 27 Unbreakable Rules of Retail, how to build a $100M+ brand in brick and mortarMark is not your average marketer — his background blends neuroscience, persuasion, and behavioral psychology with decades of hands-on experience in CPG and direct-response advertising. Through his agency, Jekyll & Hyde, he's helped hundreds of emerging brands launch, grow, and dominate retail shelves and online marketplaces.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of brick-and-mortar retail in the consumer products industry.Challenges faced by e-commerce brands in a competitive market.Strategies for successfully entering physical retail spaces.The significance of product differentiation and authenticity in retail.The impact of traditional media, especially television, on brand awareness and consumer demand.The concept of SKU rationalization and its role in retail product selection.The necessity of creating consumer demand before approaching retail buyers.Understanding the economics of media buying and the Media Efficiency Ratio (MER).The principle of "Who Not How" in building a successful business team.The role of AI as a collaborative tool in enhancing business strategies.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Dr. Mark Young, CEO of Jekyll and Hyde Advertising. Mark shares his expertise on building $100 million consumer brands in brick-and-mortar retail, emphasizing that 80% of product sales still occur offline. He discusses the challenges of retail entry, the importance of unique, premium products, and the power of TV advertising to drive demand. Mark also highlights the value of expert partnerships and leveraging both human intuition and AI, offering actionable advice for e-commerce brands aiming to succeed in physical retail.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prove Demand Before Approaching RetailersBuild real consumer pull through DTC + paid media (TV, social, influencers). Retail buyers want evidence of demand, not Amazon screenshots. Come in with a buyer-ready pitch showing how you'll drive traffic to their stores.Position Your Product as a Clear Upgrade or Category ExpanderEnsure your SKU hits at least one winning lever:Premium trade-up (higher-margin, innovative)Demographic expander (brings new shoppers)Category expander (increases consumption)If your product is a “me-too” item, it won't make it onto shelves.Build a Retail-Ready P&L With Strong Margins & Media PlanYou need minimum 5:1 markup and a funded media strategy (TV recommended) to support retail sell-through. Retailers expect marketing that drives velocity—without it, your product risks getting cut during SKU rationalization.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazonChatGPTShopifyHelium 10IRI (Information Resources, Inc.)Meta AdsWRTVJekyll+Hyde LabsCPG InsidersThinking, Fast and Slow"Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy"The Science of Scaling" by Dr. Ben HardyPrimal IntelligenceWalmartShark TankThe Home DepotDan SullivanSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares hard-earned lessons from a cash flow crisis in January 2024, when his business couldn't fund payroll. He explains how this pivotal moment led him to develop a “CEO dashboard” with three essential tools: the Weekly High Five Tracker, a departmental scorecard for leading indicators, and a 52-week cash flow forecast. Josh also reveals advanced credit card strategies to optimize cash flow, emphasizing proactive management, team accountability, and the importance of focusing on activities that drive results for sustainable business growth.Join Josh Hadley on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast as he shares his journey scaling an ecommerce business from zero to eight figures. Discover essential business tips for effective business management, including strategies for tracking leading indicators, optimizing cash flow, and understanding key KPIs. This podcast is your guide to significant business growth and success.

In this episode, host Josh interviews Scott Deetz, an expert in helping Amazon and e-commerce entrepreneurs maximize business value and prepare for successful exits. Scott outlines the four pillars that make a business attractive to buyers: risk diversification, profitability, growth rate, and earnings size. He shares actionable tips, including building a data room, implementing monthly strategic finance reviews, and structuring accounting to maximize add-backs. Scott also discusses the importance of separating owner and business expenses to boost valuation, offering practical strategies for entrepreneurs aiming to scale and sell their businesses at top valuations.Chapters:Introduction to Scott Deetz and His Expertise (00:00:00)Scott is introduced as an expert in helping Amazon and e-commerce entrepreneurs grow and exit at top valuations.Defining a Valuable Platform: Four Key Pillars (00:00:18)Scott explains what makes a business a valuable "platform" for buyers: risk diversification, profitability, growth rate, and size of earnings.Deep Dive into the Four Pillars (00:01:07)Discussion of each pillar: risk diversification, profitability percentage, growth rate, and the importance of earnings size.Capital Strategy and Growth (00:03:25)Importance of capital strategy as a process, not an event, and how it fuels business growth.Recap of the Four Pillars (00:04:29)Josh summarizes the four pillars: profit margin, growth rate, size of profit, and risk diversity.Input Metrics: Profitability, Scalability, Repeatability, Defensibility (00:05:46)Scott introduces the underlying drivers: profitability, scalability, repeatability, and defensibility, leading to sellability.Case Study: Operations vs. Product Innovation (00:07:16)Discussion of a case where an entrepreneur excelled in operations and delegated product innovation.Actionable Takeaway 1: Build Your Data Room Early (00:08:15)Advice to start organizing a data room early, structured as buyers would want to see it.Actionable Takeaway 2: Implement Strategic Finance Monthly (00:10:03)Recommendation to review financials, forecasts, and company valuation monthly, not just accounting numbers.Actionable Takeaway 3: Structure Accounting for Add-Backs and Valuation (00:11:17)Organize accounting and company structure to maximize add-backs and improve valuation before exit.Clarifying Add-Backs and Corporate Structure (00:13:06)Further explanation on separating owner-related expenses and structuring entities for optimal valuation.Horizontal and Vertical Corporate Structuring (00:14:09)Scott details horizontal (multiple entities) and vertical (account codes for add-backs) structuring for better exit outcomes.Conclusion and Final Thoughts (00:17:12)Josh thanks Scott and hints at a future episode.Links and Mentions:Tools and Concepts"Data Room": "00:08:15""Strategic Finance": "00:10:03"Actionable Takeaways"Build Your Data Room": "00:08:15""Implement Strategic Finance": "00:10:03""Organize Accounting with Add Backs in Mind": "00:11:17"Key Concepts"Profitability, Scalability, Repeatability, and Defensibility": "00:06:14"Summary of Four Pillars for a Platform Company"Profit Margin": "00:05:19"Transcripts:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Scott Deetz. Scott helps Amazon and e-commerce entrepreneurs unlock growth and profitability bottlenecks in their businesses, and then exit for a top valuation. Scott, welcome to the show.Scott 00:00:15  Hey Josh Scott. Great to be here and I'm really looking forward to it.Josh 00:00:18  Scott, maybe we can dive a little bit deeper into that case study. At the beginning, you talked about, you know, that they were you identified that they were a good platform, right? So that they could continue to grow. What does that platform mean?Scott 00:00:31  Yeah. So the pillars of a great platform, the way that I think about it, my mentor, and has done over $20 billion of transactions. So, you know, you know, old school 30, 40 years in the investment banking world. And he his number one thing that he said to me was, Scott, it's not what the seller is selling, it's what the buyer is buying. So I would encourage everybody to not think about what you think is valuable in a business, but think about what buyers value in a business? The first thing that buyers value is not growth, but it's risk diversification.Scott 00:01:07  So the first thing that you need to think about is that you need to be compliance as a part of risk diversification, but also true diversification of your products so that no one product has, you know, more than, you know, 20% of your revenue. Otherwise, Amazon shuts it down or new competition comes in. A buyer can't get comfortable with that risk profile. So, so the first thing I would say is you analyze your risk. The second pillar of valuation is your profitability percentage. And so a lot of people think that if they have more profitability, that they're more valuable than if they have smaller profits. And while that is one of the pillars, a company that has 25 or 30% profit margins is just much more flexible and therefore valuable than a company that's 10 or 15%. So the second thing that we saw in this company was that they had a. Ability to have profitable products. And then we went to growth percentage, which is the third pillar. And I would if you wanted to benchmark a minimum growth percentages 20% per year.Scott 00:02:19  Now with Covid and Covid bumps, you might not all be there. but remember, you're not selling what you've done. You're selling what the business can do with the buyers capital infusion. And their definition is that minimum 20%, ideally 30% year over year growth is required. Well, if you think about what that capability really is, what we saw in this platform was a capability to successfully innovate and launch new products into the marketplace, because once a product gets up to a certain level, it kind of is what it is. So for people that are looking at action items that they can have today, it's that ability to have a successful launch model to drive the growth rate to that particular output. And then the fourth one becomes the size of the earnings. If you can prove that you can do it over a longer period of time, then you become more valuable because 30% growth on a company with a million of revenues is a lot different than somebody with 10 million of revenue. and so I think it's just important to think along building in and that's where that capital need comes in.Scott 00:03:25  Yeah. Because, you know, in this situation, back to this case study we saw in them even what they didn't see. We saw the platform, but they were think of it as borrowing money from uncle Bob. And if you go by, borrow 50 grand from your uncle, that's no problem. But when your business is at 10 million and you go ask them for 1.2 million, you know, uncle Bob says, you know I love you, Josh, but you know, I'm not the right investor for that level. So you have to think of your capital strategy not as an event, but as a process where you're always looking at what capital at the lowest risk, in the lowest cost to fuel that growth. And a lot of people get to a certain level, they don't have the capital planning. So then the growth rate, you know, levels off. So we saw the platform and we brought the capital strategy to place, and we did it through a combination of debt and equity.Scott 00:04:17  And that's what continued to fuel the growth because the person already had in place the ownership group alr...

Sam Ross is the Co-Founder and CEO of Numeral, a company revolutionizing how e-commerce and SaaS businesses handle US sales tax and international tax automation. Before launching Numeral, Sam built several e-commerce ventures that generated over $50 million in revenue, giving him first-hand experience with the challenges of scaling, managing cash flow, and preparing for an exit.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges of US sales tax compliance for e-commerce businesses post-2018 Wayfair ruling.The complexities of sales tax nexus and varying state regulations.Personal experiences of e-commerce entrepreneurs with sales tax issues.The financial consequences of non-compliance, including audits and penalties.Strategies for managing sales tax compliance, including the use of automation tools.The importance of understanding product taxability and state-specific exemptions.Options for businesses with unpaid sales tax liabilities, including retroactive registration and voluntary disclosure agreements.Emerging growth opportunities in e-commerce, such as TikTok Shops and AI-driven search optimization.The significance of customer-centric product development based on search behavior and preferences.Recommendations for e-commerce entrepreneurs on compliance, handling state notices, and investing in new technologies.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Sam Ross, co-founder and CEO of Numeral. They discuss the complexities of US sales tax compliance for e-commerce businesses, especially after the 2018 Wayfair Supreme Court decision. Sam shares his entrepreneurial journey, explains how Numeral automates tax compliance, and offers practical advice on managing tax risks. The conversation also explores emerging e-commerce growth strategies, including leveraging AI, personalized marketing, and niche product development, providing actionable insights for founders navigating today's challenging tax and digital landscape.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Automate Sales Tax Before It Becomes a Costly ProblemRun a nexus scan across all your channels (Shopify, Amazon, 3PLs), identify where you owe tax, and automate filings—before audits, penalties, or exit due diligence destroy value.Never Respond to State Notices AloneIf you receive a tax letter, pause and consult a CPA or tax attorney immediately. One wrong reply can trigger audits or liabilities—set up systems to track and manage every notice.Use AI + Niche Search Data to Find Your Next WinnersMine long-tail search queries (e.g., highly specific gift or use-case terms) and build modular products around them. Optimize content for AI-driven search and answer engines to capture emerging buyer intent.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comNumeralShopifyAmazonEtsyTaxJarAvalaraJungle ScoutChatGPTWhoop BandTikTok ShopInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert CialdiniChad Janis (Grüns)Sam Ross on TwitterSam Ross on LinkedInSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explores the “hidden cost of growth” in e-commerce. Drawing from his own journey scaling to eight figures, Josh explains how business expansion often leads to overwhelming complexity, not more freedom. He introduces the “momentum matrix,” a framework based on the 80/20 rule, to help entrepreneurs focus on the most impactful products and sales channels. Josh shares actionable strategies for prioritizing efforts, reducing operational overload, and maintaining lifestyle goals while scaling, emphasizing that true freedom comes from systems and focus—not just hitting revenue milestones.Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast!

In this episode, host Josh interviews Afolabi Oyerokun, co-founder of Honu Worldwide, about his journey building successful Amazon brands. Afolabi shares key lessons he'd apply if starting over: focus on innovation, automate processes, and prioritize time for rest and strategic thinking. He emphasizes creating unique products, niching down, and protecting intellectual property through patents and copyrights. Afolabi also discusses using data-driven research for product development and effective listing strategies. The episode offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to scale and protect their e-commerce businesses.Chapters:Introduction & Guest Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Afolabi Oyerokun, his background, and achievements in product development and Amazon businesses.Lessons Learned & The Importance of Freedom (00:00:56)Afolabi discusses lessons from his Amazon journey, emphasizing the original goal of freedom and challenges faced.Three Key Takeaways: Innovate, Automate, Rest (00:02:21)Afolabi outlines his three main takeaways: innovate, automate, and allocate more time for thinking and rest.The Power of Innovation & Niching Down (00:04:58)Afolabi explains the importance of innovation, creating unique products, and niching down to dominate categories.Protecting Intellectual Property (00:08:30)Discussion on the necessity of protecting product designs with patents and copyrights, and the types used.Case Study: Copyright Enforcement on Amazon (00:10:24)Afolabi shares a real example of using copyright to remove copycats and restore sales on Amazon.The Value of IP in Brand Exits (00:12:19)Afolabi describes how intellectual property increased the value and appeal of his brands during exit.Finding Design Inspiration & Trend Analysis (00:14:08)Afolabi details how they research trends, combine successful patterns, and create standout product and packaging designs.Product Listing Strategy: Variations vs. Standalone (00:16:20)Afolabi explains their approach to listing products as separate items rather than variations to maximize search visibility.Closing & Future Topics (00:17:11)Josh thanks Afolabi and hints at future discussions on supply chain topics.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Honu Worldwide": "00:03:00""Data Dive": "00:14:30"Concepts and Ideas  "Innovation": "00:04:58"  "Automation": "00:04:58"  "Thinking Time": "00:04:58"  "Design Patents": "00:08:37"  "Utility Patents": "00:08:37"  "Copyrights": "00:08:37"  "Intellectual Property (IP)": "00:12:19"  Key Takeaways  "Niche Down and Innovate": "00:06:45"  "Protect Your Ideas": "00:08:30"  "Create Unique Designs": "00:14:30"  Notable Quotes  "Your business is in your IP.": "00:12:19"  "If you don't have any IP, you don't have a business.": "00:12:19"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm really excited to introduce you to Afolabi Oyerokun. He is the co-founder of Honu Worldwide and Innovative Product Development, Sourcing and 3PL company based in Pennsylvania. Afolabi has always been a has always been passionate about finding things, haggling and negotiating prices. His obsession with finding good quality products at bargain prices led him to help several seven and eight figure brands increase their profits and scale rapidly by buying smart from Asia and the US. He is behind the successful launches of several multi-million dollar products on Amazon and other retail channels. An entrepreneur at heart, Afolabi owns and has sold a few seven figure private label brands. He loves helping people design, develop and manufacture innovative products. Welcome to the show.Afolabi 00:00:53  Thank you Josh. I'm happy to be here. I'm excited.Josh 00:00:56  You know, if you were to restart on Amazon, which I think that's what you're doing now, is you're creating some new brands and launching them on Amazon. What are some of those lessons, actionable takeaways that you can give to other sellers to say, hey, here are the challenges that we faced at different points in the business, that I'm going to make sure that we don't go through these same challenges again in the future.Josh 00:01:20  If you wouldn't mind breaking some of those lessons learned for us. Breaking it down.Afolabi 00:01:25  I'm going to, if I were to start all over again, I'm also going to weave some stories and past experiences into it. So when somebody goes into E-comm, you're starting your e-commerce or you're starting your Amazon business. Sometimes we forget the reason why we started in the first place. We forget the reason why we quit our jobs and we went into e-commerce. For me, my main driver was freedom. I wanted freedom, I wanted to be. I wanted to be able to control my time. I wanted to be able to be there for my family any day, any time. I wanted to be able to take off. If I want to take off, I want to take off, you know? Yeah. So you start this e-com business and you're married to it. You know, you're you're you're waking up 3 a.m. in the morning. You're, you know, you're sleeping late at night. So eventually it defeats the purpose of why you started in the first place.Afolabi 00:02:21  So we found ourselves caught up in all those things. You know, me and my business partner, we would fight each other. You know why? Why? You know why are we running out of stock? I'm like, I didn't know that product was going to run out of stock, you know? You know, we didn't have a good system in place and we didn't have the freedom or anything. So going back now, looking back to where we came from to now, there are three things I'm going to do differently this time. First, I'm going to innovate. Second, I'm going to automate. Third, I'm going to have a lot of free time to think. Because for me, I believe that thinking time is a very creative time. I believe that your rest time is very important. People ask me, you know, you know, jokingly, maybe I'm speaking to Norm, I mean, Norm. You know, there's my business partner on you. You know, he picks, you know, he picks up on me a lot.Afolabi 00:03:19  He's like, hey, I love you. What did you do this weekend? I'm like, no, I did nothing. I just sat on my couch and I was watching soccer all day. I was not doing nothing. You know, sometimes he calls me. I said, I'm going to stop disturbing me. I'm on the field with my son. We're playing soccer here. Please. You know. Yeah.Josh 00:03:41  So, yeah.Afolabi 00:03:42  Freedom. Time to spend time with your loved one is very important. So I'll make sure that this time I automate so that I can free up myself to do whatever I want whenever I wanted to do it. I don't want anything just pressuring me down all the time. Because when I'm thinking I'm creating things that are so valuable in my rest time. Yeah, I could be sitting on a lounge. I mean, on a on a on a recliner. And you, you know, you when you're relaxed, when your mind is at rest, you so many creative ideas come to you and you can look into your business and, and actually spot all the things you are doing wrong when you're in a relaxed mode, you know?Josh 00:04:26  Yeah.Josh 00:04:27  So you're you're kind of three takeaways then, right? If you were to restart would be to innovate, automate and then have more time for thinking and just downtime in general. Right. So...

John LeBaron is the CRO at Pattern, the leading e-commerce accelerator that helps brands scale profitably across marketplaces worldwide. John runs the SaaS and Services business units for Pattern and oversees all global go-to-market activities for the company and its partners. Prior to joining Pattern, John ran marketing for the Google Cloud business at Rackspace and has held a variety of global marketing roles with leading tech companies including Apple, Cisco, and Ciena. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MSW from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Communications from Brigham Young University.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges faced by e-commerce brands, particularly on Amazon, including competition and pricing pressures.The importance of inventory management and maintaining stock levels to avoid losing market share.Strategies for optimizing conversion rates, focusing on product imagery and continuous testing.The role of data-driven approaches in improving traffic, conversion, price, and availability.The significance of strategic pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and its relationship with organic rankings.Insights on leveraging AI and technology for product listing optimization and advertising efficiency.The impact of overseas competitors on the e-commerce landscape and brand profitability.The concept of the "e-commerce equation" and its components: traffic, conversion, price, and availability.Best practices for managing logistics and shipping to enhance operational efficiency.The importance of continuous improvement and adapting to changes in the e-commerce environment.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews John LeBaron, CRO at Pattern. They discuss how e-commerce brands can profitably scale on Amazon amid rising competition, pricing pressures, and operational challenges. John shares Pattern's data-driven strategies—optimizing inventory, pricing, traffic, and conversion—using advanced AI tools and logistics solutions. Key takeaways include the importance of inventory availability, rigorous conversion rate optimization, and strategic PPC management to build organic rankings. The episode offers actionable advice for brands seeking sustainable growth and highlights Pattern's role as a partner in navigating today's complex e-commerce landscape.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Protect Your Availability or Lose the GameForecast demand aggressively, fix your inbound bottlenecks, and partner with fast-moving 3PLs—because every stockout destroys ranking, momentum, and profit.Obsess Over Conversion, Starting With the Main ImageRun continuous A/B tests on your hero image, audit your live content weekly, and optimize every element (titles, bullets, A+, coupons, bundles) to lift conversion without increasing ad spend.Use PPC to Own Keywords, Not Rent Them ForeverShift ad spend toward keywords that improve organic rank, monitor Buy Box and conversion signals, and prioritize long-tail opportunities to build profitable, compounding visibility.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTmallTikTokWalmartPickFuLovable AIPatternLinkedInThe E-MythAtomic HabitsAll In PodcastSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJohn Lebaron 00:00:00  We're absolute zealots around something we call the e-commerce equation, which is revenue as a function of traffic times, conversion times, price times, availability. And I think that's very much the way that we think about accelerating brands is just isolating those specific variables of the equation and really going to work on okay for traffic, for example, there's paid traffic. There's, you know, organic traffic, there's off platform traffic. And what are all the hundreds of different kind of atomic levers that we want to pull and automate increasingly via AI for the brands that we represent. And and then helping them set an expectation, helping them forecast appropriately, helping them understand what is their ops upside.Speaker 2 00:00:47  Welcome to the E-comm Breakthrough Podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh Hadley 00:01:00  Are you tired of getting squeezed by Amazon, watching your sales fall? Watching more overseas competitors come in to overtake your market share? Watching the race to the bottom pricing.Josh Hadley 00:01:12  Well, today's guest has the answer for you of how to di...

In this episode, host Josh interviews James Thomson, Managing Partner of Equity Value Advisors, about scaling e-commerce brands, especially on Amazon. James shares practical advice for brand owners aiming to grow from seven to eight figures, emphasizing the importance of delegating tasks, building a competent team, and creating a three-year business plan. He discusses making brands attractive to investors, leveraging capital for faster growth, and focusing on brand equity and customer experience. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for building teams, enhancing brand value, and strategic planning for long-term success and potential exits.Chapters:Introduction and Guest Background (00:00:00)Host introduces James Thomson, his background in e-commerce, Amazon, and advisory roles.Actionable Steps for Scaling from 7 to 8 Figures (00:00:58)James shares first steps: delegate tasks, free up time for strategic thinking, and focus on growth opportunities.The Power of Delegation and Building a Team (00:01:13)Discussion on outsourcing, hiring competent help, and multiplying business impact through effective delegation.Strategic Thinking and Long-Term Planning (00:04:04)Importance of spending time on big-picture questions: product expansion, new channels, and funding.Making Your Business Attractive to Investors (00:04:53)How to position your brand for investors, debunking myths about channel expansion, and identifying growth levers.Developing a Three-Year Business Plan (00:05:46)Necessity of a three-year plan, working backwards from growth goals, and evaluating new channels and products.Preparing for Channel and Category Expansion (00:07:03)Exploring requirements for retail and new categories, talking to experts, and assessing readiness for expansion.Securing Capital and Mindset Shift for Growth (00:09:01)Considering outside investment, selling equity, and the benefits of being part of a larger, faster-growing business.Investor Excitement: Key Growth Levers (00:10:46)What excites investors: clear three-year plans, actionable growth levers, and a roadmap for scaling post-acquisition.Three Actionable Takeaways for Brand Owners (00:12:33)Host summarizes: build and delegate to a team, focus on brand equity and customer experience, and create a multi-year growth plan.The Importance of a Three-Year Plan (00:15:04)James emphasizes three-year planning, aiming for aggressive growth, and preparing for a successful exit.Conclusion and Contact Information (00:16:30)James shares how to connect with him on LinkedIn; episode closes with thanks.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesAmazon Seller CentralLinkedInKey Concepts and StrategiesDelegating Tasks: 00:01:13Three-Year Business Plan: 00:05:46Brand Equity: 00:13:13Actionable TakeawaysBuild Your Team: 00:13:13Focus on Brand Equity: 00:14:24Create a 3-5 Year Business Plan: 00:15:04Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm really excited to introduce you all to James Thomson. James is the managing partner of Equity Value Advisors, advising brand executives and investors that are seeking guidance on how to accelerate e-commerce revenues and to align e-commerce and physical retail distribution and pricing strategies. Formerly, James was the chief strategy officer at Big Box Experts, a managed services agency supporting brand executive teams selling online, as well as private equity investors evaluating brands sold on Amazon. He has also served as the business head of Amazon Services, the division of Amazon responsible for recruiting tens of thousands of sellers annually to the Amazon Marketplace. He also served as the first fulfillment by Amazon Account Manager and prior to Amazon. James was a management consultant and retail banker. So with that introduction, James, welcome to the podcast.James 00:00:56  Thank you for having me today, Josh.Josh 00:00:58  On that note, James, I mean, we talked a lot about different strategies that people can be implementing to move from seven figures to eight figures and beyond. What would be like your actionable advice for them to say, hey, this is what I would do first, second, third.James 00:01:13  So the first thing I would do, we actually haven't talked about yet. First thing I would do is I would start to delegate tasks to people and clear up your plates so you can spend more of your time thinking about how to go and source better products, how to do more research to find those product gaps in your catalog that you can start to fill. How to start thinking about new channels that you might expand into. When I think of the day to day activities of what it takes to run an Amazon business, there's an awful lot of stuff that, quite frankly, we don't really like doing. You got to check reports. You got to check seller central. You got to check your inventory. You probably got to talk to your, three people if you've got one that's bringing products in from overseas. There's a lot of activities that need to be looked at. And I didn't even talk about, oh, you got to file 20 seller support tickets today. All that kind of stuff you need to be saying to yourself, even though I think I can do this better than anybody else in the world.James 00:02:08  The reality is, there's only so many hours in the day you need to go hire a VA or outsource this to a trusted colleague who, you know, make. Of course you know it's going to cost you money, but the money that you spend to have somebody do a lot of these repetitive tasks or tasks that you don't really like doing, that frees you up to do much higher value added stuff to drive your overall business. If you've got more time to be doing new product research and thinking through, okay, where is there opportunity for me to potentially expand my product line? where do I need to start thinking about culling out some of the products in my products? Because quite frankly, not all this stuff has turned out to be gold. You've got to have time to think through those bigger questions. And the only way to do that is to start outsourcing some of the mundane that comes with running an Amazon business. as you get better at outsourcing that and accepting the fact that, yeah, you know, this other person who's taking on these tasks may not be quite as amazing at doing it as I am, but quite frankly, I don't need amazing, I need confidence.James 00:03:10  And the more you can get competent help to help you with many of these tasks, the more time you free up to work on other types of activities. When my partner, business partner and I were running our Amazon agency, we did everything we put on every hat imaginable to run that business. And as we started to outsource certain tasks and get more comfortable with listen, we can outsource most of this stuff with high confidence to people, as long as we train them properly and we're patient and we get them up and running. All of a sudden we now had a multiplier effect. We have a multiplier effect. That's when the genius of being a business owner starts to really kick in. And yeah, you know, wouldn't you love to have five other people who is as strong and intelligent and good looking as you are to be there with you? I don't need that. I need 3 or 4 highly competent people in each of their specific areas to help me pursue different responsibilities so that I can go and tackle some of these bigger, long term questions.James 00:04:04  That's the stuff that really starts to matter, and that's the stuff where I get excited because I r...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explores why many e-commerce brands stall between $1 million and $5 million in revenue. He introduces the "inverted pyramid of value" to illustrate how founders often get stuck in low-leverage tasks, and explains that breaking through requires identifying and focusing on the business's main constraint. Josh shares actionable frameworks and prioritization strategies to help entrepreneurs delegate, systemize, and concentrate on high-impact activities, enabling them to escape the “swamp” and scale their businesses to the next level.Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast! I'm Josh Hadley, sharing my journey scaling an "ecommerce business" from zero to eight figures. This episode details "scaling strategies" and the "business mindset" needed to overcome common "business obstacles" faced by entrepreneurs. Learn how to identify constraints and "grow your business" beyond plateaus with a solid "ecommerce strategy"!

Rafay and Graeme are the founders of The UpTik, an education and mentorship platform that helps eCommerce brands and entrepreneurs scale through TikTok. With over a decade of experience in eCommerce and short-form video, they've helped thousands of businesses grow on platforms like TikTok, Shopify, and Amazon using proven frameworks that drive real results. Their approach bridges the gap between traditional eCommerce and the creator economy—turning social media attention into anti-fragile revenue. They've worked with everyone from early-stage founders to billion-dollar brands, and their new book, Scroll to Sold, breaks down exactly how to turn TikTok attention into sales.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of understanding TikTok Shop fundamentals for e-commerce success.Common mistakes brands make when entering TikTok Shop.Strategies for analyzing competitors and historical data to inform TikTok strategies.The significance of content volume and consistency in driving engagement and sales.Building strong relationships with creators and treating them as integral team members.The role of creator training and support in enhancing content quality and brand representation.The impact of TikTok's algorithm on content virality and engagement metrics.The necessity of viewing TikTok as a top-of-funnel awareness tool rather than just a direct sales channel.The importance of long-term commitment and strategic investment in TikTok Shop for sustainable growth.Examples of successful brands leveraging TikTok for awareness and sales, including their approaches to creator partnerships.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Rafay and Graeme, founders of Uptik and authors of From Scroll to Sold. They share expert strategies for e-commerce brands to succeed on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of benchmarking competitors, producing high volumes of content, and building strong, supportive relationships with creators. The discussion covers actionable tips, common pitfalls, and the evolving role of social commerce, offering listeners a roadmap to drive sales and brand growth through TikTok's unique ecosystem.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Benchmark Like a ProReverse-engineer the early moves of brands that recently won on TikTok Shop. Use tools like Killer Data to study their creator volume, posting cadence, and offers—then outperform their output.Out-Create EveryoneCommit to a relentless content engine: 30–100+ posts per week across brand and creator channels. Test formats fast, double down on what gets full watches, and treat content as your primary growth lever.Build a Creator Sales ForceOnboard creators personally, support them with weekly check-ins, and gamify performance. A trained, motivated affiliate army will drive scalable GMV far beyond what your brand channel alone can do.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTikTok ShopAmazonShopifyDiscordDouyinKalodataWispr Flow

In this episode, the host interviews Brian Johnson, a leading expert in online advertising and Amazon conversion strategies. Brian shares actionable advice on how brands can stand out in crowded marketplaces by highlighting unique product features, understanding buyer psychology, and continuously innovating their listings. He emphasizes the importance of clear, benefit-driven messaging and regularly analyzing competitors and customer feedback. Through real-world examples, Brian illustrates how deep customer understanding and attention to detail can drive sales and outpace competitors. Listeners gain practical tips for differentiating products and optimizing Amazon listings for higher conversion rates.Chapters:Introduction to Brian Johnson (00:00:00)Host introduces Brian Johnson, his background in online advertising, and his achievements in Amazon strategy.Differentiation Through Unique Features (00:00:57)Discussion on using unique or overlooked product features (e.g., filtered beer, handcrafted products) to stand out in the market.Mindset Shift in Product Optimization (00:02:16)Emphasizes the importance of thinking beyond standard competition and adopting a new mindset for product differentiation.Understanding Buyer Psychology (00:02:48)Brian explains how most competitors ignore buyer psychology and the opportunity this creates for attentive brands.Continuous Innovation and Adaptation (00:04:15)Necessity of ongoing innovation and regular review of product listings to maintain differentiation as competitors adapt.Communicating Benefits Quickly (00:05:12)Advice on leading with clear, succinct benefits in product titles, images, and bullet points to answer "what's in it for me?"Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics (00:06:07)Focus on the importance of quickly communicating benefits for higher conversion rates, especially in the first few seconds.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:07:00)Host summarizes three key takeaways: always innovate, analyze top search terms and listings, and focus on customer benefits.Pattern Breaking in Listings (00:09:04)Discussion on breaking visual and content patterns in listings to stand out, while staying within Amazon's terms of service.Understanding Customer Motivation (00:10:25)Example of Wendy's Frosty: understanding why customers buy and using those insights to improve product offerings.Learning from Competitor Mistakes (00:12:00)Brian shares a Wendy's failure example, highlighting the importance of spotting and capitalizing on competitors' mistakes.Closing Remarks and Farewell (00:14:12)Host thanks Brian for his insights and encourages listeners to follow his work. Brian expresses his appreciation.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesAmazonWendy'sConcepts and StrategiesDifferentiation in Product Listings: 00:07:07Buyer Psychology: 00:03:16Review Analysis: "00:03:16Actionable TakeawaysContinuous Innovation: 00:08:17Evaluate Top Search Terms: 00:09:04Customer-Centric Copy: 00:10:25Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you all to Brian Johnson. Brian has served as a leader in online advertising and conversion rate strategy for nearly two decades. He's a trusted partner to tens of thousands of brands across the globe. And Brian's work has earned him a reputation as a disruptive force in a world brimming with new and interesting challenges. Through his advertising agency, Canopy Management, as well as his highly successful Amazon advertising consultancy, community training and software, Brian has helped over 25,000 brands increase sales by over $2 billion on Amazon through advertising strategy, conversion rate optimization and differentiation. The results his products and services deliver continue to put him in high demand, with companies both large and small around the world. So with that introduction, Brian, I want to welcome you to the podcast.Brian 00:00:56  Thanks for having me.Josh 00:00:57  I don't remember there's a there was a beer company and you might know this, right? That what they changed in their marketing is that they said that their their beer was filtered, right. I think that's the correct thing, right? Where their beer is the exact same.Josh 00:01:14  Went through the exact same process as everybody else. Right. And that is the differentiating factor is like they just went through that thought process of like, all right, what's the most expensive step or what's the what takes the longest amount of time. And they're like, oh, we spend a lot of time filtering. Let's call out that our beer is filtered. And so at that time, nobody else was calling out that our beer was filtered, whether that was important or called out. You know, and and it differentiated them. And I think there's a lot I mean, I've already had a big mindset shift with that, like with some of my products that, one thing that we can do is like there's a lot of like, hand tooling time that takes a lot of, like, hand craftsmanship for some of our products. It's like, why don't we say that this is actually handcrafted like each one gets, you know, we can market that. And instead of just looking at the standard competition and just looking at like, oh, what does everybody say about planners? Right.Josh 00:02:16  Well, our planner has 1000 pages. Mine has 1001 pages or things like that. That's that's the basic stuff. Like what? I love those questions that you talked about. And it can make such an impact. So I'll let you continue going down that path. But I want the audience to know, like this is a huge mindset shift and I don't we haven't had any podcast guests on thus far that's ever talked about something as simple as this when it comes to product optimization, that I think genuinely is like a true miss right now in the industry.Brian 00:02:48  It is a huge opportunity because I can I can guarantee you that. But, you know, I wasn't just being cheeky when I said, like, I could walk into any niche on Amazon and immediately see the opportunities. that is that is a true statement because your competitors, they don't understand the buyer psychology. They're not taking the time to consider their bio psychology. In fact, you're probably even going up against some brands that have, you know, a thousand SKUs and they don't have the time or the resources in order to even go through that process.Brian 00:03:16  But you can, right? If you truly are passionate about the audience that you're serving, I'll probably mention it a little bit later on. As far as, review, analysis. That's a whole, whole additional topic that goes into that. But, those examples, those are just a couple of, of, you know, 20 different, 30 different ways that you can make small improvements to how well that your product, you know, catches somebody's eyes, compels them or interests them, hooks them, I call it, to pull them into your product listing just from what's in your first 75 characters of your title. and then go towards the end the listing itself, 100% is that, yes, you can you can point out benefits and I and I made I pointed out a couple of examples here as far as like how do you come up with a benefit or feature that makes my product appear to be unique? Now, you brought up a very good point. And that is, you know, my competitors don't do this currently, and that is.Brian 00:04:15  Yes, they will adapt. When they see your success, they will emulate you. And you'll need to continue to innovate. So just plan on every six months going back, looking at your ni...

Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, where I document my journey scaling an e-commerce brand and share the systems, strategies, and lessons learned in real-time. This episode introduces a scalable meeting cadence designed to improve business operations, outlining various types of effective meetings including weekly 1:1s, leadership huddles, and quarterly strategic planning sessions. Each meeting type has specific objectives and agendas to foster leadership and team alignment, ensuring your business is always moving forward.

Today on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, let's welcome a true expert in the world of social commerce, Michelle Barnum Smith. Michelle is the founder of TTShopSellers and one of the leading voices when it comes to helping e-commerce brands unlock the massive potential of TikTok Shop.With years of marketing experience under her belt and a track record of guiding sellers through the ever-changing world of online retail, Michelle has become a go-to strategist for Ecom sellers looking to diversify their revenue, scale into new channels, and build sustainable growth strategies.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. The evolving role of TikTok Shop in e-commerce and its distinction from traditional marketplaces like Amazon.Strategies for sellers to succeed on TikTok Shop, focusing on content creation and engagement.The importance of treating TikTok Shop as a top-of-funnel, entertainment-first platform rather than a direct sales channel.Common mistakes sellers make when onboarding to TikTok Shop, including listing entire catalogs without focus.Criteria for selecting TikTok-friendly products, including demonstrability, unique features, and impulse-buy price points.The strategic use of TikTok Shop for inventory liquidation and building momentum for products.Listing optimization techniques specific to TikTok Shop, including title and description strategies.Pricing strategies tailored for TikTok Shop, emphasizing impulse buying and promotional tactics.The significance of creator collaboration and effective management in content production for TikTok.Continuous optimization and testing as essential practices for long-term success on TikTok Shop.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Michelle Barnum Smith, founder of TTShopSellers, TikTok Shop Strategist and TikTok Shop Expert. Michelle shares actionable strategies for e-commerce sellers looking to succeed on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of focused product selection, engaging content, and leveraging affiliates. She explains how TikTok Shop differs from traditional marketplaces, offers tips on pricing, merchandising, and listing optimization, and discusses the necessity of continuous content creation and advertising. The episode concludes with personal insights from Michelle and an invitation for listeners to access free audits and further resources.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Focus on 1–3 High-Potential Products Using the Five TikTok FiltersApply the “Five Filters” (demonstrable, unique features, passionate niche, problem-solving, impulse price point) to select only 1–3 hero products per quarter. Building momentum around a few strong listings beats dumping your whole catalog.Commit to High-Volume Content: 5–10 Videos per Week per ListingTikTok Shop success = content volume × consistency. Produce 5–10 short videos per listing each week using a mix of brand content, UGC, affiliates, and in-house creators to maximize hooks and discovery.Create Impulse-Buy Offers with Free Shipping + Flash Sales + CouponsTikTok Shop is driven by urgency and value. Always offer free shipping, run frequent flash sales, and use coupons instead of permanent discounts to maintain your pricing power while boosting conversions.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comKevin KingTikTok ShopAmazonShopifyCreator Search InsightsChatGPTEuka AISoraTTShop Sellers

In this episode, e-commerce expert Norm Farrar shares actionable strategies for Amazon sellers to build and engage their own audiences. He discusses using insert cards to collect customer emails through offers like free products, warranties, and cookbooks, and emphasizes the importance of email marketing to boost revenue. Norm explains how to create and repurpose valuable content, such as chef-sourced recipes, across Amazon posts and social media. He also highlights the benefits of hosting live cooking shows on Amazon Live and using video creation services to enhance product listings, offering practical tips for optimizing Amazon sales and brand growth.Chapters:Introduction to Norm Farrar (00:00:00)Host introduces Norm Farrar, his background in e-commerce, and his Amazon podcast.Case Study: Email List Building with Insert Cards (00:00:33)Norm shares a case study about a beauty company collecting 280,000 emails via insert cards but not utilizing them.Insert Card Offers: Free Products and Extended Warranties (00:01:36)Discussion of effective insert card offers, including free products and extended warranties to collect customer emails.Meal Plans, Cookbooks, and Recipe Content Strategy (00:03:20)Norm explains using meal plans and cookbooks to collect emails, and sourcing recipes from chefs and culinary students.Repurposing Content: Newsletters and Amazon Posts (00:04:34)How recipes and user-generated content are repurposed for newsletters and Amazon posts to engage customers.Mindset Shift: Value-Driven Email Marketing (00:05:00)Host reflects on providing value through email, not just sales pitches, and repurposing content across channels.Amazon Live Cooking Show Launch (00:06:52)Norm introduces their new Amazon Live cooking show featuring chefs and culinary students using their products.Live Content Strategy and Product Demonstrations (00:07:45)Details on using live cooking shows to demonstrate products, increase engagement, and gain followers.Video Content Creation and Repurposing (00:09:07)Norm discusses creating videos with influencers, repurposing video content for Amazon, social media, and YouTube.Using Billo for Video Production (00:10:38)Introduction to Billo, a service for affordable, high-quality product videos, and how to use them for marketing.Three Actionable Takeaways for E-commerce Brands (00:12:57)Host summarizes key takeaways: business planning, building an email list, and repurposing content.Amazon Internal Tools for Listing Optimization (00:14:46)Norm recommends using Amazon's internal tools for listing optimization and growth opportunities to increase sales.Closing Remarks (00:16:21)Host thanks Norm for his insights and wraps up the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesAmazon LiveAmazon Seller CentralStrategies and ConceptsEmail List Building: 00:01:08Insert Cards for Email Collection: 00:02:06User-Generated Content: 00:04:34Content Repurposing: "00:09:07Listing Optimization Tools: 00:14:46Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce to you Norm Farrar. Norm specializes in providing e-commerce and online marketing services for brands. He has worked with fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, and 20th Century Fox since the early 1990s. Norm has focused on helping entrepreneurs optimize their operations and unlock their businesses potential. Presently, he is the host of the popular Amazon podcast lunch with Norm. So welcome to the show, Norm.Norm 00:00:32  Hey, glad to be here.Josh 00:00:33  So, Norm, I wanted to ask, you know, what are some of the best practices that you see with that? And maybe do you have any case studies or maybe some examples that you might be able to share with us, just to kind of spark some ideas in people's mind of the various opportunities that do lie in, you know, building your own audience off of Amazon from those insert cards.Norm 00:00:55  Well, and it's a good and bad story, but I know we were working with a beauty company who had built an email list up to 280,000 emails.Norm 00:01:08  Wow. But he would not. He never. He thought it was inconvenient. It would inconvenience people if he sent them emails.Josh 00:01:18  That doesn't make sense.Norm 00:01:19  280,000 emails. So yeah, that that that wasn't, that wasn't a smart move, but,Josh 00:01:27  Attracting. I mean, how did he attract 280,000 people to give him their email address? Right. Like, do you know what the offer was?Norm 00:01:36  Yeah. Well, different beauty products. So what it would be is you could go. You could go to the insert. It would go to a landing page. The landing page, would offer them one of his other products. So if you had the shampoo conditioner, you could have the, what's called keratin treatment, or you could have, there was, some serums and stuff like that, but you were offered a free product. So in the $10.Josh 00:02:06  In the insert card on the insert card, it says, hey, claim your free product I assume then yeah. Okay.Norm 00:02:13  Yeah. So all it did was send.Norm 00:02:16  He got the email address and the address because he had to send the product. So he had, he had it all and he did not and would not send out a single email.Josh 00:02:29  Fascinating. Yeah. Which is you know, going back you kind of shared that stat that you think that people are missing out on 40% of revenue just by not implementing, you know, additional as. Yeah. Right.Norm 00:02:43  You sell a million bucks, you're missing out a 400,000.Josh 00:02:46  Fascinating. Yeah. Any other stories or examples of, like, insert cards or, you know, ways that work to get people to provide their email address?Norm 00:02:56  Well, there's always the extended warranty. So that is something, again, going back to the knife company, extended warranty. So it's a lifetime warranty. Okay, great. That's a lifetime warranty anyway. Basically. But, you know, it's a lifetime warranty. another one was just like I was talking to you about before. A knife with the honing rod. Okay, great.Norm 00:03:20  another one that worked for that company was the meal plan and cookbook. So you can either download and get a weekly email. So what's in that weekly email with the weekly plan? Well, there's some sort of promotion. It wasn't all the time, but there was either just some recipes. So this is something that we did as well. We went out and we, talked to chefs and we talked to culinary schools, and we gave them, very expensive knife. And so the deal was we'll supply the whole class with these very expensive knives. if they provide us with a recipe and spread it out on their social media, tag us on their social media. So we got a ton of user generated content and we got a ton of Recipes. So what do we do on Amazon posts? We provided recipes. So that started to get a very unique following. And then because of that, we ended up getting all this really cool stuff that we could put onto this other page, fill in to the newsletter, and when people got their newsletter, they got recipes, which ended up being two full, really incredible recipe books.Norm 00:04:34  So now we give away the recipe books. But we could peel off one recipe at a time, which people enjoyed, you know? And we didn't do it, but you could have even segmented it further. If the person was vegan, you could just send them vegan recipes or vegetarian or, you ...

Ephraim Ausch, Chief Logistics Officer at Tactical Logistic Solutions. With years of hands-on experience helping brands navigate the complexities of Amazon FBA and global supply chains, Ephraim has been instrumental in guiding 7-figure sellers to scale with smarter, more reliable shipping and logistics strategies.At Tactical Logistic Solutions, he oversees everything from freight forwarding and customs clearance to warehousing and FBA prep, ensuring sellers not only get their products where they need to be, but also protect their margins and scale with confidence.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges in e-commerce logistics for Amazon sellers scaling from seven to eight figures.Rising costs associated with Amazon's logistics services and AWS.Navigating tariffs and understanding shipping terms (DDP, FOB, EXW).Impact of increased competition from overseas sellers, particularly from China.Strategies for optimizing logistics to maintain profit margins.Importance of understanding Amazon's evolving inbound shipping policies.The role of third-party logistics (3PL) versus Amazon's own logistics services.The significance of brand storytelling in competing against price-focused overseas sellers.Recommendations for diversifying sales channels beyond Amazon.The necessity of consulting with logistics experts to improve supply chain management.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Ephraim Ausch, Chief Logistics Officer at Tactical Logistics Solutions. They discuss the evolving challenges Amazon sellers face, including rising logistics costs, tariff complexities, and intense competition from overseas sellers. Ephraim shares actionable strategies for optimizing supply chains, navigating shipping terms, and maintaining profit margins. The conversation also covers the importance of brand building, diversification across marketplaces, and leveraging expert consultants. Practical advice and industry insights make this episode essential listening for e-commerce entrepreneurs aiming to scale and stay competitive.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Audit Your DDP Strategy for Potential 10-15% Tariff SavingsWork with a customs consultant to analyze if having your manufacturer ship DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) makes sense for your products. Break down your product components (e.g., plastic handle vs. steel blade) on commercial invoices to potentially reduce duty classifications. This only works if your supplier's margins allow for it and they're willing to be the official shipper.Switch from Placement Fees to 5-Way Splits for Better CoverageStop paying Amazon placement fees and instead do 5-way splits into multiple fulfillment centers. This distributes your inventory across 9-12 locations per split, improving delivery speed to customers nationwide and potentially increasing sales by 4-10%. Use a flat-rate freight service to avoid high trucking costs for partial loads.Build a Supply Chain Buffer SystemAlways maintain backup inventory outside of AWD/FBA - whether in your garage, basement, or a 3PL warehouse. This protects you from Amazon delays, lost shipments, or FC transfer bottlenecks. Running out of stock can permanently damage your listing's ranking, so having a contingency plan is essential for protecting your sales velocity.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazon Global Logistics (AGL)DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)EXW (Ex Works)AWB (Amazon Warehouse and Distribution)FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)Seller CentralSmart ScoutSeller BoardHelium 10PerplexityTraction by Gino WickmanVistageSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaEphraim Ausch 00:00:00  The main question. You start off right now. Should I use AWS or not? Is the main factor. Question is the cost right? AWS is actually increasing the rates as of January 1st for West Coast. Now obviously that's going to push more people to East Coast where it takes longer to get there, but they'll get congested there and then they'll raise the rate in East Coast. And then they raise the rates across the board. I believe that's their model.MC 00:00:29  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business...

In this episode, the host interviews Howard Thai, a former top 50 Amazon seller and founder of the Elite Seller Society mastermind. Howard discusses how his mastermind group helps sellers solve problems, access mentorship, and gain valuable resources. He shares insights on black hat tactics in the Amazon marketplace and stresses the importance of understanding these to protect your business. Howard advises sellers to fully optimize their listings, monitor for unauthorized changes, and innovate through unique product bundles to stand out and succeed on Amazon.Chapters:Introduction to Howard Thai and His Amazon Journey (00:00:00)Host introduces Howard Thai, his Amazon success, and his background in educating Chinese sellers.Overview of the Elite Seller Society Mastermind (00:01:19)Howard explains the purpose, benefits, and unique resources of his mastermind group for Amazon sellers.Value of Mastermind Groups and Continuous Learning (00:03:16)Howard discusses attending other masterminds, the investment involved, and the importance of learning from top-tier groups.Black Hat Tactics: Stigma and Seller Concerns (00:04:22)Host and Howard address the stigma around Chinese sellers and black hat tactics on Amazon.Understanding and Defending Against Black Hat Tactics (00:04:52)Howard explains why sellers must understand black hat tactics to protect themselves and their listings.Current Black Hat Tactics and Amazon's Response (00:06:17)Howard lists active black hat tactics, notes their decline, and praises Amazon's efforts to protect sellers.Proactive Listing Protection Strategies (00:08:32)Howard details steps for sellers to proactively secure their listings, including team building and monitoring.Filling Out All Listing Fields for Security and Visibility (00:09:43)Howard explains the importance of completing all Amazon listing fields to prevent manipulation and improve searchability.Leveraging Filters and Searchability on Amazon (00:11:41)Howard highlights how properly filled fields affect product visibility in Amazon's filters and search results.Key Takeaways and Actionable Advice (00:12:52)Host summarizes three main takeaways: innovate with bundles, optimize listings, and understand black hat tactics for defense.Closing Remarks and Resources (00:15:59)Host thanks Howard, shares his website, and encourages listeners to follow his work and mastermind events.Links and Mentions:Elite Seller Society ShopifyFacebookAmazon Seller CentralTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Without further ado, I am excited to introduce to you Howard Thai. Howard is a former top 50 seller on all of Amazon. And his origin story as a seller is an epic itself. Between selling thousands of units of hoverboards daily and battling with Amazon Incorporated on Amazon, Apple actually on Amazon. The story of his humble beginnings is a story too long to tell. He began his journey as an educator by single handedly spearheading the training of Chinese sellers on Amazon. The insights that Howard provided and the tools he developed led to what many in the United States consider the Chinese takeover of Amazon. He has saved, started, scaled and sold hundreds of businesses via Amazon and other virtual platforms. And he's done it time and time again. So welcome to the podcast, Howard. Howard, I think this is a good time to kind of talk about your mastermind. You do something with the elite seller society and you have a mastermind big, you know, kind of event that you do once a year, I believe.Josh 00:01:05  this is something that I've been very interested and I keep asking you about. I think every time I talk to you, I'm like, hey, do you have the dates? And do you know where you're going yet? So tell us more about that. And what is it all about? What content are you sharing?Howard 00:01:19  So the elite level of society is like, a mastermind that I have created. it's everyone that's been in our event, our mastermind events that gets, gets added into and, we kind of go in and help each other within our group, like how to solve problems, as well as, there's like, something that we can offer our group through, like, other mentorships or through, like, special, like things. I'm working on getting our, all our membership members. Members, that own, their own, account rep So that they don't have to go through the SAS program or SAS program. That really sucks. So they're getting like really good quality. employees and Amazon being able to support them.Howard 00:02:13  So I'm talking to Amazon on that on how we can actually make that work for our employees. So that's just something cool that I'm working with or things that things that are always open when you're in the mastermind. I like like you said, my shift change. Like you never you're in a box all the time. For most of the people that aren't in, in these mastermind I'm talking about, like, if you're even in these podcasts or in Facebook groups, you'll never get the same kind of, like information that you really could get on those different platforms than if it was in Bessemer. You probably know that, Josh. so, like, I'm just sitting there and learning and like, oh, there is this thing that out there to doing this stuff, you know, I'm not ready yet for it, but I know it's out there exists, so I need to do it. Like, for example, like, digital marketing, you know, I need to do some marketing, but I went to, I went to, custom conversion.Howard 00:03:16  I went to, a lot of, Carrie's events, like the weird events, you know, three and and even I'm thinking about getting into those two masterminds, right? One from all inside one site and also from Perry site, you know, so I'm trying to I'm looking into that. They're not cheap. They're like maybe 25,000 a year. but, yes, it's from the world, right?Josh 00:03:39  So yeah, I know that. That's great. And I agree with your statement there, Howard, in terms of, you know, the deeper tactics, if you want to go deep with stuff, you need to start reaching out and joining some of those mastermind groups. So I think it's going to take your learning to the next level. Now, Howard, you've educated a lot of Chinese sellers, right? And I think there's a negative stigma in the marketplace where it's like, oh, the Chinese sellers, they just want to implement black hat tactics, and that's who's always attacking me. you know, prior to this conversation, you and I discussed and you're like, you, you see kind of the black hat, black hat tactics kind of, you know, lessening to some extent or or another.Josh 00:04:22  But from your experience, you are so well versed on Amazon. I know a lot of sellers are fearful when it comes to black hat tactics, but would you mind kind of educating our audience in regards to what are the active black hat tactics that you see being implemented right now, and what are ways that sellers can do to protect themselves in advance, as well as what do you do if you do have a black hat tactic that actually affects you and attacks your listing?Howard 00:04:52  People think that, you know, like this stigma like, hey, you know, black hat and you do black hat, right? But the reality is, if a person has been in this industry for so long, they would need to know how to protect themselves. What kind of backpack techniques? Like what you're asking. Right. so, like, a computer security guy, right? Who does? Computer security? Needs to know how people are coming in and attacking the system. So if you're like a programmer an...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Ryan Deiss, founder of DigitalMarketer, about the smartest way for entrepreneurs to hire their first employees. Ryan explains why business owners should avoid hiring assistants for minor tasks and instead recruit experienced professionals who can fully own critical business functions. He discusses overcoming fears around big hires, financial considerations, and the importance of mapping out your value creation process. Ryan also shares strategies for systematizing operations and building a team that enables real growth and freedom, rather than creating more management headaches.Chapters:Introduction to Ryan Deiss and Episode Overview (00:00:00)Host introduces Ryan Deiss, his background, and the episode's focus on business operating systems and hiring.Common Mistakes in First Hires (00:02:12)Ryan explains what not to do when hiring your first employee, warning against hiring assistants for minor tasks.The "Genius with a Thousand Helpers" Trap (00:02:56)Discussion on why hiring helpers instead of professionals leads to more management and less freedom.Hiring Professionals to Own Critical Functions (00:03:46)Advice to map value creation, identify weak spots, and hire experienced professionals to own those areas.Overcoming Fear and Financial Concerns in Big Hires (00:04:37)Ryan addresses the fear and financial hesitation of hiring high-level employees and how to mitigate it.Cost Comparison: Professionals vs. Multiple Helpers (00:06:14)Breakdown of the financial and operational impact of hiring one pro versus several lower-level helpers.The Real Cost of Ineffective Hiring (00:07:48)Explains the long-term frustration and wasted resources from hiring multiple helpers instead of a pro.Path to Entrepreneurial Freedom (00:09:18)Ryan outlines the goal: remove yourself from all value creation steps by hiring pros for each function.Debunking the "Learn It Before You Hire It" Myth (00:10:13)Ryan refutes the idea that founders must master a function before hiring an expert for it.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:11:39)Host summarizes key actions: value creation mapping, overcoming imposter syndrome for big hires, and automating processes.Closing and Where to Learn More (00:13:31)Ryan shares where listeners can learn more about his programs and communities.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Founders BoardKey Takeaways  Value Creation Mapping: "00:11:58"  Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: 00:12:59  Automating the Value Creation Process: 00:13:28Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce to you Ryan Deiss. Ryan is the founder and the CEO of The Scalable Company Digital Marketer, and a founding partner at Scalable Equity, LLC, a venture equity accelerator that builds and acquires B2B media and software brands. He is a bestselling author, founder of multiple companies, collectively employing hundreds around the globe, and one of the most dynamic speakers on business operating systems in the United States today. So welcome to the podcast, Ryan.Ryan 00:00:32  Thanks for having me. It is not difficult to be among the most dynamic speakers about business operating systems, because most people would consider that to be like watching paint dry. But I think it's I think it's pretty sexy stuff, so I appreciate that.Josh 00:00:47  Hey, and I agree as well. Typically it is, it is one of those topics that most people, I think tend to avoid, right? If you go to a conference and you're like, which one should I go to? I think the shiny object is always like the newest marketing hack, right? Or like social media? and with your experience obviously running Digital Marketer, you're you're well versed in that.Josh 00:01:09  And I think you could argue you're one of the most well-versed in digital marketing itself. But today we're going to be talking all about business operating systems. So how do you know who should be your first hire? Right. is it kind of going along that customer journey, so to speak, or your value journey that we're talking about here? And is it identifying, you know, hey, actually our secret sauce is in product innovation, right? Like that's our secret sauce. That's where it seems like we're bringing a lot of value, especially on Amazon. Right. You talk about, you know, bringing traffic. It's like well Amazon's brought traffic to you. Plus they have the fulfillment engine. So like they've tackled two big levers for a lot of people right. so if you identify like, hey, we're really good at product innovation or something like that, Does that mean, hey, I should first hire out that product innovation? Or do I need to figure out a product? Do I need to hire a project manager? Or is it an executive assistant? Like, how do you go through the process of deciding who to hire first and why?Ryan 00:02:12  So let me answer the question by telling you what not to do.Ryan 00:02:14  And then I'll come back around and give a more explicit answer. So what most people do, and it's not what you should do, is they go around and they look at all the stuff that needs to get done, right. And it's their name in all the boxes. And so what they say is, okay, I need to get somebody to help me with all of the little things so that I have more time to do these quote unquote important things. Right? So I need to hire, you know, a virtual assistant to help, like, answer my email and to deal with my scheduling. And, you know, I need to hire somebody else over here to, you know, respond to this and take care of that. And, you know, in this particular step, if I, if I just had somebody to help me do some of the pieces of this, you know, then, you know, then then I could be more efficient. And what we're doing when we do that is.Ryan 00:02:56  And the reason that's not what you do is you're what is known as the genius with a thousand helpers. Okay. And so you're not actually creating any additional space and freedom for yourself. You're just adding the management of other people and the tasking out of other people to your already cluttered to do list. And that's why it doesn't work. And that's why ultimately these people wind up failing and we're like, oh, they suck. And they were supposed to help me. And they're supposed to take time off. And they're not. They're just asking me all these questions. I don't have time to answer all these questions. Right. It's because we didn't hire someone to own a critical aspect of the value creation process. We hired somebody to help us continue to own that process. So what I would encourage you to do is look at the value creation flow and to say, what are the critical tasks and processes that I don't like. And I'm not particularly good at, but I'm currently being forced to do okay.Ryan 00:03:46  So it's incredibly critical. It's incredibly important. But you don't necessarily like doing it and and you don't necessarily. You're not necessarily the best in the world at it. So let's say again, you know, you're running an e-commerce business and you really love the product side of things. You love the innovation and the sourcing. you love, you know, thinking about the packaging and the positioning, but you're getting the bulk of your traffic, let's say, from, you know, Pinterest and Instagram. And really, you don't geek out that much on Pinterest and Instagram, but you're good enough at it, right? So what people would say is like, I guess I'm gonna get somebody to help with photography and maybe somebody can write some of the descriptions and do a littl...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Simon Hammer, VP of Product at Vimbly Group, about acquiring and managing e-commerce brands. Simone shares a case study from the cocktail shaker market, illustrating how focusing solely on quantitative metrics led to missed opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of qualitative customer feedback, brand storytelling, and product-market fit to build lasting brands and avoid competing only on price. The discussion highlights key lessons for e-commerce leaders: assess market potential, listen to customers, and continuously test and iterate to stay competitive.Chapters:Introduction to Simone Hammer and Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Simone Hammer, his background, and experience in e-commerce and investment banking.Approach to Brand Acquisition and Quantitative Analysis (00:00:55)Discussion on traditional quantitative methods for acquiring brands and the limitations of focusing solely on numbers.Case Study: Cocktail Shaker Brand and Market Dynamics (00:01:38)Simone shares a case study about their cocktail shaker brand, market share, and the impact of COVID-19.Competitor Analysis and Information Memorandum (00:03:08)Simone describes obtaining a competitor's information memorandum and insights into their strategies and market position.Market Changes and Increased Competition (00:04:07)Discussion on rising freight costs, increased competition, and the challenges faced in the cocktail shaker market.Brand Building vs. KPI Focus (00:05:05)Comparison between their KPI-driven approach and the competitor's focus on brand building and storytelling.Consequences of Ignoring Qualitative Feedback (00:06:59)Simone explains the negative outcomes of neglecting qualitative customer feedback and the resulting price competition.Importance of Qualitative Customer Insights (00:07:53)Emphasis on the value of qualitative data, customer feedback, and brand building for long-term business success.Lessons Learned and Industry Trends (00:09:01)Reflection on industry trends, the necessity of qualitative insights, and the risk of competing solely on price.Host Reflection and Question on Customer Feedback (00:10:04)Josh reflects on his own business practices and asks Simone what customer feedback they missed.Specific Customer Preferences Missed (00:10:53)Simone details specific customer preferences, such as the shine of the shaker and the appeal of the stand.In-Person vs. Online Customer Insights (00:11:55)Insights gained from in-person customer interactions versus online feedback and the importance of customer development.Three Key Takeaways for E-commerce Success (00:13:43)Josh summarizes three actionable takeaways: market opportunity, listening to customers, and continuous testing.Closing Remarks and Future Follow-Up (00:16:48)Josh thanks Simone and mentions the possibility of future episodes to check on progress.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Helium 10Key Takeaways  Identifying Market Opportunities: 00:13:43Listening to Customers: 00:14:47Testing and Iterating: 00:15:49Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Simon Hammer. Simon is the VP of Product at Vimbly Group, a New York City based firm that scales and invests in tech enabled businesses where he has worked for over ten years. He currently runs Vimbly Group's e-commerce business unit, as well as having his hands involved in a number of Vimbly Group's eight other business units. Prior to the Vimbly Group, Simon was a healthcare investment banker at a boutique investment bank in New York City, where he focused on raising capital and mid-market mergers and acquisitions involving biotech, healthcare, technology and healthcare service companies. He has a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, and I met Simon at the Billion Dollar Seller Summit earlier this year. And Simon, I'm excited to welcome you to the podcast. Welcome.Simon 00:00:50  Thanks, Josh. Really appreciate that. Nice intro. Thanks for having me.Josh 00:00:55  As you look to acquire other brands, and I love that you kind of were an acquire or aggregator before the aggregator theme became pop became popular. So you're not on the the bandwagon there.Josh 00:01:08  You can be like, no, we were doing this long, a long time ago. You know, I think that that's really interesting, Simon. I think you've taken this approach that's actually a little bit different than I think the typical answer is, right, because I've listened to a bunch of other people that talk about acquiring businesses. And I'm looking at these specific numbers and, you know, I'm trying to draw conclusions and, you know, kind of look at 2020 and what happened during Covid and say, okay, this was an artificial bump and it's all very quantitative, right?Simon 00:01:38  All the quantitative stuff that you're talking about like looking historical, it's a given. Right. We always do that. We've always done it. And for the longest time, that's all we did. And, you know, one of our brands right now is going through a major shift in that it, for such a long time survived on three products. Basically, there's a whole, you know, there's more skews, but there's basically more Asians.Simon 00:02:02  But there's there's effectively three basins. One of those. basically a shell of itself now. And part of the reason why is because, you know, actually, if you'll divulge me for a second. So, pre-COVID and even through the first, you know, a couple years of Covid and depending on where you want to, you know, start and stop it, I guess. or, you know, where the beginning till now is, I guess. But first couple of years of it, it was doing incredibly well, right? It was something like anywhere between 25 and 35%, or it accounted for 25 to 35% of our gross margin. That gross margin, including everything from landed costs, three PL costs, FBA costs, advertising, marketing returns, all that stuff. Just not just not like overhead and, and software, things like that nature. But but gross profit. Right. And so it was a large part of our business. this one product and you know, during the beginning of Covid, I got my hands on a competitor, one of our biggest direct competitors.Simon 00:03:08  Their information memorandum, which is basically like their, this deck. it's like 50 pages of their business because they're trying to sell their business. Okay. And through like, you know, like, you know, my partner Sam, he has just a ton of connections in the entrepreneur space, a ton of connections with these brokers. And so we get a lot of deals right across a lot of different industries. and so we just happen to get our direct competitors information memorandum. Right. So this gave us everything about their business, right? We knew the numbers. We knew. we knew, who their suppliers were, right? What their strategy was, what their projections were like. You know, you name it, we knew it. And, I mean, we were like, we could look on helium ten and know that we were dominating. But then we saw the real numbers. We were, you know, we were dominant player in the market. and then all of a sudden, right, like during Covid, you start seeing freight costs go up.Simon 00:04:07  You start seeing, a lot of sellers into the space. The cocktail shaker space is kind of the space that we're playing in for one of our brands. and this is where the the set, you know, was established. and, you know, was this, you know, what's called roughly like 30% of the business. it had basically, started having rank weed, right? The ran...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Dr. Travis Zigler, a former optometrist who founded "Eye Love", a brand focused on healing dry eye naturally and funding free eye care clinics. Travis shares his journey from optometry to e-commerce and Amazon PPC, leading to the creation of Profitable Pineapple Ads. He discusses the importance of finding personal fulfillment beyond business, explains the 80/20 rule for Amazon advertising, and offers actionable strategies for optimizing PPC campaigns and product listings to drive growth and impact.Chapters:Introduction to Dr. Travis Zigler and His Journey (00:00:00)Josh introduces Dr. Travis Zigler, his background in optometry, e-commerce, and founding "Eye Love" and Profitable Pineapple Ads.Starting Profitable Pineapple Ads and Finding Personal Worth (00:01:08)Travis discusses starting the agency, the importance of finding self-worth beyond business, and his and his wife's personal missions.Mission Trips and Foundation Work (00:02:59)Travis shares about their charity work, mission trips, and the value they find in giving vision to those in need.Pivot to Amazon PPC and Agency Origins (00:03:33)Transition to discussing Profitable Pineapple Ads, why Travis started focusing on Amazon PPC, and the agency's early challenges.Simplifying Amazon PPC: The 80/20 Principle (00:05:50)Travis explains the 80/20 rule in PPC, focusing on what works, and how this approach improved results for their clients.Scaling the Agency and Using Software (00:06:47)Describes the agency's growth, adoption of software, and scaling to 120 clients with a team of 11.Simple PPC Strategies and Case Studies (00:07:55)Travis outlines actionable PPC strategies, focusing on top-performing products and keywords, and how this benefits clients.Optimizing Listings and Campaign Structure (00:10:00)Details on optimizing product listings, using professional images, and structuring ad campaigns for maximum impact.Three Actionable Takeaways and Final Thoughts (00:11:25)Josh summarizes key takeaways: self-reflection, the 80/20 principle, and implementing focused PPC or blog strategies.Episode Wrap-Up (00:15:02)Closing remarks, gratitude, and looking forward to future meetings.Links and Mentions:Companies and FoundationsEye LoveEye Believe FoundationProfitable Pineapple Ads AgencyWebsitesProfitablePineapple.comConcepts and Strategies80/20 Pareto Principle: 00:05:50Single Keyword Ad Campaigns: 00:10:00Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Doctor Travis Zigler. He is a recovering optometrist turned ecommerce entrepreneur. He is the founder of Eye Love, whose mission is to heal 1 million dry eye sufferers naturally. Doctor Travis and his wife, Doctor Jenna Zigler, used the profits from Eye Love to Fund free clinics in Jamaica and the US through their charity, the Eye Believe Foundation. And due to the success of Eye Love, others have asked if Doctor Travis would help them grow their businesses online and more specifically with Amazon, which led to the creation of the profitable Pineapple Ads Agency. Well why pineapple? Well, why not specializing in Amazon PPC? Doctor Travis blogs about Amazon PPC and selling on Amazon, and also has a free Amazon PPC Masterclass, which you can check out at Profitable pineapple.com. So welcome to the podcast, Travis.Travis 00:00:57  Josh, happy to be here and glad to be glad to be providing value to your audience, so looking forward to it.Josh 00:01:03  You had previously started profitable pineapple ads before the exit.Josh 00:01:07  Is that true?Travis 00:01:08  Yeah, so we started about four years ago and the exit was about a year ago. Okay.Josh 00:01:12  And so so yeah, you had already started it. So you already had something else going on, right? Do you feel like that helped?Travis 00:01:18  It did help. But to go back to your question about tips and pointers, it's all about where you find your worth in life. And a lot of us as entrepreneurs find that worth in what we're doing in our business. We bury ourselves in busy work because that's what we feel like is our worth. And it's all about that is finding what makes you feel. I don't want to say worthy, but find out what makes you feel good inside. I'm a creator. I love to educate and so I educated with my dry brand. We had a show called The Dry Eye Show. It was a podcast and a YouTube station. But then in the agency side, I also am. I teach people all the strategies that we used. And so I love to educate people on how to do stuff.Travis 00:02:05  And I was a professor at Ohio State. So I find my value in education, in masterminding with people, in networking. And so as long as that didn't go away when we sold our business, then I would be fine. My wife, on the other hand, I don't think she knows as much. She finds it in motherhood a little bit. But we have we have two kids and they're in school during the day, so. But she also finds it in I think writing is her kind of passion. Is email, copywriting, blog posting and creating that value for people in the written form. But when Eye Love kind of is going away or has gone away, and it's changed over the last year and a half, she didn't get to do that as much as she used to. And so her kind of value and her worth that she felt kind of went away. And so she kind of felt empty inside. And it's very hard. So as an entrepreneur, we need to find our worth in something that we can continue doing even when the business is gone.Travis 00:02:59  That doesn't mean busywork. It just means focusing on what you feel like you were put on this earth to do. And mine is education. And then focusing on our foundation's mission, which is giving people vision that don't have access to eyecare. And so we go on mission trips three, two to 3 to 4 times a year, and we donate to those causes as well. And that's because that's where we find value, is giving people vision because that helps their lives, of course. And then also educating and creating for people to help them learn things as well.Josh 00:03:33  All right. Let's pivot now Travis, into profitable pineapple ads. you know, tell us why you got started in PPC. And let's talk about some of the, you know, tactics that have been working in PPC specifically for now. And then. I know you've got in the Billion Dollar seller summit. you shared some advanced tactics about implementing blog strategies and some of that cool stuff. And so we'll get to that. But let's talk about just regular old PPC to begin with and your journey to where it got to you.Josh 00:04:06  Right now with your agency?Travis 00:04:08  Yeah. So the agency was just born out of a need that we had. And again, listening to the universe and how it's coming at us and taking action on it. And so what happened was we hired multiple agencies, seven agencies total tried six softwares. This was back in 2016 and 2017. And finally I hired a good friend of mine who had a very respectable agency and software. And I thought, you know, I think they're going to do a great job. If they can't do it, then I got to figure it out. And unfortunately, it just didn't work out. And what I found with agencies constantly is they just spend a lot for a little return. And they always promised, yeah, it's coming, it's coming. We're just getting the data. The problem is I kind of knew what to do with the Amazon PPC, ...

In this episode, the host interviews Brad Allen, an Amazon seller and entrepreneur, about his journey from eBay and retail arbitrage to building a successful Amazon FBA business. Brad shares how he sourced high-end European skincare products, overcame a major account suspension and $400,000 debt, and transitioned to private label. He highlights the importance of active business management, cash flow planning, and creativity. The episode concludes with actionable advice for Amazon sellers: stay hands-on, manage inventory and finances wisely, and innovate to stand out in the marketplace.Chapters:Introduction and Account Suspension (00:00:00)Brad is introduced; discusses his Amazon account suspension and overcoming $400K in debt.Early E-commerce Journey (00:00:33)Brad shares his start with eBay in childhood, selling household items, and his early exposure to e-commerce.Discovering Amazon FBA (00:01:11)Learns about Amazon FBA in 2012, transitions from eBay, and begins retail arbitrage with toys and other products.Corporate Career and Realization (00:02:19)Describes unfulfilling corporate jobs, getting fired, and joining a friend's epoxy flooring business in Ohio.Entrepreneurial Mindset Shift (00:03:34)Realizes he enjoys working for himself, which reignites his interest in e-commerce and Amazon.Deep Dive into Retail Arbitrage (00:04:36)Explores flipping products from eBay to Amazon, focusing on high-end skincare, and develops sourcing systems.European Skincare Arbitrage Strategy (00:06:45)Discovers sourcing high-end European skincare from overseas retailers, imports to the US, and sells on Amazon.Scaling and Living Abroad (00:08:54)Business grows; Brad moves to Buenos Aires and Africa, living a digital nomad lifestyle while running the business.Amazon Account Suspension Details (00:10:04)Explains the cause of his Amazon suspension—authenticity complaints and inability to provide manufacturer receipts.Lessons from Suspension and Financial Struggles (00:11:05)Discusses lessons learned: importance of active management, risk-taking, and not being complacent in business.Advice on Growth and Risk (00:11:48)Emphasizes reinvesting profits, financial planning, and the need for risk tolerance as an entrepreneur.Financial Intelligence and Risk Management (00:13:57)Stresses forecasting, living below means, and being prepared for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:14:11)Host summarizes: 1) Active management and planning, 2) Cash flow and inventory management, 3) Creativity in the Amazon marketplace.Episode Wrap-up (00:16:43)Host thanks Brad, hints at a future episode, and closes the interview.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  EZSniperActionable Takeaways  Set an Annual Plan for Your Business: 00:14:11  Cash Flow Management: 00:15:04  Bring Creativity to the Amazon Marketplace: 00:16:15Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I am super excited to introduce you to Brad Allen. I met him at Kevin King's, $1 Billion Seller summit, and he's going to have a lot of knowledge to share with us. I'm going to dive in like immediately to what was mentioned in your bio. You had your account suspended. You had you ran into 400 K of debt and loans, but you've kind of come out the other end and you're you're crushing it right now on Amazon. So tell me, Brad, what happened with the account suspension?Brad 00:00:33  So I, I was doing, retail arbitrage and I got, I got really into it. it it was actually kind of unique. It started off, where I was, I, I was really into eBay growing up, so I was always selling stuff, just like as a kid throughout the house, whether it was mine or not. I was grabbing, like, antiques from the basement and, like, selling stuff out of the garage. And I think that's where I got kind of, you know, introduced to e-commerce and kind of obsessed so that that kind of was always on the side.Brad 00:01:11  And I was doing that through grade school, high school, and then into college. And I learned about Amazon FBA and I think 2012. and as an eBay guy, it was like blew me away because I was, you know, the guy waiting in line at the, at the post office and having to deal with customers. So the fact that you could just send a bunch of items in and Amazon will ship it and take care of customer service was very appealing to me. So I started, I just started watching videos and the easiest way to start, which I don't know how many people really started out like this, but I'm sure some. But I was going into, you know, odd lots and Walmarts and just buying toys or whatever I could find. And essentially I was just kind of learning that process. so, you know, that was a good way to, like, get my feet wet into Amazon FBA. and then, you know, life kind of happened where that was put off to the side.Brad 00:02:19  I was in the corporate world for a while. not doing very well. I just, was not very passionate about what I was doing, and, I got a call from a buddy. I was living in South Florida. I'm from Ohio originally, and, I got fired from one job. You know, I was working for good companies. They were, like, fortune 500 companies. And I kind of noticed right away that the people that were successful were extremely passionate about the company, and they had just drank the Kool-Aid. And I just did. I just didn't care, really. I thought our products were overpriced, which is not the mentality that you want to have when you're trying to sell something. so I was just kind of, just doing enough not to get fired. And my friend, in Columbus had called me and said, hey, I just bought this epoxy coating company. So what we're doing is we're installing, like, showroom floors in garages. You know, the the garages in Columbus or the Midwest are all cracked and spoiled.Brad 00:03:34  so, you know, this was December and he was like, hey, I can't pay you that much, but, you know, this will be our company. and I'll share profits with you. So I wasn't really doing much. You know, in terms of growing personally or professionally, although I was in South Florida, which was pretty cool for for an Ohio guy. Sure. I took him up on it, and I remember it was December. I go from this cushy sales job in South Florida. Even though I didn't like it. And then all of a sudden, I am installing, garage floors in the suburbs of Columbus. In December, we're using, like, heaters to keep ourselves warm. And the funny thing was, I actually was enjoying it more, because it was ours. So that kind of, like, turned on the light that, you know, the way that I'm going to be successful is if I'm doing something for myself, like, or as a team. And that kind of drew me back to this e-commerce stuff.Brad 00:04:36  and like I was saying, I had learned about, the Amazon FBA and I had a this background in eBay. So I just kind of I remember in one of your podcasts, you were talking about how after work, you would go home and just watch videos. yeah. Because you, you know, you kind of saw that as a way out. But, you know, what you have to do is you have to put in the time. You know, even after a long day of work when most people are just watching TV or they want to decompress. I was just drawn to just scanning eBay, you know, looking at Amazon. And I was like, I was wondering if there was an opportunity for products that I could buy on eBay and flip on Amazon. And I kind of just somehow stumbled upon this, category of high end skincare. And I was noticing that there was these really, like, high end brands that were selling for, you know, almost nothing on eBay because, li...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Steven Yates, CEO of Prime Guidance, about strategies for scaling e-commerce brands. Steve emphasizes optimizing Amazon listings and leveraging all available tools before expanding to other marketplaces like Walmart or eBay. He discusses the importance of having a direct-to-consumer website, maximizing Amazon advertising, and using analytics tools to track performance. Steve provides actionable advice on when and how to diversify sales channels, ensuring brands grow efficiently and profitably while building a strong foundation on Amazon first.Chapters:Introduction to Steven Yates and Prime Guidance (00:00:00)Josh introduces Steven Yates, his background, and expertise in retail management and e-commerce.When to Expand Beyond Amazon (00:00:48)Discussion on timing and considerations for expanding to other marketplaces like Walmart, eBay, Wayfair, and international markets.Sales Lift Estimates from Other Marketplaces (00:01:28)Steve provides rough estimates of sales lift from Walmart, eBay, and other channels compared to Amazon.Importance of Optimizing Amazon Before Expanding (00:01:39)Emphasis on being 80-90% optimized on Amazon before moving to other marketplaces.Choosing the Right Next Marketplace (00:03:32)Advice on analyzing where your customers are and not following a cookie-cutter approach to expansion.Launching a DTC E-commerce Website (00:04:04)Discussion on when and why to launch a direct-to-consumer website alongside Amazon.Benefits of Having a DTC Website (00:04:38)Steve explains the strategic advantages of having your own e-commerce site for brand building and customer retention.Capturing and Nurturing Website Visitors (00:05:46)Tactics for capturing emails and engaging visitors who land on your DTC website.Key Levers to Pull on Amazon (00:06:21)Josh asks for a list of actionable levers to increase sales and grow a brand on Amazon.Detailed Breakdown of Amazon Optimization Levers (00:06:33)Steve details optimization tactics: product pages, infographics, A+ content, pricing, assortment, advertising, and Amazon programs.Amazon Advertising and External Traffic Strategies (00:08:05)Discussion on types of Amazon ads, external traffic, and leveraging Amazon's Brand Referral Bonus.Utilizing Amazon Programs and Betas (00:09:11)Overview of Amazon programs like FBA Small and Lite, brand store, Amazon posts, and customer engagement emails.Order of Operations for Optimization and Traffic (00:10:31)Advice on optimizing for Amazon's algorithm and conversion before scaling advertising and traffic.Three Actionable Takeaways for Brands (00:11:21)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: maximize Amazon levers, focus on Amazon traffic, then expand to other channels.Tools for Tracking Amazon Metrics (00:13:40)Discussion on aggregating and analyzing Amazon data using third-party tools and Excel.Brand Analytics and Bonus Tool Recommendation (00:14:59)Steve recommends using Amazon Brand Analytics and nozzle.ai for tracking repeat purchases and customer lifetime value.Where to Learn More About Prime Guidance (00:16:21)Steve shares how listeners can contact or follow Prime Guidance for further help.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Prime Guidance  Shopify WooCommerceAmazon Attribution Program  Amazon Posts  Helium 10Nozzle AI  Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Steve Yates. He is the CEO and founder of Prime Guidance. Steve developed well-rounded expertise working for multi-billion dollar fortune 500 retailers such as Amazon, Dick's Sporting Goods and eBay enterprise prior to founding Prime guidance in all industry consulting. With 30 years experience in retail management and 23 years experience in e-commerce. Steve and his team provide companies with strategic advice and innovative solutions that are based on real life experience working for industry leading retailers. He helps companies grow faster, smarter and more profitably by providing advice, mentoring and coaching for today's busy executives. So welcome to the podcast, Steve.Steven 00:00:46  Thank you. Josh. Thanks for having me.Josh 00:00:48  One of the first questions I want to ask, just kind of selfishly for myself, because we're looking to expand onto different channels right now with our business. We've grown to eight figures just on Amazon alone. But we're we are looking to, you know, is it time to explore or double down more on Walmart eBay, Wayfair? Do we try to get into target? Do we go international right and start shipping stuff into Canada, Mexico, the UK, etc.? So my question to you here, Steve, is what kind of sales lift do you see from those different marketplaces? Right.Josh 00:01:28  Like what do you estimate as hey you go to Walmart it best case scenario, you're probably looking at a 10% lift eBay. Maybe it's a 2%, you know, so on and so forth.Steven 00:01:39  Yeah. So it's a very tricky question because I've seen it wildly different. So interesting. I had to if I had to, to put a rough assumption across a lot of different categories and product lines, I would say Walmart is the very next marketplace you're going to want to focus on outside of Amazon. And by the way, don't do it until you're what I like to say 80 to 90% optimized on Amazon. Don't spend your time on these smaller marketplaces, because that's oftentimes the shiny object that gets you in trouble when you're doing a whole bunch of different things, you're not doing any of them well. You've got to you've got to be really well positioned on Amazon. And when I say 80 to 90%, I don't mean of your total opportunity for growth. But if you've identified all these levers you need to pull on Amazon, you need to have a good storefront.Steven 00:02:26  You need to have A+ content. I need to have all of these different components pulled together. Do you feel good about how well optimized they are, and are they in place 80 to 90% of where they should be before you, you know, start migrating to another marketplace? Because if you don't, you're essentially lifting and shifting a catalog that's not optimized to another marketplace. And now all of your optimization efforts are going to be that much harder because you're doing full optimizations across a whole bunch of marketplaces. That's a that's always a risk. I would say Walmart is probably, in the number of 10 to 20% of the Amazon business, and eBay is probably the neighborhood of 10%, maybe 5 to 10% of the, of the Amazon business. but it really does differ quite a bit. I've seen some I've seen some people that actually sell more on Etsy than they do on Amazon because their product is sold out after on that website. I've seen people that do phenomenal on eBay, even though eBay is, you know, not not growing.Steven 00:03:32  It's. Yeah, it's it just so happens that their customers there and that's why I go goes back to, analyzing where your customers spend their time and money and make sure you're present there, do it in the right order. But ultimately make sure you're you're present there. And where you go next is not a cookie cutter answer just because everybody else goes to this next Walmart, you know, Walmart next or eBay after that or whatever, doesn't mean that's...

In this episode, Josh interviews Kris Gramlich, an experienced Amazon FBA seller and entrepreneur. Kris shares practical strategies for building customer loyalty, including using product insert cards with QR codes that lead buyers to claim free gifts in exchange for their contact information and order ID. He emphasizes providing value rather than manipulating reviews and discusses sourcing free sample gifts locally to quickly engage customers. Kris also offers actionable tips on optimizing product images, building an audience, and leveraging influencer marketing, all aimed at fostering long-term relationships and driving repeat business on Amazon.Chapters:Introduction to Kris Gramlich (00:00:00)Josh introduces Kris, his background in entrepreneurship, and his Amazon FBA journey.Product Insert Cards & QR Codes (00:01:03)Discussion on using product insert cards with QR codes to engage customers and offer free gifts.Landing Pages & Customer Verification (00:02:00)Explaining the process: QR code leads to a landing page, collects customer info and order ID to verify purchases.Avoiding Review Manipulation (00:04:06)Emphasizing not asking for reviews to avoid Amazon penalties and focusing on providing value instead.Free Gift Strategy & Messaging (00:05:15)Details on the types of free gifts offered, messaging on insert cards, and conversion rates.Sourcing & Sample Packs (00:05:48)Switching to U.S. suppliers for faster fulfillment and offering sample packs as free gifts.Landing Page Experience & Brand Story (00:07:30)Using videos and storytelling on landing pages to build brand connection and encourage opt-ins.Gift Relevance & Opt-In Process (00:08:01)Ensuring free gifts are relevant to the purchased product and using order ID to prevent abuse.Email Follow-Up & Community Building (00:09:16)Using MailChimp for follow-up emails, sharing brand story, and building a community around new product launches.Consumable Products & Customer Satisfaction (00:10:26)Focusing on consumable pet products, offering alternatives if customers are unsatisfied, and prioritizing customer happiness.Actionable Takeaways & Listing Optimization (00:11:46)Josh summarizes three actionable takeaways: optimize listing images, build an audience, and use free samples for subscriptions.Product Launch Strategies & Influencer Marketing (00:13:55)Discussing launch strategies: audience outreach, PPC, influencer marketing, and new affiliate software tools.Where to Find Kris & Closing (00:15:51)Kris shares how listeners can connect with him and offers a free gift; episode closes.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesZapierMailchimpSellozo.comTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I am excited to introduce you to Kris Gramlich. Kris is a professional FBA seller, a podcast host and an account executive at Sellozo. Kris has always been entrepreneurial and enjoyed the thrill of selling items, from selling items at garage sales as a kid to mowing yards and then selling clothes on eBay. Kris learned how to sell physical products on Amazon in 2013, starting out by selling things around the house. He learned the basics of retail arbitrage and started sourcing his own products. Kris launched his first product in 2014 after watching YouTube videos and listening to podcasts. Currently, Kris has four brands and enjoys helping other sellers on Amazon. Kris hosts a podcast with Dustin, another seller, where they talk about industry leaders and other sellers. So welcome to the podcast today, Kris.Kris 00:00:52  That's quite the intro there. Josh. That's pretty good. I'm gonna have to take a couple notes there and kind of implement those on our own podcast. That was really good.Josh 00:01:00  Hey. Well, you have, you have a good bio yourself.Josh 00:01:03  I think that's that's why it sounds so good to you. So I want to dive in a little bit more with, how you're building that audience with insert cards. You know, we do the same thing with our brand. I don't know that I necessarily see that as, like, overly gray. I mean, you look at like a box of, you know, grab some Clorox wipes. Right. What's on the product label for Clorox wipes? it's the P&G website. Right. So like and they have like a, you know, they're not saying like, hey, come register your warranty per se, but like they have links to their social media, right? They have their icons, they have their website on there. So like I don't think people need to be as scared about that. Right. But what are you seeing working really well when it comes to product inserts?Kris 00:01:49  Well if anything good out of Covid came, it's that people were more adapted to QR codes. So people like start to they know what that is now.Kris 00:02:00  And so QR code like that just not people realize, oh I can scan that. So a QR code insert that is has some type of messaging messaging like so thank you. you know, get your free gift. there's, there's things that, that I'm doing now where, somebody scans it, they go to a landing page. in that landing page, they give name, email address, order ID number, and that just kind of verifies that the order matches with Amazon order. So we're not just getting spammed for free gift. Yeah. And they scan it and we just give a free gift out. And, all they got to do is provide us with their name and their email address. we're think about adding their mailing address there, just to kind of have that for like a backup plan to do postcards. I get a random side note here, but I bought something Amazon like literally 60 days later, I got a gift. Like a postcard in the mail. Really? How'd this? How'd this guy know to send me this postcard for another item? So, like, reverse engineering? That's kind of fun for me.Kris 00:03:07  So I'm trying to figure that out, but, Yeah, the insert scan, QR code landing page. Basic information. No first name, last name, email address, and then the order ID. we're using a tool called, It's going away from me. Zapier or Zapier, however you want to pronounce. Okay, that that, links up order IDs so that, when they type in your ID, it matches correctly with the order ID inside your account. and then from there, we send them a free sample and the free sample. You know, it's just something to, like, get them to engage with us, maybe try another product that we're thinking about launching down the road. it also just allows them to, like, feel warm and fuzzy. So maybe that when that review request does come and that that review request is done by Amazon, we're not sending any more like, hey, give us a five star review. We're just leaving it more like providing value. And whenever they get something from Amazon that says, how would you rate your experience with so-and-so brand? Maybe they think, hey, that was a good brand.Kris 00:04:06  I'll leave a five star review, so we're leaving that alone.Josh 00:04:09  So you're not even touching reviews. You're not.Kris 00:04:11  Even to touch.Josh 00:04:12  It. Yep.Kris 00:04:13  Yeah. Just leaving like just value.Josh 00:04:15  Yeah. I agree 100% with the, you know, not even touching reviews. We we've made the same decision because we have opt in flows and all of that. And everybody's like why don't you ask for a review? And it's like, I'm not even touching it with a ten foot pole.Kris 00:04:28  Because not anymore.Josh 00:04:29  That's that's the one thing that like is if Amazo...

In this episode, Amazon algorithm expert Mark Casey shares insights on how sellers can optimize product rankings. He explains the importance of shopper behavior, external traffic, and consistent sales for Amazon's algorithm. Mark discusses effective product launch strategies, including leveraging a shopper network, running PPC campaigns, and the significance of the FBA “honeymoon period.” He also offers tips for reviving older listings and highlights the tailored services provided by his company, House of AMZ. Listeners receive exclusive discounts on product launches and listing optimization services.Chapters:Introduction to Mark Casey and House of AMZ (00:00:00)Host introduces Mark Casey, his background, and the founding of House of AMZ.Amazon Algorithm Overview (00:01:09)Mark explains key factors Amazon's algorithm considers for product ranking, focusing on shopper behavior and engagement.FBM vs. FBA Launches & Honeymoon Period (00:03:26)Discussion on launching via FBM versus FBA, the impact on conversion rates, and the Amazon honeymoon period.Case Study: Launching a Competitive Supplement (00:05:17)Mark shares a case study on launching a premium supplement, emphasizing branding, graphics, and shopper feedback.Shopper Network & Feedback Loops (00:06:41)Explanation of using a shopper network for feedback, image testing, and optimizing listings before launch.Long-Term Launch Strategy & Consistency (00:07:31)Mark details a 15-30 day launch strategy with consistent daily sales and external traffic for sustainable ranking.Combining External Traffic, Shopper Network, and PPC (00:10:07)Discussion on integrating external traffic, shopper network purchases, and PPC campaigns for optimal product launches.Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:10:58)Host summarizes three key strategies: building an audience, leveraging surveys and external traffic, and revitalizing old listings.Revitalizing Old Listings & Review Management (00:14:09)Advice on rejuvenating older products, merging ASINs, relaunching, and managing negative reviews.House of AMZ Services & Special Offers (00:15:29)Mark describes House of AMZ services, special discounts for listeners, and how to contact the company.Podcast Closing & Contact Information (00:16:41)Final remarks, website details, and encouragement for listeners to connect with House of AMZ.Links and Mentions:Tools and ServicesPickFuPost Purchase ProASIN DoctorWebsitesHouse of AMZPodcast EpisodeEcomm Breakthrough Podcast's Episode with Kevin KingTranscripts:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Mark Casey. For the past seven years, Mark has studied the Amazon algorithm to understand how it works and how we can work along with it to rank products. He has traveled the world to speak and share these techniques with the largest sellers worldwide. Mark's personal background is marketing and branding. Having brands of his own, along with his Amazon knowledge working under the nine figure brand, combining those together is how House of arms was born. Where Mark can help is to optimize your products and brand not only for the outside world, but mainly on Amazon, which is its own ecosystem in itself. So welcome to the podcast, Mark.Mark 00:00:41  Thank you very much. Yeah. Good morning. How are you?Josh 00:00:44  Hey, I'm doing great. Thanks again for joining me. And I apologize for my voice, both to the listeners and to yourself. I lost my voice coaching, hockey practice and yelling, shouting at the kids. because there's multiple teams on the ice. So you have to speak relatively loud.Josh 00:01:03  And, it did my voice in, that's for sure. So I apologize about that.Mark 00:01:07  Oh, good. Yeah. No worries.Josh 00:01:09  Mark, you've studied the algorithm for seven years. You I would argue you would consider yourself an expert when it comes to ranking products on Amazon. So tell us, you know, can you break down the Amazon algorithm to our listeners and tell us what you are seeing that Amazon cares about when it comes to ranking products today?Mark 00:01:31  So if you have another six hours, I could do well, I could go in depth. no. But so yeah, there's a lot I mean, well, first of all, a lot of things change within the Amazon algorithm. Many, many things like it's always changing, evolving and growing and it's there's so much to it. But what I always like to break it down and explain to people in a very simple way is that every little thing that the shopper does, Amazon takes into account, and what that means is every little thing from how you clicked and how you even got.Mark 00:02:02  How you even got to Amazon, you know, backing up all the way there, how you got to Amazon, what keyword you search when you got there, how long like every little point in detail. So really. So we we really broke it down and saw okay. So someone goes on the listing onto Amazon. Where do they come from. Do they come from a Facebook ad. Do they come from a referral from let's say, WhatsApp from their friend? and then once they once they're on Amazon, what what keyword do they type in? Once they type in the keyword, how long were they on the results page for? Once you're on the results page, what listings did they click? So meaning did they just click on yours and others? Do they go on others and then yours? Or was it just yours now and on the listing. Right. So let's say I type in sports water bottle and I click on your listing. Now how long are you on the listing for. Is it just you saw it and you add it to cart right away and you're done.Mark 00:02:51  It was an instant purchase. or was it something that you engaged with the listing. So Amazon looks if they engage with the listing and they looked at the reviews and the pictures and they really invested five minutes under the listing to look at it and do everything and added it to cart. That's where you're going to get the success because Amazon sees that you really invest the time. So all these small little details app is what Amazon takes into account with their algorithm. And that's what gives you kind of like the power. But there's a lot obviously a lot more to it. But just just to break it down for you on kind of what it insists.Josh 00:03:26  Yeah, I love that. Let's go back to. You mentioned launching your product first via FBM, and that you're saying that the honeymoon period doesn't really start until it goes into FBA. So my question with that is, you know, I guess you have data to back that up. Is that true?Mark 00:03:45  Yeah, we've tested it out and we've saw that once it hits FBA and it's available to be shipped, then that's when Amazon's going to start pushing your listing.Mark 00:03:53  Right now if it's FBM they're not going to push your listing. They want they want to show the results which are the people that they can click and order right now. And it's going to get to them in two days or less.Josh 00:04:03  Okay, so when you launch via FBM, is your conversion rate lower during that time? Because people aren't being aren't able to get their product in two days, right?Mark 00:04:14  Probably would be lower, yes. Because everyone looks for that prime badge w...

In this episode of the Econ Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh interviews Chad Rubin, operations and strategy leader at Profasee. Chad discusses the critical role of dynamic, AI-driven pricing for e-commerce and Amazon sellers, sharing how continuous price optimization can boost profits without sacrificing sales rank. He offers actionable advice on leveraging AI tools, strengthening business operations, and building strong supplier relationships. Chad also recommends influential books and software for entrepreneurs, and emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with trusted advisors. The conversation provides practical strategies for sellers aiming to thrive in a competitive, ever-changing marketplace.Chapters:Introduction to Chad Rubin and Profasee (00:00:00)Josh introduces Chad Rubin, his background, and his role at Profasee, focusing on e-commerce and AI-driven pricing.Why Pricing Matters in E-commerce (00:00:37)Chad explains his focus on pricing, its impact on profitability, and why many sellers neglect price optimization.The Fear of Raising Prices and Real-World Example (00:02:01)Josh discusses common fears around raising prices and shares a personal example of increasing prices without losing sales rank.Dynamic Pricing vs. Static Pricing (00:03:57)Chad describes Profasee's approach to dynamic pricing, the importance of adjusting prices, and the Amazon flywheel effect.Dynamic Pricing in Other Industries (00:05:28)Josh compares dynamic pricing in e-commerce to revenue management in airlines and emphasizes the need for ongoing price adjustments.Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:06:13)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: focus on profits/pricing, incorporate AI, and strengthen organizational structure and supplier relationships.The Importance of Level 10 Meetings and Team Alignment (00:08:38)Josh highlights the value of EOS Level 10 meetings for organizational clarity and leadership alignment.Most Influential Books for Entrepreneurs (00:09:41)Chad recommends "The 4-Hour Workweek" and other books that influenced his entrepreneurial journey.Favorite and Game-Changing Software Tools (00:11:27)Chad shares his favorite software tools, including Ellie and Notion, for productivity and business management.Mentors and Influential People in E-commerce (00:12:31)Chad discusses the importance of surrounding yourself with trusted advisors and names key people he respects in the industry.How to Connect with Chad Rubin and Profasee (00:14:46)Chad provides contact information and ways to connect with him and learn more about Profasee.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Profasee  ChatGPT Ellie.com Notion  Books  The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss on Amazon The Almanack of Naval Ravikant  The Great CEO Within People Mentioned  Brandon YoungTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm super excited to introduce you to Chad Rubin. Chad leads prophecies operations and oversees its strategy. He often speaks about e-commerce, Amazon, and leveraging AI strategies on webinars and conferences worldwide. He is also the author of the Amazon bestseller cheaper, easier, direct. Prior to Profasee. He founded Think Crucial and co-founded Cubana and the Prosper show. He is also a father, husband, and loves coffee and tacos. So with that, Chad, welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast.Chad 00:00:35  Thank you for having me. Excited to be here.Josh 00:00:37  I want to ask you the question, Chad. You've you've gone through multiple exits. You have your own ecom brand. Why the focus on pricing and why is it so important at the end of the day?Chad 00:00:48  Yeah. So. Well, firstly, the reason why I was focused on price was that I was trying. I'm trying. I'm still working through it. I've been working on turning around my e-commerce business. It's been deteriorated over time. Didn't get a lot of love for me as I've been building other initiatives in my life.Chad 00:01:03  And so, you know, for me, I optimize spend and my ACOs, and I've been optimizing our conversion rate and my listings itself and the infographics on those listing pages. But the one thing that's driving the most to the bottom line is a very small lever, and it swings big doors, but it's not being swung with price. And I just couldn't understand why. Like if we have a $10,000 ad campaign, you would never leave it on. You would never leave it on optimized, you'd always be optimizing it. So why is nobody optimizing price? Because it's a it's hard to understand and it's very manual. And by the time you make the change to the price, the market shifted. So this is why I focus on it. And it's a juicy it's a delicious problem.Josh 00:01:50  It really is. And it can provide I mean it's a huge impact to your bottom line, right? If you want to, you know, increase your bottom line, the best way to do it is just by raising your prices.Josh 00:02:01  Says Roland Frazier, one of the previous guests that we've had on the show. One of the things that he does first, when he acquires any businesses is he simply raises prices. Because to your point, so many brands do not touch their price. They're too scared to be honest with you because they're like, well, I like sales where they're at. If I raise them, you know, 10%, 25%, I'm going to lose it. All right. And I think I actually fell in that camp prior to all of the inflationary environment that we've been in recently with Amazon continually increasing their FBA fees. You've got manufacturers increasing, you know, the cost of goods that you're purchasing from them. ACOs is going up ads. So with all of that, like our back was against the wall, although I felt like, hey, 1999 is kind of the that's the tipping point. You go over the $20 like you cross that mental bridge of $20 and something cents Since all heck is going to break loose, right? And I'm just going to be in a downward spiral, lose my market share.Josh 00:03:08  And on the contrary, we raise the price by $5, increase the price by 25%, and still maintain we were currently the number two best seller in that entire product category. Didn't move a needle. We stayed right there. Now we've got more profit coming to the bottom line. So I want to ask you the question, Chad. Like, are you seeing the same thing with a lot of the clients that you're working with and these early users of the software, that there is more room to increase prices on Amazon, and it's not affecting organic rankings or it's not a spiral downward. Or are you seeing the opposite true of hey, really like lower your price? Yeah, you get margin compression. But man, you you shoot to the roof and you stay locked in in those top positions. What what have you seen.Chad 00:03:57  Well, okay. So Profasee in general is about maximizing profit without sacrificing your BSR. So there's a lot of people in the Amazon space that say, just raise prices. And that's a lot of times could be reckless advice and insight, right? Because like, pricing isn't one size fits all.Chad 00:04:14  And yes, pricing needs to change. But the question is should it go up or should it go down because you can increase price and that may offset demand and you can lower price. It may spur demand. It'll increase ...

In this episode, the host interviews Josh Gibson, founder of Sojourn Group Consulting, about strategies for growing e-commerce sales on marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart. Josh shares expert tips on protecting profit margins, optimizing product listings, leveraging Amazon's NARF program for international expansion, and efficiently managing inventory shipments. He discusses the benefits and challenges of expanding to Walmart and other platforms, emphasizes the importance of strong team communication, and recommends trusted industry resources. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for maximizing sales and diversifying channels for long-term growth.Chapters:Introduction to Josh Gibson and Sojourn Group Consulting (00:00:00)Overview of Josh's background, company focus, and personal life.Protecting Margins on Amazon: Categories, Weights, and Inbound Shipments (00:01:15)Importance of tracking product categories, weights, dimensions, and optimizing inbound shipments to protect margins.Challenges of Managing Amazon Shipments and Auditing (00:02:19)Issues with Amazon's inventory reconciliation and the need for ongoing auditing to avoid losses.Prioritizing Marketplace Expansion and Expected Sales Lift (00:03:10)Discussion on which marketplaces to expand to first and typical sales lift percentages.Expanding with Amazon NARF (North America Remote Fulfillment) (00:03:50)How NARF enables easy expansion to Canada and Mexico, and the expected 7% sales lift.Considering Deeper International Expansion (00:04:53)When to consider establishing a physical presence in Canada or Mexico for further growth.Selling on Walmart Marketplace: Opportunities and Challenges (00:04:53)Walmart's marketplace growth, operational challenges, and the shift to Walmart Fulfilled Services.Walmart Advertising and Early-Stage Advantages (00:05:49)Opportunities in Walmart's less competitive ad platform and strategies for early success.Walmart Sales Lift and Rural Market Penetration (00:06:56)Typical 5–10% sales lift on Walmart, with strong performance in rural and Midwest areas.Three Actionable Takeaways for Marketplace Sellers (00:08:49)Maximize success on your primary channel.Fully optimize listings, especially for mobile.Expand to new marketplaces after optimizing the first.Optimizing Amazon Listings for Mobile and Conversion (00:09:48)Detailed tips for optimizing titles, images, videos, and A+ content for better conversion.Expanding to Additional Marketplaces Beyond Amazon and Walmart (00:10:54)Consider Target, eBay, Newegg, Etsy, and Wayfair for incremental revenue after maximizing Amazon and Walmart.Most Influential Book Recommendation (00:12:31)Gary Vee's books and content for building a brand and leveraging social media.Favorite Productivity Tool or Resource (00:15:00)Slack for team communication and the importance of a fast, reliable computer.Most Admired E-commerce Influencers (00:16:14)Recommendations to follow Steven Pope, Bradley from Helium 10, and Kevin King for free, valuable content.Closing Remarks and Appreciation (00:17:26)Harry thanks Josh for sharing actionable insights and expertise.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Sojourn Group Consulting Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) NARF (North American Remote Fulfillment) Walmart Connect Helium 10 Influential People  Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) on LinkedInSteven Pope from My Amazon Guy on LinkedIn Bradley Sutton from Helium 10 on LinkedIn  Kevin King on LinkedIn Events  Sell and Scale Summit Productivity Tool:SlackTranscript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Josh Gibson. over the past 20 years, Josh has been leading sojourn Group consulting, a company with a strong e-commerce focus. Sojourn Group consulting specializes in marketplace sales, and has evolved from being a third party seller into an agency that helps other sellers grow their marketplace presence without having to hire a full team. Their years of experience and team make their bolt on solution very simple for many companies. Outside of work, he is happily married for 15 years and is the father of four children ages eight, six, four and two. That makes him very busy at this stage in his life. He says there's little time for anything except work and family. So welcome to the podcast, Josh.Josh Gibson 00:00:45  Thank you. Thanks for having me.Josh Hadley 00:00:46  Well, with how busy you are with a young and growing family and the business, we're excited to have you share some of your time with us. So thanks again for joining us. What else is there that you know? You're saying that Amazon eats your margin for business lunch and dinner or for breakfast? Lunch and dinner, right? So what else is there that you know, people should be paying attention to? And Amazon specifically for now that, you know, there could be a lot of, you know, marginally going out the business.Josh Gibson 00:01:15  Yeah. I mean, it's important to to track your weights and your gyms and your categories of what products you're selling in because there's some products. Say you're selling a printer. A printer should be in an 8% category, but sometimes they'll slide into a 15% category. So you're losing that that amount of money. You don't see it unless you're tracking tracking it. Or they could dim it out wrong. Say something. They as they went through their Cuba scan, it dimmed out incorrectly. So being able to go in and update and fix those dimensions and then do do file backs on those. also trying to find better, more efficient ways to do inbound shipments. and so there's, there's tools out there that we use that can take like right now we're running a full truckload, for $400, inbound FBA, where that same truckload going, another the route could be 3 to $4000. So it's the more time you do this. And the nice thing about our team is we can sit in a bullpen and go, okay, what are you guys learning? What'd you find out? and trying to take our collective knowledge, plus being able to go to, like, this, scale and sell summit and meet other people that know more things and aggregate this information to become more valuable.Josh Gibson 00:02:19  which, to your point is, if you're an owner operator trying to do this yourself, it becomes complicated because you don't have the resources and the ability to to learn all these things. Yeah. But to your point, it's it's the weight in gems. It is the categories. It is inbound shipments. I'm blanking on a few others, but it's really managing that protection of your bottom line. that's important. And it's also like specifically with inbound shipments is the annoying part is you can get that FBI ID cleared, they can say fully received. And we've seen with some clients ten, 12 months later, they say, actually we're five short. And if you're not going back and reordering those, even though you thought you did a good job auditing it. You can los...

In this episode, the host interviews Harry Joiner, a top executive recruiter in marketing and e-commerce. Harry shares his selective approach to working with clients, emphasizing the need for clear business strategies, strong financials, and a commitment to e-commerce. He compares recruiting top talent to casting star actors, noting that A-level candidates seek companies with compelling stories and solid economics. The discussion highlights the importance of business leaders knowing their numbers, defining their vision, and welcoming candidates who ask tough questions to build high-performing teams. The episode concludes with actionable advice for attracting and retaining top talent.Chapters:Introduction to Harry Joiner and His Credentials (00:00:00)Host introduces Harry Joiner, his background, and notable companies he's worked with.How Harry Selects Clients (00:01:04)Harry explains his criteria for choosing which companies to work with, comparing it to Hollywood actors picking scripts.Evaluating Client Business Fundamentals (00:02:20)Discussion on analyzing a client's business economics, strategy, and suitability for top-tier candidates.Attracting Top Talent: The Hollywood Analogy (00:03:41)Harry compares recruiting top talent to attracting star athletes or actors, emphasizing the need for a strong business foundation.The Importance of Smart, Challenging Candidates (00:05:28)Harry shares his preference for candidates who ask tough questions and challenge him, indicating high-caliber talent.Recognizing Top Candidates by Their Questions (00:06:25)Harry describes how the best candidates demonstrate their value by probing deeply into business metrics and strategy.Hiring Lessons from Personal Experience (00:08:41)The host reflects on his own hiring experiences, noting that the best hires are those who challenge leadership and require preparation.Three Actionable Takeaways for Business Leaders (00:10:33)The host summarizes three key action items: define your exit strategy, know your numbers, and cast a clear vision for recruits.Harry's Process and Final Advice (00:12:50)Harry emphasizes having a simple, practical process for business planning and offers to share it with listeners.Episode Wrap-Up and Thanks (00:15:35)The host thanks Harry for his insights and closes the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools, Websites, and LinksLinkedInBooks and ArticlesSuccessWall Street JournalBusinessweekUSA TodayInternet RetailingVideosShark TankEntourageTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Harry Joiner. Harry is described by Search Engine Watch as a dominant recruiter in client side multichannel, the in multi-channel e-commerce space. He is an executive recruiter for marketing and eCommerce. He has been interviewed by success magazine and he has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, marketing, Sherpas, Great Minds in Marketing series, Businessweek, USA, TODAY.com, Internet Retailer, and many more. He has closed dozens of manager, director, VP and C-level ecommerce searches for some of the following companies. A&E television. Adidas American signature brands. Ashford. Com. Backcountry. Com. Boot barn. Com Columbia Sportswear. And many, many more. So welcome to the podcast, Harry.Harry 00:00:48  Thank you so much. Great to be here, Harry.Josh 00:00:50  I think what's interesting there, you mentioned, you know, you have a small firm, right? You're well experienced. Your results speak for themselves. If people go check out your LinkedIn profile, there's raving reviews of people that have worked with Harry.Josh 00:01:04  so, Harry 150, you know, companies are going to apply to kind of hire your services. What what are you looking for is you kind of determine what are the 50 you're going to work work with. What's the difference between those that you say no to versus the ones that you say yes to and why?Harry 00:01:22  Sure. It's a great question. well, so when people pitch us on a deal, so they pitch me into Alan and it's a little bit like if you've ever seen a concept pitched on Shark Tank, it's a little bit like that. Alan and I are very particular about the deals that we take, and I think I learned this watching entourage back in the, you know, 2000, 2008 through 12 or something that in Hollywood, the richest actors aren't the richest actors because they're the best actors. They're the richest actors because they get the best scripts. It's a lot like that as an e-commerce recruiter. So we like searches that can be closed on the back of a single story, right? So the brand, the you know, the client, they know what their business is about and who their business is for and what their unique selling proposition is.Harry 00:02:20  So why should anyone do business with them versus any option available to them? including doing nothing. we look for the underlying economics of the client's business. So do we understand how they make money? Do they understand how they make money? Do they understand how they're going to make money in the future? We tend to take a good hard look, at things like size and scope of a 12 month file. We'll look at things like average order value. We'll look at things like recurring revenue and order frequency. We'll look at, what it takes to actually bring that concept toe to life. You know, the purpose and values and viewpoint of the brand, and we'll look at a variety of different factors to try and determine whether our audience, which is the top 3% of people in the e-commerce industry. I mean, 97% of the candidates that watch this podcast aren't going to they're not we wouldn't represent them on a deal anyway because we're out there looking for load bearing walls. I mean, this sounds super salesy, but the fact of the matter is, when people come to me and Alan, they expect us to be in the organizational transformation business, right? You come to us looking for a Steph Curry, a Michael Jordan, a Tom Brady.Harry 00:03:41  That's that. And it is like being an agent in Hollywood and the best candidates in the industry, the people who are capable of plugging and playing and being a load bearing wall in our client's business, they want to make sure that they can do reputation enhancing work. That's really what it boils down to. And that means that in terms of the search, the client has the budget, the authority, the need, the timeline and the hiring process to knock good candidates in versus knock them out. And, the business has favorable underlying economics that the client has clarity and ability and resolve, you know, commitment towards e-com. And those are the things, honestly, that you need for an a player to do reputation enhancing work in your business.Josh 00:04:30  Yeah, I love the, the strategy that or the analogy that you made there with, you know, hiring like the Michael Jordan's or Steph Curry's right. If you think about that. You know, as a business owner. Right. If you want to attract a Michael Jordan or a Steph Curry.Josh 00:04:46  Right. If you're an NBA owner, you've got to have a good team. Right. And you've got to have a good vision and say, hey, here's the teammates that you'd be working alongside. ...