Podcast appearances and mentions of josh hadley

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares a powerful productivity strategy: conducting a two-week time study. Josh explains how tracking time reveals inefficiencies and misplaced priorities that limit business growth. He introduces a four-bucket framework—Delete, Delegate, Design, and Double Down—to help entrepreneurs categorize their activities and focus on high-leverage work. Josh emphasizes that a CEO's role must continuously evolve through revenue milestones, and recommends tools like the Timing app and ChatGPT to analyze time data and redesign job responsibilities for maximum impact.Bullet Points:Importance of conducting a two-week time study for entrepreneurs and CEOs.Tracking and analyzing time to identify inefficiencies and misplaced priorities.The role of the founder or CEO as a potential growth ceiling for the business.Evolution of the CEO's role as the business scales through revenue milestones.Categorization of tasks into four buckets: Delete, Delegate, Design, and Double Down.Regular self-assessment and role redesign for sustainable scaling.Value of time analysis for team members at all levels, not just CEOs.Use of tools like the Timing app for tracking time spent on activities.Analyzing collected data to identify opportunities for improvement and delegation.Emphasis on intentional time management and leadership evolution for business growth.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to the Two-Week Time StudyYour calendar reveals your business's future growth. A time study shows where your time is actually being consumed.00:01:18 The Importance of a Time StudyA founder's time becomes the ceiling for business growth. This study helps align your actions with your business goals.00:02:40 Evolving as a CEO at Different Revenue MilestonesThe CEO's role must change as the business scales from $1 million to $5 million, $10 million, and beyond.00:04:22 Common Misconceptions About Time UsageFounders often think they're focused on growth but are stuck in administrative tasks, revealing a disconnect in priorities.00:06:08 Why the Study Must Be Two Weeks LongTwo weeks is the minimum time to get an accurate picture of your normal habits, beyond a single focused week.00:07:53 The Brutal Question for CEOsAsk if the CEO you want to become should be doing your current tasks, emphasizing the need for personal evolution.00:09:23 The Four Buckets for Categorizing Your TimeAfter the study, categorize all tasks into four buckets: delete, delegate, redesign, or double down on high-leverage activities.00:11:10 Common Findings from a Time StudyCEOs often find they spend too much time checking instead of leading and get derailed by personal tasks mid-day.00:14:44 The Real Outcome: Redesigning Your JobThe goal is to redesign your job description every 90-180 days, focusing on growth levers to earn promotions.00:16:17 How to Conduct the Time StudyUse the Timing app to track everything from sunup to sundown, including personal time, to get a complete picture.00:18:58 Categorizing Your TasksCreate key themes or categories for your activities, such as "CEO strategic work," "hiring," and "personal tasks."00:21:04 Analyzing the ResultsThe app shows where your hours went, revealing high-time categories like hiring, which can inform who to hire next.00:25:05 Using ChatGPT for Deeper AnalysisExport your time data and use a specific ChatGPT prompt to analyze it using the four-bucket framework for insights.00:26:36 Example ChatGPT OutputChatGPT can identify the best and worst uses of your time, highlighting where to apply your judgment for maximum leverage.00:29:49 Conclusion and Final TakeawaysYour calendar is your strategy. Run the study regularly, apply the four buckets, and constantly evolve your role as a leader.Links and Mentions:Tools and Apps  "Timing App": "00:16:50"Key Concepts and Frameworks  "Two Week Time Study": "00:02:02"Recommendations  "ChatGPT": "00:25:05"Additional Notes  "QR Code for Resources": "00:29:49"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Show me two weeks of your calendar, and I'm going to be able to confidently tell you whether you're going to be growing or staying stuck in your business over the next 12 months. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Most founders think that they know exactly where their time is going. However, when you conduct a two week time study, 90% of entrepreneurs are blown away with where their time is actually being consumed in the business. And oftentimes it's not in the places you want your time being consumed in the business. Most of the time, you're stuck in the thick of thin things. That's not providing a high ROI in the business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith.Josh Hadley 00:00:56  I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, selling multi-million on sales channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify, and I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs. That's E-com breakthrough. Today, I'm going to be sharing with you the details about this two week time study, which is one of the best tools to magnify your output and be able to ten x the efficiency and the growth inside of your business. So why is a two week time study so important? And why do I do this on a regular basis? By the way, I do this myself at a minimum every six months, and when things are really moving along quickly, I'm doing it every 90 days. If the business is scaling fast, the reason why you want to conduct a two week time study is because the founder's time eventually becomes the ceiling for your growth as a business. This is going to provide you with a framework for seeing whether your behavior in the business is actually matching the business that you think you are trying to build? Way too often I hear people are saying, oh yeah, I'm all focused on growth.Josh Hadley 00:02:02  But then you show me your two week time study, and then I find that most of your time is spent in administrative work, doing manual routine things that aren't actually driving results in the business, but it's just kind of keeping things afloat. That's not what you want to be focused on. And this is something that applies to CEOs, and this applies to entry level workers that are doing routine administrative work as well, because I believe that everybody in any role needs to take an honest look and self-assess. Am I spending my time on the right levers in the business that are truly going to provide an ROI, a return on your investment, or your time? Let's dive into why this is so vital for a CEO that's building a business. When you're a CEO and you're a founder and you're crossing that $1 million mark in revenue, it's honestly the hustle that has gotten you to where you are today, and that ultimately will become a ceiling. If you're not able to delegate and identify a system as to how you generated that first million dollars in revenue.Josh Hadley 00:03:02  You're never going to scale to that next level, whic...

Back for another round on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast is Michelle Barnum Smith, the founder of Social Sellers and one of the most trusted voices in the TikTok Shop space.Michelle Barnum Smith is an award-winning marketing strategist with 25+ years of expertise. A recognized Amazon and TikTok Shop expert, she's launched 100+ brands and trained 1,000+ sellers worldwide. Featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and CNBC, Michelle is a Top Performing TikTok Shop Partner leading the charge in social commerce success.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges and opportunities of selling on TikTok Shop.Statistics on brand success rates and affiliate performance on TikTok Shop.The overwhelming amount of information and support challenges for new sellers.The shift in TikTok Shop's ecosystem and the need for brands to adapt their strategies.Differences between selling on TikTok Shop and Amazon, including content strategy.Importance of creating engaging top-of-funnel content that aligns with TikTok's algorithm.The necessity of understanding TikTok user behavior and motivations for effective marketing.The role of creator relationships and personalized engagement in driving sales.The significance of brand storytelling and emotional connection with the audience.The need for a long-term commitment and investment in brand-building on TikTok Shop.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with TikTok Shop expert Michelle Barnum Smith about the challenges and opportunities of selling on TikTok Shop. Michelle highlights that only 1 in 30 brands survive the cold start phase, emphasizing that Amazon seller tactics don't translate to TikTok. She stresses the importance of top-of-funnel content creation, genuine creator relationships, and a long-term brand-building mindset. Success requires understanding TikTok as an entertainment platform first, investing in content testing, and committing fully rather than treating it as a casual sales channel.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Go All-In on Content Testing (Not Creators) Treat TikTok like a performance ad platform—produce and test content at scale. Focus on brand-owned, top-of-funnel videos (entertaining, educational, non-salesy) and iterate based on engagement metrics, not just sales.Build a Multi-Account Content Engine Use multiple TikTok accounts (main + secondary) to test different angles, including bold or experimental content. Leverage authority figures or AI avatars to increase trust and scale content production without risking your core brand.Shift from Demand Capture to Demand Creation Unlike Amazon, success on TikTok requires creating demand from scratch. Invest in storytelling, consistent content, and community-building—expect a long runway (months to a year) before meaningful profitability.Timestamps:00:00:00 The TikTok Affiliate LandscapeOnly 20,000 of over 2 million TikTok Shop affiliates generate more than $5,000 a month in GMV.00:01:04 Introduction to Michelle Barnum SmithHost Josh Hadley introduces guest Michelle Barnum Smith, an award-winning marketing strategist and expert in TikTok Shop.00:01:42 The Ever-Changing World of TikTokMichelle emphasizes that TikTok's rules are constantly moving, requiring continuous adaptation and collaboration to succeed in marketing.00:02:32 The Biggest Challenge for BrandsJosh asks about the primary obstacles brand owners face on TikTok Shop and what separates success from failure.00:03:26 Why Most Brands FailOnly 1 in 30 brands succeed due to overwhelming, unhelpful information and a lack of real expertise from TikTok corporate.00:05:25 The Creator Saturation ProblemWith over 2 million affiliates, top creators are inundated with requests, making the old playbook of creator outreach ineffective.00:07:04 The Future of TikTok ShopJosh asks for Michelle's prediction on the platform's future, considering its new US ownership and changing algorithm priorities.00:07:23 Understanding the Algorithm's MotivationMichelle explains the algorithm is shifting back towards user entertainment and discovery, rather than just pushing shoppable content.00:11:07 Why Sellers Must Be UsersSellers need to use TikTok to understand the platform's culture and algorithm, just as they would on Amazon.00:12:52 Going "All In" on TikTokBrands must be fully committed, treating TikTok as demand generation and being prepared to lose money for a year.00:14:51 Why Amazon Sellers StruggleMichelle argues Amazon sellers are spoiled by high-intent traffic and often lack the mindset for TikTok's demand generation model.00:15:51 The New Playbook for SuccessJosh asks for the new playbook, covering the three types of content: creator, branded, and AI-generated content.00:17:41 It's About Content, Not CreatorsSuccess now depends on a strong content strategy that aligns with the algorithm, similar to running modern Meta ads.00:22:41 Owning Your Top-of-Funnel ContentBrands must create their own top-of-funnel content focused on entertainment, education, and controversy to build brand awareness.00:24:57 A Tactical Breakdown for BrandsJosh asks for tangible tactics on how to create top-of-funnel content without hiring a large team.00:25:29 Where Creators Fit in the FunnelMichelle clarifies that creators are for middle and bottom-of-funnel content, while the brand must own the top.00:30:42 How to Research Content IdeasMichelle demonstrates how to research top-of-funnel content by searching relevant hashtags and analyzing what the algorithm favors.00:34:05 Using Marketing Accounts for TestingBrands can use up to four additional marketing accounts to test different content angles without risking their main brand's image.00:42:26 Top-of-Funnel KPIsThe key metrics for top-of-funnel content are what the algorithm values: view time, completion rate, comments, and shares.00:45:45 Actionable TakeawaysJosh summarizes the episode's three key takeaways: mindset shift, building creator relationships, and defining your brand's story.00:51:28 Lightning Round: Influential BookMichelle recommends "The E-Myth" for its lessons on building systems and working on the business, not just in it.00:52:16 Lightning Round: Favorite AI ToolMichelle recommends Higgsfield for its ability to test and compare different generative AI platforms for content creation.00:53:15 Lightning Round: Who to FollowMichelle advises getting outside e-commerce echo chambers and listening to experts in other areas, like Meta advertising.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"TikTok Shop": "00:00:00""Meta Ads": "00:20:56""GMV Max": "00:27:29""

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explains why he's intentionally working less in his ecommerce business and aims to "fire himself" within 18 months. Rather than stepping away, Josh is building a self-sustaining business by implementing five key strategies: delegating decisions to capable team members, developing leadership through extreme ownership principles, investing in his leaders' personal and professional growth, implementing scorecards focused on leading KPIs, and documenting his decision-making processes to eventually create an AI system that replicates his judgment, freeing him to focus on higher-level opportunities.Bullet Points:Transitioning from hands-on involvement to a more strategic role in the ecommerce business.The goal of "firing himself" from daily operations within 18 months.Importance of delegating tasks and decision-making to team members.Developing leadership skills and promoting a culture of extreme ownership among team members.Investing in the personal and professional growth of leaders through coaching and mastermind groups.Implementing scorecards and focusing on leading indicators for performance measurement.Documenting processes and decision-making criteria to empower the team and reduce reliance on the founder.Leveraging AI to replicate decision-making processes and enhance operational efficiency.Creating systems that allow the business to operate independently of the founder's direct involvement.Building a resilient and autonomous organization that can scale sustainably.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction: Working Less to Grow MoreJosh Hadley explains his goal to "fire himself" from his business within 18 months by building systems and empowering his team.00:01:50 Strategy 1: Do Less, Delegate MoreFocus on delegating tasks and decision-making authority to capable team members, even if you can do the work yourself.00:04:11 Strategy 2: Develop Leadership and Decision-MakingTeach your team principles like extreme ownership and allow them to make mistakes, which is a crucial part of learning.00:07:42 Strategy 3: Invest Heavily in Your LeadersInvest in your leaders' growth through masterminds and coaching, which boosts their skills and acts as a powerful retention strategy.00:10:22 Strategy 4: Implement Scorecards and Leading IndicatorsFocus on leading indicators (KPIs) for each team member to proactively measure progress and ensure clarity on roles and responsibilities.00:14:11 Strategy 5: Document Your JudgmentRecord your decision-making processes using tools like Loom to extract your judgment and create systems others can follow, ultimately cloning yourself.Links and Mentions:Books"Extreme Ownership": "00:04:38"Tools for Documentation"Loom": "00:14:37"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  I'm going to share with you why I'm working less in my business today than I was last year and the year before that. And why? Ultimately, I'm trying to fire myself from the business in the next 18 months. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and a father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaire on Amazon, TikTok, shop and Shopify. And last but not least, I'm the host of the number one business strategy podcast in the E-com space, and that is E-com breakthrough.Josh Hadley 00:00:54  Today, I want to dive into why I'm working less in the business today than I was a year ago, and why I'm ultimately trying to fire myself from the business 18 months from now, and the specific action items that I'm taking inside of the business, to be able to get to a point where I'm able to fire myself as the CEO of the brand. Now, you may be listening to that and thinking like, why in the world are you trying to, like, fire yourself? Like, are you no longer interested in this business? I've never been more bullish in optimistic about my brand than ever before, to be honest with you, I'm more excited about what the future looks like for the business than I have ever been in the past, and that's the and the reason why I am more excited about the future of the business is because of the focus that I have had to replace myself in the business and focus on putting smarter people around me inside the business than just myself. So I want to share with you five different things I am focused on inside of my business.Josh Hadley 00:01:50  To ultimately fire myself and work less and less inside of the business within the next 18 months. So let's start with number one. I am doing less work, even though I am more than capable of doing the work inside of the business. Let's take this for an example. Can I go make a decision about how much inventory we need to purchase for the next, you know, back to school season or for the next, you know, holiday Q4 season? I most certainly can. I could certainly make that call. I've got a decade of experience selling. I know my brand. I know the peaks and valleys, and I know the mistakes that I've made in the past. However, what I am adamantly focused on, and especially if there's something simple that I could do in the business, like, let's take this as a really good use case on Amazon. You have like there's the forms that you have to register for it to be like, hey, this is a woman owned business or a minority owned business, or to register for trademarks and things like that.Josh Hadley 00:02:45  Typically you would say, hey, the CEO should be responsible for that. That's confidential information. But for me, can I easily go do that? Yes, I can, but the way I approach it is, I say, number one, the people at Nike, like most certainly there's not one guy that is going around to me like, oh, sorry, this is too confidential. I have to do this myself and hording all of that information. So how does it work with the largest corporations? Number one, they're delegating authority to others. And so my biggest thing that I have been focused on is asking myself the question before I do any task inside of the business, whether it's inventory, planning decisions or it's as simple as like a trademark related decision, I am going to ask myself and say, can somebody else make this call? And if so, I'm going to let them make the call, and then I'm going to coach them afterwards. And ultimately, I want to ensure that this person has at least been familiar enough with the process.Josh Hadley 00:03:41  Like they're not brand new. They didn't just start yesterday and they're walking into it blind. What I'm referring to is, you know, the supply chain team members that that have been here in the business for the past 3 or 4 years, instead of continuing down this path of like, needing my approval or my final blessing. I'm pushing more onto them to say, no, you can go do this. You can go make this call. You can go get this data piece. I want you to be the final owner of that. So that's number one. Ask yourself the question before you ever fire off that next email or go solve the next problem in your business. Could that be better done by somebody else? Number two, the second way that I'm trying to fi...

Meher Patel is a serial entrepreneur with exits across hospitality, healthcare, and digital media — each in a completely different industry, each built from the ground up. He founded Neon Digital, a performance-first advertising agency, and then built what very few agencies ever achieve: a SaaS platform that outgrew the agency itself. Hector AI now processes over $350 million in ad spend across Amazon and marketplace advertising, with 1,000+ users on the platform — and in under 18 months, has earned 3 global recognitions including the Amazon Ads Innovation Award, the Amazon Partner Award, and a Top 20 Global Amazon Ads Advanced Partner ranking. Today, Meher is building what he believes will become the foundational intelligence layer of the agentic ecommerce era — Hector MCP: the most advanced, context-rich, token-optimized model context protocol purpose-built for Amazon advertising, designed so that every serious AI agent, every autonomous workflow, and every future-ready brand that wants to win on Amazon will have no choice but to be powered by it.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. The rapid evolution of Amazon's advertising features driven by AI technology.Limitations of current SaaS platforms for Amazon sellers and the potential of MCP (Model Context Protocol) technology.The significance of context in AI-driven advertising optimization.Challenges associated with using raw data without contextual understanding in advertising.Practical strategies for Amazon sellers to optimize their ad campaigns.The importance of documenting ad optimization processes for effective AI integration.The role of custom AI workflows in enhancing advertising strategies.The necessity of continuous refinement and learning in building effective AI agents.The decision-making process for sellers regarding whether to rent AI tools or develop their own solutions.The use of connectors like Make.com and Knit for creating automated workflows with AI integration.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Meher Patel, founder of Neon Digital and Hector AI, about the future of Amazon advertising. Meher explains how AI and MCP (Model Context Protocol) technology are transforming ad optimization by providing crucial context to raw Amazon data. He emphasizes that sellers should document their ad processes, learn to communicate effectively with AI, and decide whether to build custom AI workflows or use existing tools. The key takeaway: success with AI-driven advertising requires continuous refinement and treating AI as a knowledgeable, context-aware team member.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Turn your workflow into SOPs Record how you optimize campaigns, explain your decisions, and convert that into SOPs—this becomes the foundation for training AI agents. Never feed AI raw data without context Structure and enrich your Amazon data first (or use MCP-powered tools) so AI can generate accurate, actionable insights. Start small with AI automation, then scale Begin with simple rules (e.g., budget increases for winning campaigns), then gradually build more advanced, custom workflows as you learn.Timestamps:00:00:58 Introduction to the Future of Amazon AdsThe host introduces the topic: autonomous, AI-powered decision-making for Amazon advertising, moving beyond simple optimization.00:01:13 Guest Introduction: Meher PatelThe host introduces Meher Patel, detailing his entrepreneurial background, his agency Neon Digital, and his SaaS platform, Hector AI.00:02:49 The Problem with Early AI Ad ToolsDiscussion on how early AI advertising tools often failed sellers, contrasting with the positive results from newer, more advanced software.00:04:10 Prediction for Amazon AdvertisingMeher predicts Amazon will rapidly release new AI-powered features, but sellers must learn how to properly utilize this infrastructure.00:08:46 The Importance of Context in AIAI is only as good as the context it's given; without it, AI recommendations are generic and potentially harmful.00:10:04 How Smart Sellers Should Prepare for AISellers must learn to ask the right questions and feed AI the right data with the proper context to get valuable results.00:12:07 Why Raw Data Isn't EnoughUploading raw Amazon reports to an AI lacks the necessary context, leading to "garbage out" optimization strategies.00:12:42 The Role of an MCP (Model Context Protocol)An MCP provides the necessary context and data connections, acting as an intelligent layer between raw data and the AI model.00:18:57 Amazon's MCP API LimitationsAmazon's own MCP is just an API, requiring sellers to build their own infrastructure, which is inefficient and token-heavy.00:21:48 Top Strategies: Building Custom AI AgentsThe best strategy is for brands to build their own custom AI agents and workflows based on their unique strategies.00:24:32 Unlocking Custom Workflows with AI AgentsAI agent workflows allow sellers to build bespoke optimization systems, unlike one-size-fits-all SaaS platforms.00:27:10 How to Create an AI Agent WorkflowRecord your optimization process, use an LLM to create an SOP, and then build an AI agent to execute it.00:28:06 The Reality of AI ImplementationBuilding a reliable AI agent is a gradual process of refinement and setting up guardrails, not a weekend project.00:29:21 Automating Agent CreationUsing connectors like Make.com within an LLM allows you to create and schedule automated workflows by simply describing them.00:31:08 The Timeframe for Building an AI SystemBuilding a truly autonomous system is a long-term journey of refinement; the key skill to learn is communicating with AI.00:33:57 Becoming an AI OrchestratorSellers must become orchestrators, designing and managing multiple small, independent AI agents to perform specific, connected tasks.00:35:56 The Future: Loaning vs. Building AI AgentsSellers will choose between "renting" cookie-cutter AI agents or "building" custom ones that act as a competitive moat.00:38:29 Are You a Brand Owner or a SaaS Provider?A warning for sellers: building your own AI tools means you are entering the SaaS business, which requires significant technical resources.00:41:13 The Shift from Prompt to Context EngineeringThe new challenge is context engineering: ensuring the right data and tools are used efficiently to avoid token exhaustion and errors.00:42:55 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes three key actions: document processes with video, use an MCP for context, and decide your role (brand/SaaS).00:47:25 Most Influential BookMeher shares that the biography of Steve Jobs has been his most influential book due to its lessons on focus.00:48:25 Favorite AI ToolMeher recommends WhisperFlow for voice-to-text communication with AI, which has eliminated his need to type when using Claude.00:49:23 Most Respected Person in E-commerceMeher names Jeff Cohen as someone he admires for his deep, hands-on knowledge of the Amazon and retail media ecosystem.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough Podcast

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares five strategies he would prioritize when launching a new e-commerce brand today. Drawing from over a decade of experience scaling his own brand to eight figures, Josh covers: building recurring revenue models for compounding growth, identifying products with TikTok Shop viral potential, securing favorable manufacturer payment terms to optimize cash flow, prioritizing TikTok Shop as the primary sales channel over Amazon or Shopify, and developing a mission-driven brand that commands trust and premium pricing. The episode delivers actionable insights for entrepreneurs seeking scalable, sustainable e-commerce success.Bullet Points:Importance of recurring revenue models for sustainable growth in e-commerce.Strategies for identifying products with viral potential on TikTok Shop.Building strong relationships with manufacturers to secure favorable payment terms.Prioritizing TikTok Shop as the primary sales channel for new products.Developing a mission-driven brand that fosters trust and allows for premium pricing.The impact of subscription or membership models on customer lifetime value.Leveraging TikTok Shop's unique algorithm for effective product-market fit testing.Utilizing pre-orders as a cash flow strategy to fund production.The shift in e-commerce dynamics away from traditional platforms like Amazon.Creating a cohesive brand narrative to enhance customer loyalty and brand value.Timestamps:00:00:54 Recurring Revenue is KeyThe importance of building a brand with a recurring revenue model, like consumables or subscriptions, for compounding growth.00:07:55 Viral Products on TikTok ShopFocus on finding or creating products that have viral potential on TikTok Shop to unlock success across all sales channels.00:09:57 Strong Manufacturer RelationshipsPrioritize building relationships with manufacturers to secure favorable payment terms, creating a negative cash conversion cycle for infinite scalability.00:14:10 Prioritizing TikTok Shop FirstLaunch new products on TikTok Shop first, as success there proves viability and drives traffic to other channels like Shopify and Amazon.00:17:08 Building a Mission-Driven BrandFocus on creating a true brand with a mission and values to build customer trust and command premium pricing.00:19:28 Recap of the Five StrategiesA summary of the five key focus areas: recurring revenue, TikTok virality, manufacturer terms, TikTok Shop first, and mission-driven branding.Links and Mentions:Business Models & Revenue"Reoccurring Revenue": "00:01:54""Reoccurring Revenue": "00:19:28"Products & Tools"Intake Breathing": "00:04:04"E-commerce Platforms & Sales Channels"TikTok Shop": "00:08:56""Sales Channels": "00:19:28""Viral Products on TikTok": "00:19:28"Supplier & Manufacturer Relationships"Manufacturer Relationships": "00:09:57""Manufacturer Relationships": "00:19:28"Business Strategies"Pre-orders": "00:12:09"Branding & Mission"Brand Mission": "00:17:08""Brand Purpose": "00:19:28"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  I'm going to share with you the five things I would focus on if I had to start a brand new e-commerce brand from scratch today. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children. I've been selling you the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaire on Amazon, TikTok, shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast Ecomm Breakthrough. Today, I want to share with you the five things that I would really focus on if I had to start a brand new eCommerce brand from scratch.Josh Hadley 00:00:54  And this is honestly coming from a point of identifying like the weaknesses within my own brand things I would wish I could change if I, you know, could have any dream or wish in the world. But also, after having run my own e-commerce brand for the past ten years and having pivoted that brand a whole number of times, and we've pivoted the brand multiple times in order to keep it afloat. And with all of that experience, here are the top five things that I would be actively working on if I had to start a new brand from scratch. So number one, the holy grail of all things I would be looking for in any new e-commerce brand is do they have reoccurring revenue? Okay, that could be two different things. I could have a consumable item and it could be like a razor blade as an example, right. For shaving if I needed. That's why Harry's Razors, All Dollar Shave Club, etc. like we're all very familiar with them because they are able to spend a lot of money up front to go acquire a customer because they know the lifetime value of a customer, because they know that customer is going to come back and reorder the cartridges to refill their razor blades on their razors, etc. that is the holy grail of e-commerce.Josh Hadley 00:02:06  And so it's the same thing with supplements, right? That's why there's the supplement space is heavily crowded, but there's so much opportunity because if you get it right, you now have a compounding vehicle. And this is the biggest mindset shift that I've had to go through. When I first started in e-commerce, I was excited whenever I got that first sale, even on Etsy, right? And on Shopify, you hear the catching sound and you love that sound and you're just like, yes, I got a new customer. And yes, it gives you a good boost of dopamine. However, I'm getting really tired at this stage of my career in just being so front end acquisition heavy, and that's one of the most disappointing things. If I were to look back over the past decade, is I have not compounded my growth. We have sold millions, millions of customers have purchased our products. That's great. Sounds impressive. However, I wish that those millions of customers would have compounded over the past decade.Josh Hadley 00:03:07  But instead we were so front end acquisition heavy and focused that yes, we could go generate a sell for a new product on Amazon. But then what? Every day we start at zero. Every month I start at zero. And that is one of the biggest challenges in business if you want. It's all about having the right money model that sits behind your brand, and that is ultimately the biggest e-commerce brands that are able to scale more quickly and rapidly have either a consumable product that customers need to come back and repurchase, whether it be a supplement, whether it be, you know, maybe you're selling soda or its candy food, or it's even something like we talked about the refillable cartridges, which, by the way, here's a new brand that I was actually very, very impressed with. They took this and they said, hey, how do we how do we invent reoccurring revenue into a business where, more often than not, it's just kind of like one time purchases. So this is coming into it's called intake breathing.Josh Hadley 00:04:04  And what they have are these nas...

Jason Kutasi is the founder and CEO of SkyHouse, a performance marketing agency that managed $50M in ad spend for 2025 - its first full year of business. He's driven roughly $500M in advertising over his career and built a children's book publisher acquired by Scholastic and a digital marketing platform acquired by Capital One.  Jason specializes in copywriting, funnel analytics, and scaling high-growth DTC and telemedicine brands.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. E-commerce growth strategies and challenges.Comparison of selling on Amazon versus Shopify.Importance of average order value (AOV) in scaling advertising.Strategies to increase AOV, such as product bundling and premium versions.The role of TikTok and other platforms in e-commerce marketing.Managing advertising campaigns and the balance between creative volume and quality.The significance of agency versus in-house marketing teams.The impact of AI on marketing and the importance of human expertise.Insights on effective copywriting and video content in advertising.The future of e-commerce marketing and the evolving landscape of digital advertising.In this episode of the E-comm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Jason Kutasi, CEO of Skyhouse, about scaling e-commerce brands. They discuss the importance of average order value (AOV), emphasizing that brands need at least $60 in margin to run profitable paid ads. Jason contrasts Amazon-first versus Shopify-first strategies, recommends bundling and subscriptions to boost AOV, and advises starting with freelancers before scaling with agencies and in-house teams. They also explore Meta advertising, creative quality versus volume, and how AI augments—but doesn't replace—skilled marketers and copywriters.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Fix Your AOV Before Scaling Ads Don't run paid ads until your average order value and margins can support CAC. Aim for $60+ margin per order using bundles, upsells, or subscriptions.Build on Shopify, Use Amazon as a Bonus Channel Prioritize DTC (Shopify) to control pricing, data, and AOV—then layer Amazon as an incremental revenue stream, not your foundation.Test Creatives Broadly, Then Double Down on Winners Launch multiple ad variations quickly, identify what works, and scale only high-performing creatives with better production and audience targeting.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to the AOV ProblemJason Kutasi explains that Amazon sellers often struggle to scale on other platforms due to a low Average Order Value.00:00:34 Host & Guest IntroductionHost Josh Hadley introduces the episode's topic and guest Jason Kutasi, founder and CEO of performance marketing agency Skyhouse.00:02:26 Amazon vs. Shopify MindsetA discussion on the two primary approaches to starting an e-commerce business and the challenges faced by Amazon-first brands.00:03:39 The $60 Margin RuleJason explains why brands need at least $60 in margin to profitably acquire customers on paid ad platforms like Meta.00:04:37 Strategies to Increase AOVActionable ways to increase Average Order Value, including creating sister brands, bundling products, and offering aggressive subscription models.00:07:56 The "Shopify First" AdvantageThe benefits of a higher AOV, which provides more margin to scale advertising across multiple channels beyond Amazon PPC.00:10:30 Why You Must Be OmnichannelJason argues that Shopify brands should sell on Amazon to avoid losing customers who prefer to purchase there.00:14:01 Case Study: A Massive Meta Ad WinJason details a recent successful video ad campaign that scaled to thousands of orders in a single weekend.00:20:04 Navigating Meta's Andromeda UpdateA discussion on Meta's shift to creative-driven campaigns and the strategy of slicing avatars for better, more stable performance.00:23:34 Agency vs. In-House TeamsJason breaks down when to hire a freelancer, an agency, or build an in-house team for your marketing efforts.00:29:13 Why Most Marketing Agencies FailJason shares his experience with underperforming agencies and what brand owners should look for when hiring one.00:33:28 Building an In-House Team Alongside an AgencyThe importance of building an internal team to de-risk your business and test new offers before scaling with an agency.00:36:38 The Future of E-commerce and AIJason predicts AI will commoditize ad creation, making predictive modeling and data-driven rules the new competitive edge.00:41:42 AI as a Human AmplifierAI won't replace skilled marketers but will augment their abilities, allowing them to perform at a much higher level.00:44:43 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes the episode's key lessons: fix your AOV, build in-house, and leverage AI with smart people.00:49:33 Jason's Final RecommendationsJason shares his most influential book, favorite AI tool (Claude Code), and a respected figure in the e-commerce space.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Amazon": "00:02:26""Shopify": "00:02:26""Meta (Facebook/Instagram Ads)": "00:02:56""Google Ads": "00:02:56""YouTube Ads": "00:02:56""TikTok": "00:06:23""PayPal": "00:11:49""Apple Pay": "00:11:49""Google Pay": "00:11:49""Shop Pay": "00:11:49""Claude Code": "00:50:05""Meta": "00:38:16"Books"The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber": "00:00:56""Cash Flow": "00:49:36"Videos"Video Ads": "00:14:01"Notable Mentions / People"Skyhouse (Jason Kutasi's performan...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares seven practical ways his e-commerce business uses AI to optimize operations and scale growth. Drawing from his experience building an eight-figure brand across Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Shopify, Josh covers strategies including building custom GPTs, automating TikTok Shop listing optimization, streamlining hiring processes, leveraging Alexa data, analyzing meeting transcripts, scaling ad creative production, and cloning leadership decision-making into AI-powered SOPs. Josh emphasizes treating AI like a new team member requiring proper training, offering actionable, real-world insights over hype.Bullet Points:Practical applications of AI in e-commerce operationsOvercoming fears and misconceptions about AI adoptionCustom GPT development for task automationAI-driven optimization of product listings on TikTok ShopAutomating the hiring process with AI scoring systemsUtilizing AI for product insights through Amazon Alexa dataAnalyzing meeting transcripts for business insights and decision-makingScaling ad creative production using AI-generated video contentCloning leadership decision-making into AI Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)Viewing AI as a team member requiring onboarding and trainingTimestamps:00:02:00 Weekly Custom GPT CreationThe speaker's 35-person team is required to create or enhance a custom GPT weekly to automate their specific tasks.00:04:05 AI Agent for TikTok Shop OptimizationAn AI agent integrated with the TikTok Shop API continuously tests and optimizes product titles, descriptions, and main images weekly.00:08:32 Automating Hiring Case Study ScoringAI is used to automatically score applicant case studies based on a predefined rubric, saving hours of manual review time.00:11:29 Custom GPTs Integrated with AlexaCreating custom GPTs that analyze customer questions on Amazon Alexa to optimize product listings and improve Alexa recommendation rankings.00:12:11 Analyzing Company Meeting RecordingsAI analyzes transcripts from all company meetings to identify business constraints, track team progress, and provide a leadership pulse.00:13:56 Scaling Ad Creative ProductionUsing AI video generation tools to quickly produce a high volume of ad creative for Meta and TikTok campaigns.00:14:48Cloning Leadership Judgment and Decision-MakingUsing AI to document processes and decision-making frameworks from leaders, creating an internal knowledge base to empower team members.Links and Mentions:AI Tools:"ChatGPT": "00:02:00""Claude AI": "00:02:00""Fireflies AI Notetaker": "00:11:25""Veo3": "00:14:27""Notion": "00:16:24"E-commerce Platforms:"TikTok Shop": "00:04:05"Videos and Resources:"30 60 90 Day Onboarding Framework": "00:07:52""Episode on Cloning Yourself Utilizing AI": "00:15:24"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Today, I'm going to be walking through seven different ways that we are implementing AI into our e-commerce business and practical steps that you can take to implement it in your business as well. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and also the father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing multi-million in revenue on Amazon, TikTok, shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce, and that is E-com breakthrough. Today, I want to dive into the practical use cases of how we're implementing AI into our business.Josh Hadley 00:00:58  Today. I hear a lot of noise going on in a lot of the e-commerce groups. There's a lot of like doom and gloom of, oh, you're getting left behind if you're not actually implementing AI in your business today, if you don't have an agent managing your PPC campaigns, you're late to the party, etc., etc. there's a lot of fear. And then what ultimately happens is there's a lot of entrepreneurs that because there's so much fear and anxiety around it and feel like they're already behind. They just stay stuck and they're just kind of like frozen because nobody's providing actionable content regarding like, here are the actual practical use cases of AI. Yes, there are some incredible features with Claude and integrating it to your email system, right. And being able to monitor your emails for you. Yes, there are some incredible ways to use ChatGPT and the new images that it's able to produce, right? Like, there's a lot of good things that are happening that way, but a lot of times the practical use cases where actually maximizes value in the business gets left to the side, or nobody's actually addressing them.Josh Hadley 00:02:00  So that's what I wanted to do today, is actually provide you with practical use cases that if you're an e-commerce brand, you can go replicate these exact same frameworks and implement AI in your own br...

In this special group panel episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley and fellow podcasters interview Michael E. Gerber, author of "The E-Myth." Gerber shares his foundational principles for business growth, emphasizing the need for entrepreneurs to work on their business, not just in it. He introduces his "eightfold path" for evolving a company from one person to an enterprise, and stresses the importance of developing elite talent and adopting a transformative mindset and "soul set" to build a successful, scalable organization.Chapters:Introduction and Setting the Stage (00:00:00)Host introduces the episode, panel, and Michael E. Gerber, setting up the discussion on business ownership myths.The Myth of Doing It All Yourself (00:01:09)Discussion on the misconception that business owners can do everything themselves and the dangers of being the business's core.If Your Business Depends on You, You Have a Job (00:01:42)Gerber explains his famous quote about business dependency and the need for transformation in business thinking.People Development and Its True Meaning (00:02:28)Explores the concept of people development and its foundational role in business growth.The Eightfold Path to Business Evolution (00:03:17)Introduction to the Eightfold Path: dream, vision, purpose, mission, job, practice, business, enterprise.The Dreaming Room and the Importance of Dream Discovery (00:03:48)Gerber describes the Dreaming Room program and the necessity of discovering your dream before vision and purpose.Gerber's Personal Dream, Vision, and Mission (00:05:00)Shares his original dream and mission from 1977 to transform small business worldwide.Scaling a Business and People Development Advice (00:06:52)Advice on finding and hiring top talent as you scale from a company of one to an enterprise.The Navy SEALs Analogy for Talent Development (00:07:44)Compares elite business team development to the rigorous selection and training of Navy SEALs.OldCo vs. NewCo: Building the Future Organization (00:09:07)Explains the concept of OldCo (legacy) and NewCo (future), and the need to focus on building NewCo.Mindset and Soul Set for Business Owners (00:11:08)Emphasizes the importance of both mindset and “soul set” before committing to transformative business changes.Closing Remarks and Thanks (00:11:51)Panelists thank Michael E. Gerber and conclude the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools and Concepts"The Eightfold Path": "00:03:48""The Dreaming Room": "00:04:56"Books"The E-Myth": "00:00:00""Beyond the E-Myth: The Evolution of an Enterprise from a Company of One to a Company of 1000": "00:03:19"Notable Quotes"If your business depends on you, you don't own a business; you have a job, and it's the worst job in the world because you're working for a lunatic.": "00:01:09"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Howard Tye, and Stephen Pope. Today is a special episode where I have joined a group panel of other podcasters that are interviewing Michael E Gerber, the author of the E myth. This is a foundational book that many of you have probably read. And now we get his decades of wisdom and we get to ask him questions. I know you're going to enjoy this podcast episode, so sit back, enjoy and enjoy this episode with Michael E Gerber, the author of the E myth. You know, Michael, I'm amazed with the book that you you wrote e myth. And because it is a timeless principles that are going to impact generations to come. And I look forward to my children and my grandchildren being able to read those principles. As an e-commerce business owner and as I speak with other e-commerce business owners, there's kind of this myth, that people believe that they could do it all on their own.Josh 00:01:09  Right. And they what they do is they build a team of a lot of VA's that are surrounding themselves, but they are still the core function of the business. There's a quote from your book that I want to read real quick and get your take on it. If your business depends on you, you don't own a business. You have a job. And it's the worst job in the world because you're working for a lunatic. So, Michael, can you provide some additional insight as to if you are still working in the business, why you don't actually own a business?Michael 00:01:42  Well, you have to understand that, oftentimes my statements are stronger than they need to be. Oftentimes, as well, they're not strong enough, but I understand. Take that quote working for a lunatic and you might change it to be working for an idiot. And it's that idiot that I attempt to transform. And the only way in the world that idiot is going to be transformed is if he or she doesn't persist. Being that idiot in the way they think about who they are, why they do what they do, what they're there to create, and how it's going to be created if in fact, they grow beyond their idiot hood.Michael 00:02:28  So it's a master, master, master position to take charge. In short, to strenuously understand that while you're not in a people development business. In short, that's not the intent you are. You get what I mean by that. While you're not in a people development business, you actually are. Everyone is. But the question then becomes what is people development? And how does one approach people development at the very outset? And that is in the positioning of who you are and what you do. So the most critical process in what I describe, how many of you have read beyond the email?Josh 00:03:17  Yes, I've read it.Michael 00:03:19  Well congratulations Josh folks. I picked the book up. It's beyond the myth, the evolution of an enterprise from a company of one to a company of 1000. And at the heart of that book is what I describe as the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is crucial to the process of becoming who you intend to be. Let me describe the eight steps in the Eightfold Path.Michael 00:03:48  I have a dream. I have a vision. I have a purpose. I have a mission. I have a job, I have a practice. I have a business. I have an enterprise, a dream, a vision, the purpose, the mission, the job, the practice, the business, the enterprise. The Eightfold path is the process for growing a company of one to a company of 1000. It is the process of maturing from doing it yourself, doing it, doing it, doing it, doing it to create an enterprise that does it in great measure with a great number of individuals who are in fact, instilled in the process of understanding and appreciating what a dream is, what a vision is, what a purpose is, what a mission is. How many of you are familiar with the Dreaming Room? So the Dreaming Room is a program that I developed to take one through the first four steps to discover your dream, your vision, your purpose, your vision. If you fail to discover your dream.Michael 00:05:00  I'm saying you'll never discover your vision. If you fail to discover your dream, I say go to never discover your purpose. And you follow me and follow me. First this, then that, then that, then that. So there's a process, a mad process through which you grow in maturity, you grow in eloquence. You grow in ability to literally become the one you can't even imagine becoming. At the very outset of this process, my dream way back then, in 1977. Wow, that's a long time ago. My dream was to transform the state of small business worldwi...

Rafael is the Founder and CEO of Share It Studio, a leading creative agency that helps Amazon and Walmart sellers turn data into powerful visual storytelling. Under his leadership, Share It Studio has worked with hundreds of top-performing e-commerce brands, blending creativity with analytics to craft product images, videos, and A+ content that actually convert.Before founding Share It Studio, Rafael built a career in film and marketing, becoming a 3-time Telly Award–winning entrepreneur. He's passionate about helping brands optimize their listings, understand their buyers, and stand out in competitive marketplaces. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Ben Leonard's entrepreneurial journey with Beast Gear, from initial investment to seven-figure exit.Challenges faced after selling Beast Gear to Thrasio, including mismanagement and loss of brand identity.Importance of effective inventory management and the consequences of overleveraging.The significance of building a genuine consumer brand beyond basic Amazon tactics.The role of intellectual property protection and the impact of neglecting it.Insights on the operational difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on e-commerce.Strategies for diversifying sales channels and avoiding dependency on a single platform.The importance of quality in products and overall business operations.Marketing strategies for brand awareness, including the use of influencers and social media.Lessons learned from reacquiring and reviving a brand in a competitive market.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Rafael Veloz, founder of ShareIt Studio, about optimizing Amazon product listings through visual storytelling. Rafael discusses the nuanced impact of AI-generated images, emphasizing that authenticity often outperforms polished visuals — demonstrated by a shoe cleaner brand scaling from $400K to $12M monthly. He advocates for a full-funnel marketing approach beyond PPC, continuous image testing, and integrating AI tools strategically. Rafaell also highlights the importance of emotional connection in content creation and recommends building strong internal creative teams to drive sustainable e-commerce growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prioritize authenticity over polish Test raw, real-looking visuals (UGC-style, iPhone shots)—they often convert better than high-end production. Systematize testing with data Validate images using tools and customer feedback before scaling; continuously test and iterate based on performance. Build a dedicated creative strategy team Don't rely on freelancers—invest in a creative lead and team to consistently produce, test, and optimize high-converting content.Timestamps:00:00:01 Authenticity vs. Professionalism in AdsOrganic, real-feeling content can perform twice as well as high-end professional videos, depending on the product's industry.00:00:50 Podcast and Guest IntroductionHost Josh Hadley introduces the topic of AI images on Amazon and welcomes guest Rafael Veloz from ShareIt Studio.00:02:27 Are AI Images Hurting Amazon Listings?AI images can hurt sales if used incorrectly, as they can lower the "perceived value" for emotionally-driven products.00:04:01 The Shoe Cleaner Case StudyA shoe cleaner brand grew from $400K to $1.2M a month by focusing on authentic, emotional content.00:06:26 How to Test and Update Main ImagesAnalyze competitor reviews for emotional triggers, create multiple main images, and test them both off and on Amazon regularly.00:12:01 Building a System for Creative ContentInstead of "hacks," build a system. Constantly track competitors' rankings, reviews, and image changes to stay ahead.00:14:33 Optimizing Creatives for PPC CampaignsCreate different ad creatives for different PPC campaigns and keywords to reduce wasted ad spend and improve conversions.00:16:55 Driving External Traffic to AmazonAmazon now rewards external traffic. Don't just focus on TikTok; create content that connects to specific buying intentions.00:19:34 Connecting Creative and Media Buying TeamsYour creative team and PPC (media buying) team must work together to create a cohesive and effective marketing strategy.00:22:28 Using AI to Build a CommunityCreate AI-generated personas and avatars on social media to build a community and drive traffic to your product listings.00:25:44 The Process for Creating Viral ContentA strategist analyzes the market, a script is developed, and a mix of organic and AI video is used.00:27:36 Final Advice: Embrace AIDon't fear AI. Hire team members dedicated to exploring and implementing new AI tools to stay competitive.00:28:40 Actionable Takeaway 1: Marketing Efficiency RatioStop focusing only on ACoS. Adopt the Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER) to measure your total marketing spend against revenue.00:31:03 Actionable Takeaway 2: Systemize Image TestingCreate a consistent system for testing main images on Amazon, using real customer data to make decisions.00:31:45 Actionable Takeaway 3: Hire a Creative LeadInvest in a high-level creative team member to lead your marketing, as this is the most important aspect of your brand.00:33:56 Rafael's Favorite AI ToolRafael recommends Claude for its data gathering and Open-Claude's "Coworker" feature for automating executive assistant tasks.00:36:30 Connecting with RafaelFind Rafael at ShareIt Studio's website or email, and mention the podcast for a free 30-minute consultation.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Amazon Experiments": "00:08:54""Pixel": "00:08:54""Productpinion": "00:08:54""Fiverr": "00:08:06""Social Media Platforms (TikTok, In...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley, an ecommerce entrepreneur who has scaled his brand to eight figures, shares nine mental frameworks for hiring senior-level managers. Drawing from over a decade of experience, Josh covers key principles including trusting your gut, starting the hiring process early, looking for clear green flags, using contractor trial periods, ensuring culture fit, verifying a track record of success, staying genuinely excited about candidates, accepting minor imperfections, and learning from hiring mistakes. His goal is to help ecommerce entrepreneurs make smarter hiring decisions and avoid costly errors.Bullet Points:Importance of trusting gut feelings in the hiring processStarting the hiring process early to avoid rushed decisionsIdentifying clear positive indicators (green flags) in candidatesUtilizing contractors or consultants for initial trial periodsEnsuring alignment of personality and company cultureVerifying candidates' patterns of career success and technical competenceFeeling genuine excitement about potential hiresAccepting imperfections while avoiding overanalysisGaining experience and learning from hiring mistakesDeveloping a comprehensive approach to hiring senior leaders in ecommerceTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to Hiring FrameworksJosh Hadley introduces the nine mental frameworks he uses before extending a job offer for senior-level roles in his business.00:01:05 Framework 1: Gut FeelingTrust your intuition and gut feeling about a candidate, as it's often the most reliable indicator of a good hire.00:03:15 Framework 2: Start Hiring EarlyBegin the hiring process as soon as possible to attract a large pool of applicants, aiming for 1000 per position.00:04:20 Framework 3: Don't Succumb to Business PressureAvoid letting the immediate needs of the business force you into making a hasty or less-than-ideal hiring decision.00:06:18 Framework 4: Look for Green FlagsA-level talent consistently presents "green flags" in their case studies and interviews; a lack of them is a red flag.00:07:28 Framework 5: Use Contractors FirstHire new team members as contractors for 30-90 days to prove their fit before committing to a W-2 employee.00:09:26 Framework 6: The Three CheckboxesEnsure candidates are a personality fit, align with core values, and have a proven pattern of success in their career.00:12:33 Framework 7: Be Excited About the HireIf you have to convince yourself to hire someone, it's a warning sign. You should be genuinely excited about them.00:13:33 Framework 8: Accept ImperfectionsNo candidate is perfect. Ask yourself if you would regret not hiring this person, despite their minor, non-deal-breaking flaws.00:14:39 Framework 9: Get Experience Through RepsYour ability to recognize and hire A-level talent will improve with practice, so don't be afraid to make mistakes.Links and Mentions:Hiring Process"Gut Feeling / Intuition": "00:02:09""Hiring Process Timing": "00:03:15""Case Study Evaluation": "00:06:18""Contractor/Consultant Hiring": "00:07:28"Assessment Tools and Methods"Culture Index": "00:10:22""Core Values Assessment": "00:11:15""Pattern of Success Evaluation": "00:12:33"Hiring Concepts"Excitement for Hire": "00:12:39""Flaws vs. Deal Breakers": "00:13:33""Experience in Hiring": "00:15:38"Conclusion"Conclusion": "00:15:38"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Today, I'm going to share with you the nine different frameworks that I use before extending an offer to somebody that I'm about to hire in the business. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I am a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children. I have been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing $20 million a year annually and selling multi-millionaire on Amazon, TikTok, shop and Shopify. I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, and that's E-com breakthrough. Today, I'm ultimately just going to share with you something that's on top of my mind as I'm looking to add some senior level managers and leaders into my business right now.Josh Hadley 00:01:05  And to be honest with you, I've gone through like multiple different people that I've been considering extending some invitations and offers to come join the business. However, I've come back full circle and I've decided that none of them are the right fit. And so I want to walk you through the different frameworks that I use. There's nine different ones to help me come to this realization that, hey, honestly, this is kind of the warning signals. These are not the right people for the business. And this comes after hiring people for the last decade. And because I've been hiring people for the last decade, like my pattern recognition has only gotten better and better over time. And in addition, I have more examples of what it looks like when somebody is not a great hire and what it looks like when somebody is an exceptional team member. So let's go through framework number one. And this is going to be the gut feeling. This is that gut check. And most, like so many people say, well, what is your gut say? What does that even mean? Right.Josh Hadley 00:02:09  What does that mean? I truly believe, like there we all have a soul inside of us, and there's something about that spiritual energy inside of us that I think is leading and guiding us on a daily basis. We just don't even know it like. But I think it does teach us things on a regular basis. And so it is that light and light is attracted to other light. And so I believe that when we make those gut decisions, it's really our conscious, that soul that is speaking into us, whether this is the right fit or it's not. And oftentimes this has been the number one indicator for me as to whether, like, somebody is going to be a great hire or not. Is that feeling that I get from the moment that I watch their case study that they put together for the business, and also the interview that I conducted What? That team member. If I'm getting that good, like, gut feeling, so to speak, those are very positive signs. But if I'm ever getting that feeling of, like, an uneasiness or like maybe that's the warning signal.Josh Hadley 00:03:15  So that's framework number one is like right down the gut feeling, your intuition that comes to you almost immediately because your brain is going to be able to begin rationalizing almost anybody, and you can rationalize anybody into almost any different role, but don't let your brain do that. And so often I've had that happen to me. Framework number two is start the hiring process as soon as you possibly can. And the reason why you want to start the hiring process as soon as you possibly can is because guess what? Finding the right person is going to take time. And so first off, I'm going to go through my framework. And before I ever extend an offer to somebody I'm going to ask myself, how many applicants have I even seen? How many people even applied to this job? My goal is that I've got 1000 applicants for every single one of my positions....

In today's episode, we'll dive into a fascinating twist on the e-commerce journey — what happens when you buy back the very brand you once sold. Ben will share the lessons, emotions, and strategic insights behind exiting — and then re-entering — your own business. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Ben Leonard's entrepreneurial journey with Beast Gear, from initial investment to seven-figure exit.Challenges faced after selling Beast Gear to Thrasio, including mismanagement and loss of brand identity.Importance of effective inventory management and the consequences of overleveraging.The significance of building a genuine consumer brand beyond basic Amazon tactics.The role of intellectual property protection and the impact of neglecting it.Insights on the operational difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on e-commerce.Strategies for diversifying sales channels and avoiding dependency on a single platform.The importance of quality in products and overall business operations.Marketing strategies for brand awareness, including the use of influencers and social media.Lessons learned from reacquiring and reviving a brand in a competitive market.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with entrepreneur Ben Leonard, who built Beast Gear into a seven-figure brand before selling it to aggregator Thrasio. Then buying it back after mismanagement caused revenue to collapse. Ben reveals how Thrasio abandoned the brand-building strategies that drove Beast Gear's success, mishandled inventory, and neglected intellectual property protection. He shares lessons on diversifying beyond Amazon, maintaining product quality, and building genuine customer communities. Ben also discusses his new dad-focused baby carrier brand, Tuco, and offers actionable advice on scaling e-commerce businesses sustainably.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Build a brand, not just an Amazon listing Engage customers off-Amazon (TikTok, email, events) and create a loyal community—not just traffic.Treat inventory like risk, not just growth Forecast per SKU, avoid over-ordering, and ensure sell-through within ~6 months to prevent cash flow disasters.Diversify early and protect your moat Expand beyond Amazon (Shopify + social channels) and actively enforce IP to protect your brand from copycats.Timestamps:00:00:34 Introduction to the EpisodeThe host introduces the guest, Ben Leonard, and the topic: buying back his brand after selling it to an aggregator.00:02:14 The Brand's Decline Under New OwnershipBen confirms his brand crashed after he sold it to the aggregator Thrasio due to mismanagement and operational failures.00:05:41 The "Magic" Thrasio IgnoredBen explains his original success came from building a true brand with customer relationships, which the new owners dismantled.00:09:27 The Financial FalloutBen reveals the brand's revenue plummeted from $6 million to about half a million dollars under Thrasio's ownership.00:13:13 Three Key Mistakes by the AggregatorThe host summarizes Thrasio's critical errors: inventory mismanagement, ignoring off-Amazon branding, and failing to protect intellectual property.00:19:51 Why You Must Diversify Beyond AmazonBen stresses the need for Amazon sellers to act like real brands and diversify channels to build a sustainable business.00:22:23 The Revival Playbook for Beast GearBen outlines his bootstrapped strategy to revive the brand, focusing on TikTok Shop and rebuilding community goodwill on a budget.00:27:08 Launching a New Brand: TucoThe conversation shifts to Ben's new venture, Tuco, a baby carrier startup designed specifically for dads.00:32:22 When to Implement Brand Awareness StrategiesBen and Josh discuss when a brand should start investing in top-of-funnel marketing and diversifying beyond its primary channel.00:37:40 Three Actionable Takeaways for Brand OwnersThe host summarizes key lessons: diversify with solid processes, avoid inventory leverage, and work with creators for brand awareness.00:42:13 Ben's Final Three QuestionsBen shares his most influential book (The E-Myth), favorite AI tool (Claude), and an e-commerce professional to follow.00:45:51 How to Connect with BenBen shares the best places for listeners to find him online, primarily LinkedIn and his personal email address.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Shopify": "00:03:03""Amazon": "00:03:03""TikTok": "00:09:54""YouTube": "00:19:51""TikTok Shop": "00:23:10""Meta Ads": "00:24:07""WordPress": "00:35:58""Email Marketing": "00:36:33""Claude (AI Tool)": "00:43:03""LinkedIn": "00:45:09""Ecomm Breakthrough Website": "00:46:24"Books"Quit Stalling and Build Your Own Brand by Ben Leonard": "00:01:01""Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller": "00:21:31""The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber": "00:42:25"Videos"Brand Rescue Mission": "00:08:17""Escaping the Amazon Goldfish Bowl": "00:19:51"Podcasts"Operators Podcast": "00:09:54"Other Mentions"Forbes": "00:01:01""Peregrine Commerce": "00:25:41""Sean Cowie": "00:44:09"Episode Sponsor:This 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 ...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his "10x AI SOP Method" for scaling businesses by using AI to clone founder judgment. Rather than automating routine tasks, Josh explains how recording real-time work, feeding transcripts into AI models, and rigorously answering hundreds of probing questions creates highly accurate SOPs that capture nuanced decision-making. Through repeated iterations, entrepreneurs can build comprehensive procedures enabling teams to execute with founder-level expertise, eliminating bottlenecks and unlocking sustainable business growth.Bullet Points:Use of AI to replicate founder's judgment and decision-making in business processes.Importance of documenting nuanced decision-making beyond traditional SOPs.Step-by-step method for creating an AI-assisted SOP.Recording real-time work processes to capture decision-making rationale.Feeding transcripts of recorded processes into an AI language model.Iterative refinement of SOP through detailed questioning and feedback.Achieving high accuracy in SOPs by rigorously interrogating the founder.Utilizing training videos effectively for onboarding new team members.Maintaining context and continuity in AI interactions for better SOP development.Emphasizing the transformative potential of AI in scaling business operations.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction: How to Clone Yourself with AIThe host introduces the concept of using AI to replicate a founder's judgment and decision-making to scale a business.00:01:48 The Founder Mindset ShiftOvercoming the belief that "nobody can do this like me" by documenting the nuanced judgment calls behind your business processes.00:02:41 The Problem with Normal SOPsStandard Operating Procedures often fail because they miss the crucial, unarticulated judgment calls and trade-offs made by the founder.00:03:38 The Lazy Way People Use AIA warning against simply asking AI to create an SOP, as it lacks the specific context and nuances of your business.00:04:33 The 10x AI SOP Method OverviewAn introduction to the host's four-step method: record your process, feed transcripts to AI, have AI interrogate you, build SOP.00:05:33 Step 1: Record the ProcessThe importance of recording yourself performing a task multiple times over several weeks to capture various scenarios and nuances.00:07:26 Why Multiple Recordings Are CrucialRecording a process over time captures seasonality and different business scenarios, creating a more robust and accurate SOP.00:08:21 How to Record Effective LoomsThe key is to vocalize every decision, explain trade-offs in real-time, and record during different business scenarios.00:09:18 Live Demo IntroductionThe host begins a practical demonstration of his AI process for creating an SOP for his product research and development.00:10:21 Step 1 of the Prompting ProcessExplaining the initial prompt that sets up the AI as an expert SOP architect and instructs it on the process.00:12:09 Steps 2-4: Feeding Transcripts to the AIHow to upload weekly transcripts and use an "SOP memory" to have the AI continuously update its understanding of the process.00:13:16 Step 5: The First InterrogationPrompting the AI to ask numerous questions to ensure the SOP captures your full judgment with 95% accuracy.00:15:06 Step 7: The Second InterrogationPushing the AI further by asking it to ask more questions to achieve 99.9% accuracy in the final SOP.00:15:33 Step 10: Creating a Training PlanUsing the AI to analyze all recorded videos and create a structured onboarding and training plan for new team members.00:17:24 Live Demo WalkthroughA screen-share demonstration showing the actual ChatGPT thread, from the initial prompt to the AI's 240 interrogation questions.00:21:17 Why This In-Depth Process MattersEmphasizing that thorough systems are what truly scale a business, preventing the frustration of team members not executing correctly.00:22:29 The AI-Generated Onboarding PlanThe AI's final output, which suggests the best order to present training videos to a new hire for maximum clarity.00:23:31 The Importance of the Loom Training LayerLeveraging the recorded videos as training assets, using AI to determine the most effective sequence for onboarding new hires.00:24:32 Key TakeawaysAn SOP is complete when someone can make the same decisions as you, which is achieved by using AI interrogation.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Helium 10": "00:02:36"  "Cerebro": "00:02:36"  "Data Dive": "00:02:36"  "Loom": "00:05:29"  Videos and Demos  "YouTube Demo": "00:10:14"  Prompts and Processes  "AI Prompt Library": "00:25:09"  Key Takeaways  "SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)": "00:24:00"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  If you're a business owner, you've probably thought, hey, is there an ability for me to clone myself? Because if I just had 3 or 4 more people on my team that thought the same way I do that, execute the same way I do, and actually have the same work ethic that I do. Man, our business could be ten x bigger than it is today. Well, today I'm going to show you how to utilize AI to clone yourself in the exact process that I'm following to clone myself in my business. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children.Josh Hadley 00:00:49  I have been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaire on multiple sales channels including Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the E-com Breakthrough podcast, the number one business strategy podcast for eCommerce entrepreneurs. Today, I'm going to be showing you how I use AI to clone myself in my business. And this doesn't just mean I'm using AI agents to go clone myself. What I'm actually doing is following a system that allows me to replicate my same level of judgment and decision making throughout the team, whether it's a team member executing tasks for me, or it's AI executing tasks for me, the most important thing that you need to do truly is to clone the way you think and the judgment calls that you make that is ultimately what you're looking for. Most people use AI to just...

Andri Sadlak is a serial entrepreneur and Founding Head of Product & Strategy at Azoma, building AI-first commerce software for the age of agentic shopping. He's been an Amazon seller since 2017, exited his own brand, and co-founded ProductPinion. Today he's part of the team behind Amazon growth and AI visibility strategies for 8 and 9-figure brands like Mars, L'Oréal, and HP. He's one of the sharpest voices on Agentic Commerce, taking the world stage to break down how brands need to show up in the age of AI shopping assistants like Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, and LLM search.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. The evolution of e-commerce from traditional search engines to AI-powered answer and action engines.The rise of AI shopping assistants and their impact on consumer purchasing behavior.The integration of AI technologies by major companies like Amazon and OpenAI to enhance shopping experiences.The concept of generative commerce and how AI can autonomously complete purchases for consumers.The rapid adoption of AI tools and their influence on product research and decision-making.The importance of optimizing for AI algorithms in e-commerce, particularly on platforms like Amazon.The role of multi-modal understanding in AI, allowing it to interpret both text and images for better product recommendations.Strategies for sellers to optimize their listings for AI-driven systems, including managing Q&A sections and enhancing product images.The significance of external citations and media presence in building trust and credibility for AI recommendations.The future of e-commerce and the necessity for brands to adapt to AI-driven changes to maintain competitiveness.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews AI-driven e-commerce expert Andri Sadlak. They explore how AI is revolutionizing online shopping, focusing on Amazon's shift from traditional search to AI-powered answer and action engines like Rufus. Andri shares actionable strategies for brands to optimize product listings for AI, discusses the importance of image and Q&A optimization, and highlights the growing role of external citations. The episode offers practical tips for sellers to thrive in the new era of agent commerce, emphasizing the urgency of adapting to AI-driven changes in e-commerce.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Optimize for BOTH Amazon algorithms Don't rely on just traditional keyword SEO—start optimizing for both Rufus/Cosmo (AI-driven discovery) and legacy search to stay competitive.Fix your existing listings first (quick wins) Update product images, backend fields, alt text, and listing details—these are fully within your control and can drive immediate impact.Focus on one high-impact priority: Cosmo optimization Ensure your product answers key customer questions clearly (front + backend). Nail the fundamentals first—everything else builds on this.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Technologies"Rufus": "00:02:02""ChatGPT": "00:06:01""Gemini": "00:09:33""Perplexity": "00:09:33""ProductPinion": "00:02:02""Cosmo": "00:21:04""Claude": "00:28:05""Amazon Rekognition": "00:36:30""AWS (Amazon Web Services)": "00:36:30""Azoma": "00:54:36"Studies and Reports"Accenture Study on AI Trust": "00:13:13""Bain and Company Research on AI Usage": "00:16:05""Amazon's Cosmo Paper": "00:30:32"Skills and Features"Skills for Claude": "00:28:41""A+ Content": "00:39:55"Websites"Amazon Seller Central": "00:38:14""Affiliates Media": "00:44:19""ecommbreakthrough.com": "00:54:58"Books"Building a StoryBrand": "00:54:11"Key Concepts"Listings 10, 20, and 30": "00:22:34""Optical Character Recognition (OCR)": "00:39:04"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:Andri Sadlak 00:00:00  The shift that we're talking about is search engines are becoming answer engines plus action engines. So it's already answer engines. We're already deep in it. Most of the people at least. And action engines is what a lot of people predict is going to happen next because we're going to save our time. We're going to go for convenience and trust AI. We already do, right? The good news you're watching this. So now you know that you need to pay attention. And I'm going to share with you exactly what I need to do.MC 00:00:29  Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next lev...

Part 2 of this Prime Day series uncovers the AI, Rufus, retargeting, inventory, and deal strategies Amazon sellers may be overlooking before the big event. In part 2 of this two-part Prime Day strategy series, Shivali Patel and Carrie Miller bring together another lineup of Amazon, advertising, AI, logistics, and e-commerce experts to share what sellers should be doing before, during, and after major shopping events like Amazon Prime Day. This episode goes beyond basic discounting and looks at the bigger picture: retargeting high-intent shoppers, optimizing listings for both A9 and Rufus, improving product images, planning inventory, and using external traffic to create more sales opportunities.   The conversation starts with PPC and listing optimization strategies with Vincenzo Toscano, including how to build Sponsored Display campaigns around shoppers who viewed your products but did not buy, analyze competitor reviews with Helium 10, and track share of voice to spot openings when competitors lose visibility. Andrew Bell also walks through Helium 10's AI Listing Optimizer, showing how sellers can use product images, buyer questions, keywords, and Rufus-focused prompts to create listings that are both searchable and conversion-friendly.   This second installment also dives into overlooked growth channels outside of Amazon. Norm Farrar's strategy about how sellers should learn how Google Business Profile posts, offers, events, press releases, and deal communities can help drive traffic before, during, and after Prime Day. On the operations side, Burak Yolga explains why inventory check-in timing can make or break a sales event, and why sellers should think carefully about FBA placement, reimbursement audits, FBM backup listings, and omnichannel expansion.   To close out this two-part series, more experts like, Anthony Cofranceso, Mansour Norouzi, Tomer Rabinovich, and Josh Hadley share more ways to make smarter decisions with data and AI, from Prime Day deal structures and post-event remarketing to variation research, customer reporting, hiring workflows, and Market Tracker 360. Whether you are preparing for Prime Day, launching new variations, improving your product detail page, or protecting profit margins, this episode shows how the right preparation can turn a short-term shopping event into long-term brand growth. In episode 522 of the AM/PM Podcast, Shivali, Carrie, and guest speakers discuss: 00:00 - Introduction 01:09 - Vincenzo Toscano's Prime Day And AI Strategies 01:25 - Retargeting Shoppers With The Wishlist Snipe Strategy 02:40 - Using AI And Review Insights To Improve Listings 04:04 - Tracking Competitor Share Of Voice With Market Tracker 06:32 - Andrew Bell Shows Helium 10's AI Listing Optimizer 09:49 - AI Product Image Generation And Listing Creative Tools 14:03 - Anthony Cofrancesco's Product Opportunity Explorer Strategy 15:37 - Matching PDP Images To Amazon Shopper Priorities 19:44 - Using Google Business Profile For Prime Day Traffic 24:45 - Press Releases, LLM Visibility, And Deal Communities 29:17 - Burak On Prime Day Inventory And FBA Check-In Timing 37:39 - Mansoor's Prime Day Deal And Advertising Timeline 48:07 - Using AI To Build Better Customer Reporting Dashboards 50:09 - Using Helium 10 Xray And AI For Variation Research 54:16 - AI Tools For Hiring, Team Updates, And Market Tracking

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley tackles a common entrepreneurial frustration: hiring seemingly qualified candidates who underperform within their first few months. Josh introduces his proven 30-60-90 day onboarding framework, broken into three phases: observation, independence, and ownership. Each phase features structured communication, daily reports, and objective performance evaluations using a custom GPT tool. Josh emphasizes the importance of clear role profiles, documented SOPs, and milestone-based progression to set new hires up for success and help business owners make informed retention decisions.Bullet Points:Challenges entrepreneurs face in hiring qualified team members who underperform.Introduction of a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding framework.Breakdown of the onboarding process into three phases: Observance, Independence, and Ownership.Importance of clear role profiles and key performance indicators (KPIs) for new hires.Emphasis on frequent communication and structured meetings during the onboarding process.Use of tools and technology to enhance onboarding and performance evaluation.Strategies for assessing new hires' progress and readiness to advance through onboarding phases.Flexibility in the timeline for onboarding based on individual performance.Importance of documenting standard operating procedures (SOPs) for clarity and consistency.The impact of a structured onboarding framework on business scaling and team success.Timestamps:00:00:00 The Problem with HiringEntrepreneurs hire seemingly qualified candidates who underperform, leading to frustration and the belief that they must do everything themselves.00:00:40 Introduction to the 30-60-90 Day FrameworkA structured onboarding framework to set clear expectations and objectively evaluate whether a new team member is succeeding or failing.00:01:11 Podcast and Host IntroductionJosh Hadley introduces himself, his e-commerce background, and the Econ Breakthrough Podcast before reintroducing the 30-60-90 day framework.00:02:19 Why Onboarding FailsMost entrepreneurs fail by having unclear expectations and assuming new hires can immediately perform miracles without proper guidance or systems.00:04:29 The Entrepreneur's Hiring MindsetEntrepreneurs must hire people smarter than themselves for both their weaknesses and strengths to compound business growth effectively.00:05:34 The Importance of a Clear Onboarding SequenceA dedicated onboarding process is crucial for clarity, speed, and objectivity, increasing a new hire's success rate significantly.00:06:41 The Role Profile TemplateBefore onboarding, a clear role profile defining KPIs, success metrics, and tasks is essential to avoid ambiguity for everyone.00:09:49 Using AI to Create Role ProfilesLeverage a custom GPT to quickly generate a comprehensive role profile template, completing 80% of the work for you.00:11:24 Overview of the Three Onboarding PhasesA high-level look at the three phases: Observance (Days 1-30), Independence (Days 31-60), and Ownership (Days 61-90).00:12:21 Phase 1: The Observance Period (Days 1-30)New hires watch, follow, and re-document existing processes to demonstrate understanding before making any changes or executing tasks.00:16:02 Meeting Cadence for Phase 1The communication schedule includes daily 15-minute huddles, a weekly 45-minute one-on-one, and a daily end-of-day report.00:18:50 The 30-Day Checkpoint GPTUsing a custom GPT to objectively evaluate a new hire's performance by answering questions about their impact and ownership behaviors.00:23:11 Phase 2: The Independence Period (Days 31-60)The new hire begins executing tasks in "draft mode," requiring manager approval before anything goes live, with reduced meeting frequency.00:29:25 Phase 3: The Ownership Period (Days 61-90)The team member takes full ownership, executing their role independently while the manager verifies work behind the scenes.00:35:10 Onboarding Framework SummaryA recap of the meeting cadences and work expectations for each of the three 30-day phases in the framework.00:36:33 Milestone-Based ProgressionThe 30, 60, and 90-day timelines are arbitrary; progression is based on milestones and demonstrating readiness to advance.00:39:03 The Role of HR and Pre-Onboarding PrepBefore day one, ensure the role profile is complete and existing SOPs are documented to set the new hire up for success.00:40:07 Why This Framework Matters for ScaleThis system increases your hiring "batting average," ensuring new team members succeed more often, which is critical for scaling.00:41:35 Call to Action and Access to ResourcesJosh asks listeners to review and share the podcast in exchange for access to the presentation slides and resources.Links and Mentions:Role Profile Creation"Role Profile Template": "00:07:38""Custom GPT for Role Profile Creation": "00:09:49"Hiring and Team Evaluation"YouTube Video on Hiring A+ Talent": "00:10:49""Custom GPT Checkpoint": "00:19:29"Process Documentation"Loom": "00:39:30"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Have you ever gone through an in-depth interviewing process to find A-level talent? And then you get the right person who has an incredible resume. They've passed all of your interviews and maybe even a case study or test project that you've given them. And then ultimately 30 days within the job, 60 days within the job. They're not performing. And you're frustrated, they're frustrated. And then you chalk it up to say, hey, I think I just need to go do this myself. Nobody can do this better than me. Screw it. With all of this hiring, if you've ever said that yourself, then this is for you. I'm going to walk you through the 30 60 90 day framework that we use to onboard every single new team member onto the team. That allows us to gain clarity not only from their perspective in terms of understanding their role, but from our perspective of understanding what the expectations are at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days to where we know whether that new team member is winning or losing in their new role, and whether we should keep them, or if it's best to cut ties and free them back up to the marketplace to allow them to go do something that they are going to succeed at.Josh Hadley 00:01:11  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife, and I am also the father of four children. I have been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and doing multi-million in revenue on different sales channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, and that's ecomm breakthrough. Today we are going to be diving into the 30 60 90 day onboarding framework. This is the framework that we live and die by. Any new team member that joins the team, whether they are a entry level team member or whether they're a senior level, a leadership level hiring decision for us.Josh Hadley 00:02...

Oren Michels is the founder and CEO of Barndoor.ai, the first and only Control Plane for the agentic enterprise. Previously, he co-founded Mashery in 2006 and served as CEO until Intel acquired the company in 2013. When it was acquired, Mashery-powered APIs were used by over 350,000 active developers in over 100,000 active applications, and counted among its customers many of the largest e-commerce, media, and data companies in the world. He is an entrepreneur, investor, board member, and advisor to technology startups in the US and Europe and has made angel investments in several successful companies including Uber, Pebble Post, Addy, Navdy, and eero.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Rapid evolution of AI agents in e-commerce and business operations.Definition and functionality of AI agents that perform actions on behalf of users.Importance of governance and trust in deploying AI agents to prevent errors and misuse.Introduction of Barndoor AI and its role in providing connectivity and governance for AI agents.Practical use cases of AI agents in managing tasks across various platforms (e.g., Shopify, JIRA, QuickBooks).The necessity of setting strict policies to control AI actions and ensure safety.Integration of AI tools with existing software systems and the potential for low-code/no-code solutions.The significance of problem-solving and process design skills in effectively utilizing AI agents.Recommendations for starting small with AI and learning through practical application.Continuous evolution of AI tools and the importance of staying informed and adaptable.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Oren Michels, founder and CEO of Barndoor AI, about the growing role of AI agents in business operations. Oren explains how AI agents can autonomously perform tasks within systems like Shopify, Amazon, and Slack, while emphasizing the critical need for governance and trust. He introduces Barndoor AI as a control plane that enables secure connectivity and policy-based guardrails, preventing unintended actions. Practical use cases include email management, JIRA ticket handling, and financial forecasting. Oren advises listeners to start small, experiment with multiple AI tools, and develop strong problem-solving skills.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Start with low-risk automation Deploy AI agents on simple, non-critical workflows first (e.g., email summaries, reporting) to test value and build internal trust before scaling. Enforce strict governance from day one Define clear permissions, rules, and guardrails—never give blanket access. Every AI action should be controlled, logged, and auditable. Design processes before deploying AI Break workflows into clear steps and craft precise prompts. Strong process design + prompt clarity = better, safer AI performance.Timestamps:00:00:00 The Problem of AI GovernanceOren discusses lack of governance in current AI systems and the risks of AI agents forgetting instructions.00:00:30 Podcast Introduction & Guest BackgroundPodcast is introduced, and Oren Michels' background and achievements are highlighted.00:00:44 The Rise of AI Agents in E-commerceJosh frames the future of e-commerce as dominated by AI agents and introduces Oren as the guest.00:02:06 Oren's Perspective on AI Agent AdoptionOren explains the rapid and slow pace of AI agent adoption, especially beyond coding tasks.00:03:02 What is Barndoor AI?Oren introduces Barndoor AI, focusing on connectivity and trust for AI agents in business systems.00:03:40 How Barndoor AI WorksDetails on how Barndoor AI enables granular control and governance over AI agent actions.00:05:45 Security and Guardrails for AI AgentsDiscussion on security risks, both from bad actors and unintended consequences by legitimate users.00:06:33 Difference Between Barndoor and Other AI ToolsOren explains how Barndoor adds governance missing from tools like OpenClaw and Claude.00:09:24 Use Case: Email Management with AI AgentsOren shares how he uses AI agents to manage and triage his daily email load efficiently.00:12:04 Why Governance Matters in AI ActionsExplains the importance of restricting AI actions to prevent mistakes, especially in sensitive tasks.00:13:00 Custom Rules and Granular PoliciesBarndoor allows highly specific rules for AI actions, such as price-based restrictions in e-commerce.00:13:58 Use Case: JIRA and Finance AutomationExamples of using AI agents for JIRA ticket management and automated financial reporting via Slack.00:16:48 Enterprise Use Cases & E-commerce OptimizationBarndoor's enterprise clients use AI for handling sensitive data and optimizing Amazon listings seasonally.00:19:08 Customer Service and Contextual CommunicationAI agents help draft personalized emails by pulling context from Salesforce and previous communications.00:20:40 AI Agent Adoption is Still EarlyOren emphasizes that AI agent use is in its infancy and encourages experimentation in low-risk areas.00:22:40 Personal Use Cases for AI AgentsJosh and Oren discuss personal productivity applications, like sports team management and scheduling.00:24:14 The Evolving AI Tool LandscapeDiscussion on the rapid evolution of AI tools, the importance of using multiple models, and specialization.00:27:47 Future of AI in Business OperationsSpeculation on the future: specialized AI tools for each business function, governed by platforms like Barndoor.00:31:00 The Importance of Problem-Solving and Prompt EngineeringSuccess with AI depends on defining problems and giving clear instructions, akin to prompt engineering.00:33:46 Actionable Takeaways for ListenersJosh summarizes three action items: start experimenting, document processes, and stay flexible with tools.00:36:44 Book Recommendation: Why Computers ThinkOren recommends a book that explains the probabilistic nature of AI and why it sometimes fails.00:37:34 Favorite AI Tool and Personal UseOren shares his favorite AI tools and how he uses them for both work and personal learning.00:38:49 Who to Follow: Aaron LevieOren recommends following Aaron Levie for insightful commentary on AI and business.00:39:28 Where to Learn More About Barndoor AIOren directs listeners to Barndoor AI's website and their personal product, Zenni, for hands-on experience.00:39:45 Podcast Wrap-UpPodcast concludes with thanks and a call to subscribe and leave a review.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"OpenClaw": "00:00:00""Barndoor AI": "00:03:14""

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley shares a powerful weekly habit for CEOs: a 15-minute asynchronous video newsletter sent every Monday. Drawing from his ecommerce experience, Josh explains how this tool combats team misalignment, competing priorities, and the "founder's trap." The newsletter follows a four-part structure: celebrating weekly wins, identifying the key business constraint, recognizing core value exemplars, and reinforcing the company vision. Josh also highlights common mistakes to avoid, such as inconsistent messaging and vague praise. His core message is that consistent, structured communication transforms scattered teams into aligned, motivated, and proactive organizations.Bullet Points:Importance of consistent leadership communication for team alignmentIntroduction of a weekly CEO newsletter as a communication toolChallenges of team misalignment and competing prioritiesThe "founder's trap" and its impact on team understandingBenefits of asynchronous communication over live meetingsStructure of the CEO newsletter: wins, current constraints, core values, and visionCelebrating team wins to boost morale and motivationIdentifying and addressing key business constraintsRecognizing team members who exemplify core valuesReinforcing the company's mission and vision to maintain engagementTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to the CEO's #1 Weekly HabitJosh Hadley introduces the concept of a weekly CEO newsletter to improve leadership, clarity, and team performance.00:01:50 The Problem: Team Misalignment and Lack of CadenceDiscusses why teams feel scattered and reactive, highlighting a cadence problem, not a communication problem, in leadership.00:03:40 Why Teams Get ScatteredExplains that teams lose focus because they forget the mission, have competing priorities, and lack the CEO's full perspective.00:06:22 The Solution: The Weekly CEO NewsletterIntroduces the asynchronous weekly newsletter, recorded via Loom, to maintain clarity and momentum without adding more meetings.00:07:19 The Power of Asynchronous CommunicationAdvocates for asynchronous updates over meetings to avoid wasted time, task switching, and to increase team agility and output.00:08:58 How to Create the Newsletter ContentDetails the process of using Loom's transcription feature and an AI tool like Claude to draft the email content.00:11:05 The Four-Part Newsletter AgendaOutlines the four key sections of the weekly update: wins, the primary constraint, core value shout-outs, and the vision.00:12:45 Agenda Part 1: Sharing WinsExplains the importance of sharing wins to build morale and make the team feel like they are winning.00:16:42 Agenda Part 2: Stating the ConstraintFocuses on naming the single most important bottleneck to align the entire team's energy and focus weekly.00:21:05 Agenda Part 3: Core Value Shout-OutsDescribes how to use specific examples of employees living the core values to embed and reinforce company culture.00:25:00 Agenda Part 4: The Vision ReminderEmphasizes connecting daily work back to the company's long-term mission to create meaning and build endurance.00:26:00 The CEO Update FlywheelSummarizes how wins, vision, constraints, and core values work together to create belief, meaning, focus, and culture.00:26:40 Five Mistakes to AvoidLists common pitfalls that can kill the newsletter's effectiveness, such as brain dumps and only sharing problems.00:27:48 Your First CEO Update PromptProvides a simple, four-part prompt for creating the first newsletter, covering a win, a constraint, a value, and the vision.00:28:20 The Leadership LessonConcludes that leadership is about creating a rhythm and clarity, not just more meetings, to magnify team output.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"Loom": "00:06:22""Claude": "00:09:51"Key Concepts and Practices"Weekly CEO Newsletter": "00:01:50""Asynchronous Communication": "00:07:19"Leadership Principles"Core Values": "00:21:05"Summary of the Four-Part Agenda for the Newsletter"Wins from the Previous Week": "00:11:31""Identifying the Constraint": "00:17:20""Core Value Shout Outs": "00:21:05""Vision Reminder": "00:25:34"Mistakes to Avoid"Random Brain Dump": "00:27:27""Only Sharing Problems": "00:27:27""Generic Praise": "00:27:27""Changing the Message Weekly": "00:27:27""Making it About Yourself": "00:27:27"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  If your team is always busy, they're a little scattered and unclear the direction the business is heading. They don't need more meetings. They need you to step up to be the true CEO and the leader that you are meant to become. In today's episode, I'm going to share the number one weekly habit that CEOs need to implement to be able to ten x their leadership output, increase the clarity inside the business, and get everybody rowing in the same direction so that your team maximizes their performance and output in the overall business. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife.Josh Hadley 00:00:56  I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in revenue annually. And I'm selling multi-millionaires in three different sales channels Shopify, TikTok shop and Amazon. And I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs. And that's E-com breakthrough. So let's face it, your team is busy, they're scattered, and they're unclear with the direction that the business is heading and specifically the role that they play inside the overall direction that your business is heading. They don't need additional meetings. What they do need from you is they need you to actually lead. So today, that's exactly what we're going to be diving into. And I'm going to share with you the number one habit that you need to adopt every week as the CEO. And that is the weekly CEO newsletter. Let's talk a little bit more about this. This is a 15 minute habit that you can do at the very beginning of every single week. So this is something that I've implemented in my own business every single Monday.Josh Hadley 00:01:50  It's a 15 minute habit that keeps your team aligned, focused and connected and moving in the same direction, making sure that we are all building to achieve that overall mission and vision that you have established for the business. So let's talk about what the problem actually is. The problem isn't necessarily just like a lack of communication, because hopefully you already have existing meetings and you've been communicating with these team members. But what's happening is your team feels scattered. They're quiet. Maybe they're a little reactive. You wish they would be more proactive in solving problems in the business. They feel a little disconnected from the overall mission. Or maybe they even question like, why are we in business? Maybe they just feel like they're just there to collect a paycheck for you, and they're not really tied into the overall purpose and mission that your company is servi...

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...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explains why distributable cash is the most critical metric for e-commerce business health. He clarifies the difference between net income and distributable cash, warning against reinvesting all profits and leaving yourself financially vulnerable. Josh recommends distributing roughly one-third of net income while retaining working capital for growth. He also shares his personal wealth-building framework, allocating distributable cash across life insurance, S&P 500 index funds, turnkey real estate, and speculative assets, helping entrepreneurs build lasting personal wealth independent of their business's uncertain future.Links and Mentions:E-commerce Platforms  "Shopify": "00:00:00"  "Amazon": "00:00:00"  "TikTok Shop": "00:00:00"  Financial Concepts  "Distributable Cash": "00:01:02"  "Net Income": "00:01:02"  "Cash Conversion Cycle": "00:02:09"  Investment Recommendations  "Life Insurance": "00:13:29"  "S&P 500 VOO Index Fund": "00:15:24"  "Roth IRA": "00:16:18"  "REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts)": "00:18:14"  Books and Videos  "Podcast Episode with Mike Olson": "00:14:31"  "Podcast Interview with Dew Wealth": "00:17:18"  Additional Notes  "Speculative Investments": "00:19:55"  "Oil Investment Opportunities": "00:20:39"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Host BackgroundJosh introduces himself, his e-commerce experience, and the purpose of the E-com Breakthrough Podcast.00:01:02 The #1 Business Metric: Distributable CashExplains distributable cash, how it differs from net income, and why it's crucial for business health.00:02:09 Importance of Working Capital vs. Owner DistributionsDiscusses the need to balance reinvesting in the business with distributing profits to owners.00:03:17 When to Reinvest vs. Distribute CashDescribes scenarios for high reinvestment and sets a 33% distributable cash target for most businesses.00:04:31 Why Distributable Cash Matters for EntrepreneursExplains the risks of relying on a future exit and the benefits of building wealth through regular distributions.00:05:30 Risks of Operating in Others' SandboxesHighlights the vulnerability of e-commerce businesses to platform changes and the importance of diversifying wealth.00:07:23 Psychological Benefits of Distributable CashDescribes how having cash outside the business reduces stress and enables better decision-making.00:08:51 Common Mistake: Confusing Net Income with Distributable CashShares a cautionary story about an entrepreneur who misused net income, leading to debt and financial trouble.00:10:36 Key Lessons: Annual Distributions & Retaining Working CapitalEmphasizes the importance of annual cash distributions and not treating all net income as distributable.00:11:29 What To Do With Distributable Cash: Josh's FrameworkIntroduces Josh's personal strategy for allocating distributable cash to build long-term wealth.00:13:29 Bucket 1: Life InsuranceExplains using life insurance for creditor protection, steady growth, and as a financial safety net.00:15:24 Bucket 2: S&P 500 Index Funds & Retirement AccountsAdvocates for steady, long-term growth via index funds and maximizing tax-advantaged retirement accounts.00:17:18 Bucket 3: Real EstateRecommends turnkey single-family homes over short-term rentals to avoid creating another business.00:19:55 Bucket 4: Speculative InvestmentsAllocates a small portion to speculative assets like crypto or individual stocks for potential upside.00:20:39 Bonus: Oil Investment OpportunitiesMentions investing as a limited partner in oil drilling for tax benefits and passive income.00:21:32 Conclusion & Call to ActionEncourages listeners to share the episode, leave reviews, and spread the word.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Do you want to know whether your business is healthy or not? Whether you're going to be succeeding over the next five years or whether you're going to be struggling? Today? I'm going to be sharing with you the number one business metric that tells you the exact health of your business and whether you're about to continue to grow or decline. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business first and foremost. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I'm a man of faith. I am a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife. I've been in the e-commerce space for over ten years, and I'm doing over $20 million and doing multi millions on Shopify, TikTok shop and Amazon as well. And also the host of the Ecom Breakthrough podcast, which is the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce.Josh Hadley 00:01:02  Let's talk about what the number one business metric is that allows you to know whether your business is healthy and that is distributable cash. Let's talk about what distributable cash is because it's actually different from net income. Net income is what is left over after you have, you know, basically run the business over the course of the month or over the year, right. So you're going to take out your cost of goods. You're going to take out fulfillment costs. You're going to take out advertising, your overhead expenses, salaries, etc.. What's left over is your net income. Here's where a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners go wrong. They mistakenly think that, oh, I netted whatever that net income amount is. And then they think that's my personal money. That's all distributable cash. And the reason why this is so important to delineate between distributable cash and actual net income is for the following reason. Your business needs working capital in order to grow. And so working capital is what allows you to go hire that next person, or to go invest into a new product that you have never released, or to reorder additional products that are already selling well, that are maybe growing quickly.Josh Hadley 00:02:09  And so it's important that you do not a starve the business for the working capital that it needs, but be it is also very important that you are actually able to distribute a profit or distributable cash to the owner of the business. And here's why I argue that this distributable cash is the number one metric for a healthy business. If you have to take, let's say it's it's 90% of your net income and reinvest it into the business just to keep it afloat. It means a you probably have a really bad cash conversion cycle, which if you want to learn a little bit more about that, go check out some of my other podcast episodes where I do talk about the cash conversion cycle and how to optimize it so that you have a very healthy cash conversion cycle, even a negative cash conversion cycle where you get paid even before you've had to outlay any money for generating that revenue or that cell. It is possible, even inside a...

Today, we're excited to welcome back Mansour Norouzi to dive even further in the best PPC Ad strategies working on Amazon today.Mansour is the Partner and Director of Advertising at Incrementum Digital, where he leads high-performance PPC Management strategies for 7- and 8-figure Amazon brands managing millions in monthly ad spend.  He also has his own brand that he manages as a seller.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Advanced Amazon PPC strategies for product launching and rankingImportance of conversion rates and product differentiationCase study insights on launching low-priced productsCampaign structure and budget allocation for effective PPC managementDifferences in ad placement strategies for high-conversion vs. exploratory productsUtilizing Amazon tools for analyzing conversion rates and keyword performanceStrategies for managing PPC with limited budgetsLeveraging long-tail keywords for improved rankingApproaches for optimizing mature products and managing TACoSThe role of AI tools in enhancing PPC campaign management and data analysisIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Mansour Norouzi, director of advertising at Incrementum Digital. Mansour shares advanced, data-driven Amazon PPC strategies for launching and ranking products, emphasizing the importance of conversion rates, focused keyword targeting, and campaign structure. He explains how to use Amazon's analytics tools to optimize ad spend, discusses tactics for both new and mature products, and highlights the growing role of AI tools like Claude and OpenClaw in e-commerce workflow optimization. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for effective Amazon advertising.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Own and Understand Your DataBuild your own data warehouse.Analyze at the keyword level, not just high-level reports.Ensure data is clean and categorized for AI-driven insights.Tailor Your Launch StrategyKnow if your product is a commodity or differentiated.Adjust your PPC and placement strategy accordingly.Use conversion rate benchmarks to guide your approach.Mature Product MindsetDon't chase every keyword—focus on those that matter.Use broader keywords for profitable sales, not ranking.Accept that some keywords will never be winners for your product.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Brand Metrics": "00:10:39""Product Opportunity Explorer": "00:11:46""Search Query Performance": "00:12:46""Helium 10": "00:25:03""Amazon Advertising Console": "00:42:55""Claude": "01:04:47""OpenAI's Gemini": "01:05:43""Open Claw": "01:05:43"Books and Influencers"The E-Myth by Michael Gerber": "00:00:57""Ellis Whitehead": "01:02:55"Videos"Ecomm Breakthrough YouTube Channel": "00:12:51"Templates"Keyword Research Template": "00:46:52""Search Query Performance Template": "00:51:29"Key Concepts and Strategies"Exact Match Campaigns": "00:19:52""PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising": "00:20:18""Conversion Rate": "00:20:18""Long Tail Keywords": "00:28:38""Auto Campaigns and Phrase Campaigns": "00:38:56""Understand Your Data": "01:02:55""Product Launch Strategy": "01:03:00"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:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  None of this that we're talking about is magic. Like, if you always do this, this will always happen. That's not the way it works. You have to have a conversion r...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares how his ecommerce business nearly collapsed in January 2024, with only $30,000 in the bank against a $300,000 credit card payment. He reveals how failed product launches, poor financial forecasting, and complacency caused the crisis. Josh outlines three key lessons: implementing cash flow forecasting, creating a structured product launch playbook, and making more calculated bets. He details his recovery through diversifying sales channels, particularly TikTok Shop, which went viral and revitalized his business, ultimately turning a near-bankruptcy into a breakthrough success story.Links and Mentions:Cash Flow Management"Cash Flow Forecasting Spreadsheet": "00:03:56""YouTube Video on Cash Flow Forecasting Tips": "00:04:56"E-commerce Platforms"Amazon": "00:01:00""TikTok Shop": "00:09:54""Shopify": "00:10:50""Shein and Temu": "00:10:50""Walmart.com": "00:10:50"Business Strategies and Lessons"Sales Cures All": "00:09:00""Creating a Playbook": "00:05:55"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Crisis UnveiledJosh introduces himself and describes the January 2024 financial crisis: $30k in the bank, $300k credit card due.00:01:02 Causes of the CrisisExplains the series of bad product launches, heavy ad spend, and lack of financial forecasting that led to the crisis.00:02:03 Complacency and Lack of ProcessDiscusses complacency in product launches and absence of a defined process to stop losses early.00:03:02 Cash Flow Forecasting LessonHighlights the importance of cash flow forecasting and how not having it worsened the situation.00:03:56 Implementing Cash Flow ForecastingDescribes adopting a cash flow forecasting spreadsheet and the benefits of forward-looking financial planning.00:05:06 Key Lessons LearnedSummarizes three main lessons: forecasting finances, creating a playbook, and launching better products.00:05:55 Building a Product Launch PlaybookDetails the new process for product launches, including team communication and documenting lessons learned.00:06:46 Launching Better Products & Calculated RisksEmphasizes the need for better product selection and avoiding multiple risky launches at once.00:07:58 Systems Breakdown & ExposureReflects on how the lack of successful launches exposed weaknesses in business systems and processes.00:09:00 Immediate Actions: Focus on SalesDescribes the shift to focusing on sales growth and stepping away from day-to-day operations.00:09:54 Growth Initiatives & Channel DiversificationLists four growth actions: retail outreach, TikTok Shop, Shopify, and additional marketplaces like Shein, Temu, and Walmart.00:10:50 Results of Channel ExperimentsShares outcomes: retail failed, other marketplaces had minor impact, Shopify showed promise, TikTok Shop was the breakthrough.00:12:34 TikTok Shop BreakthroughExplains how going viral on TikTok Shop quickly generated revenue and improved Amazon sales.00:13:29 Advice for Entrepreneurs in CrisisEncourages creativity and aggressive action to drive revenue when facing business crises.00:14:25 Doubling Down on Winning ChannelsDescribes the strategy of testing multiple channels, then focusing on the one showing early success—TikTok Shop.00:15:15 Building a Flywheel: TikTok Shop & ShopifyExplains how TikTok Shop content and insights fueled success on Shopify and created a virtuous cycle with Amazon.00:16:15 Encouragement & Lessons from SetbacksOffers encouragement, sharing that setbacks can lead to breakthroughs if you focus on growth and don't quit.00:18:21 Sports Analogy & Final WordsCompares business setbacks to sports, stressing the importance of learning from failures and persisting.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  I had $30,000 sitting in my bank account with a $300,000 credit card payment coming due, and I had no idea what to do. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. First and foremost, who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I'm a man of faith. I am a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife. I've been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade, doing multi millions in revenue on different sales channels such as Shopify, TikTok, shop and of course, Amazon. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast in the e-commerce space. And that is E-com breakthrough. This was January of 2024 for me, and this was the first time where my back was severely up against a wall to where I felt like, is this where I have to declare bankruptcy? It was a very, very uncomfortable position to be in.Josh Hadley 00:01:02  And to be honest with you, I felt like I had failed miserably as a business owner, and this has been the first time where I actually had to dip into my own personal bank account just to fund payroll. That wasn't even to cover the credit card payment that was going to be due. I had to cover payroll for the week, and I didn't have enough money in the bank account. I'm going to share with you, like, the actual things that I implemented in the business to get us out of this really, really sticky situation and to clear the way through what I thought was going to have to be us declaring bankruptcy for the overall business. So what happened here is basically a series of like, unfortunate events that kind of like compounded onto each other. So let's dive back in. Like what drove me to only have $30,000 sitting in the bank account with a $300,000 credit card payment coming due. Well, what happened is, number one, we had some bad product launches. So in the months of November and December, we had launched some new products and I was very optimistic about these products.Josh Hadley 00:02:03  We placed some large purchase orders for them, and then we invested heavily into pay per click ads on Amazon, thinking that we knew how to rank these products well. Well, sadly, these products did not go over as well as I as I had thought. And so we accumulated a massive advertising budget for those products. And then they didn't even sell very well. And now I was stuck with a lot of inventory, but b I had a bunch of ad spend that was now added to my credit card bill that was going to be due. The other thing that I learned from that process is that, hey, we didn't have a really good process of launching products like up until that point, maybe I had just been like winging it, or I thought we knew the process to launch products successfully on Amazon....

I'm thrilled to welcome Chase Chappell, Partner at DOE Media, one of the fastest-growing performance marketing agencies in the ecom space, Ads Mastery Founder, Founder at Serge, Partner in Success Ai Chase has advised on over $200 million in ad spend across Facebook and TikTok, helping brands turn paid traffic into predictable, scalable revenue.Through his experience running his own agency, Chappell Digital Marketing, and now as part of DOE Media, he's helped DTC and e-commerce brands not only master ad buying but also build sales pages that convert and expand into new channels beyond Amazon.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for scaling e-commerce brands through paid media and multi-channel approaches.Importance of diversifying sales channels beyond Amazon, including Shopify and TikTok Shop.Unique challenges and opportunities presented by TikTok as a sales platform.The significance of creator management and engagement in driving sales on TikTok Shop.Effective messaging strategies for attracting and retaining creators.The role of transparency and feedback loops in creator communities to enhance performance.Compensation structures for creators, including commission models and incentives.The impact of TikTok Shop on overall brand awareness and sales across multiple channels.The necessity of an omnichannel mindset for successful e-commerce growth.Insights on leveraging AI tools for creative production and marketing efficiency.In this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley interviews Chase Chappell, a leading performance marketing expert, about scaling e-commerce brands beyond seven figures. Chase shares actionable strategies for channel diversification, creator management on TikTok Shop, and building omnichannel ecosystems. He emphasizes the importance of rigorous creator selection, transparent feedback loops, and integrating paid media with organic content. The discussion offers practical advice on leveraging TikTok's rapid growth potential, nurturing creator communities, and adopting an all-in, omnichannel mindset to drive sustainable, scalable e-commerce success.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Focus and Systematize: Nail your core operations (especially on Amazon) before expanding. Ensure supply chain and inventory are rock-solid.Build Genuine Relationships with Creators: Authentic engagement, personalized outreach, and community-building are your competitive edge.Adopt an Omnichannel Mindset: The future belongs to brands that integrate Amazon, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Meta ads, and retail into a cohesive ecosystem.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Doe Media": "00:01:01""Chappell Digital Marketing": "00:01:01""Shopify": "00:05:25""TikTok Shop": "00:06:39""AI Automation Tool": "00:13:41""Amazon": "00:30:52""Lovable": "00:48:54"Books"The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber": "00:01:01""Rich Dad Poor Dad": "00:48:32"Concepts and Strategies"Tiered Commission Structure": "00:23:25""Ad Spend Credits": "00:23:25""Creator Retention": "00:28:11""Creator Network": "00:29:00""Private Community": "00:30:14"People and Brands"Hudson from Comfrt Clothing": "00:46:15""Greg from Bloom": "00:51:16"Social Media Links"Instagram @realchasechappell": "00:52:43"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 audi...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares how the COVID-19 pandemic caused a devastating 90% overnight sales drop in his Amazon party supplies business — just as he'd bought his dream home and left his corporate job. Facing financial pressure with no safety net, Josh pivoted boldly, launching educational homeschooling posters that quickly became bestsellers. He shares three key lessons: focus on what's already working before diversifying, build a cohesive brand, and take calculated big risks. Josh also emphasizes saving profits for emergencies, illustrating how resilience and adaptability helped him scale to over $20 million annually.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"Etsy": "00:08:09""Facebook": "00:08:09"Key Concepts and Strategies"Printable Files": "00:08:09""Virtual Party Invitations": "00:08:09""Stay-at-Home Family Celebration Party Kit": "00:08:09""Educational Posters": "00:10:57""Whole Life Insurance": "00:22:03""S&P 500": "00:22:03"Lessons Learned"Do not diversify too early": "00:14:51""Focus on building a cohesive brand": "00:16:41""Be willing to take risks in competitive categories": "00:19:12"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & BackgroundJosh introduces himself, his business background, and the premise of the episode about overcoming a 90% sales drop.00:00:55 Pre-COVID Life & Buying a New HomeDescribes family situation, decision to buy a larger home, and the excitement and anxiety of making a big purchase.00:02:44 Closing on the Dream Home & COVID HitsDetails closing on the new house in late February 2020, and the immediate onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.00:03:39 Immediate Impact of COVID on BusinessExplains how COVID caused gatherings to stop, leading to a 90% overnight drop in sales of party supplies.00:05:27 Financial and Emotional PressureDiscusses the stress of a new mortgage, loss of business income, and having just left a corporate job.00:07:18 Initial Scramble & Early PivotsShares the first attempts to recover revenue, including printable files, virtual invitations, and new product ideas.00:09:00 Experimenting with New Revenue StreamsDescribes launching a family celebration kit membership and turning off Amazon ads due to poor performance.00:10:01 Gradual Recovery & The Big PivotOutlines the slow sales recovery and the decision to make a bold move into educational posters for homeschooling.00:10:57 Launching Educational PostersDetails the launch of educational posters in late August/early September 2020, quickly becoming a bestseller.00:12:55 Lessons Learned: Focus on What WorksReflects on the mistake of focusing on Shopify over Amazon, and the importance of doubling down on successful channels.00:15:49 Lessons Learned: Brand CohesionDiscusses the lack of a cohesive brand and the need to define and serve a specific customer avatar.00:18:14 Lessons Learned: Take Bigger RisksEmphasizes the importance of focusing growth, taking bigger swings, and not playing it too safe with product launches.00:20:07 Action in Crisis & Doubling DownEncourages taking action during tough times, experimenting, and doubling down on what works to drive recovery.00:22:03 Preparing for a Rainy DayAdvises saving profits, investing in safe assets, and building a financial safety net for future downturns.00:22:56 Conclusion & Final EncouragementWraps up with encouragement to focus on proven channels and make bold moves when facing adversity.Transcripts:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  I lost 90% of the sales in my business overnight. At that point, I felt like my business was done for. It was time to close up shop and find something different to do. Today I'm going to share with you the exact strategies, the tactics, and the lessons learned that I implemented in the business to be able to resurrect it from the dead and to get it where it is today of generating over $20 million in annual revenue. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. First and foremost, who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I'm a man of faith. I am a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife. I have been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade, doing multi millions in revenue on different sales channels such as Shopify, TikTok, shop and of course, Amazon.Josh Hadley 00:00:55  And I am also the host of the number one business strategy Podcast in the e-commerce space, and that is E-com breakthrough. So what drove a 90% decline in my sales? Well, before we get to that point, I have to tell you the story of where my wife and I were at at that specific moment in time before the 90% decline in sales happened overnight for us. Well, this was January of 2020, and my wife and I were looking at needing to move to another home. And that was because we had kind of, frankly, outgrown our existing home. We knew we wanted to grow our family. We had a three bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom, two bath house. We had two kids at the time, and we knew we wanted to be able to expand our family and continue to grow. And, you know, especially working from home, that three bedroom, two bath house and being 1900 square feet became really small, really quick, especially trying to run a business out of the house.Josh Hadley 00:01:49  And so we were trying to find like, where is the place that we need to be? Well, it came one Sunday. We were driving around and we stumbled upon an open house, and we went into this open house and we felt moved upon to move into this house. Now, this house was almost triple the size of our current home. This was figuratively like a dream home for us. It was in a dream neighborhood. We got to still attend the same church and be around the same family and friends that we were around at the time. And so we felt like with that, like this was our godsend. This was an answer to prayers and we need to go close on this home. And so although this was a very exciting time, it was also very nerve wracking for me because this was the biggest purchase that I was ever going to make in my life. I had never had a mortgage, a need to take out a quote unquote a jumbo loan for a mortgage, ever. And this was a lot of money, all of the money that we had been saving up for.Josh Hadley 00:02:44  And, you know, basically taking profit from the business was going to go to a big down payment on this property. Well, guess what? We did close on this property of February 28th, 2020. And as many of you know, what was just around the corner was going to be Covid and basically the lockdown and the shutdown to the world as we knew it at the time. And so my wife and I, I remember this like it was just yesterday. My wife and I were there at target late at night just before, like it was closing time at target. And I remember, you know, thumbing through on my phone just kind of like the news and things like that. As I was waiting in line and I saw the information where it was, I think it was the jazz, it was the Utah Jazz and some other team. Maybe it was the Houston Rockets, I'm not sure. But that game was canceled and the NBA literally canceled that game before it was about to tip off.Josh Hadley 00:03:39  Like people like people were ...

Lee Assoulin is the Founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency that partners with premium brands to scale profitably on the world's largest marketplace. With over 12 years of Amazon expertise, Lee has guided venture-backed startups, heritage brands, and category leaders through the complexities of the platform, combining strategic depth with operational rigor. He's currently managing over $220M in annual revenue while building AI-powered infrastructure to redefine how agencies operate. His mission is to prove that premium brands can win on Amazon without compromising on quality or brand equity with an agency they can trust.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Integration of AI in e-commerce, particularly for Amazon sellers and brand management agencies.Challenges and considerations in adopting AI technologies for business operations.Importance of having solid standard operating procedures (SOPs) before automating processes with AI.The distinction between smaller sellers as early adopters of AI and larger sellers focusing on core business functions.The risks of "shiny object syndrome" and the need for a strategic framework when implementing AI tools.The necessity of human oversight in automated processes, especially in nuanced areas like PPC advertising.The role of data-driven frameworks in managing AI outputs and decision-making.Strategies for empowering teams to adopt AI tools effectively and fostering an "AI native" culture.The significance of maintaining brand authenticity and uniqueness in AI-generated content.Recommendations for newcomers on starting with foundational AI tools and focusing on high-impact tasks.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Lee Assoulin, founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency. Drawing on 12+ years of experience, Lee discusses how AI is reshaping Amazon brand management. Key topics include avoiding "shiny object syndrome," building solid SOPs before automating, keeping humans in the loop for critical decisions, and developing an "AI native" team culture. Lee also shares practical advice on recording team calls, refining documentation with AI, and empowering team members who genuinely embrace AI tools to drive sustainable business growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Fix your SOPs before adding AI Document and refine your workflows first—AI should optimize proven systems, not automate messy processes. Use AI for execution, not strategy Automate repetitive tasks (PPC tweaks, reporting, emails), but keep humans in charge of high-impact decisions like pricing, positioning, and scaling. Adopt AI with a clear ROI filter Don't chase tools—only implement AI if it solves a real bottleneck and delivers measurable time or profit gains.Timestamps:00:00:23 Introduction to AI in E-commerceThe host introduces the topic of AI for top Amazon sellers and teases the actionable advice from the guest.00:01:01 Guest Introduction: Lee AssoulinHost Josh Hadley introduces Lee Assoulin, founder of Stonecutter, highlighting his extensive experience managing major Amazon brands.00:02:46 The Current State of AI in E-commerceLee discusses how AI is being adopted differently by large, established sellers versus smaller, scrappier ones in the mature Amazon marketplace.00:04:31 AI and "Shiny Object Syndrome"The discussion turns to the risk of entrepreneurs getting distracted by new AI tools instead of focusing on core business needs.00:05:57 The "Aladdin's Cave" Analogy for AILee uses an analogy to explain the danger of chasing countless small AI tools without a solid, overarching framework.00:08:33 SOPs: The Foundation for AIThe importance of having proven, repeatable processes (SOPs) in place before attempting to automate them with AI is discussed.00:10:00 The Right Approach to AI AutomationLee explains that the best automation strategy depends on scale; larger brands require a more cautious, human-in-the-loop approach.00:12:15 Can One Person Build a $100M Brand?A discussion on the future of business structures, predicting small, highly-skilled teams enabled by AI will become the norm.00:14:55 The Risk of AI HomogenizationIf everyone uses the same AI strategies, there is no competitive edge. The human element provides the necessary differentiation.00:16:27 Practical AI Use Cases for BeginnersLee suggests starting by using AI to analyze content and rewrite copy based on frameworks like Amazon's COSMO paper.00:19:24 The Dangers of Lazy AI ImplementationWarning against the pitfalls of lazy AI use, such as generic auto-generated emails that can damage brand perception.00:22:23 Automating Your Executive AssistantLee shares a practical example of creating a virtual EA to manage his calendar, pre-meeting briefs, and task reminders.00:24:10 Building a Company "Brain"A complex use case is detailed: creating a central database that ingests all company communications for deep contextual analysis.00:27:11 The Power of Personal Context for AIThe idea of feeding personal journals and thoughts into an AI to give it deeper context for decision-making.00:29:47 How Top Brands Automate OperationsLee shares a real-world example of automating Buy Box monitoring, where an AI agent detects losses and notifies the team.00:32:14 Staying Compliant with Amazon's AI RulesHow to automate safely by using third-party APIs and keeping a human in the loop for actions inside Seller Central.00:33:55 The Cost-Benefit Analysis of AI vs. HumansA discussion on whether AI is always cheaper, concluding that building custom AI solutions can be a waste of time.00:36:01 The Trap of "Sexy Dashboards"Building custom dashboards is often a distraction; focus on the underlying data and analysis, which is what AI actually needs.00:39:09 How to Onboard Your Team to AILee shares his strategy of offering to pay for AI tools and courses for any team member who shows interest.00:41:55 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes the episode's key takeaways: document skills, record everything, and enable your team to adopt AI.00:45:26 Most Influential BookLee recommends "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer for its profound impact on his mindset and way of thinking.00:45:59 Favorite AI ToolLee names Claude as his primary tool but highlights WhisperFlow for voice dictation as a game-changer for productivity.00:47:01 Admired Person in E-commerceLee recommends following Sean Gill of Triquetra for his methodical, framework-first approach to building a successful brand.00:48:32 How to Connect with LeeLee provides his email address and social media handles for listeners who want to connect with him after the show.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Claude": "00:08:38""

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his blueprint for scaling an e-commerce brand beyond Amazon through a strategic omnichannel approach. Drawing from over a decade of experience, Josh debunks the myth that simply adding sales channels drives growth. Instead, he outlines a phased expansion strategy: master Amazon first, then expand to marketplaces, TikTok Shop, Shopify, and retail. He emphasizes building documented systems, hiring capable teams, and approaching each platform as a unique business to avoid operational chaos and achieve sustainable, long-term growth.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Amazon": "00:01:50"  "Shopify": "00:01:50"  "TikTok Shop": "00:01:50"  "Walmart": "00:01:50"  "Etsy": "00:26:43"  "Temu": "00:26:43"  "Shein": "00:26:43"  "Meta Ad Library": "00:46:35"  "Faire": "00:49:22"  Videos and Masterclasses  "Seven Step Hiring Process": "00:23:36"  "CEO Dashboard": "00:25:44"  "How We Generated Over 50 Viral Videos with Our Affiliates": "00:34:32"  "How to Double Down on the Creators that are Actually Driving Sales for Your Brand": "00:34:32"  Recommendations  "Loom": "00:19:01"  "ChatGPT": "00:20:01"  Key Concepts  "Omnichannel Strategy": "00:07:22"  "CAC to LTV Ratio": "00:09:20"  "Product Launch Checklist": "00:19:01"  "Weekly Ad Optimization Processes": "00:19:01"  "Inventory Forecasting Models": "00:19:01"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & The Omnichannel MythJosh introduces himself, the podcast, and debunks the myth that simply adding channels guarantees growth.00:01:50 Stages of E-commerce Brand GrowthOutlines the four stages: launch on Amazon, expansion optimism, hidden complexity, and the breaking point.00:06:30 The Real Problem: Sequence, Not ProductExplains that chaos comes from scaling too soon without systems, not from product quality.00:07:22 Channel-Specific ComplexitiesBreaks down the unique operational demands ...

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...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley introduces his "TikTok Creator Engine," a structured system for turning product samples into loyal brand evangelists. Josh outlines five creator stages—Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Evangelist—and explains how to move creators through each using personalized outreach, gamification, community building, and targeted ad spend. He also details key team roles, essential KPIs, and onboarding strategies to replace the ineffective "spray and pray" approach with a scalable, relationship-driven affiliate program that generates consistent revenue.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"TikTok Creator Engine": "00:01:12""Shopify": "00:01:12""Amazon": "00:01:12""WhatsApp": "00:09:34""CRM (Creator Relationship Management System)": "00:11:42""TikTok Shop": "00:10:40""Fulfilled by TikTok": "00:13:55""Amazon MCF (Multi-Channel Fulfillment)": "00:13:55""Beehive": "21:31""Discord": "22:31""ChatGPT": "23:39"Videos and Playlists"YouTube Onboarding Videos": "00:18:51""YouTube Playlist for New Creators": "24:27"Concepts and Strategies"Creative Briefs": "23:39""Creative Brief": "00:42:53""Bingo Card Game": "28:51""Ad Spend Strategy": "00:39:18""Performance Coach Role": "00:41:54""Affiliate Support Specialist Role": "00:41:54""VIP Program": "00:43:50""Monthly Contests": "00:44:43""Personalized Contests": "00:48:19""Weekly Creator Calls": "26:10"Metrics and KPIs"Contact Information Capture": "00:51:08""Performance Metrics": "00:52:56""Pareto Principle": "00:45:38""Gamification": "00:44:43"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introducing the TikTok Creator EngineA systematic process to turn product samples into loyal brand evangelists, focusing on consistent revenue over viral moments.00:01:12 Host IntroductionJosh Hadley shares his background as an e-commerce entrepreneur, father, and host of the E-com Breakthrough podcast.00:02:17 Core Principles of the SystemThe system focuses on inspiring creators, tracking behavior, doubling down on winners, and ignoring the rest based on performance.00:04:10 Common Problems with Creator ProgramsOutlines issues brands face, such as creators not posting, one-off videos, wasted samples, and overreliance on TikTok DMs.00:06:49 The Five Stages of the Creator EngineAn overview of the five distinct stages creators move through: Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Brand Evangelist.00:10:40 The Required Team StructureDetails the three essential team roles needed to run the engine: Affiliate Support Specialist, Performance Coach, and Store Operations.00:15:03 Stage 1: Inactivated CreatorsFocuses on approving samples and, most importantly, capturing the creator's contact information to move them out of TikTok DMs.00:17:53 The 30-Day Onboarding SequenceA detailed breakdown of the first 30 days of communication, including emails and WhatsApp messages for new creators.00:21:31 Tools for the Activation ProgramDiscusses essential tools for creator activation, including email newsletters, community platforms like WhatsApp, and detailed creative briefs.00:24:27 The YouTube Onboarding PlaylistOutlines a mini-course for creators covering mindset, hook strategy, lighting, audio, and success stories to build relationships.00:28:51 Gamifying Onboarding: The Bingo CardA gamified "bingo card" system that incentivizes new creators to complete key tasks like posting multiple videos.00:30:42 Stage 2: Activated CreatorsCovers the team's actions once a creator posts their first video, including congratulations and providing initial feedback.00:33:29 High ROI Move: Boosting Videos with AdsA strategy to use small, targeted ad spend on new creators' videos to generate initial views and sales.00:35:29 Stage 3: Emerging CreatorsThe goal for this stage is to build consistency with creators who have momentum but aren't posting regularly.00:40:13 Stage 4: Performing CreatorsFocuses on scaling the output of consistent creators by building a personal relationship and offering exclusive VIP program invitations.00:45:38 Stage 5: Brand EvangelistsA high-touch strategy to retain top creators through personalized contests, gifts, and exclusive access to new products.00:50:16 Collecting Creator Contact InfoEmphasizes the critical importance of capturing creator contact information and offers creative methods like auto-DMs and product inserts.00:51:58 Key Metrics to MeasureA breakdown of the essential KPIs to track weekly, including samples sent, post rates, and GMV per stage.00:54:48 Daily Roles of the TeamA summary of the daily action items for the Affiliate Support Specialist and the Performance Coach within the system.00:55:50 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsA summary of the system's benefits, emphasizing that consistent action, refinement, and focus are the keys to success.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  That activation stage is honestly the biggest miss that I see most brands like just completely skipping and they just go from inactivated creator to somebody went viral and it's as simple as that. And and that's all they're relying upon. Whereas we're going to methodically walk all of these creators through these five different stages. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Today, I want to share with you all the TikTok Creator Engine. This is how we're turning thousands of samples into thousands of brand evangelists. This isn't just about like sending out as many samples as you possibly can. The spray and pray approach, just hoping that somebody will go viral. Rather, this is a systematic process that we follow to ensure that every sample we send out actually has the chance of helping some of t...

Today's guest is someone our audience already knows and respects — and I'm excited to have him back on the show. Kevin King is not just a veteran Amazon seller… he's one of the most connected and influential figures in the entire Amazon ecosystem. He's been selling online for decades, has built and exited multiple brands, and continues to operate in the trenches — not from theory, but from real-world execution. When Kevin speaks, it's not just his own experience — it's insights gathered from the top 1% of sellers globally. So if you're a 7-figure or 8 figure seller looking to break into the next level, you're about to hear from someone who has a front-row seat to what the best in the world are actually doing right now. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Current state and future of e-commerce for seven-figure sellersImpact of AI on e-commerce operations and marketingDecline of traditional private label Amazon business modelRise of social commerce platforms, particularly TikTok ShopImportance of building authentic brands and customer relationshipsNetworking opportunities at events like Market MastersChallenges sellers face, including confusion and fear about the futureNecessity of adapting to new technologies and automation toolsStrategies for effective sourcing and increasing profit marginsThe significance of prioritizing efforts and focusing on specific channels for growthIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews veteran Amazon seller Kevin King about the future of e-commerce for established seven-figure sellers. They discuss the growing impact of AI, the decline of traditional private label models, and the rise of social commerce platforms like TikTok. Kevin emphasizes the importance of building real brands, leveraging automation, and focusing on human relationships with creators. The episode also highlights actionable strategies for scaling, the value of strong systems, and Kevin's upcoming Market Masters event for networking and learning.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Focus on What Matters MostDon't chase every new tool, channel, or strategy. Pick the highest-priority opportunity, focus your resources on it, and scale it before moving to the next.2. Build and Document SystemsGrowth requires clear systems and processes. Whether tasks are done by humans or AI, success depends on how well you document and structure the workflow.3. Hire Smart People to Run the SystemsAI alone won't build a $100M brand. You need talented leaders who can design, manage, and improve systems while using AI as a tool to enhance results.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comBillion Dollar Seller SummitASM (Amazing Selling Machine)Helium 10 Freedom TicketShopifyTikTokEcom Mastery AIOpen ClawClaudeChatGPTWooCommerceCopyCoderUpwork/FiverrAndrew EricksonSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInAlex Hormozi on LinkedInRyan DeissPerry Belcher on LinkedInDan KennedyRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode 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 AreaKevin King 00:00:00  And there is no it's not like ranking in Google in the old way of backlinks where you rank. And basically you can if you type in podcast microphones and you're in Dallas, you can see pretty much the same results as I see down here in Austin with AI, my past search history and your past search history changes that completely. So no, there is no ranking in AI. It's being the answer for what questions people asking to be in the authority.MC 00:00:22  Welcome to the E-com Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh Hadley 00:00:36  Do you want to know what's wor...

How do you turn small TikTok creators into big sales? Our guest shares his playbook for building a loyal creator army, getting more posts, and scaling TikTok Shop beyond Amazon. What does it really take to turn small creators into big sales on TikTok Shop? In this episode of the AM/PM Podcast, Shivali Patel sits down with Josh Hadley to unpack the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts that helped him build an affiliate army of more than 5,000 creators. Josh shares how TikTok Shop helped revive his business during a difficult season and why sellers should stop treating creator marketing like a side tactic and start treating it like a real growth engine. A big takeaway from this episode is that success on TikTok Shop does not come from sending random samples and hoping for the best. Josh explains how brands need to get laser-focused on their target audience, identify the right creator profiles, and build outreach systems that actually lead to responses. He walks through how his team finds creators, studies competitors, uses outreach tools, sets commission structures, manually approves samples, and gets creators off-platform to build stronger, long-term relationships. His approach is less about chasing big influencers and more about finding the right smaller creators with strong content potential.   Josh also dives into what most sellers are missing after the first outreach. He explains how creative briefs, email nurture flows, contests, and regular communication help turn one-time creators into loyal brand ambassadors. For Amazon sellers, this episode is especially valuable because it shows how TikTok Shop can complement an existing brand when the right SOPs, systems, and team are already in place. If you have been wondering how to get creators to actually post, how to compete with brands using similar tactics, and how to make TikTok Shop work without abandoning Amazon, this episode offers a detailed, actionable blueprint. In episode 508 of the AM/PM Podcast, Shivali and Josh discuss: 00:00 - Introduction 00:52 - Josh Hadley's Background And Why TikTok Shop Matters 02:46 - When Amazon Sellers Should Expand To TikTok Shop 06:22 - The Playbook Behind 40 Viral Videos And 5,000 Creators 07:14 - From Business Struggles To A TikTok Shop Breakthrough 11:51 - How To Find The Right Creators And Study Competitors 19:38 - Bots, Targeted Collaborations, And Sample Approval Strategy 24:58 - Why Off-Platform Creator Contact Is Critical 27:28 - Email Nurture, Creative Briefs, And Getting More Creator Posts 28:54 - Commission Rates, Creator Selection, And Why Small Creators Win 36:32 - Fulfillment, Creator Retention, And Long-Term Relationship Building 45:06 - Why TikTok Shop Is Still A Gold Rush For Brands

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares hard-won lessons on the power of focus in scaling an ecommerce business. Drawing from personal experience and mastermind insights, Josh reveals five key things he's saying “no” to—like low-volume product launches, unprofitable SKUs, and distracting sales channels. He emphasizes prioritizing high-impact opportunities, leveraging top-performing creators, and resisting shiny new trends like AI experiments. Josh's disciplined approach highlights how saying “no” to distractions enables entrepreneurs to concentrate resources on what truly drives sustainable, exponential growth.Links and Mentions:Business Influencers & References"Alex Hormozi": "00:02:01"E-commerce Platforms & Tools"Amazon": "00:04:43""Shopify": "00:06:31""TikTok Shop": "00:06:31""Amazon Marketplace": "00:20:16""OpenClaw": "00:23:05""Vibe Coding": "00:23:05"Frameworks & Systems"Momentum Matrix": "00:08:26""Buckets for Product Management": "00:08:26"Business Concepts & Strategies"Hitting Singles vs. Home Runs": "00:04:43""Total Addressable Market (TAM)": "00:06:31""Lifetime Value Potential": "00:20:16""Operational Complexity": "00:21:14"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to Business FocusJosh emphasizes prioritization, focus, and the importance of saying "no" in business strategy.00:01:03 Lessons from Mastermind EventsInsights from recent mastermind groups; entrepreneurs struggle with shiny object syndrome and diversifying too soon.00:02:58 The Power of Doubling DownAdvice to focus on one business for greater success, rather than splitting attention across multiple ventures.00:04:43 Saying No to Small Product LaunchesJosh now rejects launching products with small markets, focusing only on those with large total addressable markets.00:07:25 Prioritizing High-Impact SKUsNo longer trying to scale all 1600+ SKUs; products are categorized by impact and focus is on top performers.00:08:26 Product Momentum Matrix ExplainedBreakdown of four product buckets: sunset, maintenance, profit engines, and brand-defining SKUs.00:15:09 Focusing on Brand-Defining ProductsTeam spends most time on a few top SKUs that align with brand vision and have high growth potential.00:17:05 Saying No to Low Leverage Sales ChannelsRejecting channels like Temu, Shein, Walmart, and some international expansions due to low scalability and complexity.00:18:12 Sales Channel Momentum MatrixSales channels are categorized; focus is on scalable, high-leverage channels like Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Shopify.00:22:11 Rejecting AI DistractionsJosh avoids spending time on AI trends unless they directly drive business growth; team uses AI only for specific use cases.00:26:56 Focusing on Top-Performing CreatorsNo longer catering to all 5000 creators; focus is on the top 5% who drive 95% of TikTok Shop revenue.00:28:03 Conclusion: Focus Over DistractionReiterates the importance of focus and systems for scaling, and invites listeners to share the episode.TranscriptJosh Hadley 00:00:00  I will promise you like 99 times out of 100. The person who doubles down in one single business is going to have far greater returns and success than the entrepreneur that thinks they're going to split their time and diversify themselves across multiple different business units. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. In today's episode, I'm going to be sharing with you guys exactly what I'm saying no to. In my business right now, that is one of the most important things as it relates to business strategy as a whole. I think that business strategy is less. These are the things that I am doing, and it's much more about these are the things that I am specifically not doing in my business and why business strategy is ultimately, hey, there are 1,000,001 different opportunities, but there are limited resources.Josh Hadley 00:01:03  And so really it's prioritizing which of those million and one opportunities do I actually want to take on with my limited time, resources and ability to be able to go execute? Because in general, if you want to see something really succeed, you've got to put some significant amount of time and energy and thought process behind it. So today I'm going to be sharing the five things that I'm saying no to in my own business. And I'm sharing this after coming off of the heels of three different events that I've attended within the last two weeks. So over the last two weeks I've attended a few different mastermind groups, some with e-commerce specific people involved and others with just kind of general entrepreneurs who are all over seven figure sellers. So here are some of like the takeaways. And I heard this over and over again at multiple events. I continue to hear people that they already have a successful busines...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Julia Rubien and Nicolette Brunetti of Amie, a TikTok agency for beauty brands. They discuss effective affiliate marketing strategies on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of strong shop operations, community building, and data-driven content. The conversation covers commission structures, contests, retainers, and creator engagement, highlighting the need for strategic planning and long-term investment. Key takeaways include selling the affiliate first, nurturing a supportive community, and ensuring operational readiness before scaling. The episode offers actionable insights for brands aiming to succeed on TikTok Shop.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for success on TikTok Shop, particularly in affiliate marketing.Importance of having a multi-faceted approach to affiliate marketing, including acquisition, commission, and engagement.Financial expectations and ROI benchmarks for brands on TikTok Shop.The significance of community building and engagement with affiliates, particularly through platforms like Discord.Effective methods for attracting and nurturing affiliates, including personalized outreach and tailored incentives.The role of content quality and creator effort in driving sales and engagement.Challenges and lessons learned from past affiliate marketing strategies and contests.The necessity of strong shop operations and inventory management before launching affiliate marketing efforts.The importance of hiring skilled team members with expertise in TikTok Shop and affiliate marketing.Long-term investment and strategic patience required for building a successful affiliate ecosystem on TikTok Shop.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Sell the Affiliate First (Not the Product) Shift your mindset: you're recruiting creators, not just pushing products. Build a compelling commission structure, clear vision, and unique brand positioning so affiliates choose you over higher-paying competitors.Build a Creator Growth Ladder: Design a clear pathway:Start with onboarding + educationAdd retainers to build consistencyIntroduce contests + feedbackIncrease commissions/retainers as GMV growsMake it obvious how creators can level up with you.Fix Operations Before Scaling Affiliates: Before pushing growth:Ensure inventory is stableOptimize listingsSolidify shop operationsDon't scale affiliate traffic to a backend that can't support it. Get your foundation right first.Resources mentioned in this episode:"TikTok Shop": "00:00:36""EukaAI": "00:12:28""KaloData": "00:12:29""Reacher": "00:14:36""Fastmoss": "00:16:51""Discord": "00:19:08""GMV (Gross Merchandise Value)": "00:21:19""ChatGPT": "00:43:16""ecombreakthrough.com": "01:01:28"Special Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.TranscriptJulia Rubien 00:00:00  I think clients think that sometimes it's as simple as, let's just invite everybody to a target plan, and that's that. And one time I had to write out for clients, like all the different strategies that go into affiliate marketing, and without showing the slide, I'll kind of rattle some off. But to us, we think there's acquisition strategy, there's commission strategy, there's engagement strategy, there's partnership strategy, there's sample strategy, tiering strategy, incentive strategy, event strategy, content strategy. So there's all these different strategies.MC 00:00:36  Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh Hadley 00:00:50  Do you want to know what's actually working on TikTok shop right now? What are the strategies some of the top brands are implementing in order to grow their shop sells or attract new affiliates. Well, you're going to love today's conversation. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast.Josh Hadley 00:01:05  I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my jour...

In this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley shares his "essential cash flow playbook" for scaling e-commerce brands without outside capital. He explains how to forecast cash flow, delay payments to suppliers and ad platforms, and strategically use credit cards to extend payment cycles by up to 55 days. Josh details practical tactics, such as rotating credit cards and using services to pay suppliers, to improve cash conversion cycles and avoid debt. He emphasizes the importance of disciplined cash flow management as the foundation for sustainable, rapid business growth.Links and Mentions:Tools and Strategies"Cash Flow Forecasting Spreadsheet": "00:04:53""Credit Card Hack": "00:15:46""Amex Plum Card": "00:20:12"Quotes"Charlie Munger Quote": "00:13:53"Websites"Amazon Advertising Support": "00:16:38"Credit Cards and Financial Tools"Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business": "00:22:46""Amex Gold": "00:22:46""Chase Business Preferred": "00:22:46""Chase Business Premier": "00:22:46""Capital One Spark Cash Plus": "00:22:46"Payment Services"Melio": "00:24:56"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Episode OverviewJosh introduces the podcast, his background, and previews the main topic: the essential cash flow playbook for e-commerce.00:00:57 The Hidden Strategy Behind Top E-commerce BrandsExplains why cash flow management is the secret to scaling without outside capital, especially for bootstrapped entrepreneurs.00:01:54 The E-commerce Cash Flow ChallengeDiscusses common struggles with cash flow, inventory, and taxes that e-commerce brands face.00:03:50 Personal Cash Flow Crisis StoryJosh shares a personal story about nearly missing payroll and the dangers of taking on debt.00:04:53 The Importance of Cash Flow ForecastingIntroduces the cash flow forecasting spreadsheet as a critical business tool.00:05:56 How the Cash Flow Spreadsheet WorksDescribes how to use the spreadsheet to track inflows, outflows, and anticipate cash shortages.00:07:09 Forecasting Purchase Orders and Launch TimingExplains how to use forecasting to time purchase orders and product launches for optimal cash flow.00:08:08 Spreadsheet Walkthrough: Weekly Cash TrackingStep-by-step example of tracking weekly cash balances, payments, and Amazon disbursements.00:11:04 Identifying Cash Shortfalls and SolutionsShows how the spreadsheet highlights cash shortfalls and introduces strategies to avoid predatory loans.00:12:57 When (and When Not) to Use DebtDiscusses rare scenarios where loans make sense and why most e-commerce brands should avoid debt.00:13:53 The Dangers of Leverage Without Financial SophisticationWarns about the risks of leverage for those without advanced financial modeling skills.00:14:54 Credit Card Hack: Delaying PaymentsIntroduces the credit card hack to delay payments to vendors and ad platforms, extending cash flow.00:16:38 Increasing Amazon Billing ThresholdsExplains how to request higher billing thresholds from Amazon to increase payment float.00:17:34 Paying Ad Charges with Multiple Credit CardsAdvises on using multiple credit cards with staggered statement dates to maximize payment delays.00:18:19 Credit Card Application HackShares a tip for applying for multiple credit cards simultaneously to minimize credit score impact.00:19:08 Optimizing Statement Dates for Maximum FloatDetails how to schedule charges for the start of statement periods to get up to 55 days of float.00:20:12 Amex Plum Card for Extended FloatDescribes using the Amex Plum card for up to 90 days of payment float, with trade-offs.00:21:06 Seasonal Cash Flow Management ExampleShows how to use these strategies during high-spend periods like Q4 to avoid cash crunches.00:21:57 Rotating Credit Cards & Tracking RewardsExplains how to rotate credit cards and track perks, rewards, and statement dates for ongoing float.00:22:46 Recommended Business Credit CardsLists the best credit cards for ad spend, rewards, and payment terms.00:23:54 Paying Suppliers with Credit Cards via Third PartiesExplains using services like Melio or Plastiq to pay suppliers by credit card, even if they prefer wire/ACH.00:24:56 Offsetting Credit Card Fees with Rewards & Tax SavingsBreaks down how credit card fees are offset by rewards and tax deductions, making the strategy cost-neutral.00:28:06 Turning Cash Conversion Cycle NegativeDescribes how combining supplier terms and credit card float can result in a negative cash conversion cycle.00:29:06 Cash Conversion Cycle Levers: Positive & NegativeOutlines actions that improve or worsen cash flow, such as inventory turnover and payment terms.00:31:53 Impact of Credit Card Hack on Cash FlowDemonstrates how implementing the credit card hack increases cash balances and enables faster scaling.00:32:55 Action Steps & Forecasting Best PracticesEncourages listeners to implement forecasting, open multiple credit cards, and track statement dates.00:34:37 Conclusion & Free Resources OfferWraps up with a call to action, offering slides and the cash flow spreadsheet via QR code.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  How would you like to be able to delay payments to your suppliers and even like the big advertising platforms like meta, like Google, like Amazon, even TikTok shop by over 55 days without missing a due date or without having your ads turned off. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Would you like to know the number one strategy that sits behind some of the best performing e-commerce brands in the entire world? And this is the strategy that actually sits behind the scenes. It's not outwardly visible, but it allows them to scale infinitely and you never know what's sitting behind the scenes. Today, I'm going to be revealing what that number one strategy is and how you can implement it into your own business.Josh Hadley 00:00:57  My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I'm a father of four and husband to a beautiful wife. I've been in e-commerce business owner for over ten years now, and also an eight figure business owner doing multi millions of revenue on Amazon, Shopify, TikTok shop and also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, the E-com Breakthrough Podcast. So today, what is this number one strategy that sits behind the scenes? It's I'm going to show you it's the essential cash flow playbook. And first you're going to be like oh Josh, that's not that's not hot. That's not sexy. Like, this is this isn't like magic. This isn't the number one strategy. Today I'm going to show you why. It truly is ...

Josh started his career at American Airlines (AA) and spent 5 years in their MBA leadership development program. Josh's experience at AA further refined his leadership abilities and strategic decision making skills. While employed at AA Josh and his wife Becca started Hadley Designs. As the CEO of Hadley Designs, Josh led the business to gross $100,000+ in revenue within it's first year and in 2022 Hadley Designs crossed the eight figure mark, grossing over $10,000,000 in revenue.In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, standing still means falling behind. In a recent episode of the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast, host and eight-figure brand owner Josh Hadley pulls back the curtain on the real struggles and breakthrough strategies that have propelled his business from the brink of collapse to new heights. This episode is a masterclass for e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to scale beyond seven figures, with a special focus on leveraging TikTok Shop, affiliate marketing, and integrated sales funnels across Amazon and Shopify.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for scaling e-commerce businesses on platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop.Personal experiences of overcoming business challenges, including product failures and financial difficulties.The importance of targeted outreach and building relationships with creators for affiliate marketing.Utilizing TikTok Shop to generate significant gross merchandise volume (GMV) and create viral content.The role of effective sales funnel structures in improving conversion rates and average order value (AOV).Implementing subscription models to create recurring revenue streams.The integration of marketing efforts across TikTok, Shopify, and Amazon to enhance profitability.The significance of product differentiation and niche focus in e-commerce success.The challenges of maintaining profitability on Amazon and strategies to avoid market stagnation.The necessity of hard work and commitment in achieving success in the competitive e-commerce landscape.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his journey overcoming business setbacks and reveals his proven strategies for scaling e-commerce brands on Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop. He details how he rebuilt his business using TikTok Shop affiliate marketing, building a network of creators, and optimizing sales funnels. Josh emphasizes the importance of creator partnerships, viral content, and subscription models, offering listeners a step-by-step blueprint for driving growth and profitability in today's competitive e-commerce landscape. He also provides actionable tips and resources for brands seeking to break through stagnation and achieve lasting success.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Target Niche Creators with Email Collection Use tools like Yuka AI to reach out to creators in your specific niche (not spray-and-pray). Before approving samples, collect their email and phone number to build direct relationships off TikTok. Add them to an automated email flow that nurtures engagement and tracks content creation.Require 30 Videos + Usage Rights Upfront Send a creative brief before sample approval and have creators commit to producing 30 videos in 60 days with unlimited usage rights. This gives you permission to repurpose viral content (100K+ views) as Meta ads without asking, and weeds out freebie seekers while maximizing ROI per sample.Turn Amazon Products into High-AOV Shopify Funnels Take viral TikTok videos and run them as Meta ads driving to dedicated landing pages (not your homepage). Bundle products together, add digital exclusives Amazon can't match, include pre-checkout upsells, and offer a subscription club—turning $25 products into $85+ AOV while generating recurring revenue.Resources & Links SectionJosh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTikTok ShopAmazonShopifyChatGPTEuka AIKalodataStreakWooCommerce

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.

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

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares hard-earned lessons from a cash flow crisis in January 2024, when his business couldn't fund payroll. He explains how this pivotal moment led him to develop a “CEO dashboard” with three essential tools: the Weekly High Five Tracker, a departmental scorecard for leading indicators, and a 52-week cash flow forecast. Josh also reveals advanced credit card strategies to optimize cash flow, emphasizing proactive management, team accountability, and the importance of focusing on activities that drive results for sustainable business growth.Join Josh Hadley on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast as he shares his journey scaling an ecommerce business from zero to eight figures. Discover essential business tips for effective business management, including strategies for tracking leading indicators, optimizing cash flow, and understanding key KPIs. This podcast is your guide to significant business growth and success.

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

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explores the “hidden cost of growth” in e-commerce. Drawing from his own journey scaling to eight figures, Josh explains how business expansion often leads to overwhelming complexity, not more freedom. He introduces the “momentum matrix,” a framework based on the 80/20 rule, to help entrepreneurs focus on the most impactful products and sales channels. Josh shares actionable strategies for prioritizing efforts, reducing operational overload, and maintaining lifestyle goals while scaling, emphasizing that true freedom comes from systems and focus—not just hitting revenue milestones.Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast!

John LeBaron is the CRO at Pattern, the leading e-commerce accelerator that helps brands scale profitably across marketplaces worldwide. John runs the SaaS and Services business units for Pattern and oversees all global go-to-market activities for the company and its partners. Prior to joining Pattern, John ran marketing for the Google Cloud business at Rackspace and has held a variety of global marketing roles with leading tech companies including Apple, Cisco, and Ciena. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MSW from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Communications from Brigham Young University.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges faced by e-commerce brands, particularly on Amazon, including competition and pricing pressures.The importance of inventory management and maintaining stock levels to avoid losing market share.Strategies for optimizing conversion rates, focusing on product imagery and continuous testing.The role of data-driven approaches in improving traffic, conversion, price, and availability.The significance of strategic pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and its relationship with organic rankings.Insights on leveraging AI and technology for product listing optimization and advertising efficiency.The impact of overseas competitors on the e-commerce landscape and brand profitability.The concept of the "e-commerce equation" and its components: traffic, conversion, price, and availability.Best practices for managing logistics and shipping to enhance operational efficiency.The importance of continuous improvement and adapting to changes in the e-commerce environment.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews John LeBaron, CRO at Pattern. They discuss how e-commerce brands can profitably scale on Amazon amid rising competition, pricing pressures, and operational challenges. John shares Pattern's data-driven strategies—optimizing inventory, pricing, traffic, and conversion—using advanced AI tools and logistics solutions. Key takeaways include the importance of inventory availability, rigorous conversion rate optimization, and strategic PPC management to build organic rankings. The episode offers actionable advice for brands seeking sustainable growth and highlights Pattern's role as a partner in navigating today's complex e-commerce landscape.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Protect Your Availability or Lose the GameForecast demand aggressively, fix your inbound bottlenecks, and partner with fast-moving 3PLs—because every stockout destroys ranking, momentum, and profit.Obsess Over Conversion, Starting With the Main ImageRun continuous A/B tests on your hero image, audit your live content weekly, and optimize every element (titles, bullets, A+, coupons, bundles) to lift conversion without increasing ad spend.Use PPC to Own Keywords, Not Rent Them ForeverShift ad spend toward keywords that improve organic rank, monitor Buy Box and conversion signals, and prioritize long-tail opportunities to build profitable, compounding visibility.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTmallTikTokWalmartPickFuLovable AIPatternLinkedInThe E-MythAtomic HabitsAll In PodcastSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJohn Lebaron 00:00:00  We're absolute zealots around something we call the e-commerce equation, which is revenue as a function of traffic times, conversion times, price times, availability. And I think that's very much the way that we think about accelerating brands is just isolating those specific variables of the equation and really going to work on okay for traffic, for example, there's paid traffic. There's, you know, organic traffic, there's off platform traffic. And what are all the hundreds of different kind of atomic levers that we want to pull and automate increasingly via AI for the brands that we represent. And and then helping them set an expectation, helping them forecast appropriately, helping them understand what is their ops upside.Speaker 2 00:00:47  Welcome to the E-comm Breakthrough Podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh Hadley 00:01:00  Are you tired of getting squeezed by Amazon, watching your sales fall? Watching more overseas competitors come in to overtake your market share? Watching the race to the bottom pricing.Josh Hadley 00:01:12  Well, today's guest has the answer for you of how to di...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explores why many e-commerce brands stall between $1 million and $5 million in revenue. He introduces the "inverted pyramid of value" to illustrate how founders often get stuck in low-leverage tasks, and explains that breaking through requires identifying and focusing on the business's main constraint. Josh shares actionable frameworks and prioritization strategies to help entrepreneurs delegate, systemize, and concentrate on high-impact activities, enabling them to escape the “swamp” and scale their businesses to the next level.Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast! I'm Josh Hadley, sharing my journey scaling an "ecommerce business" from zero to eight figures. This episode details "scaling strategies" and the "business mindset" needed to overcome common "business obstacles" faced by entrepreneurs. Learn how to identify constraints and "grow your business" beyond plateaus with a solid "ecommerce strategy"!

Rafay and Graeme are the founders of The UpTik, an education and mentorship platform that helps eCommerce brands and entrepreneurs scale through TikTok. With over a decade of experience in eCommerce and short-form video, they've helped thousands of businesses grow on platforms like TikTok, Shopify, and Amazon using proven frameworks that drive real results. Their approach bridges the gap between traditional eCommerce and the creator economy—turning social media attention into anti-fragile revenue. They've worked with everyone from early-stage founders to billion-dollar brands, and their new book, Scroll to Sold, breaks down exactly how to turn TikTok attention into sales.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of understanding TikTok Shop fundamentals for e-commerce success.Common mistakes brands make when entering TikTok Shop.Strategies for analyzing competitors and historical data to inform TikTok strategies.The significance of content volume and consistency in driving engagement and sales.Building strong relationships with creators and treating them as integral team members.The role of creator training and support in enhancing content quality and brand representation.The impact of TikTok's algorithm on content virality and engagement metrics.The necessity of viewing TikTok as a top-of-funnel awareness tool rather than just a direct sales channel.The importance of long-term commitment and strategic investment in TikTok Shop for sustainable growth.Examples of successful brands leveraging TikTok for awareness and sales, including their approaches to creator partnerships.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Rafay and Graeme, founders of Uptik and authors of From Scroll to Sold. They share expert strategies for e-commerce brands to succeed on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of benchmarking competitors, producing high volumes of content, and building strong, supportive relationships with creators. The discussion covers actionable tips, common pitfalls, and the evolving role of social commerce, offering listeners a roadmap to drive sales and brand growth through TikTok's unique ecosystem.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Benchmark Like a ProReverse-engineer the early moves of brands that recently won on TikTok Shop. Use tools like Killer Data to study their creator volume, posting cadence, and offers—then outperform their output.Out-Create EveryoneCommit to a relentless content engine: 30–100+ posts per week across brand and creator channels. Test formats fast, double down on what gets full watches, and treat content as your primary growth lever.Build a Creator Sales ForceOnboard creators personally, support them with weekly check-ins, and gamify performance. A trained, motivated affiliate army will drive scalable GMV far beyond what your brand channel alone can do.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTikTok ShopAmazonShopifyDiscordDouyinKalodataWispr Flow

Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, where I document my journey scaling an e-commerce brand and share the systems, strategies, and lessons learned in real-time. This episode introduces a scalable meeting cadence designed to improve business operations, outlining various types of effective meetings including weekly 1:1s, leadership huddles, and quarterly strategic planning sessions. Each meeting type has specific objectives and agendas to foster leadership and team alignment, ensuring your business is always moving forward.

Today on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, let's welcome a true expert in the world of social commerce, Michelle Barnum Smith. Michelle is the founder of TTShopSellers and one of the leading voices when it comes to helping e-commerce brands unlock the massive potential of TikTok Shop.With years of marketing experience under her belt and a track record of guiding sellers through the ever-changing world of online retail, Michelle has become a go-to strategist for Ecom sellers looking to diversify their revenue, scale into new channels, and build sustainable growth strategies.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. The evolving role of TikTok Shop in e-commerce and its distinction from traditional marketplaces like Amazon.Strategies for sellers to succeed on TikTok Shop, focusing on content creation and engagement.The importance of treating TikTok Shop as a top-of-funnel, entertainment-first platform rather than a direct sales channel.Common mistakes sellers make when onboarding to TikTok Shop, including listing entire catalogs without focus.Criteria for selecting TikTok-friendly products, including demonstrability, unique features, and impulse-buy price points.The strategic use of TikTok Shop for inventory liquidation and building momentum for products.Listing optimization techniques specific to TikTok Shop, including title and description strategies.Pricing strategies tailored for TikTok Shop, emphasizing impulse buying and promotional tactics.The significance of creator collaboration and effective management in content production for TikTok.Continuous optimization and testing as essential practices for long-term success on TikTok Shop.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Michelle Barnum Smith, founder of TTShopSellers, TikTok Shop Strategist and TikTok Shop Expert. Michelle shares actionable strategies for e-commerce sellers looking to succeed on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of focused product selection, engaging content, and leveraging affiliates. She explains how TikTok Shop differs from traditional marketplaces, offers tips on pricing, merchandising, and listing optimization, and discusses the necessity of continuous content creation and advertising. The episode concludes with personal insights from Michelle and an invitation for listeners to access free audits and further resources.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Focus on 1–3 High-Potential Products Using the Five TikTok FiltersApply the “Five Filters” (demonstrable, unique features, passionate niche, problem-solving, impulse price point) to select only 1–3 hero products per quarter. Building momentum around a few strong listings beats dumping your whole catalog.Commit to High-Volume Content: 5–10 Videos per Week per ListingTikTok Shop success = content volume × consistency. Produce 5–10 short videos per listing each week using a mix of brand content, UGC, affiliates, and in-house creators to maximize hooks and discovery.Create Impulse-Buy Offers with Free Shipping + Flash Sales + CouponsTikTok Shop is driven by urgency and value. Always offer free shipping, run frequent flash sales, and use coupons instead of permanent discounts to maintain your pricing power while boosting conversions.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comKevin KingTikTok ShopAmazonShopifyCreator Search InsightsChatGPTEuka AISoraTTShop Sellers

Ephraim Ausch, Chief Logistics Officer at Tactical Logistic Solutions. With years of hands-on experience helping brands navigate the complexities of Amazon FBA and global supply chains, Ephraim has been instrumental in guiding 7-figure sellers to scale with smarter, more reliable shipping and logistics strategies.At Tactical Logistic Solutions, he oversees everything from freight forwarding and customs clearance to warehousing and FBA prep, ensuring sellers not only get their products where they need to be, but also protect their margins and scale with confidence.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges in e-commerce logistics for Amazon sellers scaling from seven to eight figures.Rising costs associated with Amazon's logistics services and AWS.Navigating tariffs and understanding shipping terms (DDP, FOB, EXW).Impact of increased competition from overseas sellers, particularly from China.Strategies for optimizing logistics to maintain profit margins.Importance of understanding Amazon's evolving inbound shipping policies.The role of third-party logistics (3PL) versus Amazon's own logistics services.The significance of brand storytelling in competing against price-focused overseas sellers.Recommendations for diversifying sales channels beyond Amazon.The necessity of consulting with logistics experts to improve supply chain management.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Ephraim Ausch, Chief Logistics Officer at Tactical Logistics Solutions. They discuss the evolving challenges Amazon sellers face, including rising logistics costs, tariff complexities, and intense competition from overseas sellers. Ephraim shares actionable strategies for optimizing supply chains, navigating shipping terms, and maintaining profit margins. The conversation also covers the importance of brand building, diversification across marketplaces, and leveraging expert consultants. Practical advice and industry insights make this episode essential listening for e-commerce entrepreneurs aiming to scale and stay competitive.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Audit Your DDP Strategy for Potential 10-15% Tariff SavingsWork with a customs consultant to analyze if having your manufacturer ship DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) makes sense for your products. Break down your product components (e.g., plastic handle vs. steel blade) on commercial invoices to potentially reduce duty classifications. This only works if your supplier's margins allow for it and they're willing to be the official shipper.Switch from Placement Fees to 5-Way Splits for Better CoverageStop paying Amazon placement fees and instead do 5-way splits into multiple fulfillment centers. This distributes your inventory across 9-12 locations per split, improving delivery speed to customers nationwide and potentially increasing sales by 4-10%. Use a flat-rate freight service to avoid high trucking costs for partial loads.Build a Supply Chain Buffer SystemAlways maintain backup inventory outside of AWD/FBA - whether in your garage, basement, or a 3PL warehouse. This protects you from Amazon delays, lost shipments, or FC transfer bottlenecks. Running out of stock can permanently damage your listing's ranking, so having a contingency plan is essential for protecting your sales velocity.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazon Global Logistics (AGL)DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)EXW (Ex Works)AWB (Amazon Warehouse and Distribution)FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)Seller CentralSmart ScoutSeller BoardHelium 10PerplexityTraction by Gino WickmanVistageSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaEphraim Ausch 00:00:00  The main question. You start off right now. Should I use AWS or not? Is the main factor. Question is the cost right? AWS is actually increasing the rates as of January 1st for West Coast. Now obviously that's going to push more people to East Coast where it takes longer to get there, but they'll get congested there and then they'll raise the rate in East Coast. And then they raise the rates across the board. I believe that's their model.MC 00:00:29  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business...

Quitting a cushy job at American Airlines to sell recipe cards? Sounds crazy—until you realize it's an eight-figure business. Josh Hadley, host of the podcast Ecomm Breakthrough and founder of Hadley Designs, shares how he and his wife turned a passion for design into a scaling e-commerce brand. From moonlighting in the corporate world to leveraging Amazon arbitrage, Josh breaks down the gritty truths, painful lessons, and hidden strategies that led to explosive growth—without raising a dime in funding. You'll learn: • Why your cash conversion cycle might be killing your growth • The Amazon era is over—where smart CPG brands are moving next • How to scale without giving away your company Listen now and rethink what it really takes to grow a CPG brand that lasts.

Adam Long and Josh Hadley join Mike to explore Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004), the sweeping documentary from Xan Cassavetes about the rise and fall of Los Angeles's most influential pay-TV channel. More than a cable station, Z Channel was a film school beamed into living rooms, programming uncut movies, international cinema, director's cuts, and repertory favorites long before that was standard practice.The conversation digs into the channel's daring programming philosophy, its outsized impact on American film culture, and the obsessive, self-destructive personality of founder Jerry Harvey. The hosts examine how the documentary balances cinephile nostalgia with a clear-eyed look at the personal and institutional costs of that obsession, while also asking what Z Channel's legacy means in today's algorithm-driven media landscape.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

Adam Long and Josh Hadley join Mike to explore Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004), the sweeping documentary from Xan Cassavetes about the rise and fall of Los Angeles's most influential pay-TV channel. More than a cable station, Z Channel was a film school beamed into living rooms, programming uncut movies, international cinema, director's cuts, and repertory favorites long before that was standard practice.The conversation digs into the channel's daring programming philosophy, its outsized impact on American film culture, and the obsessive, self-destructive personality of founder Jerry Harvey. The hosts examine how the documentary balances cinephile nostalgia with a clear-eyed look at the personal and institutional costs of that obsession, while also asking what Z Channel's legacy means in today's algorithm-driven media landscape.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

In this episode, the host interviews Josh Gibson, founder of Sojourn Group Consulting, about strategies for growing e-commerce sales on marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart. Josh shares expert tips on protecting profit margins, optimizing product listings, leveraging Amazon's NARF program for international expansion, and efficiently managing inventory shipments. He discusses the benefits and challenges of expanding to Walmart and other platforms, emphasizes the importance of strong team communication, and recommends trusted industry resources. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for maximizing sales and diversifying channels for long-term growth.Chapters:Introduction to Josh Gibson and Sojourn Group Consulting (00:00:00)Overview of Josh's background, company focus, and personal life.Protecting Margins on Amazon: Categories, Weights, and Inbound Shipments (00:01:15)Importance of tracking product categories, weights, dimensions, and optimizing inbound shipments to protect margins.Challenges of Managing Amazon Shipments and Auditing (00:02:19)Issues with Amazon's inventory reconciliation and the need for ongoing auditing to avoid losses.Prioritizing Marketplace Expansion and Expected Sales Lift (00:03:10)Discussion on which marketplaces to expand to first and typical sales lift percentages.Expanding with Amazon NARF (North America Remote Fulfillment) (00:03:50)How NARF enables easy expansion to Canada and Mexico, and the expected 7% sales lift.Considering Deeper International Expansion (00:04:53)When to consider establishing a physical presence in Canada or Mexico for further growth.Selling on Walmart Marketplace: Opportunities and Challenges (00:04:53)Walmart's marketplace growth, operational challenges, and the shift to Walmart Fulfilled Services.Walmart Advertising and Early-Stage Advantages (00:05:49)Opportunities in Walmart's less competitive ad platform and strategies for early success.Walmart Sales Lift and Rural Market Penetration (00:06:56)Typical 5–10% sales lift on Walmart, with strong performance in rural and Midwest areas.Three Actionable Takeaways for Marketplace Sellers (00:08:49)Maximize success on your primary channel.Fully optimize listings, especially for mobile.Expand to new marketplaces after optimizing the first.Optimizing Amazon Listings for Mobile and Conversion (00:09:48)Detailed tips for optimizing titles, images, videos, and A+ content for better conversion.Expanding to Additional Marketplaces Beyond Amazon and Walmart (00:10:54)Consider Target, eBay, Newegg, Etsy, and Wayfair for incremental revenue after maximizing Amazon and Walmart.Most Influential Book Recommendation (00:12:31)Gary Vee's books and content for building a brand and leveraging social media.Favorite Productivity Tool or Resource (00:15:00)Slack for team communication and the importance of a fast, reliable computer.Most Admired E-commerce Influencers (00:16:14)Recommendations to follow Steven Pope, Bradley from Helium 10, and Kevin King for free, valuable content.Closing Remarks and Appreciation (00:17:26)Harry thanks Josh for sharing actionable insights and expertise.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Sojourn Group Consulting Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) NARF (North American Remote Fulfillment) Walmart Connect Helium 10 Influential People  Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) on LinkedInSteven Pope from My Amazon Guy on LinkedIn Bradley Sutton from Helium 10 on LinkedIn  Kevin King on LinkedIn Events  Sell and Scale Summit Productivity Tool:SlackTranscript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Josh Gibson. over the past 20 years, Josh has been leading sojourn Group consulting, a company with a strong e-commerce focus. Sojourn Group consulting specializes in marketplace sales, and has evolved from being a third party seller into an agency that helps other sellers grow their marketplace presence without having to hire a full team. Their years of experience and team make their bolt on solution very simple for many companies. Outside of work, he is happily married for 15 years and is the father of four children ages eight, six, four and two. That makes him very busy at this stage in his life. He says there's little time for anything except work and family. So welcome to the podcast, Josh.Josh Gibson 00:00:45  Thank you. Thanks for having me.Josh Hadley 00:00:46  Well, with how busy you are with a young and growing family and the business, we're excited to have you share some of your time with us. So thanks again for joining us. What else is there that you know? You're saying that Amazon eats your margin for business lunch and dinner or for breakfast? Lunch and dinner, right? So what else is there that you know, people should be paying attention to? And Amazon specifically for now that, you know, there could be a lot of, you know, marginally going out the business.Josh Gibson 00:01:15  Yeah. I mean, it's important to to track your weights and your gyms and your categories of what products you're selling in because there's some products. Say you're selling a printer. A printer should be in an 8% category, but sometimes they'll slide into a 15% category. So you're losing that that amount of money. You don't see it unless you're tracking tracking it. Or they could dim it out wrong. Say something. They as they went through their Cuba scan, it dimmed out incorrectly. So being able to go in and update and fix those dimensions and then do do file backs on those. also trying to find better, more efficient ways to do inbound shipments. and so there's, there's tools out there that we use that can take like right now we're running a full truckload, for $400, inbound FBA, where that same truckload going, another the route could be 3 to $4000. So it's the more time you do this. And the nice thing about our team is we can sit in a bullpen and go, okay, what are you guys learning? What'd you find out? and trying to take our collective knowledge, plus being able to go to, like, this, scale and sell summit and meet other people that know more things and aggregate this information to become more valuable.Josh Gibson 00:02:19  which, to your point is, if you're an owner operator trying to do this yourself, it becomes complicated because you don't have the resources and the ability to to learn all these things. Yeah. But to your point, it's it's the weight in gems. It is the categories. It is inbound shipments. I'm blanking on a few others, but it's really managing that protection of your bottom line. that's important. And it's also like specifically with inbound shipments is the annoying part is you can get that FBI ID cleared, they can say fully received. And we've seen with some clients ten, 12 months later, they say, actually we're five short. And if you're not going back and reordering those, even though you thought you did a good job auditing it. You can los...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley conducts a live strategy audit with eCommerce brand owner Charlie Mckenzie. They discuss advanced Amazon sales strategies, including keyword optimization, targeted PPC and product targeting ads, and leveraging Google Ads to custom Amazon Store pages for higher conversions. Josh emphasizes the importance of product innovation, catalog expansion, and understanding customer intent. Charlie receives actionable advice on improving ad efficiency, refining product listings, and sourcing new product ideas from platforms like Etsy. The episode offers practical tips for boosting Amazon performance and sustainable brand growth.Chapters:Introduction and Brand Overview (00:00:00)Josh introduces Charlie and outlines the brand's focus on a single main product with size variations.Keyword Research and Organic Ranking (00:01:05)Discussion on keyword research, current rankings, and strategies to move up to top organic positions.Amazon PPC and Product Targeting Ads (00:02:07)Advice on using PPC, especially exact match campaigns and product targeting ads against same-color competitors.Leveraging Google Ads and Storefront Landing Pages (00:03:11)Strategy for using Google Ads to drive traffic to custom Amazon store landing pages to improve conversions.Reducing Competitor Distraction and Conversion Optimization (00:04:41)Importance of removing competitor distractions on landing pages to increase conversion rates from external traffic.Charlie's Takeaways and Action Items (00:05:40)Charlie shares his main takeaways, including storefront creation and renewed focus on product targeting campaigns.Testing and Optimizing Product Targeting (00:06:51)Guidance on setting rules for product targeting ads and turning off underperforming campaigns.Product Innovation and Brand Expansion (00:07:34)Discussion on the importance of ongoing product launches and not relying solely on “home run” products.Marketplace Research and Arbitrage Opportunities (00:09:49)Charlie discusses using marketplace research and arbitrage to identify new product opportunities.Finding Trends Outside Amazon (00:10:48)Advice to look for trending products on other platforms (Etsy, DTC sites) and bring them to Amazon.Keyword Research and Listing Optimization (00:12:06)Charlie emphasizes his focus on keyword analytics and listing optimization for organic ranking.Focusing on Customer Needs in Sales Copy (00:12:53)Advice to highlight the root problem the product solves, not just compare features with competitors.Actionable Strategies Recap (00:13:46)Summary of key strategies: product innovation, customer-focused sales copy, and price testing for profit.Closing Remarks (00:15:47)Final thanks and well wishes as the episode concludes.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Amazon PPC (Pay-Per-Click Advertising) Google Ads Amazon Store Builder Data Dive Podcast Episodes  Tyler Gregg of Ampd on LinkedIn  Transcripts:Josh 00:00:00  Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in ecommerce. Today I'm speaking with Charlie Mckenzie, and we have recorded a live strategy audit session for you today. Charlie, welcome to the podcast. Thank you very much for having me on, Josh. I'm excited to be here. Awesome. At this point with Charlie Charlie's brand, he's got one skew. Well, he's got multiple skews because he's got some size variations in there, but he's got one product that is generating the sales for this brand. One of the first things that we looked at, for your brand, Charlie, was keyword research. And you're doing a great job of implementing the right search terms in your product title. In fact, you're crushing, you know, the competition in terms of the exact match keywords that you've got implemented in your title, and therefore you're actually ranked on the first page for many of those keywords. However, you're not in the top five positions right on most of those keywords.Josh 00:01:05  And so we then went through and discussed. All right. So what are some strategies that we can employ to. You've already got traction. You're obviously indexed for some of these big keywords. How do you move them up into that 1 to 5. You know organic ranking position? One of the things that we talked about was PPC. And Charlie, you know, you've started dipping your toes in the PPC waters. Initially we talked actually a couple of months ago, and you were not running ads on Amazon. And, you know, I told you like, hey, you should definitely start running some ads on Amazon because it is going to impact your organic ranking. You've been dabbling a little bit in that. My recommendation to you from our session was that, you know, create some exact match, keyword campaigns for those keywords that you're trying to rank for number one. But then number two, one of the things that we've found a lot of success with in our business is product targeting ads on Amazon.Josh 00:02:07  And so rather than just throwing it up against because with your particular product, there's there's other competitors that have different design variations, right. And so rather than just saying, hey, mine's beige, I'm going to go advertise on this pink one or this blue one. You the customer that's looking for a pink, product. They have a specific thought in mind. Right. Same thing. If somebody's looking for blue, like there's a reason why they clicked on the blue listing. So when it comes to setting up your product targeting ad campaigns, one of the things I would definitely recommend is only targeting those competitors that have the exact same color that you have, and you're going to get better performance that way. And what Amazon loves to see is if you can steal sales from those competitor listings, you will shoot ahead of them, on the organic ranking side, and that will allow you to increase your ranking a little bit faster there. In addition to that, we talked about some external marketing that you could be using and that is Google Ads.Josh 00:03:11  I know you've tested this in the past, had about a 200% ACOs there, which isn't great, obviously, but we talked about an additional tactic that you could use that could increase that performance because Amazon is definitely rewarding external traffic, right? in my prior one of the prior podcast episodes, we had Tyler Gregg of Amped on the episode, and he shared some fantastic strategies of how to create Google ads and the best way to maximize, you know, the return on investment on those. One of the big takeaways from that episode is that rather than just driving traffic to your current Amazon detail page, it's going to be better to create a store landing page for yourself. But in that store landing page, you recreate almost the exact way that your detail page looks on Amazon, and there's a specific section on the store builder page that allows you to basically recreate that detail page. That's exactly what you're going to want to do. And the beauty of driving that traffic to your store landing page that is literally identical to your detail page, is that you're able to remove all of your competitors because one of the tips, or I guess, one of the statistics that Tyler shared ...

John is the Brand Evangelist at PickFu and Founder and CEO of Aspy, he helps businesses make data-driven decisions to optimize their product listings and marketing strategies on Amazon.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of optimizing main images for Amazon product listingsSignificance of click-through rates (CTR) for Amazon sellersRole of the hero image in attracting potential customersInsights into consumer behavior and preferences when shopping onlineNecessity of data-driven decisions for product listing optimizationContinuous testing and optimization of hero imagesUnderstanding and adhering to Amazon's image guidelinesRisk versus reward in image presentation strategiesTrends in product imagery and innovative visual elementsImportance of clearly communicating value propositions in hero imagesIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews John Aspinall, brand evangelist at Pickfu and CEO of ASPY. They discuss the critical importance of optimizing main images for Amazon product listings to boost click-through rates (CTR). John emphasizes that a compelling hero image is crucial for attracting clicks, likening it to the exterior of a house. He shares insights into consumer behavior, stressing the need for data-driven decisions and continuous testing. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for improving CTR and sales, highlighting the role of visual elements and the impact of tariffs on product costs.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Regularly Test and Optimize Your Main Image: Stay competitive by continuously refining your hero images.Understand the Impact on Conversion Rates and Ad Spend: Your main image directly affects these critical metrics.Leverage AI Tools: Use AI tools to scale testing and experimentation effectively.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough YouTubeeComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comHelium 10Jungle ScoutSmart ScoutAmazonPickFuCanvaGoogle WhiskGoogle EffectsClaudePerplexityDeepSeekGoogle GeminiMr. BeastThe Diary Of A CEOSteven Pope in LinkedInLa Roche-PosayChatGPTSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to ...