Merch Lifestyle

In this episode I discuss October's results, Q4 prep, getting more Shopify sales (woo!), and life at $3/day on Etsy Ads.

In this episode I discuss September's results, getting Shopify sales (woo!), and the effect of Etsy Ads in more detail.

Etsy Ads are here, and In this episode I share 10 reasons why you should seriously consider reducing your Etsy Ads budget. In this episode I show you my own data based on thousands of dollars of ad spend to shed insight into what's really going on with Etsy Ads.

Connect Etsy with Google Analytics in under 10 minutes. I'lll show you the step by step process in addition to sharing some of my own google analytics data!

In this episode I walk through my August income report so you can learn what went right and what went wrong!

In this episode I walk through my Q2 income report and a new strategy I'm implementing via Etsy promoted listings.

In this episode I walk through the differences between Etsy and Shopify, break down pros and cons, and recommend what might be best for you!

In this episode I break down how February and March turned out!

In this episode I break down how I earned over $2,100 in January 2019 across multiple print on demand platforms.

RJ sits down for an interview about his experiences earning $6k+/mo across Merch, Etsy, Redbubble, and Spreadshirt. He's an accomplished community builder and has gained a reputation for educating about print on demand since the beginning. Tune in to see where his head is at going into 2019!

In this interview I'm joined by JJ Deakins, the former owner of a successful Merch by Amazon business. JJ walks through how he sold his business online and walked away with over $12k for it. If you're interested in learning more about what a Merch "exit" might look like, tune in for some helpful strategies and tips.

In this episode I review all of my print on demand income for December 2018, in which I broke through my goal and earned over $7k! In this episode you'll learn which platforms and strategies helped me get there, with tips for you to grow your business smarter and faster in 2019. ⚖️Bench is helping me close my books each month so I can save time, do taxes right, and earn more with my business! Try it out today to get a free month of bookkeeping for your POD business, and an extra free month when you become a client.

I sit down with Merch Lifestyle OG (guest #2), Tejus Patel, to chat about his print on demand portfolio (Merch, Redbubble, and Etsy) and how passive his passive income truly is! He shares the success ($~2500/mo) that has allowed him to quit his job and focus on growing his POD businesses, as well as his new fulfilled by merchant Amazon strategies. ⚖️Bench is helping me close my books each month so I can save time, do taxes right, and earn more with my business! Try it out today to get a free month of bookkeeping for your POD business, and an extra free month when you become a client.

Learn how to optimize your promoted listings on Etsy to drive extra profit to your Etsy stores. I share examples & screenshots from my stores and walk you through exactly how to set up & test promoted listings for yourself. If you're not using Etsy promoted listings on your store, you're missing out! ⚖️Bench is helping me close my books each month so I can save time, do taxes right, and earn more with my business! Try it out today to get a free month of bookkeeping for your POD business, and an extra free month when you become a client.

Spencer shares the results of his most profitable month yet and introduces a big change to Merch Lifestyle. Listen in to see what worked this month and helped boost profits significantly. Sign up for our newsletter and get a free 50+ POD resources ebook! Monthly Income Reports – I’m reviewing my actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs I’m scaling my POD businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find Merch Lifestyle on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon recap the haul from October and chat about where POD is heading going into 2019. Spencer shares some insights along the way about new marketing strategies he’s trying out as well. Listen in to see how much the boys earned, what worked, and what didn’t! Sign up for our newsletter and get a free 50+ POD resources ebook! Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer walks you through how to use Photoshop and simple spreadsheets to quickly make scaled designs for your print on demand business. If you make scaled designs, this technique will save you a ton of time and money. Watch through to the end and learn how to work smarter, not harder! Here’s the video that I learned from, and my POD-specific tutorial video. Sign up for our newsletter and get a free 50+ POD resources ebook! Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon are back in the saddle to recap how September went down. The guys share what they’ve been getting up to and why Merch Lifestyle has been a bit quiet as of late. Spencer has some big news and their discussion gets down to some harsh realities of solopreneur life. However, Merch Lifestyle isn’t going anywhere, and we’ve got a ton to do before Q4! Listen in to catch up! Sign up for our newsletter and get a free 50+ POD resources ebook! Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Chris and Benjamin reached out and set up a really fun interview session this past week. The tables got flipped a little bit and Shannon and Spencer had a chance to take the interviewer’s seat for once! Topics covered include Merch by Amazon, setting up paid ads, Shannon and Spencers’ entrepreneurship stories, and growing your business outside of Merch by Amazon. Benjamin and Chris are giving a ton of value on their own channels, and we really recommend that you check them out and show some love: Chris Bell – New Venture Entrepreneurs YouTube Channel Benjamin Smith – YouTube Channel Sign up for our newsletter and get a free 50+ POD resources ebook! Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer shows you how easy and fast it is to build your own Amazon brand storefront via Amazon Advertising (formerly AMS). Your first step is to sign up for Amazon Advertising. Neil @ MerchInformer has a great article about how to do this: https://merchinformer.com/ultimate-ams-amazon-marketing-services-guide-to-marketing-your-merch/ Brand stores are a valuable tool if you’re selling on Amazon because I believe it can increase conversion, allow you to cross-promote your own products (not your competition), and cohesively pull together a brand message while saving you the hassle of setting up your own store via Shopify, etc. Spencer is going to use this method with some Amazon merch micro niches to try and build up some brand recognition and cross-selling of similar products. SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer walks through a two part review of Printful and Redbubble in this POD supplier review episode. He compares actual shirt samples, and dives into the details about which POD supplier is best for your online business! 0:26 PART 1 – UNBOXING AND SAMPLE COMPARISON 0:59 Packaging 3:00 Shirt Comparison “Merch Lifestyle” Text Section 4:43 Shirt Comparison “Design Test” Section 7:39 PART 2 – BUSINESS & OPERATIONS 8:36 Company Intros 10:44 Web Traffic 11:50 Redbubble Strategy Insights 13:54 Product Cost Example 15:29 More Cost Examples 17:14 Redbubble Marketplace 17:54 Product Selection 19:36 Packaging and Branding 21:23 Shipping 23:45 Manufacturing 26:13 Customer Service 28:21 Integrations and Ease of Use 31:07 Bonus Round! 34:06 Too Long, Didn’t Watch [Summary] ➤Support the show and check out the suppliers yourself: Printful Redbubble SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer walks through a two part review of Printful and Spreadshirt in this POD supplier review episode. He compares actual shirt samples, and dives into the details about which POD supplier is best for your online business! 0:26 PART 1 – UNBOXING AND SAMPLE COMPARISON 0:47 Packaging 2:19 Shirt Comparison “Merch Lifestyle” Text Section 4:01 Shirt Comparison “Design Test” Section 7:26 PART 2 – BUSINESS & OPERATIONS 8:25 Company Intros 10:08 Web Traffic 11 Product Cost Example 11:56 More Cost Examples 12:29 Spreadshirt Marketplace 13:39 Spreadshirt Shop 15:34 Product Selection 16:11 Packaging and Branding 17:29 Shipping 22:06 Manufacturing 22:29 Customer Service 24:58 Integrations and Ease of Use 27:01 Bonus Round! 30:42 Too Long, Didn’t Listen [Summary] ➤Support the show and check out the suppliers yourself: Printful Spreadshirt SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer walks through his record-setting (personally) August and what he’s working on going into Q4. Specific topics include working with Etsy, offering merchandising services, and beginning to do some brand building. Tune in and comment live to share your thoughts! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer sit down for a conversation with Helen Kinson of Merch Money. Anyone who has met Helen knows that she combines a super positive and humble attitude with an impressive POD resume. Helen shares her experiences building a global merch community, connecting with and helping entrepreneurs, as well as some unique keyword and niche research tips. Enjoy! Subscribe to Merch Money on YouTube and find them on Facebook as well. You can also find Helen’s personal YouTube channel here. SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer get the chance to speak with print on demand entrepreneur Zach Knickerbocker. The guys get the chance to talk Merch by Amazon, brand building, and cultivating a strong mental game. Zach has an excellent strategic outlook and infectious positive attitude, which we think you’ll enjoy! Follow @ZachKnickerbocker on Instagram! (Definitely the best POD Instagram out there…) SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon discuss July’s income report results to go over sales from Merch by Amazon, Etsy, Redbubble, Seller Central, and their own influencer services businesses. In this episode you’ll learn how Spencer recently reached “ramen profitability”, how you can get a Merch by Amazon business valued, and the other strategies that are working for them. Enjoy! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting – Get a specific action plan to grow your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer sit down with Yong and Glen of the Merch Minds podcast to talk about print on demand strategy and how to create diversified income. Spencer & Shannon have been fans of the Merch Minds show for a while, they enjoyed the conversation quite a bit. If you’re looking for alternative POD content, you can check out Merch Minds and see what you think! ➤Head over to the Hustler Hacks channel for more great episodes from Glen & Yong ➤Search “Merch Minds Podcast” wherever you get your podcasts to check out their weekly show! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting Sessions – Get a specific action plan for your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer walks through a two part review of Printful and Customcat in this POD supplier review episode. He compares actual shirt samples, and dives into the details about which POD supplier is best for your online business! 0:00 Introduction to show and supplier review series concept 1:10 PART 1 – UNBOXING AND SAMPLE COMPARISON 1:56 Packaging 3:59 Shirt Comparison “Merch Lifestyle” Text Section 6:25 Shirt Comparison “Design Test” Section 12:44 PART 2 – BUSINESS & OPERATIONS 13:51 Company Intros 15:51 Product Cost Example 17:32 More Cost Examples 20:24 Product Selection 24:32 Packaging and Branding Options 25:59 Shipping 29:29 Manufacturing 32:13 Customer Service 34:19 Integrations and Ease of Use 39:13 Bonus Round! 42:24 Too Long, Didn’t Listen – Summary ➤If you want to get started with Printful while supporting the show, sign up for free here! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting Sessions – Get a specific action plan for your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer walks through a two part review of Printful and Print Aura in this POD supplier review episode. He compares actual shirt samples, and dives into the details about which POD supplier is best for your online business! 0:00 Introduction to show and supplier review series concept 1:10 PART 1 – UNBOXING AND SAMPLE COMPARISON 3:32 Printful Packaging 4:48 Print Aura Packaging 5:51 Shirt Comparison “Merch Lifestyle” Text Section 7:26 Shirt Comparison “Design Test” Section 13:10 PART 2 – BUSINESS & OPERATIONS 14:40 Product Cost Example 17:00 More Cost Examples 18:55 Product Selection 20:39 Packaging and Branding Options 21:47 Shipping 24:47 Manufacturing 28:19 Customer Service 31:30 Integrations and Ease of Use 36:15 Bonus Round! 40:03 Too Long, Didn’t Listen – Summary ➤If you want to get started with Printful while supporting the show, sign up for free here! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting Sessions – Get a specific action plan for your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer go over the latest in POD including: Merch by Amazon content policy update 5.1, The great Prime Day outage, TeeSpring’s new product launcher, Teelaunch’s price increases, Printful’s new products, a preliminary review of Etsy Plus, and a quick Createspace update. Check it out! Feel free to use any of our affiliate links below to support the show if you’re getting any value from our content and want us to keep this thing going strong…we appreciate you! ➤Previous show guest Kelli is shutting down enrollment to her CreateSpace course on August 15th, but you can get it for $10 off before it’s gone (use coupon code: merchlifestyle) ➤Here’s the Etsy ebook I highly recommend from Justin Wood ➤Send us a quick email if you want the PDF link as discussed in the show! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting Sessions – Get a specific action plan for your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon check in with a quick update about where we’re focusing our efforts in print on demand right now. July is a great time to be putting up numbers and scaling your business. If you don’t have merch slots, you should be on Etsy, Redbubble, Spreadshirt and/or Amazon Seller Central until you tier up…no excuses! Listen in to see what our exact priorities are and how we’re saying “nope” to the shiny objects… SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform Consulting Sessions – Get a specific action plan for your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon chat with Ben Smith, a hungry entrepreneur who is just finishing his “Merch30” experiment with 30 days of Merch by Amazon videos and uploads. Listen in to learn how Ben is planning to tier up on Merch while growing his digital asset distribution through multiple channels. You can find Ben over on his YouTube channel, check out his Merch30 series! SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! YouTube episode link FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports – We’re reviewing our actual income from every Print on Demand (POD) platform 2 on 1 Consulting Sessions – Get a specific action plan for your POD business Podcast Archive – Download any show you’d like and take it on the go Free POD Newsletter – Stay in the loop on POD industry news Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group – Support the show and join up with other like-minded entrepreneurs for high quality discussions We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Save time and money by uploading designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button. MerchAlong helps you create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Get serious about your business and try it out for free today! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon have opened up the monthly income reports and in this episode they dive deep into exactly how much they’re bringing in from platforms like Merch by Amazon, Etsy, Redbubble, Amazon Seller Central, and more. This time the guys have some fun answering questions live from YouTube chat throughout the show. Enjoy, and have a great 4th of July! RESOURCES Payability – Get paid instantly on Amazon Seller Central for as low as 2%…a total lifesaver during Q4 sales ramp up for those of us cross-selling on Amazon. Use this affiliate link to support our show and to get $150 in credit when you sign up: https://goto.payability.com/shannonkem4d812 Hold your VA team accountable without paying a ton and while respecting their privacy for FREE: https://www.toptal.com/tracker/ How to get an Amazon GTIN exemption (via Printful): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK5yDZ9uZO8&t Hint: You can use Printful’s product page URL as your product website during signup. SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW Find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher Click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and join the next live chat)! FOLLOW, CONNECT, & SUPPORT Monthly Income Reports 2 on 1 Consulting Sessions Podcast Archive POD Newsletter Patreon & POD Exclusive Slack Group We’re scaling our online businesses faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create keyword optimized content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it out for free today! Youtube Episode Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon & Spencer sit down with Kelli of KelliPublish to talk scaling Merch by Amazon to tier 4K and bringing in $6K+/month on CreateSpace. She’s been doing things a little differently and seeing lots of success while branching out in Print on Demand. Listen in and see how she’s crushing it! You can check out Kelli’s No Content Books CreateSpace course for a step-by-step walk through of her strategy. This link also helps support our costs to run the show ➤Head over and subscribe to KelliPublish on YouTube ➤While you’re over on YouTube, subscribe to us too! Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly deep-dive income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Episode Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon get the chance to speak with Jewel of Essetino Artists about growing her full-time business on Merch by Amazon and other POD platforms. Jewel has been experimenting with different design and scaling strategies on Merch, and shares her experiences with diversifying into other platforms as well. Listen up to hear how her  Canada based team divides and conquers POD! Go ahead and subscribe to Essetino Artists on YouTube so you don’t miss any content. Don’t be shy, subscribe to Merch Lifestyle on YouTube too! Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly deep-dive income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Episode Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon have a conversation with Markus Dunklau about how he’s approaching his new Merch by Amazon business. The crew talks about scaling strategy, outsourcing, and the “why” behind growing an online business. Listen in to hear what he has to say! Go subscribe to the Markus on YouTube , online , and on Instagram Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly deep-dive income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Episode Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon & Spencer chat with the Mikkelsen twins (Christian on the left, Rasmus on the right) about their journey from Kindle Publishing to Merch by Amazon & print on demand. They bring a great mindest about experimenting, putting up numbers, and reinvesting in their businesses to scale up their income. Listen in to see how they’re doing it while living it up in Hawaii! Go subscribe to the Mikkelsen Twins on YouTube and follow their journey on Merch by Amazon (and their success on Kindle Direct Publishing!) Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly deep-dive income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Episode Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon & Spencer sit down with Greg Preece of Start Starting Up to talk merch. Greg walks us through his path that took him from a traditional 9-5 job, to living abroad, to learning then showing the truth about Shopify, and much much more. Greg has an eye for trying things out and is hungry to grow his merch account big this year. Check out this episode to hear it yourself! Go subscribe to Start Starting Up + Follow along on Greg’s Instagram Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer sit down to chat with do-it-all serial entrepreneur, Bri Moller Green. She shares some insights into her broad experiences with FBA, growing businesses, automating, scaling, and how it all plays into print on demand. Tune in to learn how her curiosity and drive turns into some next-level strategies. Learn more about Bri and her journey @ BriannaMollerGreen.com Connect with her directly – briannamoller@gmail.com Bri’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/briannamollergreene/ Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon get the chance to speak with Chris Bell of New Venture Entrepreneurs about how he’s growing his POD business while holding down a full time job in LA at the same time. Check it out to see how Chris is building off of his experiences and drive to find success. Subscribe and follow Chris on YouTube @ New Venture Entrepreneurs Get in Touch with Chris – newventureentrepreneurs@gmail.com Chris’s Instagram Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Link --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer breaks down a new strategy he’s been trying with Merch By Amazon and social media influencers that seems promising so far. Listen through to the end and you’ll hear step by step how you can set it up for yourself and test it too! Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Link Setting up a Website (These are exactly what I use): Flywheel (hosting, $15/mo) G Suite (email hosting, $5/mo) Divi (Drag & Drop Builder $89/yr or $249 lifetime) WordPress (free) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon discuss the pros and cons of Amazon’s newest POD program, “Merch Collab”. They break down what the Merch Collab platform is all about, how much you can expect to make, and what the true smart strategy in this environment might be… 1:30 – What is Merch Collab? 5:09 – What is the Royalty Split? 10:07 – Pros & Cons Detailed List (for Amazon vs. Brands vs. Designer) 33:10 – Our Questions About the Program 39:43 – Our Strategy to Beat Merch Collab How Do I Sign Up? Merch Collab – https://services.amazon.com/collab/merchcollab.html Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Youtube Link – https://youtu.be/4W8nQxjJjY0 Links to Sources: Publishing Perspectives Article – https://publishingperspectives.com/2018/05/amazon-announces-merch-collab-licensing-program-at-licensing-expo/ Licensing Expo – https://www.licensingexpo.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer breaks down 4 big reasons why you should be growing and diversifying your POD business with Etsy: 6:26 First: Define Your Goal 8:15 Diversify/Grow Your Income 12:11 Mug/Tank Top Profit Breakdown 18:09 Better Understand Your Customers 23:44 Grow and Refine Your Brand(s) 30:20 Simplify and Automate Operations Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com How to connect your Etsy store to Printful: https://www.printful.com/landing/etsy-print-products-fulfillment Slideshow: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ALzfW34wxAfjt_sxNA6YaMwAldlWCQ9XZ4VbdGzivsY/edit?usp=sharing --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon talk about how you can easily expand your business to offer high-margin digital downloads. Learn how to validate demand and niches, and get the workflow to test it for yourself! Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com Find this episode and more on Youtube: https://youtu.be/r9mohG4up84 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon talk about why a creating a stand-alone brand could be important for your long-term success. Learn how to evaluate good brands and niches as well as finding competition. Article mentioned in the show- https://medium.com/positiveslope/attack-of-the-micro-brands-c0b7835c3633 Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com https://youtu.be/73-iVEONA14 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer & Shannon run down their tools of the trade. From extensions to web apps, everything from communication to project management is covered. Tools list below: 1:05 – Team Communication Slack Skype Whatsapp Viber Google Hangouts 7:04 – Documentation Google Docs Loom 8:39 – Project Management Trello Asana Pen & Paper Google Keep Evernote 12:21 – Creative Work Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop and/or Illustrator) Creative Market Google Fonts Dafont Canva 19:40 – Keywords and Competitive Research Autocomplete bar on Etsy/Amazon Merch Informer Google Keyword Planner Merchant Words DS Amazon Quickview Chrome Extension 27:09 – Organization Google Drive MerchAlong 31:25 – Accounting and Numbers Quickbooks Online PrettyMerch Chrome Extension 35:16 – Outsourcing and Payment Upwork Behance Freelancer Guru Paypal Xero 41:50 – Drop-Shippers & Channels Etsy Shopify Amazon Seller Central 46:23 – Content Management Wordpress Seriously Simple Podcasting Plugin Divi theme Amazon Web Services (AWS) Mailchimp Youtube + Hangouts On Air 46:23 – Focus & Productivity Block Site Chrome Extension Rescue Time Insight Timer App Get out of the house and interact with people… Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com https://youtu.be/K4qDkX23rgI --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon share their experiences on each platform and break down the pros and cons of each service. Check out this episode before you start scaling your POD business, it is a huge pain to switch! 2:42 – Why use a dropshipper like Printful or Teelaunch? 7:40 – Product selection 15:30 – Pricing and margin 20:45 – Integration with other channels 33:30 – Product quality 37:35 – Branding 40:45 – Shipping 59:57 – Refunds 51:00 – Summary Sign up for Printful yourself while supporting the show (affiliate link) Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com https://youtu.be/JFpoO0OHzX0 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Spencer and Shannon spin up a few painful stories of their previous entrepreneurial ventures gone south along with a few great lessons learned along the way. Long story short – keep experimenting and trying new things! Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us, see all of our podcast episodes, and sign up for our newsletter over at MerchLifestyle.com https://youtu.be/d66Ry3a1aVI --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer welcome MerchTitans.com founder Curtis Blackmore to the show to talk keyword research strategy. This episode covers why keyword research is important, why you should be thinking beyond Merch By Amazon, and how to do more work up front to ensure your designs aren’t DOA. Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us and let us know what you think over at MerchLifestyle.com Check out MerchTitans if you’re looking to step up your product research game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5v7BAEU5MI --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer welcome MerchTitans.com founder Curtis Blackmore to the show to talk keyword research strategy. This episode covers why keyword research is important, why you should be thinking beyond Merch By Amazon, and how to do more work up front to ensure your designs aren’t DOA. Head to www.MerchLifestyle.com and subscribe for access to our monthly income reports. Check out www.MerchTitans.com if you’re looking to step up your product research game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5v7BAEU5MI --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support

Shannon and Spencer talk about why your print on demand success is more than just the Merch by Amazon platform. Tune in to learn about strategies to diversify your income and strengthen your competitive advantage. Scale up your merch business faster with MerchAlong. Upload designs to Merch By Amazon (and other POD sites) with the click of a button, create content faster, and organize all of your designs in one place. Try it for free today! Check out our monthly income reports and exclusive member-only strategy insights while supporting the show over at our Patreon. We appreciate the support! Connect with us and let us know what you think over at MerchLifestyle.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ngSncA1_LA --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/merch-lifestyle/support