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Show Notes: A Powerful Conversation with Jenna Udenberg   Guest: Jenna Udenberg Host: Ambassador Elisha Podcast: Witnesses   In this inspiring episode of Witnesses, Ambassador Elisha sits down with the incredible Jenna Udenberg—a passionate educator, accessibility advocate, and author—to explore her extraordinary journey of resilience, purpose, and impact.   Highlights of the Episode:   ✅ The Power of Investing in Yourself Ambassador Elisha kicks off the conversation with an insightful analogy about a mango tree, emphasizing how personal growth and dedication attract opportunities. Jenna's life is a testament to this principle, as she shares how her determination led her to create meaningful change in the world.   ✅ Jenna's Journey with Disability and Education Diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age of seven, Jenna faced immense challenges growing up in a rural area with limited accessibility. Despite these obstacles, she pursued her passion for music, becoming a band teacher and shaping young minds for nearly two decades.   ✅ From Teaching to Advocacy The pandemic brought unexpected transitions, forcing Jenna to take a disability retirement. However, this shift opened new doors, allowing her to step into the role of an accessibility educator, advocating for inclusivity and systemic change.   ✅ Above and Beyond With You: A Mission for Inclusion Jenna founded Above and Beyond With You, a nonprofit dedicated to going beyond ADA compliance to create genuinely inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. She shares the heart behind her organization and how it's changing lives.   ✅ Writing Her Memoir: Within My Spokes Jenna takes us through the emotional and healing process of writing Within My Spokes, her memoir that captures a tapestry of pain, growth, and freedom. She discusses the challenges of reliving difficult moments and how storytelling became a powerful tool for healing and connection.   ✅ Lessons in Strength, Perspective, and Humor deslspite facing nearly 18 surgeries and navigating an often inaccessible world, Jenna maintains an incredible sense of humor and optimism. She shares how laughter, mindset, and support systems have been essential to her journey.  

In this episode, I talk with Sue Green, a liver transplant recipient and author of Don't Call My Liver Fat: Liver Transplant 101. She shares her journey from diagnosis to transplant, the challenges of finding a living donor, and how her experience inspired her book. We also discuss liver health, long COVID, and the importance of lifestyle changes. Tune in for a story of resilience and hope! Purchase Sue's Book on Amazon: Don't Call My Liver Fat: Liver Transplants 101 by Sue Green Get more information about the 3rd Annual Transplant Social at www.PreToPost.org Want to be on the podcast?  Visit www.PreToPostTX.com

  Apple: 2:12 - A few more words about the 16e   Microsoft: 10:54 - Microsoft is pulling the plug on Skype   General Tech: 18:14 - OnePlus pushes back the launch date of Watch 3 - Nvidia 50 Series update - AMD Radeon RX 9070 - Don't pay for this from Amazon - Don't pay for this from Adobe - New Clicks cases     https://www.patreon.com/callingallplatforms    T-Shirts!   Contact: podcast@callingallplatforms.com Social: Facebook Twitter YouTube   Apple Podcasts Spotify Android  

Here's what to expect on the podcast:Kijuan's inspirational journey after a life-changing motorcycle accident.How Kijuan shifts his mindset after losing his sight.The power of asking for help.Key influences that led Kijuan to share his story through speaking and writing.And much more! About Kijuan:Kijuan Amey, the visionary behind Amey Motivation, hails from Durham, NC, where his journey of resilience and success began. After graduating from Southern High School, he dedicated a decade of his life to the US Air Force, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant as an In-flight Refueling Specialist. Medically retired, he transitioned into academia, earning a degree and founding Amey Motivation LLC. Mr. Amey also served as the vice president for the Carolina regional group of the Blinded Veterans Association, Kijuan is also a mentor and ambassador for the Air Force Wounded Warriors program. Beyond his remarkable military career, Kijuan is a man of many talents, boasting over 25 years of drumming expertise, on-stage acting, and now, an upcoming bestseller, "Don't Focus on Why Me." However, life took an unexpected turn on May 5th, 2017, when a motorcycle accident claimed his eyesight. Yet, as Kijuan profoundly states, "I may have lost my sight, but I did not lose my vision.” Connect with Kijuan Amey!Website: https://ameymotivation.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kijuan-amey-783889121/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Story_OfSuccessFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kijuanamey/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kijuanamey/Help A Veteran Find Zen Through Adaptive Sports: https://tinyurl.com/yc6k4mw6Book Available on Amazon:Don't Focus on Why Me: From Motorcycle Accident to Miracle https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737036614?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_4M53B40XBMSWFSVQBSCD_1 -----If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor, BetterHelp.Visit https://betterhelp.com/candicesnyder for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy.*This is a paid promotionIf you are in the United States and in crisis or any other person may be in danger -Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Dial 988----- Connect with Candice Snyder!Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdrPassion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxation

Biggest financial lessons from The Alamanc of Naval Ravikant 3 biggest decisions: where you live, who you're with, and what you do Does money make you happy? How to get rich Outsourcing 3 way to retire Cultivating wisdom Things money can't buy Links:  The Almanac of Naval Ravikant on Amazon Don't buy a house on active duty (episode #134) Money mindset podcast episode #148 For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Angie Winters, the insightful author of "Don't Train Your Dog," challenges everything you thought you knew about dog training. She argues that traditional training methods relying on treats and fear miss the mark, emphasizing that true guidance comes from understanding a dog's emotional needs and forming a genuine bond. Tune in as Angie shares her innovative approach to pet parenting, based on over two decades of experience in dog rehabilitation and parenting, revealing how dogs are naturally attuned to human emotions through our facial expressions.My own experiences with adopting difficult-to-train dogs serve as a backdrop for this enlightening conversation. We explore the parallels between raising children and guiding our furry companions, highlighting the importance of treating dogs as beloved family members rather than mere pets. Angie and I discuss the nuances of providing consistent leadership and setting boundaries, and how emotional neutrality can lead to better behavior in both children and dogs. The path to a harmonious household, it seems, lies in earning a dog's respect and understanding their unique perception of people.Throughout the episode, we delve into practical strategies for effective dog parenting, touching on the merits of consistency and early intervention in behavioral issues. Angie's methods are brought to life through personal anecdotes, offering listeners a fresh perspective on fostering a strong human-canine relationship. From understanding the root causes of aggression to using simple guidance techniques, this episode is packed with insights to help you connect more deeply with your dog and welcome them as integral members of your family.Learn more about Angie and her services on her website: https://parenting4dogs.com/ Buy Angie's book on Amazon: Don't Train Your DogComment on this episode! For questions or if you need a reply- please email us at Amy@StarlightPetTalk.com Big changes are coming soon to Starlight Pet Talk!

CEREAL. Prod. By Blū Tha Gürū Oh, I remember this now. Lol I remember the video. It's that little kid that wants pancakes but get cereal and then the prize in the box is a fucking robot that follows him to school and starts a dance party everywhere and then takes over everything—then the aliens come get the robot and start an even bigger party and keeps the kid up way past his bedtime—then he wakes up the next morning like “that was wild as f” and his mom serves him pancakes, but then he sees there's another new box of cereal on the counter that says “NEW and IMPROVED prize! EVEN BETTER!” And his eyes just stay wide with grief. Lol I can't believe I didn't remember that song. I was like “wtf is this” Well, there are still two other songs I straight don't remember writing, so… Let's check those out. —let's check those out. Oh, it's beat my face (Reminds me of 212) Didn't it have a video as well. Idk. Damn. I still have the other half of collection two to finish. Technically If you just out the beats from collection I.I into collection II it's finished. No. No? Collection I.I is collection I.I and collection II is collection II Facts. Damn. Why the fuck is collection II taking so fucking long. Maybe because it's called “antelhesis” I might never get to fucking collection VI. I sit here like I'm soaked in the rain Let go your government They got you working on Sundays Trying to torture the future president Fuck em then Who to call when you ain't got no dollars No godform Nothing to cook with the oats And sorry broke pork bellies Let go of your homeless Don't worry, When I slit open my wrists And it just keeps bleeding Till it fills up the streets From my open windows, in kitchen To the roads, over motorcycles And riverbeds Until the oceans cover All your dollars in my blood —a martyrdom for poverty. Don't call the barrel of my gun by the name of a friend If th verse is not a sing song Poor Johnny Don't fit the roads for shoes of horses If only to swallow the subsealed waves of demons Watch these possessions Be my witness Of the serpent Both programmed torturer To forage these words And misfortunate Recipient of karma Soul focus shifting from being de— —-railed. I never heard this With a producer's promise Money back garunteed All that isn't nessecary You're divorced With no children. And going on 40 Trying to fight a robot For an ombré sew on Thank you Gos for this. Right on, Who was that you decided not to call on As. Requested in sarcasm And on Opposite Day! SLIIIIIIIIIIIImmmm That's almost funny If I didn't know it was a program Here's a fake laugh For your weak ass But no orgasm For your lost cause Part of getting stronger is developing the strength to lower your weights, not just to lift them. Now I know I'm not wrong But these energy vampires Are putting my writing on a live wire Remember live wire? We should hire her. Stop confusing people for pedophiles When all it really is Is that a wedding band is a cage And the world is made on those who pray On weakness. —so most people are weak, then. What else do I got to do wrong? I want breakfast at Tiffany's Don't be mad If I wasted my time being honest Wit no reward Like it matters Pennies on the dollar Billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars Sins of the father Chinaman from Amazon Don't care much For politics Something wrong with mom Yo, she's gone son And it's all her fault, too She never wanted you {Enter The Multiverse} [The Festival Project.™] COPYRIGHT © THE FESTIVAL PROJECT 2019-2024 | THE COMPLEX COLLECTIVE. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © -Ū.

CEREAL. Prod. By Blū Tha Gürū Oh, I remember this now. Lol I remember the video. It's that little kid that wants pancakes but get cereal and then the prize in the box is a fucking robot that follows him to school and starts a dance party everywhere and then takes over everything—then the aliens come get the robot and start an even bigger party and keeps the kid up way past his bedtime—then he wakes up the next morning like “that was wild as f” and his mom serves him pancakes, but then he sees there's another new box of cereal on the counter that says “NEW and IMPROVED prize! EVEN BETTER!” And his eyes just stay wide with grief. Lol I can't believe I didn't remember that song. I was like “wtf is this” Well, there are still two other songs I straight don't remember writing, so… Let's check those out. —let's check those out. Oh, it's beat my face (Reminds me of 212) Didn't it have a video as well. Idk. Damn. I still have the other half of collection two to finish. Technically If you just out the beats from collection I.I into collection II it's finished. No. No? Collection I.I is collection I.I and collection II is collection II Facts. Damn. Why the fuck is collection II taking so fucking long. Maybe because it's called “antelhesis” I might never get to fucking collection VI. I sit here like I'm soaked in the rain Let go your government They got you working on Sundays Trying to torture the future president Fuck em then Who to call when you ain't got no dollars No godform Nothing to cook with the oats And sorry broke pork bellies Let go of your homeless Don't worry, When I slit open my wrists And it just keeps bleeding Till it fills up the streets From my open windows, in kitchen To the roads, over motorcycles And riverbeds Until the oceans cover All your dollars in my blood —a martyrdom for poverty. Don't call the barrel of my gun by the name of a friend If th verse is not a sing song Poor Johnny Don't fit the roads for shoes of horses If only to swallow the subsealed waves of demons Watch these possessions Be my witness Of the serpent Both programmed torturer To forage these words And misfortunate Recipient of karma Soul focus shifting from being de— —-railed. I never heard this With a producer's promise Money back garunteed All that isn't nessecary You're divorced With no children. And going on 40 Trying to fight a robot For an ombré sew on Thank you Gos for this. Right on, Who was that you decided not to call on As. Requested in sarcasm And on Opposite Day! SLIIIIIIIIIIIImmmm That's almost funny If I didn't know it was a program Here's a fake laugh For your weak ass But no orgasm For your lost cause Part of getting stronger is developing the strength to lower your weights, not just to lift them. Now I know I'm not wrong But these energy vampires Are putting my writing on a live wire Remember live wire? We should hire her. Stop confusing people for pedophiles When all it really is Is that a wedding band is a cage And the world is made on those who pray On weakness. —so most people are weak, then. What else do I got to do wrong? I want breakfast at Tiffany's Don't be mad If I wasted my time being honest Wit no reward Like it matters Pennies on the dollar Billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars Sins of the father Chinaman from Amazon Don't care much For politics Something wrong with mom Yo, she's gone son And it's all her fault, too She never wanted you {Enter The Multiverse} [The Festival Project.™] COPYRIGHT © THE FESTIVAL PROJECT 2019-2024 | THE COMPLEX COLLECTIVE. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © -Ū.

CEREAL. Prod. By Blū Tha Gürū Oh, I remember this now. Lol I remember the video. It's that little kid that wants pancakes but get cereal and then the prize in the box is a fucking robot that follows him to school and starts a dance party everywhere and then takes over everything—then the aliens come get the robot and start an even bigger party and keeps the kid up way past his bedtime—then he wakes up the next morning like “that was wild as f” and his mom serves him pancakes, but then he sees there's another new box of cereal on the counter that says “NEW and IMPROVED prize! EVEN BETTER!” And his eyes just stay wide with grief. Lol I can't believe I didn't remember that song. I was like “wtf is this” Well, there are still two other songs I straight don't remember writing, so… Let's check those out. —let's check those out. Oh, it's beat my face (Reminds me of 212) Didn't it have a video as well. Idk. Damn. I still have the other half of collection two to finish. Technically If you just out the beats from collection I.I into collection II it's finished. No. No? Collection I.I is collection I.I and collection II is collection II Facts. Damn. Why the fuck is collection II taking so fucking long. Maybe because it's called “antelhesis” I might never get to fucking collection VI. I sit here like I'm soaked in the rain Let go your government They got you working on Sundays Trying to torture the future president Fuck em then Who to call when you ain't got no dollars No godform Nothing to cook with the oats And sorry broke pork bellies Let go of your homeless Don't worry, When I slit open my wrists And it just keeps bleeding Till it fills up the streets From my open windows, in kitchen To the roads, over motorcycles And riverbeds Until the oceans cover All your dollars in my blood —a martyrdom for poverty. Don't call the barrel of my gun by the name of a friend If th verse is not a sing song Poor Johnny Don't fit the roads for shoes of horses If only to swallow the subsealed waves of demons Watch these possessions Be my witness Of the serpent Both programmed torturer To forage these words And misfortunate Recipient of karma Soul focus shifting from being de— —-railed. I never heard this With a producer's promise Money back garunteed All that isn't nessecary You're divorced With no children. And going on 40 Trying to fight a robot For an ombré sew on Thank you Gos for this. Right on, Who was that you decided not to call on As. Requested in sarcasm And on Opposite Day! SLIIIIIIIIIIIImmmm That's almost funny If I didn't know it was a program Here's a fake laugh For your weak ass But no orgasm For your lost cause Part of getting stronger is developing the strength to lower your weights, not just to lift them. Now I know I'm not wrong But these energy vampires Are putting my writing on a live wire Remember live wire? We should hire her. Stop confusing people for pedophiles When all it really is Is that a wedding band is a cage And the world is made on those who pray On weakness. —so most people are weak, then. What else do I got to do wrong? I want breakfast at Tiffany's Don't be mad If I wasted my time being honest Wit no reward Like it matters Pennies on the dollar Billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars Sins of the father Chinaman from Amazon Don't care much For politics Something wrong with mom Yo, she's gone son And it's all her fault, too She never wanted you {Enter The Multiverse} [The Festival Project.™] COPYRIGHT © THE FESTIVAL PROJECT 2019-2024 | THE COMPLEX COLLECTIVE. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © -Ū.

Welcome to another insightful episode of the Inner Edison Podcast, hosted by Ed Parcaut! In this episode, we are joined by the seasoned trader, investor, and author, Anmol Singh. With 14 years of trading experience and a diversified investment portfolio, Anmol shares his unique insights into the worlds of real estate and stock market investments. **Key Topics Discussed:** - **Texas vs. California Property Taxes:** Discover the nuances of property tax regulations in Texas and California, and how these differences can impact both primary residences and investment properties. - **Real Estate Investment Experiences:** Anmol opens up about his challenging experiences as a property owner in New York and offers advice for choosing investment locations considering political and social dynamics. - **Stock Market and Real Estate Investments:** Dive deep into the pros and cons of investing in the stock market versus real estate, including Anmol's preference for the liquidity of stocks and the leveraging power of real estate. - **Government Influence on Markets:** A critical look at how government policies and spending affect mortgage rates, interest rates, and overall market conditions. - **Investment Strategies and Advice:** Anmol emphasizes the importance of starting without over-analyzing and shares his philosophy on long-term investing, including his critique of hedge funds and support for index funds. - **Book Promotion:** Learn more about Anmol's book "Prepping for Success," which offers valuable personal development and success tips. Join us as we uncover invaluable lessons and practical advice for navigating the complex landscapes of real estate and stock market investments. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss! **Connect with Anmol Singh:** - Website: [link to Anmol's website] - Book: [link to "Prepping for Success" on Amazon]

Here are the things to expect in the episode:Consequences of extended Covid lockdown on children and couplesGrowing trends in Child / Teenage mental health issuesAssessing the health of your marriageTrends in "silver-haired" or grey divorcesSurviving divorceThe reality of domestic violenceAnd much more! Get your copy of Laura's book on Amazon: Don't Be Invisible Be Fabulous: The Bold Path Unleashing Your Inner Courage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR2NFYPH?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_CP6S0TYDZDT6XQY16AC3 Connect with Ingrid Dick!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IngridHealthCoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingrid/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_ingrid_uncensored/

The sad truth about most of us is that we aren't actively living up to our full potential. We spend way too much time playing small and accepting mediocre performance and never stretching ourselves to achieve more.Today, we have Tommy Newberry on the show to talk about his journey to peak performance and the work he does to coach men to maximize their potential.Tommy is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal's bestselling author of The Four Eight Principal and Success is Not an Accident. He is the Founder and Head Coach of Achieving Optimal, an organization focused on helping Christian entrepreneurs attain the next level of financial success without compromising their faith, family, and health. Tommy is passionate about coaching! He started coaching baseball when he was 25 and is still going strong thirty-one years later! He is with us today to talk about the principles of success, and his pillars of faith, family, and health. You will definitely not want to miss this show if you are a man looking to change your life for the better! Stay tuned to learn how to reach your fullest potential in life and become your optimal self!Show highlights:The realization that led Tommy to write his books and build a successful business.For Tommy, fitness is of paramount importance!Physical and spiritual fitness spill over into mindset. Tommy talks about the 3 Bs which are vital for living a healthy life.Tommy defines what optimal means to him.We have to spend less time on our phones! Why we must be discerning about what we feed ourselves mentally.We need to train our minds to focus on the positive.It is vital to have a vision of the future life you desire for yourself.When your perspective changes, everything changes!Tommy describes his EMSR (Early Morning Success Ritual).Why is it essential to live a proactive lifestyle?Tommy dives into the principles of success. How you can influence an entire culture as a dad.Links and resourcesStay accountable by joining our FREE Facebook Group - Discussions with Dads: https://join.discussionswithdadsgroup.com/Stay Connected with Jason, Zach & The Fatherhood Experience Website: thefatherhoodexperience.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefatherhoodexperienceInstagram: @thefatherhoodexperienceFollow us on Twitter! (@TheFatherhoodEx)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonapriest/Connect with Tommy Newberry:Tommy's websites: www.tommynewberry.com or https://www.achievingoptimal.online/superfocus  Tommy Newberry on Amazon   Don't forget to follow us on IG @thefatherhoodexperience!

Jessie Asya Kanzer was born in the Soviet Union. As a descendant of Holocaust survivors living in a communal apartment with four households, one toilet, and a rickety old bathtub in the middle of the kitchen, her family sought asylum in the U.S. After awaiting their fate in Austria and Italy, they finally made it to Brooklyn in 1989. After experiencing depression, an eating disorder, and all sorts of existential problems, Jessie found the resource she needed! With the help of the Tao Te Ching she rediscovered herself and her innate power, and she learned how to deal with life with less stress! Her book, Don't Just Sit There, DO NOTHING, will help others do the same. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Daily News, Wall Street Journal, The Independent, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Ravishly, and Romper. Jessie lives with her two daughters and husband in Dobbs Ferry, NY!Find Jessie at-Amazon- Don't Just Sit There, DO NOTHING: Healing, Chilling, and Living with the Tao Te Chinghttps://jessiekanzer.com/IG- jessiekanzer

Need encouragement and practical advice to create something new? Our dear friend and recurring guest, Erica Barry, recently published Don't Wait, Create: How to Be A Content Creator in the New Digital Revolution.  We chat about: How to create an environment to nurture your inner creativeHow to stop waiting for permission from others and start giving yourself permission to createHow to draw inspiration from every day life How to practice discipline to draw out the potential in new ideas How to separate your creator persona from your everyday self And for you product-strategy-minded folks out there: Erica also shares what killer feature she wishes TikTok and Instagram would build!Episodes mentioned:98. Becoming an Entrepreneurial Creative & Performative Casualness76. Celebrating 10K65. Looking for "Your Next Date"? (Teaser)63. Facetune & Influencers, Art & Cancel Culture: A Debate!About EricaErica Barry is a media strategist, entertainment industry professional, writer, and digital content creator. She studied economics and media studies at Pomona College, where she discovered her passion for media, entrepreneurship, and representation.Contact⟡ Instagram: @eribarry⟡ Email: erica@ericabarry.comBuy Don't Wait, Create⟡ Website: www.ericabarry.com/book⟡ Amazon: Don't Wait, CreateFollow bamboo & glass on:⟡ instagram: @bambooandglass⟡ links to various platforms: beacons.ai/bambooandglass⟡ website: www.bambooandglass.buzzsprout.com⟡ Da Eun: @daeunkm⟡ Sophia: @sophiasysunSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bambooandglass)

Head talk is not always bad – those voices that seem louder than the outside noise when needed. I have two voices in particular that visit me often. This podcast is dedicated to my two mentors, my intimate friends, and creative counselors. Picasso and Gulley Jimson. Picasso Voice: Steve Heyl Gulley Jimson Voice: Marc Biagi Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Check out the Dementialand video on YouTube  #Picasso #paintings #storytelling

Welcome back to an all-new season of We Are The Stigma!! Melissa & Cody kick off this season with the best-selling Canadian Author, Elaine Alec, and it gets beautifully powerful!! Elaine Alec (she/her) is an author, political advisor, women’s advocate, and spiritual thought leader, and teacher and is a direct descendant of hereditary chiefs, Pelkamulaxw and Soorimpt. The trio discusses the power of self-love, recovery from addiction, healing your trauma wounds, the idea of cultivating safe spaces, and what it’s like to chase your dreams. Though the most educational and eye-opening part of this interview is when we learn of #MMIWG -Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls, who have become victims of what is known as The Highway of Tears. Melissa & Cody left this conversation with a deeper understanding of their privilege, with this knowledge of a very real - and very dark - reality of the genocide of indigenous peoples that is still happening today.  However, their hearts on fire knowing beautiful souls are doing real work in a world that, at times, can feel seemingly hopeless. We are forever grateful for the wisdom and life truths Elaine took the time to share with us, we know you will be as well.Find Elaine on IG Purchase her book, Calling My Spirit Back, on Amazon (Don't forget to leave her a review!)Read more about her here And be sure to check out her YouTube “For over two decades, Elaine has been a leading expert in Indigenous community planning, health advocacy, and creating safe spaces utilizing Indigenous approaches and ceremony. She is the author of “Calling My Spirit Back” a book which links an extremely personal examination of lived experience to a much broader overview of serious national sociological concerns, accompanied by tangible steps to approach them. Alec was a founding member of the Comprehensive Community Planning Mentorship Initiative in British Columbia. She is a founding partner at Alderhill Planning Inc. and is a regular speaker at conferences and workshops on the topic of Indigenous planning, governance, healing and trauma informed approaches in planning.”-You can follow us @_wearethestigma on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook -You can follow Cody’s spiritual journey here on YouTube!-Find Melissa on Instagram @_thepetitecactus-The best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star review on iTunes!-As always share with others, and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/

In this episode we talk to Dr. Jeffery Martin about his research into what helps people awaken, what methods are most useful, the nature of Fundamental Wellbeing, and common misconceptions about awakening. To learn more about Jeffery Martin, please visit: https://www.nonsymbolic.org/ https://45daystoawakening.com/ You can also find Dr. Martin's book, The Finders on Amazon: Don't forget to subscribe for more ingenious ways to tap into the ever-present stillness and joy of our true nature. Feedspot calls Awareness Explorers one of the "Best Spiritual Podcasts on the Planet." Here's their list of the Top Spiritual Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/spiritual_podcasts/ To learn more, please visit: https://www.awarenessexplorers.com/ If you want to listen to the meditations alone, you can find all of our meditations excerpted either in this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLThffcko0gAVvivvVVGNfQgJxbWB6dF6Z Or on our Awareness Explorers website: https://www.awarenessexplorers.com/meditations

  I am SUPER EXCITED to announce that Free Yourself...My Journey is now available on AMAZON! Who would had thought that I would be connected with BARACK OBAMA on AMAZON

What does it mean when we hear this phrase? On this episode I humbly present to you, my thoughts. Pick up my new book Don’t call me a Poet, available on Amazon Don’t call me a Poet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P3QTLZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_GIfZFbCWSCWX6 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Did you know, a Wink is a signal of a Shared Secret, inspired from the story of Odin the Norse god? Odin gave his eye in exchange for a drink from the well of Mimir - a drink which would give him the gift of great wisdom and knowledge. The Wink is my favorite Thanksgiving day story. I hope you enjoy it. Crowd: Albert Cristy  Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Dementialand on other platforms: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts

Kurt & Jen breakdown the humor of Electric Light Orchestra. Simon game on Amazon Don't Bring Me Down on Spotify Bruce sketch by Monty Python on YouTube Evil Woman on Spotify Eye of the Tiger covered by 2Cellos on Spotify Despacito covered by 2Cellos on Spotify Mr. Blue Sky on Spotify Roll Over Beethoven on Spotify Rockaria! on Spotify (Some of) Jeff Lynne's Writing Credit: Free As a Bird by the Beatles on Spotify, You Got It by Roy Orbison on Spotify, Free Fallin' by Tom Petty on Spotify, Traveling Willburys super group on Spotify, Xanadu album on Spotify Strange Magic on Spotify Ella Enchanted trailer on YouTube Enchanted trailer on YouTube Turn to Stone on Spotify Sweet Talkin' Woman on Spotify Do Ya on Spotify Sci-Fi Woman on Spotify Birmingham Blues on Spotify Funniest Song Picks: Jen-Prologue on Spotify / Kurt-Four Little Diamonds on Spotify Rock Your Socks by Tenacious D on Spotify NOT the word Diamond in ASL video clip* (NSFW) Humor Ratings- Kurt 3/10, Jen 3/10 Spreadsheet of all Kurt & Jen Make a Podcast Humor Rankings Intro Music is: "Sleeping in the Flowers" by They Might Be Giants Outro Music: "Denouement" by Forced Perspective (A Kurt & Jen enterprise) Join us on 11/16 to hear about Jen's pick, The 1975. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kurtandjen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kurtandjen/support

Mark Lewyn, long time Amazon seller who just wrote a book about his journey on Amazon. Serieral entrepnuer. Former journalist. Jumped into the internet early.As a journalist, you have no fear. When Mark was a journalist, you could reach out to people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and they'd pick up! You got immediate feedback from readers, you get that too in ecommerce.Tell me a little about how you ended up selling on amazonWhy did you decide to write the book “The $500 start-up on Amazon?”Don't follow your gut, follow the data. Got into darts.Tell me about some of the crazier products you sell or decided not to sell?How do you sell high quality goods on AmazonWent into darts, did great, went into dart accessories and failed. People just wanted darts.Got into diaper bags/caddies, but market got saturated. Product life cycle. Amazon mutual fund. Spread risk out.Amazon entering maturity phase, harder to sell. Busineses buying up Amazon sellers. Amazon sellers have to up their game, increase spend to be competitive. Have to take on investors or debt to grow. So sometimes you sell.Levels of improvement. Easy layup. Just optimize the page.Other forms of optimization. Supply chain optimization. Advertising. Diversification of geo locations. Craziest product I didn't choose to sell: Looked at sex toys. How does it feel to be getting close to 7 figures as a seller. Nervous sometimes with the risks. Risk reward - from 500k to 1mil. Personal question how to do it.Amazon is still a great market. Lots of opportunity. Start small on interesting niches to add value.Make sure you excercise to keep the Amazon stress down.Mark: "I started my Amazon business in 2015 and since I have launched all sorts of crazy products. Today I'm approaching seven figures, which only a teeny-tiny percentage of Amazon sellers ever do.That said, I've tried to capture the flavor of my crazy ride in a book that just came out this week called "The $500 Start-up on Amazon: How a dad of three launched a business on Amazon and escaped the hamster wheel of 9-5." https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+500+start-up+on+amazon&crid=11I8SSEQ0F63A&sprefix=The+%24500+start%2Caps%2C151&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_1_13IBelow is a quickie summary of what's included:Mark Lewyn had built a successful career as a journalist and technology executive until his last company crashed and burned, leaving him high and dry: No job, a wife and three kids, and a mortgage to boot. In the age of Covid-19, it's a dilemma facing an increasing number of people, both in the U.S. and abroad. Mark knew needed to figure something out, and quickly, and whatever he did couldn’t require a big wad of cash to get started. His answer? Amazon, specifically selling new products on the world’s biggest digital store. His initial investment: just $500. Today Mark is one of the leading sellers of products on Amazon. Not the biggest, mind you, but definitely up there. In "The $500 Start-up on Amazon,” Mark takes you on his journey of discovery on Amazon. He shares with you everything he learned along the way so that you can profit from his successes and avoid his mistakes. The $500 Start-up is the perfect read for anyone who is curious how a new generation of digital cowboys are cashing in and how you can do it too.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/myamazonguy)

Kurt & Jen breakdown the humor of Halloween Music! Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) by David Bowie on Spotify The Devil Went Down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band on Spotify Good Omens series on Amazon Prime also check out the book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett Where The Devil Don't Go by Elle King on Spotify Evil Woman by Electric Light Orchestra on Spotify Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon on Spotify Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale Boo Berry, Franken Berry, and Count Chocula cereals on Amazon Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult on Spotify Godzilla by Blue Öyster Cult on Spotify Monster Mash on Spotify Dark Shadows Theme song on Spotify Dark Shadows trailer on YouTube The Munsters TV theme on Spotify Sand of Doom by The Phone Calls on Spotify Wolf Like Me (cover) by Local H on Spotify I Put A Spell on You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins on Spotify Trick or Treat by Bloodsucking Zombies from Outerspace on Spotify Dead Man's Party by Oingo Boingo on Spotify Jen's Funniest Halloween Song: Werewolf Bar Mitzvah on Spotify Kurt's Funniest Halloween Song: Hell Hole from Spinal Tap on Spotify Honorable Mentions She Wolf by Shakira Runnin' with the Devil Sympathy for the Devil on Spotify Highway to Hell by AC/DC Hells Bells by AC/DC Black Magic Woman by Santana Time Warp Witchy Woman by The Eagles Spooky by Classics IV Ghostbusters by either Ray Parker Junior OR Walk The Moon The Monster by Eminem & Rhianna Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell Thriller by Michael Jackson I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow Season of the Witch by Donovan Freaks Come Out at Night by Whodini Spreadsheet of all Kurt & Jen Make a Podcast Humor Rankings Intro Music is: "Sleeping in the Flowers" by They Might Be Giants Outro Music: "Denouement" by Forced Perspective (A Kurt & Jen enterprise) Join us on 10/26 to hear our episode on Oingo Boingo! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kurtandjen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kurtandjen/support

This podcast will definitely put a smile on your face. A lighthearted story about Violet, beauty pageants, Queens and winning the crown. Whether you know anyone living in or near Dementialand, this podcast is worth sharing. I can’t think of a more important time than NOW, to lighten-up someone’s day. Take care. Be kind and wear your mask.… Enjoy. Pageant Announcer: Albert Cristy  Sovina Voice: Mimi Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Check out the Dementialand video on YouTube 

There is a place not mentioned in any travel magazines or listed in any search engine under  top spot for summer travelers.  But this growing world wide destination offers a compelling reason to visit.  Maybe part of its fascination is their unfaithfulness to the status quo or possibly, it’s the Gypsy Sundowners who simply pop-in unannounced.  For whatever reason, this destination has a lot to offer.  Another wonder found in Dementialand - a vacation spot for Sundowners.  Enjoy. Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’   Check out the Dementialand video on YouTube 

#covid19 #coronavirus #dementia I don’t have a clue how this happened but this Podcast is in two parts. Two stories not even slightly related to each other. I blame it all on   ‘CovidBrain’. I’m totally disorganized. One of the side effects from extended isolation and quarantine. The COVID19 isolation has similarities to the prosperities of Dementialand – a topsy-survey place where everything is turned upside down. The unknown and letting go of the predictable is obvious which in the past has been reserved for the young and the ‘trusting adventurers’ in the world.  So this podcast starts with a story titled: The HORSE KEEPER and the carousel ride back to innocence. Maybe It’s time for all of us to grab the brass ring and get ready for some changes. Hold on and let the races begin…  Enjoy. Horse Keeper’s Voice: Albert Cristy Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ YouTube, Spotify, Podcast.com: Dementialand

Where is the crest of the wave for entrepreneurs in all this waiting? Stephen Somers, co-founder of Marketplace Superheroes, chimes in for this interview with James and Dean to discuss how e-commerce and online service businesses are set for a quantum leap. Stephen co-founded an online education and services company that helps people learn to sell their own products globally via Amazon, completely from scratch. With over $12 million in products sold on Amazon, Stephen and his business partner Robert also grew an 8-figure coaching and training business aimed at helping people learn to start up a successful side hustle, even with minimal cash and experience.   “When this started, I heard Russell (Brunson) say, ‘Now’s the time you have to be there for your audience.’ So I doubled down on streaming, and let people ask me ANYTHING about business, money, side hustles … anything you want.” – Stephen Somers   Outline of This Episode   - [05:40] The coming wave of small, online service businesses and an e-commerce boom   - [16:05] Stephen’s competitive angle and mindset for creating a successful Amazon business   - [23:12] The gold mine waiting on the entrepreneur who knows how to leverage online traffic     - [25:45] Amazon’s incredible, credibility-boosting inventory decisions in the age of COVID-19   - [27:09] The gift that keeps giving – the quarantine’s positioning opportunity for entrepreneurs   Amazing and unusual places to plant seeds on Amazon Don’t get greedy, and don’t get fooled by the latest trends where millions of people are trying to get in to compete for precious dollars. Stephen counsels clients to start their e-commerce side hustles with extensive research for products that have potential and an existing record of searchability. The path to success doesn’t lie where you think it does – learn the secrets of “farming” a living from multiple income streams.   Online traffic’s potency to explode your side hustle growth How Stephen’s new side hustle of golf themed t-shirts led to a GOLDEN discovery – the price of online traffic is falling, and it remains the most powerful tool for automating orders and cashing in on the shuttered, blindsided terrestrial market. With fewer competitors than EVER, e-commerce side hustles and small, internet-based service companies for local communities are poised for a boom like no other.   The biggest mistake you can make during the COVID-19 quarantine James, Dean and Stephen rap about the unique ripeness of the time for capturing your audience’s ATTENTION, which was almost impossible to do pre-COVID. Following an inspiring line from Russell Brunson, Stephen got on Zoom and began inviting anyone, client or otherwise, to ask him questions about business, success and growth. If ever there was a time for businesses to be generous, flexible and patient, we are riding that wave!   Resources & People Mentioned   - Marketplace Superheroes https://marketplacesuperheroes.com/   - Side Hustle Heroes https://sidehustleheroes.com/   - Side Hustle Heroes on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/sidehustleheroes/   - Stephen Somers on InstaGram https://instagram.com/stephenjsomers   Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License   Connect With James and Dean   James P. Friel:   - CEO Quickstart: https://jamespfriel.com/ceo-quickstart/   - Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hustledetox/   - Site: www.jamespfriel.com   - Facebook Group (BulletProof Business): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107362546297055/   - Interested in being a guest on the show?   Dean Holland:   - Blog: www.DeanHolland.com   - FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/DeanHollandHQ   Just The Tips Podcast:   - Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/justthetipsshow/  

iTunes —>   Episode#24: Espionage                       The Stake-Out   #dementia #espionage #paranoia At times her thoughts were more of a suspicious nature. Paranoia just laughed and threw in all kinds of scenarios to keep Violet distracted. This perhaps this was another distraction.....  Written and produced by Suzka. Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy YouTube, Spotify, Podcast.com: DementialandWritten and produced by Suzka. Eszter’s Voice:Natasa Warasch Sovina Voice: Alisa Hidalgo Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy YouTube, Spotify, Podcast.com: Dementialand

It certainly hasn’t been easy writing this podcast when the world around me is falling apart. The unreal has become very real. Right now keeping myself open is the best I can do because something is being born that is still shapeless, and undefined. I hope you enjoy the Dementialand Podcast. Adding a little humor and maybe even insight to situations that turn our world upside down is what we need right now. My name is Suzka and this is my story. Written and produced by Suzka. Eszter’s Voice:Natasa Warasch Sovina Voice: Alisa Hidalgo Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy YouTube, Spotify, Podcast.com: Dementialand  

#worms #mystics #caregivers ‘Ya can’t do this alone’. This was an eye opener. Hiring a caregiver was a very good idea. And I believe it took pressure off my mother. She didn’t feel like she was a burden on her children, even if she didn’t know who I was. Written and produced by Suzka. Fiona’s Voice: Lola Cheatham Flo’s Voice: Stacey Murray, ‘Soul Songress’ Detroit Jazz Singer of the Year 2019 Vida’s Voice: Cristi Ritter Loper AD Reader Voice: Albert Cristy Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy YouTube, Spotify, Podcast.com: Dementialand

#detective #oldradio #Marlowe The Dementialand Podcast Presents a Marlowe Mystery, starring Albert Cristy the world’s famous crime investigator. Marlowe, the tough cynical private detective, interrogates Violet in an attempt that Violet will be able to identify her daughter out of a line of suspects. Written and produced by Suzka. Detective Marlowe voice: Albert Cristy Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy YouTube, Spotify, Podcast.com: Dementialand “When I dropped my daughter title…. I saw my mother with open eyes not curtained by her motherhood or my ego.”

#jazz #barber #storytelling Barbara the Barber visits Violet. Violet is a bit nervous. She does not recognize her visitor. Two airheads (balloons), Flo and Vida protect her from interrogating questions and overall attitude. Written and produced by Suzka. Flo’s Voice and song: Stacey Murray, ‘Soul Songress’ Detroit Jazz Singer of the Year 2019 Vida’s Voice: Cristi Ritter Loper Al and Interviewer’s voice; Albert Cristy Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy iTunes, Spotify, Podcast.com: Dementialand

If you’ve ever promoted an event, you know it’s not easy to get thousands of people together in a room. Kyle Wilson has filled huge seminar rooms, launched & published multiple personal development publications with over a million subscribers. He’s worked with top names in the personal development industry including his 18-year biz partner, friend, and mentor Jim Rohn, as well as Og Mandino, Brian Tracy, Les Brown, Darren Hardy, Robin Sharma, and many others. He’s the founder of Jim Rohn International and he partnered with Mark Victor Hansen & Jack Canfield on Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur’s Soul. Do you attract customers or pursue them? Kyle’s “marketing wheel” has empowered him to build massive loyal audiences by attracting customers. How can you provide so much value that once someone hops on the wheel they never want to get off? Listen in today as Kyle touches on these simple marketing principles that just might make you rethink your “funnel” and transform your business. Kyle’s now a coach & consultant, hosts the Kyle Wilson Inner Circle Mastermind and has published multiple #1 Best Selling books in the past 18 months. His latest book, Don’t Quit, Stories of Persistence, Courage & Faith features the powerful story of our own Shut Up & Do It host Nick Aalerud along with transformative stories from a 3x Grammy-winner, movie producer, MLB player, entrepreneurs, professionals, speakers, authors, real estate syndicators, veterans, and more. Kyle shares his strategy behind these #1 books that inspire, encourage and challenge you to see the possibilities past your difficulties if you simply persist! Get the book on Amazon: Don’t Quit, Stories of Persistence, Courage & Faith - https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Quit-Stor... Kyle is also the founder of: YourSuccessStore.com LessonsFromNetwork.com And KyleWilson.com – Sign up for Kyle’s “52 Lessons I Learned from Jim Rohn and Other Great Legends I promoted!” for free weekly strategies on marketing, creating wealth, building a speaker & author platform, building an audience & more!

#dementia #podcast #audiobook I was learning more and more about my mother. Getting her driver’s license renewed has got to be on the top of my list (Episode 16).  I don’t know how this happened. It might sound like I am fixated on this but it was the beginning of a series of peculiar behavior patterns and secrets.   Written and produced by Suzka. Based on the book: Wonders In Dementialand available on Amazon Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE and check ‘thumbs-up’ Enjoy iTunes: Dementialand YouTube Channel: Dementialand

Do you ever feel like the only way to get traction in your ecommerce business is to sell on Amazon? Don’t worry - you aren’t alone! Tons of ecommerce sellers are convinced that Amazon is the only way - but they are wrong! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he sits down with Allen - an ecommerce business owner. In his conversation with Scott, Allen opens up about how he got started selling spy gear, why he couldn’t sell his products on Amazon, challenges he has faced along the way, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this exciting episode!  Avoiding Amazon  Can you really thrive as an ecommerce seller without using Amazon’s platform? According to Allen, the answer is yes! While it’s great to leverage Amazon’s platform to get your business started, many ecommerce sellers are looking for ways to succeed without the ecommerce giant. Allen built his ecommerce business selling spy gear because most of his products aren’t allowed on Amazon’s marketplace. He also found that the technical support was more of a selling point to non-Amazon buyers. To hear more about Allen’s experience building a business away from Amazon, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!  The right inspiration Did you know that feeding your mind the right information is just as important as feeding your body the right types of food? Don’t take your mindset for granted - you are building it up and investing in it, or you are letting it slide. Too many leaders try to get by without consuming the right ideas and lessons from seasoned leaders who went before them. Thankfully, there are leaders like Allen out there who take learning and mindset growth seriously. One of Allen’s earliest mentors from afar was Tim Ferris and the brilliant concept of the Four Hour Workweek. Who has impacted you on your journey? Learn more about getting the right voices in your corner by listening to this episode of The Amazing Seller!  You have no excuse!  What is your plan for the next half of 2019? Are you poised to expand your business and take full advantage of the holidays? Or are you still scrambling and trying to figure out how to keep afloat? Wherever you are on your journey - stay in the fight! There are so many factors that work to bring you down and keep you from succeeding, but you have the power to keep them at bay. Take matters into your own hands and find the information you need to help your business grow. There is no excuse - between the TAS community and other books and resources on the marketplace - opportunity has never been more available to those who will work for it. Learn more about taking your business to the next level by tuning in to this episode of The Amazing Seller! OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast! [4:50] Allen joins Scott on the podcast.  [6:20] Why doesn’t Allen sell his products on Amazon?  [8:40] Allen shares how he got started in ecommerce.  [13:00] What led Allen to leave the ecommerce business he helped build?  [16:15] How did Allen connect with Tim Ferris?  [22:20] The right relationships can make all the difference!  [25:30] Making the decision to start something from scratch.  [30:00] Challenges along the way.  [39:00] Creating content and keeping customers coming back.  [45:00] You have no excuse, resources are out there to help you succeed!  [48:00] How to connect with Allen.  [50:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE SpyGuy Brand Accelerator Live Tim Ferris Mike Jackness

EP182 - Amazon Q2 Earnings and News  Recap of Amazon 2019 Q2 Earnings. Starbucks productizing Mobile Order & Pay UPS/FedEx go to 7 day delivery FedEx quits Amazon Don't forget to like our facebook page, and if you enjoyed this episode please write us a review on itunes. Episode 182 of the Jason & Scot show was recorded on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 Automated Transcription of the show Transcript Jason: [0:24] Welcome to the Jason and Scott show this is episode 182 being recorded on Wednesday July 31st 2019 I'm your host Jason retailgeek Goldberg and as usual I'm here with your code Scot Wingo. Scot: [0:39] Jason and welcome back Jason Scott show listeners, Jason has been a while since we were able to get together with given the holiday season 2 vacations going on and then we had some guests in there that that's important topics you on the cover so we thought it would be a good time to go and catch up on some news there's been a fair amount going on in the world Lee Commerce as you haven't been at this for feels like forever kind of Summer's kind of quiet and then here in this kind of Q3. Is where it gets really newsie as we head into the house so we thought we'd go over some of that before we do Jason you have been a busy traveler I'll tell us about some of the tricks you been on. Jason: [1:26] Yeah yeah I have been on a couple trips full disclosure a number of them have been vacation and so I'm I'm a little proud I feel like you probably beat me on quality of summer vacation but I feel like I at least meet you on quantity of summer vacation. Scot: [1:41] Yeah yeah you were able to get a couple weeks in there and I'm I can go further because I don't have to carry a 8 lb 80 lb espresso machine with me I think that that kind of limits our options but so fly over to Europe and stuff so we're going to free you from the shackles of the espresso machine. Jason: [2:00] Exactly I don't know if you think you're joking or not but I did I took two vacations I visited my family in in San Diego for the 4th of July and I went to Upper Lake Michigan with my wife's family and the Upper Lake Michigan lake house is remote enough that I did have to bring my own espresso machine. Scot: [2:20] Oh I know I know I'm familiar. Jason: [2:22] But I'm calling it a big win I actually consumer protip. Years passed I bought the new Nespresso which is called the virtuoso which is this fancy or system and I was never actually that happy with the shots. Into this year I retired it and bought the older Nespresso original system. And much happier with the shots there's a much greater diversity of coffee available for its was actually able to buy. My Starbucks pods to go in that coffee shop by my lattes were both much better and this little town we we stay in North Point Court last year head Giro expresso machines in the town and they sure they had to poop so I feel like. Like it was all green light. Scot: [3:07] Nice nice you're you're making America better. Jason: [3:11] But so in between all of that Leisure activity I took the opportunity during the Heatwave to go to Las Vegas. For a new show that interact has launched this year called in RF next and they cleverly spell it like the Hipster kids NXT. Scot: [3:31] It's very cool to drop any kind of owls so kudos. Jason: [3:35] Exactly it sweet speak. And they the. Important to me because it's somewhat of the spiritual successor to the shop. Org annual Summits when shop.org used to be a separate entity from NRF. Into this was the first year of this new format it's in Las Vegas in the summer it's at the Four Seasons hotel which is like a kind of cool luxury hotel inside of Mandalay Bay. And it's less of a trade show there's no exhibit hall and more of a a conference with. Certain interesting approach to content curation what they do is they they have. Key notes that everyone attends on a topic and then they have breakout sessions which are deeper Dives on the topics from the keynote and you sort of picked the. The specific tactic that you're most interested in for the deeper dive so you might have liked. Akina ain't no bunch of good retailers that did Keynotes Zulily DSW Shoes untie. [4:42] Dick's Sporting Goods Peapod. Lilly Pulitzer to Value H&M JustFab I think with all the main presenters and you know you might see that the CMO giving a presentation on the keno to set up high-level case study about what they're doing and then you might have the. The director of email marketing doing a breakout session specifically on on Dick strategy around a b testing emails for example if that was what was interesting to you until you both you got a mix of kind of high-level. Strategic content and like you do more Hands-On tactical button-pushing contents as well which I like. Scot: [5:22] Brickell what were what were your your your most and least favorite topics. Jason: [5:30] Yep so there you know. Everyone is tackling different aspects of what I call the next best dollar problem that like. [5:43] A lot of the traditional tactics that repairs of used to drive traffic and drive conversion like. Either aren't working as well as they used to or are becoming more expensive and more competitive and so you know our readers are challenge with like what is the right mix of tactics and you know how do we evaluate what tactics to do and then you know how do we optimize and get the best bang-for-the-buck for all of those. Like primarily traffic generation tactic so a lot of. Surf interesting examples of how to tackle influencer marketing an email marketing and. Bike shopping cart abandonment campaigns and in topics that we talked about for a while but like kind of what the the latest state-of-the-art is in optimizing those tactics out. You know there's a bunch of General stuff there and then the 1st came out of the day was sort of a. A much more overview of the market Keno which is from an acquaintance and former colleague of yours Pascal finette who's. At Singularity University but I think you hired him a channel advisor at one point. Scot: [7:00] Yeah that's goes way back Pascal is a super smart person in here and Germany for us for a while he's a great guy and we stayed in touch so hopefully he gave give a good presentation there. Jason: [7:14] So I thought he did a really good job and his his whole presentation, is there an interesting angle on something we've talked a lot about about bifurcation in retail and he had an interesting Paradigm for it like he he talked about traditional retail being a pyramid and at the bottom of the pyramid you had, very high-volume low-margin transactions. And at the top of the pyramid you had much of lower volume higher margin transactions and so you know for the most part it's like. [7:51] Discounters and super high efficiency stuff at the bottom of that pyramid so that's that's Walmart T.J.Maxx dollar stores things like that and at the very top of the pyramid. It's typically luxury brands, and you know then there are a bunch of retards that are historically a compromise of those two things right and so that's, that's all I like the mall based apparel companies that's that's gap that's Bed Bath & Beyond its Staples it's all these these different retailers and his premise was that for most of the history of retail. The best place to be was that compromise in between the two extremes and that as a result of our our current disruption in the marketplace like what's fundamentally happened is. The customers have all bifurcated to either the the super high efficiency retailers at the bottom and the super high-value read you know High luxury retailers at the top and the the segment of retail that's getting decimated are all those retailers that are trying to live in the middle and so he takes his pyramid and he he takes the bottom and the top and puts him around and it's it's sort of. Like an hourglass so that the pyramid has become an hourglass don't kick in in the the the. The dramatic conclusion being don't get stuck in the middle. Scot: [9:18] The sands of time are running out. Jason: [9:20] Yeah it was a little awkward that I'm sitting next to a little Gap team is he pops up beside that says and the Gap is in the middle. Scot: [9:26] They without the computers to start working on the resumes. Jason: [9:30] I don't think it was news to any of them that that was a challenge they had to overcome. Yeah but so that was a good conference and of course like, cuz it was a little smaller to maybe about four hundred attendees the networking you know is one of the highlights you know I got to see a lot of old friends of yours and mine and meet meet some new friends share a couple adult beverages and and make fun of people. Scot: [9:55] How about where are digitally native vertical Brands their represent. Jason: [10:01] There were so like JustFab was one of the presenters they were number of, the DMV be sort of in attendance so they they definitely had some some representation that it it's it was a pretty interesting mix of. Frankly you know all all portions of that of that parent of Pascal's pyramid. Scot: [10:28] Cooper another one of the takeaways can you share with us. Jason: [10:33] You're grilling me I mean like those are the the big ones that we have time to talk about right now because I heard a rumor I know you have this whole separate gig in the automotive industry that you're cheating on me with and I heard you were at an auto event while I was here so did you did you get a new cars. Scot: [10:57] I did not but it was fun because this was an event that was actually in my backyard the one of the Publishers and autospace I didn't even know this until Teresa Lee is based out of Cary North Carolina which is in the Research Triangle Park area and they put on an annual kind of it's not funny how things once you've done this in several Industries It's relatively similar to kind of are e-commerce road so they have kind of like the big show their one goes to this kind of like you know the current stage and then they have the more forward-looking show that they kind of do the smaller and we're in a hot soak. Kind of like interests next for Autos this was in Raleigh so it's actually nice to get to drive to the conference house by 2 so I was invited to speak about. [11:43] Changing car ownership landscape which is not the topic of our podcast but it is kind of fun you know there's an in the my world my e-commerce World in my Auto World are all colliding so we we talked a lot about these new models the most popular ones are there's two companies ones true and ones get around the CEO of truism eBay dude and then the get around my folks are both marketplaces into takes time for at least learn to talk about all the time and see it seeping into the Auto World another interesting company in that space is called ACV auctions where there's all these physical car auctions require acres and acres of land in kind of silly because you ship all the cars there and then if people fly there and then walked around and and bid on items and then they blow to back up and shut them somewhere else there's two shipping's in there there's this ACV auction company has gone and it just on a digital marketplace around that so very kind of eBay 1.0 asks to be in a different industry but then see the the similarities the other fun thing is a lot of the presentations were you how do we make it like easy for people to buy cars the carvana has really disrupted that World by effectively taking e-commerce. [13:03] Stuff that we know well and applying it to used cars so now all the dealers are trying to figure out your pay if Jason walks in on a on a Sunday afternoon in Chicago how can I sell him a car in less than 8 hours so that it's kind of funny they're trying to figure out you know. [13:21] The basic blocking and tackling of that that we had knee Converse for a long time but but it's funny to watch them, figure that out and there's a different set of vendors different set of players so it's a lot of fun. Jason: [13:32] Yeah I know it is it's funny when I get teased a lot from my tenure at Blockbuster entertainment which is now kind of a joke but we sold the company for a bunch of money and a lot of the management team and that the founder of Blockbuster took that cash and started AutoNation in the hole the whole premise even back then was, like the inventory in any given used car dealership is the local inventory in that one dealership so you know a very small assortment free Chopper but what you really need to do is aggregate the assortment across the whole the whole country right and that's that sounds like that's essentially what's happening with these options as well. Scot: [14:14] Yeah yeah and then yeah so they'll traditional models are all changing to the CarMax has the realtor now adding digital and it just kind of funny to watching. The same waves we were kind of in the end of the sixth inning or whatever you want to say I guess Amazon would say they won but you know if we've been that day one for 20 years daughter Ministry of feels like it's way earlier in that and it's going to go faster because we don't, we don't have all the new waiting for people to trust payments and smartphones broadband and all that it's all all here today so it's just feels even more chaotic to the folks that are in the middle of it. Jason: [14:49] Sure I will say and I've been falling carvanha a little bit as a start a digital shopping experience and there's a bunch to admire their butt from the commercials like you get the impression that if you bought a car on your mobile phone from carvana it would get delivered in this cool carvana delivery vehicle. Or you go to a vending machine and the car would come out of the vending machine and I was kind of disappointed to find out that like. Yeah in most cases some dude just going to drive the car you bought to your house. Scot: [15:17] Sure we'd moessmer delivered on the little flatbeds they don't have the commercial tissue this really big one but they bring them on these little flatbeds. You by Ada price on so many cars in Chicago that there haven't. Jason: [15:32] Got you okay good I'm glad I'm glad to hear that cuz that felt a little bait-and-switch e and I'm hoping they've all been detailed by gets 50 before they get to. Scot: [15:40] That's what we're going on there's a lot of lot of cars to clean up their thanks for bringing that up. Jason: [15:45] Hey I'm here for you man. Scot: [15:47] What's one of the big news items we wanted to talk about is last week Amazon revealed their second quarter earnings since they came out the stocks been a down about 10% feel a little bit of pressure and what would happen there is it's kind of mixed quarter so it's Amazon you look over the long Arc since it went public I was at a whiteboard I would draw these kind of stairsteps there and and see what happens is the, they'll invest will bits the stair goes sideways and her words, like what's happening this is going to work out and then do that that's what cycle Revenue growth will accelerate in the woods happy on Wall Street and then the Amazon will say well we need to go through another investment cycle so they've been pretty used to this the telegraph this if you want if you remember that's when they took the auctioneer to announce next day Prime so that's the real theme of the quarter is the mixed aspect of it so positive camaco season of the quarter was one day Prime really increased demand that was that was good and exceeded while she text Haitians pretty handily on the top line but at the same time I'm delivering on one day Prime really shoot away at probability so you know I can have this mental image of they press the button on the website and then the. [17:08] Total chaos happen to the Fulfillment centers in there just kind of getting their arms around that also you throw Prime day in there that wasn't a cute too but it's kind of body language was that it was a lot of little bit harder and more expensive to implement one day Prime I'm too we're going to dig in the next level down is and we thought we kind of cover on positives and negatives we drew straws and I got the positive side Jason sits on the positive side Revenue accelerated so Revenue at Amazon grew 21% year-over-year excluding in any kind of benefit or hadwin from a foreign currency that exceeded expectations by about 3% pretty material at Amazon's you know billions and billions of dollars to exceed by 3% hundreds of millions of dollars kind of come out of that one area that everyone looks that pretty closely is within the Commerce business or what they called the online unit the there's a unit growth so that's effectively no to the number of things sold so paid units that it's kind of slow down over the years to about 10% that. [18:16] That metric which is kind of a forward-looking metrics that popped up to 18% so that's probably the best signal that the one-day Prime is working really well and then I think imma call Amazon did call out that you know that that was driven that salvation was driving by the introduction of 1-day Prime one-day Prime's benefit was largely centered around North America because in most of it to go to 2 UK for example it's such a small little island are that pretty much prime has been one day for awhile since you out a lot of Europe they're already kind of at one day Prime. [18:52] So it has a business impact on their National side so a lot of this growth came from the North America side so North America Revenue accelerated to 23% year-over-year compared to 19% q1 that's a 4% bump due to one day Prime and then the other thing that made Wall Street excited was you know whenever Amazon releases a quarter they talk about the next quarter so. [19:17] Ouachita been projecting Q3 to be no X and then Amazon guided that pretty significantly ahead kind of keeping it this mid-20s growth rate at the mid, another kind of interesting kind of in this we get kind of inside baseball here on the call Amazon talked about Amazon is very methodical in these autometrix Sue on the call they revealed that they have about 10 million items right now that are in this kind of one day Prime so think about these concentric Rings where you have at the center at the same day you have Prime now and then some cities have car that same day delivery that's Prime now is like was like 5,000 skews and then I think maybe you get up to 10,000 20,000 skews for same-day so then the next thing out which is next day is now 10 million and then the next train out which is I think there's about 30 to 40 million Prime eligible products total supposed to be like the next thing out which is 2 days going to probably have caught 30 to 40 million so they're really kind of focused on this this kind of ring that is that one day Prime so you know theoretically I think they could get you know. [20:37] 4 * 40 million items that are effectively available to put into that one a prime will it get it all there I don't know I have to kind of wait and see how they go but ten millions not a not a bad start so it's it's going to be interesting and now they've revealed that number will get a slide about it we'll try to track it on the show here for you guys so you got to see if I was if I was them I would kind of try to get that up to 20 million die holiday I think that would be no cuz pretty material holiday bumps and then what you begin. [21:07] Last couple things within third-party that segment of Revenue grew 23% year-over-year which was a nice little acceleration retail subscriptions which is kind of our Prime lives that grew 37% and then one thing we watch on the show really closely is the Amazon ads now they put in this other category in blush and Rose have a way of kind of looking in there and pulling out the ads business so so the ads business was up 37% year-over-year really nice growth and then the estimates are that this is that about a 13 billion dollar run rate, I'm going 42% year-over-year so the projections have kind of been edging up we talked about this for a couple years that they were there you're pretty high now I think they're raising them so I'm seeing a north of 30 billion from Amazon ads by 2024 that would you're the ad guy that would definitely put them up into the the Facebook kind of snow level certainly that would exceed I think Twitter and Snapchat it might stay singers and they're not growing as fast as is Amazon's business so don't put them up in that kind of elite air with Facebook and Google if I'm remembering by my ad. Jason: [22:21] Yeah they're they're clear third they're like you. They still have a significant amount of ground to make up on on Amazon and Facebook and Google but they also have like a pretty good Gap ahead of everyone else. Scot: [22:34] Yes those are the positive sit in the question is why was the stock kind of down and I'll turn it over to our curmudgeonly Jason to give you the negatives. Jason: [22:44] Yeah I think it's because I'm such a positive guy that it it just feels better getting the bad news from me, 11 seidman on the advertising I saw a new and interesting datapoint today that I thought was kind of fascinating there's this company out there jumpshot we've talked about them before they have tricked a bunch of consumers in the stall installing there plug-in in their browser. Variety of utilities but then whether means is they get to collect data about how all those consumers are our shopping and their web browser and they, they sell that industry data so they get they claim they can watch millions of Shoppers in North America on Amazon and they said that in January of last year. 6.6% of all product detail page is the people looked at on Amazon where clicks from a sponsored at. [23:42] So by December it was 10.5% of all quicksand so there's this like they have monthly data and you just see this daddy step up that like, Amazon has essentially double the amount of page views as a result of these. These paid placements in that this very much follows a trend you see on the other big advertising platforms that you know originally. You know Facebook had a lot of organic Google had a lot of organic content in overtime as they. They've you know optimizing monetization on their platforms or less and less of the the content with C on their platforms is is organic and Marvis paid so where. We're seeing a very similar progression happening For Better or Worse on Amazon. [24:30] That Flippin to the the negatives from the earning report the first one was that their AWS growth rate was slightly below expectations so. [24:43] To put this in perspective. The growth rate was still 37% so it's a very fast growing business it's a wildly profitable business in Amazon has by far. The the largest share of that business and I would say you like one other positive about that business is that there's still a ton of growth left in that business so you know by most people estimate something like 5 to 10% of all the. Computing jobs in the world are done in the cloud and the rest are all still done in local data centers and things like that so there's still a huge amount of growth as. Compute my grades from from the local to the cloud and Amazon you know has this this clear commanding lead but the rate of their growth is starting to slow down and particular Microsoft and Google. Wow much more than Amazon are now growing faster than Amazon so that's like not unexpected but it's interesting to see that play out and obviously there's, a lot of mistaken Impressions out there that the. That the revenue from AWS like pays for the unprofitable retail business for Amazon and hopefully our listeners. I have learned to debunk that but be that as it may the AWS revenue is is very beneficial to Amazon. Scot: [26:09] Giannis this is not a cloud computing podcast but Microsoft actually their Cloud Revenue just passed their non-cloud revenue and that was really well-received by Wall Street they are now in that that Elite Trend dollar market cap where Amazon has kind of Fallen well below that due to the headwinds from this investment cycle. Jason: [26:31] Yep yep so it's it's super interesting to see this this Microsoft Resurgence they also announced that they're going to invest more than a billion dollars in this openai platform that they're going to accelerate via. Azure which is their Cloud platform so I say interesting stuff happening in the cloud space I like to think we're all the beneficiaries because the the tools and services that these guys are all offering. Like they're they're so competitive with each other that they keep wildly improving and expanding every quarter so. So it's a fun space going back to the retail side of Amazon's business a little bit more overall gross profit decelerated Amazon so is, 22% versus the last quarter was 27%. [27:22] As you mention like they took a little hit because they had a good quarter last year and then their guidance was that they were going to. Make more Capital investments in the subsequent quarter and expected things to go down and that's that's kind of how it it played out but they. You know still still it's no fun to tell people that you you made less profit than you you did in the previous quarter. Their operating income was also down a little bit and you know you meant I think you already mentioned their there. There's a third quarter guidance was also a little lower as a result of this slightly lower profitability and I look at all three of those things and that to me those are all symptoms of. They made the shift to one day Prime and it was a little more expensive and difficult and messy. Then maybe they they anticipated and sew-in you know I think as we talked about in the past. [28:28] Any inefficiency you have when you accelerate everything they they get Amplified in exacerbated and so you know the the. Putting the accelerator on a lot of these processes if you don't have the exact right inventory in every fulfillment center instead of having expedite a shipment from one for filming Center to a customer now you're having to expedite shipments from to fulfillment centers to a customer things like that so. Like this doesn't seem like a horrible shock to me and I I feel like I have a pretty high degree of confidence that. That Amazon is going to operationally get this stuff all squared away and you and me talk about this in in other news later in the Shell but like however much pain it's causing Amazon to do one day Prime delivery a bunch of other retailers have already announced that they're going to match the one day service and others probably will and I can virtually guarantee you. It will cause more pain to all those other retailers to try to hit that service level than it's causing Amazon. Scot: [29:30] Yeah absolutely yeah some of the Wall Street folks are kind of saying it's a knockout punch in there there's a lot of interesting kind of language around that that the the demand they're seeing from it. Is there a tributing just to really kind of is going to, if it stays in Amazon and get the cost down it is going to be late to away at the the sheriff not only online but the offline folks will moved on Lancaster. Jason: [29:56] Yeah I know you have talent follows Amazon pretty closely and they they. They have a pretty sophisticated model for how much opportunity think there is for hims on how quickly they'll grow and then they do this big consumer survey every quarter until right after Amazon announced this last quarter they surveyed all the customers about how their shopping behaviors might be different if they could get stuff in one day and they had enough Confidence from that survey that they had to dramatically increase the addressable Market in their in their model and therefore like the the amount of Headroom for growth Amazon had because I felt like, offering one day delivery was going to change a lot of shopping habits and and help Amazon capture a lot more wallet chair. Scot: [30:43] Yeah one final announcement they made that's near and dear to your heart as they talked about adding two more go stores which will bring the total to 13. Jason: [30:52] Yeah and it depends on how you read the announcement but there's two to four that are currently scheduled to open so maybe two of those they had already announced, and they added two more but two of them are in Chicago, and we have a number of ghosts tours I want to say we have three or four here now but one of the new ones that's opening here in Chicago is actually opening in one of the buildings I have an office and so it's at the merchandise mart. [31:21] So that that'll be fun this was not Amazon news but there was a sort of interesting article. That that came out that someone had done an analysis of the, the shopping carts one of the credit card companies of the like spend in the Amazon go stores and they reported that the average ring in the Amazon go store is. Much lower than the average ring in a traditional convenience store so so they were saying that like. A typical consumer visits a ghost or like two to five times a quarter and a typical consumer visits a 7-Eleven like. 427 x 1/4 so they get 7-Eleven get slightly more visits then I go store but then the average ring in the convenience store was like $25 and then the go store it was like $14 and so the. The takeaway from this is that you know people are tending to buy one item or just a couple items in the go store in a slightly bigger card in it. Typical convenience store in it adds to the the the high-level speculations that the C's go stores at the moment are wildly unprofitable so it's, it's very interesting and typical Amazon that like in spite of the fact that the the unit economics don't don't seem to work at the moment. You know that's not curtailing Amazon's ambition to keep keep scaling and growing and learning. Scot: [32:51] Have you tried the the coffee that I have seen some of the newer ones have the coffee thing have you tried the. Jason: [32:57] Yeah they do have a coffee bar I confess I have not because I have very goofy specific tasting coffee but I will I will have to try the coffee when they open one in the merchandise mart. Scot: [33:08] Well we need you to take one for the the podcast team and even if it's sub below your standards we want to kind of hear you're all the Gory details. Jason: [33:16] Yep. I'm embarrassed I'm embarrassed to say that that I haven't I mean I think two things you think of when you think of the retailgeek are Amazon go stores on coffee so somewhat embarrassing to me. Scot: [33:27] You can just walk out without paying this can be even more fun. Jason: [33:30] Yeah yeah as I was like to say they they invented just walk out but they broke just walk in. Scot: [33:35] What if you go in and get your coffee drink it and then fill the cup again will they charge you for lunch test that Force. Jason: [33:43] Yeah well yeah that it is funny that there is a little bit of a history of background like you think you're joking but this this ties into this so I kind of broader theme that there was some news about these last couple weeks which is about Amazon's overall grocery Ambitions and that the reason I say this that ties into coffee ago stores is because there's an interesting recode article about the history of the ghost or in the evolution of it and, it started out as a full-service grocery concept and in fact the idea was that you chop all of the. The perishables. In a live store that use Go technology to just let you grab whatever you want and leave and that you'd buy all your consumables, I just ordered them on your mobile phone and they'll all be packed enough for Film It Center that was attached to the store and they be waiting for you as you walked out of the store. And somewhere along the line it was deemed too complicated and one of the biggest reasons it was too complicated was. [34:54] All of these items in a grocery store that have variable quantities that you have to weigh or count, or you don't have different sizes of the same thing we're tricky for the camera to recognize and so, the camera knowing whether you have 12 or 16 oz of coffee in your. In your cup and your point whether you drink half of it and refilled it is a tricky Edge case that apparently Amazon aspire to do originally and then kind of avoided when they rolled out. The ghost or so. But it's interesting how Amazon handles that in these go stores but they they there is now construction going on in the original. 10000 square foot lease that Amazon took in Seattle when they thought they were going to open a grocery store and so there's lots of speculation that in the not-too-distant future we're going to see a new grocery concept. That that may include some of the Amazon go visual search capability computer vision capability but but the Amazon may be stepping back to that more ambitious original. Original Vision so we're all eager to see what happens when they they peel the paper off the windows of the storm Seattle. [36:19] So that is kind of interesting in the grocery space another interesting tidbit of news I saw recently from Yuna from the the Seattle corner of our country. That kind of feels very Amazon asked to me is Starbucks made an interesting announcement. They did a partnership with a POS company to sell a product ties version of their mobile order and pay two other restaurants. Scot: [36:52] So are they now it's any who's going to be taking the outer or how's it going. Jason: [36:57] Yeah so I did not see in the in this original article. Who like it may have already been pre-sold to. But essentially this was like the chief digital officer Starbucks that help build mobile order and pay left Starbucks to start this new company called Brighton, and now fast forward a year later Starbucks has done a deal with him at bright room, to sell the the technology stack in the software stack to other retailers and to me that feels very. Amazon AWS cuz it like you you build something to solve an internal problem and then you say like. You know rather than keep it as a proprietary manage for us we're going to scale it and monetize it by by selling it to the rest of the industry. Scot: [37:53] You'll be interesting to see who takes out or not. Jason: [37:57] So I'm up interested to see if other people up take it there a lot of categories that maybe aren't directly competitive with Starbucks but want this capability and so, you know I it is easy to imagine it being successful motor mobile order and pay the huge deal in the in the restaurant space right now and and something with a credibility of the Starbucks offering would be interesting when I'm super interested to see is. Included in this deal would they ever consider using Starbucks as a payment method. So can I buy my Five Guys burger on my Starbucks card for example. Scot: [38:36] Yeah yeah so be interesting to see how if it's a universal payment system ER or just kind of you know a complete private label into another brand. Jason: [38:44] Yeah I kind of suspect the first version will not include payments but it's interesting to think about and you know it could also open the door we seen a little bit of this like Kroger's it has invented some in-store technology that they're trying to sell the other retailers I get just going to be interesting to see if this is a play that becomes a more you know Common part of the The Playbook going forward where I would argue historically whenever a retailer meant anything proprietary they they want to keep it as far away from the rest of the market as possible and keep it as a sort of, unique competitive advantage. But there was also a lot of logistics news in the last couple weeks have you been following all this cotton. Scot: [39:26] I have a few yeah. I kind of use it that Amazon is caused so much destruction or one's kind of working to keep up have what what do you think about it. Jason: [39:36] Yeah no for sure and some of it very directly so this is slightly old news at this point but like in the beginning of July. FedEx add their earnings and either during their earnings call or within a day of that earnings called they announced that they were not renewing their contract to provide Express services to Amazon. And when you first hear that you go oh my God that's a huge deal. Be reminded FedEx have the smallest chunk of Amazon's delivery and FedEx has a couple. Products that they sell the Amazon only one of which is this this are delivery and so this is really FedEx walking away from one piece of Amazon business, and you know if your regular listener the show hopefully it wasn't a total shock to you because I've said for a long time. [40:27] The carriers are having trouble rapidly scaling their capacity and in so if you have a finite capacity. Do you want to sell that capacity to the highest volume user that you don't have the most negotiating power and pays the least or do you want to sell that capacity to eat or smaller retailers with more with less Leverage, they will have to pay more for that and then you know apparently FedEx answer was. Yeah we we can make we can better product profitize are our capacity by selling it to other retailers and walking away from from Amazon who presumably. You know as a Biltmore more of their own capability or you know where we're turning the screws for a better and better deal from FedEx. So that was big news at the same time in that earnings call they did acknowledge than Amazon is a potential competitor in the space which like that also should not be. Shocking but like you know up to this this point like FedEx had consistently said that that Amazon is a great partner and not a competitor so it's kind of funny that they finally acknowledge that. Scot: [41:37] I think they've all slipped it into their or their 10 case there's this guy competitor kind of category in everyone's going to start it but Amazon in there. Jason: [41:46] Yeah and I think I got triggered first by Amazon listing them which is never never good news, the FedEx and UPS are doing some interesting moves the going back to the capacity problem they are both going to seven-day-a-week delivery so they've added Sunday as a delivery day, that is going to be interesting to watch out you know Amazon was just a lot of their own deliveries here in Chicago already like has been delivering on Sunday for some time and Amazon has a u.s. postal deal with. For Sunday delivery so like and I feel like the consumer expectation is it is is expanding the seven days and now we're seeing the other carriers. Trying to figure out an offering in that space and they're also doing some interesting things about reverse Logistics and so. UPS and FedEx have both like greatly expanded the their locker program and their pickup locations and I think. Last week UPS announced that they had done a deal with CVS Michaels and Advance Auto Parts to use those 12,000 stores as. Pick up locations for UPS packages in my mind that the CVS one is particularly interesting because. CVS I believe is also a pickup and return location for Amazon so you know. [43:12] It seems like as the healthcare industry is getting more challenging and and the prescription drug business getting more challenging like CVS is doing some interesting things to repurpose some of the the square footage in their stores. Scot: [43:24] Have you is there any anecdotal evidence how these return programs are doing it for everybody like is Kohl's benefiting from the Amazon thing or are people just kind of like. Jason: [43:33] So the 3rd party traffic monitors feel like holes traffic was up and Kohl's claim that their traffic was up, demonstrably in the pilot stores when they first when I first started taking returns and so Kohl's is totally Double Down they've expanded the returns to all their stores and Colts is really improve the logistics around the return so you cannot walk in a Kohl's with just a unpackaged item that you bought from Amazon and your order on your smartphone and Kohl's will take it back box it and do the whole thing for you a CVS will take that package back but they don't do all of that boxing Logistics portal you have to bring the package, can a ready to go in a CVS store and I know people always say like Josh kaul poses in bed with their competitor I actually think this is the smartest partnership I've ever seen a retard do with Amazon because, this this partnership is not giving Amazon access to Kohl's customers in any way this this partnership is really exclusively giving Kohl's access to Amazon's customers. Scot: [44:43] Yeah yeah I guess I'll never announce it let you know there's some percentage shopping in the store which. Jason: [44:52] Yeah exactly if you have to walk through that store you're going to serendipitously discover something and closes protected well suited for that because they're a little bit of a treasure hunt store anyway and that you know they tend to have a thin inventory you know of that turns regularly with lots of deals and so if you are Kohl's shopper and that triggers a couple extra visits when you're returning something you know you're very likely to discover something and if you're not a Kohl's Shopper it's even a bigger win for Kohl's if they get you to come in that store for the first time. Scot: [45:23] And then I'll give you the privilege and then you every time I go to Kohl's I get in line behind someone that's optimizing their their triangulation between like some kind of cash back thing Kohl's cash and something else and it's crazy like. Jason: [45:41] Yeah we call it doing a leveraged buyout on a t-shirt. Scot: [45:45] And then invariably they'll like walk away from a cart full of stuff to run and get like this was it's not BOGO but you know if I bought this and this I got double Kohl's cash and I can apply them in this and then they want to split the transaction with their significant other and it's like no they did a line for people that don't like just want to buy stuff and get out of store. Jason: [46:08] So for sure that's a common complaint in a number of retailers and Kohl's in particular like the more sophisticated those those reward programs are in the greater percentage of customers that are in those reward programs and take full advantage the more acute that problem is in the case of the Amazon returns it doesn't hurt you though because the Amazon returns as a separate counter within Kohl's so you're not waiting in line behind any of those people to return your Amazon package at Kohl's and a bunch of other retailers like Macy's a big part of their answer for you, is if you're not that super high Rewards customer that's doing that really complicated transaction there they're trying to get you to do mobile, Scan & go and check out without standing in line because they know that check out is a big a big pain point for them. [47:05] Yeah I'm not sure that the average Kohl's Shopper Macy Shopper has, then as early in the Doppler that technology as you probably are but like I I do think they're going to continue get more more traction we're seeing more and more stores. Go that way and that's that such a perfect segue to. Something we'll talk about in in just a minute but I had one more news topic I wanted to touch on before we get there. [47:31] So there's this awesome quote I use all the time that I think Andy done originally used maybe four or five years ago e-commerce is awesome. As long as you don't care about anybody off and the sort of ominous you know message there is customers are loving it it's a it's a better customer experience in many ways for a lot of use cases boat but when things you shouldn't lose sight of is the the unit economics of e-commerce are almost always unfavorable versus traditional retail unit economics and, two big reasons for that are shipping and returns and it's it's just been interesting I've seen some some. Not optimal news for eCommerce sites on both of those those costs this this month so you know one thing there's a report every year that comscore does called the state of the online retail industry and they share a bunch of data and Trends the Desi from there you know millions of customers that shop in their panel and one of the staff they always share every year is what percentage of sales every quarter were sold with free shipping. And so for holiday this year 85% of all e-commerce orders had free shipping. [48:56] And like three years ago it was 65% of all Commerce orders had that had free shipping so increasingly this is probably isn't surprising customers expect free shipping and they only by when they get free shipping, and that that's currently you know ramps up the the profitability challenge for retailers and then you know when you, you talk about like you know Amazon stepping on the gas and Walmart and Target quickly following them with one day shipping you know when you not have to give away free 1-day shipping, that's a real challenge to to e-commerce profitability and then. For many retailers the double whammy is returns tend to be much higher online and I saw a horrific stat this month, there's a logistics company called optoro that did a study and I'm not sure if I told you this I haven't been able to look in their methodology but they are claiming that the average rate of returns for e-commerce orders over the last five years has essentially doubled so the percent the percentage of returns at every e-commerce retailer twice as high today as they were in 2014. [50:12] And I don't know if that exact number is accurate this came from a Vogue article I'll put a. Lincoln the show notes but but even if it's just directionally accurate your returns are going up. That that's a huge stress to profitability in the example I was like to use when revolve had to disclose their Finance his revolve is a Edition Ada vertical Brandon the apparel space in 2018 they had almost a half billion dollars in online sale they sold 499 million online and on their books they they wrote down 531 million dollars in costs associated with returns. Scot: [50:59] Wow that's not skilled. Jason: [51:02] No nosso the unit economics on that suck. Scot: [51:06] It's a minus 20% or something. Jason: [51:09] Exactly and so obviously there's a ton of people working on, the problem of returns and there's a lot of you know interesting things that the people are doing above make it less expensive to do returns and diminish people's, interest in return but like early on an e-commerce industry you know everyone encouraged you to buy multiple sizes and send back what you didn't need I think I've sort of Zappos has. You'll be one of the first big retailers to really do that and now they're desperately trying to untrain all those customers to stop doing that. So not so you know that's going to be interesting stuff to watch as more and more of a sales volume shift to e-commerce were going to have to figure out these. Scot: [51:53] I'm not sure how you entertain people out of free shipping and returns so sweet. Jason: [51:59] Yeah I haven't seen it done in general it's very hard to unring a bell. So wrapping up as we're coming up on time here I have a couple upcoming trips that I'm excited about and we'll get to talk more about some of them but I'm actually headed to. Indianapolis and Dallas next week and the one of the reasons I'm excited about dialysis there's a couple stores, that haven't been to yet in the Dallas Market so one of the sources Neighborhood Market that this is one of the physical Marketplace stores. [52:34] Like merchandise a bunch of degenerative Brands and others in a physical space in the, the the store essentially collects rent from all the other brands in the Brand's keep all the the prophet of there or their sales so it's sort of a digital Marketplace. [52:48] In a physical manifestation they're going to be opening a store New York soon but I'm going to get to visit their original Plano store next week. [52:55] And then also in Dallas Sam's Club has a store called Sam's Club now which pair are skin and go conversation Sam's Club now, doesn't have a traditional check out so the only way to get out of the store is to scan and go and ask him super interesting virtual reality feature or augmented reality feature is to let you get better product information and wayfinding and stuff in the store so it's up a store that's totally designed around using your mobile phone while you're in the store so I'm I am, excited to see that and then, a little later in the month on August 20th I'm going to be at Eataly East which is a long-running e-commerce show in Boston and I know you can't join me but, I will be sure to take good notes and do a trip report there and we may be able to put down a couple of interesting interviews from some of the set from some interesting retailers that are attending that show so hopefully more on that and then if any of our our listeners are in Brazil or are familiar with Brazil I'm going to be doing my first trip to Brazil ever at the end of this month and I'm excited that Mercado Libre has invited me to come speak at their customer conference so, looking forward to checking out some of the the Brazilian retail and I'm eating a bunch of the sellers on that platform. Scot: [54:23] Hope you can screw them on marketplaces. Jason: [54:26] I have a feeling they already know a fair amount about marketplaces but I'll certainly try to add my spin but it won't be in Portuguese. Scot: [54:34] Yeah talk slow to the translators and keep up the I learned that the hard way. Jason: [54:40] Well that's that'll be easier because I'm such a slow talker just naturally oh wait nevermind I'm allowed talker that's what I am. Yeah so that is all the news we have for this week I apologize probably little longer than we hoped but that's part of the ramification of us not laying down a new chauffeur for a little longer than usual. Scot: [55:02] And thanks for joining somebody. Jason: [55:05] Yep and as usual of you enjoy the show we sure would appreciate that five star review on iTunes if you do have any questions or comments about any of the news from the show feel free to hit us up on our Facebook page or on Twitter and until next time, happy commercing.

EP179 - Edge Ascential VP Chris Perry  Chris Perry is the Vice President of Global Executive Education for Edge by Ascential.   Topics covered: Digitally Native Brands Brands Going Direct Crazy things CGP executives say Amazon Don't forget to like our facebook page, and if you enjoyed this episode please write us a review on itunes. Episode 179 of the Jason & Scot show was recorded on Monday, June 17, 2019 http://jasonandscot.com Join your hosts Jason "Retailgeek" Goldberg, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis, and Scot Wingo, CEO of GetSpiffy and Founder and Executive Chairman of Channel Advisor as they discuss the latest news and trends in the world of e-commerce and digital shopper marketing. Transcript Jason: [0:24] Welcome to the Jason and Scott show this is episode 179 being recorded on Monday June 17th 2019 I'm your host Jason retailgeek Goldberg and as usual I'm here with your co-host Scot Wingo. Scot: [0:39] Hey Jason and welcome back Jason Scott show listeners listeners in this episode we have a real special treat for you, they're all special treats but this is a special special treat I'll explain to the short story for a while I ran had the dubious honor of running a full day Amazon seminar at internet retailer their seminar at their conferences called IRC and a few years ago that we're always looking for folks to get this and fortunately at televisor we have this ability to see what our customers are doing so we had this customer Caldwell pet and this is very competitive pet category and they were just absolutely destroying the competition on Amazon so we dug into what was going on there and found that architects of that strategy and success was called Chris. So we scheduled at all called to talk to him and talk about so we can get internet retailer and we're blown away by his ideas and thoughts about, consumer and add know how to succeed on Amazon etcetera. [1:41] He he gave a talk there and that was a Smash Hit and then I like to think maybe this had a little something to do it but then he was pretty rapidly there after recruited by Kellogg's those are does that is not the business school but the cereal lego my eggo folks and did a great send there and now he is with Edge by ascential, his role includes evangelizing. Chris: [2:10] Thank you so much it's an honor to be here. Jason: [2:13] Hey Chris we're thrilled to have you and you know as usual I like to to correct Scott's introduction I do feel like there are a bunch of people that work at Kellogg the Gathering NBA from the Kellogg School. Chris: [2:23] I'm sure there's a Kellogg squared group that has doubled up there I was not one of them but I was excited to be at the one. [2:33] Pretty much took up about 50% of my pantry so. Jason: [2:36] The more delicious one. Chris: [2:39] You gain if you do gain the Freshman 15 when you start working. Jason: [2:43] Yeah yeah we'll have to explain that because I hear the culture may have shifted a little bit that the free snacks might not be flowing as much as they want it but. Chris: [2:52] I think there's nothing they were trying to help us with their waistline but they still had the Kellogg's Cafe that had like an endless cereal and it was just an easy for me it was always easy cuz I don't normally eat a ton of breakfast when I got the office it was such a, such a such a treat but I could see if you were there all day long in the in the main headquarters that could get a little unruly on your eye. On your way to climb so. Jason: [3:18] I I get it and Scott and I are big proponents of selecting your your career choices based on their snacks so. Chris: [3:25] Exactly. Jason: [3:27] We're totally sympatico and that's usually how we like to start the show is to actually get a little bit of a background about the Guess Who Could you tell us what you did before Scott quote on quote discovered you. Chris: [3:40] And that was that was the. Climax in my career right there so since then I've fallen quite far down to edge by so I'm just getting up. But bite my Journeys been kind of an interesting one after, my MBA program was I had the awesome opportunity to join Reckitt benckiser or RB is there now called I'm going to have them for a while, RB is a very unique culture honestly one it's it's it's very it's a very tough environment but I kind of treat like the Marines in there not cut throat against each other their Cutthroat against competition externally and so I mean that has no oil pressure and a pace but not everybody can have, but it but for those who can it really teaches you the ropes and they're very lean, you get a lot of autonomy and you get to take ownership of things that you would necessarily get to and some of the the larger more bureaucratic, cpg organizations that so I really lucked out. With that experience and ultimately was I first started out in Brandon really thought you were coming out of my NBA. [4:52] Brand management is my specialization year than I thought that's what I was going to do it there were very clear tracks and this is right is obviously digital was becoming a Hot Topic not that it wasn't already present for the Hot Topic, it marketing and soda, net-net I've been asking how do I take a rotation and digital or something again that's kind of going where the puck is going for the consumer and there weren't any things at the time and, and in ultimately this special project kind of came up and I was laugh when I think that it was called the special project like it would end one day and it was called E-Town which was obviously what e-commerce was and in so we were the whole company was essentially a ask for volunteers, at a town hall and when we ultimately when I looked around and she would raise their hand there like three of them that it actually volunteered as tribute in true Hunger Games fashion, I'm for the special project and so it was, and I can tell you to this day I can I can name the people I won't do it on the show but I can name the people who pulled me aside and said that I had ruined my career and I would never get back in the brain, I would never become a senior leader because of this specialization I've gone to Niche this wasn't going to ever turn out. [6:08] And it's so funny because most of those people have either already shifted e-commerce or asked me at some point later having forgotten what they said to me. [6:19] Ask me how they could break into e-commerce until I say that humbly because I was so we don't know where the future is going to go we just have to go with us and talk to you later, I never look back and then honestly wreck it was such a wonderful environment for testing and learning because they literally would point at the future and say go get it here is some resources and you got to go fail and learn and then optimizing and succeed and so kind of call that original group of about 20 of us that openly that's three built into, the racket Mafia cuz that was the original group that got to really learn and hone their e-commerce skills and literally we've cascaded and then thrown to the, before Winden I'll leave ye Commerce across so many different cpgs and solution provider so it's it's it's so it's so cool to see all the tabs, really that just led me ultimately to a new opportunity wellpet we're obviously Scott you discovered me and then and then, actually I took a very short stint before Kellogg's at Planet retail RNG which is one of the companies that became Edge and I kind of pause that's after when Kellogg's do you want one of those too-good-to-be-true opportunities and then to Kellogg's and then, ultimately I was asked to come back which I was an honor to come back to what became Edge by ascential. [7:42] Which is the combination of clavis Insight one click retail brandview and plant retail RNG into one company on last August and and the rest is history and so I might just have been very blessed in my career I mean everything happens for a reason, I'm not going to tell you it was all sunshine and rainbows but it was it it's been an amazing learning opportunity and I and I really do feel personally and professionally the e-commerce was an accelerator for me, but really got gave me the opportunity to do what I feel called to do, as a career and I don't want to sound corny but I really do feel like leading change was something I was, I am a mini of us including you were meant to do and I think we're doing it all of our own unique ways. Jason: [8:28] Awesome and I think you mentioned me off the air that all those e-commerce naysayers are now the leadership team at chewy is that. Chris: [8:37] Chewy was a very is and was while I was working with him a very formidable. Retailer partner but also competitor in the marketplace I mean when you think about it that they got ahead of Amazon in one of the leading categories before Amazon and I only say, I'm sure Jeff Bezos has a drone outside my house watching its moment as I say this but we got ahead of of Amazon before the eye of the smile of Mordor as I like to call it. Saw them in and they are leaving in Texas which is and have a really really unique value proposition I me when I drive down our, Street here in Boston of the street I see the chewy box in a lot of people's doorsteps and then they're going to recycling and so he's really made their Mark and my hats are off them and they were tough Partners II, they were the human version of Amazon is I I kind of would refer to it as well pet but liquid comes with a lot of emotion but but versus automation but it was a. My hats off to them for getting to where they are today. Jason: [9:41] Yeah yeah even more impressive I feel like they the captured more market share not because the smile of Saruman wasn't looking at that category early I feel like, Amazon through Quincy was in pet super early and yet she was still able to come in then. And that do that so definitely impressive you you reference Edge ascential and it's essentially a rollup of a number of, data Insight tools for e-commerce if I have that right can you tell us a little bit about what your your current role there is. Chris: [10:16] Yeah I know and it's oh yes we we we rolled up for companies to essentially try to create what most practitioners myself included, I would say we were suffering from in the marketplaces that they're there was never a lack of different solution providers but you kind of had to. Hackensack everyone together on the internal side and there weren't a lot of players who had all the capabilities brought together Sunday we're not we're not. The full full service provider on every service in and in offering available but we have a lot of the winning brands that brought the solutions together and also have not only just the day that an Insight side of the advisory dedication side and that's where, that's where my role really kind of flourishes I have. [11:03] As a practitioner I had the opportunity to practice e-commerce and help others in e-commerce from a from a Consulting standpoint but also, I've made it a point I'm to go to a ton of different events over my career to date both for learning but also for networking and a little bit of retail therapy, I'm as we are facing challenges in the space and that kind of gave me a a certain. Perspective on what CD better about the education available in the market and so one of my major responsibilities is needing our executive education programs which include, are share groups in Oregon, share groups in North America and Europe are University programs are online learning and as well as our what would I, I think my favorite is Ari hackathons e-commerce stomachs and focus on Amazon and or Walmart or digital shelf or other retailers globally so, honestly I think if I had to equate my job does a nerdy analogy I'd say, I'm at this point I've left the war front but like Captain America I'm going to sell war bonds back at home so that I can arm our soldiers on on the front line, with with weapons that will help them win the win the fight in an e-commerce driven world. [12:25] It is definitely a nice fit cuz my mom my wife or teacher is my father's is a CEO of a company and very inspiring leader and I think that was always called upon of Empower people to become better at what. Scot: [12:37] Very cool and you got a D credit for working in a Captain America Sacha Avengers reference so. Chris: [12:42] I'm trying I'm trying I have a little check. Scot: [12:46] Jason Scott Bingo we have to make the hardest square is making fun of Jason so I will get there. Let's start a conversation the top there you've done a lot of really good thinking and execution and, the trend of Brands going direct to Consumer ecology to see and then sometimes inside of their digital native vertical Brandt's we have like the old school folks like the Kellogg's Etc I really trying to figure it out and then you have somebody smokes or kind of born and bred on the internet at a super high level 30 thousand foot, where do you think we are in that that cycle and you use whatever analogy you want to baseball or Avengers. Chris: [13:31] Movies yes. [13:34] Don't know yet you know what's funny I mean. DDC will be brought here cuz to be honest your point it digitally need a vertical brands or just digitally native Brands kind of sick. Underneath one layer under need to see an arguably what even goes back a little further d2c is kind of sits under Challenger Brant right because technically. Adidas the brand challenge the assumptions of how one has to go to market and that has become kind of commonplace now among DC brand that's not the part that you're challenging anymore but, it was to go to market in a way that it wasn't their traditional brick-and-mortar selling into, selling into a planogram model and in so you know I'd any Challenger is a nice umbrella term for this but but obviously. From a digital lens I think in all fairness in an e-commerce years DTC is is is rather. It is rather old I mean it's it's not new anymore it is maturing, I'm into a new stage or new stages I would say those kind of dough pulling back a little bit looking at things relatively like it if it's still in a rather early adoption saying so you know, yeah that the Dollar Shave Club Unilever acquisition I like I kind of look at it as, Saddleback innovator I'm the iPhone yeah I'm going to be the first one to an iPhone and I sleep outside the store even though we're still in the early phase we're not everybody has d2c or is fully. [15:04] You're mining the value of what do to see could be at a macro level but I do think you don't number of Articles out recently that I thought we were, you're quite insightful around me or just the fact that you are the barriers to entry are still low for e-commerce players know to go to market digitally but the cost of customer acquisition, the share of attention in in the means to get that with all the other people trying to capture their share of voice, investment funding availability and also the prerequisites and requirements to get those, on this funds from investors is becoming more competitive and either when you think about DTC Brands going through. Like a Marketplace platform like Amazon to get to Market Amazon isn't just letting any old Cellar in the old Bender launch without a number of. Formalities in and policies and processes that I help pay for my room and board and books, am I selling books in in my college days on Amazon and on eBay's half.com with I could be a seller at that. [16:15] I would have been doing it all over the years ahead I'm not stopped on my own just cuz I would have been one of those piddly sellers out of my garage and maybe a formal style. Samsung filters that are being applied that make it a little harder for a g2c brand to go to go to market but I do think there's actually several factors that are kind of. [16:35] Shifty that letter keeping d2c an option in something that will continue to expand so you know. Just like I got to listen to mount the state just to stay linear in my thinking but I think the nature of digital in the reality of kind of finding a minimum viable audience doesn't actually have to be that big to get you off the ground, maybe this is tree funding but no just to get something going enables a lot of new brands start. Based on the need state or a consumer problem or a desire I'm the marketplace model in and of itself has a lot of power in ultimately enabling, Champion Brands and retailers to in sellers to go to market I mean especially look globally, the C2C Marketplace is huge in Marketplace China, we're getting an individual has the ability to be selling directly to another individual are they easily like to eBay eBay seems with Wayne the little bit. In in the US but it's huge in other markets that that model so I think traditional retailers are seeking new undifferentiated an exclusive offerings. Asleep driving demand again look at a Target, really bringing using digitally native brand influencer Drive what they carry in store so so going D2 seed has a lot of potential benefits even though the definition might Morris little bit consumers are always going to be looking for. [18:01] New experiences and experience exclusive use of Brands going kind of. Leveraging pop ups in Flagship stores in partnering to create experiences and solve new problems are going to capture attention actually think we can talk to this little bit if you have some thoughts cuz I love to hear it. What's interesting is. I will see and ebb and flow happening here so e-commerce was the way to go to market when you couldn't get into brick-and-mortar but as e-commerce continues to grow and real estate. Independent landlords are ultimately looking to fill space and create. You're the need for that physical real estate to be maximized it may ultimately kind of pendulum swing the other way where Brands actually can use, physical retail to drive DC sense of capturing attention and breaking through as it'll be kind of interesting to see the physical Marketplace. [19:01] Resurge as experience has become more important but against everyone's looking for gross everyone's looking for differentiation everyone's looking for a reason to capture demand and I think it's always going to open up. Add or 4D to see whether it's digital or physical or both. The energy to enter the scene but I think there's still early in the stage because ultimately you don't need a lot to get going. As long as you're willing to be in it for a long time. Jason: [19:32] So like, clearly for one of the things that has emerged as the barriers to entry for these Challenger brands are our lower costs or lowers you you sort of highlighted there but it does feel like we've evolved like it like. 45 years ago you can be a challenger brand and you could slap up an e-commerce site and that was going to be a competitive Advantage versus Dean Cummins but didn't know anything about e-commerce or slap some listings up on on Amazon or Alibaba and you could do customer acquisition on, on Facebook and you know again that incumbents we're not likely to be digitally Savvy it feels like. The incumbents have. Now develop digital skills like you you know I yours your stint at Kellogg feels like an example of an incumbent it was hiring digital specialist, to build up those skills what are the show in the sort of evolved Market if you're a new Challenger bringing launching today what weather the the sort of big challenges you have to overcome to be successful. Chris: [20:39] That's it that's a great question Hut in enter point I think that IQ and the appetite is increasing across-the-board whether you're the incumbent or the, the past Challenger or the new Challenger I think the the challenges you know Jen are. Yes the cost of Entry is low but the, but it still to truly get scale quickly which everyone wants those success stories you're this quick no overnight success stories those are harder to come by again lotto tickets aren't bought every night, that that that win but I think I would say from a. [21:18] When I think of the challenges that some of these brands have I think it's he gets more of the investment dollars which began as more and more of these Brands emerge and have. Similar or equal propositions it's it's obviously how do you stand out how do you how do you capture the attention of the investors you get money that you need to kind of build sale to go through really need to make sure you have a plan. Yogurts with an oral icycle that ultimately get you the returns me know it as a start-up you're going to probably lose money up front but how do you do have a logical. [21:51] Reasonable path to sustainability in and what is that and what is that taken in again I think I think even investors to be honest are wising up and it's not just oh my gosh this looks like it's going to be the next. Biggest thing since sliced bread on it it's like we're now they know some criteria that we got checking against I think the challenges are getting the scale of resources investment. Where are these Challengers often still have a significant. Advantage over the incumbents is agility and I say this in the sense that and in generally also a there closer to the founder story, we're in a night maybe it's not Sounder but its Founders or it's the people who found the pain point and try to solve it it's there's all these things that haven't been solved by the incumbent, and sometimes these are like 10 points against the consumer didn't even know like against the way Steve Jobs but it said your customers don't know what they want to show it, they don't always know that that team Point really mattered until they were given an option. [22:53] But it's the way they order or the way you're the way it is fulfilled in the product itself with experience that follows you know, and I think these these Challenger Brands often have designed. They're offering and how they're going to get it to you for the consumer so Julie was customer consumer first but then they have the ability to get irate that on a much quicker timeline because that is their business model where is. Combat if I'm selling one of Kellogg's brands are well pets. Online it was designed for Amazon or for g2c I've got to go through a lot more hoops and months of. Change management in transition if I can sell it in ultimately just to watch a small what looks to be a very small change my product titles or something I can change digitally fit actually. Inherently change the product that takes me. Anywhere from 6 to 12 months minimum versus a challenge and it might be able to flip a change around in weeks near depending on the change. I think you're definitely or challenges for the Challenger no pun intended but I think there's I think they actually still have the benefit even if it. It's harder to get the money to stale quickly cuz they actually have the solution which is the substance over over slick presentation so to speak. Scot: [24:18] So look what I say you're a brand that's been around for a while and you're just dipping your toe the number one thing I always hear is channel conflict with butcher you having kind of I'm sure you've overcome this one several times what's your what's your take on that. Chris: [24:33] Social conflict should be part of that initial discussion and I actually. If I take one step back so what was really interesting to me and again I'm by no means I'm not. D-ind Aldi Aldi to see expert I'm just a nerd you asked a lot of questions and usually L talks people which which sometimes is good when you're negotiating with Amazon. What would I say to a lot of people. Read about Soto again I joke sometimes and I say this with humility but I joke a lot of people will say I read something about d2c we should launch it right away how do we do that we can just slap it on her brand what's right and no no no. Yes we could go we shouldn't and yes there's some Logistics and Technical. Geotechnical factors and some legality need to think about and retailer record those are all the operational. Models and processes you need to file what you launch D and operate DC and those do matter once you decide certain questions that end in but you had the right answer these first why are we doing. [25:40] That could be a number of reasons I'm doing this for market research I'm doing this to be closer to my consumer I'm doing this for data I'm doing this for capability development I'm doing this because I can't get this product to Market any other way, Adidas C model or the Digital model makes more sense testing and learning and there's a number of good reasons to do D to C, baby multiple reasons why it's doing it because you read an article about it or because your boss told you so outside of just that you should do that for the sake of your job, is it the right reason right there it's the why no start with Why by Simon sinek is his very first. Very important First Step II is what can we and will be launched as a value proposition that is both differentiated. [26:26] Superior to the status quo. An ultimately viable for our business and Bible means a lot of things right and relevant strategic actually solve the consumer problem is sustainable scalable. We have to answer that first because anyone can sell their product online which then becomes a potential Channel conflicts your point so what was happening a lot of times is the question immediately went to. Should we sell online yes okay. Won't that be a channel conflict will yes because they haven't come up with the value proposition that actually is differentiated from how we sell currently online with the other retailers right there and that's where the pricing a product online. [27:11] At the same or competitive or lower prices I'm competing with my with my partners and likely undercutting them likely starting a price erosion War. Again but if I thought through what can I be selling this different right when I think of like you know you're picking on Brands but they do a good job in a luxury I think there's a really great job they obviously sell K-Cups in the Keurig machines. Across all of retail brick and mortar and online but they have a community online a very large substantial meaningful need to see operation that caters to the special loyalists audience and they got to sleep. Walgreens mini packs any flavors that sings with them until there's a reason to be there. And it doesn't immediately can split with all the other places in there not being competitive undercutting price and channel. With with their core offering but they can do something unique in test before they watch you in Mass retail with new Innovations I think it really just goes back to. [28:15] Do I have a value proposition again that's different that's better and that is by. That sounds really simple it's not simple but but you can bet your ideas to ensure that they don't cause Channel. Jason: [28:29] Fair enough the I want to dive a little bit more into the psyche of those cpg execs and the reason I'm asking you this is because I feel like you do, I posted some really funny memes cpg exact say the craziest things. [28:50] You did not put those until after you left Kellogg. Chris: [28:53] I like I didn't intend to be fair that the nice thing is. They're not all from Kellogg's made they were actually kind of compiled from peer feedback across the board in again. As a disclaimer just because I think it's important the people I've worked for yo senior and executive leadership at all the companies I've worked for Kellogg's wellpet. Record obviously Edge and Planet retail prior to Edge they are all extremely smart in most cases they're smarter than I'll ever be. What is interesting is that when you represent something different, and honestly e-commerce could you to be mad libs and you can replace it with insert change here, there will be a time where something happens in the marketplace, for us where we go all that'll never work and that's actually the next e-commerce right so there's going to be a day where we have to be humble enough to know that they'll be a nerd named Chris Perry junior will make fun of Chris Perry senior because he said something. Just as silly as some of these but what's funny is that we've all been fighting the good fight these leaders of change this community in this movement that we are and we've all been facing kind of the same common. [30:05] Nice sayings if you will come in a lot of that is just because the model A brick-and-mortar and traditional brand has an incentive, all of these organizations to Pivot their thinking and behavior and so they're not stupid people they're not they they're actually extremely wise and smart people it's just that this. This is the first time this changed let's be honest most of them have been operating within the mature. You're the CasCal stage the brick-and-mortar retail so they've mastered that they are masters of that it's just this is that small disruptor that hasn't, only tipped everything on its on its, on its head but will when it's just to get some of the ones again in everyone who's been in the space can appreciate this yo just somebody's I just pulled a couple II put 30 out of the 30 most common, darndest things that cpg exact same but you know I got one related I just read this is a cpg exact speak number 19 I just read an article about d2c and it's impressive but we should just add that to our brand site right, number three. Hey Chris I think we need a strategy first and that's just after Chris has presented the strategy to them. Just because you don't understand the strategy being presented to you doesn't mean you need a strategy you know number 16 do you want to double down in e-commerce what can you get me for 50K. [31:33] That sounds like a real double down to me you know you'll be happy to know we added we finally out of the e-commerce team the end of the 2019 plan agenda you have about 30 minutes to present at 5:30. Oh I'm sure after 9 hours of discussing the past will be ready to focus on the future right you know I mean honestly. The best ones ever were and honestly some people said no way you haven't been out since I've been asked multiple times in my career, and I know others and actually said they had it as well Chris I can't seem to connect to Wi-Fi can you help me, no no that's it I just thought that was fun and then the best one of all was our CEO would like to talk to top with Jeff Bezos can you set this up. Yeah let me just text him honestly dessert painful in the moment funny. In solidarity with our community. And they're not meant to make fun of anyone person cuz we will all be guilty of we probably all said some of these things to something different we didn't. That we didn't understand or accept but my goal is not to make fun in and and slam these people it is to raise awareness in a comical way of things that hopefully we can. [32:44] LeapFrog right no knowledge gaps we can LeapFrog so that we can accelerate the change and win, In-N-Out honestly that the feedback I've never gotten this much feedback from anything I posted that you tell me something about the continents there before that I need to do better, but with people really related to this really resonated with them and so if you haven't had a chance to check it out to get it it's just a little ebook I put together. Different relations and I'm sure you'll relate to all the things that have been said so. Scot: [33:11] Yeah yeah I really enjoyed that it wouldn't be a Jason Scott show if we didn't talk a little bit about Amazon and we kind of what kind of nibble around the edges and when introduced you have talked about how when you're at wellpet you you're really out there, crushing the category were some of the strategies that that use then or that you see now that you know someone's new be at a challenger brand or a well-established brand to having success on Amazon. Chris: [33:40] Now that's great in annual is itsfunneh it in retrospect it's not that revolutionary thinking but it but it is but it but it works so I think that's an excellent actually kind of funny to just it just is a. Preface to this is I found it. [33:58] We always go back to fundamentals and in the fundamentals really matter and then we'll talk a little bit to this but like, at the end of the day I could do I can drive millions and millions of dollars of an age of Maisie demand-generation to acquire customers to a page that has no product in stock. And then I don't convert right so so at the end of the day like the core operational supply chain Marketing sales fundamentals all matter online and they matter even more than ever before because, the real time right in once I sell my product into the shelf on a planogram I've got 6-12 months depending on the retailer, just sit there and so I mean obviously it's the in-stock still matters but I don't have to worry about my packaging changing or the UPC chillogy necessarily, you outside of brand teams going up to they always do when someone new comes in and wants to change everything but, but by the way I approached it and I was considered the Jeff Bezos has a flywheel model is Unstoppable flywheel that you drew on the back of the napkin. [35:03] Arguably we at least need our own version of a flywheel that we would put on PowerPoint. It's just a frame how we want to think of it and that's really kind of this came out of Wreck-It on this was thinking that came out of bracket and out and I'll give credit to. San Diego trt who is now the SVP of ions, he was our fearless leader at Wreck-It over e-commerce in a number of other digital Shopper initiatives and he kind of coined the bill Drive earn. [35:36] Freezing fruit for our strategy and then I kind of put the flywheel visual together to kind of bring it bring it to life and so together. [35:45] Together we form Captain Planet but with with the broader team but I think it was that idea flywheel thinking because it's an Infinity Wii U no sound on the left side you got build in or the foundation right you got to build the number things internally capabilities, the content that. The portfolio and intended to get to build all of it you got to get the right resource sponsorship, education, on the right measurement capabilities or at least to get started and then you ultimately go from build into the right side of the of the infinity a bright as you swoop up in the drive which is all of your marketing and your demand-generation your promotion, subscription programs like subscribe and save that you would be in again that would create momentum and then is that is that. Infinity loops with swings back up ultimately going back towards build what you're actually creating is a is a dual cycle that pumps itself right there. Ideas to get the kind of Perpetual Motion right where my I'm disproportionately earning from the building in the in the driving that I'm then I'm delivery. [36:55] And what I love about that visual is it in send you a text that you're never actually done. So if I create amazing content and get my products live and I'm driving to version something is going to change as I'm selling more and Rising that requires me to change my content yet right I'm never really done my contacts. [37:15] A lot of people like to think they may check content in a complete yes for like a day, and then you need to be thinking about how you're going to refresh that so your bills include everything from assortment right at your supply chain in stock in your your your availability your SEO. Search engine optimized portion of your content where you where that role is being served but also the enhanced content and images in a plus ages but really, it's thinking about I need to show up high in search so I actually get considered but once I'm in it, did I actually talk to the human being looking at the page even in 3 seconds and and that's actually not like a lot of people gain go to content and I have the key words in my in my in my page but they don't go, why put the key word which is the feature but I didn't talk about the benefit that was really why they were buying. [38:13] Right and it's little things like that obviously really matter. Just making sure you're selling on the white platforms right so you want to amazon.com, really has been it is the majority of sales as they kind of try to figure out what's fresh Prime now and Pantry are ultimately going to look like whereas, you know I'm like a Walmart obviously ogp which is online grocery pick-up is UPS in emerging opportunity in one do you want to make sure that you're also winning on not just the.com. [38:47] And that's kind of the bill bucket the drive is again all the promotions right there power coupons Deals Deals of the day, I am your AMS search no paid search on the display no advertising. [39:02] I'm both on-site and off-site right in and earning is all the things you earn right to share the growth. The sales that the additional reviews the captaincy you might gain a new opportunities that come to you first to your winnings I think it's a way of approaching at the face of how you approach the Indian model, it kind of feels overwhelming cuz you never get to say you're done but it needs that you never stopped working and that's how those calendar Brands think and so I'm not I haven't had. The honor of being a part of a digitally native brand but I've had a, I've been able to be intrapreneurial and it work if it proved itself that record proved itself that wellpet and when the Kellogg's Team all I was there was pivoting in that direction we're actually seeing the same results as well even though we were part of a much bigger. Scot: [39:49] Colts let Serrano people love both high-level and we are strategic stuff and Tackle 120 nothing really good job getting people to review your products on Amazon which is that social proof there stated that shows what you get something like 7 reviews of product takes off any any tips or tricks for folks listening on on how to kind of get reviews going. Chris: [40:14] Reviews are tricky only because Amazon I would say such restrictions I'm fairly so I mean we don't want steak reviews right but I mean that's that's been a real hot topic. Over the last couple last year plus but I mean it's always been an issue but I think as they started to crack down. On counterfeit and bake reviews obviously just making sure that their site maintain stuff you're the number one search engine for products kind of authenticity and Trust, I think we're one little tip with reviews cuz I think your points you need to have a certain number of reviews in this varies between god scene, 21 up to like 40 to 50 or kind of just those gut-check like you you don't feel like they're enough people who can be staking you out who could have it wasn't just Chris Perry's family that filled out the reviews, has a really large extended set of cousins ultimately it's it's. [41:08] What you want to do a couple things that reviews one ultimately you're doing all the right things telling you will obviously generate enough sales at the normal percent of. Reviews that would come through for most products will ultimately come through for you, there are some different tactics if you're like a three-piece seller where you actually send the box in the package through I know there's some three pieces that put in little cards or follow up with their Shoppers to encourage of you so there are some opportunities, but just looking at it from 1 p.m. 3 p sample. [41:39] If you have a great product people openly going to review it and but what I think is important though is to Spur that flywheel to spin faster to get more people to convert Morse of the day, experience your product and then review it more, it's using the reviews to inform your content and I know that sounds really basic but people don't do that so and I can give you it like this is kind of a funny zample but I was in the market for a pair of gym shorts, several months ago and to be sure I haven't used them yet so I'm the wrong person to be the spokesperson for the brand but what was interesting was, that the reviews and the Q&A really revealed some some say some confusion points about the product that the product. Wasn't answering even though they asked said really decent content for all the other features of the product, what was in and it was kind of funny that I would say I spent a long time buying shorts just sounds funny but but I didn't have I gone to Kohl's it would have taken me like 5 minutes to buy there and it would have been all subconscious quick things I made the decision on I would have walked out, because I was looking reviews the way I normally do on Amazon for things that should have been low involvement it became very high involvement for no reason it was because of content didn't tell me. What one of the issues was how are there pockets. [43:00] How deep are the pockets will I lose things from the pockets to some people are telling me that the pockets were big enough to hold. Two to three your tennis balls without losing them some said they lost their keys I'm trying to understand like how many keychains did you have, summer saying that they that they like why why are these 80s shorts falling but no above and he's one 80s shorts but why are they why KD shorts and falling above the knee or other people are saying that they're so bad you they come way below obviously that's probably an issue of pipes of the people for the reviews weren't speaking. So it was in there were a number of other issues of whether they received through and whether you should go commando honestly all the issues that weren't being addressed by the conscience if that product he didn't actually. Had only tens of reviews had wanted to get to a hundred or whatever was. Competitive consideration number right for for their category they could have driven more conversions we should have got more sales would be at more reviews inherently without having, talk to me about the future that everyone was asking about and so I think that that's. That's a tactical I would taste like you to be very unique to every product like till size for vitamins and Medicine. [44:17] What's show me how big it is don't really don't don't nnn-no and I know this sounds silly but like he was real tactical don't put a pill next to a penny that's gross I'm not going to eat it. It is size it is size compared to Bill I come on like I don't I don't I don't want to swallow that. Light sensor like Mucinex is part of Wreck-It job of having like a hand a beautiful clean hand hold until they give you a very good sense of how big, that like I was a best-in-class of how tactic like the boy that was a question that was coming through that they probably have conscience or. Yeah because normally at XXL if you would have been able to see the pill in actual size on the package. And it wasn't coming through digitally so I can go nerdy in this all day long as I love I love the content side and reviews side of things which again seems cliche now cuz everyone knows to do it. And so I think that's a huge opportunity to drive conversion which then ultimately get you. To review my new reviews to drive more sales to get more reviews. Jason: [45:25] Yeah create your own flywheel and by the way I feel like the hand is a good tool for scale but I feel like comparing it to a skittles would actually be best. Chris: [45:35] What would actually did that that's funny you said it cuz I actually that's very astute point cuz I was in what if you had a hand holding like an Eminem or your point of Skittles I went Eminem I'm a chocolate guy and then and then you had to tell me. Jason: [45:47] We have a lot of westerners named Jeff from Seattle so that's why I. Chris: [45:58] But it just takes away the gross Ness of a common items found on the streets of New York on so I think that's, no not to me but I'm just just Urban streets. Jason: [46:11] Yeah I know you brought up an interesting point though so there's a lot of things that we traditionally like. Would have made a purchase decision VR subconscious, like often largely based just on on brand recognition that we now like because there's so much more data available we turn into this so I can, much more considered purchase and there's actually a professor at Stanford that writes about this he calls it absolute value in essentially his premise is, that when there's not very much information where it's hard to judge the quality of product that we use brand name as a surrogate for quality, but when objective, information is available about a product as it often is online now the brand name actually is much less important because. Shoppers have easy direct access to all the real attributes of the product so when you know ratings and reviews being a, Marquee example when you can read a bunch of ratings and reviews that they are products good or bad. [47:15] The brand reputation isn't as important and the reason I bring that up is because that sort of ties perfectly to one of the big evolution, in the Amazon Echo System you know where it where it increasingly saying Amazon watching their own Brands and serve going head-to-head with the traditional and coming Brands is that a new fear that like you get from from the clients and Executives that you're working with is like what what sort of strategy should, don't have against Amazon private label. Chris: [47:49] That's a great question I'm I think so private label has always been around obviously in retail and II as a, your practitioner in the space do support private label cuz I do think it's important as a retailer strategy, not to put all your eggs in one basket or you know a few baskets nearby category it help to profitability I mean to give you a unique offering I need to be honest like my wife and I, from brick-and-mortar standpoint always shop Target before we had kids and became more and more. UE commercialized I guess but honestly I loved I've always loved targets open up Brandon all their private label Brands investor with a high-quality again the brand Equity Park good bad or indifferent isn't always tied with me. Your private label bits but they are valuable I'm Brands and and doodoo outfit our home but I do think that the challenge is. [48:47] I think this is the part where you obviously politically no from from the government standpoint I was a lot of issues have been raised recently not just about your Amazon or anyone retailer but I just generally DC. Mega Omega organizations that have these ecosystems do they need to be broken up are they dirty too much power and I mean that. Subjected to a lot of different people but I think the scary part for a bran. If I were a brand today as I've been recently the challenge with an Amazon or a retailer as such. With private label is that it's not that private label. Why did you stew sat next to your product on shelf it's that it sits in front of your product, and so I think that's the scary part is that it's the way the digital shelf works there are only so many top search results there are only so there's only so much above the fold one, and as a lot of data shown people don't really scroll and so winning the top box your top top search results being, above fold really does matter both from a paid & organic standpoint and so when a retailer of whoever that is. [50:04] Is launching and expanding their private label and private brand with all the cards in hand and is putting essentially the proverbial product in front of yours I mean that would be like going to a. A mass retailer in against sitting at the back of shelf with all the private label in front so you can really see him, but I think that's that's where it's scary because now the choice is gone but then again we're so used to the digital shelf morphine in real time it's not that my grandma doesn't matter anymore than she won't seek it out but knowing that so many searches start unbranded as well. That that means it's so many searches will defect to what. Again like a Google and Amazon is telling me is the most relevant search result in that case and I'm going to dine a likely choose at it again think about it you can't be voted president. If you're not on the ballot and or you don't get enough right in right so it's hard to be a riding so as long as you're on the ballot you you have a chance. And so I think that's the challenges when the private label private Brands kind of automatically get on the ballot and might be bumped up a little bit they have disproportionate. Game to win versus the brands who don't have all those. Merchandising capabilities may not be able to see you again you don't have all the parts you know what the cards are and so it is playing he'll poker without. [51:27] Without all the way without a full hand of cards and I think that's that's what scares me that I seen a lot of our data the day that you from Ed date I've seen is shown that you're obviously, why the proliferation of brands from Amazon specifically is quite large and number it's not, most of the dollars have been coming through an Amazon Basics and and. I ate some of their core the other original brand is not all of their proliferation brand for the same as their testing and learning Real Time by category, and just announcing that they have a product in a category usually causes some sort of Market impact which may be what their objective is so I think that's the scary part is just not having. [52:08] Not having a lot of control if you will but that puts on his back on the Brand's I mean we have to do we have to create demand and then seemed to me. Jason: [52:17] That that makes no sense I feel like the poker metaphor is a little bit of a sore subject because there's this this rumor that Scott runs a big e-commerce poker game and I keep trying to get a bite and it keeps pretending like he doesn't have a game. Chris: [52:31] Why haven't been invited either. Scot: [52:33] There's no game cool private label is a Hot Topic and another one that we're seeing kind of topical in the news is the delivery were so it's you have Amazon just recently kind of ratcheted up Prime to one day Walmart is good people putting stuff in your refrigerator wearing body cams what do you think the delivery Warriors go as us as a cpg guy. Chris: [52:56] That's a great question I to some of this is a little. I would say I'm looking at my crystal ball and try to forecast for the future will go without having the DeLorean and being able to go there myself but I. What's what's funny is I'm excited to see for a number reason I'm excited to see a lot of the grocery and mass retailers expanding their fulfillment options either through partnership or their own capabilities against switching flag, you're Walmart and Target and Kroger and all these different retailers Regional national park with instacart or shipt. [53:35] Target acquisition so I'm excited that everyone's expanding and to be honest what I would have seen in CPT book firsthand and through our clients and partners is that the clicking flecked expansion is what's triggering, executive leadership in a lot of these companies to visit their thinking and I only need that right so we need a bridge of behavior both for, cpg brand to act on the change but also for consumers to kind of take one step away right so I may not there may have been a lot of various the Y as a shopper I didn't buy online. Especially groceries but but, the pickup option is like one baby step of comfort right well I do I do kind of hate the hassle of going in the store wouldn't be cool if on my way home I could pick it up right so that's all, what's interesting is kind of whether they mean to or not everyone's up in the game in the focus on ultimately figuring out how to make delivery. [54:37] Work at scale and then we'll have to figure out the sustainability of it and that's why all these cool models are popping up. Ultimately get us toward the future state of iterating making everyone Foster Gauntlet in and it's moving the needle faster towards something that ultimately. It is long-term what's going to happen I mean let's be honest there will be a desire for retail. Engagement right to go and experience something there will be physical Outlets whether their pickup were actual stores at the store is not dead on there will be showrooms there will be stores with sinners in the different ways. [55:14] Newer harmonize retail is it being called will will come to light but at the end of the day and I'm I'm being silly but is. When you save me the shopping time was the commute time really the part I wanted to cherish know it wasn't I actually really, the bridge is like oh I've seen you save me the shopping time why don't you and in an ultimately is all of these players figure out how to, bring us in the memberships cut the cost to be competitive and obviously get a Competitive Edge versus their players all the while trying to make this sustainable, the bear is going to keep lowering it and obviously ultimately I think deliveries where the wind is going to happen so. [55:58] It is exciting to see this more than anything was in fridge and I'll and I'll pause after this just to get your thoughts, Walmart patented 2 years ago this concept of an in Home Consignment base pantry. Which I actually think this in fridge delivery gets his very very close to which is kind of interested so I can have like a Peapod deliver it to my door or to my counter. While I'm home Oregon or shipped I could have Walmart in these test markets but ultimately rolled out come when I'm not home and put it away from me. I could also then have a Walmart or whoever the next player who throws the gauntlet. Manage my inventory for me so there's the last mile solved and infrastructures I just have someone driving. Check on all the homes are not sin or complications of patients here but why wouldn't I just have the person, service that comes and checks and manages obviously with a i driven based on what I'm consuming and what I'm not and managing my my my fridge in my pantry for me and in replenishing it real time. Relatively Rich I'm on a weekly or every other daily basis right and two months that trust has been built up this to become. This is how I don't have to worry about delivering anymore I'm just I'm just sending a person at scale around neighborhoods to manage people's products you know in NC. [57:20] I don't know how quickly that's going to come about but Walmart has that the patent they have. I'm sorry testiness they have the scale and I was your day are doing this in order leading in the space big Amazon's The Targets in the world at looking at this as well so this is what's exciting to me is like so many new kind of models, this delivery worst pushing us towards because the solve the cost of delivery. What if I just have the product already sitting there and it's not really mine until I buy it so. [57:53] It's kind of interesting. I think about these things just I'm sure you guys. Take five little rationed out from that so I would love to pick your brain on another. Jason: [58:07] No no no it's it's interesting and you got bonus points for working a back to the future reference into your answer. Chris: [58:13] I got the DeLorean sticker on my laptop at 11. Jason: [58:16] It's a little sad for me because I do lots of decks and I always put a picture of a DeLorean in there when I when I'm talking about the future and then the millennial designers in my company always replace the door and would like a hot tub. [58:31] Apparently. Chris: [58:32] I would like that was at Westwood status with when you say hot tub and I didn't think I was old until now on my mind went to when the moment's right Cialis but that was where you at the two tubs but that either way. Jason: [58:45] Well I'm not going to delve into why that's where your mind went. Has a good point to move on. You talk a little bit about sort of your review for you know that the retail formats that survive and it is interesting in particular I feel like an essential but it has a. The tool sets feel like to have a. A significant focus on marketplaces and you look globally and it's like it seems like the marketplaces are winning everywhere it's you know obviously Amazon 50% of e-commerce in the US and and you know more than 50% of that is a Marketplace alibaba's 100% Marketplace Mercado Libre is the biggest Ecommerce Adventure in Latin America also Marketplace Walmart and Target had both sort of shifted to a Marketplace model, is Concerta curious. Is some flavor of a Marketplace the the eventual in point for all these things is that is that basically what we're left with is everyone's a Marketplace, or it or do you think some of that the other business models can survive. Chris: [59:59] That's a great question and then again I think there's a lot there's a lot to come so I mean again knowing exactly where. Everything will end up is it hard to get to Peg but I think the fact that marketplaces are as large as they are both in North America but also, it is especially from a scale perspective in many other markets that may be developing but obviously are like Trump from fire. AR North America Market multiple times over from an e-commerce standpoint and from a growth sampling I do take marketplaces ultimately kind of play to this. Can I use this word a little bit Loosely because we know it's not fully democratize but it's kind of when we think of like information it was kind of. Democratize to a point via a Google in the sense that the most relevant wind right that the most relevant and most trafficked in most. Value added content would win and I know that's your that hasn't asked her cuz I'm so companies owned these but there are other agendas you'll good bad or indifferent better include a bit that Marketplace model does really ultimately allow. [1:01:08] Product you know the consumer to vote up with the best product is and helps his aggregate all those choices into what we're really searching for, so you take Marketplace is going to have a major dominant role in the future of of retail I don't necessarily believe that, that all retailers as they are today are going to disappear that direct-to-consumer can't live on their own, but but again kind of in the same way that we looked at no fairies even prior to being bought by edgewell personal care a lot of its sales in recent times has been driven by its in-store present Target, write Antonio again that goes to the whole kind of discussion around what is DTC really mean when a lot of these are getting sales from their own stores are from Partnerships and I think at the end of the day it's. Directions to Meijer brand they have a role for its direct-to-consumer citrate might be its most loyal Shoppers were part of a stand group you get to test the products to get to you. A part of the market research process but they also sell to a digital omni-channel physical retailer. For a different year for a different reason right there there's a reason at the end of the day. Channel customer strategy you know what channel the customer strategy for where you're going to sell and why and and and how that's going to be different or better from. [1:02:35] From the other places that you that you offer your proposition and so you bring up an interesting point in this is something I I I just I doubt it down it is interesting it is kind of like reminds me like the dash. You bought a dash button cuz it seems convenient that when you ran out of Tide you might want some more detergent that pointed at some point. Would you really have 30 - buttons around your house maybe not like you're like, all the choices were great but would you really if you really wanted that convenient to me is when you just want one button oh wait I have one it's my phone or it's my voice right I can just say it out loud and it would do it for me. [1:03:14] So it's funny cuz we kind of ebb and flow between like The Liberation and fragmentation and then consolidation right feel like. How many subscriptions to be to see sites could I really have before I need an app that's like the instacart of subscriptions right I mean that's the business opportunity right there. I am not saying you can win with everyone but what if I had an app to manage all my subscriptions. So they don't have to only subscribe on one platform I can subscribe through an aggregator that and it just all of my subscriptions I think there's going to be. There's going to be an ebb and flow but but Marketplace is ultimately allowed at aggregation opportunity again the democratized, choice is lifted to the consumer based on what they really want I'm what they think they want so they're going to still be need for Discovery Discovery experience sweater. Global national local lerna pop up and I think those are going to still do the experiences are becoming more important products nowadays with the millennial and future generations and so, what you did is more important than what you have so it kind of became switch from the house Haves and Have Nots that I have done and haven't done which. Jason: [1:04:28] What are we just have a photo of having done whether they did. Chris: [1:04:30] Exactly exactly, Edge forecast for the foreseeable future that marketplaces will be be primary driver is e-commerce globally and I think that they just ultimately provide a route to market for. Quote-unquote proverbial d2c brand. Jason: [1:04:51] That makes sense and that is it like it's funny because you eat like that the category that's already like a lot more mature for subscriptions is digital content right like it's, Your Entertainment and we've already seen the subscription aggregation services that apple and Amazon want have launched like a already trying to solve that problem of subscription fragmentation so I could see that with a, a lot more Goods in the future because that's going to be a great place to leave it because it happened again we have wasted a perfectly good hour of our, is the Oaks had a burning question or have some feedback about any of the topics we covered tonight though they're welcome to hit us up on Twitter or leave us a note on our Facebook page and we'll be happy to get back to you. Scot: [1:05:42] Chris we really appreciate you taking time to share your your wisdom with us one last question if folks want to find more about your your writings and thoughts online working together. Chris: [1:05:54] I am most active on LinkedIn and I have all my contact information publicly available so spam me or write me I would love to hear from you and again down Jason I'm just so honored to be a part of, I'm your efforts here I've been a longtime fan and so tickled to be on it so. Jason: [1:06:12] What we are happy to have you and we'll make sure we get the LinkedIn URL in the show note so you don't have to write it down while while driving or exercising but until next time happy commercing.

EP120 - Negotiating with Amazon with Andrea Leigh Andrea Leigh is the Vice President of Client Services at Ideoclick, Inc., an Amazon managed services agency.  Andrea enjoyed a 10 year career at Amazon where she served in a number of Buying and Category Leadership roles.  We caught up with Andrea at the PathtoPurchase Summit, where she gave a key-note on selling on Amazon.  We covered a variety of topics including: Andrea's new role at Ideoclick. Amazon's presence in grocery and relationship with WholeFoods vendors The language of Amazon metrics Best practices in negotaiting with Amazon Brands selling on Amazon Don’t forget to like our facebook page, and if you enjoyed this episode please write us a review on itunes. Episode 120 of the Jason & Scot show was recorded on Monday, March 12, 2018. http://jasonandscot.com Join your hosts Jason "Retailgeek" Goldberg, SVP Commerce & Content at SapientRazorfish, and Scot Wingo, Founder and Executive Chairman of Channel Advisor as they discuss the latest news and trends in the world of e-commerce and digital shopper marketing. New beta feature, Google Transcription: Transcript Jason: [0:25] Welcome to the Jason and Scott show this is episode 120 being recorded on Monday March 12th 2018 I'm your host Jason retailgeek Goldberg and as usual I'm here cuz Scot Wingo. Scot: [0:39] Hey Jason and welcome back Jason Scott show listeners this is continuous are segments here Live From the Path to purchase Summit where we have some beautiful background music from Grouplove one of my favorite bands. Jason: [0:52] Great now I have to pay a royalty. Scot: [0:53] Is there a Panda sounds like. And anyway so we're really excited to have back on the show one of our most popular guest Andrea life Welcome Back. Andrea: [1:07] Thanks for having me glad to be here. Scot: [1:09] It is a quick reminder to fix your ex Amazonian and you are an expert on negotiating with Amazon cuz you were on the other side of the table I'm so this is why it's always such a Hot Topic you know what all the secrets car cards are the Amazon has. Andrea: [1:23] Exactly or at least some of them. Jason: [1:26] Does that mean they don't like you. Andrea: [1:27] Well I mean I like to think that we help clients find a win-win I mean that's the goal right it's defined areas where the brands can Excel and Amazon can continue growing the business. Scot: [1:39] It's been about a year since you're on the show so give us an update on what's new with you career-wise. Andrea: [1:43] Wow it was that long ago it feels like it was yesterday well. Scot: [1:47] Yeah these podcast it's like dog your stress me. Andrea: [1:51] So I think when we last met I was working with Melissa and Lambert Eric and Andre Kaylee Consulting. Working with brands on their Amazon strategy in September actually joined up with my husband that I do click and I'm the vice president of Client Services there. And I do click is a managed services provider so we offer software data analytics reporting Consulting and advisory Services item data management marketing AMS management. And I have been there for about 6 months now and we work with clients across all categories but tend to be a little more focused in the cpg space so Grocery and health and personal care. Scot: [2:31] How's it work with your husband. Andrea: [2:32] It's so much fun we went to grad school together and have sort of had been in the same space for a long time so it's actually like one of the best things about. Scot: [2:40] Does he ever do that joke raise like talk about sleeping with his coworker it's classical today's world is great. Andrea: [2:43] You know he does he really enjoys finding inappropriate jokes and he hasn't thought of. Scot: [2:50] I need to I've got like yeah okay. Jason: [2:52] Why I'm presuming the regular Wisner so now he has. Scot: [2:54] Yeah actually it just that one of our interns just ran up and told me that you were last on the show May 11th last year so it has been about a year. Andrea: [3:01] Wow well thanks for having me. Jason: [3:05] Thanks for being here. You mentioned cpgm grocery in a feels like groceries one of those areas where there's been a lot of progress in the last year and the groceries are thinking a lot more digitally. [3:19] Obviously the Whole Foods announcement amongst others have you seen the grocery space what's going on in grocery. Andrea: [3:25] I think the biggest thing we're seeing is that you know where a few years ago Amazon in particular and the lot of e-commerce players were really just trying to grab customers and growth and sell a lot of grocery products. The focus is really shifted to more about being profitable profitable and sustainable growth which means that for a lot of our clients in a lot of Brands out there. Selling on Amazon has become really difficult because there are a lot of product categories that just aren't super sustainable online you know given delivery economics. So we're starting to see a lot of Science and and then seeing folks in the space really starts in Sebastian capabilities Direction, to Consumer on their own using 3pl focusing on. And so I mean I just seen kind of the most I think the pace of innovation is really set up the last couple of years. As Amazon in other e-commerce players start to push some of those profit concerns back on the brands. Jason: [4:24] Yeah I think I've seen all that as well and I keep beating this drum that everyone seems to think I'm wrong on so I'm going to. Andrea: [4:33] Try me out. Jason: [4:35] Amazon can't be hugely successful in grocery but because of the delivery economics I actually think that the dominant model for digital grocery is actually grocery pickup. Andrea: [4:46] Totally totally agree with you you know I think is going to be is huge. And for a lot of these brands that I think God on the Amazon bandwagon early you know I hope they haven't abandoned some of their wine Amanda live in Bandon but I hope they haven't deprioritized some of their initiatives, with brick-and-mortar because the brick-and-mortar space is heating up around click-and-collect and grocery pick-up and so you know I think that I totally agree with you I do think that sustainable model for e-commerce is something that looks more like Amazon's Pantry model, where you try to get the average ring up. And you're able to spread those delivery and shipping economics across the larger number of items and send it kind of the slowest ship method, not only does it help with the delivery economics but it helps with forecasting when you have more time to be sort of more of a just-in-time inventory model. Jason: [5:38] Yeah yeah and speaking of pantry did you see the news that they've decided we change that model of this month so. Country used to be a paper drink thing so. 599 per box and then you you put as much stuff as you can in the box so they're doing away with the 599 ft and it's now in new service you have to subscribe to for five bucks a month and then you can use Pantry as much as. Andrea: [6:03] That makes sense. Jason: [6:04] Yeah into the theory is as as opposed to having that big friction of taking $6 out of your wallet every time you want to use it that it just gets tacked onto your your Prime membership and you stop thinking about. [6:18] Casper drinking you're more likely to use it more often. Andrea: [6:21] Yeah I mean I think that makes sense Amazon has had like wild success with all of the subscription models you know for fresh and for. Obviously Prime and you know there if they have all these Prime add-ons now across their portfolio so it does really increase the stickiness I think we've all seen the metrics around Prime and how much stickier, those customers are, but I think that's really interesting and I do believe that in the next couple of years we're going to see a really big shift at Amazon from you know the traditional amazon.com grocery category over to Pantry more push to Whole Foods more precious to pick up. To help really help the profitability it's a sizable enough category at Amazon now that it's extraordinarily painful for them. You know to be to be unprofitable on. Jason: [7:06] I wanted to make changes this month is Dave there they're not doing a bunch of pilot cities where they're delivering literally from the Whole Foods until there's even was a funny article about like the instacart guys getting like. Moved out of their office into the hallway to make room for the Amazon employee setting up setting up shop to do delivery they haven't announced it yet but I think it's it's inevitable. The dab. Logistics infrastructure get used for pick up as well and then ultimately a bunch of Whole Foods end up being pick up Depot Amazon Fresh pick up locations. Andrea: [7:39] Yeah I spent a number of years working in the grocery category at Amazon and also working on Amazon Fresh and delivery economics for fresh food are really really challenging. You know density of supercritical you know being able to hit multiple orders in an hour. It's a really it's an extraordinary Lee challenging business and so I think you know it makes sense to focus on a limited sort of version of that I maybe there's an opportunity for Amazon to get scale and then as they are able to grow that they can kind of. Encourage customers to do more pick up. Scot: [8:14] We surprised by the Whole Foods acquisition. Andrea: [8:16] I was actually you know a lot of people ask me about. About it and if I'd heard any Rumblings and no like it was completely silent and and I was really surprised although it makes sense right I mean. That's if you in order to really be I remember Jeff or maybe it was. Jeff Bezos Demetrius Jeff will he saying something in the earlier days about if we really want to be like a true, you know everything store we absolutely have to have strong penetration in grocery and in fashion does R22 normous Industries groceries like the biggest industry so. They've really got to figure out how to get that right and I think they were I mean frankly based on sort of the. At the public sees like all of the projects that are launched in our successful in a scale but there's so many Pilots that happened in Seattle that, where is interesting to everyone and if you look at all the fits and starts of this thing over the years it doesn't surprise me that they went and purchased someone who is doing really well. Scot: [9:17] Then you think so I can sleep at the store footprint one of the things I was surprised how quickly they worked on was getting the private label that was called whole 365 getting that into the other platforms very quickly that seems like almost. Day one that that got you know I saw it in my Prime now and it was featured and then obviously they done a lot in the stores with the lockers and selling Echoes everything. Andrea: [9:38] I mean I'm sure that was one of the I think that was one of the probably if you were list out like 5 or 10 main reasons Amazon bought them access to their private label is a huge one, you know they really dislike private label its assortment they can't usually have on their site, they can use sometimes get it through resellers near we were able to get some of the Costco stuff through resellers on the third-party platform bed. Scot: [9:59] Amazon is the largest seller of Kirkland. Andrea: [10:02] Now there. Scot: [10:05] Costco doesn't sell it. [10:08] It's a little bar but they they jump over it seems like as they integrate Whole Foods lb you know it seems Amazon's very efficient. Right now there's finally a different buyers and things do you think they'll consolidate that what are you hear anything about that. Andrea: [10:23] You know I think it'll be interesting to see what they do with the went looking back at some prior Acquisitions like diapers and Zappos they were really slow to integrate some of those teams, you know what I think I think they're probably a lot of reasons for that I expect this will happen quicker mainly because it's a category they have got to get, you know they've got to get more profitable on. So focusing on those classes and getting transparency there quickly is going to be important I just said something this morning about how. They've reached out to some Brands and I've invited them to some kind of like Summit or meeting next week. Whole Foods has to talk about I think it was to address some of the concerns that have been popping up in the vendor Community probably specifically around cost. But the article is also speculating that. Amazon was going to try to do away with traditional grocery Brokers which I think is a really that's really interesting and potentially like try to recoup some of those that funding for themselves. Desert of cutting out the middle intermediary. Scot: [11:25] Give me the NADA grocery what's the for dummies on grocery brokers. Andrea: [11:29] So it's a lot of Brands work with traditional brick-and-mortar through what are called Brokers so third parties in negotiating, negotiating for Shell space the brands are often like really involved in that process but the broker actually. Stop managers that relationship and for Amazon they work within. You know worked with more grocers in the earlier more brokers in the earlier days but have had really tried to kind of do away with a lot of that, I mean in some ways you could look at it as an aunt pretty Antiquated model like brands are pretty sufficient self-sufficient in their ability to negotiate now and you know and negotiate for shelf space and figure out how to navigate, a brick-and-mortar store it's not like a novelty anymore they know how to get into Costco so. I think that's a model that's kind of ripe for disruption anyway it'll be interesting to see if this encourages it more quickly across the other brick-and-mortar channel. Jason: [12:25] What one. [12:28] I've been trying to figure out we have this overlaps but like so if your craft you know how to sell to grocery stores and you have all those infrastructures and you you probably are already aren't using a broker or you're not getting on a value for the broke his heart. Carried a lot of much smaller nascent Brands often at the local level right and so you can imagine your Amy's Bakery. When you make baked goods in your kitchen and you're selling on through just the Austin Whole Foods a broker could be helpful in an opening that relationship because you don't know the kind of perms you should be doing all those hearts. Andrea: [13:02] Bright. Jason: [13:04] So part of me goes oh that's where they're taking the broker out but I actually think Amazon has already taken a lot of that local buying Authority away from the Whole Food store. Andrea: [13:13] Yeah I mean I think it's a model of those sort of deteriorating anyway and then I mean there's so there's Brokers which sort of like managed the deal but then there's also Distributors which actually procurar the product and then resell it. And that's another Avenue that a lot of those smaller Brands used to kind of get into some of the channels where they couldn't it was in make sense for them. Feels team setup for all of those different channels and so working through like a distributor broker. But you know it's more cost but and it's more profit that can be had by Amazon so I can see why they would want to get rid of that third party. Scot: [13:48] Go to this is Switching gears out of grocery this is the time of year when vendors get their their kind of notice from Amazon that it's time to negotiate which seems like it's probably a. Not exciting notice to get so imagine you get you get a lot of calls on this kind of time and you're giving a talk here today on this and you talk about it on the last show. What to do in in the world of negotiating with Amazon. Andrea: [14:13] Yeah I don't know if it's really new but growing is the concept will obviously always more automation every year there's more automation more and more of our clients even some of the larger ones now or getting through these automated email ask. So more busherts Automation and then the other more recent it all in his hands always had for some categories sort of. Professional negotiating teams and that's that. Arm of Amazon is growing so we have more more clients who are being asked to negotiate with like essentially it's a third party with an Amazon so not the retail buyer. They've traditionally worked with but instead like a professional negotiator which I think is interesting for Brands and some ways they lose. Scot: [14:56] Is it William Shatner. Andrea: [15:00] I think it's really interesting for Brands because in some ways it's a complete disadvantage for them cuz they're dealing with someone who like. Highly skilled highly skilled negotiator but in other ways it's to their advantage because they possess a lot more category knowledge than The Negotiator does and so. Thanks figuring out how to work with that team as that team grows and starts interacting with more Brands is going to be critical. Jason: [15:28] It's I don't know this is a fair amount or not but I in my mind I imagine it's a little like the. The car dealership model where essentially the they they make you negotiate with the individual sales person who very intentionally doesn't have any Authority artonomy inside there intentionally. [15:46] Aggregating you disarm mediating you from the decision maker who's the the the dealership manager in in the same way. [15:56] Professional negotiators are just intermediating the brand from the the merch. Andrea: [16:00] I would imagine that the unprofessional negotiators at least what I know of them from our clients have a very very narrow window of what they can actually approve. And you know agree to and then everything after that Pastor go is probably escalated like is far as we know the category leader is still the ultimate decision-maker so it's important to make sure like your social your large man you got access to that person, but smaller brands that we work with are typically doing a hundred percent of the negotiation over email. Scot: [16:31] How does this go so your Brand X on the go she ate or I start off and I say Brand X you've been a great partner of the Amazons we love you you're awesome we need you to come down 20% does that sound like how it starts just. Andrea: [16:43] Yeah you'll get an algorithm to the brands are given algorithmically Drive-In email that is looking at basically a day to file and saying in order for us to. Be profit positive on frayed for example we need extra sent and Afraid allowance and sometimes the figures I don't make sense to our clients of gotten messages like asking for you know 15 and 20% rate allowances which is not tenable obviously. So it's it it's an algorithmic Lee Drive in email me look like it's coming from your buyer it's probably not. Probably coming from a machine or up and it's in there some machine learning in it so if you're if you send back some responses we kind of had tested and learned on this with some of our clients you know some some responses generated, some responses back in some responses get kicked out into an exception and then typically at that point especially if you're small brand your Kik to an offshore team. But all that will conclude the negotiation. Scot: [17:35] What's the best way to like mess with a I would have your like that's too we would like to offer a bigger discount or can you just like start cussing at it. Andrea: [17:43] So we have found that for some of the critical negotiation components like Freight and marketing accruals continuing to just say no over and over again may result in the brand. Amazon not ordering from the brand anymore so we've seen a couple instances of that happening where the brand took a pretty from line there were like no and then the person wrote back you know it's the auto thing it's like. That is not an acceptable. Like term for us and then no and then that's not expensive and then there was a threat so read the email carefully if there's a threat in there that Amazon will stop ordering it's important to dress like an CERN. The address be asked but you certainly don't have to give Amazon everything they're asking. You don't have to agree to like that exact term you can agree to something more than what you're doing and typically make it through the process. Scot: [18:29] Does it start like real macro like we want 12% and then is it a good strategy to kind of start to just try to get it to be more like at least category askew or down the street level cuz it seems like on the other side you have all these different. Andrea: [18:40] Yeah and we'll talk about this today see you but I think the two things that I would really keep in mind when negotiating with Amazon are. First of all focus on win-win so you want to see if you have to give Amazon more money you want to figure out how to do it in a way that grows the business not in a way that just helps their bottom line so an example of that might be, you know coming forward with investment in a program. If crosstalk is great for you cuz it saves you money should be in if you were for some in centers it might make sense to invest in that program with Amazon because it also helps their economic so it's like a win-win or. Bringing forward a plan for an increase in marketing spending specifically Roi driven marketing like I am a story. You know helps you grow your business also helps Amazon's bottom line by giving more for things like marketing accruals or giving Amazon money for you know merchandising placements on the site that are sort of ended us. Isn't always necessarily a win-win so making sure to choose those battles really carefully and she's those spot. And then I think the other thing I would keep in mind is you know you don't you don't have to give them everything that they're asking for and if they're asking for increases in terms like free or damaged allowances ask for the supporting data that shows why the costume. Right you might not get it but at least it shows that you're your auditing and you're and you and you may be able to drive as a stalemate through that. By saying oh you want an increase in the damage Lance tell me what about my products or what specific products are showing higher damage so I can actually go fix the problem. [20:16] Instead of just giving you a higher approval for that. Scot: [20:19] Is this one Amazon will ask for different packaging or you know just like frustration-free or or or like do a bundle of 2 or any. Andrea: [20:29] This is something that is very frustrating to me in earlier years Amazon would certainly do that and as as when I started in 05 as a senior buyer that was certainly a part of the annual negotiation you would say, these items are profitable let's talk about how we can make a more profitable can we get this to a cheap Pack and change the packet me we would it would be more of a. A coaching exercise but now it's just so much easier for Amazon to ask the brands for money and especially when the negotiation is either automated or handled by a third party there's no vested interest in. And no knowledge really like expertise to help a brandy that so we have more and more clients that we work with it we're doing that with. Playing that role that the buyer used to play in helping them figure some of that out. Scot: [21:12] Doesn't Amazon use so you should be you have your Warehouse pricing and I was over here kind of separate and then I know. This may not be part of negotiation but no Amazon's now looking at that kind of thing while you're selling it on in Costco at you're the equivalent of this many dollars per ounce we want you can either bring that to you over here. Or the turn ski we have we would like to see it at the same dollars per ounce is that is that these negotiations or that's more of just price parody. Andrea: [21:38] Yeah I mean if you're that kind of comes up in like a crap situation or Amazon stream free can't realize any profit where they say William Walmart selling it for this price how are they that look that's below our cost so how are they doing that and I would advise Brands whatever you do do not share, your cost that you have with other retailers with Amazon I mean that's like a big that's a big No-No because you can't ever roll that back right. Amazon's aware of your cost structure to other brands it also makes it so that you can't throw to move the beans around when you need to it's just a level of transparency you don't ever want to go. Jason: [22:13] And I think I mean Scott might be willing to there's like a specific version of the dynamic pricing the brands are really afraid of you know you sell a can of Campbell's soup on on Amazon it's a 12 oz cans to the price per ounce is whatever. Andrea: [22:26] Yes right so. Jason: [22:27] Salad case pack to Costco. Andrea: [22:30] Amazon is getting so much smarter about that I mean it used to be when we watch I went through many Revolutions of Brands divots doesn't like spending a lot of R&D on designing different pack sizes I think the K-Cup Industries a great example of this, where they you know sold at this packsize to Costco in this tax ID Amazon this one to Target and they will never know that it's like all the wrong the same different prices. They will price match each other but Amazon figured that out real quick and started matching perk up and then they started matching per diaper per White. Per ounce a lot of categories have the / something rolled out by now and if they don't have it. You know they will so trying to circumvent price-matching through different pack sizes may buy us some time. But it isn't a long-term solution. Jason: [23:19] You mentioned a couple of terms when we were just talking about the certain negotiating strategies like Freight allowance for example it feels like there's a hole. Different vernacular at Amazon and I know they they said these are. Metrics and they really Drive everything to those metrics can you kind of educated so like what are the high-level Brands need to learn about to work. Andrea: [23:44] Well I think he's kind of two questions like what are the terms you're going to negotiate about and then what are the kpi is to manage your business but the terms are and actually don't I mean I don't know if these are really different from other retailers that don't have knowledge about, you know about brick-and-mortar as much but you know they're typically looking at some kind of marketing. Come up is a high-level term that refers to any money you give Amazon so often Play Straight payments accruals whatever it is all Co-op. I'm better at least that's how Amazon Defiance Co-op it's typically a marketing accrual. Or some kind of basic rule for base allowance there's a damaged allowance and Afraid allowance if Amazon is paying the freight sometimes the client for the vendors paying the freight. Scot: [24:26] These are all expressed as some so if I'm spending. Andrea: [24:29] They're all rappers. Scot: [24:30] Amazon to buy a million and I'm going to do co-op dollars at 10% is 300000 in addition to that and these are all that's kind of how they're all measured. Andrea: [24:38] All percentage of cost of goods sold all off invoice and then there are definitely get subscribe and save allowance depending on the category you're in there may be a mark. There could be like volume incentive rebate. There might be like straight payments you agreed to you throughout the year you might be paying for your talking about your SVS of your strategic vendor services. Representative during this time of year that's like a headcount you can buy at Amazon that just works on your brand. So all of these things going to come together to be the annual terms negotiations and son is when the automated tasks include everything that you're actually doing with Amazon so it's important to use a Tracker like Bill. So that you got it all up you. Scot: [25:25] You have a free one that I've heard you. Andrea: [25:26] I do yeah it's on my website yeah it's on my website Andre Kaylee consulting.com will be adding it to be I do click sites soon too but it just allows you to swear to fill in. Your sales and the last year's turns this year's terms and then it auto calculates all the actual dollars spent printed look at the actual dollars, it's one thing to know that you're giving Amazon a point more this year and it's another thing to actually understand based on your gross right how many more dollars are actually giving Amazon anyway. Because a lot of brands are going really quickly on Amazon and they're doubling their spend with Amazon without actually even changing their coop. Jason: [26:03] And then you mentioned so those are some of the terms you mention like their specific API. Andrea: [26:07] Yeah so some of the key so it's important to speak Amazon when working with them especially if you're sort of pushed one of these automated channels. Jason: [26:15] Side note I was thinking the way to work around that way I haven't tried this myself so you're on your own but is only negotiate in a language that their natural language processor doesn't understand something like Klingon or Jeff Bezos it probably doesn't. [26:30] So I might be Swahili. Andrea: [26:32] About you know if I can get if I can get a willing client with a sense of humor that might be somebody that might be something to try. But there are a set of Casey eyes that are important for understanding and running your business on Amazon if you can get a good command of them and understand them and have some benchmarking available to you, you can run a really successful business on Amazon without ever interacting with a human but it's important to know the kti's sales sales growth obviously, it's really important to look at a lot of clients who work with even big ones tend to look almost exclusively at, orders Amazon places from the brand you really need to be looking at point-of-sale data that is the true indicator of Simeon, that helps you understand how effective your marketing and promotional activities are so that POS state is really critical so shift cogs. Gross gross and units gross revenue again really surprised how a lot of clients will only look at Revenue which you lose a lot of the transactional nature of the Metra. Understanding like how customers are transaction with your units looking at the in stock and inventory rates I think. Time and time again we work with clients where they're like why is my business not growing very fast Amazon you luck in the products are good and they are, getting pretty good search ranking but they're only the brand is only feeling like half of the purchase orders like they're not willing to come and see you, you have to have product in order to sell it so keeping track of some of those metrics getting your handle on your own metrics around this is important Amazon reports on a metric in Vendor Central called Fast Track in stock. [28:02] Its sales waited and glance product may be going to eat there but it's Lance he waited you should just really know of all your items available how many. Haven't been trying have any doubt it's a much simpler metric it gives you a much bigger picture and more complete picture. Scot: [28:17] So the sales rate is it is it does some indexing to get tire sales rank items and how fast are field. Andrea: [28:22] You get a bigger good guy if you're in stock on the top seller and you don't get a bad guy at all if you're out of stuff done something that is like a really low seller. Scot: [28:30] When does so when they come in sizes brands are frustrated Amazon's not buying their buying less and less of their swetman when does that come up in this negotiation or it sounds like it really doesn't sounds like the buyers know if I was going to buy these are the terms. Andrea: [28:45] If you're in a position where you're negotiating with a machine you've got to find another way to sell this product on Amazon through third-party so so it'll be really hard for you to get like. Automated system or the team in Indiana to like respond to a request like that but if you are in a position where you got a live person you certainly should bring that into the negotiation. Why aren't you buying all my products I'll give you this Co-op if you commit sore during my whole assortment and you know a lot of times you can talk to them about how. That is certainly may not be performing very well because it hasn't been in stock it performs very well at other retailers like giving all of that data and information and can help Amazon make decision. Scot: [29:23] But not your custody with other retailers. Andrea: [29:25] But I think everyone knows that but that is important to mention I was surprised when I was a buyer how many Brands would be transparent about that. Scot: [29:34] I've never been offender son learning a ton. Jason: [29:38] You're lucky man last time you went to show we talked a little bit and you wouldn't do it earlier they have this. Unhappy status can't realize a profit. [29:51] AKA crap which great great back back story and all that about how that all came into being. Scot mention vendors that are frustrated that they won't carry the whole line my perception is almost always that at the beginning of the relationship and tell me if I have this wrong. They actually do carry the whole line and then products get crapped out and they start curating what they carry it is that largely true or or is it the case that they might only. Andrea: [30:21] So yeah usually am is it is depends generally speaking Amazon Lori thinks that customers look at so customers don't look at it they probably won't order it. But if you if you just cover your whole assortment isn't available on Amazon there could be a myriad of reasons why that is it could go back to like item setup issues maybe Amazon tried to order from you and you didn't fill it. You know maybe it's just not getting enough product gland to use. Or maybe it's crap and we seen a lot of movement and interesting developments in Amazon's crap program over the last year. The biggest one being that now they're showing the crap out products that are just little margin not negative margin used to be the zero was the floor. Now if they're not hitting some Morgan emergent targets are requirements for the category they're essentially not ordering those products from. Client there from the brands anymore or crapping the products out. And I think that's a new development another new development is Amazon's kind of shifted the conversation from profitability to Pure product margin their PPM. And I think the reason they're doing that is when they start crapping out products and communicating what products does our it allows clients and Brands and their parties to reconstruct Amazon's cost structure. And so focusing on here product margin which is just the different at Pier product margin which is the difference between the cost of the product Celeste any marketing accruals or any Co-op. And the retail selling price really helps them focus on products where they're having to do a lot of price matching and where they want the brand to take some ownership over that issue. [31:55] Which might mean you know going to your other Retail Partners and saying stop selling at these price I mean that's what they want you to do right by you to go back to Walmart and say stop selling online at this price. Which actually some of our clients who died and it has her mixed results with that which is been interesting. Scot: [32:12] Meaning Walmart said no and then there are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Andrea: [32:16] The biggest thing for noticing is that why maricon in Walmart stores have different prices and it's lower online cuz they're trying to drive Amazon low and then get them to Walmart online. Walmart.com in brick and mortar from what we learn from our clients are like completely separate entities so if you go back to the econ team and you say and in typical answering very little business on an walmart.com so we had a few clients go back to Walmart and say. Don't sell it at this price anymore or I will stop shipping it to you and Walmart income. Raise the price so it actually has been effective for a few client that hasn't been effective for everyone but for a few of the players that we've worked with they had sex. Scot: [32:56] I think they're trying to normalize that have one buyer for both but. Andrea: [33:00] Right now there's still a gap you take advantage of it. Jason: [33:02] Yeah and I would imagine there's some flexibility about what you sell to them for online if it when it comes down to having to go to Walmart and raise the price in store I suspect that's not going to go well. Andrea: [33:15] Oh absolutely and I don't I mean clients wouldn't really it wouldn't be in their best interest to do that they're doing so much volume there, but only time it's a different story we've also heard he, walmart.com will take whatever product I can get. I'm there less selective about it and so potentially you know suggesting different products versus what you're selling on Amazon might be a good strategy. Jason: [33:35] Going back to that kind of picking the line that Amazon curious though why. I guess the model and I had is that you're selling apparel right then you go calling Macy's and you bring a bunch of mannequins and you show me all the dresses and some Merchant at Macy's goes. That one's pretty that one's pretty I don't like that one right and it's their subjective expertise around the category. [33:57] My son says there's no Merchant in Amazon is going to subjectively try to pick winners and losers. Andrea: [34:03] I think there's some exceptions to that the biggest ones being the pantry program where they are choosing products you can just put anything in pantry it goes through an approval process now, the people making those decisions might not know might not be as educated as maybe like a a Walmart in-store brick-and-mortar buyer, but they are making assortment decisions and so Brands record making some recommendations there can really help move that process along the other space were seeing that is in fashion, I think Amazon started trying to carry all the assortment and quickly realized I mean first we have a couple, fashion clients that sell Alberta 10,000 skews and you certainly can't carry all that ass for me have to build Smooth Sailing Center so they did they have invested internally in. What they're calling more tastemakers to actually choose assortment and and make those types of decisions. Scot: [34:53] Well I know we're running up against a lunch here so why don't we go ahead and wrap so that you can have some lunch before you have to talk. Jason: [35:01] Yeah so if people do have further questions or welcome to jump on her Facebook page and will continue the conversation if yeah if you enjoy the show we'd love to see you jump on the iTunes and give us that 5-star review but thanks very much for making time for us and the listeners today. Andrea: [35:16] Yeah thanks for having me guys. Jason: [35:18] Until next time happy commencing!

Don Southerton is known in business circles as “The Hyundai Whisperer”. Based in Denver, Colorado, he is the Founder and CEO of a consulting firm called Bridging Culture Worldwide, which provides in-depth insights into the dynamics of Korean-based global business. With 35 years of experience, Don is recognized as the definitive authority on Korea business consulting and Korean corporate culture. He is a trusted consultant, mentor, coach, and strategist who works with a variety of industries – from the automotive, golf, and quick-service restaurant sectors, to New Urbanism and green technology. Don is a specialist on Korean cultures and norms, Korean market entry strategy, Korean education, and the Korean workplace. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, top Korean groups, leading international law firms, and elite consultancies.   Links: Bridging Culture Worldwide website Bridging Culture Worldwide on LinkedIn Bridging Culture Worldwide on Facebook Bridging Culture Worldwide on Instagram Don's books on Amazon Don on LinkedIn Don on Facebook Don on Twitter  

1) This week's writing progress = 5201 words, taking The Murder Place up to over 36k words now. The first draft should be written by 17th March now, if I can turn around editing fast enough, I hope to release this book on 3rd May. 2) New subscribers since February 1st, all due to my use of InstaFreebie: Get InstaFreebie: https://self-publishing-journeys.com/IF [My affiliate link] My Instafreebie promo page for my 6-12 March event - don't share yet please :-) https://freebie-books.com/ 3) The Alli Author Fringe (online) event: http://selfpublishingadvice.org/5-week-countdown-to-indie-author-fringe/ Alliance of Independent Authors: https://paulteague.com/ALLI [My affiliate link] 4) My book pre-sales book listings on Amazon: Don't Tell Meg: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06WWFJLC3/ The Murder Place: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06WWPFCQ7/ 5) Kindle Scout: https://kindlescout.amazon.com/ Email response from Kindle Scout: 6) I highly recommend Vellum for formatting your ebooks: https://vellum.pub/ If you use a PC, here is how you can access Vellum without a MAC: https://paulteague.com/how-to-use-vellum-on-a-pc/ 7) I've decided to have a go at getting my thrillers formatted for Createspace - I'm taking http://www.frostbitepublishing.com/ out for a spin ... I'll let you know how it goes :-) This Week's Self-Publishing News The Alliance of Independent Authors news update: http://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-starting-out/

When I first announced I’d be interviewing today’s guest, half the people I spoke to asked me “WHY would you interview HIM?” The other half typically responded “I can’t wait to hear THIS one.” The NY Post calls him “The Ego That Attacked NYC” and much like Howard Stern, he relishes his status of being nearly equally loved and hated by basically everyone and he doesn’t really care as long as you don’t forget him (which would be hard to do). Justin Ross Lee is an “asshole.” But that’s not MY opinion, he states it clearly in the title of his first major book: “Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am?: Confessions of a First-Class Asshole“ He often goes by his initials “JRL” but he’s also (in)famous for coining the term “Jew Jetter” to describe his very unique brand of travel hacking and manipulating his way to access an amazingly luxurious lifestyle. (He’s been referred to as an aristo-brat… though he may have given himself this name as well). He's also the founder of the luxurious pocket square company: Pretentious Pocket So Why Would I Invite Such A Person Onto My Show And Give Hime Even More Attention? Well it wouldn’t be the first time I invited a self-confessed asshole on the show. Listeners who’ve heard my interview with 3 time NY Times Bestselling Author Tucker Max who wrote “I hope the serve beer in hell” and “Assholes Finish First” will understand why. I believe you can learn something from (almost) anyone. So I hope you enjoy my interview with JRL as much as I did having the conversation. And if you want more, I highly suggest you grab his book was just released on Amazon… “Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am?: Confessions of a First-Class Asshole“ http://justinrosslee.com http://facebook.com/justinrosslee http://twitter.com/justinrosslee http://instagram.com/justinrosslee Buy the book on Amazon