Podcasts about common thread collective

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//What if the biggest risk to your brand isn't competition or CPMs - it's how you define success? In this episode, Andrew walks through a practical framework for setting reasonable, operator-grade goals using EOS (10-year → 3-year → 1-year → quarterly), then pressure-testing those goals against your real constraints: product pipeline, supply chain, hiring, onboarding, and P&L design. We dig into why “rocket ship” thinking so often creates chaos: over-hiring, over-buying inventory, and chasing vanity targets - and how durable brands actually grow: methodically, with clear success criteria and a bias toward profitability.You'll learn how to translate vision into numbers; why returning-customer mix lowers CAC% over time; how to engineer margin through supplier work (terms, lead times, BOM interrogation); and when to seize moments without over-leveraging. Real operator cases—Born Primitive, Simple Modern, Natural Dog Company, CTC—illustrate why steady compounding beats aggressive targets that break systems. If you want a calmer calendar and a fatter P&L, this is the playbook.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:06 - Using EOS As a Framework00:04:10 - What Is Motivating You & Your Goals (For Your Business)00:07:42 - How Can Your Vision Be A Constraint?00:09:01 - Examples of Great Brands 00:16:16 - Andrew defines a Rocketship Business00:19:10 - Good Businesses Build Steady Overtime00:25:31 - The Secret Sauce Brands Are Using To Grow00:28:33 - Maximizing Key Moments00:30:34 - P&L Design00:32:53 - Don't Let The Promise of A.I. Fool You00:34:49 - Goals for AJF Growth//SUBSCRIBE TO MY PODCAST 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

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.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Patrick Coddou is my business partner & COO at AJF Growth. He previously built, operated, and in 2022 exited Supply, a men's grooming business he co-founded with his wife. Follow him on X at https://x.com/soundslikecanoe.//Most brands don't have a creative problem—they have a process problem. In this episode, Andrew and AJF Growth COO Patrick Kadu break down how to operationalize creative so it consistently drives profit. We cover why the message is the asset, how to build a database of messages per brand, and how to bolt on a “hook library” that accelerates iteration without bloating your stack.We also dig into Sora 2 (AI video) as a practical tool for 3–5 second hooks—where it works, where it fails, and how to deploy it without derailing your team. You'll hear how we separate Explore vs. Expand in paid social, resist tool proliferation, and turn ideas into a repeatable process clients can trust. If you care about speed, clarity, and profitable growth (not just flashy toolS) then this is your operator's guide.What you'll learn:- A message-first framework that scales creative and protects margins- How to stand up a “hook library” and plug it into weekly cadences- When AI video (Sora 2) is ROI-positive for paid hooks—and when it isn't- The agency principle: performance + trust beats everything//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:58 - Open AI & Sora 200:09:05 - Using AI For Content Creation For Your Brand00:16:19 - Does Your Marketing Clients Want You To Do This?00:19:54 - Ad Inspiration & Using Other User Content00:22:50 - Explore & Expand00:28:39 - Process Oriented Attack For Creatives00:35:00 - Writing a Hook Strategy00:39:04 - Will Meta Dox My Ad? 00:43:23 - Repeatable Process & Implementation00:54:22 - 2 Key Aspects For Good Client Relationships//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//Dan Carnat is the Co-founder and CEO of Fiera Cosmetics, a mid 8-figure cosmetics brand founded in 2020.//What happens when a fast-growing DTC brand pushes price testing too far? Dan Carnat, CEO and co-founder of Fiera Cosmetics, breaks down the actual impact of pricing on conversion, acquisition, andmost importantly: reorder rates and LTV. We dig into why a $40 customer is fundamentally different from a $16 customer, how “cheap growth” distorted channel signals and buyer mix, and why Fiera reversed course by introducing a higher-priced, improved SKU while protecting existing demand.We also unpack a pragmatic attribution stack for operators who care about truth over dashboards: platform numbers as a directional input, MMM for hypothesis generation, and incrementality tests for validation, including how Meta campaigns created measurable halo on Amazon even when the product wasn't listed there. Dan details Fiera's “reality testing” process for new products (closing the loop between 5-star lovers and 1-star detractors), the operational cadence required to ship 20+ products in development without eroding trust, and supply-chain tradeoffs in a color-heavy category. If you're navigating margin pressure, price strategy, channel diversification (including performance-driven affiliates), or product-market fit at scale, this episode will give you concrete frameworks you can implement immediately.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:29 - What Went Wrong With Price Testing?00:08:12 - Making Mistakes Can Reveal Truth About Business00:10:02 - Unit Economics In Your Business00:11:20 - Introducing A New Product with High Price Point00:19:38 - Product Development Process 00:23:56 - Dan's Fitness Goals & Growth Hacks00:25:03 - Operations & Supply Chain For Fiera00:33:36 - Where Is The Value In A Cosmetics Business?00:35:58 - Rebranding00:39:02 - What Makes Dan Sleep At Night???00:41:52 - Highlight of Incrementally Testing00:44:08 - Complexity of Lead Attribution//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

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.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Most brands feel the Meta ceiling: spend more, ROAS drops—cut spend, volume collapses. In this episode, we unpack why that happens and how to scale profitably by understanding your natural CAC, the Meta auction mechanics, and the non-linear trade-off between efficiency and volume. You'll learn how CPMs reflect marketplace equilibrium, why “two-to-one ROAS” shows up at scale, and what actually moves results: estimated action rate, post-click profit optimization, and business design that supports volume.We walk through a practical playbook: identify your current natural CAC; use higher-quality, message-market-fit creative to penetrate deeper at the same bid; optimize profit per click (upsells, offers, bundles, pricing tests); explore new audiences/angles; ship new products to unlock fresh demand; and engineer the P&L (opex, supply chain terms, staffing, capital) so you can win more auctions without burning margin. If you run a 7–9 figure brand and care about scaling with profitability, this is the meta-ads episode that pays for itself. What you'll take away:• How Meta's auction actually prices your customer and why CAC “settles.” • The marginal frontier concept and why scale/efficiency is non-linear.• The levers that raise volume without wrecking contribution margin: creative EAR, profit-per-click tests, LTV expansion, and capitalization strategy.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:44 - What Is Natural CAC?00:04:40 - High Volume Meta Ads00:05:41 - Your Brands Natural Customer00:08:10 - Breaking Down How Ad Auctions Work00:12:21 - Why Meta CPM's Have Gone Up00:17:35 - The Value of a Specific Search Term00:20:51 - The Importance of a Strong LTV00:25:06 - How To Win At Cost Thresholds?00:35:42 - Lowering Your OpEx00:37:58 - The Best Brands DO THIS//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify//Colin McGuire is the co-founder of Boomn and the CEO of Glimmr. Follow Colin on X at https://x.com/colinvmcguire.//TikTok views don't always equal profit—but they can unlock massive growth. In this episode, Colin McGuire of Glimmer breaks down how 40 million TikTok views in 96 days turned a small haircare brand into a cultural force that landed on shelves at Target and beyond.Colin explains why TikTok Shop is rarely a profit engine on its own, but how it can serve as a break-even growth flywheel that fuels cultural relevance, media coverage, and retail buyer interest. You'll learn the exact tactics Glimmer used: affiliate seeding, influencer bursts, GMV Max amplification, and micro-influencer flywheels - to engineer virality and parlay it into retail expansion.If you're an eCommerce operator weighing where to invest next, this conversation reveals how TikTok Shop impacts not just DTC revenue, but also Meta performance, Amazon sales, and long-term retail strategy. It's a candid look at the tradeoffs between profitability, virality, and sustained brand growth.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:00 - How I Grew Glimmr00:07:01 - Importance of Community For Beauty Products00:10:06 - The Impact of TikTok Viewership00:17:55 - When The Revenue Doesn't Match The Views00:22:23 - The Issues With TikTok Shop 00:27:07 - Ad Tactics vs Brand00:33:41 - Selling Products In Target00:35:57 - Colin Breaks Down His TikTok Strategy00:44:21 - Using Affiliate Influencers For Awareness00:48:19 - Let Your Product Speak For Itself//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

BEHIND THE SCENES STUDIOWork with the same Meta Ads creative production team that Andrew does with Behind The Scenes Studio, a More Staffing sister company: https://www.btsstudio.co/.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Most media buyers run “test campaigns” on Meta to find creative winners. But after months of testing and reevaluating, I've eliminated test campaigns entirely—and performance has improved.In this episode, I break down my updated approach to creative testing on Meta ads:- Why launching ads directly into scale campaigns works better than test campaigns- How manual bids and target ROAS outperform auto-bid setups- What to do about false negatives and why they're overblown- When (and how) to use “warm-up” campaigns or flexible ads to boost performanceIf you're an eCommerce operator or growth marketer struggling with wasted ad spend, suppressed creatives, or inefficient testing structures, this guide will give you a repeatable framework for smarter testing and scaling.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:15 - Setting Up An AJF Growth Ad Account00:04:19 - Changing My Tone On Test Campaigns (Use Scale Ads)00:07:23 - Why Your Ads Get Low Spend?00:17:40 - How Did We Test My Hypothesis00:21:05 - Scale The Winning Ads00:27:10 - Efficiency Is THE PATH to Scale00:34:04 - The Results Of Running Test Campaigns00:34:50 - The Warmup Campaign Strategy00:38:24 - Flexible Creative Categories00:44:10 - What Ad Campaigns Truly Work?//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

Behind every successful e-commerce business lies a crucial truth that most founders miss: profit matters more than revenue. Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective, knows this firsthand. After transitioning from professional baseball with the New York Yankees to the world of e-commerce, he discovered that building sustainable online businesses requires a fundamentally different approach than what most marketers preach.The harsh reality? The median eight-figure e-commerce business operates on razor-thin 6.5% profit margins. This creates a brutal catch-22: growing businesses need capital for inventory, but their margins often don't generate enough cash to fund that growth. As Taylor explains, this is why so many entrepreneurs find themselves with impressive revenue figures but empty bank accounts.What separates thriving e-commerce brands from struggling ones? Taylor identifies three key leverage points that the most successful companies exploit: organic audience reach that reduces customer acquisition costs, exceptional lifetime customer value that justifies higher initial marketing spend, or supply chain advantages that enable nimble inventory management. Without at least one of these advantages, businesses inevitably face commoditization as competition drives margins toward zero.Taylor's "four-quarter accounting" framework offers a practical solution for e-commerce operators. By dividing the P&L into cost of delivery, customer acquisition, operating expenses, and profit—and aiming for roughly 25% in each category—founders can quickly identify and address imbalances. Most importantly, he advocates tracking contribution margin (gross margin minus ad spend) as the north star metric for evaluating marketing performance.Whether you're struggling with cash flow despite growing sales, wondering why your marketing efforts aren't translating to actual profit, or simply looking to build a more sustainable e-commerce operation, Taylor's insights challenge conventional wisdom and provide a roadmap for building businesses that don't just generate impressive revenue but actually put money in your pocket. Isn't that the whole point?How to connect with Taylor?Website: https://commonthreadco.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.comTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@commonthreadcoYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjtbFqsqVORPBJMein0zLWQFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/commonthreadco/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/common-thread-collective/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorholiday/?hl=enTwitter: https://x.com/taylorholiday?lang=enReady to scale your Amazon business? Click here to book a strategy call. https://calendly.com/firingtheman/amazon Support the show

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify//Sean Agatep is the cofounder and COO of Vincero, an 8-figure men's accessories brand, and Tidal, a global staffing agency connecting you with great global talent. Learn more about Vincero at http://vincerocollective.com/.//Most founders source from China, but very few have lived inside the supply chain for five years. In this episode, Sean Agatep from Vincero Collective shares how that experience gave him and his partners a deep advantage in manufacturing, supplier relationships, and building a profitable eCommerce brand.You'll learn how Vincero grew from a Kickstarter project into an eight-figure accessories business by mastering supply chain complexity, negotiating with dozens of suppliers, and building redundancy that most operators ignore. Sean explains how their time in China shaped decisions around product development, margins, and growth — and why Vincero chose stability and profitability over chasing hyper-growth.If you're an eCommerce operator facing margin pressure, struggling with supply chain inefficiencies, or deciding between scaling fast versus building sustainably, this conversation will give you frameworks and hard-earned lessons you won't find anywhere else.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:19 - What Is Vincero?00:03:36 - Approaching Growth In The Business00:06:56 - My Team Moved To China00:13:18 - Supplier Relationships00:19:17 - Does Supply Chain Differ Between Types of Products?00:26:21 - Stability = Peace of Mind00:29:22 - Introducing A New Product To Your Brand00:35:17 - Brief Dive Into A New Business For Sean00:41:45 - Acquisition Ambitions00:45:43 - What Approach To a HoldCo Is Sean Taking?//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

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

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Bryan Porter is the Chief Ecommerce Officer at Simple Modern. Follow him on X at https://x.com/jbryanporter and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbryanporter/.//Simple Modern's insulated drinkware shouldn't have worked as a DTC business: low repeat purchase rates, heavy shipping costs, and thin margins. Yet somehow, Bryan Porter and his team took their average order value from $18 to $80—fundamentally reshaping the brand's unit economics.In this episode, Bryan explains why AOV growth isn't just a vanity metric, but a lever for profitability when done intentionally. We break down the seven-year journey behind that transformation: bundling strategies that amortize shipping costs, personalization features like embroidery, limited-edition drops that command premium pricing, and product development designed for ecosystem buying.This conversation also dives into bigger strategic lessons: When to let Amazon carry single-unit orders, how to structure your site around differentiation, and why broader brand awareness—not just tactical hacks—ultimately drives scalable growth. If you're navigating thin margins, testing shipping thresholds, or struggling to profitably scale off Amazon, Bryan's perspective is both practical and deeply insightful.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:24 - Andrew LOVES Oklahoma00:02:54 - Is AOV The MOST Overrated Metric?00:06:10 - Margin Profiles For A DTC Brand00:13:57 - Product Development Process00:21:17 - Increasing AOV00:28:15 - The Pillars 00:36:16 - Tiktok Shops00:45:40 - Let's Chat About Money//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

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//Eric Bandholz is the Founder & CEO of Beardbrand and the host of Ecommerce Conversations, which you can find at https://www.practicalecommerce.com/author/eric-bandholz. Get his "36 Ways To Revive An Ecommerce Business" episode here: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/36-ways-to-revive-an-ecommerce-business.//Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, joins the show to talk candidly about rebuilding after losing nearly $1M in cash between 2023–2024. In this episode, Eric shares how Beardbrand plugged its biggest leaks—inventory issues, packaging missteps, and manufacturer misalignment—and why raising prices actually restored trust with customers.We also dive into deeper questions: what it means to build for freedom instead of an exit, how to sustain motivation after 13 years in the same business, and why work itself can be life-giving. Eric discusses the role of subscription growth, fragrance innovation, and even AI-driven ads in shaping Beardbrand's next chapter.If you're running an eCommerce brand under pressure from margin compression, lawsuits, or scaling hurdles, this conversation offers grounded perspective. You'll walk away with concrete lessons on pricing, manufacturing strategy, subscription models, and long-term founder psychology.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:32 - Erics Big Reveal00:03:12 - Current State of BeardBrand00:07:29 - Why Problem Solving Is Key00:15:03 - Price Changes In Products00:17:17 - Andrew Opens Up About His Fragrance Brand00:20:55 - What Goes Into Fragrance Development00:25:33 - Subscriber Growth00:34:05 - BearBrand New Productline00:37:21 - Package Material Sourcing00:41:09 - Building For Freedom00:52:09 - Exciting Erik Ideas//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//"How to Solve The Biggest 4 Cost Cap Media Buying Challenges" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG1UU4ihwIACody Plofker Goes DEEP On Meta Media Buying" - https://youtu.be/rEeh1SieNUU?si=25kBcutn0fJCKn40//Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the most competitive ad buying days of the year—and after 11 years of managing BFCM campaigns ranging from $1K to $1M+ in spend, Andrew has seen what actually works and what wastes money.This episode breaks down his complete approach to Meta ads for BFCM 2025: from creative strategy to media buying, bid caps, ROAS optimization, forecasting, and how to handle customer behavior shifts like delayed purchasing. You'll learn why simple “offer-first” creative consistently outperforms over-engineered ads, how to prevent Meta's bidding algorithm from lagging behind reality, and the right way to balance evergreen vs. sale-specific ads.If you're looking to maximize spend efficiency, avoid margin-killing mistakes, and set your brand up for both scale and profitability this holiday season, this guide is the blueprint.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:38 - Key Things For Your Meta Creatives00:05:00 - Media Buying & Correct Approach00:11:55 - Value Optimization00:14:01 - Delay In Purchase Behaviors00:20:25 - Daily Forecasting00:22:50 - Hourly Forecasting00:24:33 - Learn and Take Notes//SUBSCRIBE TO MY PODCAST 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

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) can make or break Q4, but timing your sale wrong—or structuring your offer poorly—can leave money on the table. In this episode, Andrew Faris breaks down the data that reveals exactly when to launch your sale and why most brands get this wrong.You'll learn how to:- Structure BFCM offers that maximize AOV and profit per order.- Avoid common mistakes around margin erosion and shipping costs.- Use early November shopping spikes to your advantage.- Understand why sending more email and SMS is critical, not optional.- Protect profit if inventory runs low, and why chasing “viral” Black Friday wins usually backfires.This episode is about helping operators make data informed decisions. It will help operators scale profitably during the busiest season of the year. If you want to enter BFCM with confidence—and avoid the mistakes that drain margins—this episode will give you a clear framework to follow.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:55 - The Importance of Your Black Friday Offer00:04:20 - Black Friday Deals WON'T Degrade Your Brand00:06:34 - Larger AOV Creates Greater Margin Benefit00:07:45 - Pay Close Attention To Your Margin00:10:30 - When To Launch Your Black Friday Sale00:14:25 - Consistency In The Data00:18:31 - You CAN'T Send Too Many Email00:21:03 - Inventory Shortages00:23:06 - DON'T FORCE IT//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Scaling an ecommerce brand today means confronting rising costs, shifting ad platforms, and the hype cycle of new tools like AI. In this episode, Andrew Faris cuts through the noise with six clear, tactical lessons drawn directly from his work with high-growth DTC brands.You'll learn why retention advertising is often the most overlooked source of incremental revenue, why Meta remains the most powerful platform for growth despite the complaints, and how AppLovin is emerging as a serious performance channel. Andrew also breaks down why creative success is harder than most founders realize, what the AI “trough of disillusionment” means for operators, and how the right mix of vision and process can transform a business.If you want practical insights that can help you make smarter ad spend decisions, improve your creative process, and position your brand for sustainable growth, this episode is a must-listen.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:39 - Spend Money On Retention Advertising00:04:16 - A.I. Delusion00:08:51 - Related Points For Customers00:17:51 - META Is Still AWESOME!00:23:26 - App Lovin00:26:57 - Bring In The RIGHT Team//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

BEHIND THE SCENES STUDIOWork with the same Meta Ads creative production team that Andrew does with Behind The Scenes Studio, a More Staffing sister company: https://www.btsstudio.co/.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Most ads fail long before they launch—at the concept level. In this episode, we break down the foundational framework behind effective social media advertising. Instead of chasing hacks or production tricks, we get into the real drivers of performance: messaging, hooks, nativeness, and storytelling.//You'll learn:- Why messaging is the “nutrient value” of every ad, and how to craft one that moves the needle.- How hooks and nativeness work together to capture and keep attention in a feed full of distractions.- Storytelling frameworks that retain attention and make your message stick.- How to operationalize ad creation at scale—so great ads aren't a fluke, but a repeatable process.- If you're scaling a brand and battling rising CAC, margin pressure, or creative fatigue, this episode gives you practical insight into how the best ads actually work and how to structure your team to deliver them consistently.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:13 - Where Ads Go Wrong?00:01:55 - The Value of Money and Your Product00:05:16 - Core Messaging For Brand00:10:14 - Breaking Down Elements of the Ad00:13:58 - Using Catchy Hooks00:14:51 - The Principle of Nativeness00:21:44 - Storytelling 00:25:50 - Hypothetical Best Ad In The Universe//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. 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.//Richie Mashiko is the CEO of She's Birdie and the Head of Beacon, a division of Iris Financial that does fractional financial consulting for DTC brands. Email Richie at richie@irisfinance.co.//A brutally transparent turnaround story. Richie Mashiko walks through how he took She's Birdie from a $3M loss and $6.5M in obligations to an operationally disciplined business paying down debt—without Meta ads. We break down the debt stack, negotiation order, cash-flow forecasting, and the exact operating changes that created free cash to service creditors.What you'll learn fast:- Debt triage that works: Prioritizing bank lines with personal guarantees, restructuring MCAs, sequencing suppliers and vendors, and why lawsuits are rarely the optimal path for counterparties.- Cash-flow clarity: How a weekly cash-flow model drives decisions and sets realistic paydown schedules.- Opex rightsizing: Cutting bloat from ~$500K/month to ~$75K, what to cut first, and how to preserve core capabilities.- Ad spend discipline: Turning off losing channels, operating with Amazon ads only, and rebuilding profitability before scale.- Unit economics that fund the plan: 90% landed margin before fulfillment, ~30% all-in cost of delivery, and why high margin + favorable terms enable rapid debt reduction.- Supplier terms that matter: 25% deposit, 75% net-120 after cargo-ready—how to negotiate (and keep) terms through a downturn.- Operator mindset: Replace vanity growth with durable free cash flow; define “winning” as consistent distributions, not fantasy exits.If you're feeling margin pressure, stuck in growth-at-all-costs habits, or unclear on your balance sheet, this episode gives you a concrete operating playbook you can adapt immediately.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:10 - The Rescue Mission Of She's Birdie 00:05:06 - Initial Growing Pains Post Covid (Product Development)00:11:49 - How We Almost Got Bought By Amazon00:16:55 - Breaking Down The Balance Sheet00:22:46 - Keeping The Bank From Freezing Assets00:24:05 - Operational Vs. Finance Challenges00:31:17 - Bad Ad Dollars00:35:20 - Manufacturing Terms00:40:19 - The Secret Sauce//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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WORKSPACE6Workspace6 is a private community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators and executives. Join for just $1 for your first month and no annual commitments at https://workspace6.io. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Meta's auction is a probabilistic forecasting engine. Treat it that way and your creative testing stops being guesswork. In this episode, Andrew lays out a first-principles framework for Meta Ads that resolves three tensions operators hit every day:Consolidation: why “more purchases per ad set” increases model confidence, stabilizes delivery, and compounds performance over time.Creative supply: how to increase diverse creative volume (not near-duplicates) without kicking high-performing ad sets back into volatility.False negatives: when Meta gives up too early—and practical ways to limit misses without torching budget.You'll leave with a clear mental model for structuring campaigns, setting bid strategies (including when manual bids help and why), deciding ad-per-ad-set counts, and preventing “learning phase” churn. If margin pressure, inconsistent scaling, or noisy tests are blocking growth, this is a rigorous, operator-grade way to diagnose the system and deploy creative testing that actually compounds.What you'll learn:- The ad-set level is where learning really happens—and how to leverage that- Why consolidating conversions beats scattering them across many ad sets- How to design creative pipelines that maximize diversity and minimize redundancy- Practical safeguards to reduce false negatives without sunk-cost waste- A simple deployment pattern to add new ads without disrupting scale- Listen to sharpen your testing strategy and reclaim wasted spend with a framework you can apply this quarter.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:38 - Why Meta Ad Creative Structure Is Important00:03:53 - The Value of Purchases In Your Ad Sets00:07:40 - Conversions Effect Ad Performance00:10:40 - Purdy & Figg Example00:17:13 - Utilizing Manual Bids For A Greater Performance00:21:05 - Creative Volume Is Good00:32:44 - Avoid False Negatives00:41:46 - What Should You Do?//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

WORKSPACE6Workspace6 is a private community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators and executives. Join for just $1 for your first month and no annual commitments at https://workspace6.io. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Hiring “influencers” is not a single play—it's four different jobs with four different outcomes. In this episode Andrew breaks down a clear framework for on-screen ad talent: actors (scripted delivery), creators (algorithm-savvy editors who deliver finished ads), authorities (trusted endorsers who bridge efficacy/credibility gaps), and celebrities (brand-equity plays that rarely win in direct response).You'll learn:- When to script an actor vs brief a creator, and how to structure both so performance doesn't depend on luck- A practical pricing heuristic for creator partnerships (the “~5% of planned ad spend” rule of thumb) and where it breaks- When whitelisting adds leverage—and when it doesn't- How to use authorities to validate claims in categories like health, performance, or technical products- Why most early-stage brands should avoid big celebrity contracts (and the two exceptions: deep integration or licensed co-brands)- A simple audit to categorize your current roster, upgrade contracts, and operationalize briefing, asset handoff, and off-boardingIf you're navigating margin pressure, uneven ROAS, or confusion about creator pricing and deliverables, this gives you a decision tree you can hand to your team today. Expect fewer dead-end tests, cleaner processes, and ad dollars aligned to the right kind of talent for your goal.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01_37 - Building An Influencer Program at AJF Growth00:02:58 - Hiring Actors For Ad Creatives00:07:49 - Let Creators Do What They DO BEST, CREATE!00:10:59 - What Is Whitelisting Relationships?00:17:24 - Communicating With Your Creator Partner00:23:42 - Allowing Your Influencer To Be The Authoritative Voice00:27:16 - Building Trust With An Audience00:28:57 - Sources of Credibility 00:34:29 - Do Celebrities Help Sell Products?00:39:15 - Would I advise to contract with Celebrities?//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

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Most DTC teams want wholesale but treat it like a black box. In this episode, Jared Mehr (Pura Vida) lays out the exact path he used to build a $35M wholesale program—from first doors to trade shows to rep groups—without blowing up margins or ops.What you'll learn:- Readiness checklist before you call a buyer: inventory, UPC/SKU hygiene, pricing, 3PL capabilities, and wholesale order flow- The real margin model (retail 50 / brand 50), why big boxes demand an extra 10–20% off wholesale, and how to price with future sales-rep commissions- Why “permanent promo” DTC tactics kill retailer interest—and what to do instead- Cash-flow realities: net-30/60/90, chargebacks, AR risk, and why a mom-and-pop baseline protects you when majors change POs- How to get your first accounts: outreach scripts, sampling, store-locator lead lists, and door-to-door tactics that still work- Operational must-haves: displays that drive sell-through, starter packs, minimums, and a reorder cadence that compounds- When wholesale beats ecom on profit, and how channels can lift each other rather than cannibalize- Scaling playbook: when to add trade shows, inside sales, and regional rep groups—and how to vet the right partners- Merch & forecasting: use pre-booking data to decide what to actually make (and what not to)If you're feeling margin pressure, stagnant growth, or rising CAC, this episode gives you a practical, de-risked way to add a meaningful revenue channel—complete with the numbers, sequences, and pitfalls to avoid. No hype. Just a clear plan to get into stores and sell through.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:36 - The Retail Experience: Should I Do It For My Brand?00:02:18 - How Jareds Got His Start In The Retail Business00:04:54 - Why It's Important To Establish A Brand Online00:08:24 - Good $ Starting Point For A Brand To Turn Retail00:12:14 - First Things To Do 00:16:10 - How Profit & Margin Work In Retail Relationships00:23:31 - Wholesale Vs Ecommerce00:25:57 - The Sales Process00:32:47 - The Hotel Gift Shop00:35:38 - In Store Merchandising00:41:25 - What Sales Pitch Worked For Me00:45:13 - How To Be Successful Once You Are In Stores//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

Happy Birthday Jabs!! We've got an eclectic vibe this episode including some new bangers, fresh lyricism, a few reflective gems, some songs to uplift and even a special track as a birthday present for your mate Jabs. Oh, and is it ok to claim someone's track as the new anthem for our show? Playlist: The Definition by Kaboose W.U.L.A. (What U Looking At?) by A.I. The Anomaly Okayyy We Back by Andy Mineo & Mark Morrison Lord It's by YP aka Young Paul ft. RDKL & Jimmy Javier Mind Blast by MotionPlus ft. m1L & J.Solo TBH by DC3 Hallelujah by Young Faith THIS RIGHT HERE by Mouthpi3ce & Military Mindset Productions Get Up and Go by Q-Flo ft. Duprae Glass Elevators by Trutha, Bill B. & Chrys Jones Day By Day by Common Thread Collective, Jonnie 3:16 & Oakbridge ft. Vytal One Flowers by Joshua Luke Smith & Madison Ryann Ward loved! (Live) by The Choir Room & nobigdyl. Vote on the playlist at www.definitionradio.com/show/961 Leave your requests/shout-outs on our socials www.facebook.com/DefinitionRadio www.instagram.com/DefinitionHH www.twitter.com/DefinitionHH www.krosswerdz.com

BEHIND THE SCENES STUDIOWork with the same Meta Ads creative production team that Andrew does with Behind The Scenes Studio, a More Staffing sister company: ⁠https://www.behindthescenes.studio/.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//This episode gets practical about AI and ad creative. Andrew Faris and Alex Cooper (Adcate) break down what's actually working, why most AI ads still fall flat, and how operators can build a creative system that compounds.What you'll learn:- AI as an amplifier, not a shortcut: why bad ideas stay bad, even with great models—and how to surface signal from 20+ AI-generated options instead of shipping noise.- Context engineering OVER prompt engineering: building brand-specific context documents and custom GPT/Claude projects (brand data + top performers + task-specific creative principles) to raise hit rate across headlines, hooks, scripts, and iterations.- Operationalized knowledge: treating your agency/org as “operationalized knowledge,” then encoding that knowledge into AI so strategy scales without diluting quality.- Process over novelty: frameworks like AI Days and moonshot briefs to test new tools (VO3, image/video gen, research apps) without derailing production.- Where VO3 fits now: using intentionally unrealistic visuals for hooks and pattern breaks while keeping workflows realistic for speed and cost.- Tool overload triage: how to evaluate new AI releases against business outcomes (profit, CAC, volume, timelines) and avoid shiny-object churn.- The strategist's new job: knowing what to create (psychology, research, copy fundamentals) while AI accelerates execution.Why this is worth your timeIf you're feeling margin pressure, creative fatigue, or whipsawed by weekly AI launches, this conversation gives you a repeatable way to:- Raise creative hit rate without inflating headcount- Protect focus while still exploring new tools- Encode your best thinking into systems your whole team can useShip more diverse, on-strategy ads—faster//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:33 - Where Is Alex Moving???00:02:27 - A.I. Great For Ideation, Bad For Execution00:08:24 - Strategy For Deep Research 00:15:15 - The Agency Model In DTC00:22:48 - How To Know What Knowledge Is Truth Using A.I.00:35:48 - The Future Of Content Creation & Creative Output00:41:41 - Andrew's Bet On The Future of A.I. Technology00:45:43 - Hot Takes With Alex//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. WORKSPACE6Workspace6 is a private community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators and executives. Join for just $1 for your first month and no annual commitments at https://workspace6.io. //Entrepreneurs are often warned about burnout, but in the eCommerce world, overwork rarely looks like the stereotype of a stressed employee with a pushy boss. For founders and high-performing executives, the challenge is often the opposite: the work is so enjoyable, so mentally stimulating, that stepping away feels harder than leaning in.In this episode, we dig into why that “fun” is exactly what can threaten your long-term joy — and how to resist the constant pull of your own company. You'll hear a candid conversation on balancing ambition with rest, the science behind true mental recovery, and how to avoid using business as a constant source of stimulation.We also explore the founder's biggest question: when you've built something extraordinary and life-changing wealth is within reach, why not sell now? This conversation will give you both the mindset shifts and the strategic lens to think clearly about scaling, exits, and what you're really optimizing for in your career.If you want to build a company that not only scales but sustains your life's joy, this is a must-listen.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:50 - Does Mike Actually Take Vacations?00:04:55 - Short Term vs. Long Term Joy00:10:16 - Preparing Your Soul For Extreme Wealth00:21:47 - When Does Contentment Become Your Joy00:27:17 - Analogy About The Resource of Money00:38:12 - Intentionality With Human Connections01:01:00 - Purpose of Luxury & Comfort As A Entrepreneur 00:01:07 - Wealth As A Mindset//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

What happens when your business hits a wall and the people who helped build it are no longer aligned with where it needs to go? In this episode, I'm joined by Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective, who gets candid about one of the most pivotal seasons in his company's history.  Listen in as we talk about the difficult transition from an employee-focused to a customer-centric model, how Taylor updated CTC's values and mission, and the surprising results of that cultural reset. Taylor also shares how he evaluates performance today, how he stays prolific with content, and what lessons he's carrying forward as a CEO and father. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/45u6mP8 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

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

Customer acquisition costs can ruin a business. Some merchants limit acquisition spend to the gross margin of the first sale. Others look to customers' lifetime value.Yet Taylor Holiday, CEO of the agency Common Thread Collective, profits from acquisition marketing. He calls it "negative CAC."Taylor first appeared on the podcast in 2020. In this episode, he explains his acquisition strategy, experiences with employee ownership, and more.For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-achieve-negative-cacFor all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts******The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.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.WORKSPACE6Workspace6 is a private community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators and executives. Join for just $1 for your first month and no annual commitments at https://workspace6.io. //This episode breaks down how one client 10Xed their Meta ad spend — not through hacks or holiday sales, but by finding a high-converting offer, reframing their message, and matching it to the right creative and bid strategy.You'll learn:- How the right framing can outperform the exact same offer.- Why price elasticity is about category thresholds — not discounts.- How manual bidding helped safely scale spend 10X without overspending.- What to consider when ordering inventory after a spike in demand.- How “explore” and “expand” thinking creates durable, scalable funnels.- The compounding role of brand positioning, product development, and testing discipline.If you're responsible for scaling revenue and ROAS inside an eCommerce brand, this episode offers a tactical, realistic framework for how to unlock the next level of growth — and how not to blow it when it shows up. //CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:02:23 - Andrew Discusses Clients Broken Ad Account00:05:29 - Importance of Price & Offering Testing00:10:15 - Why You Should Think More About Shipping00:12:44 - How You Should Market Your Products00:16:37 - What Core Problems Does Your Product Solve?00:23:19 - Creative Angle Campaigns00:37:23 - Inventory Control & Ordering//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

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

DREAMPOOL PRODUCTIONSNeed your podcast produced or edited? What about creative storytelling to drive organic growth on YouTube or social media? From creative consultation, to ideation and execution, DreamPool delivers on your production needs. Contact Christopher Faris at christopher@godreampool.com to get started! MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. 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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//What does it really take to build—and sell—a high-performing eCommerce agency? In this episode, Taylor Holiday (former CEO of Common Thread Collective) joins Andrew Faris to dissect the real mechanics behind scaling a service business, managing people (or not managing them at all), and exiting at the peak.Taylor shares candid insights on:- Why "management" might be killing your margins- The client metric that actually drives profit (hint: it's not logo churn)- How AI is expanding operating margin—and agency salaries- When to stop saving clients and focus on expansion- Why “Head of Growth” is a broken title- How to structure your team for consistency and scale- Lessons from an 8-figure transaction (and what he'd do differently)Talking with Taylor is guaranteed to provide lots of interesting conversation, more than a few laughs, and highly actionable takeaways for ANYONE in E-commerce! //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

RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//You're working hard. Maybe even harder than ever.But you're stuck—and you're not sure why. In this episode, Andrew Faris breaks down the biggest problem facing most eCommerce businesses (yes, yours too) and shares how AJF Growth is solving it right now. Whether you're a brand operator, agency founder, or someone stuck in the middle of a scaling mess, you'll walk away with a powerful framework to diagnose and fix what's holding you back.You'll learn:- Why having great people still isn't enough- The 3 levers that make (or break) a business- How to implement the Visionary/Integrator framework (EOS)- What bad strategy looks like—even when execution is perfect- Why AI can amplify the wrong decisions if you're not carefulPlus, Andrew breaks down how he's using AI tools, tight processes, and deep creative systems to unlock scalable, profitable growth inside AJF Growth and client accounts.If you've ever felt like you're on the agency merry-go-round—or that your internal team can't execute your vision—this is the episode you need.Drop your biggest ops or strategy challenge in the comments. And hit subscribe—upcoming episodes feature Taylor Holiday, Alex Cooper, and a deep dive into building a wholesale program for DTC brands.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:46 - The Agency Carousel00:02:36 - Strategy Is Important For Growth00:06:44 - The Right Processes In Your Business00:11:04 - Hiring Your Team00:16:54 - Rocket Fuel00:21:32 - How I Am Implementing Processes at AJF Growth00:27:00 - Supply Chain Negotiation Tactics00:28:15 - Idea Generation00:36:00 - Common Problem Brands Face//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

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.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//What do you do when your eCommerce brand stalls—not failing, just stuck?In this tactical deep dive, Andrew walks through a real case study of a 7-figure brand that turned stalled momentum into its most profitable non-holiday month ever. You'll get specific data breakdowns on how changes in spend allocation, campaign strategy (including a massive shift toward Target ROAS), product prioritization, and CRO testing led to a whopping 88% increase in contribution margin—without increasing spend.If you're an operator feeling the pressure to grow but watching margins shrink, this episode is your playbook. Learn how to:- Run leaner without killing momentum- Make Meta's learning phase work for you- Use price testing and retention ads to boost profit per visitor- Think beyond creative volume to win consistently- Reinvest profit into real growth, like product development or new channels//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:28 - My Brand Experienced Stalled Growth00:05:08 - Less Spend, More Efficient YoY00:06:56 - Spend Down, New Customer Revenue Up00:10:15 - Media Buying Changes00:13:54 - The Limits of Creative Diversity00:18:00 - Product Distribution00:21:17 - Key Takeaways00:28:15 - Spend Smarter Not Harder// 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

BEHIND THE SCENES STUDIOWork with the same Meta Ads creative production team that Andrew does with Behind The Scenes Studio, a More Staffing sister company: ⁠https://btsstudio.co/.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//After selling Supply Razors and stepping away from eCommerce, Patrick Coddou thought he was done building. But two years later, he's back—and joining AJF Growth. In this episode, Patrick and Andrew Faris dive deep into what happens after an exit, the draw of meaningful work, and how they're scaling an agency with process, people, and purpose.You'll hear them unpack:- Why “infinite freedom” isn't the end goal after all- The shift from founder-led chaos to operational excellence- How EOS and offshore talent create leverage- What makes a creative service not just good—but scalable- And how AI is changing how teams build and deliver at volumeThis is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to evolve from founder to builder—again—with a clear philosophy on work, life, and growth.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:35 - Why Go Back To Working In E-Commerce00:06:01 - The 4 Hour Work Week Doesn't Equal Freedom00:08:43 - Goals For AJF Growth00:15:37 - Growing An Agency00:27:19 - Offshore Talent In Philippines00:46:52 - Why Can Agency's Experience A Bad Turn//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

RICHPANEL Cut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//If you run a large eCommerce brand, you've likely faced it: the dreaded Meta ads breakdown. One week you're scaling efficiently, the next—your RoAS tanks, CPAs spike, and panic sets in. In this episode, Andrew walks through eight tactical steps to triage and fix a broken Meta ads account—based on real-world experience managing millions in ad spend.You'll learn:- How to immediately identify whether it's a technical issue or strategic breakdown- Why small sample size volatility may be misleading your decisions- How to communicate clearly with your team or agency when everything's on fire- Why assuming “you're the problem” can actually give you the most control- How to cut losses fast with the “Don't Spend Bad Money” principle- When and how to rebuild creative from scratch—and why weird might winThis is a practical, high-urgency playbook for brand operators, marketers, and agency leads who need to stabilize performance and return to profitable growth.Whether you're in the thick of a platform shift, reeling from iOS changes, or just trying to keep performance consistent, this episode will help you keep a steady hand on the wheel—and make smarter, faster decisions. //CHAPTER TITLES:00:00:56 - How To Fix Broken Ad Accounts00:03:20 - Short Term vs. Long Term Problems00:09:43 - Daily Volatility In Meta Ads00:16:26 - Stop Bleeding Money00:22:11 - Communication With Brand Partner00:23:10 - Eliminate Options In Your Ads00:25:47 - Remain Calm During Fires//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//TikTok Shop is exploding—and most eCommerce brands are asleep on it. In this episode of the AJF Podcast, Andrew Faris sits down with Jordan West (CEO of Social Commerce Club) to dive deep into what's actually working on TikTok Shop, why creators are outperforming influencers, and how brands should rethink top-of-funnel strategy.Whether you're a 7–9 figure operator looking to diversify off Meta, or just exploring creator partnerships for the first time, Jordan lays out the real-world playbook: from seeding products to building a creator network that drives serious revenue. He also unpacks the cold start problem, affiliate commissions, content volume, CPM misconceptions, and how to identify the right creators without wasting time or budget.If you're facing margin pressure, platform volatility, or simply want to stay ahead of where consumer attention is going, this episode is packed with actionable insight from someone who's scaled TikTok Shop campaigns for 100+ brands.What You'll Learn:- Why TikTok CPMs are misunderstood—and what they actually signal- How to build and retain high-performing creator partnerships- Why volume matters: the 10–20 posts/day strategy- How one low-follower creator drove $250K in sales- When and how to bet $50K on TikTok the smart way //CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:39: Meet Jordan West00:05:13: Creator vs Influencer00:13:34: How To Kick Off Creator Marketing Strategy00:26:39: How The Meta Algorithm Works00:32:55: Importance of Good Quality Content00:44:03: Creator Networking in 2025//Jordan West is the CEO of Social Commerce Club and the host of Secrets To Scaling Your Ecommerce Brand. See everything Jordan is doing at www.socialcommerceclub.com.//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

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

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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//Bill D'Alessandro, founder of Natural Dog Company, just sold his brand to a private equity firm backed by Morgan Stanley. In this episode, Andrew Faris dives deep with Bill to unpack the entire journey—from building the business, to working with an investment bank, to negotiating and closing a deal with a strategic buyer.If you're running a 7–9 figure eCommerce brand, this episode is pure gold. You'll learn:- What makes a DTC brand actually attractive to strategic buyers- The #1 mistake founders make when approaching an exit- Why contribution margin is still king in 2025- How Bill built operational talent that scaled with the business- The difference between “just another Shopify brand” vs. a sellable brand- Why omnichannel distribution is critical to valuation- Why most subscription businesses are really financing problems in disguise- The emotional aftermath of exiting your company//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:18 - Who is Bill D'Allessandro?00:03:00 - The Scope of Natural Dog Co Acquisition00:09:01 - Investment Banking During A Buyout00:22:55 - People Management Is The Hardest With Business00:31:35 - Why Not All Subscription Models Are Great00:42:46 - How Meta Dependency Could Harm Your Business// Bill D'Alessandro is the former of CEO of Natural Dog Co and Elements Brand and current Head of M&A at Food Science, a portfolio company backed by Morgan Stanley. Follow Bill on X at https://x.com/billda and listen to Acquisitions Anonymous by visiting https://www.acquanon.com/.//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 ANDREWX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com

RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//AI is changing how we make ad creative—but not in the way you've been told.In this episode, Andrew Faris shares his contrarian take on AI's role in creative strategy, why the “endless AI content” model is flawed, and how smart DTC brands will win by thinking more, not producing more.Whether you're an operator, performance marketer, or founder trying to scale profitably, this episode unpacks:– Why the best brands aren't just using AI—they're thinking better– How Meta's ad platform is caught between volume and learning– What actually raises the quality bar in the AI era– Why good creative thinkers are more valuable than ever– How AJF Growth is building AI-powered creative systems that scalePlus, hear how brands are turning AI speed into operational hiring—not layoffs.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:23 - The Misconception Of A.I. For Creatives00:04:26 - Quantity Over Quality With Ads?00:14:03 - Targeting Specific Customer Profiles00:21:18 - Creating the Craziest Ads with A.I.00:26:53 - A.I. Will Not Replace Your Strategy For Ads//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 week, we're talking AI creative, product page testing, and Shopify updates - plus, we're joined by Steve Rekuc from Common Thread Collective who walks us through how he built the Spending Power metric at CTC, what it tells us about shifting consumer demand, and how brands can use it to adjust spend and planning month to month. We also dig into seasonality vs macro-driven variability, and why awareness of your environment is key to making smarter decisions.We also discuss the viral Kalshi ad and discuss how we're approaching AI tools for creative development, from visual quality to concept support. We also talk about recent PDP testing wins, what changed, and how to think about the structure of your product pages going into peak season.Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠Click here⁠.00:00 Introduction02:57 Analytics Reporting and Year-Over-Year Comparisons07:12 Data Warehousing and Shopify Analytics10:54 AI in Marketing and Creative Strategies16:53 Consumer Confidence and E-commerce Predictions23:00 Insights from Common Thread Collective34:20 Understanding Spending Power37:14 Incrementality Testing for Marketing Efficiency40:01 Seasonality and Brand Performance43:41 Predicting Future Spending Power46:59 Consumer Confidence and Spending Trends49:47 Insights from Data for Brand Strategy52:27 Iterating on Product Design and User ExperienceKalshi Ad: https://x.com/PJaccetturo/status/1932893260399456513Steve's X Thread: https://x.com/RSteveData/status/1931107166792159711Episode 64 with Dylan Anders:YouTube: https://youtu.be/QJvj3z68rbE Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3iwer8FNwuwzDDnAV5X7JV?si=ab23e70a86404639Powered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsHaus.http://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//In this tactical solo episode, Andrew Faris breaks down 7 updated Meta ad buying strategies that are shaping how top brands scale in 2025. Based on personal account data, Meta Performance Summit insights, and conversations with reps, Andrew shares what's actually working—including why he's now running 15–20 ads per ad set, how he's avoiding the learning phase trap, and his new take on creative testing campaigns.Whether you're managing $5K or $500K/month in spend, this episode is packed with non-obvious tactics that can unlock growth and reduce wasted spend.Topics Covered:- How many ads to run per ad set- Why learning phase really matters now- The truth about creative testing campaigns- Manual bidding vs automated budgets- How to relaunch an underperforming ad (Thumbnail Trick)- Why iterative creative is dead (and what to do instead)- Data quality, Elevar, and pixel hygiene tips//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:21 - Machine Learning & Meta Ads00:05:56 - Get Your Ads Out of Learning Phase00:14:22 - Wasting Money On Test Ads00:22:26 - Creative Testing Campaign00:35:57 - Importance of Thumbnails & Creative Swap Outs//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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. 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 deeply reflective episode, Andrew Faris sits down with Matt Bertulli—founder of Pela and Lomi, host of the Operators Podcast, and a seasoned eCommerce entrepreneur with a successful exit under his belt—to unpack a deceptively simple tweet:"Building a business is a spiritual process disguised as a financial one."What follows is an unfiltered, vulnerable conversation about why so many high-performing founders experience emptiness despite outward success. They explore questions that every 7–9 figure operator eventually faces:- What's the real point of building a business?- How do you stay motivated after you've “made it”?- What does meaningful success look like beyond dollars?- Why personal growth and company growth are linked—and why ignoring one undermines the other.This is not your typical episode about margin optimization or scaling tactics—though Matt and Andrew touch on those. Instead, it's about why we build in the first place. It's for the founder who's already successful, but feels stuck or unsatisfied.If you've ever stared at a dashboard full of green numbers and still asked yourself, “What now?” — this conversation is for you.Actionable insight: Align your values and motivations early. Building without intention leads to burnout, not fulfillment.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:26 - What Is The Point of Business?00:03:27 - Work Life Balance Explained00:09:14 - The Importance of Writing For Clarity00:19:29 - Does Money Equal Joy?00:35:17 - YPO Membership00:48:01 - Spiritual Discipline In Business//Matt Bertulli is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pela and Lomi and one of the hosts of The Operators Podcast. Listen to The Operators at https://www.9operators.com/. //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

Panagiota Hatzis is the VP of Human Resources at HexClad Cookware, a hybrid cookware company. With over 15 years of experience in HR, she has led people and teams through hyper-growth, global expansion, and major cultural transformation. Panagiota is also an Executive Coach at MentorPass and Leaderology. Before HexClad Cookware, she was the Vice President of Human Resources at Common Thread Collective, where she helped scale the company from 20 to 80 employees across 10 states. In this episode… Scaling a company from $10 million to $100 million requires more than just great products or marketing; it demands an intentional and strategic approach to building and leading teams. Yet many leaders overlook people operations as a vital growth lever, treating HR as an administrative function rather than a revenue and culture driver. How can businesses rethink their people strategy to avoid burnout, misalignment, and stalled growth? People operations and organizational psychology expert Panagiota Hatzis emphasizes repositioning HR as a strategic business partner aligned with EBITDA goals. This requires maintaining relational equity — trust and mutual respect — between leaders and teams and optimizing processes to minimize burnout. Building culture intentionally through frequent communication, transparency, and accountability is crucial for maintaining alignment as you scale to the next stage of revenue.  In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris interviews Panagiota Hatzis, VP of Human Resources at HexClad Cookware, about using people operations as a strategic growth engine. She explains how to encourage guilt-free time off for employees, the difference between effort and authentic business results, and how to close the gap between leadership intent and the employee experience.

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

RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotifyFERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//What are Meta's top advertisers learning directly from the source? In this episode, I break down 5 key takeaways from Meta's exclusive Performance Marketing Summit — a behind-the-scenes look at where the platform is headed and what that means for 7–9 figure eCommerce brands.You'll learn:- Why incrementality is replacing ROAS as the gold standard of ad measurement- How Meta's new tools aim to optimize for profit, not just revenue- Why data quality is your new competitive edge- What Meta's push for creative variety means for your internal content systems- How reels and creators are central to Meta's growth strategyPlus: The surprising future of “ads that interact with you” — and what that means for your landing pages.If you're scaling profitably in today's ad ecosystem, this is the inside track.//CHAPTER TITLES:1:50 - Hold Out Tests For Meta Ads3:52 - Incrementality Tests7:01 - Importance of Quality of your Data13:13 - Creative Supply Chain23:00 - A.I In Your Meta Ads// 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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. 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.//Bear Handlon, CEO of Born Primitive, went from $5.5M in profit to just $200K in a single year — and then back again. In this Profit Monsters episode, Bear breaks down exactly what caused the collapse, how they rebuilt, and what they're doing now to scale into $100M+.We cover:- How chasing top-line growth killed margins- Why flash sales damaged LTV- The power of product category expansion (tactical, hunting, footwear)- The real ROI of brand authenticity and military credibility- How Bear negotiates net-90 terms — and why that matters- The exact moment they cut spending, changed exclusions, and stabilized Meta ROAS- Why product quality — not hype — is the greatest unlockWhether you're a founder stuck in growth mode, a brand leader trying to protect profit, or an operator navigating platform volatility, this episode will sharpen your instincts and show you how serious operators recover — and win.//CHAPTER TITLES:1:50: The Dark Times of Born Primitive11:50: Customer Acquisition Strategy20:27: Product Categories46:25 - Product Features + Customer Experience56:22 - Proper Communication Channels For Marketing Apparel// 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

RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.FERMAT Create funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//In this episode, we does something rare — I get to break down the real P&L of a $5 million DTC brand and show exactly how to think about cost of delivery, fixed overhead, and ad spend efficiency.You'll learn:Why a brand with great product margins can still lose moneyHow in-house manufacturing + fulfillment can kill your profitabilityWhen to cut salaries, outsource ops, and lean into paid acquisitionThe framework I use to analyze any eCommerce P&LIf you run a 7–9 figure eCommerce business and want practical, honest insight into what's really driving (or killing) profitability, this episode is a must-watch.CHAPTER TITLES:1:28 - Intro To A P&L5:00 - Descriptions of a P&L10:17 - Analyzing Sales17:31 - Digital Ad Spend49:53 - Customer Cohort Analysis// 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

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. 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.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at https://www.richpanel.com/.//Taylor Holiday is the Founder and CEO of Common Thread Collective. Learn more about working with CTC at https://www.commonthreadco.com. Follow Taylor on X at https://x.com/taylorholiday and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-holiday-a169b322/.//Taylor Holiday says your eCommerce business doesn't stand a chance—and he means it. In this episode, Taylor (CEO of Common Thread Collective) and Andrew go head-to-head over whether eCommerce is still a viable, scalable business model. The conversation pulls no punches and goes deep into the real pain points 7–9 figure brand operators are dealing with right now: margin compression, CAC volatility, platform shifts, and the myth of infinite scale.You'll also hear how ChatGPT is already changing buyer behavior, why most brands are failing at storytelling, and what it really takes to build a sustainable DTC brand in 2025. Beyond eCom, the episode explores parenting, fitness, and the psychology behind founder burnout.Whether you agree or disagree with Taylor's take, this is an unfiltered look into what separates surviving brands from thriving ones.CHAPTER TITLES:1:40 - Andrew The E-Commerce Optimist8:20 - Is Competition A Bad Thing In E Commerce?16:12 - What Optimization Setting To Use With Your Ads43:36 - The Growth of Retail1:22:00 - This Could Wipe Out Your DTC Business1:32:00 - Meal Planning & Fitness// 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

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

BEHIND THE SCENES STUDIOWork with the same Meta Ads creative production team that Andrew does with Behind The Scenes Studio, a More Staffing sister company: ⁠https://www.behindthescenes.studio/.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at https://www.richpanel.com/.//How do you scale multiple brands, hit $12M in revenue, and still sleep at night?In this episode, Andrew interviews Sam Mendelsohn—co-founder of three eCommerce brands, the 3PL Boxfort, and the elite operator community Workspace 6. Sam gets brutally honest about what actually helped him move from plateaued growth to meaningful profit: focusing on fewer things, trimming complexity, and ruthlessly prioritizing margin over vanity metrics.You'll hear about:- How he grew multiple brands without adding headcount- Why focusing on one ad channel (Meta) was the unlock- A practical framework to evaluate whether your brand has real growth potential- What 900+ brand applications to Workspace 6 taught him about success patterns- How to tell if your pricing is too low—and what to do about it- The emotional toll of early-stage plateaus and how he worked through itThis episode is packed with operator-grade insights for brand owners doing 7–9 figures and looking to improve margin, sanity, and scale.//CHAPTER TITLES:00.34 - How Performance Changes Daily With Meta Ads3:15 - What You Think About Your Ads Is Wrong5:38 - Poker Hand Analogy21:10 - 20 Sided Die Analogy37:00 - Creative Ad Testing In Your Account// 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#metaads #facebookads #ecommerce #advertising

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems is the ultimate profit-optimization tool for DTC brands. Use it for all of your CRO efforts by visiting https://intelligems.io.WORKSPACE6Workspace6 is a private community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators and executives. Join for just $1 for your first month and no annual commitments at https://workspace6.io. //Sam Mendelsohn is the co-founder of Workspace6, the co-founder of three ecommerce brands doing $12M in revenue at a 7% profit, and the co-founder of BoxFort, a 3PL servicing fashion and apparel brands. Follow Sam on X at https://x.com/SamMendelsohn4, where you can DM him about any of those businesses.//How do you scale multiple brands, hit $12M in revenue, and still sleep at night? In this episode, Andrew interviews Sam Mendelsohn—co-founder of three eCommerce brands, the 3PL Boxfort, and the elite operator community Workspace 6. Sam gets brutally honest about what actually helped him move from plateaued growth to meaningful profit: focusing on fewer things, trimming complexity, and ruthlessly prioritizing margin over vanity metrics.You'll hear about:- How he grew multiple brands without adding headcount- Why focusing on one ad channel (Meta) was the unlock- A practical framework to evaluate whether your brand has real growth potential- What 900+ brand applications to Workspace 6 taught him about success patterns- How to tell if your pricing is too low—and what to do about it- The emotional toll of early-stage plateaus and how he worked through itThis episode is packed with operator-grade insights for brand owners doing 7–9 figures and looking to improve margin, sanity, and scale.CHAPTER TITLES:1:26 - Sam Mendelsohn Discusses Starting Out In E-Commerce6:00 - Improving Your Bottom Line Margin12:58 - Tips From Taylor Holiday23:06 - Keeping Sane During Growth Mode37:26 - Variable Costs In Business51:26 - Importance of a Community// 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#metaads #facebookads #ecommerce #advertising

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems is the ultimate profit-optimization tool for DTC brands. Use it for all of your CRO efforts by visiting https://intelligems.io.WORKSPACE6Workspace6 is a private community for 7, 8 & 9 figure+ eCommerce operators and executives. Join for just $1 for your first month and no annual commitments at https://workspace6.io. //Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO of IQBAR, an omnichannel food & bev brand on pace to do $125M at 17% EBITDA in 2025 after doing $59M in revenue at 13% EBITDA in 2024. Follow Will on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-nitze/ and on X at https://x.com/willnitze.//Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO of IQBAR. Follow Will on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-nitze/ and on X at https://x.com/willnitze.//Will Nitze, founder of IQBAR, shares how he scaled his food and beverage brand into the 9 figures and successfully turning the corner to profitability. This episode unpacks why he raised capital (and doesn't regret it), how he thinks about supply chain leverage, what founders get wrong about bootstrapping, and the real path to operational excellence.You'll learn how volume-driven growth models differ from high-margin products, how to avoid channel conflict in OmniChannel, and why your COGS might be the biggest opportunity in your business.If you're operating a 7–9 figure eCom brand and care about scale, margin, or long-term exit value—this is a masterclass.// 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#metaads #facebookads #ecommerce #advertisingCHAPTER TITLES:1:21: Is there really a big against fundraising?8:23: How to make money as a food/beverage business?13:57: Choosing the right investors for your DTC Business27:08: Finding Product Market Fit36:14: Operational Muscles For Omni Channel DTC45:24: Supply Chain 101//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

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 is the ultimate profit-optimization tool for DTC brands. Use it for all of your CRO efforts by visiting https://intelligems.io.//Reach out to James Lee on X at https://x.com/jameshyujinlee to get started with overseas product photography.Get my complete guide to Target ROAS bidding here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_7SbiBun10//What separates the most profitable eCommerce operators from the rest?In this episode, Andrew breaks down 5 underutilized tactics that high-performing 7–9 figure brands are using to grow faster, retain customers longer, and increase margins—without adding risk.From low-MOQ product launches to price testing that lifts per-visitor profit, to smarter Meta bidding strategies and supply chain overhauls, this episode is packed with actionable insights. If your brand is stuck at a growth plateau, or bleeding margin from inefficiencies, this is the roadmap you've been looking for.You'll walk away with a clear, tested list of what's working right now—and where you might be leaving serious money on the table.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:22 - Not Launching Enough Products8:21 - Lower Cost of Product Launch15:33 - Price Testing18:08 - Target ROAS Campaigns21:43 - Supply Chain Management28:05 - Brand Marketing// 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