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In this episode, Laura Cantor shares key takeaways from her experience at Vendors in Partnership, including emerging trends in retail, the growing importance of meaningful partnerships, and how brands can cut through the noise in a tech-saturated landscape. She dives into why people—and the partnerships they build—are still the foundation of innovation and growth, even as AI continues to transform the industry. Laura also highlights tactical approaches that are driving real results today, including insights on high-impact ecommerce solutions like AfterSell, a platform helping brands maximize revenue through post-purchase optimization. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:38] Learning the value of brand building [06:20] Sponsor: Migrate [08:19] Prioritizing learning over job titles [12:46] Sponsor: Intelligems [14:46] Overcoming organizational status quo [17:08] Streamlining operations for future tech [21:06] Sponsor: Electric eye [22:14] Optimizing brands for agentic AI search [23:43] Monetizing traffic through retail networks [25:34] Callouts [25:44] Leveraging partnerships for mutual wins [28:00] Emphasizing human strategy alongside AI Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Women's apparel specialty retailer nyandcompany.com/ Follow Laura Cantor linkedin.com/in/lauracantor/ Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Kevin McLaughlin is a Google Analytics and Tag Manager expert specializing in building custom Google Analytics implementations that give you consistent, accurate, and easy to use results that actually help you make better business and product decisions. Because of his years of experience in product development and management, he knows how to implement your marketing analytics tools so you can derive new insights from your data. As a developer and engineer, Kevin can deal with any level of technical-detail, from quick audits to in-depth, custom javascript setups and maintenance. He has worked at both large companies and small startups and have setup analytics for both as well as many blogs, small businesses, and non-profits. Kevin is currently developing several web-applications myself, which keeps me up to date on the latest web technologies and how to implement analytics effectively with them. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:30] Intro [01:30] Solving messy data gaps in business [03:33] Building tools to fix your own pain [04:50] Rebuilding analytics for a new internet era [06:20] Adapting to a more privacy-first internet [06:56] Moving beyond session-centric measurement [08:15] Aligning analytics with real shopping sessions [09:24] Shifting from plug-and-play to custom reporting [10:25] Callout [10:36] Overcoming the GA4 learning curve shock [12:37] Unlocking power in custom GA4 explorations [13:13] Fixing tracking before analyzing performance [14:37] Breaking down how GA4 actually receives data [16:53] Understanding why GA4 misses real orders [18:23] Fixing missing orders with server-side tracking [20:44] Choosing build vs buy analytics tools [21:31] Keeping analytics simple for early-stage stores [22:37] Avoiding over-optimization too early [25:01] Staying grounded in real customer acquisition [25:47] Combining clean data with real interpretation [26:49] Making GA4 implementation simple for merchants Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube The leading GA4 integration for Shopify slideruleanalytics.com/ Follow Kevin McLaughlin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mclaughlin-1900/ If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Catherine Hayden is the Chief Marketing Officer at Kate Farms, the #1 doctor-recommended plant-based nutrition brand. Since joining the company in 2018, she has helped scale Kate Farms through rapid growth, multiple funding rounds, and its acquisition by Danone, while building an omnichannel business spanning healthcare, direct-to-consumer, subscription, Amazon, and retail. Catherine began her career as a Registered Dietitian, giving her a unique perspective at the intersection of healthcare, nutrition, and consumer behavior. Today, she leads brand strategy, commercial growth, innovation, and integration across both healthcare and consumer channels. Kate Farms was founded to solve a deeply personal problem. After being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age five, Kate struggled to tolerate existing nutrition formulas and relied on a feeding tube for nourishment. What began as a solution for one child has since grown into a company that has nourished more than 600,000 people. In this episode, Catherine shares how Kate Farms evolved from a healthcare-focused company into a high-growth Ecommerce and omnichannel brand, including lessons on building DTC alongside Amazon, uncovering customer insights that reshaped the business, and expanding awareness and access without sacrificing growth. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:29] Intro [01:42] Serving customers across every life stage [02:02] Scaling impact from one success story [03:36] Validating demand before scaling [05:48] Episode Sponsor: Klaviyo [07:55] Learning complex channels through partnerships [10:36] Balancing trust with Ecommerce growth [12:32] Episode Sponsor: Intelligems [14:32] Using customer insights to guide strategy [17:40] Connecting brand awareness to conversions [19:13] Expanding reach while maintaining growth [22:13] Episode Sponsor: Electric Eye [23:20] Creating loyalty beyond product discounts [26:45] Winning customers through better products [27:17] Callout [27:27] Making great products easier to access Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Plant-based tube feeding formulas and shakes katefarms.com/ Follow Catherine Hayden linkedin.com/in/catherine-hayden-28233816 Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Rob Manhoudt is Procter & Gamble's VP Digital Commerce Europe. With the highly anticipated Shoptalk Europe just around the corner (Barcelona, June 9-11), we are bringing one of their top speakers to the show to go over his unique point of view on Digital Commerce, Brands and, to an extent, the future of FMCG. Tune in to hear about: Why after a career in Sales and General Management, he decided to move into eCommerce The transition from eCommerce to a more holistic and impactful "Digital Commerce" How the funnel has collapsed, silos have come down and eCom Leadership needs to think of the company as a whole The merge between Consumers and Shoppers Retail Media and the next steps to become a top pillar of the Media Mix NPD and Consumer Adoption in an increasingly Digitally-Driven world More about Shoptalk Europe Homepage: https://europe.shoptalk.com/home Agenda: https://europe.shoptalk.com/agendas/2026-agenda Speakers: https://europe.shoptalk.com/speaker-list Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/ Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.
Bob Verlaat and Nick Nijhof are Amsterdam-based entrepreneurs and Co-Founders of Hears, the fast-growing hearing protection brand redefining earplugs through premium design and industry-leading sound clarity. Prior to Hears, the duo successfully scaled luxury sleep wellness brand Dore & Rose to $30M in revenue, building deep expertise in branding, Ecommerce, and consumer behavior. Their entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by creating products that solve real consumer problems while building emotionally resonant brands. After Bob experienced hearing damage and persistent tinnitus from loud music, the pair became increasingly aware of the global problem of noise-induced hearing loss and the lack of earplugs people actually wanted to wear. Existing products compromised sound quality, looked unattractive, and failed to fit seamlessly into modern lifestyles. Driven by that personal frustration, Bob and Nick spent 1.5 years researching and developing Hears from scratch, investing in patented filter technology and an award-winning heart-shaped design focused on preserving natural sound while protecting hearing. Since launching in 2024, Hears has generated $7M in first-year revenue, won the Red Dot Design Award, and partnered with globally recognized brands and venues including Yves Saint Laurent and Pacha Ibiza. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:32] Intro [00:58] Launching products with clear positioning [01:31] Solving everyday problems through Ecommerce [03:14] Leveraging past mistakes to scale faster [06:33] Episode Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:32] Finding product ideas through personal pain [09:49] Testing creatives to accelerate growth [11:01] Balancing brand building with direct sales [11:57] Leveraging organic content before paid scaling [13:51] Episode Sponsor: Intelligems [15:52] Optimizing products for global scalability [19:14] Episode Sponsor: Electric Eye [20:23] Designing products customers instantly notice [22:20] Protecting products through patented innovation [23:25] Callout [23:34] Using social proof to increase conversions Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Engineered for maximum sound blocking, reduce disruptive noise, helping you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up fully rested hears.com/ Follow Bob Verlaat linkedin.com/in/bobverlaat/ Follow Nick Nijhof https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicknijhof/ Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Patagonia isn't just scaling mountains. They're scaling through affiliate strategy. This episode's guest, Cricket Treanor, went from the sales floor to HQ's Affiliate Marketing and Ecom team. When it comes to partnerships, they're thinking outside the box: cash back with Rakuten, listicles of the “best jackets”, and speaking out about social issues, to name a few. What should you do as a brand when you don't lean heavily into loyalty and deals? And, Cricket debunks some misconceptions about the affiliate space. It's more than just loyalty, it's actually about brand awareness. Affiliates aren't taking sales away from other channels. Where do they fit into the marketing funnel? Plus, Patagonia is more than just selling products, they're aiming to bring environmental awareness and sustainability efforts to their audience. How does the buy-back program contribute to Marketing strategy? In a world of overconsumption, how do you get customers excited about new products when overconsumption contradicts the brand mission? If you're a Marketer who wants to learn more about how partnerships, affiliate strategy, and digital marketing all play a role in scaling, this is the episode for you. Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at https://wrike.com/tmm Follow Cricket: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cricket-treanor-836515114/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
Jason Zigelbaum is the solo founder behind Zigpoll—the zero-party data platform trusted by Sony, HP, Kraft Heinz, and Hallmark. Zigpoll collected over 100 million survey responses and counting. Third-party cookies are going away. Ad platforms are losing signal. Brands that don't collect first-party data are flying blind. Zigpoll fixes that. Zigpoll makes it dead simple to launch contextual surveys that ask the right questions, at the right time, in the right channel so brands can stop guessing and start knowing. How brands use Zigpoll: - Discover how customers found you with post-purchase surveys - Improve products with real customer feedback - Boost sales with on-site CRO surveys - Recover lost sales with abandoned cart & exit intent surveys - Segment audiences by demographics and psychographics for higher-ROI campaigns What makes it easy: - No code. Installs on Shopify in seconds - Surveys in any language with built-in translation - Conditional logic and follow-up questions that dig deeper - Triggers for post-purchase, abandoned cart, fulfillment, exit intent - Deliver via SMS, email, or on-site - Pipes data directly into Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, Gorgias & more In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:31] Starting with what you already know [04:35] Uncovering your business blind spots [07:38] Lowering mental friction for your users [09:06] Eliminating the guesswork from strategies [11:07] Callouts [11:07] Catching errors with your users' feedback [13:35] Segmenting buyers to understand habits [17:24] Using AI as a powerful force multiplier [22:21] Testing concepts without real users Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Survey & feedback platform.zigpoll.com/ Follow Jason Zigelbaum LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/jason-zigelbaum If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Hilary Dubin is co-CEO and head of Jones' digital product & behavioral support program. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania magna cum laude, majoring in cognitive science with a concentration in computation and cognition, an honors thesis on the effects of gender, realism, and role of virtual agents, and a minor from Wharton in consumer psychology. She worked in David Brainard's visual neuroscience lab for 3 years and published 4 papers and supplementary materials on illumination discrimination (color perception). After Penn, she was selected as one of ten Americans to be a Ventures Fellow in the Excel Ventures incubator program in Tel Aviv, and continued on to be the inaugural member, and later program lead, of the US Associate Product Manager Program at Atlassian. She worked as a product manager at Atlassian for 5 years, ultimately as Head of Confluence Editions & Admin Experience where she launched Confluence Premium & Free into multi-million dollar product offerings with 2M+ users. She hired & managed two PMs and lead a team of over 30 developers. Prior to founding Jones, she and Caroline founded Cozier together, a sleep & loungewear brand designing ethical, effortlessly chic garments for every/body. Hilary started vaping casually in 2017 when the JUUL seemed relatively harmless and fun. When the world went on lockdown in 2020, her casual vaping habit became a daily crutch for coping with stress and working from home. After over a year of unsuccessful cold-turkey quit attempts, she finally kicked her vaping habit in 2022 when Caroline suggested she try NRT. Outside of work, Hilary loves hiking, backcountry skiing, trying to find the best burger in NYC, and playing with other people's dogs. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:34] Creating products from personal pain points [06:52] Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:59] Meeting potential customers where they are [10:47] Adapting products based on user feedback [13:48] Testing market demand with waitlists [16:02] Sponsor: Electric Eye [17:10] Maximizing personal networks for growth [18:34] Gathering behavioral data in early days [19:52] Callouts [20:02] Launching a product to engaged audiences [22:09] Sponsor: Intelligems [24:09] Pivoting marketing to bridge early limitations [26:24] Driving organic traffic with relatable content [30:33] Adding modern value to traditional products Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Nicotime mints and social app to quit vaping quitwithjones.com/ Follow Hilary Dubin linkedin.com/in/hilary-dubin-374156b4/ Follow Caroline Vasquez Huber linkedin.com/in/caroline-vasquez-huber Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Is Amazon stock a buy? - Best Ecom StocksWant to generate consistent income through investing?Learn our AI for Options system for passive income.20% annualised return with more stability than the S&P500.Find out more and apply here: https://www.hedgealpha.ai/individual#stocks #stockmarket #stockstouy #investingThis video is for educational purposes only and not financial advice, always do your own research and make independent investment decisions. This video is not a recommendation to buy/sell any security.
Discover how e-commerce stores are slashing ad spend using AI search optimization. Learn the five signals that get your brand recommended by ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, plus the Authority Shortcut small brands use to outrank competitors. Media Strobe City: Marbella Address: WTC 200-B, Suite 117 Website: https://www.mediastrobe.com
Ethan Haber is an inventor, founder, and CEO who built Happy Habitats—an award-winning, industry-recognized small-pet products brand—from the ground up with no outside funding. Under his leadership, the company achieved distribution across North America and beyond, brought the business to six figures in 2025, and earned multiple Best in Show awards at Superzoo and Global Pet Expo. Ethan is credited as a key inventor on Happy Habitats' Halo and Roam products, which are protected by U.S. utility patents #12,219,927 and #12,465,021, and he is launching a new product with a major big-box retailer next month. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:49] Identifying niches with stagnant innovation [04:10] Partnering with experienced agencies [04:56] Sponsor: Migrate [06:54] Scaling into national retail chains [09:08] Finding the right marketplace partner [10:20] Sponsor: Intelligems [12:18] Shifting ad spend to marketplace advertising [14:00] Starting complementary product ecosystems [15:01] Callouts [15:11] Persisting through buyer objections [16:29] Maximizing cost efficiency in product design [17:08] Sponsor: Electric Eye [00:00] Maximizing cost efficiency in product design Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Walk Your Hamster Anywhere happyhabitats.net/ Follow Ethan Haber linkedin.com/in/ethan-haber-124040168/ Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
In this episode, we’re going over key takeaways from Sellers Summit 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, walking through every session from AI-powered ad creative and TikTok Shop launches to sourcing strategies, Reddit SEO, and what buyers actually care about in the current M&A market By the end of this episode you’ll have a full picture of where ecommerce is headed and a list of things you can actually put to work this week. Enjoy the episode! What You’ll Learn Clever growth hacks top sellers are using High-ROI ads, funnels, and retention tricks Product sourcing and launch strategies Sponsors SellersSummit.com – The […] The post 638: The Ecom Strategies Worth Stealing from Sellers Summit 2026 appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.
Ezra Firestone is the CEO of Boom! Beauty, Overtone, and Zipify, and the founder of Smart Marketer. Learn more from his content and courses at https://smartmarketer.com/.FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREWX: https://x.com/andrewjfarisEmail: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork With AJF Growth: https://ajfgrowth.comMOVE SUPPLY CHAINReduce your OpEx and create more leverage in your company with financial forecasting, AI, and offshore talent by visiting https://movesupplychain.com/.INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.
Sean Wendt is the founder of dtcmvp. dtcmvp connects shopify partners with leaders at established brands. From intros to insights, they handle everything: you reach your ideal audience, build a better product, and attract more brands. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:30] Understanding prospects' rejection [05:48] Defining the role of outbound sales reps [10:54] Crafting a strong offer for your outreach [12:29] Callouts [12:39] Increasing discovery with paid consultations [15:00] Aligning solutions with existing goals [21:51] Determining the right time to scale outreach [24:39] Designing workflows around busy calendars Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Shopify's Modern Expert Network dtcmvp.com Follow Sean Wendt linkedin.com/in/seanwendt If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
In this episode, Josh interviews Pat Yates, M&A advisor at Quiet Light and owner of Happy Feet Slippers. Pat shares insights from his Shark Tank experience, discusses the realities of TV deals, and explains the complexities of licensing with major brands like Disney and the NFL. The conversation covers the importance of intellectual property protection, strategies for evaluating and managing licensing agreements, and actionable advice on preparing an e-commerce business for a successful exit. Listeners gain practical tips on building value, protecting their brand, and planning ahead for future business transitions.Chapters:Introduction and Guest Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Pat Yates, his background, and the episode's focus on licensing and business exits.Shark Tank Experience (00:02:06)Pat discusses his Shark Tank appearance, the process, and what it was like pitching on the show.Reality of Shark Tank Deals (00:03:36)Pat explains how deals on Shark Tank often differ from what is shown, and his ongoing relationship with Robert.Behind the Scenes of Shark Tank (00:04:45)Pat shares details about the filming process, post-show counseling, and the impact of the experience.Licensing Audits and Financials (00:05:44)Discussion about licensing agreements, financial audits by licensors like Disney, and the importance of accurate documentation.License Renewal Challenges (00:07:01)Pat explains how license renewals work, what licensors look for, and the challenges with companies like Disney.Transitioning and Subcontracting Licenses (00:08:57)Pat describes how some licenses are transitioned to subcontracted arrangements and the benefits of this approach.Direct vs. Subcontracted Licensing (00:09:18)Explanation of the differences between holding a direct license and working through a subcontracted licensee.Branding and Labeling in Subcontracted Licensing (00:10:27)Clarification on branding, labeling, and legal requirements when selling products under a subcontracted license.Actionable Takeaways for Business Owners (00:11:42)Josh summarizes three actionable tips: IP protection, evaluating licensing, and preparing your business for exit.Final Advice on Business Growth and Exit Preparation (00:15:11)Pat offers final advice on analyzing business performance, seeking help, and preparing early for a successful exit.Episode Wrap-Up (00:16:13)Josh thanks Pat and encourages listeners to reach out for further advice on exiting their business.Links and Mentions:Consulting and Strategy"Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:00:00""Email for Strategy Audit": "00:01:08"Shark Tank and Related Experiences"Shark Tank": "00:02:04""Robert Herjavec": "00:02:15"Licensing and Partnerships"DreamWorks, NCAA, NFL, Disney": "00:02:31""Licensing and IP Protection": "00:12:04""Consider Licensing": "00:13:12"Intellectual Property"IP Protection": "00:12:04"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00 Today, I'm speaking with Pat Yates, an M&A advisor at Quiet Light and owner of Happy Feet Slippers. And today we're going to be talking a lot about licensing and preparing your business to exit. This episode is brought to you by Ecom Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Pat, I started my E-comm business back in 2015, and it took me seven years to grow it to an eight figure brand. There were a lot of times that I struggled with the challenge of knowing whether my business could actually succeed financially, or if my brand could actually become a real well-known brand, or even myself as a leader. Whether I had the abilities and capabilities to lead a team and actually manage a group of people? Sure. For our listeners that have had similar experiences or hit similar plateaus, go to Ecom Breakthrough Comm and that's ecom with two M's. And you can learn a little bit more about how I can help you. And to our listeners, this month I'm giving away one $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost.Josh 00:01:08 All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecom breakthrough.com. And in your subject line just say strategy audit and then tell me why I should choose your business as the business to do the strategy audit for this month. And don't worry if you don't win this month because you'll be entered to win for future months to come. But I'm super excited to introduce you all to Pat Yates. Pat, as a seasoned entrepreneur with a focus on eCommerce, in 2014, he struck a deal with Robert Herjavec on the Emmy Award winning show Shark Tank. Pat grew a single slipper kiosk business into a multi-million dollar, e-commerce focused business. During that time, Pat has done licensing deals with Dreamworks, the NCAA, the NFL and Disney, and in 2015, he struck up a relationship with Mark, the founder of Quiet Light Brokerage, and continued, eventually leading him to becoming an M&A advisor. So welcome to the show, Pat.Pat 00:02:04 Thanks. I appreciate you having me.Josh 00:02:06 Pat. I watched your Shark Tank episode and loved, you know, everything you kind of went through in that episode.Josh 00:02:15 You ended up doing a deal with Robert who who first kind of went out pretty early on, at least in the episode. And then he comes back in and kind of swoops up the deal. And at the last moment, how was that experience being on Shark Tank and going through that?Pat 00:02:31 Yeah, it's something I've talked a lot about it over the past few years because, as one of the people that likes on the speaking circuit with me likes to call me the one of the OGs in Shark Tank because I'm on season five. They have so many seasons now, I'm like, I can't be old at everything. I hate that, but, I mean, it's it's a difficult process in the very beginning. You have to submit several videos and a lot of written documentation, a lot of due diligence. And, you know, I was turned down in season one or season two or something like that. And then they called me back as season five was coming because they were ramping so much, and I was one of the people that came down to the very end and had to fly out there and do my pitch in front of the producers to even see if they could keep me.Pat 00:03:09 So, I did that. And then it aired in 2014 and it was awesome. I mean, the show was going, I mean, my, my time was going poorly in there for like 80% of it. The, you know, you're in there like an hour and 15 minutes. Most people don't realize that. And it's cut to eight. So for most of the time it wasn't going very well. But the end was pretty good. Yeah.Josh 00:03:27 Yeah, that's that's amazing. How was it, you know, doing a deal with Robert and what kind of his involvement been since you did that deal with him?Pat 00:03:36 Well, the deals that you do on Shark Tank and are are definitely theory and practice things. You know, one of you come up with a deal and then it closes or it doesn't. I mean, a lot of people that I talk to and I'm involved in a pretty deep Shark Tank group. You know, most of those deals don't close as you see them. And really, truly most deals don't close, period.Pat 00:03:55 you know, our deal. We did not do the financial terms we saw on the show. We just did a relationship and we didn't do any kind of money transfer, just a small equity portion to be able to help. So the relationships been mor...
"If your product sucks, you're never going to succeed. A lot of people are trying to solve product problems with marketing spend." Chase Clymer runs Electric Eye, a Shopify agency deep in CRO, redesigns, and migrations. He also hits about one industry event a month, which means he's got a real read on how merchants and partners actually feel right now. Not the Twitter version. The hallway version. We got into the real state of ecom in 2026: Facebook CPMs nearly doubling since the pandemic, why most brands under $5M shouldn't be split testing at all, how agencies are using AI tools like Claude and Nano Banana to skip hours of busywork, and Chase's bold prediction that Shopify is about to overhaul its partner program after a failed enterprise bet. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Electric Eye: https://electriceye.io/ Honest Ecommerce podcast: https://honestecommerce.com/ Fathom (sales call recording): https://fathom.video/ Nano Banana / Gemini image generation: https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation/ Figma Make: https://www.figma.com/ WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.
Gustavo Cardona is VP of Technology at Levain Bakery, where he leads IT infrastructure and data strategy to bridge innovative technology with the operational reality of a craft-focused, omnichannel retail business. He's responsible for building Levain's enterprise systems, including integrating Toast, NetSuite, and CrunchTime into a unified data platform, migrating the organization to real-time reporting with Tableau, and developing a multi-year technology roadmap. Gustavo's approach focuses on what he calls the "adoption challenge"—ensuring technology actually gets used rather than just implemented. He's currently leading Levain's Emerging Tech Strategy with a focus on operational efficiency, product innovation, and decision intelligence through responsible AI governance. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:35] Networking with peers at conferences [06:10] Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:17] Leveraging past experience in a new role [11:36] Sponsor: Intelligems [13:36] Cultivating adaptability and resourcefulness [15:54] Identifying bottlenecks in daily operations [19:29] Sponsor: Electric Eye [20:41] Identifying team pain points on the ground [23:17] Callouts [23:27] Keeping a human in the loop for AI tools [27:51] Making your product the hero instead of tech Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube New York City's Most Famous Cookies levainbakery.com/ Follow Gustavo Cardona linkedin.com/in/cardonagustavo Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our expertselectriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Joining us today is Sean Travis. Sean is a 14-year veteran of the LA County Fire Department turned eCommerce entrepreneur and founder of Ecom for Heroes, a coaching and training company that helps ambitious entrepreneurs, many of them first responders, build profitable eCommerce brands. His programs have helped graduates average $131K in revenue within 18 months. Sean is also the creator of Kaldon, an AI-powered eCommerce platform that takes someone from product idea to fully launched, branded, marketing-ready business in days instead of months. He lives in Southern California with his wife Lindsey, brand new son Jett, and their dog Nala.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges of scaling seven-figure e-commerce brandsImportance of differentiation and unique value propositions in the marketLeveraging AI to manage complexity and accelerate growthThe "10-80-10 rule" for product development and executionEvaluating when to persist with a project or pivotProduct discovery process and its three modesUtilizing AI for comprehensive marketplace analysis and product viabilityStrategies for expanding existing brands and launching complementary productsEducating the market for unique or nascent productsFinancial and operational metrics for informed decision-making in e-commerceIn this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley interviews Sean Travis, a former LA County firefighter turned e-commerce entrepreneur and founder of Ecom for Heroes. Sean discusses his journey, the challenges of scaling seven-figure brands, and the importance of differentiation in today's market. He introduces "Kaldon," his AI-powered platform that streamlines product development, branding, and marketing. The episode features a walkthrough of Kaldon's capabilities, practical strategies for leveraging AI, and actionable advice for entrepreneurs aiming to build profitable, scalable e-commerce businesses efficiently and effectively.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Apply the 10-80-10 Rule Own the first 10% (idea) and final 10% (strategy/polish), and delegate or automate the middle 80% using your team or AI. This is how you scale without burning out.Prioritize Revenue-Generating Activities Focus only on work that drives growth—new products, new markets, new channels. Avoid getting distracted by “shiny” AI tools unless they directly increase revenue.Audit Your Time Ruthlessly Track where your time goes. If you're stuck in low-value tasks or optimization work, you'll stay stuck. Shift your time toward high-impact activities that push you past the $1M–$5M “swamp.”Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Hello Frank": "00:11:15""Jungle Scout": "00:21:39""Helium 10": "00:21:39""Data Dive": "00:21:39""SEMrush": "00:21:39""ChatGPT": "00:22:29""Alibaba": "00:35:52""Nano Banana 2": "00:38:45""Veo 3": "00:39:31""Freepik": "00:45:15""Higgsfield AI": "00:45:15""Claude AI": "00:45:15""Perplexity AI": "00:45:15"Books"The E-Myth by Michael Gerber": "00:01:04""Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell": "00:45:01"People"Steve Jobs": "00:04:45""Dan Martell": "00:09:36""Ezra Firestone": "00:01:04""Kevin King": "00:01:04"Videos"Steve Jobs Movie (with Ashton Kutcher)": "00:06:16"Concepts and Frameworks"108010 Rule": "00:04:45""AI Chatbots": "00:12:06""Customer Avatar": "00:27:23""Pain Points": "00:27:23""Blue Ocean Strategy": "00:32:31"Product Ideas"Shift Force": "00:20:44""Wooden Cocktail Smoker": "00:24:04"Analysis and Reports"Product Viability Score": "00:35:08""Market Opportunity Summary": "00:35:08""Competitive Landscape": "00:35:08"Contact Information"Sean (Email: sean@ecomforheroes.com)": "00:46:00""Ecom for Heroes": "00:46:00"Episode SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost!Transcript Area:Sean Travis 00:00:00 But if you want to do this grassroots or you want to do this with actual skill, because any fool can sell something for less. You need to be creative. And that's where 1080 ten rule AI is coming in hard. Helping with that. So like I said, billions of data points. I can't analyze that. So that's what we're super excited about is getting that piece of success.MC 00:00:25 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've alr...
Xander Shepherd is the co-founder of Artet, a brand that is changing the way we gather, toast, and experience cocktail culture. Rooted in tradition with a modern twist, Artet was founded by two brothers, and their cousin who wanted to create an alcohol-free alternative that blends sophisticated mixology with nuanced botanical flavors. With its amaro-inspired aperitif and a selection of elevated canned spritzes, Artet offers a hemp-derived Delta-9 THC-infused experience that is both refined and approachable—perfect for those seeking an NA option to savor at the table amongst family and friends. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:17] Finding Ecommerce ideas in daily life [05:48] Experimenting in small, safe spaces [10:29] Sponsor: Migrate [12:27] Reshaping customer perspectives [18:22] Callouts [18:32] Navigating customer purchase friction [21:11] Presenting your product as opportunity [25:05] Sponsor: Intelligems [27:05] Navigating state-by-state THC rules [31:50] Protecting customers with age checks [36:22] Sponsor: Electric Eye [37:31] Setting high standards for the industry [47:10] Connecting customers to buying paths Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube The original THC aperitif artet.com/ Follow Xander Shepherd linkedin.com/in/xandershepherd/ Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREWX: https://x.com/andrewjfarisEmail: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork With AJF Growth: https://ajfgrowth.comINTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.ECOM EXPERTSGet Shopify dev work that's reliable, affordable, and drives real conversion increases for your store with AJF Growth's preferred dev partner at https://ecomexperts.io/.
Ecom Secrets mit Daniel Bidmon / E-Commerce, Funnels, Marketing
Do you know where your money is really going? In this episode, I sit down with Drew Fallon, founder of Iris, to break down the financial realities behind growing a brand. If you're in that mid-7-figure range or pushing toward $10M+, this is where things start to get complex—and where small mistakes get expensive fast. You'll learn what really happens behind the scenes of finance planning and analysis, the biggest mistakes brands make when it comes to contribution margin, and why so many businesses think they're profitable when they're not. Listen in as we unpack what Drew is seeing across real brand data, from overhead quietly eating into profits to margin compression across channels like Amazon. We also talk about what separates brands that scale profitably (and even take dividends) from those that stall, plus the smartest financing options available right now. And don't miss hearing how AI is changing bookkeeping and forecasting, as well as what we consider one of the most important foundations for growth at any stage. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/3jatfe5s Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.
Scott Dancy is the founder and CEO of Azuna, a fast-growing challenger brand in at-home odor elimination. Since launching in 2019, Scott has scaled Azuna into a serious category disruptor. Prior to launching Azuna, Scott built, scaled, and sold several companies across cybersecurity, staffing, and energy - with curiosity as his fuel. During the dot-com boom, Scott was the youngest member of the cybersecurity board, working directly with the Attorney General to navigate the rapidly changing early years of the internet. He is a graduate of the University of Rochester and resides in Buffalo, NY where Azuna is based. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [00:47] Tripling revenue by solving everyday problems [03:00] Reinvesting profits to outlast competitions [05:25] Sponsor: Klaviyo [07:32] Learning from mistakes at every stage [12:23] Sponsor: Intelligems [14:23] Building LTV when first orders barely profit [17:02] Grinding to millions without ever going viral [20:14] Sponsor: Electric Eye [21:22] Learning when to keep things in-house [23:27] Calllouts [23:37] Building equity culture across your whole team [23:05] Creating a team culture people refuse to leave Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Naturally effective odor eliminators azunafresh.com/ Follow Scott Dancy linkedin.com/in/scott-dancy-189542200 Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
What do high-revenue eCommerce founders actually talk about when they get in a room together—and what can you learn from it? In this episode, you'll get real, behind-the-scenes insights from the 5th annual eCom Camp, where some of the most successful operators share what's actually driving growth today. Listen in to learn why business size is becoming a powerful advantage, how community is quietly driving massive growth, and why staying close to the details still matters. You'll hear the lessons that don't always get shared publicly, including why playing the long game is critical, how being early can create outsized opportunities, and what separates businesses that scale from those that stall. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/2cjpanad Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.
Cleo is the Co-Founder of Barrière and also serves as the brand's CEO and brand-lead. Before starting Barrière with her Co-Founder, Alexa Adams, in 2020, Cleo had over a decade of experience in corporate fashion and styling. She was inspired to leave the corporate world and start Barrière to offer a chic, yet medically-effective masking option to customers during the global pandemic. This led her and Alexa to expanding the brand into transdermal supplement patches, as inspired by her own issues with nutritional deficiencies. Before starting Barrière, Cleo's most recent professional roles included Brand Manager at Moda Operandi and Director of Special Projects at Saks Fifth Avenue, where she led brand, marketing, and e-commerce strategy for these top fashion destinations. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:19] Finding inspiration from personal pain points [05:04] Sponsor: Klaviyo [07:03] Setting your own standards when regulations fall short [10:26] Avoiding the one-size-fits-all trap in product design [12:16] Sponsor: Intelligems [14:15] Seeding products to spark word-of-mouth online [16:18] Choosing product confidence over paid promotion [18:35] Measuring the long-term return on free samples [20:07] Sponsor: Electric Eye [21:16] Thinking creatively when marketing funds run dry [22:48] Callouts [22:58] Owning customer relationships through websites Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Wear your vitamins mybarriere.com/ Follow Cleo Davis-Urman linkedin.com/in/cleo-davis-urman-91928322/ Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews.
We just got back from Smart Marketer's private mentorship event — last year when we went to Smart Marketer Live the conversation was all around acquisition…. with only 1 session being about AI. But this time it was very different. A majority of the sessions were about AI. And in this episode we are going to talk through the 3 major AI lessons that were talked about and how some of the largest ecommerce brands in the world are using AI.► Get A Free Month Of Pro Whispr Flow► AI Support Chat Gorgias► The Prompt Engineer Prompt From Ether Cycle► The AEO Blueprint Book-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-► Visit Our Website For Training and Resources► Leave Us An Honest Rating, Email An Image Of Your Rating To team@theecommercealley.com, We'll Send You A $10 Amazon Gift Card As An Appreciation Gift!► Learn About Our Mentorship Program For Ecom Brands Making Over $10k/month► Checkout Our Software, Breezeway - Never Second-Guess Your Meta Ads Again► Follow Josh on social media: YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok |
Ecom Secrets mit Daniel Bidmon / E-Commerce, Funnels, Marketing
Gloria Chou's untraditional, proven approach has helped small businesses across industries earn over a billion organic views and land features in outlets like Forbes, Vogue, Oprah Daily, BuzzFeed and Business Insider —all without pay-to-play. Named the #1 small business PR expert by ChatGPT and Al search, she's leading the charge in helping overlooked founders dominate visibility—not just in the press, but in Al search results that drive discovery and trust. Is there a guest (or two!) that you'd like to hear on our podcast in the future? Will think about this and let you know! In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:00] Navigating the shift from old SEO [02:37] Discovering free brand featuring ways [06:21] Understanding why PR tips a trust signal [09:34] Callouts [10:44] Seeing how backlinks offer great publicity [12:29] Repurposing wins into long-term content [16:11] Using 3 prompts for an effective pitch [19:10] Writing subject lines that journalists open [23:20] Building PR foundations before competitors Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Be found for the work you do gloriachoupr.com/ Follow Gloria Chou linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Samantha Diamond and Breanna Hughes are Co-Founders of Bird&Be, the fertility brand providing evidence-backed, comprehensive at-home tests and supplements for both partners at every stage of the fertility journey. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:31] Turning a diagnosis into a mission [03:23] Becoming your product's success story [04:44] Callouts [04:54] Finding focus groups with limited budgets [07:37] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:44] Letting research reverse product roadmaps [13:41] Building trust through science-backed content [15:12] Sponsor: Intelligems [17:12] Sharing vulnerable stories for customer loyalty [18:36] Tapping nice creators to amplify early content [21:41] Seeing early signals of product-market fit [23:49] Sponsor: Electric Eye [25:00] Letting word of mouth unlock B2B strategies [27:17] Allowing your data do the selling for you [30:16] Expanding impact to underserved customers Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Doctor-formulated prenatals, fertility supplements, & tests birdandbe.com/ Follow Sam Diamond ca.linkedin.com/in/samantha-diamond-1484a718 Follow Breanna Hughes ca.linkedin.com/in/breannahughes Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Raul Parquet is the Director of Ecommerce at Princess Cruises, where he's helping to lead them into a more digital future where visa requirements, multi-destination itineraries, and endless customization options are something customers can actually complete online. In this episode, Raul shares: The unglamorous but vital elements of a complete eCommerce analytics stack, and the table-stakes things teams often skip Why an Analytics team embedded inside product is a requirement, and the deployment discipline that brings with it And how Princess Cruises is using AI behind the scenes to help their team work smarter — and why, when it comes to customers, simplicity will always matter more than technology Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raul-parquet/ Princess Cruises: https://www.princess.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Why cruises are one of the hardest ecommerce problems to solve 6:00 Embedding analytics teams into product 8:00 The analytics stack: What "table stakes" actually looks like 13:30 How AI is already helping analytics teams work smarter 15:00 The gaps most teams don't know they have 19:00 Simplifying complex bookings: The Tesla analogy 21:00 100% of Princess Cruisers have been on the website 25:00 Where AI actually fits in the customer journey 29:00 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com.Special Guest: Raul Parquet.
Today on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, we're joined by a true expert at the intersection of technology, data, and e-commerce growth. Ellis Whitehead is the co-founder of DataBrill and a leading mind in PPC management, data science, and business intelligence space. With a PhD in automation and years of experience architecting smart technology for Amazon sellers, Ellis has helped brands leverage data-driven strategies to scale profitably and stay ahead of the competition. He's here to share how sellers can use advanced analytics and Ai to break through the seven-figure ceiling and unlock the path to eight figures and beyond. Ellis, welcome to the show! Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Leveraging AI and data for scaling e-commerce businesses, particularly for sellers with seven-figure sales.Importance of establishing a proper data infrastructure before utilizing AI.The concept of a "data chain" consisting of four essential links: centralized data, capturing history, connecting disparate data sources, and constructing guardrails for AI.Challenges faced by e-commerce sellers regarding messy or disconnected data.The significance of capturing historical data for trend analysis and forecasting.The necessity of connecting various data sources to derive meaningful insights and metrics.The role of structured databases versus unstructured data storage solutions like shared drives.The impact of AI on decision-making processes and the importance of providing accurate context for AI tools.Recommendations for hiring the right talent to manage data infrastructure and AI integration.The critical need for a solid foundation before implementing AI to avoid compounding errors in business operations.In this episode, host Josh Hadley interviews Ellis Whitehead, co-founder of Data Brill, about how seven-figure e-commerce sellers can leverage AI and data to scale effectively. Ellis outlines a four-step “data chain” for success: centralizing data, capturing historical records, connecting disparate data sources, and building guardrails for AI. They discuss common pitfalls, the importance of solid data infrastructure, and actionable hiring advice for building in-house data teams. The episode emphasizes that AI is only as powerful as the data foundation supporting it, offering practical strategies for sustainable e-commerce growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prioritize Data Infrastructure:Invest in building a centralized, historical, and connected data warehouse before layering on AI. This is a full-time job—don't try to do it all yourself.Make Data-Driven Decisions:Use live, visual dashboards to monitor trends, market share, and leading indicators—not just lagging P&L statements. Let data guide your strategic focus.Leverage AI Only After Laying the Foundation:AI can scale your business—or your mistakes. Only deploy AI agents once your data is clean, structured, and governed by clear guardrails.Timestamp:00:00:00 Podcast IntroductionLeveraging AI and data for scaling e-commerce businesses.00:00:58 Guest IntroductionEllis Whitehead's background and expertise in data, PPC, and Amazon seller growth are introduced.00:02:00 AI Hype & Seller ChallengesDiscussion about the overwhelming AI chatter among e-commerce sellers and the feeling of being left behind.00:02:37 The Importance of FundamentalsEllis emphasizes sticking to business fundamentals despite rapid technological changes.00:03:11 Common Data Mistakes in E-commerceEllis introduces the “data chain” concept and outlines common mistakes sellers make with data and AI.00:05:07 Overview of the Four Data Chain LinksEllis lists the four essential links: centralized data, capturing history, connecting data sources, and constructing guardrails.00:07:29 Step 1: Centralizing DataDetailed explanation of why a structured database (like Postgres) is crucial versus using spreadsheets or shared drives.00:09:21 Technical Setup for Centralized DataDifferences between databases and shared drives, and why structure, speed, and reliability matter.00:11:38 Non-Technical Founders & Getting HelpAdvice for non-technical founders: learning, hiring, or consulting for proper data setup.00:15:14 Ongoing Maintenance CaveatEllis explains that data systems require ongoing maintenance due to changing APIs and data sources.00:16:45 Ways to Ingest DataDifferent methods for getting data into databases: APIs, manual downloads, and handling multiple currencies.00:19:15 Navigating Amazon API AccessChallenges and solutions for brands seeking Amazon API access, including using third-party services.00:21:45 Step 2: Capturing HistoryWhy historical data is vital for trend analysis, forecasting, and making informed decisions.00:24:27 Use Cases for Historical DataExamples of how historical data helps with leading indicators, seasonality, and strategic decision-making.00:26:30 Pitfalls of Ignoring TrendsDangers of relying on static data blocks and the importance of trend analysis for inventory and forecasting.00:29:10 AI Automation Cautionary TaleRisks of automating decisions without proper context and historical data.00:31:01 Tracking Keyword Popularity Over TimeHow tracking keyword trends can explain sales drops and inform campaign adjustments.00:33:24 Step 3: Connecting the DotsCombining disparate data sources to calculate advanced metrics and gain actionable insights.00:35:53 Practical Tactics for Data IntegrationHow to use database views, scheduled calculations, and file storage for efficient data analysis.00:37:05 Step 4: Constructing GuardrailsBuilding guidance and guardrails so AI can answer business questions reliably and avoid costly mistakes.00:39:06 Guardrails in Action: Use CasesExamples of how proper guardrails enable AI to deliver actionable, accurate reports and campaign strategies.00:43:12 Building In-House Data TeamsAdvice on hiring the right mix of technical talent or using consultants.00:44:30 Three Actionable TakeawaysSummary of key actions: hire for data roles, let data drive strategy, and only use AI after building a solid data foundation.00:47:38 Final Recommendations & ClosingEllis's final advice: start centralizing data in Postgres and set up guardrails for AI.00:48:07 Book RecommendationsEllis shares influential books: “Warren Buffett Accounting” and “1984.”00:49:30 Favorite AI Tools & WorkflowEllis describes his preferred AI tools and workflow: Claude, VS Code, TypeScript, Deno, Postgres, and git.What is Git? (00:50:19)Explanation of git as foundational versioning software for code and text files.00:51:22 E-commerce Influencer RecommendationEllis recommends following George Meressa for advertising and e-commerce insights.00:51:51 Where to Find Ellis WhiteheadInformation on how to connect with Ellis and Data Brill for further help.00:52:20 Podcast OutroClosing remarks and call to subscribe and review the podcast.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Had...
Russell Breuer is the Founder and CEO of Spot & Tango, an innovative pet health and wellness brand that provides dogs with high quality, human grade meals, delivered direct-to-consumer. Russell was inspired by his dog, Jack, to create the company, which now has over $100+ million in annual revenue and has sold over 120 million meals since inception. Prior to Spot & Tango, Russell worked in private equity and held leadership positions at BerchWood Partners, Zephyr Management, and Nash & Co Capital in London. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:43] Starting a venture as a side gig first [03:55] Sponsor: Migrate [05:54] Using free channels to find first users [06:56] Iterating platforms as the business grows [08:24] Starting local before scaling distribution [10:47] Sponsor: Intelligems [12:47] Failing fast to find what actually works [15:06] Aligning growth speed to profitability goals [18:08] Sponsor: Electric Eye [19:17] Building innovative products to scale [21:39] Callouts [21:48] Learning scaling operations the hard way [23:38] Recognizing that success is never a one-man show Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Healthy, fresh dog food delivery service spotandtango.com/ Follow Russell Breuer linkedin.com/in/russell-breuer-0b3b57 Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Andrew Youderian is the founder and CEO of Ecommerce Fuel, a private community for 7 and 8 figure ecommerce businesses. This data is from Andrew's "Ecom Fuel Trends Report" which surveyed 300 ecommerce stores. Get the full report at https://ecommercefuel.com/blueprint.Get Andrew's "Financial Mastery For Ecom Owners" course at https://ecommercefuel.com/mastery.Listen to the Ecommerce Fuel Podcast at https://ecommercefuel.com/podcastFOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: https://x.com/andrewjfaris Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: https://ajfgrowth.comINTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.MOVE SUPPLY CHAINFree up cash, negotiate better pricing, and build a more resilient supply chain with the supply chain experts at https://movesupplychain.com
Lauren Barker is the CEO and Co-founder of Uresta, the first self-managed, FDA-cleared bladder support device for stress urinary incontinence. With nearly a decade in finance before joining Uresta, Lauren brought the analytical skills to identify a massive market gap and the vision to build a solution that prioritizes women's quality of life over symptom management. She personally reads every customer review, using those insights to shape product development and build Uresta's highly engaged community. Under her leadership, Uresta has become an eight-figure business serving over 30,000 women. What is Uresta? Uresta is revolutionizing bladder control with the first self-managed bladder support designed specifically for modern women, with no prescription or doctor visits required. Unlike traditional solutions, Uresta addresses leaks at their source, providing immediate all-day protection during physical activities like exercise, laughing, sneezing, and coughing. With 97% effectiveness and 90% continued use after 12 months, Uresta restores confidence, spontaneity, and dignity to millions of women. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [00:35] Addressing a gap in women's health [02:19] Leaving a career to chase an idea [06:28] Callouts [06:38] Finding success as an operator [08:40] Sponsor: Klaviyo [10:47] Validating a market before scaling up [14:50] Sponsor: Intelligems [17:05] Building early trust through creators [19:45] Sponsor: Electric Eye [20:54] Setting realistic budgets for paid ads [22:04] Using social proof for different markets [24:52] Marketing a product people deny Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Bladder support for women https://uresta.com/ Follow Lauren Barker https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-barker/ Follow Uresta https://www.instagram.com/myuresta/?g=5 Get your free demo https://www.klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at https://www.intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts https://electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Alissa Miky is a Japanese entrepreneur and the founder of OoMee, the first seaweed-based beverage in the U.S. She's the youngest woman ever recognized on Forbes Japan's Top 100 list. After running a successful flower business, Alissa created the viral seaweed candy company Misaky.Tokyo, and later launched Aqua Theon, a seaweed tech company. In spring 2025, Alissa turned her proprietary Seabiotics™ technology into the star ingredient for OoMee -- the functional beverage bringing the wellness benefits of agar-agar to America's beverage aisle. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:58] Pioneering a niche in an untapped market [03:43] Using cultural roots to drive innovation [06:51] Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:52] Sizing up categories before committing [10:57] Callouts [11:07] Using competitor research as winning edge [14:25] Sponsor: Intelligems [16:23] Letting the product do the talking [19:44] Knowing when to launch and building [21:51] Sponsor: Electric Eye [23:00] Using intellectual property for passive income [25:43] Turning disadvantages into entrepreneurial fuel Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Marine plant-based company https://aquatheon.com/en Marine-powered functional beverage https://oomee.life/ Follow Alissa Miky https://www.linkedin.com/in/alissa-miky-21a8673b Migrate and grow more https://www.klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at https://www.intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts https://electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Send us Fan MailTJ Bongiorno of The Outgoing Co joins The Alchemist's Library to break down how he scaled his ecommerce brand past $100K months using Meta ads, landing pages, and a subscription-first business model. From bootstrapping his DTC supplement brand to rebranding from Ramp Health to Audi, TJ shares the real numbers behind scaling an online business including why ecommerce is not the cash flow machine most people think it is. This episode covers how to validate product market fit before launch, the role of AI tools in ad creative production, agency hiring mistakes to avoid, and the capital-intensive reality of breaking into the beverage industry. You'll also hear lessons from brands like Knobs Toothpaste and Frost Buddy on leveraging TikTok Shop and organic content to drive growth. Whether you're starting your first brand or trying to break past a revenue plateau, this conversation is packed with actionable strategy. Subscribe and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway.#Ecommerce #ScalingOnlineBusiness #DTCBrandTimestamps:00:00 – Why Private Equity Is Ruining Service Businesses02:50 – How Tesla Changed the Customer Experience05:12 – Combining Online Skills With Old School Business07:00 – Street Talk Agency and Building a Content Brand08:45 – Why Trademarks Matter: The Ramp Health Rebrand11:47 – What The Outgoing Co Products Actually Do13:23 – How Much Capital You Need for Canned Beverages20:58 – Why Knobs Toothpaste Is a DTC Masterclass24:00 – How to Use Meta Ads to Test Product Market Fit26:00 – Landing Pages That Took Revenue Past $100K/Month29:13 – The Truth About Ecommerce Profit Margins33:00 – How to Vet and Hire the Right Agency36:47 – Building Internal AI Tools for Ad Creative42:20 – Frost Buddy's $80M Organic Content Strategy49:00 – Entrepreneur Guilt and Work-Life Balance52:50 – Running a Brand With No Full-Time EmployeesConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Tamara is the Founder & CEO of Bark Bistro Company, creator of Buddy Budder—a line of 100% natural peanut butters made for dogs. What began in her kitchen has grown into a nationally distributed brand available DTC, Ecommerce, independent retailers, and now expanding into mass and grocery channels. She is passionate about blending innovation and creativity, brand design, and business strategy to make products that bring joy and health to pets while scaling into new retail channels. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:37] Discovering ecommerce as the growth engine [05:38] Solving a personal problem to spark a product [07:18] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:24] Leading a category by entering early [10:29] Choosing Ecommerce to accelerate growth [12:10] Callouts [12:20] Bootstrapping growth with early revenue [13:57] Sponsor: Intelligems [15:56] Validating demand through review data [18:02] Listening to customers to improve goods [22:03] Engaging customers to co-create the brand [23:47] Sponsor: Electric Eye [24:55] Learning while building the business [26:28] Accepting mistakes as part of the journey Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Healthy and natural peanut butter dog treats barkbistro.com/ Follow Tamara Coleman linkedin.com/in/tamara-coleman-07578a23/ Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business, and you'll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- Blake Hutchison, CEO of Flippa, the world's largest marketplace for buying and selling digital businesses, joins Steve McGarry to unveil Broker AI: a suite of AI-powered tools that's set to transform how small business M&A gets done. From AI agents that source deals and qualify buyers, to automated P&L builders and multilingual deal rooms, this episode breaks down how Flippa is democratising business brokerage for entrepreneurs around the world. -- Blake Hutchison is the Chief Executive Officer of Flippa, the online marketplace that enables buying and selling of websites, apps, stores, and digital businesses. Since taking the helm in late 2018 as a turnaround CEO, Blake has driven Flippa's growth and led a global team focused on empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to exit on their terms and own their future. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakehutchison/ Check Out Flippa's Partner Program - https://flippapartners.com/ -- Key Moments: 00:00 - Introduction — Blake Hutchison returns to The Exit 00:55 - Why business brokers are the heart of small business M&A 02:30 - Introducing Broker AI and the Certified Flipper Broker Partner Program 04:30 - Who should apply — the ideal broker partner profile 07:43 - Inside the brokerage process: deal sourcing, Lauren AI, and how leads work 09:00 - The P&L Builder: building SDE-adjusted financials for M&A 10:30 - The IM Generator and the 7 agents running on the platform 12:14 - Meet Brian and Lauren — the AI agents with names 14:28 - Going global: why the program is open worldwide 18:00 - Real-world example: Brokerall in Rome and the Italian Amazon FBA community 21:03 - Multilingual deal rooms in action 24:00 - Which asset types are hottest right now: Ecom, YouTube, and what's cooling 25:19 - The state of AI: fear, opportunity, and what Blake built himself this week 31:45 - Where to learn more and how to apply -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You'll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/
In this solo episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his proven framework for hiring senior leadership in ecommerce. Drawing from personal experience, Josh outlines the costly pitfalls of bad hires and emphasizes the value of securing top 1% talent. He details a structured, three-part interview process focused on track record, culture alignment, and role competence, offering actionable tips for assessing candidates. Josh also discusses the legal and financial implications of hiring, underscoring the importance of systems and focus for business growth. The episode concludes with a call to share and review the podcast.Hiring the wrong person can be a costly "hiring mistake" for any business, impacting your bottom line significantly. This video dives into effective "recruitment" strategies and a robust "hiring process" to help you avoid these pitfalls. Learn about crucial "interview questions" and how to "how to hire" the right talent to propel your e-commerce brand forward.
In this episode, Dave dives into how he uses the newest trend in AI: OpenClaw. Dave specifically talks about how he uses it in his business, how you can set it up for your business, and what you need to keep in mind. Thinking about taking some risk off the table? Or are you looking at taking an extended break from e-commerce in general? Know what your e-commerce business is worth with Quiet Light Brokerage. OpenClaw is the newest trend right now all over the internet. They are essentially an AI agent that lives on your computer, and your files are its playground. But how useful can it be for your e-commerce business? In this episode, Dave dives into OpenClaw; how to get it installed in your computer, the things you need to keep in mind when using OpenClaw, and how Dave uses it in his business. Note: As OpenClaw is still early in its development, many tips are based on recent experience and might evolve over time. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to OpenClaw 02:17 - What exactly is OpenClaw? 03:41 - Why use a dedicated computer for OpenClaw? 05:02 - How Dave sets up my OpenClaw server 06:01 - Installing OpenClaw 07:29 - Controlling OpenClaw 08:56 - How OpenClaw works 11:16 - Practical use cases 14:06 - Automating logging 15:31 - Workflow automation 16:26 - Limitations 19:24 - Automating outreach and follow-ups 20:51 - Tips on configuration 23:47 - The evolving memory of OpenClaw 26:48 - When to develop custom apps vs. OpenClaw 29:43 - Final thoughts: Is OpenClaw right for your business? Resources Mentioned Quiet Light Brokerage OpenClaw Zapier Replit Cursor
If you're just getting started with e-commerce and you're wondering how to actually scale with limited cash and no audience, this episode is for you. I get asked this all the time: "Nathan, how do I get started when I only have a small budget?" Here's the truth: most founders tattoo their business idea to their arm. They fall in love with the brand, the product, the vision — and they hold on even when the unit economics don't work. But after launching Healthish to $1 million a year at close to 40% net margins, and helping thousands of DTC brands inside Foundr, I know exactly what works. In this episode, I break down the exact playbook I'd use if I were starting a brand new e-commerce business tomorrow with no audience and just a $10,000 budget. This is strategic, tactical, and based on what I've done and what I've seen work inside the Foundr ecosystem. Here's what you'll take away: Why high-margin products are non-negotiable — aim for 70-80% gross margin, lightweight, easy to ship How to allocate $2,500 to influencer seeding: gifting to 50-100 nano/micro influencers for UGC and organic reach The AI tool stack that lets you run lean: Manus, ChatGPT, Notion AI, Triple Whale, Canva Pro, and AdCreative.ai Why I'd spend $2,000 testing paid ads on warm audiences and messaging before scaling — not chasing 10x ROAS on day one How to build one strong product landing page using tools like Unbounce, ClickFunnels, or Shogun instead of a massive Shopify site The $2,000 emergency fund strategy: reserve cash for unexpected wins, scaling inventory, or paying creators who blow up If you're sitting on $10K and wondering where to start, or you've already launched but your unit economics don't work, this episode will show you the modern playbook for building a profitable DTC brand using AI, influencers, and smart budgeting. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at nathan@foundr.com — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to https://your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application → Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt Website → https://www.foundr.com Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/foundr/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/foundr Twitter → https://www.twitter.com/foundr LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/ Podcast → https://www.foundr.com/podcast
Dr. Mark Young, the Founder and CEO of Jekyll & Hyde Advertising, a powerhouse agency that's been helping challenger consumer brands break through the noise and scale into household names with billions of revenue and exits for nearly three decades.He's also the host of the CPG insiders podcast, the number 2 podcast in all consumer packaged goods niche.Mark is also the author of a new book 27 Unbreakable Rules of Retail, how to build a $100M+ brand in brick and mortarMark is not your average marketer — his background blends neuroscience, persuasion, and behavioral psychology with decades of hands-on experience in CPG and direct-response advertising. Through his agency, Jekyll & Hyde, he's helped hundreds of emerging brands launch, grow, and dominate retail shelves and online marketplaces.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of brick-and-mortar retail in the consumer products industry.Challenges faced by e-commerce brands in a competitive market.Strategies for successfully entering physical retail spaces.The significance of product differentiation and authenticity in retail.The impact of traditional media, especially television, on brand awareness and consumer demand.The concept of SKU rationalization and its role in retail product selection.The necessity of creating consumer demand before approaching retail buyers.Understanding the economics of media buying and the Media Efficiency Ratio (MER).The principle of "Who Not How" in building a successful business team.The role of AI as a collaborative tool in enhancing business strategies.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Dr. Mark Young, CEO of Jekyll and Hyde Advertising. Mark shares his expertise on building $100 million consumer brands in brick-and-mortar retail, emphasizing that 80% of product sales still occur offline. He discusses the challenges of retail entry, the importance of unique, premium products, and the power of TV advertising to drive demand. Mark also highlights the value of expert partnerships and leveraging both human intuition and AI, offering actionable advice for e-commerce brands aiming to succeed in physical retail.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prove Demand Before Approaching RetailersBuild real consumer pull through DTC + paid media (TV, social, influencers). Retail buyers want evidence of demand, not Amazon screenshots. Come in with a buyer-ready pitch showing how you'll drive traffic to their stores.Position Your Product as a Clear Upgrade or Category ExpanderEnsure your SKU hits at least one winning lever:Premium trade-up (higher-margin, innovative)Demographic expander (brings new shoppers)Category expander (increases consumption)If your product is a “me-too” item, it won't make it onto shelves.Build a Retail-Ready P&L With Strong Margins & Media PlanYou need minimum 5:1 markup and a funded media strategy (TV recommended) to support retail sell-through. Retailers expect marketing that drives velocity—without it, your product risks getting cut during SKU rationalization.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazonChatGPTShopifyHelium 10IRI (Information Resources, Inc.)Meta AdsWRTVJekyll+Hyde LabsCPG InsidersThinking, Fast and Slow"Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy"The Science of Scaling" by Dr. Ben HardyPrimal IntelligenceWalmartShark TankThe Home DepotDan SullivanSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast
Co-founded in 2012 by Ryan Emmons, his cousin Alex Preston, a Hawaiian artist and game designer, and friend Matt Meyer, Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages is a premium beverage company from Hilo, Hawai‘i, offering volcanic water, sparkling water, and coffee, crafted with deep respect for the land, its people, and the responsibility that comes with both. Rooted in sustainability, Waiākea is setting a new standard for CPG, blending exceptional taste with conscious practices. From their certified B Corp status and proprietary 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, OceanPlast®, to their community-driven Kōkua Initiative nonprofit, Waiākea is changing the way we hydrate. Inspired by the founders' long-standing work with clean water and education non-profits, the concept for Waiākea was to move away from singular profit and towards a triple bottom line model (circular packaging, sustainable sourcing, and commitment to the community). Their water embodies that mission with an experience that's natural alkaline pH, 100% BPA & PFA Free, packed with electrolytes & minerals, light, crisp, and refreshingly clean. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [01:25] Turning sustainability into an advantage [03:28] Starting without industry experience [05:49] Sponsor: Electric Eye [07:00] Building a business from a class project [09:45] Self-distributing to reach early customers [11:57] Sponsor: Klaviyo [13:56] Building trust through consignment [15:12] Scaling distributions with good relationships [17:06] Callouts [17:16] Adjusting strategy based on performance [20:47] Sponsor: Intelligems [22:47] Managing supply chains for heavy goods [25:01] Balancing risk with growth opportunities Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Alkaline Hawaiian Volcanic Water waiakea.com/ Follow Ryan Emmons linkedin.com/in/ryan-emmons-8709871b/ Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Migrate and grow more klaviyo.com/honest Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Gregg Carey is the Founder and CEO of More Staffing. Learn more about More Staffing's services at https://morestaffing.co/af.FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: https://x.com/andrewjfaris Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: https://ajfgrowth.comMORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting https://morestaffing.co/af.
Sam Ross is the Co-Founder and CEO of Numeral, a company revolutionizing how e-commerce and SaaS businesses handle US sales tax and international tax automation. Before launching Numeral, Sam built several e-commerce ventures that generated over $50 million in revenue, giving him first-hand experience with the challenges of scaling, managing cash flow, and preparing for an exit.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges of US sales tax compliance for e-commerce businesses post-2018 Wayfair ruling.The complexities of sales tax nexus and varying state regulations.Personal experiences of e-commerce entrepreneurs with sales tax issues.The financial consequences of non-compliance, including audits and penalties.Strategies for managing sales tax compliance, including the use of automation tools.The importance of understanding product taxability and state-specific exemptions.Options for businesses with unpaid sales tax liabilities, including retroactive registration and voluntary disclosure agreements.Emerging growth opportunities in e-commerce, such as TikTok Shops and AI-driven search optimization.The significance of customer-centric product development based on search behavior and preferences.Recommendations for e-commerce entrepreneurs on compliance, handling state notices, and investing in new technologies.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Sam Ross, co-founder and CEO of Numeral. They discuss the complexities of US sales tax compliance for e-commerce businesses, especially after the 2018 Wayfair Supreme Court decision. Sam shares his entrepreneurial journey, explains how Numeral automates tax compliance, and offers practical advice on managing tax risks. The conversation also explores emerging e-commerce growth strategies, including leveraging AI, personalized marketing, and niche product development, providing actionable insights for founders navigating today's challenging tax and digital landscape.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Automate Sales Tax Before It Becomes a Costly ProblemRun a nexus scan across all your channels (Shopify, Amazon, 3PLs), identify where you owe tax, and automate filings—before audits, penalties, or exit due diligence destroy value.Never Respond to State Notices AloneIf you receive a tax letter, pause and consult a CPA or tax attorney immediately. One wrong reply can trigger audits or liabilities—set up systems to track and manage every notice.Use AI + Niche Search Data to Find Your Next WinnersMine long-tail search queries (e.g., highly specific gift or use-case terms) and build modular products around them. Optimize content for AI-driven search and answer engines to capture emerging buyer intent.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comNumeralShopifyAmazonEtsyTaxJarAvalaraJungle ScoutChatGPTWhoop BandTikTok ShopInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert CialdiniChad Janis (Grüns)Sam Ross on TwitterSam Ross on LinkedInSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedIn
Today on our show:Walmart Continues Its Tear: eCom Growth at 27%Perplexity Abandons Advertising to Maintain User TrustThe Great Parcel Reconfiguration No One is Talking AboutAbout That 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis- and finally, The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs.Today's episode is sponsored by Mirakl.https://www.watsonweekly.com/https://www.youtube.com/@WatsonWeeklyhttps://www.rmwcommerce.com/ecommerce-podcast-watsonweekly
Julian Tcherassi is the founder of Magiktea, the first USDA Organic & Wildlife Friendly certified palo azul tea brand in the world. Under his leadership, Magiktea has grown from a small independent startup into a nationally recognized wellness brand, now available in over 1,000 health food stores nationwide. Passionate about natural remedies and sustainability, Julian started Magiktea with the mission to share sustainably sourced palo azul so that everyone can enjoy Mother Nature's most magical tea. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:06] Spotting an opportunity from personal experience [02:56] Starting a business through personal readings [05:06] Prioritizing retail over DTC for early traction [06:53] Offering consignment as visibility strategy [10:31] Callouts [10:41] Embracing rejection as early sales training [14:43] Sponsor: Klaviyo [16:49] Learning advertisement tactics from founders [18:41] Optimizing website to support conversions [26:46] Sponsor: Intelligems [25:46] Improving listings to outshine competitors [29:26] Leveraging Amazon for exposure and sales [33:25] Sponsor: Electric Eye [34:31] Analyzing your brand for the winning message Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Fluorescent alkaline palo azul tea magiktea.com/ Follow Julian Tcherassi linkedin.com/in/julian-serrano-tcherassi-97a891156/ Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Discover how NeuroGum's founder turned a college nootropics experiment into a 9-figure brand, dominating Amazon and TikTok Shop and outselling 5-Hour Energy drink at CVS.
Sean Percy Travis is a Retired LA County Firefighter-Paramedic turned 7-figure eCom builder. He founded Ecom For Heroes to empower first responders and veterans with purpose-driven structure, leading them from the firehouse to lasting financial freedom. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. Freedom doesn't come from removing structure. It comes from building the right structure. 2. There is no such thing as self-made success; every win is built on the shoulders of giants. 3. Simple systems scale: chunk complexity down, automate what matters, and execute with discipline. Check out Sean's website. Build a sellable & profitable online business as a first responder - Ecom for Heroes Sponsors HighLevel - The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies. Learn more at HighLevelFire.com. Cape - A privacy-first mobile carrier, built from the ground up with security as the priority. If you care about protecting your digital life without giving up your smartphone, Cape makes that possible. Visit Cape.co/fire and use code FIRE for 33% off cape for 6 months today!