Podcasts about Customer retention

We're creating space for the brains behind the brands we love, and asking good questions along the way. The result is a deep dive into the how and why of brand-building, from blueprints to launch day, customers as community and the detours in between. big lessons, easy listening. In this episode of Read Receipt, Sean sits down with Stephanie Farsht, CEO and co-founder of Small Wonder, the luxury waterless hair care brand built on a powder-to-lather format that activates fresh in the shower. Stephanie's path to founder wasn't conventional. She spent 16 years at Target in innovation and strategy, then eight years teaching entrepreneurship at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, before teaming up with two co-founders to reinvent hair care around a simple idea: potent ingredients work best freshly activated, not sitting in water for months. She gets honest about the messy middle, the pre-dosed pod experiment that flopped with 100 testers, the bottle that clogged after two weeks, and why she still emails customers herself when they cancel. Along the way she shares hard-won lessons on product obsession, failing fast, raising on your own timeline, and building a mission-driven brand in a category most investors are walking away from. Tune in for an inside look at building a category-defining brand through relentless iteration, customer intimacy, and a refusal to ship anything less than the best product possible! Chapters: 00:00 - Cold open 01:38 - Target, then teaching at Kellogg 08:40 - The powder-to-lather idea 11:01 - Becoming a CEO she never planned to be 13:00 - Two years of R&D through COVID 16:43 - Self-funding, no fixed timeline 18:01 - The pod experiment that flopped 23:09 - Designing the patented Wonder Bottle 25:24 - Doubt, failure, and identity 31:57 - Why the founder still does customer service 39:46 - Revenue, raising, and the road to retail 46:45 - Time is what kills companies 48:05 - All or nothing: a billion-dollar mission

Your subscription program is adding customers every month—so why has it stopped growing? Matt Holman, founder of Subscription Prescription and known as “The Subscription Doc,” explains how churn creates a hidden ceiling: eventually, the subscribers coming in simply replace those going out. Matt and Kurt discuss why improving the offer can produce a better return than obsessing over retention, including: Why Matt considers a 40% subscription opt-in rate achievable How gifts can outperform deeper subscription discounts Why customers who switch products or flavors can be worth 6x more When migrating subscription platforms is worth the risk How to simplify the initial offer without limiting existing subscribers Which products probably shouldn't be sold by subscription The inexpensive billing-email improvement most brands overlook They also compare Recharge, Skio, and Loop—and explore how AI could change subscription management. Guest Matt Holman, The Subscription Doc Subscription Prescription: https://thesubscriptiondoc.com The Cancel Page: https://thecancelpage.com Sponsors Swym — Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, and morehttps://getswym.com/kurt Cleverific — Smart order editing for Shopifyhttps://cleverific.com Zipify — Build high-converting sales funnelshttps://zipify.com/KURT Work with Kurt Apply for Shopify help: https://ethercycle.com/apply See our results: https://ethercycle.com/work Get the free newsletter: https://kurtelster.com

Winning a new customer doesn't end when the first cleaning is booked. In this episode of The Profit Cleaners Podcast, the Brandons discuss how losing customers after their first or second clean can quietly make your entire customer acquisition process less efficient. They explain why cleaning business owners should look closely at their retention data, identify where customers are dropping off, and determine whether the first-clean experience may be contributing to unnecessary churn.They also share practical ways to create a stronger customer experience, including handwritten notes, thoughtful leave-behinds, proactive follow-up, and small details that keep your company top of mind between visits. More importantly, they explain why the way you respond when something goes wrong can have just as much impact as getting everything right in the first place.Through real stories from their cleaning businesses, the Brandons show how honest communication, accountability, and a willingness to make things right helped them preserve customer relationships even after mistakes were made. A broken item doesn't necessarily have to mean a lost customer. How your company responds can determine whether that mistake becomes a cancellation or a story the customer tells their neighbors for all the right reasons.If you are successfully bringing new customers through the door but struggling to keep them, this episode will help you rethink the first clean as more than a service appointment. It's an opportunity to build trust, demonstrate value, and create an experience customers want to continue.Listen now!Download the “We Broke Something” leave-behind to help your team communicate clearly with customers when something gets damaged during a clean. Click here: profitcleaners.com/leavebehindHighlights:(01:23) Why the first clean should be treated as an audition for recurring business.(03:16) How losing customers early can make customer acquisition significantly more expensive.(05:13) Why customer retention and lifetime value matter to the long-term health of your business.(07:06) How to use your business data to identify first-clean and early customer churn.(10:25) Simple ways to make the first-clean experience more personal and memorable.(12:11) How thoughtful leave-behinds can keep your cleaning company top of mind.(14:12) How to respond professionally when a customer is unhappy with a clean.(15:39) Why proactive follow-up can uncover concerns before they become cancellations.(18:36) How honest communication after breaking a customer's item strengthened the relationship.(21:38) Why taking responsibility for a costly mistake helped preserve a long-term customer.(24:09) How going above and beyond to correct a problem can become part of your referral story.(25:51) Why every customer interaction should be handled with your reputation in mind.(26:59) Why customers are ultimately buying more than a clean.Links/Resources Mentioned:Profit Cleaners Website Watch the FREE Masterclass: https://profitcleaners.com/masterclass)Join the FREE Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitcleaners/Visit profitcleaners.com/cleanerclean to stay updated on everything coming next from Profit Cleaners. profitcleaners.com/cleanercleanDownload the “We Broke Something” leave-behind: profitcleaners.com/leavebehindDownload the “We Broke Something” leave-behind: profitcleaners.com/leavebehind

We're creating space for the brains behind the brands we love, and asking good questions along the way. The result is a deep dive into the how and why of brand-building, from blueprints to launch day, customers as community and the detours in between. big lessons, easy listening. In this episode of Read Receipt, Sean sits down with Nico Varano, CEO of SweatHouz, the contrast therapy franchise redefining recovery through private sauna, cold plunge, and vitamin C shower experiences. Nico's path to CEO wasn't conventional. After starting his career in finance and private equity, he discovered SweatHouz while training for a charity boxing match and became the brand's first franchisee. After rapidly scaling his own studios, he was tapped to lead the company as CEO. Today, SweatHouz operates more than 100 locations across 25 states and has become one of the fastest-growing wellness franchises in the country. Nico shares lessons on franchising, customer retention, operational excellence, hospitality, and why the future of recovery isn't about flashy experiences, it's about building habits people return to week after week. Tune in for an inside look at scaling a category-defining wellness brand while balancing leadership, fatherhood, and the pursuit of sustainable growth!   Chapters:  00:00 — Meet Nico Varano Nico shares his background in finance, private equity, and his family's restaurant business. 02:00 — Discovering SweatHouz How training for a charity boxing match led Nico to contrast therapy and ultimately franchise ownership. 03:36 — Becoming the First Franchisee Acquiring and growing the Assembly Row location in Boston. 04:28 — The SweatHouz Business Model Memberships, private suites, margins, and creating a scalable wellness business. 09:55 — Building a Habit, Not an Event The philosophy behind customer retention and long-term wellness behavior. 14:22 — Franchising at Scale How SweatHouz supports franchisees while maintaining brand consistency. 26:55 — What's Next for SweatHouz Loyalty programs, wearable integrations, and the company's future growth plans. 32:55 — Entrepreneurship, Fatherhood, & Leadership Nico reflects on balancing business growth with family life. 35:20 — Final Thoughts The future of recovery, hospitality, and building lasting businesses.   Takeaways: Nico transitioned from private equity to becoming SweatHouz's first franchisee before ultimately stepping into the CEO role. SweatHouz has grown from a single studio in 2019 to more than 100 locations across 25 states. The company focuses on building “a habit, not an event” through recurring wellness routines. Memberships drive nearly half of the company's revenue and are critical to long-term retention. SweatHouz's private suite model differentiates it from many group-based recovery concepts. Strong hospitality and customer experience remain central to the brand's growth strategy. Franchising can accelerate growth when operators are empowered and included in decision-making. Technology, loyalty programs, and habit tracking will play a major role in the company's next chapter. Scaling a business requires balancing operational excellence with maintaining the core customer experience. Entrepreneurship and parenthood both require intentionality, flexibility, and making time for what matters.

DraftKings Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO Jason Robins says the firm is seeing retention of customers from the World Cup and predicts those users playing on as the busy fall season gets underway, while speaking with BTV's Ed Ludlow on Bloomberg Tech. Robins also says the company is seeing "really strong traction on predictions," with enormous growth over the last month or two.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patreon backers have access to an exclusive ComicLab Churn Rate spreadsheet — it does the math for you! Is your Patreon actually growing—or are new members disguising a retention problem? Brad walks Dave through the process of calculating churn rate and shows how one number can unlock a much clearer understanding of a membership business. They discuss subscriber retention, lifetime value, onboarding, well-timed interventions, and how to determine whether advertising or convention appearances are truly worth the investment. Then, Dave asks whether publishing a children's book page by page on his existing webcomic could finally help him finish it. Topics include: Skunk Watch 2026 What churn rate means for a Patreon creator Why total membership and revenue can give you an incomplete picture Finding the necessary numbers in Patreon Insights Two methods for calculating churn rate What constitutes a healthy churn rate Why one month of data isn't enough Calculating your average churn rate over time Calculating your retention rate Estimating average subscriber lifetime Calculating average monthly revenue per member Determining the lifetime value of a Patreon backer Why retaining a current member is cheaper than acquiring a new one Using Patreon Autopilot to reduce cancellations Evaluating the quality and value of your Patreon rewards Improving the onboarding experience for new members Welcome messages, digital gifts, and personalized Bonjoro videos Brad's one-week Patreon check-in Helping new backers navigate a complicated archive Using average subscriber lifetime to schedule a retention intervention Brad's 18-month check-in and longtime-backer gift Repackaging older work into valuable digital rewards Rewarding and recognizing your longest-serving supporters Exclusive livestreams, previews, and “inner circle” benefits Calculating an acceptable customer-acquisition cost Evaluating paid advertising with lifetime-value data Tracking whether a comic convention was financially worthwhile Why free webcomics may still be the best customer-acquisition strategy Dave's productivity tip: drawing to Brazilian Carnival music Using a webcomic schedule to force yourself to complete a children's book Why serialized children's-book pages may not satisfy online readers Publishing complete thematic sections instead of individual pages Building a new project into an established comic's schedule The difficulty of building an audience for an independent children's book When a traditional children's-book publisher may be helpful Creative control, editorial notes, and refusing unwanted revisions Breaking publishing rules and trusting your own experience Releasing a finished independent book before seeking wider distribution Why experienced cartoonists may resist redrawing or revising completed work ComicLab LIVE at the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards   You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Learn the five proven business growth strategies that prioritize conversion over lead generation to boost your bottom line. Stop chasing new leads and start focusing on the metrics that actually multiply profit. Many entrepreneurs exhaust their resources on lead generation when the fastest path to revenue lies in optimizing conversion. This guide breaks down the five core pillars of sustainable business growth, explaining why acquiring new customers is often less effective than maximizing the value of the ones you already have. By implementing these specific business growth strategies, you can shift your focus toward building long-term repeat business. We analyze how to evaluate your current sales process and identify the friction points preventing you from increasing your business profit. Whether you are scaling a startup or stabilizing an established company, these principles apply to any model where efficiency matters more than raw volume. If you want to master the balance between lead generation vs conversion, subscribe for weekly business strategy breakdowns, and comment below which of these five areas you plan to optimize first.About Brad SugarsInternationally known as one of the most influential entrepreneurs, Brad Sugars is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and the #1 business coach in the world. Over the course of his 30-year career as an entrepreneur, Brad has become the CEO of 9+ companies and is the owner of the multimillion-dollar franchise ActionCOACH®. As a husband and father of five, Brad is equally as passionate about his family as he is about business. That's why, Brad is a strong advocate for building a business that works without you – so you can spend more time doing what really matters to you. Over the years of starting, scaling and selling many businesses, Brad has earned his fair share of scars. Being an entrepreneur is not an easy road. But if you can learn from those who have gone before you, it becomes a lot easier than going at it alone.Please click here to learn more about Brad Sugars: https://bradsugars.com/Build a Business That Gives You More Time, Money & Life: Get The $100M Playbook: https://go.bradsugars.com/100m-playbook-ebook

Vy Nguyen bought his father's mattress factory in 2010 and spent 15 years doing everything the industry said not to do—building his own supply chain, skipping outside funding, and refusing to cut corners on materials. The result is Avocado Green, the largest organic mattress brand in the US, with 1,000 employees, more than 600 wholesale partners, and a billion-dollar target in its sights. For more on Avocado Green Brands and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

When Andrew Blackmon couldn't find a rental tuxedo that actually fit, he didn't just start a company—he rebuilt the entire formalwear supply chain from scratch, turning a strip-mall industry into a nine-figure business with seven flagship stores and showrooms in more than 40 Nordstrom locations. For more on The Black Tux and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

In this episode, Dwayne Kinsley from LACarGuy joins us live from the NCM "Fuel the Future" Fixed Ops event. Dwayne opens up about why these peer-driven conferences matter, what's keeping dealers competitive, and why retention is a bigger conversation than ever. We dig into the constant evolution of dealership technology—how to cut through all the noise, avoid vendor overload, and find the right partners to help your team move fast and stay ahead.Dwayne pulls back the curtain on how true competition comes from outside the dealership world, what drives fixed ops profitability, and the tough calls parts managers are forced to make with ever-changing tech options. If you're looking to sharpen your competitive edge and create more value for your customers, this episode is a must-listen.--------------------------------------------This show is powered by PartsEdge: Your go-to solution for transforming dealership parts inventory into a powerhouse of profitability. Our strategies are proven to amp up parts sales by a whopping 20%, all while cutting down on idle inventory. If you're looking to optimize your parts management, visit

Did you know that it costs up to seven times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain a current customer? Yes, seven times! We spend so much time, money and energy chasing new customers, new followers, new email subscribers, new stockists. And meanwhile, we have people who already bought from us, the ones who already know us and like us. They trust our brand and most of us are barely talking to them. So today we're going to fix that and talk about why customer retention is so important.Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit.Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners. Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for our next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the wait list and you'll get early access to enroll.SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLISTYou can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/449 Quick Links:Free Wholesale Audio SeriesFree Resources LibraryFree Email Marketing for Product MakersPTP LABSPaper Camp

E-commerce order volumes are climbing, but bottom-line profits aren't keeping pace.  In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Tevon Taylor are joined by Lori Boyer, Head of Content Marketing at EasyPost and host of Unboxing Logistics. They explore how to protect margins by moving away from broad averages and toward customer precision and AI-driven routing strategies.   Lori explains how unmanaged growth creates a hidden operational tax for businesses. She makes the case for focusing on order quality over pure volume, calculating the true contribution margin per order, and using technology to treat delivery as a customer retention tool rather than a standard cost center. She also shares a case study where an operator leveraged practical AI tools to save $2 million annually and drastically cut late deliveries without changing carriers or contracts.   Tevon and Lori discuss core operating principles for winning organizations; breaking free from baseline defaults, segmenting customers by economic value, and building multi-carrier optionality to safeguard against rate spikes. They highlight how moving past standard averages helps operators stop losing money and ensure top customers receive the elite experience they deserve. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (06:50) The e-commerce growth vs. profit gap  (08:41) How today's e-commerce complexity is different  (12:12) Shifting from broad growth to order profitability  (14:12) Rising customer acquisition costs and retention value  (18:22) Dashboard lies and the death of averages  (21:44) Breaking down the true cost of customer margin  (23:57) Starting with a simple profitability spreadsheet  (26:33) Segmenting customers by order economics  (28:18) Automating logistics decisions with practical AI tools  (37:18) Prioritizing reliability and visibility over delivery speed (41:00) Redefining optionality as a bottom-line margin strategy (44:34) Traits that separate winning operators from those struggling (48:39) Leveraging Luma AI workflows to locate hidden shipping costs (51:05) Prioritizing customer lifetime value over broad funnel acquisition Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Lori Boyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribboyer/ Connect with Tevon Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tevontaylor/ Learn more about EasyPost: https://www.easypost.com/ Learn more about Pegasus Logistics Group: https://www.pegasuslogisticsgroup.com Learn more about Unboxing Logistics: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/ Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/ Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry's Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Tevon Taylor, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/more-orders-less-profit-whats-going-on-1608 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's be honest — nobody wakes up in the morning excited to open your app. Well, some people may but definitely not all of them! And in 2026, the CRM teams that win aren't the ones sending more messages. They're the ones who know exactly who to reach, on which channel, at which moment — and when to say nothing at all. In this special episode, we're bringing you the Business of Apps London 2026 panel 2026 CRM Trends: The Ultimate Guide to Customer Retention. It's a candid look at what retention really takes right now — from LLMs quietly rewriting app discovery to why downloads have become a vanity metric — told by three people running lifecycle for some of the UK's most recognizable brands: Francesca Stringer of Sky Jill Angus of Aviva Isabelle von Matuschka of Studio LTV The panel's topics include: AI is rewriting app discovery — consumers are outsourcing decisions to LLMs instead of browsing the App Store, downloads are becoming a vanity metric, and Sky is now prioritizing GEO over SEO. Personalization is moving upstream — it's no longer about tailoring the message but about arbitration and orchestration: deciding who gets a message, on which channel, at what moment, and whether they need one at all. Product and marketing are now a joint venture — siloed teams can't win retention anymore; feedback loops, shared data, and embedded partnerships are the new operating model. CRM starts long before the email — ASO, custom product cards, and seeding the app into above-the-line campaigns and brand experiences (the M&S playbook) are the underused retention levers. Trust is fragile — and the hot takes — trust dies by a thousand micro-cuts (irrelevant pushes, broken links); community is overrated as a retention silver bullet; and CRM must stop being email-led.

Happy Friday, Store Nation.   Welcome back to the Hacking Self Storage podcast.   Today, we're exploring the latest CSTA industry report on customer retention and what it reveals about customer behaviour in container self storage.   We also discuss why longer customer stays are creating greater value for operators and what these trends mean for the future of container self storage.  Hope you enjoy this episode.   Give it a listen.   Free training here:  https://www.mrselfstorage.com/self-storage-investing-academy Or if you're ready to take the next step, apply to join my program here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u-XTpsyeNLjf_AVbbHxmQ2difx71vQ9NmCPaV-1_lSI/edit?usp=sharing Mr Self Storage Newsletter: https://www.mrselfstorage.com/   Mr Self Storage YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mrselfstoragedotcom

Sara Sugarman turned her family's rug business into Lulu and Georgia, a home brand that grows 20% to 30% a year, with no debt and a repeat-purchase rate double the industry average. She breaks down the inventory bets, infrastructure mistakes, and financial discipline behind building it all herself. For more on Lulu and Georgia and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Brent Peterson sits down with Michelle Donnelly, Chief Revenue Officer at Crescendo, to explore how AI-native customer experience solutions are transforming the way brands interact with their customers. The conversation covers everything from autonomous digital agents to the critical role humans still play in customer support. Michelle brings a wealth of experience from her time at Salesforce and the AI chip industry, and she shares fascinating real-world examples of how Crescendo's approach is turning traditional cost centers into profit centers. If you care about customer experience, this episode deserves your full attention.Key TakeawaysAI agents must work seamlessly with human agents. A digital-only approach without a human fallback creates frustrating loops that drive customers away.Customer support is becoming a revenue channel. By combining personalization, memory, and business context, AI agents can turn a simple support interaction into an upsell opportunity.Speed to value matters. Crescendo deploys in under four weeks, a dramatic improvement over traditional SaaS implementations that can take months.Outcome-based pricing changes the game. Rather than selling seats, Crescendo charges based on outcomes, aligning their success with the customer's success.Multimodal interactions let customers choose. Whether through chat, voice, WhatsApp, or email, the customer decides how they want to engage, and the AI adapts accordingly.Quality assurance reveals powerful patterns. Analyzing interactions across the customer base surfaces product issues and opportunities that brands would otherwise miss.Knowledge bases improve over time. The AI learns from every interaction and actually enhances the brand's existing knowledge base rather than relying on static content.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Crescendo and Michelle's Journey03:53 The Role of AI in Customer Experience09:30 Seamless Integration of Digital and Human Agents15:02 Multimodal Customer Interactions18:52 Quality Assurance and Content Relevance22:26 Transforming Customer Support into Profit Centers28:22 Democratizing AI for All BusinessesConnect with Michelle on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelledonnelly/https://www.linkedin.com/company/crescendocx/

After tracing her own chronic skin and hair issues back to hard water, Karlee Zhang partnered with Omer Ozener to build Hello Klean on just £60,000 of personal savings. By educating consumers on an invisible problem and leveraging a “free trial” strategy, they created a new “shower care” category that now boasts more than 90,000 active subscribers. For more on Hello Klean, in show notes, click here. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Send us Fan MailMost business owners know email marketing matters.So why are so many still avoiding it?In this episode of Imperfect Marketing, Kendra shares two recent conversations with business owners from completely different industries who were facing the exact same challenge: email marketing. One business wasn't sending emails at all because they were worried about annoying customers. The other, a multi-million-dollar company with a long sales cycle, viewed email continuity as one of their most important marketing priorities.The lesson? Whether your customers buy every few weeks or every few years, staying top of mind matters.Kendra breaks down the biggest misconceptions business owners have about email marketing, why open rates aren't the whole story, and how simply showing up consistently can make a significant difference in your growth.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why email marketing remains one of the most effective marketing channels available• The real purpose of email marketing beyond clicks and conversions• Why fear of being annoying is holding many businesses back• How staying visible helps customers remember and choose you• A simple action step you can take this week to reconnect with your audienceIf you've been putting off sending emails because you don't know what to write, you're worried about bothering people, or you're waiting for the "perfect" message, this episode is for you.Subscribe to Imperfect Marketing for practical marketing strategies that help you grow your business without chasing perfection. Looking to leverage AI? Want better results? Want to think about what you want to leverage?Check and see how I am using it for FREE on YouTube. From "Holy cow, it can do that?" to "Wait, how does this work again?" – I've got all your AI curiosities covered. It's the perfect after-podcast snack for your tech-hungry brain. Watch here

Most unhappy guests will never complain. They will just leave.And if your team is not paying attention, you may not know there was a problem until the review shows up or the guest never comes back.In this episode, Chris breaks down how to spot guest issues before they are spoken and how to handle complaints in the moment.Because a guest who complains is not always the problem.Sometimes they are giving you one last chance to fix it.If your team is not reading the room or asking better questions, you are probably missing patterns that cost you repeat business.Bad nights happen. But bad nights handled well can become loyalty stories.

Are you struggling with customer retention? In today's episode, we dive into the surprising lesson from Raising Cane's that could transform your business. Discover how one fast-food chain capitalized on a simple yet effective customer retention formula, while another business lost customers without even knowing it. Join us as we explore the four vital components of customer retention that could change the way you operate!---### Episode Summary:In this episode, we compare two restaurants and reveal the critical factors that contribute to customer retention. We discuss a transformative experience at Raising Cane's and the missed opportunities at another restaurant. By analyzing the customer experience and operational practices, we uncover essential strategies that all businesses can implement to keep their clients coming back.### What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The four-variable formula for customer retention.- Why customer experience matters more than pricing or marketing.- Real-life examples of customer retention in action.- How to identify and rectify retention formula violations in your business.- The importance of employee experience in delivering great customer service.- Proven strategies for direct response marketing.- The significance of having documented business practices for consistency.- Steps to evaluate your own customer interaction processes.### Timestamp Chapters:- [00:00:00] Introduction to Customer Retention- [00:01:29] The Pizza Place Experience- [00:02:43] Discovering Raising Cane's- [00:04:27] The Customer Retention Formula Explained- [00:07:21] Quality Business Practices in Action- [00:10:07] Documenting Standards for Success- [00:12:11] Conclusion & Call to Action---### SEO Expansion:In the competitive world of customer service, understanding the nuances of customer retention can set your business apart. This episode reveals how even small changes in operations can lead to significant increases in customer loyalty. By focusing on employee experience, quality customer interactions, and effective business practices, companies can create a system that not only attracts new clients but keeps them coming back for more. If you're looking to improve your customer retention strategy, this episode is a must-listen!---### Frequently Asked Questions:**Q1: What is the primary message of this episode?** A: The episode emphasizes the importance of a structured customer retention formula and how businesses can improve by focusing on employee and customer experiences.**Q2: How does employee experience affect customer retention?** A: Happy and engaged employees are more likely to deliver exceptional service, which directly impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty.**Q3: Can the customer retention formula apply to all types of businesses?** A: Yes, the principles discussed can be adapted to various industries, from fast food to professional services.**Q4: What are some immediate steps to improve customer retention?** A: Evaluate your customer interaction processes, streamline your services, and ensure consistent employee training and recognition.**Q5: Where can I find more information on the customer retention formula?** A: Check out the extended blog linked in the description for a detailed breakdown and actionable steps.---### Related Topics:- Customer Experience Management- Employee Engagement Strategies- Direct Response Marketing Techniques- Business Process Documentation- Client Retention StrategiesIf you found this episode insightful, hit the **Subscribe** button for more tips on enhancing customer retention and business success! Share your thoughts in the comments below or let us know your own customer retention success stories!#CustomerRetention #BusinessSuccess #RaisingCanes #CustomerExperience #MarketingStrategies

Consumption pricing and AI adoption are forcing revenue teams to prove value faster, with less room to hide behind contracts, pilots, or broad technical promises. Seong Park, Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to examine how customer success has become a consultative, technical, and commercial function in modern go-to-market. The conversation explores why post-sale execution is now central to retention, how teams need to embed into customer workflows, what finance scrutiny means for consumption models, and why the fundamentals of pain, champions, outcomes, and evidence still matter in a market moving at unusual speed. Seong Park is the Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor. His background spans pre-sales, customer success, and go-to-market leadership across companies including MongoDB, ThoughtSpot, and now Cursor. Connect with Seong: LinkedIn Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Seong Park's perspective on how pre-sales, open source SaaS, and customer success shaped his view of enterprise go-to-market. 02:26 – Why consumption models force revenue teams to re-earn the customer's business through usage and realized value. 08:00 – The value realization test every revenue leader should care about: what happens if the solution gets unplugged. 11:04 – Why workflow depth quietly becomes a moat in enterprise accounts. 18:04 – Why the real selling often starts after the customer signs. 23:50 – A look inside where Cursor is finding technical go-to-market talent, and what it takes to build that talent into customer-facing operators. 34:38 – Why finance scrutiny quietly changes the standard of proof for AI investments. 52:00 – The three things post-sale teams need to understand before value delivery can begin. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode of What the Fixed Ops?!, hosts Russell Hill and Charity Dunning sit down with Bill Springer for a deep dive into the evolving world of dealership customer retention, fixed operations, and long-term service loyalty.Drawing from insights in his latest Dealer Retention Report, Bill breaks down the biggest challenges and opportunities facing dealerships today—from tire sales and first service appointments to mobile service, video MPIs, communication strategies, and the growing importance of convenience-driven loyalty.Bill explains why customer retention is no longer just about price or promotions, but about building trust, creating seamless experiences, and proactively guiding customers through every stage of ownership. He shares why dealerships lose customers after the warranty period, how poor communication creates major defection points, and why service departments must rethink the customer journey from day one.This conversation goes far beyond oil changes and repair orders. It's about understanding customer behavior, building long-term relationships, creating value beyond price, and developing systems that keep customers coming back year after year.We talk about:• Why the first service appointment is critical to retention• How tire sales directly impact long-term customer loyalty• Why dealerships still struggle to communicate their tire business• The growing role of mobile service and convenience• How video MPIs build trust and transparency with customers• Why appointment availability can make or break retention• The connection between communication and customer continuity• Why dealerships must focus on value instead of competing on price• How prepaid maintenance bundles improve retention• The importance of setting the next appointment before customers leave• Why customer experience now competes with Amazon-level convenience• How dealerships can reduce friction in the service process• The biggest customer defection points dealerships overlook• Why service advisors should focus on education and relationship-building• How leadership and long-term thinking shape dealership success• The role of process consistency in improving retention• Why dealerships need proactive systems instead of reactive marketing• How EV adoption is reshaping tire and maintenance opportunities• Why trust, transparency, and convenience matter more than everBill also shares powerful insights on leadership, customer psychology, employee communication, and why dealerships must stop thinking transactionally and start thinking about customer continuity over the long term.His message is clear: retention doesn't happen by accident—it happens through trust, communication, convenience, and consistently delivering value at every step of the customer journey.This is a high-level, insight-packed conversation about dealership retention, fixed ops strategy, customer loyalty, and what it truly takes to build a service experience customers choose to come back to.BE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HEREwww.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts:www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host Russell B. Hill and Co-Host Charity Dunning as they discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in What the Fixed Ops?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations #dealershipmarketing

AI is changing how people discover, evaluate, trust, buy, create, hire, and compete. The bigger question is whether your business model is built to survive a future where attention is fragmented, trust is harder to earn, execution is easier to automate, and buyers have more options than ever. Learn how to activate the M.A.S.S. Effect Business Model, a strategic ecosystem built around: • Media to create attention, trust, authority, and discoverability • Assets to create scalability, leverage, and income beyond your direct time • Strategy to create clarity, alignment, interpretation, and better decisions • Systems to reduce friction, support consistency, and keep the business moving Many businesses are addicted to acquisition because they never built retention. In an AI accelerated world, that becomes dangerous because information is easier to access, skills are being compressed, and execution is becoming automated. The real value now shifts toward trust, experience, clarity, influence, systems, and community. The future belongs to adaptive businesses that can evolve with the market, keep customers connected, turn trust into retention, and scale without breaking the founder, team, or customer experience. If your business grew tomorrow, could it actually hold the growth, or would the model collapse under the weight of what you asked for? Beyond The Episode Gems: Buy Troy's Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business StrategizeUpBook.com Discover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast Network Get Free HubSpot Marketing Tools To Help You Grow Your Business Grow Your Business Faster Using HubSpot's CRM Platform Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy:  Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews Follow Troy's Socials @FindTroy: LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, TikTok Subscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel For Strategy Videos & See Masterclass Episodes Need Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.com

Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What if you could give every customer a luxury experience - without a luxury budget? In this episode of the Unemployable Podcast, Jeff Dudan sits down with Neen James, global keynote speaker, luxury experience strategist, and author of *Exceptional Experiences*, to reveal the exact systems and mindsets that separate transactional businesses from unforgettable ones. Neen breaks down why satisfied customers are your biggest risk (not your biggest asset), how a $6 magazine subscription won a six-figure contract, why every business should think like a hotel concierge instead of a bellhop, and the five luxury levers any company - home services, franchise, B2B, or retail - can apply immediately to create advocates, not just clients. You'll learn: • The difference between a transactional and transformational customer experience • How to systemize thoughtfulness so personalization scales across your team • What luxury brands like Chanel, Delta, and private aviation do differently - and how you can borrow it • Why storytelling and metaphor are free tools that make your business impossible to forget • The Experience Elevation Model: Entice → Invite → Excite → Delight → Ignite • How to create "champagne moments" that turn ordinary service into word-of-mouth marketing • The hidden cost of not paying attention - in business, relationships, and life • Why your satisfied customers are already being poached by your competitors Whether you're a franchisee, franchise brand, home services business, or entrepreneur looking to build a legacy brand, this episode is packed with actionable systems you can start implementing today.  Homefront Brands: https://www.homefrontbrands.com Jeff Dudan: https://www.jeffdudan.com Guest: Neen James Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AussieNeen  Guest Website: https://neenjames.com/  Guest Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenjames/  #CustomerExperience #LuxuryBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #FranchiseBusiness #WordOfMouth #BusinessStrategy #UnemployablePodcast #Neen James #ClientRetention #EntrepreneurMindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What if you could give every customer a luxury experience - without a luxury budget? In this episode of the Unemployable Podcast, Jeff Dudan sits down with Neen James, global keynote speaker, luxury experience strategist, and author of *Exceptional Experiences*, to reveal the exact systems and mindsets that separate transactional businesses from unforgettable ones. Neen breaks down why satisfied customers are your biggest risk (not your biggest asset), how a $6 magazine subscription won a six-figure contract, why every business should think like a hotel concierge instead of a bellhop, and the five luxury levers any company - home services, franchise, B2B, or retail - can apply immediately to create advocates, not just clients. You'll learn: • The difference between a transactional and transformational customer experience • How to systemize thoughtfulness so personalization scales across your team • What luxury brands like Chanel, Delta, and private aviation do differently - and how you can borrow it • Why storytelling and metaphor are free tools that make your business impossible to forget • The Experience Elevation Model: Entice → Invite → Excite → Delight → Ignite • How to create "champagne moments" that turn ordinary service into word-of-mouth marketing • The hidden cost of not paying attention - in business, relationships, and life • Why your satisfied customers are already being poached by your competitors Whether you're a franchisee, franchise brand, home services business, or entrepreneur looking to build a legacy brand, this episode is packed with actionable systems you can start implementing today.  Homefront Brands: https://www.homefrontbrands.com Jeff Dudan: https://www.jeffdudan.com Guest: Neen James Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AussieNeen  Guest Website: https://neenjames.com/  Guest Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenjames/  #CustomerExperience #LuxuryBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #FranchiseBusiness #WordOfMouth #BusinessStrategy #UnemployablePodcast #Neen James #ClientRetention #EntrepreneurMindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A cancellation can feel personal, but the real damage is mathematical: lost monthly recurring revenue, a broken pool route, and extra drive time that quietly drains profit. We dig into what actually makes pool service customers pull the plug, and it's not the knee-jerk “they found someone cheaper” story most of us tell ourselves. Homeowners often tolerate bad pool maintenance longer than you'd expect, which means you usually have a window to recover service issues before they start shopping.We also get into a sneaky, non-service reason you can lose a great account overnight: the house gets sold. If you can't reach the buyer, your perfect weekly pool service can disappear at closing. We share practical, real-world ways to stay on the radar during escrow, from giving the seller a simple info packet for the new owner to leaving clear contact details near the pool timer or equipment pad so the buyer sees your name the first time they check the system.Finally, we break down retention habits that consistently keep cancellations low: asking for the real reason when someone wants to quit, staying consistent with service day and time, using clear communication (including pool routing apps that send visit notifications), and being transparent about problems and price increases. If you want a stronger pool service business, better customer retention, and a route that stays full, listen through to the end, then subscribe, share this with a pool pro friend, and leave a review so more techs can find it.Customer cancellations sting because they punch a hole in our revenue and our route, but most losses are preventable when we understand what actually drives homeowners to switch. We break down the real reasons pool service customers leave and the habits that keep retention high even when prices rise and life changes hit.• homeowners often tolerate bad pool conditions longer than we expect  • cancellations create lost annual revenue plus inefficient gaps in a pool route  • home sales quietly cancel great accounts when we cannot reach the buyer  • proactive steps to recapture new owners using packets and equipment-pad contact info  • why price is rarely the true reason clients leave according to industry survey insights  • common cancellation triggers like poor communication and inconsistent service days  • how to respond when customers cut budgets or try DIY pool maintenance  • offering tiered service instead of discounting to protect profit  • asking the reason for cancellation to save accounts with simple fixes  • retention pillars like transparency, consistency, and swim-ready resultsJoin the pool guy coaching program. Learn more at swimmingpoollearning.com. If you're interested in the coaching program, you can learn more at poolguycoaching.com.Send us Fan MailSupport the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6y

Imagine building one of the world's first cold email automation platforms, then deciding not to chase hypergrowth or venture capital but to grow profitably by serving a very specific kind of customer well. In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, Vinay Koshy speaks with Jeremy Chatelaine, founder and CEO of Quickmail, to discover how he prioritized product excellence and customer retention in a fast-moving SaaS landscape. With over 400 podcast episodes, an industry-defining book, and the trust of agencies managing hundreds of clients, Jeremy's story flips conventional SaaS wisdom on its head. He reveals how the internal calculus of “good fit” versus “bad fit” customers can make or break a business and why refusing a paying customer can sometimes be more profitable in the long run as opposed to customers who destroy value, the unusual economics of retention vs. acquisition, and why delivering exceptional customer results like, booking 4.22 times more meetings than the competition, is about much more than emails and automation. Jeremy also shares hard-won lessons from mistakes, killer feature inventions, and why an executive assistant could be the highest ROI hire you're not making. Tune in for an unfiltered, unconventional masterclass in SaaS success. Some topics we explore in this episode include: Bootstrapping vs Venture Capital: Jeremy details the benefits of building Quickmail profitably without VC funding.Customer Retention vs Acquisition: Why retention often outperforms acquisition for long-term SaaS growth.Defining Ideal Customer Profiles: How to identify and evolve good-fit and bad-fit customers over time.Product-Led Growth from Customer Feedback: Developing features driven by close interaction with customers.Educational Content's Role: The role of podcasts and books in attracting and pre-qualifying leads.Technical Differentiation: Email Deliverability: What sets Quickmail's deliverability and booking rates apart.Multi-Channel Outreach (LinkedIn + Email): Data on improved results from combining email and LinkedIn campaigns.Roadmap Discipline: Saying No: When and why to decline feature requests that don't serve the ICP.Scaling for Agencies: Tools and approaches for agencies managing many client accounts.Founder Leverage via Delegation: The value of executive assistants and reducing operational overload.

What's really behind your customer retention problem? In this episode of The Scalable Expert, Tara Bryan shares a candid observation from inside another expert's high-level program — and the "aha" moment that reminded her why a clear customer journey isn't optional. When customers can't see the path they're on, they drift. They disengage. They don't ascend — not because your training isn't valuable, but because they've lost the plot.Tara breaks down the difference between random acts of training and a true Signature Pathway, and why designing the customer journey first is the foundation of real customer retention and scalable growth.In this episode:What "random acts of training" reveal about your business structureWhy customers stop ascending even when they love your contentHow the customer journey (not the content) drives retentionThe Signature Experience Map: designing the path before you build the deliveryReady to find out if your customer journey is holding back your growth? Take the free Scalable Expert Audit → https://thescalable.expert/scalable-expert-auditTara Bryan is the creator of the Infinite Scale Method™ and host of The Scalable Expert podcast. She helps expert business owners, coaches, and consultants turn their expertise into a scalable business built on a signature framework and systems that deliver results without requiring more of their time. Learn more at www.thescalable.expert and www.taralbryan.comReady to build a business your expertise deserves? The Scalable Expert Audit reveals exactly where you are in the Infinite Scale Method and what to do next. Five minutes. Instant results. Take the Free Scalable Expert Audit → If this episode was useful...Share it with one expert business owner who's hit the same ceiling.A review on Apple Podcasts helps more of the right people find the show and takes less than two minutes.→ Leave a review: Apple Podcasts→ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Website

What you'll learn in this episode: Why bad reviews aren't as damaging as you think The golden rule: perception is reality—valid or not How to respond without being defensive The PRO framework (Problem, Result, Offer) for impactful reviews Why stacking good reviews matters more than fearing bad ones    

As AI handles more outreach and automation, the recruiters who stand out will be the ones who build stronger human connections. Host Kortney Harmon sits down with leadership consultant Shad Tidler to explore practical strategies for earning trust, adapting communication styles, and creating more meaningful client relationships in today's recruiting landscape.Shad shares actionable insights on interrupting predictable sales patterns, using DISC principles to improve communication, and building trust through consistency, empathy, and transparency—without losing efficiency in an AI-driven world.Discover how relationship-driven recruiters can create stronger client alignment and stand out in the age of AI.______________Follow Shad Tidler on LinkedIn: LinkedIn | ShadFollow Crelate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crelate/Want to learn more about Crelate? Book a demo hereSubscribe to our newsletter: https://www.crelate.com/blog/full-desk-experience 

In this episode, we explore the common struggle of growing sales without seeing a matching increase in profit. Misha Druzhinin, Co-founder and CEO of Finsi.ai, explains why many brands fail to track their margins and how focusing only on immediate returns can hurt long-term growth. He shares how his AI platform helps business owners simplify complex data to find hidden waste and improve customer value.You will learn how to move away from constant discounting, reduce customer churn, and use smart data to spend more effectively on ads while staying profitable. Topics discussed in this episode:  How failing to own profit margins stalls growth. Why relying on ROAS limits long-term brand success. What warning signs indicate your scaling is failing. How AI identifies high-value customer behavior patterns. What role qualitative data plays in reducing churn. Why "Smart Brevity" in data helps managers focus. How unit-level analysis uncovers hidden product waste. What retention architecture does for repeat purchases. How demographic data shifts modern marketing strategy. Why operational limits often signal a winning flywheel. Links & ResourcesWebsite: https://www.finsi.ai/Shopify App Store: https://www.finsi.ai/integrations/ecommerce/shopifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdruzhinin/Get access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/yc3v2d8cI'd love your feedback. Tap the the link to send me a text. ______________________________________________________LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS!Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!   Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts   Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/   Support The Show On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EcommerceCoffeeBreak   Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

Customer retention doesn’t require grand gestures or complicated systems — it’s built through small, intentional actions done consistently. In this highlight episode, Stacey dives into simple but powerful ways to make customers feel valued, heard and excited to return. From confidently asking for feedback (even when things go wrong), to creating moments of surprise and delight outside the four walls of your business, Stacey shares practical strategies that strengthen loyalty and reduce the pressure of constant customer acquisition. This episode also explores how to spot “flight risks” early and proactively reconnect before customers quietly disappear. If you want more repeat customers, stronger relationships and a business that feels easier to run, this episode is packed with ideas you can implement straight away.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home service companies are leaving serious money on the table when it comes to referrals. In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Murphy Nadauld from ReferPro to break down how top HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing companies are building scalable referral engines through lifecycle marketing, automation, and AI.In this episode, you'll learn: • Why referrals are underutilized in home services • How lifecycle marketing drives repeat revenue • Why referral incentives increase conversion rates • How contractors are using referrals to recruit technicians • The role AI and automation play in customer retention • How affiliate partnerships create new lead opportunitiesHost: John WilsonGuest: Murphy Nadauld (ReferPro)ReferPro

In part two of the customer retention series, Stacey dives into one of the most powerful — and often overlooked — ways to keep customers coming back: building genuine relationships. From remembering names to creating simple systems that help customers feel seen, heard and valued, this episode explores why retention is far more effective than constantly chasing new customers. Stacey shares practical examples from her own business, explains how small personal touches can dramatically increase loyalty, and challenges business owners to embed relationship-building into their daily processes. If you want stronger customer connections, better retention and more sustainable revenue, this episode delivers simple strategies you can start using immediately.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To watch a video version of this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/iSroxH8taxY In this episode, we explore the recent challenges and innovations at Spectora, including the controversial Fixel rollout, AI advancements, and the company's future direction. Guest Peter Osberg shares insights on navigating industry changes, customer engagement, and technological breakthroughs that are shaping the home inspection industry.Here's the link to Inspector Empire Builder: https://www.iebcoaching.com/eventsTakeawaysSpectora's Fixel rollout revealed the importance of deep customer engagement before launching change at scale.Not all home inspectors operate the same—optional, customizable solutions are essential.Trust takes years to build and moments to lose, and regaining it requires action, not words.Home inspectors have major long‑term growth opportunities by extending relationships beyond the inspection itself.AI should remove low‑value work, not replace professional expertise.Spectora's AI report writing tools are already delivering 25–30% time savings on site.AI scheduling agents can reduce missed bookings by handling inquiries, pricing, upsells, and scheduling automatically.Inspector‑controlled workflows are critical when introducing automation and AI.Private equity ownership is not one‑size‑fits‑all; values and structure matter.The future of home inspection depends on listening more than telling and co‑building with inspectors.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates02:59 Spectora and the Home Inspection Industry05:55 Peter Osberg's Background and Journey to Spectora11:59 Understanding Fixel and Its Rollout14:53 Mistakes and Lessons Learned from Fixel17:44 The Future of Spectora and Home Inspection Services23:21 Navigating Challenges in the Service Industry24:03 Growth Opportunities for Home Inspectors26:21 Customer Retention and Trust28:28 Understanding Private Equity and Its Impact32:40 Innovations in Home Inspection Technology38:52 The Future of AI in Home Inspections40:50 Feedback and Communication with Home Inspectors

In this episode of How to Run a Successful Business and Still Have a Life, Stacey Morgan dives deep into customer retention and why it’s a game-changer for your business. She shares practical strategies to keep your customers coming back, from mapping the customer journey, creating milestones, and ensuring consistent touchpoints, to surprising and delighting your clients. Stacey explains how understanding your customer’s needs, communicating your vision, mission, and values, and making them feel part of your community turns first-time buyers into loyal, lifelong customers. This episode is packed with actionable insights for small business owners who want to focus on retention, build meaningful relationships, and reduce the cost of constantly acquiring new customers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're hustling to land new customers … but what if the ones you already have are quietly slipping away? Kurt Kane saw this problem on day one as CEO of TruGreen. And after years of driving transactional growth as CMO of Wendy's, he saw the opportunity to grow TruGreen by leaning into long-term customer satisfaction and retention. Now, he's revitalizing the brand and getting his team engaged in the mission, too. This episode will help you see your customers (and their feedback) in a whole new light – and reveal just how important it is to fall in love with customer retention if you want to grow your business. You'll also learn: Stealable marketing strategies from P&G, Wendy's, Coors, and more A practical way to get your entire team focused on the right work One question to ask if you want to boost employee engagement How to keep your culture informal without sacrificing results Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you'll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Why do guests leave after one drink, even when the cocktail was good?That is usually not a drink problem.Your bar may be telling them to leave before anyone says a word.In this episode, I break down the hidden signals that kill second-round orders: empty glasses, dead room energy, awkward server check-ins, messy tables, flat lighting, bad music shifts, and staff behaviour that makes the night feel over.Because the decision to order another drink usually happens before the guest asks for one.I'll show you why the five minutes before and after an empty glass matter, how guests decide whether to stay or go, and what your team can do to keep the experience moving without being pushy.If your guests keep leaving after one round, this episode will make you look at your bar differently.Sometimes the problem is not the drink.It is the signal your room is sending.

Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and Dealership Owners — are you tired of spending a fortune on marketing just to fill your drive with one-time customers? Most dealerships focus on "customer acquisition" while their current database is leaking out the back door. In this special "Coach Takeover" episode, our elite coaching team breaks down why retention is the only way to build a sustainable, high-profit service department. In this episode of Service Drive Revolution (#355), we break down: ✅ Why the "welcome" in the drive is the most critical moment for long-term retention ✅ The psychology of why customers leave (and it's rarely about the price) ✅ Relationship building: How to move from being a "transactional" shop to a "relational" one ✅ The Sales Manager vs. Service Manager dynamic: Why sales experience can be a superpower in Fixed Ops ✅ How to handle hand-offs from management to advisors to build instant trust ✅ The "Top Golf" debate and the value of team culture behind the scenes ✅ Why "staying in the driveway" is a service manager's most important job If your service department struggles with: - High customer churn and low repeat business - Advisors who treat every customer like a stranger - Managers who hide in their office instead of being in the drive - Low CSI scores despite "fixing it right the first time." - Or a lack of connection between your service and sales departments This episode features insights from our entire coaching team to help you stop the bleeding and turn your service drive into a retention machine. The strength of your business isn't how many new customers you find, but how many you keep. #FixedOps #ServiceManager #CustomerRetention #ChrisBulldogCollins #ServiceDriveRevolution #DealershipLife #AutomotiveLeadership #ServiceAdvisorTraining

In this episode, we explore how to turn website pop-ups into powerful tools for growth instead of annoying distractions. Taras Talimonchuk, CMO at Claspo.io, shares why treating every visitor the same with generic discount codes kills your conversion rates. We discuss the importance of aligning your pop-up strategy with the customer's shopping journey, using behavioral segmentation to deliver the right message, and how gamification can boost engagement. Topics discussed in this episode:  How pop-ups improve the customer journey.Why generic discount codes hurt your brand.What drives better conversion rates with pop-ups.How segmentation creates relevant offers.Why behavior tracking increases revenue.What role gamification plays in engagement.How AI tools automate design alignment.Why long-term relationships boost profit.What metrics matter for pop-up success.How to test pop-ups for better results. Links & Resources Website: https://claspo.io/Shopify App Store: https://apps.shopify.com/claspoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/79840464/X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/claspo_ioGet access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/38f6cvdfI'd love your feedback. Tap the the link to send me a text. ______________________________________________________LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS!Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!   Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts   Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/   Support The Show On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EcommerceCoffeeBreak   Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

In this episode of the Millionaire Car Salesman Podcast, Sean V. Bradley sits down with Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO of Numa, to challenge one of the most accepted truths in automotive… and flip it on its head. "You are fundamentally in the retention business." - Tasso Roumeliotis Dealerships have relied on the same customer satisfaction metrics for decades. They check the scores, read the reports, and assume they understand their customers… but what if they don't? What if the way dealerships measure customer experience is not just outdated… but actually costing them revenue every single day? "The CSI score is effectively an autopsy report. And what we believe in the modern world is I need a heart rate monitor." - Tasso Roumeliotis This conversation dives into a major shift happening right now in automotive, one that's moving dealerships away from delayed feedback and into a world where customer experience can be seen, understood, and acted on in real time! Sean and Tasso explore what's really happening between the moment a customer interacts with your dealership and the moment you realize something went wrong… and why that gap is where the biggest opportunities are being lost. "Create visibility and if you measure it, it will improve, and it will get used." - Tasso Roumeliotis If you're a dealer, manager, or sales professional who wants to stay competitive in 2026 and beyond, this episode will make you rethink how you measure success, how you respond to customers, and what it actually takes to protect your revenue in today's market. Because the future of automotive isn't about reacting faster… it's about seeing what's happening before it's too late! Key Takeaways: ✅ Customer Experience is Key: Dealers are fundamentally in the retention business, and improving customer satisfaction through AI can help transform this experience effectively. ✅ Outdated CSI Systems: Current CSI systems function like "autopsy reports" instead of real-time monitoring. AI can provide a "live CSI," offering real-time insights for immediate action. ✅ Financial Implications: Retaining dissatisfied customers by solving their issues can convert heat cases into loyal customers, with a dramatic increase in retention profitability. ✅ AI in Automotive: AI can analyze numerous customer interactions effectively, helping managers understand where they stand and how to make proactive improvements. ✅ Leadership and Accountability: Visibility and accountability within dealership management can significantly improve customer satisfaction scores, reflecting in overall profitability and customer loyalty.   About Tasso Roumeliotis Tasso Roumeliotis is co-founder and CEO of Numa, the leading AI platform for dealership customer operations. Under his leadership, Numa is building the AI-native dealership, helping dealers unify customer conversations across channels and deploy AI agents to drive significant gains in efficiency, revenue, and customer experience. Tasso is a serial entrepreneur and early pioneer in mobile and location-based technology. He previously founded Location Labs, scaling the company to more than 200 employees and leading its $220 million acquisition after building a profitable business with just $19 million in primary capital. Location Labs was recognized as an Inc. 500 company and achieved seven consecutive years of profitability. Earlier in his career, Tasso was Vice President at Claridge Investments, the Bronfman family office, and an associate in the merchant banking group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. He began his career at Bain & Company. Tasso holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.Comm from McGill University.   Revolutionizing Automotive Customer Experience with AI-Driven CSI Innovation In the car dealership industry, providing exceptional customer satisfaction has shifted from a mere goal to a definitive necessity for success. Tasso Roumeliotis and Sean V. Bradley have an insightful conversation about an innovative measure that can transform the traditional Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) into a real-time, dynamic, and data-driven strategy. Key Takeaways The Power of Real-Time CSI: Transitioning from an "autopsy" report of customer experience to a live, actionable "heart rate monitor" can significantly improve customer retention. Customer Retention as a Business Model: The real business of dealerships isn't just about selling cars; it's about retaining customers through exceptional service experiences. Leveraging AI for Maximum Impact: The integration of AI provides a comprehensive analysis of customer interactions, enabling dealership managers to proactively address issues and push customer satisfaction to new heights.   Transforming the Dealership Landscape with Real-Time CSI Strategies In the ever-evolving automotive landscape, dealerships must move away from antiquated systems that provide outdated feedback. The traditional CSI scores, which usually come days after a customer's experience, are likened to "autopsy reports," as Tasso Roumeliotis aptly describes them. He suggests that they are outdated and ineffective in today's fast-paced, customer-centric environment. Enhancing Customer Retention with Immediate Feedback As Bradley states, "We are fundamentally in the retention business." A sharp focus on retaining customers, rather than merely pursuing new sales, leads to sustained profitability. The conversation unfolds around transforming tools used to gauge customer satisfaction from lagging to leading indicators. Unlike the traditional 45-day delayed feedback from CSI scores, a real-time feedback mechanism provides dealerships the opportunity to instantly correct course and mend customer relationships. "Don't tell me after the fact that this customer had a bad experience," Roumeliotis says. This shift from response-based surveys to continuous tracking of customer interactions represents a major leap in creating enhanced customer experiences. The Vital Role of AI in Analyzing Customer Interactions With the rise of AI technologies, dealerships can now analyze vast datasets to determine real-time customer satisfaction scores. Capturing every customer interaction through calls, texts, and emails, AI systems evaluate these interactions to provide a nuanced understanding of customer sentiment. Roumeliotis shares compelling figures: the possibility of converting a dissatisfied customer to a returning one increases to 70% when their issues are resolved promptly—a stark contrast to the mere 5% for unresolved cases. This level of insight allows managers to focus on "extinguishing heat cases," a term they use to describe potentially damaging customer experiences. "AI is going to really change the automotive industry," says Roumeliotis, showing how sentiment analysis and predictive models can not only gauge a customer's immediate state but also predict potential issues before they escalate. Revolutionizing Dealership Operations for Enhanced Performance Transitioning to real-time CSI means reinventing operational strategies within dealerships. By creating visibility, dealerships empower their employees with accountability and motivation. As Roumeliotis notes, some dealerships use digital monitor displays showing live CSI data, fostering a culture of transparency and motivation among staff. This notion complements Bradley's wisdom: "You can't just sell things and burn through customers." By providing both the customers and dealership staff with tools to improve interactions, businesses can better measure and manage success metrics across teams. Furthermore, the ways managers utilize the data are pivotal. Implementing dashboards equipped with the latest intelligence enables them to efficiently address potential pitfalls, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction as managers can address issues not as post-mortem observations, but as live currents needing steering.   Integrating AI in Customer Experience Management for Dealerships Overall, the conversation between Roumeliotis and Bradley emphasizes a paradigm shift in customer experience management within the automotive industry. Integrating AI to exploit data points in real time, dealerships can now nurture a proactive approach to customer satisfaction. Such advancements channel the potential to radically transform how dealerships perceive and act upon customer service. "The dealership's ability to engage, rectify, and delight customers isn't just important—it's fundamental to a thriving business," Bradley concludes, reiterating the non-negotiable role of customer retention in the car industry's success story. In a market where competition is fierce, and customer expectations are soaring, transforming the once archaic CSI into a real-time strategic tool promises not only an improved customer journey but a substantial competitive advantage as well.     Resources + Our Proud Sponsors:   ➼ The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group: Join the #1 Automotive Sales Mastermind Facebook Group with over 29,000 automotive professionals worldwide. The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group is the go-to community for car salespeople, BDC agents, sales managers, general managers, and dealer principals looking to increase performance, income, and leadership skills. Inside the group, members collaborate daily on automotive sales strategies, lead handling, phone scripts, closing techniques, CRM best practices, dealership leadership, and accountability systems. Learn directly from top automotive trainers, industry mentors, and high-performing sales leaders who are actively winning in today's market. If you're serious about growing your automotive career, increasing car sales, and building long-term success, join The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group today! ➼ Dealer Synergy: Dealer Synergy is the automotive industry's #1 Sales Training, Consulting, and Accountability Firm, with over 20 years of proven dealership success nationwide. We specialize in helping car dealerships increase sales, improve processes, and build high-performing Sales, Internet, and BDC departments from the ground up. Our expertise includes automotive phone scripts, rebuttals, CRM action plans, lead handling strategies, BDC workflows, Internet sales processes, management training, and accountability systems. Dealer Synergy partners directly with dealership leadership to align people, process, and technology, ensuring consistent results and scalable growth. From independent dealers to large dealer groups and OEM partnerships, Dealer Synergy delivers measurable performance improvements, stronger teams, and sustainable profitability. ➼ Bradley On Demand: Bradley On Demand is the automotive industry's most advanced interactive training, tracking, testing, and certification platform for car dealerships — built to develop top-performing teams across Sales, Internet Sales, BDC, CRM, Phone Skills, Leadership, and Management. In addition to LIVE virtual automotive training classes and a library of 9,000+ on-demand dealership training modules, Bradley On Demand now includes AI Phone Roleplaying and Coaching to help salespeople and BDC agents practice real dealership conversations before they ever get on the phone with customers. This AI-powered roleplay technology strengthens phone scripts, objection handling, appointment setting, lead follow-up, and closing skills, while providing measurable coaching feedback for continuous improvement. Bradley On Demand empowers dealerships to train faster, coach smarter, improve call performance, increase closing ratios, and sell more cars more profitably — all through structured, trackable, modern automotive training.

Send us Fan MailWhat does it really take to rebuild after losing everything? In this powerful episode of Shine on Success, Dionne Malush sits down with Vance Morris to talk about entrepreneurship, resilience, customer retention, direct response marketing, and what business owners are getting wrong when profits quietly slip away. From Disney systems to bankruptcy, carpet cleaning, and building a business around loyalty, Vance shares the mindset and strategies that helped him rise again.This conversation is packed with insight for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and leaders who want to create stronger systems, improve customer experience, increase profitability, and build a business that lasts. If you want practical lessons on business growth, retention marketing, and pushing through hard seasons with purpose, this episode delivers both inspiration and real strategy.Connect with Vabnce here:Website: https://vancemorris.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vance.morris.9/Support the showConnect with Dionne MalushInstagram: @dionnerealtyonepghLinkedIN: /in/dionnemalushWebsite: www.dionnemalush.comFacebook: /dmalushLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/dionnemalush

In this episode of Wash Talk: The Carwash Podcast, host Kyle Alexander welcomes Michael Pelikan, director of operations Retention Express, for a data-driven conversation on how artificial intelligence is transforming carwash customer retention and reshaping how operators understand their customer base. Pelikan opens by identifying the single most overlooked data point in the industry: why customers are actually contacting a carwash in the first place. He explains that most operators rely on transactional metrics — wash counts, membership totals and churn — while behavioral and experiential data goes largely uncaptured, and why that blind spot has real revenue consequences.   Pelikan shares how Retention Express organizes customer interactions into three core categories — intent, sentiment and outcome — and how tracking each reveals pressure points across operations and the customer experience. He also breaks down how phone calls and virtual chat assistants serve different behavioral patterns, with phone interactions skewing toward immediate resolution while website chat tends to be more exploratory and revenue-generating. The episode also covers how application programming interface (API) connections enable operators to personalize each interaction and how custom dashboards surface the right data for operators at every level.   The discussion closes with a look at carwash customer retention as the industry's single biggest revenue opportunity. Pelikan makes the case that protecting existing membership revenue, rather than focusing solely on acquisition, is where AI delivers its greatest return — ensuring every customer contact is answered, every question addressed and every member given a reason to stay.

Payments alone rarely make a software platform unforgettable. The moment merchants start using your product to access working capital, manage cash flow, move money through payouts, and keep reconciliation tight, the relationship changes. I sit down with Whitney Ganibegovic, Senior Sales Executive at Worldpay (now part of Global Payments), to unpack why embedded finance is quickly becoming one of the most practical drivers of retention, account growth, and long-term platform value for ISVs and software platforms.We get specific about what platforms still underestimate: embedded finance does not have to be a massive multi-year build with a new compliance team and a brand-new support motion. With the right partner infrastructure, platforms can add value-added financial tools while staying focused on the vertical software that made them successful. Whitney shares why expanding from embedded payments to a broader financial suite can increase customer lifetime value, lift revenue per merchant, and create real platform dependency because these tools plug directly into daily workflows.We also dig into where many rollouts go wrong. “Embedded” does not automatically mean adopted, so go-to-market timing, vertical nuance, and marketing automation matter. Whitney explains why working capital is often the simplest entry point, how payments data enables smart pre-qualification, and which metrics go beyond surface-level revenue: multi-product adoption, engagement, cash flow penetration, contribution margin, retention, and net revenue retention. The guiding image we keep coming back to is the “nonstop flight” experience: one login, one place to operate, fewer handoffs, less stress.If you care about embedded finance, fintech strategy, and building software platforms merchants cannot replace, listen now. 

Hey Voices from the Bench community! Jessica Love here, sending a shoutout from Utah! If you're passionate about creating natural, beautiful smiles—but want to simplify your workflow without sacrificing aesthetics—this is for you. I'm honored to be part of Ivoclar's development team introducing a powerful new stain and glaze system featuring Structure Paste, IPS e.max Ceram Art. Create stunning depth and lifelike color in as little as one firing. Let's continue to innovate, simplify, and create meaningful change—one smile at a time. When it comes to digital dentures, design is easy—manufacturing is where things get messy. That's why the Elevate Denture Solution brings it all together. Built by Roland DGSHAPE, Ivoclar, and FOLLOW-ME! Technology Group, it combines machine, materials, and CAM into one fully optimized workflow—so you get consistent, high-quality results without the guesswork. Want to simplify production and scale with confidence? Check it out at rollanddga.com/elevate. "Live" from the Ivoclar ballroom at Lab Day 2026, Elvis and Barb dives into conversations that perfectly capture what this industry is all about—innovation, relationships, and a whole lot of nerding out. We kick things off with Frederic Rapp, who went from growing up in his dad's basement lab in France to scaling it into one of the largest labs in Europe. After selling the business, he found his way back into the industry through innovation—helping labs unlock the gold mine sitting inside their own data with icortica. From dashboards to AI-driven insights and even voice-activated notes in the parking lot, it's all about working smarter, not harder… and maybe not looking like an idiot when you walk into a doctor's office. Then things shift to a great partnership with Casey Baldwin and Darin Lockaby, where we get into a seriously cool collaboration between Ivoclar and DESS. Think plug-and-play workflows that let labs mill their own abutments in-house—FDA compliant, streamlined, and actually simple. With margins tighter than ever, this kind of control over production isn't just nice… it's becoming necessary. From scaling labs to scaling data, from implants to AI, this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and a clear message: the labs that embrace technology (without losing the human touch) are the ones that are going to win. Join us at exocad Insights 2026, happening April 30–May 1, 2026, on the stunning island of Mallorca, Spain. This two-day event features powerhouse keynotes, hands-on workshops, live software demos, and top-tier industry showcases—all in one unforgettable setting. Barb and Elvis will be on site bringing you exclusive interviews, plus don't miss the Women in Dentistry Lunch, celebrating career growth, wellbeing, and the real stories shaping our profession. And of course, cap it all off with the legendary exoGlam Night under the stars. Tickets are limited. Visit exocad.com/insights-2026 and use code VFTBPalma15 for 15% off.Special Guests: Casey Baldwin, Darin Lockaby, and Frederic Rapp.

After losing his eyebrows to alopecia while serving as a Canadian Armed Forces fighter pilot, Jason Berndt bootstrapped My Two Brows with his military pension and tens of thousands in free samples. Today the brand has shipped over 1 million brow sets across 275 styles worldwide. For more on My Two Brows and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

In this episode of BizNinja Entrepreneur Radio, Tyler Jorgenson sits down with Matthew Holman, subscription strategist and community builder behind Commerce Catalyst and The Subscription Doc. Matthew shares how he stumbled into entrepreneurship and discovered the massive opportunity inside subscription commerce. From helping brands crack the subscription model to building communities that connect e-commerce founders, Matthew explains why subscriptions are one of the most powerful ways to create predictable revenue and long-term growth. Tyler and Matthew discuss the evolution of e-commerce, the rising costs of customer acquisition, and why knowing your customer deeply is still the ultimate competitive advantage. They also explore how AI and automation are changing personalization and retention for subscription brands. If you are building an e-commerce brand or thinking about launching one, this episode delivers practical insights on offers, retention, customer experience, and the future of subscription commerce. What You'll Learn • Why subscription is one of the most powerful business models in e-commerce • The biggest mistake new subscription brands make • Why your offer matters more than your retention strategy • How successful brands truly understand their customers • Why the first 7 to 10 days after purchase are critical • How bulk offers and bundles increase revenue and retention • The role of content, influencers, and community in modern e-commerce • How AI is shaping the future of personalized subscriptions Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Subscription Commerce 00:50 Matthew Holman's Entrepreneurial Journey 03:13 Building Commerce Catalyst and Subscription Communities 06:17 Major Changes in E-Commerce Over the Last Five Years 07:55 Why Knowing Your Customer Is Everything 09:06 Influencer Led Brands and Audience Connection 11:10 Unique and Surprising Subscription Businesses 12:41 The Power of Customer Experience and Product Adoption 16:40 Success Stories from Subscription Consulting 19:00 Why Offers Matter More Than Retention 19:33 Best Platforms for Customer Acquisition Today 20:10 Common Mistakes Early E-Commerce Brands Make 22:01 What Excites Matthew About the Future of E-Commerce 24:30 Using AI to Enable Entrepreneurs 25:03 Personal Goals and Life Outside Business 25:38 Where to Learn More About Matthew Holman 26:12 Advice for New E-Commerce Entrepreneurs

Scott Dancy is the founder and CEO of Azuna, a fast-growing brand in the natural air freshener space. With a background in staffing, technology, and several entrepreneurial ventures, Scott started Azuna in Buffalo in 2019, scaling the business from hand-packaging orders to becoming the world's largest purchaser of tea tree oil and achieving significant success in both DTC and Amazon channels. In this episode of DTC Pod, Scott shares his journey of launching Azuna, from navigating supply chain challenges and product R&D to unlocking consistent growth and managing cash flow as order volumes soared. He covers the pivotal product decisions, strategies for boosting AOV, lessons from high-profile partnerships, and Azuna's approach to retail expansion. Scott also offers practical advice for founders on knowing their numbers, avoiding expensive mistakes, and building a team that's invested in the brand's success. Episode brought to you by Stord - 3PL for Commerce Episode brought to you by EMF Radar - Health Starts with EMF Safety in mind Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Scott Dancy's entrepreneurial background and Azuna's origin story 2. Early-stage bootstrapping: packaging, fulfillment, and ad writing 3. Scaling operations: manufacturing, 3PLs, and hiring expert talent 4. Product and packaging strategy: sustainable materials, bundling, and raising AOV 5. Building a brand moat with proprietary tea tree oil sourcing 6. Subscription economics and customer retention strategies 7. Navigating cash flow, funding growth, and working with MCAs 8. Knowing key metrics: revenue, gross profit, AOV, and cash allocation 9. D2C vs Amazon vs retail channel strategy 10. In-house vs agency operations and pitfalls 11. Brand marketing and influencer partnerships 12. Lessons learned from sports and celebrity partnerships 13. Timing retail entry and optimizing product mix for channels 14. Importance of customer service and product quality 15. Entrepreneurial learnings: failures, details, and staying data-driven Timestamps 00:00 Scott Dancy's background and founding Azuna 03:05 The “aha moment”—tea tree oil product discovery 04:10 Early days of hand-packaging, first sales, COVID impact 05:36 Scaling up: building the team, manufacturing, growth in Buffalo 07:14 Transition to 3PL and challenges of scaling past $10M 08:10 Product development, bundling, and packaging strategy 10:05 Target audience and tea tree oil sourcing 13:41 Growth channels: Meta, Google, and influencer seeding 15:53 Subscription model economics and retention 19:03 Funding growth: inventory buys, cash flow, using Clearco 22:24 Data-driven decisions and knowing your numbers 26:25 Channel mix: Amazon, DTC, retail launch, pricing strategy 32:00 Learning from agency mistakes and shiny object syndrome 35:06 Retail timing, product mix, and learnings from entering stores 42:02 Brand partnerships: AKC, NFL, influencer marketing 46:44 Final lessons and what Scott would have done differently 47:50 Where to find Azuna and connect with Scott Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.   Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTok Scott Dancy - CEO & Founder of AzunaBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic