Podcasts about COGS

What if the biggest threat to your business isn't sales but silent profit leaks hiding in your COGS (Cost of Goods Sold)? In this episode, Shawn “Dickie” Stinson and Brandon “Donny” Gray uncover the overlooked costs that quietly drain your margin. You'll discover how to spot red flags in job costing, fix inaccurate bids, and protect your bottom line before it's too late. If you're tired of wondering where the money goes, this episode is your roadmap to taking back control of your profitability. Subscribe for more insights to help you lead your business with clarity and purpose. Stop the leaks and build profit on purpose: businessonpurpose.com/contact Are you working IN your business or ON your business? Do you have all of the foundational elements that will liberate you from the business chaos? Take the assessment to find out which areas you can grow and improve on. Take our Healthy Owner Business Assessment HERE➡️ http://mybusinessonpurpose.com/healthy SIGN UP for our Newsletter HERE ➡️ https://www.boproadmap.com/newsletter For blogs and updates, visit our site HERE ➡️ https://www.mybusinessonpurpose.com/blog/ LISTEN to the Business On Purpose Podcast HERE ➡️ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-business-on-purpose/id969222210 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel HERE ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbPR8lTHY0ay4c0iqncOztg?sub_confirmation=1

MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.//Drew Fallon is the founder and CEO of Iris. Learn more about Iris at www.irisfinance.co and follow Drew on X at https://x.com/drewfallon12.//Raising money has become almost taboo in the DTC and eCommerce world—but is that mindset actually holding brands back?In this episode, Andrew sits down with Drew Fallon, CEO of Iris, fresh off a $6.2M seed round. They unpack the hard truths about fundraising, margins, forecasting, and why certain categories (like supplements and gummies) are scaling at lightning speed. Drew brings unique insight from inside the financials of 100+ eCommerce brands, offering perspective few operators ever get to see.You'll hear a candid discussion about:- When raising capital creates real advantage (and when it kills your optionality)- Why high gross margin is the ultimate cheat code for scale- The long, overlooked sales cycle for B2B SaaS in eCommerce- How forecasting and inventory planning can make or break growth- The capital markets correction and what it means for CPG founders nowIf you're facing margin pressure, considering outside investment, or just want a sharper financial lens on your business, this episode is a masterclass in understanding the numbers that matter.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:15 - Raising Money00:03:43 - Influencer Marketing In DTC00:07:40 - Drew's Onboarding Sales Cycle00:10:11 - Hiring For Head of Marketing00:11:17 - The Future Of Iris00:16:45 - The Up Trend For E-Commerce Brands00:18:40 - These ARE The Brands That Win00:27:52 - Drew's Bucket Analogy00:31:46 - Make Your Subscription Valuable To Customers00:37:59 - Make The Case For Fundraising00:47:27 - Early Growth Equity Funds//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Is continuous manufacturing delivering the transformative results everyone promised, or are you being sold an expensive solution to the wrong problem? While industry headlines tout revolutionary productivity gains, the economic reality behind continuous bioprocessing tells a more nuanced story that every process engineer needs to understand before making capital investment decisions.In this episode, host David Brühlmann continues his conversation with Andreas Castan, Strategic Technology and Business Development Leader at Cytiva, diving deep into the hard economics and operational realities of next-generation manufacturing strategies. Andreas brings over 25 years of bioprocess expertise from upstream innovation to cGMP manufacturing scale-up.Here are three critical takeaways from this conversation:Continuous vs Fed-Batch Economics Are Closer Than Expected: Andreas reveals real process economic modeling data showing that while continuous reduces capital costs through smaller bioreactors and facilities, higher media consumption (20-25% of COGS) and operational complexity often balance out the savings. The deciding factor isn't technology elegance but your specific production volume and pipeline needs.Regulatory Approval Isn't Easier Despite FDA Support: Even with regulatory enthusiasm for continuous processing, QA teams still demand the same fundamentals: traceability, batch definition, viral clearance validation, and process characterization. The technology choice should be driven by your business case, not regulatory preferences.Sustainability Benefits Are Modest: Contrary to industry hype, Andreas shares findings showing continuous manufacturing delivers only 20% carbon footprint reduction compared to optimized fed-batch. Real environmental gains come from HVAC efficiency and smaller cleanroom footprints, not inherent process advantages.Ready to cut through the marketing noise and make data-driven manufacturing decisions? This conversation delivers the unvarnished truth about when continuous processing creates real value and when intensified fed-batch might be your smartest investment.Connect with Andreas Castan:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-castan-91570b1Cytiva landing page: Process intensificationOnline tool: Process intensifierNext step:Book a 20-minute call to help you get started on any questions you may have about bioprocessing analytics: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call

Dans cet épisode, j'échange avec Nicolas Henry Paté (CFO part-time) pour décoder le pilotage financier d'un e-commerce : des marges au BFR, du CAC à la contribution 1ère commande, jusqu'aux erreurs qui plombent la rentabilité.Au programme (concret & actionnable) :- Comment calculer CAC, COGS, marge brute / nette & contribution 1ère commande- Lire correctement MER / ROAS / LTV (sans se faire piéger par les plateformes)- Gérer le BFR (stocks, délais fournisseurs/clients) & éviter la crise de trésorerie - Structurer un P&L e-commerce lisible (logistique, retours, transactions, créa, ads)- Les erreurs classiques (cash ≠ profit, manque de granularité, growth à perte) & surtout comment les éviter Bonus offert : la fiche mémo Notion avec formules + exemples : https://urlr.me/RVdx8yBesoin d'un œil CFO sur vos chiffres ?Contactez Nicolas Henry Paté sur LinkedIn (et n'oubliez pas de le suivre).-- Pensez à vous abonner pour ne rien rater des prochains épisodes.Nicolas Henry Paté : https://fr.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-henry-pate-- Et si c'est le bon moment pour faire le point sur vos campagnes Ads, vos créas ou votre stratégie d'acquisition, on vous propose d'échanger pour voir si on est le bon partenaire pour vous accompagner.On vous prépare une roadmap personnalisée en 3 étapes :Un audit de vos Ads Managers, une analyse créa avec de nouveaux angles à tester et une stratégie d'acquisition claire et adaptée à vos objectifs.Retrouvez Club Croissance votre plateforme préférée : https://linktr.ee/clubcroissancePour nous contacter, rien de plus simple :→ directement sur notre site : https://www.agencexplr.com/→ par email : thomas@agencexplr.com→ ou sur LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasjossomme/

What if process intensification could transform your bioprocessing economics without the complexity most engineers fear? Getting 3x productivity gains and 30-150% titer increases once seemed reserved for Big Pharma's endless R&D budgets, but a strategic approach to technology selection is making these results achievable for companies of any size.In this episode, David Brühlmann speaks with Andreas Castan, a bioprocess veteran with over 25 years of industry experience who provides leadership and support to Cytiva's bioprocess business. Andreas brings deep expertise from directing upstream development at Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and extensive work in expression systems, process development, scale-up, and cGMP manufacturing across multiple therapeutic modalities.Why tune in? Here's your process engineer's roadmap:Process Intensification Economics Decoded: Andreas reveals the cost-benefit reality behind continuous vs fed-batch manufacturing, including real process economic modeling data showing why the differences aren't as dramatic as you'd expect and what factors actually drive your business case.Low-Hanging Fruit That Delivers: Skip the overhyped AI solutions. Andreas shares the strategic fundamentals that work: high-producing cell line development, N-1 perfusion for rapid productivity gains, and smart bioreactor turndown strategies that eliminate process steps without adding complexity.Decision Framework for Technology Selection: Learn when continuous processing makes economic sense (and when it doesn't), how media costs impact your COGS analysis, and why understanding your bottlenecks, not following industry trends, should drive your intensification strategy.Industry Insider Strategies: Get the inside track on what AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Merck, Lonza, and Takeda are actually implementing, plus Andreas's perspective on why human expertise and mechanistic insights still outweigh AI in real-world process decisions.Ready to make smarter technology investments and achieve measurable productivity gains? This isn't theory. It's a practical guide to process intensification economics that you can apply whether you're preparing for Phase I or scaling for commercial manufacturing.Connect with Andreas Castan:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-castan-91570b1Cytiva landing page: Process intensificationOnline tool: Process intensifierNext step:Book a 20-minute call to help you get started on any questions you may have about bioprocessing analytics: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call

In this episode, host Josh interviews Steve Simonsen, CEO of SYMO Global, about strategies for private label sellers and brands facing economic challenges like inflation, rising Amazon fees, and shrinking margins. Steve shares actionable advice on SKU-level profitability analysis, disciplined inventory management, negotiating with suppliers, and liquidating slow-moving products. He emphasizes the importance of understanding financial statements and maintaining financial discipline. The conversation offers practical tips for navigating uncertain demand and highlights the need for proactive, data-driven decision-making to thrive during tough economic times.Chapters:Introduction & Economic Context (00:00:00)Josh introduces Steve Simonsen and sets the stage: inflation, rising Amazon fees, squeezed margins, and a pending recession.State of the Economy & Inventory Focus (00:00:55)Steve discusses the reality of the recession, economic slowdown, and the importance of managing inventory on the balance sheet.SKU-Level Profitability & Declining Unit Sales (00:02:03)Emphasis on granular SKU-level profitability analysis and the impact of declining unit sales despite higher top-line revenue.Supplier Negotiations & Cost Control (00:04:04)Strategies for negotiating with suppliers, leveraging currency shifts, and pushing back on costs to improve margins.Inventory Valuation & Trash to Cash (00:05:58)Advice on devaluing inventory, taking write-offs, and converting slow-moving inventory into cash.Liquidation Strategies & Q4 Considerations (00:07:21)How to liquidate inventory, use Q4 for retail-value sales, and categorize inventory for effective action.Actionable Takeaways Recap (00:08:46)Josh summarizes three actionable takeaways: SKU-level analysis, turning trash to cash, and cautious inventory forecasting.Financial Discipline & Mindset (00:11:06)Steve stresses the importance of understanding financials, cash flow, and developing discipline during tough economic times.Closing Thoughts & Contact Info (00:13:44)Final advice on mindset, encouragement for entrepreneurs, and where to follow or contact Steve.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesParsimonyAdditional ResourcesSteve Simonsen on LinkedInTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm speaking with Steve Simonsen, owner and CEO of SYMO Global. Steve, you've got such great experience. You have. It sounds like a great network in terms of supplier relationships. Because of your vast experience with SYMO Global, you've already got so many different contacts in those different countries as we were in a difficult economic period right now. Right. We have inflation that's been going up. Amazon fees continue to go up, right. margins are getting squeezed. And then we have this pending recession on our hands where consumers are starting to pull back on some of the consumer spending. I think we're seeing that. I want to ask what you're seeing from your perspective. And then for our audience that are established brands that want to take it to the next level. What should they be doing? What strategies should they be employing over the next little while?Steve 00:00:55  Gosh, yeah, that's there's a lot in there. And the truth is, like we're already in a recession, right? It doesn't matter what the politicians say.Steve 00:01:04  It matters only what the numbers say. And the numbers are very clear, right? There is a slowdown, not just a slowdown, a reduction of economic output. And that doesn't mean the world's coming to an end. It just means there are some economic, reasonable laws that have to be dealt with. Right. It's like gravity. You can't argue whether gravity exists or not. It's there and you have to deal with it. So, what that means to us is like dealing with, you know, a reducing kind of economy and an increasing level of inflation. This is the ultimate squeeze. Nobody wants to see it, but where it's upon us. So we're we're we approached this from a very disciplined mathematics perspective. Like we especially we look at the balance sheet. It's like what is the biggest thing on the balance sheet we need to manage. And for private label sellers it's all about inventory, right? There's nothing bigger on your balance sheet typically that inventory. You know, maybe you got some cash here and there.Steve 00:02:03  But if you're a growing business, inventory is dominating that balance sheet. And that means that inventory, which, you know, may exist as a single line item on your financials, I don't know. But we get granular. We want to know every line item. We want to know every Asin, every SKU. However you refer to it and we want to know its profitability. We want to know what people are going to do when it comes to crunch time, right. If demand goes down, I'm here's a little insider secret. It's already gone down, right? Yeah. Units sold are already down the the cost or the pricing. In other words, the sell through may be higher, but that's that's a misleading stat. Yeah. Even if sales are up 8%. You got inflation units are down for sure. Correct. It's not in every category but many categories are experiencing it. So we've got to get scrutiny to level ten on every, every line item on that inventory sheet.Josh 00:02:57  Yeah, I think that's words of wisdom right there, because we are also seeing that from our perspective.Josh 00:03:03  You know, a lot of our products are more in the, you know, consumer discretionary items here. And so they're not essential for people. But we have also started to see year over year sales declines in the number of units that are being sold. Now our, you know, top line revenue looks good. Well, that's because we've increased prices to make up for the increase in Amazon fees and inflation and all of that. So to your point like don't just look at you know, hey, this aggregate number amount of money that's being sold or whatever, you know, Washington wants to, you know, state publicly, you know, with, oh, things are just fine. Like, look at these numbers. At the end of the day, there are fewer numbers of fewer units being sold. you know, the consumers are starting to pull back. So, Steve, what is something that you do as you work with, you know, your suppliers? Is there a way that you can reduce, you know, whether it be your Cogs or reduce like your mocks for certain products.Josh 00:04:04  Like how do you navigate this delicate balance of like, I don't know how big of a pullback this is going to be, but I don't want to just I'm not going to order and say, hey, whatever we did in 2021, let's let's do that because that's what's going to happen.Steve 00:04:17  Well, it is it's the ultimate question, but it's it also just goes back to the most simple, basics. It's like, you know what? Every controllable variable you better push on. Right. So currency is wildly shifted year over year between China and the US as an example. You better take advantage of that and at least understand that many times if you try to just call your supplier and go, hey, great news. There's been a 10% shift in currency. That means I get a 10% discount on my products. Now they'll go, no, no, no, we had a cost increase of labor and the cost increase of Covid. You know, there are plenty of reasons they want to they want to fight against you.Steve 00:04:54  but I'm telling you proactively that every point, whether it is the inputs of raw materials and checking those commodity prices, whether it's currency, like every piece of that puzzle you need to push back ...

The Nightmare of Eveline Shadow was a haunting experience where guests stepped into the nightmarish writings of a horror novelist. They had to navigate a hotel filled with nightmares, while being guided by the narrator's prompts and scripts. The closure of hotels during the pandemic quarantine era created a golden opportunity for a trio of talented creators from the Benelux region. Alexander Gierholz of Logiclocks, Jeroen van Hasselt of Entered, and Meggy Pepelanova came together to create a unique horror experience set in an entire empty wing of a hotel. Alas, they experienced their own nightmare when lockdown regulations became even more restricted. They had to put their experience on hold, and then suddenly regulations lifted entirely, and the hotel began to resume normal operations. Their window for hosting The Nightmare of Eveline Shadow at an empty hotel vanished, and we're left with only handful of photos and this Spoilers Club series as evidence of its existence.   To listen to Part 2, and the rest of the Spoilers Club category, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/roomescapeartist      Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

There are hundreds of SaaS metrics, but which ones truly matter for SaaS leaders who want to scale, raise capital, and maximize company valuation? In episode #313, Ben Murray breaks down the five essential metrics every SaaS executive must understand — whether you're a founder, CFO, or operator. From bookings to retention, gross profit, OpEx, and the ROSE efficiency metric, you'll learn how to read your SaaS P&L like a top operator, and why these metrics are critical to driving durable growth, improving investor metrics, and strengthening your business model. What You'll Learn Bookings – Signed contracts for ARR commitments, the fuel of your revenue engine. Retention – Gross revenue retention, net revenue retention, and customer retention are the ultimate health checks for recurring revenue. Margins (Gross Profit) – Why accurate COGS vs. OpEx separation matters for forecasting, profitability, and valuation. OpEx Profile – How much you should invest in R&D, sales, marketing, and G&A as a percentage of revenue. ROSE Metric (Return on SaaS Employees) – A powerful measure of organizational efficiency and path to profitability, stronger than revenue per FTE. Why These Metrics Matter Finance & Accounting: They form the backbone of your SaaS P&L and cash flow forecasting. Investor Metrics: Investors use these to evaluate efficiency, scalability, and risk. Valuation: Strong retention, margins, and efficiency drive higher SaaS valuations. Business Leaders: Understanding these numbers enables smarter decisions at both the departmental and company levels. Resources Mentioned Free Webinar – Deep dive into these five metrics, plus tips, frameworks, and pro insights: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/pl/2148701264 Quote from Ben “Every SaaS leader doesn't need to calculate these metrics themselves — but they must understand them. These numbers tell the story of your business.”

The Financial Operator: Cash In, Chaos Out Podcast | Episode 66 | How I Scaled a Plumbing Business & Sold It in 5 Years with Mitch Smedley

This is Part 4 of Steve Coughran's book Building Margin. Steve shows contractors how to reclaim financial margin by focusing on free cash flow over paper profit—calculating gross margin and break-even revenue, using the four profit levers (pricing, COGS, overhead, volume), and tracking simple efficiency metrics (LTGP:CAC, ROL, ROIC) to stop leaks and price with confidence.LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

This is Part 7 of Steve Coughran's book Cash Flow. Steve covers the third lever of cash flow: cost of goods sold (COGS). He explains why lowering COGS directly boosts profitability, how throughput matters more than margins, and the strategies businesses can use to cut waste, improve labor efficiency, and increase cash flow without sacrificing quality.LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

Your SaaS COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) is one of the most important foundations in your SaaS P&L — and getting it wrong can distort your gross profit margins, forecasts, SaaS metrics, investor metrics, and ultimately your valuation. In this episode, Ben Murray breaks down exactly what belongs in SaaS COGS, how to handle multi-hat employees, and why clean financial reporting is critical for scaling. If you're a SaaS founder, CFO, or operator, episode #311 will help you properly structure your business model for accurate financial reporting and investor-ready transparency. What You'll Learn Departments to include in COGS: Tech support, professional services, managed services, customer success (non-sales), DevOps, hardware, and transactional costs. Why COGS must be fully burdened (wages, taxes, benefits, bonuses, travel, etc.). How to handle allocations when employees wear multiple hats (without overcomplicating your accounting). The role of transactional cost centers for usage-based or variable revenue models. Why accurate COGS = accurate gross profit, margins by revenue stream, and valuation metrics. The importance of following the matching principle under accrual accounting. Why It Matters Finance & Accounting: Accurate COGS sets the foundation for reliable P&Ls and forecasts. Investor Metrics: Clean COGS helps investors and acquirers trust your financial systems and data. Valuation: Strong, transparent gross profit reporting increases confidence during fundraising or exit planning. Business Leaders: Knowing your true COGS drives better decision-making across your revenue streams. Resources Mentioned Blog Post: How to Structure Your SaaS P&L Correctly: https://www.thesaascfo.com/what-should-be-included-in-saas-cogs/ Academy Content: Deep dive into SaaS COGS, OPEX, and financial modeling for SaaS and AI companies: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/the-saas-metrics-foundation Quote from Ben “Your SaaS COGS must be fully burdened — labor, taxes, benefits, even pizza parties. That's how you get accurate gross profit and investor-ready financials.”

This is Part 4 of Steve Coughran's book Building Margin. In this section, Steve shows contractors how to reclaim financial margin by focusing on free cash flow over paper profit—calculating gross margin and break-even revenue, using the four profit levers (pricing, COGS, overhead, volume), and tracking simple efficiency metrics (LTGP:CAC, ROL, ROIC) to stop leaks and price with confidence.Win a free custom KPI Dashboard for your business. Apply now before the September 10th drawing: coltivar.com/kpisLinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

"I have so many burning questions." Our podcast, Reality Escape Pod, isn't exactly short-form content. Most episodes clock in at over fifty minutes, and yet, I always feel like I didn't get enough time with the guest. "But I've still got some burning questions!" I think to myself. Or maybe I have follow up questions, but I didn't want to interrupt the flow of conversation. Luckily, we have our Bonus Aftershow. I love this format because David and I are able to have more casual conversations with our guests, rather than the more formal interview on Reality Escape Pod. The Bonus Show chats run the gamut from in-depth design discussions, to workshopping business or game ideas, to just trading battle stories of escape rooms gone awry. In the Best of Bonus, I picked some of my favorite moments from our Season 9 Bonus Aftershow episodes. I really loved hearing more stories from James Douberly about the MIT Mystery Hunt, and listening to Neil Patrick Harris talk about magic and escape rooms. Jon and Ryan from The Great Gotham Challenge kept talking about "risky puzzles" and I finally had the chance to ask them about this concept. We also got the definitive answer from Steven Medway, creator of Blood on the Clocktower, on whether townsfolk (Team Good) should be executing every day in the game. The Bonus Aftershow is included when you become a Patreon supporter of Room Escape Artist. Join today for access to our library of over 100 episodes of the Bonus Aftershow. We put a lot of love and time into creating the best possible content that supports our mission of elevating the escape room industry. We truly appreciate your support.   Full Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

Tom and Amy Johnson are turning a years-long dream into B-Side the Tracks Brewing Company in Conyers, GA. Amy, a 30-year finance pro turned American Brewers Guild grad, will helm the brewhouse. Tom will run front-of-house and a small distillery (bourbon, whiskey, vodka; rum later). Their vision is a true “third place” with standout hospitality, pizza from a 700° rotating oven, smart limited specials, weekend brunch, and education-forward beer & spirits pairings. The path wasn't linear: failed financing, lost earnest money, an architect/GC reset, a surprise ~$42k water fee, and an 18-month slog to close on their historic railroad-side building. Permits landed late May, renovation began in June, target opening is October. Equipment is en route, community excitement is real, and their service-first mindset (“welcome home”) is the throughline.8–10 Takeaways Hospitality > Hype: They're building a neighborhood “third space” where regulars feel known. Service is the differentiator, not bells & whistles. Beer + Spirits, thoughtfully: Six house beers on 12 taps, a 1-bbl pilot for experiments (first up: a peach wheat), and a micro-distillery launching with three core spirits. Education matters: Tasting flights, three-course pairings (beer and spirits), and “why you like what you like” guidance to win over the “I don't like beer” crowd. Menu discipline: 700° oven, ~90-second pizzas, tight rotating specials, and brunch on weekends, quality over quantity to control COGS and execution. Perseverance playbook: Multiple failed loans, lost deposits, a full architect/GC change, and a late surprise water impact fee, yet they kept going. Community roots: Name and location honor Conyers' rail history. Goal is a Cheers-style welcome: “Welcome home, we're glad you're here.” Real operator chops: Amy's ABG training (and engineering-heavy exams) plus Tom's FOH leadership and distilling background from UVM/Colorado Boy. Own the asset: They bought the historic building; renovations started June after permits cleared in late May. Right partners: POS via GoTab for responsive support and fit; local construction management to keep it community-driven. Target timeline: Brewing kit is on the water (ETA late September); opening aimed for October (Oktoberfest whenever the doors open).

This is Part 7 of Steve Coughran's book Cash Flow. In this section, Steve covers the third lever of cash flow: cost of goods sold (COGS). He explains why lowering COGS directly boosts profitability, how throughput matters more than margins, and the strategies businesses can use to cut waste, improve labor efficiency, and increase cash flow without sacrificing quality.LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com/byfiq

The future fight won't be won by those with the biggest budgets, most polished strategies, or largest armies. It will be won by those who can translate breakthrough technology into usable capability at speed and scale. Ryan was joined by Horacio Rozanski, the CEO of Booz Allen, to talk about the role his company is playing in this race. Having reoriented Booz Allen into a technology integrator, he shares the cultural and organizational challenges of turning Booz Allen into a company of builders, the bets being made on emerging technologies, and how his personal journey — from immigrant to Booz Allen intern to CEO — shapes how he sees change.   This is a special cross-posted episode of Cogs of War, our show on defense tech and industry. Click here to subscribe using your podcast app of choice: https://pod.link/1818133762

Inside New York's 80s & 90s Arcade Scene ft. Lord Cognito | Retro Gaming History & Classics

"Highlighting the most interesting, entertaining, and impactful moments." Have you been feverishly refreshing your podcatcher in anticipation of the return of Reality Escape Pod? Don't worry, Season 10 of the podcast will be here in the very near future. To pass the time, have a listen to some memorable clips our editor Steve Ewing selected from each episode of Season 9. It's perfect for new listeners of the podcast or fans who want to relive their favorite moments.   Full Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

AI-Native products and AI products integrated into a traditional SaaS platform have different Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) than a SaaS platform, which directly impacts Gross Margin. With over 80% of SaaS companies already integrating AI products into their platform, the Metrics Brothers knew it was time to discuss the Gross Margin and Cost of Goods Sold considerations of deploying an AI product:Topics that CAC and Growth discuss during this episode includes:Gross Margin benchmarks for AI products versus SaaS platformsCost of Goods Sold (COGS) for SaaS productsCost of Goods Sold (COGS) for AI productsGeneral Rules for COGS vs OPEX categorizationIncreasing AI product Gross Margins with scaleThe cascading reality of AI investments and build-outsIf you are considering investing capital and resources into an AI product, be it in an AI-Native product or as an add-on to a legacy SaaS platform, this conversation between CAC and Growth provides multiple insights and considerations for many Cost of Goods Sold components for AI products vis-à-vis traditional SaaS products.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're diving into a major development at the intersection of tech, trade, and national security: the U.S. government's decision to allow NVIDIA's H20 chips back into the Chinese market. Brad Carson (former defense official and member of Congress) of Americans for Responsible Innovation and Liza Tobin (former CIA and National Security Council staffer) of Garnaut Global join Ryan to explore what this reversal says about America's approach to protecting its tech edge, whether NVIDIA's justifications hold water, why normal Americans should care about this, and what it could mean for the future of AI and semiconductor strategy.  This episode also features a short clip from our new, free show, Cogs of War. You can listen to this exciting new show on defense tech and industrial issues on your podcast app of choice.

MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.//What if your next supply chain decision could unlock 5–10 more points of margin—without sacrificing quality?In this episode, Andrew brings back Laura Guevara of Move Supply Chain to do a deep dive on exactly how they built a high-margin, custom-manufactured product (solid cologne) from scratch—with global sourcing, minimal MOQs, and airtight logistics.You'll hear how Laura's team:– Sourced over 80+ manufacturers across Asia, Europe, and the U.S.– Landed beautiful, custom walnut & aluminum packaging at ~$5 per unit– Navigated tariff risk, lead times, and sampling strategy– Used Filipino talent for affordable, world-class execution– Identified future margin unlocks, including raw material sourcing and toll manufacturingIf you're scaling an eCommerce business, supply chain optimization isn't optional. It's your competitive advantage. This episode is a masterclass in how to build smart from day one—and where to look for your next big efficiency win.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:21 - Introducing Resolute00:07:19 - Sales Funnel Process For Manufacturing00:13:04 - Resolute Unit Economics Calculator00:29:47 - Complications In Production00:33:30 - Lara Discusses Various Supply Chain Locations00:41:25 - Sourcing Raw Materials For Packaging & Product// SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to this episode of 20/20 Money! My guest on today's show is Nathan Hayes. Nathan joins me on the show to do a deep dive into 2024's Books & Benchmark's annual report. He shares ranges of the numbers that practice owners should really care about and should be tracking: COGS, non-OD staff expense, Associate OD comp ranges, occupancy costs, and G&A (general & administrative). We also talk about some of the lessons that practice owners can learn from these numbers and walk through a number of examples that both he and I have seen in our work with owners.   As a reminder, you can get all the information discussed in today's conversation by visiting our website at integratedpwm.com and clicking on the Learning Center. While there, be sure to subscribe to our monthly “planning life on purpose” newsletter that's filled with tips and ideas to help you plan your best life, on purpose. You can also set up a Triage conversation to learn a little bit more about how we serve in the capacity of a personal and professional CFO: helping OD practice owners around the country reduce their tax bill, proactively manage cash flow, and make prudent investment decisions both in and out of their practice to ultimately help them live their best life on purpose. If you're interested in learning more about the 20/20 Money Financial Success Masterclass, a course & platform that we created to help ODs become “brilliant at the financial basics,” or are interested in learning more about how OD Masterminds creates space for real conversations, real accountability, and real growth, please check out the link in the show notes of this episode to learn more.   And with that introduction, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Nathan Hayes.   Resources: 20/20 Money Ultimate Financial Success Masterclass OD Mastermind Interest Form Download the 2024 Books & Benchmarks Report Learn more about Books & Benchmarks Embezzlement in optometry practices: how it happens, who's likely to do it, and ways in which you can prevent it from happening w/ Dr. Bethany Fishbein, OD   ————————————————————————————— Please rate and subscribe to 20/20 Money on these platforms Apple Podcasts Spotify ————————————————————————————— For past episodes of 20/20 Money with full companion show notes, please check out our episode archive here!

MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.//In this episode, Andrew Faris pulls back the curtain on his newest venture—Resolute, a solid cologne brand built from the ground up with profitability in mind. If you're a founder, operator, or investor in the DTC space, this is a rare chance to watch a brand go from zero to launch—with full transparency.You'll learn:- Why Andrew chose solid cologne as a category (and why margin is greater than everything)- How he's thinking about pricing, supply chain, and product positioning- What makes the economics work (or not) in high-margin DTC businesses- A step-by-step walkthrough of COGS, packaging costs, and breakeven ROAS- How Move Supply Chain helped source 60+ vendors to build efficiently- What questions remain about LTV, price testing, and product-market fitWhether you're building your next brand or refining your current economics, this episode delivers a masterclass in strategic thinking and cash-efficient DTC execution.Subscribe to follow the full journey of Resolute as it unfolds.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:47 - What Is Resolute? (My New Brand)00:02:50 - Solid Cologne Preview00:07:06 - The Components of a Good E-Commerce Product00:14:28 - Importance of the Sample Packs0021:32 - Creating Repeat Customers00:23:22 - Unit Economic Calculator00:35:29 - P&L Predictions// SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hello everyone!We've been sent a great song from Daddy's friend, Bob Baker, celebrating our 200th episode. It's a parody of Jackie and Judy by The Ramones and it was recorded by Paulie and the Cogs from Chicago.Also Juno had her birthday party, a dog bit Robin's bum and we did our first play, Mayhem at the Museum, with drama club.Plus Joke of the Week, Farty Facts, Tickle Time and Tooth Update.We love you all!

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep149Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Our two cafes made a million bucks cumulatively from January to June — but where did it all go? In this episode, we pull back the curtain and share our real numbers from the first half of 2025 across both of our cafes. We break down how much we earned, how much went to cost of goods sold (COGS), what our labor percentages are, and why it feels like there's never quite as much left over as you'd think. Whether you're an aspiring cafe owner or a seasoned vet trying to better understand your margins, this episode is all about transparency and growth. We even get into how our inventory systems evolved, our goals for tracking waste, and the tradeoffs of running a coffee business where profit margins are razor-thin. Oh yeah, and we talk about half birthdays and David Archuleta.*If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale*Buy Valor Coffee: ⁠⁠https://valor.coffee/shop?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep149Watch on Youtube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16⁠⁠Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account!Want to send us coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffeeWant to get your business in front of more people? We partnered with Local Eyes Growth to grow our business through SEO and the results have been incredible. Local Eyes is offering a FREE backlink ($300 value) to Valor Coffee Podcast listeners who partner through our exclusive link. Visit ⁠⁠https://localeyesgrowth.com/valor⁠⁠ to get the ball rolling!Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod⁠⁠Follow Valor on Instagram: ⁠⁠http://instagram.com/valor.coffee⁠⁠Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook⁠⁠Follow Riley:  ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook⁠⁠Follow Ross: ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/rosswalters⁠⁠Follow Ethan's Parody Account:  ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777

In a world powered by steam and ruled by corporations, one young woman's discovery will ignite a revolution.Alice is a gifted but underappreciated tinkerer working the rail lines of Terra. During an unexpected train malfunction, she uncovers a long-lost ancient artifact buried in a forgotten cave—a fire cog capable of creating heat and light—seemingly from nothing.Could it be tied to one of the seven primordial Cogs of Legend?Worse, once the Steele Company learns of the cog's abilities, they stop at nothing to take it from Alice.Forced to flee, Alice teams up with her rough-edged mentor Rueger and quick-witted best friend Henry as they race to unravel the mystery of the fire cog. Along the way, Alice must master deadly new lore, survive on a mysterious island, and face truths about her long-lost family and the shadowy history of Terra itself.But with a host of steam-powered walkers closing in, time is running out. Can Alice unlock the cog's power before it falls into the wrong hands?Awakening Fire is Book One in the Cogs of Legend series: a steampunk science-fantasy epic packed with immersive settings, sharp characters, slow-burn romance, and high-stakes adventure.Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth, Mistborn, and Mortal Engines.The gears are turning. The spark has been lit. The legend begins.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Connor and Heather break down a $2.6M Manhattan boutique stretching franchise, debating its “passive” claims, premium valuation, and if the trendy concept will stand the test of time.Business Listing – https://www.bizbuysell.com/business-opportunity/network-of-3-passive-boutique-wellness-centers-in-nyc/2308977/Welcome to Acquisitions Anonymous – the #1 podcast for small business M&A. Every week, we break down businesses for sale and talk about buying, operating, and growing them.

[1] Does the pursuit of excellence in medicine conflict with the pursuit of well-being? This is Episode #1 which was first released on 17, 2024. Description: -  Adam invites Dr. Lisa Rosenbaum to discuss her recent publication in the NEJM titled Being Well while Doing Well — Distinguishing Necessary from Unnecessary Discomfort in Training.   This thought-provoking paper is the 3rd in a series of 4 essays in the NEJM by Dr. Rosenbaum.  It's a social commentary on recent cultural and societal changes and their impact on medical education. We discuss Lisa's critical perspectives on the important notions of wellness and professional identity in our field.   Length of Episode: 40 minutes   Article discussed: Rosenbaum L. Being Well while Doing Well - Distinguishing Necessary from Unnecessary Discomfort in Training. N Engl J Med. 2024 Feb 8;390(6):568-572. doi: 10.1056/NEJMms2308228. Epub 2024 Jan 17. PMID: 38231543. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38231543/  Resources to check out :  Dr. Rosenbaum's recent related publications    https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMms2308228 Being Well while Doing Well — Distinguishing Necessary from Unnecessary Discomfort in Training   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38265727/ Beyond Moral Injury - Can We Reclaim Agency, Belief, and Joy in Medicine?   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38197811/ On Calling - From Privileged Professionals to Cogs of Capitalism?   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38170694/ What Do Trainees Want? The Rise of House Staff Unions   Podcast ‘Not Otherwise Specified' https://not-otherwise-specified-podcast.nejm.org/e/tough-love/     Contact us: keylime@royalcollege.ca   Follow: Dr. Adam Szulewski https://x.com/Adam_Szulewski    

MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.//Roman Khan isn't just building brands—he's building machines that generate real, distributable cash. In this episode of the AJF Podcast, Roman reveals the systems behind Peak 21's success, including the overlooked levers in supply chain that drive margins, profitability, and growth.If you're a 7–9 figure founder struggling with inventory, margin compression, or scaling profitably—this conversation is a goldmine. Learn why your supplier might be your best financing partner, how a granular bill of materials changes everything, and how Roman's team of 40 in Asia turns under-optimized brands into lean, cash-rich operations.Topics include:- Supply chain as a growth engine (not a bottleneck)- Payment terms, BOMs, and price breaks that fund scale- How Roman avoids debt while growing 50%+ YoY- Why most DTC brands never reach escape velocity- What it takes to actually exit a brandWhether you're looking to scale profitably or exit smart, this episode will shift how you think about operations.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:08 - What Is Peak 21?00:07:55 - Process of Vetting A Company For Acquisition00:16:54 - Your Sub $10 Million Revenue Business Should Do This00:30:17 - Supply Chain In Hong Kong00:38:15 - What Is Hot On Roman's Radar for DTC//Roman Khan is the Founder and CEO of Peak21, an ecommerce aggregator doing more than $300M/year in revenue. Follow Roman on X at https://x.com/RomanEcom and inquire about partnering with Peak21 at https://peak21.io. //SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode is sponsored by Cin7 — the operating system for food and beverage brands. Foodbevy listeners get 50% off for 3 months when you sign up. Learn more at cin7.com/foodbevyTÖST went from a simple, elegant idea to a global beverage brand — and the key to their growth wasn't just demand, but operations. If you're ready to take control of your COGS and scale with confidence, consider what tools like Cin7 can unlock for your team. Learn more at cin7.com/foodbevy and grab a bottle of TÖST at tostbeverages.com. Thanks again to Chie Addington for joining us — and we'll see you next time on Startup to Scale.Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

" Horror is the excitement of the unknown." It's dark all around you. You clutch your flashlight with trembling hands, but the beam of light blinds you when it hits a wall of fog. In the swirling mist ahead, eerie creatures wander the grounds between you and your goal. You must use your knowledge of the inhabitants of this place to save yourself and your friends. Welcome to Lockhill. Bill Dalitsikas, owner of Lockhill Escape Game in Athens, Greece, is the master of horror, when it comes to escape rooms. The Sanatorium premiered at the #5 spot on the TERPECA awards, and Chapel & Catacombs was voted the #1 escape room in the world in 2022. (Both games also won Golden Lock Awards.) He joins us on REPOD to talk about his inspiration, thoughts on what makes for a good horror escape room, and the Athens escape room scene. These games are massive, and it's absolutely wild that for the most part, Bill designs and builds these games all by himself. I really loved hearing him talk about using actors as puzzles in his games. It's one of the many mechanics that make his games feel like real live video games. Indeed, he was heavily inspired by Silent Hill, Mansions of Madness, and Betrayal at House on the Hill. It became very clear as we talked to Bill that his motivation isn't to scare the players as much as possible; rather it's to give the players the best experience possible. That's why he has three different game modes for The Sanatorium: Day Mode where it's less scary with more focus on the puzzles, Night Mode where the focus is on the actors and scares, and Midnight Mode where players get the best of both worlds—maximum puzzles and maximum scares. Even if you're not a fan of horror games, I think you will find this conversation compelling. Hopefully it will convince you check out the games at Lockhill next time your are near Athens.   Full Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

Gross profit is a core metric in SaaS—and 80% is the benchmark often thrown around. But is that still realistic in today's landscape? In episode #292 of SaaS Metric School, Ben Murray walks through real benchmarking data from Ray Rike's benchmarks at Benchmarkit.ai and explains how gross profit should evolve as your business scales. He also dives into how to set up your SaaS P&L correctly and what to include in COGS vs. OpEx. What You'll Learn: What gross profit benchmarks actually look like today What is our north star GP%? How gross profit changes as you scale Common COGS setup mistakes in SaaS businesses What to do if your gross profit is trending in the wrong direction Benchmarks Mentioned: Bottom quartile Median Top performers Key Insight: Don't blindly shoot for 80% at every stage. Under $2M ARR? It's okay to be lower. But once you're in the $10–20M+ range, that 80% benchmark becomes more important—and achievable. Resources:

Just One More Thing!Call us Columbo, but it didn't seem fair that after nearly 3 years of pondering plot points out loud, we didn't give some of our repeat mailbag offenders a chance to chime in...especially now that Mike Seibert has graduated from First-Time Viewer to Serial Rewatcher. With the spoiler embargo lifted, we welcome to the show Ed, Blake, Stuart, Irish Mike and returning 2M2F superfan, Matthew "Matty B" "The Barberino" Barberio to discuss Transformers Animated as a whole--with little to no regard for Seibert's precious ears! We'll cover some of the hottest takes this side of New Detroit, crush a few Burger Bots, and learn that real treasure was the Mikes we met along the way. So what are you waiting for, Cogs? AXE US ANYTHING! Registration for CybFest NW 2025 is now LIVE for attendees, dealers, and sponsors! Register nowLearn more about this year's exclusive figure, CONDOR, at the BLUE FORGE page on Facebook!Want to be part of the show? Our email address is 2Mikes2Furious@Gmail.comFollow 2 Mikes 2 Furious on social mediaTwitter, Facebook, InstagramCheck out Mike Seibert's other podcast, Mike Seibert Radio, everywhere you listen to 2 Mikes 2 FuriousBecome a Mike Seibertronian and join the MSRP/2M2F Friends and Fans Facebook GroupFollow Mike Seibert on social mediaTwitter, Facebook, Instagram, BlueskyYou can buy books written by Mikel Andrews on Amazon, including the Coming of Mage saga: Coming of Mage and its sequel, A War for the Mages, as well as his latest , Gone for a Spell Follow Mikel Andrews on Twitter

" Challenging yourself is how you produce growth in your own life." Countless late nights, occasional tears, and many great conversations later, we did it. We made it to 100 episodes of REPOD! We've had so many incredible guests come on the show, fully willing to share the secret sauce to their success. These guests have been a treasure trove of creative inspiration. From discussing how to create immersive sets, to tricks for directing a player's attention, from how to effectively market your business to creating puzzles, our guests didn't gatekeep or pull their punches. To celebrate, we're taking a look back through the archives and picking some noteworthy clips. These were all things our guests said that really resonated with us – personally, professionally, or on a creative level. Each of these clips fundamentally changed how we think about something. Maybe it gave us a new perspective on leadership, like Elan Lee's clip about "other people's work." Or perhaps it was Christine Barger going against industry norms by allowing filming in her escape room. Others were more philosophical, like Alexander Gierholz's musings on the dissonance of escapism. Many of these clips helped shape the way we think about immersive design, such as Linda Klein talking about "experiential mixers" or Tommy Honton's "adrenaline map." It's been an amazing 100 episodes of Reality Escape Pod. I hope our guests have also inspired you in your creative journey. And if they did, we'd love to hear about it. Let us know if there's anything we missed that especially resonated with you. Thank you all for listening and for all your support!   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

In this episode, Wes Bush interviews Ricardo, founder of BetterPic, about how he acquired and scaled an AI headshot company from $1.5K to $270K MRR in just 18 months - all while working part-time. Ricardo reveals his acquisition strategy, focus on fundamentals, and the three key moats that make BetterPic hard to compete with in the crowded AI photo generation market. Key Takeaways: [00:01:17] The unconventional $1 acquisition story [00:05:55] The product was "complete shit" initially - 10% refund rate vs 2% today [00:11:17] Why they invested in SEO and marketing automation early on [00:14:15] Building the foundations: marketing automation flows for 20-30 users that scale to thousands [00:16:30] Scaling AOV from $15 to $47 and how it unlocked new channels [00:21:25] How 9% conversion rates attracted top affiliates (vs industry standard 1-2%) [00:24:44] The 3 moats: 24/7 support, SEO dominance, and lowest COGS in the industry [00:27:16] Building a 50/50 marketing-tech team (unusual for most tech companies) [00:32:12] Channel breakdown: 80K from affiliates, 80K from Google Ads, plus SEO and Reddit [00:39:17] Current metrics: 7,000 monthly clients, 20 team members, 3-minute support response time [00:42:07] What he'd do differently: go all-in sooner instead of staying part-time Learn more about Ricardo: Connect with Stijn on LinkedIn

"It's the first science-based escape room." If you ask an escape room enthusiast about entanglement puzzles, what likely springs to mind are those intertwined, bent metal nails that you need to separate. However, for Paul Kwiat, an entanglement puzzle is something else completely. Professor Kwiat is an acclaimed physicist, specializing in quantum physics, including quantum entanglement, along with quantum cryptography, dense-coding, quantum teleportation, entanglement distillation, and most recently, optical quantum gates. Phew! But what's a physicist doing on REPOD? Besides his many other accomplishments, Professor Kwiat has also created LabEscape, the first science-based escape room. Most of the puzzles in his games are built on different science phenomena such as magnetism, thermodynamics, and polarization. Many of these are rather advanced principles that would be taught at a college-level course. These are not games for kids! Professor Kwiat explains that he had three goals when creating his escape room. One—to show that science can be both relevant and accessible. Two—to show that these scientific effects are aesthetically beautiful. Three—that science is fun! His love of science and physics is certainly infectious. We couldn't resist the opportunity to chat about quantum mechanics, including quantum computers, and cryptography. I truly appreciated that he took the time to explain all these principles to us, even if it meant crushing my romantic notions of how quantum entanglement works. This episode is a bit different, but I think you'll certainly learn something.   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

MOVE SUPPLY CHAIN Pay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠. INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.  //  Andrew sits down with Chad Carlton, CEO of Good Company, a 3PL that ships over 3 million orders annually for fewer than 20 clients. In this tactical deep dive, they walk through every step of the fulfillment journey—from the moment your product hits the warehouse to when it lands at your customer's door. You'll learn: - Why most brands treat their 3PLs wrong—and how to fix it - The real cost structure behind pick, pack, and postage - When it makes sense to fulfill in-house vs outsource - How to reduce returns and increase resellable inventory - What "alignment of incentives" really looks like in logistics Real numbers, strategic decisions, and operational leverage that can drive profitability are candidly explored—especially in a margin-compressed environment. Whether you're considering switching 3PLs, scaling to multiple warehouses, or fixing your supply chain slippage, this episode gives you the framework to make better, more profitable decisions.  // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:46 - Chad's Calling To Start a 3PL Business 00:08:39 - Why Your Business Should Use A 3PL 00:19:09 - Demanding The Right Price From A 3PL Partner 00:40:44 - The Process 00:53:38 - Midwest Is The Best Location For Shipping  //  Chad Carleton is the founder and CEO of The Good Company, a 3PL based in Springfield, MO that will ship 3,000,000shipments across less than 20 clients in 2025. Visit The Good Company's website at https://www.goodcompanyships.com/ and follow him on X at https://x.com/ChadCarleton.  //  SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!  // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠  //  FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This one's for anyone who's ever mistaken SaaS metrics for gospel. I sit down (ok, dine out) with two CFOs—one from a dating app, the other from an HVAC parts company—and come away questioning the whole tech-is-king narrative.Turns out, the guy replacing dirty rugs in Georgia public schools pulled in $22 million last year. And no, he doesn't have a Substack.In this episode:* A billion-dollar business that makes… bolts* SaaS dreams vs. rug-cleaning realities* The myth of “build it once, sell it forever”* Why R&D is just COGS in a costume* A gentle roast of hustle culture and spreadsheet empiresThis is a reminder that while tech has its perks, the world is full of quiet, profitable businesses that don't require churn curves or pitch decks. Sometimes, the best margins come with dirt under the fingernails.Run the Numbers is brought to you by Zenskar.Zenskar is an AI-powered order-to-cash platform that automates billing, revenue recognition, and SaaS reporting — no spreadsheets, no engineering required. Built for modern B2B companies, Zenskar supports any pricing model: subscriptions, usage-based, or complex custom contracts.Step into the future of finance today. Visit zenskar.com/rtn and book a demo! Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Drawing on her background in winemaking and Silicon Valley, Ashley Leonard, Founder and CEO of Innovint, has developed a modern platform that tracks everything from the vineyard to the bottle.  From getting granular with COGS to automating TTB compliance, Innovint gets the winery out of spreadsheets and into a modern, cloud-based, mobile-centric system. This system is designed to accomplish Innovint's mission: Helping wineries run better businesses. Detailed Show Notes: Innovint overview - mobile-driven winemaking platform, tracks and manages all winemaking options, and automates compliance>600 winery clients (~80% of wineries still using Excel)92% of clients in North America, 8% InternationalMission: helping wineries run better businessesTTB requires reporting for producers >500 cases4 productsGrow - vineyard tracking platform from the winemaker's lens; phenology dates, yield estimates, applications, harvest scheduling, historical trendsMake - winemaking from fruit reception to bottling; work enablement platform with digital work ordersFinance - tracks all costs associated with making wine, final COGS; the finance team applies overheadsSupply (2025 launch) - case goods management, inventory tracking, integrates with DTC platforms & distributors, has allocations as a planning toolHas open APIs; integrates with TankNet and VinWizard for winery automation, receives data back for actions taken; integrates with quality control labs (e.g., ETS) and can take action more quicklyCore benefitsKey differentiator: profitability per SKU and true COGS/product (w/o Innovint, calculated once per year)Efficiency, working smarter, better decision making, and more transparencyReporting to be able to manage qualitySome wineries use data to track carbon footprint (e.g., water use, weight of glass)Reduces the risk of an auditCompliance reporting (e.g., TTB 5120, export reports) - Gloria Ferrer went from 3 people over 2 days to 15 minutes for 1 personLarger wineries tend to have more tangible benefitsDomaine Chandon saved $75k annually by making the workflow paperlessPatz & Hall saving 40 hours/monthOnboarding5-step self-serve process (vineyard sources, lots, volume, vessels, current inventory) takes a couple of days for small wineriesPremium package for larger wineries includes team training, and full data migration takes 2-8 weeksPricing - SaaS modelScales based on size (production) and complexity (# of locations) of the wineryNot user or usage-basedImplementation ~$1-2kSubscription starts at $2,400/year for a boutique winery for MakeMarketing - “has tried it all”, tries to add value to the end userDoes a lot of speaking engagements/webinars on being a healthy wineryManages The Punchdown, a free digital community that is a peer-to-peer exchangeReferrals from clients are the most effective marketingLaunched the State of the Wine Business Health Report (2024) - surveyed with >500 participantsTo reach wineries that don't go to conferences - LinkedIn/social, co-marketing, financial webinarsPaid advertising sometimes works, but it's not a top lead generatorBarrier to purchase - resistance to change, case studies help overcome (e.g., Domaine Carneros saw what Chandon was doing and bought the product)The product roadmap includes Supply module, AI applications, and embedded tools Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It was like a laser tag basement with Party City decorations." Escape rooms? What are those? Well, it says here that you're locked in a room, and if you can't solve the puzzles fast enough, a zombie will get you! According to Trip Advisor, it's the top rated activity in the city. The year is 2014. Amanda Harris has just discovered her first escape room... and her life was changed forever. Since that fateful day, she has gone on to play well over 1,700 escape rooms. She is currently one of the most experienced escape room players in the country, if not the world. Amanda joins us to talk about the escape room era of yore, when most rooms were festooned with cheap locks and even cheaper furniture. The puzzles were mostly bad, and many of the games were created and run by slightly sadistic gamemasters who guarded hints like dragons sitting on their hoards. Yet she played game after game after game. Despite how terrible many of the early escape rooms were, she still loved them, and played as many as she could find. Indeed, even finding the games themselves was a challenge back then, let alone finding the gems. Those few gems, however, were absolutely incredible. That's a large part of the reason why David and Lisa created Room Escape Artist all those years ago. Tune in to this episode to hear David and Amanda reminisce about the bad old days and trade war stories about "the early days of  completely bananas, insane escape rooms."     Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

You asked, Sarah is answering! We love these listener Q&A episodes, and today's cost of goods sold questions are absolute gold. First up: When Google gives you two different definitions for the same term, which one should you trust? Sarah breaks it down and explains gross profit margin vs. net profit margin and which should be your starting point for healthy food business cash flow. Then, we hear from a food founder who thinks they're "double charging" themselves for labor. Spoiler alert – they're not, but Sarah's explanation about theoretical COGS versus actual P&L numbers will probably change how you think about your own spreadsheets. The episode wraps with insights from a recent live Q&A where tiered pricing sparked a fascinating conversation among members. One founder wants to simplify their pricing structure due to rising & fluctuating costs, while another realized tiered pricing may be a benefit. Hear Sarah's recommendation on how they should determine their best pricing strategies.  Keep those questions coming – we read every single email! You can reach us at hello@thegoodfoodcfo.com   Join The Good Food CFO Community:  Follow us on Instagram: @thegoodfoodcfo  Connect on LinkedIn: @sarahdelevan  Watch on YouTube: @thegoodfoodcfo  Become a Member: BABOYOT  

"Innovation adoption is a contact sport." As the chief technology officer of the Department of the Navy, Justin Fanelli is one of the leaders responsible for ensuring warfighters have access to bleeding-edge solutions. Listen to his conversation with Ryan Evans, recorded live at an event in Washington, DC — our first episode of Cogs of War, a new vertical on defense tech and the defense industry brought to you by War on the Rocks and supported by Booz Allen Hamilton. Subscribe to the Cogs of War feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your podcast player of choice today.

"Once it clicks, you have sweet epiphany." In the dingy dark hallway of an asylum or prison, two men are struggling in a battle of life or death. One man is writhing on the ground while the other has something wrapped around his throat. The art is captivating and gothic, verging on grotesque, and they're animated in an unsettling way. The movement suggests a moment caught in time. We, as investigators, are tasked with uncovering the sequence of events behind this story. The Rise of the Golden Idol is a mystery-solving, narrative-driven game, and the gameplay truly makes the players feel like detectives investigating the scene of a crime. You hear from suspects, examine the evidence and search crime scenes for clues. The story itself is twisty and fantastical, and feels almost impossible to solve at first until you start pulling at threads. There is a deep satisfaction to solving the puzzles and creating order from the chaos. Brothers Andrejs Klavins and Ernests Klavins of Color Gray Games join us all the way from Latvia to talk about creating this popular series of games. I really enjoyed hearing about the changes they made from The Case of the Golden Idol when developing the sequel, and how to fine-tune difficulty in these types of mystery games. I was also especially impressed to hear that these games are written in English, which is not their native language. If you love escape rooms, puzzle games, or solving investigative mysteries, I highly recommend you check out The Case of the Golden Idol and The Rise of the Golden Idol.     Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

Fred started Cosmetic Solutions.com online store in 1996 and was one of the first third party sellers in Beauty on Amazon starting in 2003. Cosmetic Solutions is on the gorilla list of Biggest All Time Amazon Sellers in the top 260. Cosmetic Solutions' first 10 years were dedicated to selling everything at one time boasting over 100,000 sku's and offering everything from professional beauty and what you would find at your local drugstores.  Now as the business on Amazon has evolved Cosmetic Solutions is dedicated to selling its Brands as the authorized reseller and brands rights holder like skin care brand Dermactin and hair care brand Difeel and nail care brand Barielle.> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges of counterfeiting on Amazon and brand protection strategies.The evolution of selling on Amazon and adapting to marketplace changes.Importance of innovation and product development for competitiveness.Strategies for maintaining healthy profit margins amidst rising costs.Role of customer service in identifying product issues and enhancing satisfaction.Necessity of monitoring key performance metrics for business success.Building strong customer relationships to inform product offerings.Importance of delegation and team building for business growth.Navigating unexpected challenges in the e-commerce landscape.The significance of having a clear vision for business direction and growth.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Fred Adler, founder of Cosmetic Solutions and a seasoned Amazon seller with over two decades of experience. Fred shares invaluable insights on tackling counterfeiting, maintaining competitiveness, and leveraging customer service for product development. He emphasizes the importance of a robust distribution strategy, constant innovation, and attentive customer service to stay ahead in Amazon's dynamic marketplace. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways on protecting profit margins, optimizing operations, and engaging with customer feedback to drive business growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Proactively Monitor and Protect Your Listings from CounterfeitsRegularly check your product listings for inaccuracies, such as image swaps or unauthorized changes, to prevent sales loss.Implement unique SKUs for different sales channels (Amazon, retail, DTC) to help distinguish your authentic products from counterfeit ones.Consider working with legal experts to safeguard your brand against counterfeiters and unauthorized resellers.2. Optimize Operational Costs to Protect Profit MarginsTrack daily metrics, including FBA fees, cost of goods sold (COGS), and overhead costs, to identify areas for optimization.Work directly with shipping carriers and explore alternative fulfillment strategies to reduce logistics expenses.Conduct regular audits of product classifications and Amazon's warehousing fees to avoid unexpected financial losses3. Leverage Customer Insights for Product Innovation and Service ImprovementActively engage with customer feedback to identify pain points and improve product offerings before issues escalate.Use customer input to develop new product variations or features that competitors may overlook.Advocate for better direct communication tools on Amazon to enhance customer service and build brand loyalty.Resources mentioned in this episode:Ecomm BreakthroughAmazon TransparencyProject ZeroEdison IPAmazonShopifyMeta AdsAmazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)Snow CrashMoby Dick by Herman MelvilleL'OrealAlex Ramos's PodcastChatGPTSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordovez, and Michael E Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today I am speaking with Fred Adler, and we're going to be talking about the three biggest lessons that he has learned after selling on Amazon...

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.//Dave Spandorfer is the co-founder & CEO of Janji, an 8-figure running apparel brand. Shop Janji's products at www.janji.com.//If you think profitable DTC growth is dead, think again.In this episode, Dave Spandorfer—co-founder and CEO of Janji, a running apparel brand—explains how his company grew to 8 figures without chasing broad TAM or burning VC money. You'll learn why narrowing your focus on a niche customer can be your greatest growth lever, how to build a mission-led brand without leading with your mission, and the specific tactics Janji used to run lean—from fulfillment redesign to offshore hiring to renegotiating with factories during tariff spikes.What you'll learn:- How Janji grew faster in year 13 than in year 3- Why experiential niches outperform generalized DTC- Operational frameworks for margin expansion- How to preserve brand soul and scale profitably- What the “tip of the spear” strategy means for your product roadmapThis episode is a must-watch for 7–9 figure eCommerce founders under margin pressure, looking to grow leaner, smarter, and with more brand clarity.CHAPTER TITLES:1:25 - Taking Your Passion & Starting A Business4:36 - The Mission of Janji11:40 - How To Evolve Your Business With A Changing Market20:20 - Longterm Growth is Stable Growth30:50 - Keeping Your Targeted Customer & Products Narrow// SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Serial entrepreneur Dom Williams sits down with the Blue-Collar Twins to reveal how a kid running county-wide candy routes now leads a 200-employee cleaning company, owns drive-thru “drink barns,” flips HUD rentals, and is launching a lounge—while coaching other service-business owners past the six- and seven-figure ceiling. You'll hear: Early Hustle → Corporate Wake-Up – the Wall Street layoff that pushed Dom full time and helped CNC Cleaning hit $1 M in six months.Play Business for Life – treating strategy like a game and using daily “pulse meetings” to keep the scorecard honest.Systems over Self – Sears-inspired SOPs that let a 200-person team run without him on site.Numbers that Matter – cash-flow detective work, margin targets (25 % residential; 15 % commercial), and the bank-balance myth.Diversifying the Right Way – acquiring Lexi's Drink Barn, scaling HUD duplexes, and threading Indiana's liquor-law maze to open Demure Lounge.Coaching Corner – the common blind spots for $500 k–$1 M service firms and Dom's framework for moving owners from operator to architect. Stick around for a quick CTA to Paul Giannamore's Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—and start “playing business” on a bigger board. From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore www.potomaccompany.com https://bluecollartwins.com Produced by: www.verbell.ltd Timestamps (podcast.co-ready) 00:00 – Cold-open: Dom on systems that let owners step away 00:35 – Jason & Jeremy introduce Dom, the serial entrepreneur 01:40 – Fast rundown of CNC Cleaning, Lexi's Drink Barn, real estate & Demure Lounge 02:30 – Candy-bar syndicate at 12: first taste of leverage 03:50 – High-school expansion: five schools selling for him 05:00 – Dropping a clothing line; choosing cleaning for low entry & recurring revenue 06:50 – Year-one grind: two day jobs + night QC on homes 08:50 – Cash-flow crises and selling his way out 11:00 – Corporate layoff → full-time leap; $1 M revenue in six months 14:00 – Chrysler-300 moment: “I'll never work for anyone again” 15:30 – SOPs inspired by Sears, Avis & Verizon 17:30 – Power of industry conferences and peer networks 18:50 – Manifestation & mindset: believing before scaling 19:50 – Coaching clients: testing belief, fixing data first 20:25 – Reading P&Ls correctly; COGS-to-revenue benchmarks 21:30 – Buying a duplex (the “dupy”) and house-hacking advice 24:00 – HUD rentals, vetting tenants, and guaranteed checks 25:30 – Cleaning margins: 25 % residential vs 15 % commercial 26:50 – Acquiring Lexi's Drink Barn; lifting average ticket size 28:10 – Launching Demure Lounge under Indiana's beer-and-wine rules 29:50 – Economic headwinds: residential leads dip, commercial steady 30:30 – Monday pulse meetings: KPIs, accountability, real-time fixes 31:20 – Future vision: build, exit, repeat—never stop “playing business” 32:00 – New coaching program: from in-the-business to on-the-business 32:50 – Contact Dom at domwilliams.com; socials 33:20 – Outro & Masterclass CTA

"It's not about the size of the room, it's about the richness of the details." Whether you're making new robot friends, investigating a haunted school, or cooking up some puzzles, the escape rooms at Omescape Sunnyvale are all absolute bangers. Omescape Sunnyvale is a rare gem in the escape room world. Their games are all massive (or feel massive) with gorgeous sets, chock-full of puzzles, and oftentimes with unique mechanics. They're all telling different stories with different styles of gameplay, and this is all contained under one roof at Omescape's Sunnyvale location. Sarah Zhang, one of the co-founders of Omescape Sunnyvale, joins us to chat about their escape rooms. While many of their games are licensed, Sarah explains that they usually end up changing over 80% of the game, building new sets, creating new puzzles, and even writing new narratives. As an escape room enthusiast, Sarah often travels the world playing games, and when an especially interesting mechanic or aesthetic catches her attention, rather than just copying it, she looks to license the game. This is a pretty unique approach, and I appreciated her candor in explaining their business practices. As the conversation progresses, it becomes very clear that Sarah has a deep understanding of what makes games fun for players. She talks about the need for puzzles that involve the whole team as well as designing around a few "aha!" moments. I especially appreciated the segment where she talks about the importance of ending a game on a thrilling, physical sequence. This gets the players' heart rates up, and creates a strong ending memory for the guests. Check out the whole episode for the secret sauce behind Omescape Sunnyvale's success.   Full Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

" It's a quirky and complex puzzle."  In the sleepy town of Ravenswood Bluff, on the stroke of midnight during a hellish thunderstorm, you hear a scream. You all rushed to the town square to find that your beloved storyteller has been murdered! This is the work of a nefarious demon... a demon that kills by night and takes on human form by day. Blood on the Clocktower is a game of lies and truth, team building and betrayal, and a game of secret identities. It is also, in our opinion, the best social deduction game in the world. Steven Medway, the creator of Blood on the Clocktower, joins us to talk about fine-tuning the balance of the game, the role of dead players, how the game experience changes depending on which country you're playing in, and so much more. What sets Blood on the Clocktower apart from other social deduction games is how well-balanced it feels as a player. Much of the information given and gathered by the "good team" works like a sort of logic puzzle, as the players piece together the truth in a variety of ways. However, the "evil team" is given many opportunities to spread misinformation, which really levels the playing field. There are also affordances made for "dead players" as well as people joining the game late or leaving early. Steven shares insights about his design process when creating characters and mechanics for Blood on the Clocktower. He also answers questions from our listeners. I was particularly fascinated by the segment where he talks about how the gaming experience varies by country. Whether you're a game designer interested in balancing strategy games or just a fan of Blood on the Clocktower, I highly recommend checking out this interview.   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, and Patreon supporters like you.    Weldwood Marketing Maximize your online presence with Weldwood Marketing. It's a one-stop shop for digital marketing—specializing in web design, SEO, online ads, and best business practices. They can even manage all your integrations so you can track the customer journey from clicking on an ad to booking your game. Let Weldwood help unlock more money for your business. Special offer exclusively for REPOD listeners: Weldwood rarely offers discounts, but they did for us. REPOD listeners get 15% off Marketing Services for the first 3 months, PLUS $750 off escape room websites. Schedule your Discovery Call and mention REPOD in the notes! Visit weldwoodmarketing.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Become a Patron Today! Supporitng us on Patreon helps to fund our work, pay our team, and it grants you access to an incredible library of bonus content including:  The REPOD Bonus Show The Spoilers Club The Travelogue Series Thank you to all of our ongoing supporters

You might not be able to send inventory to FBA next month. Tariff surcharges could appear on Amazon listings, and TikTok Shop expands again. All this buzzing news and more! ► Instagram: instagram.com/serioussellerspodcast ► Free Amazon Seller Chrome Extension: https://h10.me/extension ► Sign Up For Helium 10: https://h10.me/signup  (Use SSP10 To Save 10% For Life) ► Learn How To Sell on Amazon: https://h10.me/ft ► Watch The Podcasts On YouTube: youtube.com/@Helium10/videos We're back with another episode of the Weekly Buzz with Helium 10's VP of Education and Strategy, Bradley Sutton. Every week, we cover the latest breaking news in the Amazon, Walmart, and E-commerce space, talk about Helium 10's newest features, and provide a training tip for the week for serious sellers of any level. Amazon Slashes Your FBA Capacity! https://sellercentral.amazon.com/inventory-storage/storage-request/limit-increase Create deals for Amazon Pet Day https://sell.amazon.com/blog/announcements/pet-day Amazon denies plans to list tariff prices after President Trump calls Jeff Bezos to object https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/29/amazon-tariff-costs-trump-white-house/83340801007/ Grow With US: How Walmart's New Program Aims To Help Small Businesses Go Big https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2025/04/29/grow-with-us-how-walmarts-new-program-aims-to-help-small-businesses-go-big France urges fees on cheap e-commerce parcels in EU https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/france-urges-fees-cheap-e-121540875.html Walmart to Offer 3-Hour Delivery to 95% of Americans https://www.pymnts.com/walmart/2025/walmart-to-offer-3-hour-delivery-to-95percent-of-americans/ Exclusive: Some Amazon sellers are pulling out of Prime Day amid Trump tariffs https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/some-amazon-sellers-are-pulling-out-prime-day-amid-trump-tariffs-2025-04-28/ Walmart, Target resume business with some Chinese factories after tariff-related halt, suppliers say https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/29/business/walmart-target-chinese-orders-tariffs-hnk-intl/index.html TikTok to enter Japan's e-commerce industry, Nikkei reports https://www.reuters.com/world/china/tiktok-enter-japan-e-commerce-nikkei-reports-2025-04-26/ Did you know Helium 10 has a forum? While our Facebook group gets more traffic, we want to grow the forum community too! It's a great place to ask questions and join discussions about e-commerce, Amazon strategies, and more. Remember, it's not for Helium 10 customer support—that's available 24/7 through our website. To participate, sign in to your Helium 10 account and head to forum.helium10.com. Helium 10 has rolled out several powerful new features this week, starting with the brand-new Tariff Analyzer tool in Profits. This feature gives sellers a detailed breakdown of how tariffs impact their net profits on a product-by-product basis. By inputting the country of origin and cost of goods sold (COGS), users can instantly see pre- and post-tariff profit margins, estimate the price adjustments needed to maintain margins, and even compare how switching manufacturing to another country, like Vietnam or Uzbekistan, might improve profitability. It's a game-changing tool for sellers looking to stay agile amid rising import costs. Another major upgrade is the expansion of Managed Refund Services, now available to both Platinum and Diamond users. Previously reserved for Diamond subscribers, this service helps Amazon sellers recover funds owed by Amazon due to lost, damaged, or mishandled inventory. Helium 10's team handles the tedious claims process, scanning accounts, filing cases, and staying compliant with Amazon's policies. Sellers only pay a small percentage of successfully recovered funds, making it a zero-risk way to reclaim potentially thousands in lost revenue. On top of that, Helium 10 has added support for Cerebro and Magnet in the Amazon Saudi Arabia marketplace, with built-in translation tools to help sellers understand foreign-language keywords and rank data, opening up new international expansion opportunities easily. Tune in for a wealth of knowledge and strategies to keep your Amazon business thriving.