Podcast appearances and mentions of Michael Gerber

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Owen Tilbury, founder of Clip Consulting, who shares his entrepreneurial journey from launching a restaurant in Tasmania to selling it for nearly a million dollars before the 2008 financial crisis. Owen emphasizes the importance of systemizing processes, crafting a unique selling proposition (USP), and fostering community engagement. He discusses his pivot from corporate consulting to community development, leading to the Great Regional City Challenge, which has raised over $600,000 for local projects. Owen also highlights the value of celebrating small wins, balancing work-life goals, and preparing for life after selling a business. The conversation explores people management, including the role of honesty, clear performance documentation, and creating job satisfaction through autonomy, goal clarity, and recognition. Insights from his 44 years in business include mentorship, the importance of life goals beyond work, and lessons learned from initiatives like the Men's Table, a support group for men navigating life challenges. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Owen Tilbury believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is finding and managing the right people. He explains that poor hiring choices can severely harm a business, and even well-qualified candidates on paper may not perform as expected. Letting staff go is never easy, but it's sometimes necessary when they aren't a good fit. He highlights the importance of setting clear goals, documenting performance, and being honest during the process. While he also discusses the challenges of systemizing operations, he makes it clear that people management is the toughest part of the growth journey. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Owen Tilbury's favorite business book that helped him the most is The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. He credits it with fundamentally shifting his mindset about entrepreneurship, particularly the importance of systemizing a business rather than relying solely on personal effort. The book helped him move beyond the "myth" of the natural entrepreneur and focus on building scalable systems that could operate without him, which became a key factor in the long-term success and eventual sale of his consulting business. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Owen Tilbury didn't specifically mention any particular podcasts or online learning resources by name in the interview. However, he emphasized the value of lived experience over theory, suggesting that small business owners should learn directly from others who have actually built businesses. He praised initiatives like the Grow a Small Business podcast itself for featuring real-world stories and practical insights, rather than purely academic advice. His approach to learning leans toward practical, experience-based sharing, community engagement, and learning by doing rather than relying heavily on formal online resources. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Owen Tilbury recommends systemization as the most powerful tool to grow a small business. He highlights the importance of creating structured processes that allow the business to operate smoothly without relying solely on the owner. Specifically, he developed a systemized consulting framework called the Profit and Growth Process, which included custom software, manuals, surveys, and templates to streamline business planning and improvement. This approach not only enhanced consistency and scalability but also made his business valuable enough to sell for 15× EBITDA. For Owen, systemizing operations is the key resource every small business should invest in. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Owen Tilbury's advice to himself on day one of starting out in business would be to focus early on systemizing everything and to build the business around the life you want—not the other way around. He emphasizes that business should serve your life goals, not consume them. He also suggests being clear on what success looks like personally, not just financially, and to celebrate small wins along the way. Most importantly, he would remind himself to create a product or service with a clear competitive advantage (USP) and to not be afraid of failing small while learning fast. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Business should serve your life, not become your life — Owen Tilbury You don't need permission to make your community better — just start — Owen Tilbury Celebrate early and often—small wins build great journeys — Owen Tilbury      

Why do most corporate presentations suck?

In this episode, David DeCelle, CEO of ModelFA, sits down with Matthew Awai of Advisor Tech Partners to explore how financial advisors can streamline operations, automate tasks, and reclaim valuable time in their business. Matthew shares his journey from working at a broker-dealer to co-founding Advisor Tech Partners, and dives into real-world automation examples that are saving firms up to 10 hours per week—just in scheduling. Whether you're a solo advisor or part of an enterprise team, this conversation offers insights into tools like Zapier, Wealthbox, and AI agents that can modernize your firm's workflows.    

"We entrepreneurs, we want to be successful. We want to be our own boss, chart our own course. The brutal reality of most small business owners lives, they feel like a slave to business." Howard Partridge weet als geen ander hoe het voelt om gevangen te zitten in je eigen bedrijf. In deze aflevering deelt hij zijn krachtige verhaal van transformatie en de exacte stappen die elke ondernemer kan nemen om van chaos naar controle te gaan.In deze aflevering is Howard Partridge te gast, business coach, bestselling auteur en oprichter van Phenomenal Products. Howard groeide op in armoede met zeven kinderen in een 56 vierkante meter groot huis in Alabama. Met slechts 25 cent op zak in Houston begon hij zijn eerste bedrijf vanuit de kofferbak van zijn auto. Na 13 jaar van dag en nacht werken ontdekte hij door Michael Gerber's The E-Myth de kracht van systemen en transformeerde zijn bedrijf tot een miljoenenonderneming die vandaag, 40 jaar later, nog steeds draait zonder zijn aanwezigheid.Als exclusieve small business coach voor de Zig Ziglar Corporation en eerste gecertificeerde trainer van zowel John Maxwell als Donald Miller, helpt Howard ondernemers wereldwijd om van hun bedrijf een voertuig te maken voor hun levensdoelen.Belangrijkste onderwerpenWaarom de meeste ondernemers zich als slaaf van hun bedrijf voelen en hoe dit te doorbrekenHet verschil tussen technici en echte ondernemers volgens Michael GerberFTI (Failure to Implement): de nummer één reden waarom bedrijven niet groeienHet gevaar van 'bright shiny object syndrome' en hoe emotie ons van focus afhoudtDe kracht van systemen en waarom leiderschap het tweede belangrijkste element isHet bouwen van een 'phenomenal dream team' en het belang van de juiste mensenWaarom visie zonder geloof niet werkt en hoe coaching perspectief geeftMichael Jordan's geheim: altijd present blijven in plaats van aan het verleden of de toekomst denkenDe Daily Time Capsule-methode: hoe je elke dag werkt aan je belangrijkste projectenHet verschil tussen balans en counterbalancing volgens Gary Keller's The ONE ThingWaarom schuldgevoel over vrije tijd contraproductief is en hoe vrijheid meer waarde creëertHet belang van studie en training: "I trained so much that the game is easy"Relevante links en bronnenWebsite Howard Partridge: howardpartridge.comBoek: FTI: Failure to Implement van Howard PartridgeBoek: Think and Be Phenomenal van Howard PartridgeBoek: The E-Myth van Michael GerberBoek: The ONE Thing van Gary KellerOntdek de nieuwe spelregels van kopen in het digitale tijdperkWil je weten waarom traditionele sales- en marketingstrategieën niet meer werken en hoe je jouw bedrijf kunt voorbereiden op het Zero Moment of Truth-tijdperk? In de gratis online workshop "De nieuwe spelregels van kopen" van ons zusterbedrijf Buzzlytics leer je hoe de moderne klantreis is veranderd en welke strategieën wél resultaat opleveren in 2025.Meld je nu aan voor de eerstvolgende workshop en ontdek hoe je van je website je beste verkoper maakt. Ga naar form.buzzlytics.nl/de-nieuwe-spelregels en reserveer je plek voordat je concurrent het doet!

In this fourth installment of the five-part "Scale Milestones" series, Bradley explores the critical importance of leverage in business through executive assistants and AI tools. He emphasizes how business owners can "buy back their time" to focus on high-value activities that truly grow their businesses.The Three Dimensions of Business OwnershipBradley references Michael Gerber's "The E-Myth" and expands on the concept with three dimensions:In the business - Day-to-day operationsOn the business - Strategic planning and developmentAbove the business - Higher-level perspective and visionExecutive Assistants: From Luxury to NecessityBradley's Core Philosophy:"If you don't have an EA, you are one and you didn't start your business to be an EA."Recommended Resources"Buy Back Your Time" by Dan Martell - Bradley's top 5 most recommended books"The E-Myth" by Michael Gerber - Referenced as inspiration for the podcast nameVarious AI tools and subscriptions (Bradley stays current with cutting-edge options)Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we're just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we've got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Oz Merchant is a leader and coach in the fields of sales and customer success for B2B SaaS and ecommerce companies. Oz is passionate about helping businesses grow and thrive. He is the former VP of Sales, Success, and Support at Viably. Currently he is the founder and CEO of Ecom Sellers HQ, a platform that could help you to start or scale your ecommerce business with the best software tools, service providers, and funding options.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Current challenges of margin compression in e-commerce, particularly on Amazon.Strategies for navigating cash flow challenges in the evolving e-commerce landscape.The importance of adopting an omnichannel approach for e-commerce brands.Insights on the transition from Viably to E-commerce Sellers HQ and its impact on sellers.The significance of understanding FBA fees and optimizing supply chain operations.The necessity of financial acumen and establishing clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).The disconnect between perception and reality in business performance metrics.Managing overhead expenses and identifying major expense buckets for e-commerce businesses.The implications of seeking external funding and understanding cash flow dynamics.The role of technology and automation in the future of e-commerce.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Oz Merchant, founder and CEO of E-commerce Sellers HQ. The discussion centers on the pressing challenges faced by e-commerce brands, particularly those selling on Amazon. Key topics include margin compression, cash flow management, and the importance of an omnichannel approach. Oz shares his transition from Viably to E-commerce Sellers HQ, emphasizing the need for financial acumen and strategic cost management. The episode also explores the future of e-commerce, highlighting the potential impact of AI and automation. This insightful conversation offers valuable strategies for scaling e-commerce businesses to eight figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Optimize Profitability to Combat Margin CompressionRegularly audit your Total Advertising Cost of Sale (TACoS) and aim for 15% or lower.Negotiate with suppliers for better pricing on bulk orders to lower Cost of Goods Sold (COGS).Monitor FBA fees and optimize packaging to reduce unnecessary costs.Prioritize Financial and Operational EfficiencyConduct regular overhead expense audits to eliminate wasteful spending.Streamline operations using automation tools to reduce manual workload and improve efficiency.Set clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track financial health and operational performance.Leverage Technology and Community for GrowthInvest in AI-driven tools for inventory management, customer service, and marketing automation.Engage in e-commerce communities, networking events, and industry conferences to stay ahead of trends.Follow industry leaders for insights on best practices and evolving e-commerce strategies.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comE-commerce Sellers HQAWP (Amazon Warehouse Program)Hello ProfitSeller BoardGorilla ROIAmazon FBA Fee ReimbursementAmazonWalmartShopifyTikTokChatGPTLeadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger InstituteSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today I'm speaking with Oz Merchant, and we are going to be talking about how to prevent the margin compression happening right now on Amazon, navigating cash flow challenges, and the mindset that you need to have to win in e-commerce in 2025. This episode is brought t...

Are you working IN your business or ON your business?

Towne Crier hosts monthly dance night Rhoda Averbach hires a roadie to lug three bulky speakers so she can present Latin Dance Nite at the Towne Crier Cafe every month. But her sparse DJ rig consists of a laptop. "Other DJs use all that stuff to look impressive; that gear really isn't necessary," she says segueing seamlessly between salsa, rumba, merengue, bachata, cha cha, reggaeton "y mas," according to one of her flyers. Beyond the laptop, Latin night unfolds in analog. Dancers peruse notebooks filled with lists of song titles, write down their selections on a slip of paper and hand them to Olive Jones, who sits next to Averbach onstage. The two, who both live in Beacon, also host Funky Dance Night at the Elks Club on the first Saturday of each month, with numbers from the disco era. One slogan is, "If the music is good … dance." Averbach has a fine ear for music and knows how to get the dance floor bumping. A trained composer who melded jazz and classical, she worked with David Liebman and Michael Gerber to record several CDs and tour the country. She became enamored with Latin music after realizing that it "gives people pleasure, and I like to see them happy." Reading the room is an essential skill. "For me, it's about the music. If a song doesn't take off, I'll fade it out within 30 seconds and move on to something else," she says. "You can't go wrong with Marc Anthony." Fast songs featuring hypnotic bass lines populate the floor. Latin dancing is akin to ballroom styles but offers more fluidity and room to improvise. As the repetitive music pulses through the room, bodies spin like tops, feet keep shuffling and hands are clasped over heads and behind backs. When the first notes of the 2004 reggaeton hit "Gasolina," by Daddy Yankee, spilled from the speakers, people popped from their seats. One couple picked a spot in front of the kitchen door and almost caused a collision, but the waitstaff acclimated. The music - and the scene - draws people from all over the Hudson Valley. There are similar events in New Rochelle and Middletown, and many of the dancers knew each other from Nyack. Sitting with a group of friends she met across the river, Joanne Williams, who lives in Poughkeepsie, slipped in and out of her padded high-heel dance shoes, which help keep a dancer's center of gravity leaning forward. "I've met a lot of people through Latin dancing," she says. "It's a nice community." For self-proclaimed salsa addict Lisa Rodriguez, who lives in Bloomingburg, "the music is contagious and there aren't many places to dance in the area." Mastering the steps is all about counting, she says: Salsa is 1-2-3 / 5-6-7 (out of eight) and bachata is straight 1-2-3-4. "I like playing sports, so it's good exercise that gets your dopamine going," Rodriguez says. "I enjoy the challenge of following the cues as the man leads. To do it well, you can't think too much - you have to go with the flow." The Towne Crier is located at 379 Main St. in Beacon. The May 29 dance is sold out, although tickets may be available at the door (call 845-855-1300). The next event is scheduled for June 26; see dub.sh/latin-dance-june. Tickets are $11.

What if your greatest business challenge could become your launchpad into thought leadership? Today, Bill Sherman sits down with Aaron Marcum, visionary behind Breakaway 365 and bestselling author of EntreThrive, to explore how a journey from entrepreneur to industry thought leader unfolds—often unintentionally. Aaron shares how his frustration with data gaps in the home care space led to the founding of a data analytics company and, unexpectedly, a national reputation as a thought leader. Along the way, he leveraged the insights of thinkers like Brian Tracy and Michael Gerber, and later deepened his impact through a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology under the guidance of Dr. Martin Seligman. Aaron breaks down how storytelling with data shifted his role from CEO to an in-demand industry voice, fueling brand growth, product evolution, and ultimately, a lucrative exit. But he didn't stop there. With EntreThrive, he's now equipping entrepreneurs to beat burnout, overcome inertia, and find lasting fulfillment. Whether he's on stage, coaching leaders, or writing his next big idea, Aaron exemplifies how thought leadership evolves with intention and legacy in mind. He doesn't just teach frameworks—he lives them. And his mission? To empower other coaches and entrepreneurs to do the same, with impact that extends beyond business and into family, travel, and values. Three Key Takeaways: • Thought Leadership Can Be Accidental—But It Shouldn't Stay That Way: Aaron began as a consumer of thought leadership, applying insights from Brian Tracy and Michael Gerber to his business. Over time, he evolved into a recognized voice in the home care industry by solving real problems with data, eventually becoming an intentional and strategic thought leader. • Data + Storytelling = Impact: His ability to interpret data and turn it into actionable insights transformed his brand visibility, customer engagement, and exit valuation. By controlling the narrative through thought leadership, he elevated his company's reputation and market value. • Purpose Drives the Next Chapter: After exiting two companies, Aaron continues to lead with purpose—not for profit, but for impact. Through EntreThrive and Breakaway 365, he's focused on coaching entrepreneurs to overcome burnout and thrive, combining positive psychology, personal experience, and a calling to serve others. If you're exploring how thought leadership can evolve from personal insight to organizational strategy, this episode offers complementary perspectives. In Discovering Thought Leadership, Mark Smith shares his journey from HR research to establishing a formal thought leadership role at SHRM, navigating internal structures to align research with actionable business goals.

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In this episode of The Entrepreneur Gene, host Laurie Barkman sits down with Nick Hutchison, CEO and Founder of BookThinkers. They discuss Nick's entrepreneurial journey, how books changed his life, and his rebellious nature that drove him to create successful businesses. Nick shares key decisions and challenges in scaling BookThinkers, emphasizing the importance of systems and strategic growth. The conversation also touches upon personal anecdotes, Nick's passion for endurance sports, and his excitement about becoming a father. Listeners gain insights into leveraging books for personal growth and the importance of creating structured business systems.   Takeaways: Delve into books that other successful entrepreneurs recommend to gain knowledge and different perspectives. Consider books like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki, "The E-Myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber, and "Traction" by Gino Wickman. Focus on making small, incremental improvements over time. Break your long-term goals into manageable quarters or small steps progress steadily. Invest in systematizing your business processes. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and centralized systems can help scale operations efficiently. Consider hiring consultants or coaches who can provide expertise in specific areas, such as backend infrastructure, to streamline your business operations. Ensure your team is aligned with the new systems and processes. Change management is critical, and getting buy-in from your team is essential. Networking is powerful. Engage with people, attend events, and build relationships that can support your business growth.   Quote of the Show: “I genuinely believe at my core and in my bones that the right book at the right time can permanently change somebody's life.” - Nick Hutchison Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookthinkers/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bookthinkers/  Website: https://bookthinkers.com/   

I've known Jon Sanders for several years now, and he's a pretty amazing guy.  Some people give the advice of only focusing on one thing at a time, but there are a rare few folks who thrive and excel doing multiple things at a time. Multipreneurs? Multipotentialites? Jack of all trades and master of many? Whatever you want to call them, Jon is one.   EntrePastors- https://www.entrepastors.com/ 605 Blinds- https://www.605blinds.com/ Dakota Small Jobs- https://dakotasmalljobs.com/    Things mentioned in the show: Membership Freedom- https://ruggeddad.krtra.com/t/GJ8IyjicS5a4 Wealth of Connection by Vincent Pugliese- https://amzn.to/3YhL3gH  E-Myth by Michael Gerber- https://amzn.to/4jcEe8b  Profit First by Mike Michalowicz- https://amzn.to/4cchG5c  Acquisitional Wealth by Josh Tolley- https://amzn.to/4cfT77l  Main Street Millionaire by Codie Sanchez- https://amzn.to/42d8Xej    --- Check out the sweet Hyper X mic I'm using. https://amzn.to/41AF4px    Check out Dr. Dave's Streams of Income at: www.drdavidpowers.com   www.instagram.com/drdavidpowers  www.youtube.com/@streamsofincomebydrdave  --- Join the Streams of Income community at www.facebook.com/groups/streamsofincomedream  --- Check out Passive Income Engines to find your own Streams of Income at www.SelfCoachYourself.com --- Check out my best-selling books: Rapid Skill Development 101- https://amzn.to/3J0oDJ0 Streams of Income with Ryan Reger- https://amzn.to/3SDhDHg Strangest Secret Challenge- https://amzn.to/3xiJmVO --- This page contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy one of the products on this page, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you!) This doesn't affect our opinions or our reviews. Everything we do is to benefit you as the reader, so all of our reviews are as honest and unbiased as possible. --- #passiveincome #sidehustle #cryptocurrency #richlife

Jessica Seib worked at Buzzfeed for 5 years and with Rolling Stones for a year and a half, Jessica is definitely an expert when it comes to connecting the audience with the brand, and the role that affiliate marketing plays in reaching out to your intended market.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Future of affiliate marketing in e-commerceStrategies for brands to engage effectively with publishersImportance of agency partnerships in affiliate marketingNavigating relationships with publishers and overcoming competitionPerformance metrics and benchmarks for affiliate marketing successRecommended agencies for affiliate marketing supportBlending direct-to-consumer (DTC) and Amazon strategiesImportance of personalized outreach and tailored communicationLeveraging micro-influencers and niche creators for brand visibilityContinuous testing and adaptation of marketing strategiesIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Jessica Seib, a seasoned publishing and brand consultant with extensive experience in affiliate marketing, particularly for Amazon-focused brands. The discussion delves into the future of affiliate marketing in e-commerce, highlighting strategies for brands to effectively engage with publishers and the importance of agency partnerships. Jessica shares insights from her career at BuzzFeed and Rolling Stone, emphasizing the need for a cohesive strategy, leveraging both DTC and Amazon channels, and the value of personalized outreach. This episode offers actionable advice for scaling e-commerce businesses to eight figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Leverage Agencies to Enhance ReachPartner with affiliate marketing agencies or performance PR agencies with strong media relationships. These agencies can help brands cut through the noise, secure prominent placements, and amplify visibility.Action Step: Research niche-specific agencies like Levanta or Archer Affiliates and schedule consultations to align strategies with their expertise.2. Personalize and Strengthen Publisher RelationshipsTailor pitches to publishers by understanding their audience and focus. Providing product samples and personalized outreach can create stronger connections and increase your chances of being featured.Action Step: Develop customized product briefs and prepare sample kits to share with targeted publishers.3. Adopt a Dual Amazon-DTC StrategyBlend Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) efforts with Amazon strategies to capture a broader audience and gain deeper consumer insights. This dual approach maximizes reach while allowing brands to fine-tune their offerings based on channel-specific performance metrics.Action Step: Use analytics tools like Comscore to measure the effectiveness of both channels and optimize campaigns accordingly.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comLevantaArcher AffiliatesDreamday on LinkedInJLS PR on LinkedInBlossom PMComscore on LinkedInImpactTikTok ShopDark Matter by Blake Crouch on AmazonChatGPTSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Stephen Pope from My Amazon Guide. Today, I am speaking with Jessica Seib. She is a publishing and brand consultant, a...

Increase Profit and Cash Flow with Paul Maskill   Are you a business owner looking to scale your operations without drowning in the chaos of daily management? Paul Maskill, a seasoned entrepreneur and financial expert, joins us on The Profit Answer Man podcast to reveal how systematizing your business can lead to sustainable growth and financial freedom. With years of experience in owning and selling service-based businesses, Paul now serves as an outsourced CFO, helping blue-collar businesses create predictable, positive cash flow. If you're tired of feeling like your business owns you instead of the other way around, this episode is for you. Learn how to shift from technician to leader, attract the right talent, and implement the financial systems necessary for lasting success.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: Why systems and processes are critical for freeing up your time and scaling your business efficiently. How treating employee recruitment like customer acquisition solves staffing challenges. Why most business owners struggle with cash flow management—and how to fix it. How Paul transitioned from corporate finance to building, scaling, and selling multiple businesses. The biggest financial mistakes business owners make and how to avoid them.   Key Takeaways:  You Must Systematize Your Business to Scale. Paul emphasizes that many business owners get trapped in the "technician mindset" (a concept from The E-Myth by Michael Gerber). Instead of focusing on high-level strategy, they're consumed by daily operations. The solution? Implementing repeatable systems and processes. Recruiting Should Be a Constant Process. One of the biggest challenges business owners face is finding good employees. Paul flips the script and treats recruiting like business development. Cash Flow is King—Understand Your Numbers. Paul explains that many business owners don't truly understand their financials. They mistake revenue for profit and fail to manage their cash flow effectively. The Power of Fractional CFOs for Small Businesses. Most small businesses can't afford a full-time CFO, but they still need financial strategy and oversight. That's where fractional CFOs like Paul come in.   About Paul Maskill: Paul Maskill is an entrepreneur, financial strategist, and the founder of Blue Collar Business Advisors. After leaving corporate finance in 2010, he built and sold multiple service-based businesses, including an electrical service company that scaled by over 500% in three years. Now, he helps blue-collar business owners increase profitability, improve cash flow, and create businesses that don't depend on them.   Conclusion: Scaling a business doesn't mean working harder—it means working smarter. By implementing systems, hiring strategically, and managing cash flow effectively, you can create a thriving business that runs without you. Paul Maskill's insights are a game-changer for business owners who want to break free from the daily grind and achieve financial freedom.   Links: Email: paul@thebluecollaradvisors.com Website: thebluecollaradvisors.com LinkedIn: LinkedIn/paulmaskill   Instagram: @paul_maskill   BusinessFreedomFormula   Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs. #profitfirst

Who is Len?Len Bruskiewitz is a seasoned advisor specializing in strategic exit planning for small to mid-sized business owners. With a focus on businesses generating between $1 million and $15 million in revenue, Len understands the critical importance of having a written exit plan. He is passionate about helping entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of succession planning, especially given that approximately 60% of business owners lack a formal plan. Len emphasizes the necessity of being proactive, as waiting until a traumatic event or a sudden desire to exit can often be too late. Through his expertise, he guides his clients to ensure a smooth and profitable transition when they decide to leave their businesses.Key Takeaways00:00 Founders can't scale businesses without delegating decisions.05:00 Failure to document and lack of guidance.09:04 Evaluates current business value and improvement areas.11:19 Found "why" through "The E Myth Revisited."15:53 Dependence on one entity risks business stability.17:30 Daily practices essential for business innovation, diversification.20:43 Subscribe for guest updates and podcast replays._________________________________________________________________________________________________Subscribe to our newsletter and get details of when we are doing these interviews live at https://TCA.fyi/newsletterFind out more about being a guest at : link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/beaguestSubscribe to the podcast at https://link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/podcastHelp us get this podcast in front of as many people as possible. Leave a nice five-star review at apple podcasts : https://link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/apple-podcasts and on YouTube : https://link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/Itsnotrocketscienceatyt!Here's how you can bring your business to THE next level:If you are a business owner currently turning over £/$10K - £/$50K per month and want to grow to £/$100K - £/$500k per month download my free resource on everything you need to grow your business on a single page :It's a detailed breakdown of how you can grow your business to 7-figures in a smart and sustainable way————————————————————————————————————————————-TranscriptNote, this was transcribed using a transcription software and may not reflect the exact words used in the podcast)SUMMARY KEYWORDSBusiness coach, certified exit planning adviser, business owners, exit plan, business life, retirement, traumatic event, crisis, business challenge, independence, salable company, scaling, founder, decision-making, documentation, systems, automation, business valuation, free advice, business valuation calculator, industry, revenue, profits, readiness, business innovation, Michael Gerber, The E Myth Revisited, recurring revenue, customer base, business buyer, business value, strategic buyer.SPEAKERSLen Bruskiewitz, Stuart WebbStuart Webb [00:00:31]:Hi, and welcome back to It's Not Rocket Science, 5 questions over coffee. Delighted this afternoon to be joined by Len, Len Bruskewitz. I'm gonna get that wrong. Aren't I, Len? But, thatLen Bruskiewitz [00:00:43]:was a good That was a pretty good run. Pretty good run at it.Stuart Webb [00:00:48]:Len is a business coach, and he's a certified exit planning adviser. That's a conversation I'm really interested in having because so many business owners don't think about their exit nearly early enough in their business life. You start a business and then you suddenly realize, there's a crisis in life or there's a time to think about retirement. And then you ask the question, well, how long is it gonna take you to get out of this business? It's nearly always longer than you think. You need to start thinking about this much earlier in your business life.Len Bruskiewitz [00:01:15]:So I think this is going to be a really excellent conversation. And I'm really delighted thatStuart Webb [00:01:15]:Len has made a few minutes in his day to join us to have this discussion. So welcome to It's Not Rocket Science 5 Questions Over Coffee, Len.Len Bruskiewitz [00:01:29]:Great. Thank you, Stuart. I'm I'm, I'm really happy to be here and and, looking forward to sharing some information with, with your viewers and listeners.Stuart Webb [00:01:38]:So I may have sort of cited, already to sort of tee you up on who the person is that you help, but let's just let's just let's just fully understand exactly sort of what the business owner is that you help, how you how you sort of how they should be identifying themselves.Len Bruskiewitz [00:01:55]:Yeah. You you absolutely hit it. You know, if if I think about who my ideal client is, it's a business owner, probably 1 to $15,000,000 in revenue. And the the challenge that they're facing is what you hit upon. About 60% of business owners don't have any kind of written exit plan. And that's a big challenge because as you said, once a traumatic event happens, you know, a death, divorce, disability, it's too late. And it's also too late when you say, I wanna be out of this business in a year. Right? That's it's too late.Len Bruskiewitz [00:02:36]:You need you need some time. Right? And and so that's the biggest challenge I see. Right? But if you think about when when I start working with a client, the biggest challenge that that I have is helping them get independence from their business. Right? You know, if it's the case where every decision runs through them, everything to run the businesses up in their head, nobody else can can do anything, that ends up leading to a company that's worth next to nothing, unfortunately. So that's, yeah, that's the biggest challenge. Once I start working with somebody is to get them to back away, from the day to day and and, you know, let make the company salable.Stuart Webb [00:03:22]:Yes. Interesting interesting line. You've you've used a couple of real key terms because I deal with businesses who are sort of really scaling, and they have the same image. You have the same problems. You know? You have a founder who's there making every decision, and you cannot scale a business if the only person in the business that can make a decision is the founder. And when they go on holiday, they don't make a decision. In fact, so many of them don't even bother to go on holiday because they know it's a problem. So you've just started me into the sort of the second bit of this discussion, which is, so what are the things they've tried to do themselves before they sort of suddenly come across somebody like you that sort of changes all of that?Len Bruskiewitz [00:04:01]:Yeah. I think I think there are a couple things they they think they do or or, make an effort at.Stuart Webb [00:04:07]:Up, please.Len Bruskiewitz [00:04:09]:One of the first ones is they think they've communicated well, to their family, to their employees, and in in in essence, they haven't. Right? I'll I'll just use an example of some data around succession. Right? So the idea of of a older generation with the idea to pass along the business to a younger generation. Data says about 50% of the older generation think that the younger generation is going to take over. In reality, that only happens about 25% of the time. So you've got a big gap there. And what does that do to? It's because the 2 parties haven't communicated well enough and it's the same to employees. Right? Am I going to sell this business? Am I going to sell it to you, the employees or the management? So communication is definitely one of the biggest things that they do.Len Bruskiewitz [00:05:00]:The other is just waiting too long. You've hinted at it before. You know, they know they need to document everything that's going on in their business, but, you know, it's just easier because I know it in my head, I, you know, I'll just do it and then something happens and and it's really a a can be a pretty traumatic experience. The final thing is that, they try things but they don't have any kind of sounding board. Right? Running a business is pretty lonely, and, they just don't have the the background and what it takes to get to get a business ready because for most business owners, this is their one and only time that they are transitioning out of a business. So they just don't know what they need to do and they're, you know, there shouldn't steps you need to take. And so that's a big piece of what they think they've tried but haven't really done all that well.Stuart Webb [00:05:53]:Then you you hit about something very interesting there, which is documentation. And and once again, in my work, I spend an awful lot of my time working with people with documentation and systems to automate things largely because once again, it makes a business scalable, but it also ensures these businesses don't run into those repeated errors, which so often the full cause business valuations to crash. But but I read, and I I don't know whether or not this is your experience, but a business is is often 2 to 3 times more valuable if it's just got simple documentation which tells other people how to run the business so that somebody else can step in and start running it fairly immediately. And I don't have to go through the pain of trying to work out how on earth everything works around here.Len Bruskiewitz [00:06:36]:I completely agree with that data. And if you think about the the things if you if you think about the other side, what what absolutely crushes the value of a company? It's that lack of independence, lack of documentation, and bad accounting. Right? Those three things, are are the killers. But but I agree with you. Documentation feels like such an important thing for many reasons. You know, exit aside, just making the business run better, but but there isn't that rigor. I think it's always a, I mean to do this, but the status quo is just easier to, to maintain.Stuart Webb [00:07:16]:And it's it's true, isn't it, that you, you know, you find yourself fighting fires everywhere. And and then when somebody turns around and says, we should write down what happens is, well, we're never gonna get into that problem again, so why should we? So, you know, it becomes just one of those self fulfilling prophecies, doesn't it?Len Bruskiewitz [00:07:33]:It absolutely does. So, you know, this is a I think this is a human problem. Right? I I mean, everybody deals with this in their personal life, in their business life. It's hard to take the time even though, you know, the data will tell you that 5 minutes here is going to save you, you know, 50 minutes down the road or 500 minutes, whatever the multiple is.Stuart Webb [00:07:56]:Brilliant. Brilliant. Len, now this is where we get to the the really valuable thing for people who are watching or listening or, coming back to this recording, and that is I think you have got a very valuable piece of free advice that you can you can have. And I I think I've put on screen here the place where to you go in order to to get that piece of free advice. It's greater heights coaching dot com. That's greater heights coaching dot com. That that'll be in the notes. But tell us, what will we find at greater heights coaching dot com?Len Bruskiewitz [00:08:27]:Well, that's my personal website. So you'll find a fair bit of information about the exit planning process, about some of the options that are out there for people. But what I process, about some of the options that are out there for people. But what I really like everybody to check out is I've got a free business valuation calculator. There's a link up at the top right of the site. It takes about 15 minutes and what it does is gives you a basic idea of what your business is worth today. That's based on your industry, your location, your revenue and your profits today. And then it asks you a set of questions that really get to how ready is your business.Len Bruskiewitz [00:09:04]:And so what it does is it comes out with a valuation of what your business is worth today. And then based on your answers to those kind of readiness questions, it gives you an idea of how much more value is missing, and the basic areas that you need to work on in order to, you know, to close that gap between what your business is worth today and what it really could be. So it's a, you know, it's not gonna answer every question for you. But in 15 minutes, it gives you a pretty good feel for what the areas are that you could really improve upon to increase the value, should you cut to that point where you wanna turn around and sell your business down the road.Stuart Webb [00:09:45]:Great great piece of, great piece of of work, and I sincerely hope people go and take advantage of it because, you know, knowing the first step to knowing where you have to go is having some sort of map. And, a simple document like that, which just points out where things are missing, is the first step to a really good map.Len Bruskiewitz [00:10:04]:Yeah. And it's simple. Like I said, it's this isn't a this isn't a a challenging thing. It's 15 minutes, and you get some really great, really great feedback there.Stuart Webb [00:10:15]:Brilliant. So, Len, what what what was it in your in your in your past history? What was it that sort of brought you to this? Was there a particular experience or a program, a book, which sort of started you thinking about how do businesses or business owners exit from their business as well?Len Bruskiewitz [00:10:33]:Yeah. I think I I'm gonna bring up 2 points, not to cheat on the question here. The the first was an experience. I started out doing kind of generic business coaching. Right? I was helping small business owners. And one of my first clients was a 72 year old woman who had run her business with her husband for over 50 years. And, he unfortunately passed away. And as much as she was involved in the business, she really didn't have a good feel for what was going to happen to it.Len Bruskiewitz [00:11:01]:You know? She's 72. She said, hey. I need a plan here. So, when we first started talking, she said, Len, I can't sleep at night because I don't know what's going to happen to my business. We sat down. We worked through options. We came up with a plan. She's implementing that plan now, and she said, Len, I can sleep at night now.Len Bruskiewitz [00:11:19]:So to me, that was a huge, you know, kind of I think I found my why. So that was the first event. And then the the piece of of literature around that was a book by by Michael Gerber called The E Myth Revisited, which I think is just an unbelievable way. He he does a great job of laying out why most businesses aren't successful, and the hint is we've already talked about it. The the business owner is too much in the business, in the weeds of running everything and not stepping back and looking at the big picture. But to me, that book is really excellent at laying out the things that, you know, that a business owner needs to do. And that's really, you know, keep innovating, document everything. Have we talked about that before? And really understand what your metrics and business drivers are.Len Bruskiewitz [00:12:18]:Those are kind of the 3 key pieces to take you from, you know, a a single business to something that can scale.Stuart Webb [00:12:27]:I love it. Okay. We've had a really interesting discussion, but I I sense there is a question that you think I should have asked, which I haven't asked yet. This is my get away from the get away from it and not do too much work on these things, questions. So then there's a there's a question that you're thinking I should have asked by now. So come on. Tell me, what is the question you want me to ask? And then, obviously, you know the answer to the question that you've just posed.Len Bruskiewitz [00:12:53]:Yeah. I think a lot of people who are who are, watching this, listening to it are saying, well, how does the business get valued? So I think that's the question I would like you to ask me and and let me take a run at it. So this is really you know, it it's a bit of a loaded question because businesses are valued depending on a number of factors. So one of the factors is, you know, ultimately who the buyer is. So there are buyers that are going to ultimately pay less for a business that might be your children, right, or your employees. Or it may be somebody who just wants to kinda run come in and run the business. They're they're gonna probably pay a little bit higher. The highest, value payers are those who this business is strategic to them.Len Bruskiewitz [00:13:39]:So they can take what you're doing and leverage it with what they're doing. Right? Maybe it's an opportunity for them to sell additional things, your product to their customers or their product to your customers, whatever. So that usually yields the highest value. So so that's a big it depends answer on who the buyer is. But I wanna go one level below that and say, how is value driven regardless of who they are.Stuart Webb [00:14:03]:Great question. Great question.Len Bruskiewitz [00:14:05]:Yeah. And so this is this is one that I think will surprise some people. Only about 20% of the value of a company is are the things that you can see externally. So what's the status of the market? What's the company's kind of position within that market? Only about 20% of the value is driven that way. Fully 80% of the value of a company is driven by what are called the intangibles. Right? And these are we I I think about this in 4 big categories. Right? So we call them the 4 c's. They're different kinds of capital.Len Bruskiewitz [00:14:41]:The first one is the structural capital. So are your processes documented? Do you have metrics in place that you understand? Right? So those that's one big piece. And again, that's that translates really well to somebody else who wants to buy the business. The second one is the customer capital. So do you have recurring revenue? Is all of your revenue dependent on 1 or 2 customers? That's a huge risk if it is. Right? So how dependable is your future revenue? How dispersed is it amongst different customers? That's customer capital. The third one is social. This is really what's the culture of your company.Len Bruskiewitz [00:15:20]:Is there owner independence or not? Right? And the final one is the human capital. So do you have a great team? Is there some know how within your company that nobody else has? That again, if you do, that's a huge value adder. If you don't, that doesn't add a ton of value. So I think about those those intangible things that are built into your company that are only visible from the inside, really. And that's what drives the vast majority of the the value in a business.Stuart Webb [00:15:53]:Do you know it's, it's interesting you you've you've made 2 comments, in the last couple of minutes, which I think, is not well enough understood. Maybe I'll just expand that to 3, having said that then. But let's say, the power of 1 is something which I worry about a lot with with businesses. They are often dependent upon 1 business, 1 customer, 1 supplier, 1 route to market. I was in a position like that with one of my businesses where I had one very large customer and when they canceled that contract, you can imagine the devastation that had upon the business. It it meant basically restarting from scratch trying to build a customer base. We had relied upon this customer for a very, very long time, and they just seem to be reliable until eventually it was one day, yeah, we're canceling. We're no longer needing 35, 40, 50%.Stuart Webb [00:16:44]:I think it was something about 75% of my workforce. We're all dedicated to this one customer. That can be a huge risk. But it's equally, you know, one person in your business who knows everything. You know, that can be the founder, but it can also be one key person that's been there from day 1, and you're there thinking to yourself, Joe's always been hugely reliable. They're never gonna leave, and then they do, and everything suddenly falls apart. So the power of 1 is hugely important. And the other thing that I think you just basically alluded to, which I think is really important, you know, you need to keep innovating.Stuart Webb [00:17:19]:If you haven't got a team that are empowered and ready to innovate, you're stymieing your own growth and causing yourself more issues than you can think of.Len Bruskiewitz [00:17:30]:I completely agree. And and what's what's important to to realize is that these are all daily things. Right? This isn't something you do in an annual planning process. This is these are things you have to live every day. And, you know, not not to steal too much thunder from my valuation calculator, but some of the questions some of the things you just brought up are questions. You know, are you innovating? Do you are you getting ideas throughout your organization? Are you reliant on only 1 or 2 customers? And and I think this also gets back, Stuart, to, you know, that timeline we talked about early on. Right? So if you're trying to innovate and if you're trying to to diversify your customer base, You can't do that in 30 days. Right? So my timeline when I when I talk to clients is, you know, a minimum of 2 years, and it's really 3 to 5 years, before your business is ready.Len Bruskiewitz [00:18:25]:And then once it's ready, now it's maintenance mode. But the reason I say that is if in in many transactions, it just once you, agree to sell your company, it's 9 months to a year before that Yeah.Stuart Webb [00:18:39]:That's the that's the you know? Yeah.Len Bruskiewitz [00:18:41]:Right? So if you take 1 year, then now, okay, that's a year out. Now you've gotta get ready. If you've got, you know, some accounting maybe that's not so pleasant, you know, that takes another couple years to work its way through. Documenting all your processes. Right? Leveraging, you know, figuring out what you're really good at and going for that. It all takes time. So can you sell a company in less than 3 to 5 years? Yes. You can.Len Bruskiewitz [00:19:07]:But it's probably not gonna be for the value that you want because some of these things just have to happen and they take time.Stuart Webb [00:19:15]:And I think you've hit upon a couple of good things as well then, which is, you know, doing these things means that when somebody knocks on the door, that strategic customer that sort of, you know, you've been working with that says, you could be a really key part of my organization. I'd like to buy you. If you then turn around it's a bit like, you know, oh, I've got an opportunity. I now need to put together the document, the sales document. If if it's not there ready to go, you spend the next I don't know how long putting together your sales document, and then the opportunity is gone. So be ready at every time by putting these processes, these thinking, this stuff in place from day 1.Len Bruskiewitz [00:19:49]:Exactly right. You know, you you hit upon the exact, example I give. Somebody could walks in the door, and it does happen. Somebody walks in the door and says, hey. I wanna buy this business. If you say, hang on. Come back in 18 months when I'm ready. They're not coming back.Len Bruskiewitz [00:20:08]:SoStuart Webb [00:20:08]:Yeah. Agree. Agree. Len, it's been absolutely brilliant having this, conversation with you. We we could obviously talk far too long and probably would if we didn't bring it to a whole and bore quite a lot of people. But I think the important thing is we've left them with just enough information to think to themselves. I think I better go and have a look at greaterheightscoaching.com and see what, the valuation of my business could be. And I'm also gonna put in a plug for, my own newsletter, where I talk about the sort of brilliant people like Len, who are coming up on this podcast in in a few days.Stuart Webb [00:20:43]:Normally, it comes out on a Tuesday morning about that Tuesday's guest. And if you wanna go to link.thecompleteapproach.co.ukforward slash newsletter, link. Thecompleteapproach.co.ukforward slash newsletter. You can get, that newsletter delivered to your inbox just twice a week. Once with the who's coming up and you can immediately get on and ask questions of people like Len when they're here live. And then also hear them when we replay them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other usual Pod places. Len, thank you so much for coming and spending some time with us. Really appreciate the effort you put in and I think if people haven't by now realize selling your business is not gonna happen if in the next 5 minutes.Stuart Webb [00:21:28]:You really have to prepare and think about it in the most strategic way, then, then they've they've not been listening properly. So I thank you for coming on to tell us about it.Len Bruskiewitz [00:21:36]:Thank you. I appreciate the time. Get full access to It's Not Rocket Science! at thecompleteapproach.substack.com/subscribe

Neil Twa, Neil has 18 years of selling, coaching and mentoring, 10+ years on Amazon using Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) with private label brands. He's been operating as an entrepreneur and business owner since 2007. Today he has served over 1000+ people during his coaching and consulting career, and currently supports over 200 clients in their Voltage Holdings organization which owns software, private label brands, a coaching and mentoring for beginners to advanced sellers doing more than $10M a year on Amazon FBA called Voltage Business Builders. They focus on creating business owners who scale using our company as an incubator. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Concept of an incubator model for Amazon FBA and e-commerce brandsComparison of incubator model versus aggregator model in e-commerceImportance of understanding business fundamentals for entrepreneursCriteria for selecting clients in the incubator programStrategies for scaling businesses to eight figures and beyondEmphasis on profitability and financial metrics in business operationsInventory management and its role in meeting market demandAdapting to changes in Amazon's ecosystem and algorithmImportance of optimizing product listings and understanding customer intentMindset shifts necessary for entrepreneurial growth and successIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley welcomes Neil Twa, founder of Voltage Business Builders, to discuss advanced strategies for scaling e-commerce businesses, particularly through an incubator model tailored for Amazon FBA brands. Neil, leveraging over a decade of experience, shares insights into his unique incubator approach, which contrasts with the traditional aggregator model. Key takeaways include the importance of focusing on profitability, optimizing inventory management, and understanding Amazon's evolving ecosystem. Neil emphasizes the need for a coachable mindset and strategic product positioning to achieve sustainable growth and scale to eight figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Implement a Product Audit with the “Greenlight Process”: Regularly categorize products by their profit potential—whether they have high growth potential, need improvement, or should be removed—to streamline inventory and enhance profitability.2. Optimize Listings for Algorithm Visibility: Ensure product listings include high-quality images and clear, concise descriptions. Avoid keyword stuffing, and instead focus on relevant keywords that align with customer intent to improve rankings on Amazon's evolving search algorithm.3. Make Data-Driven Inventory and Capitalization Decisions: Use metrics like unit ROI and sales velocity to plan inventory levels and optimize capitalization. Maintaining optimal stock is crucial for sustaining visibility and capturing market share within Amazon's A9 algorithm.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comThe High Voltage Business BuildersPatriot Growth Capital on LinkedInA9 AlgorithmCosmoShopifyChatGPTGrokThe BibleGood to Great by Jim Collins on AmazonSpecial 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 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 AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Adam Heist. Today I'm speaking with Neil Toys of Voltage Business Builders, and with over a decade of experience selling in the Amazon FBA space, we are going to be talking about the specific levers and strategies you're going to need to employ in order to turn it into an omnichannel business and scale to eight figures and beyond. This episode is...

Morris Mayer, Entrepreneur and Pastor. He is the CEO of Morris Mayer Services Group Inc., overseeing several small businesses and a charity. These include Plaza Park Interiors, a 12 year old custom drapery and upholstery workroom to the trade and contract accounts; Plaza Park Cleaning Services offering fine drapery and upholstery cleaning and stain shield fabric protector; Valley Interiors offering custom window treatments and upholstery in Northern New Jersey; the recently launched R2A Custom Furniture Frames offering Ready 2 Assemble high end custom furniture frames to smaller custom workrooms that may not have the space or carpenter on staff and has several new products and services to be released this year.   Morris has nearly four decades of experience in the design industry in every area from design to field installations. Morris is also a Lutheran pastor, a calling which  started at the same time he started his business, and recently celebrated his 10 year ordination anniversary in January. He co-founded Goons4Good.org, a charity that inspires community action like supporting local soup kitchens and those struggling in the community. We also support cancer patient and caregiver support, developmental and physical disabilities and Veterans' services.   Additionally, Morris manages the recently launched “The White Room at 707” a new showroom space dedicated to events such as educational workshops, live music and community events. Morris is known for out of the box thinking and connecting people to opportunities that foster their success and growth.   LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/morris-mayer-b597aa1a   • Personal Facebook: Morris Mayer   • Plaza Park Interiors Facebook: Plaza Park Interiors   • Plaza Park Interiors Instagram: @plazaparkinteriors   Websites: www.morrismayer.com, www.plazaparkinteriors.com, www.R2Acustomframes.com, www.goons4good.org, www.ppiclean.com, www.valleyinteriors.com, www.whiteroom707.com   Links and Resources;   The Emyth Revisted by Michael Gerber

Ral West's resume reads like an adventure novel. She's been an airline owner, a cruise ship operator, a real estate investor, and now, a mentor for entrepreneurs looking to turn bold ideas into reality. After selling her Alaska-Hawaii charter airline to Alaska Airlines, she didn't slow down—she just switched industries. In this episode, she shares her wild ride through decades of entrepreneurship and the lessons she's learned about balancing ambition with a fulfilling life.Key Highlights of Our Interview:Challenging Generational Norms“Early in my career, working for my father, I hit the glass ceiling. He came from a different generation, and his views were, let's say, a bit old-fashioned. But I decided, ‘Thanks, Dad—I'll take it from here.' And I broke away to chart my own path.”Juggling Act: The Exhausting Middle Years“Between 35 and 55, I was stretched thin—running a business, raising young kids, volunteering. Sleep felt like a luxury. My health suffered, my marriage struggled, and I couldn't do it all.”The Breakthrough: Building Systems and Letting Go“I learned the hard way that trying to do everything myself wasn't sustainable. I created systems, implemented processes, and built a team I could trust. Using metrics and data-driven management, I structured my business so it could run smoothly—whether I was there or not.”The Slow Burn of Transformation“Building systems, processes, and a reliable team didn't happen overnight. It was years in the making. I started small—reading books like The E-Myth by Michael Gerber, going back to college, and studying with mentors like Robert Kiyosaki. Each step added a piece to the puzzle.”Bite-Sized Delegation: Starting Small“You don't need massive financial success to start delegating. It starts with breaking down your daily tasks into bite-sized pieces and identifying what you can transfer to someone else.”Turning Intuition Into Systems“One of my toughest challenges was documenting decision-making processes—like when to increase advertising spend. It took weeks of introspection and trial and error before I realized I was relying on sales trends over a three-day period. Once I had clarity, I turned it into a system my team could follow, even when I wasn't there.”Creating Culture: Embodying Values and Principles“It wasn't just about systems and metrics; it was about building a team that shared my values. From customer service to feedback collection, we worked hard to create a culture that prioritized our principles.”______________________Connect with us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ral West______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Ral West, founder of Ral West Livin' The Dream, shares his journey of entrepreneurial success. From scaling Hawaiian Vacations to 8-figure revenue and exiting to Alaska Airlines, Ral built an impressive career. He now empowers entrepreneurs with 6 principles to achieve freedom and sustainable growth. His insights on systems, culture, and leveraging automation are game-changers. Don't miss this inspiring episode packed with resilience and lessons for business success. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:  What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Ral West, the hardest thing in growing a small business is sticking with it — having the faith and stamina to persist through discouraging times. Staying committed and pushing forward despite challenges is essential for success. What's your favourite business book that has helped you the most? Ral West's favorite business book is "The E-Myth" by Michael Gerber. She credits it with providing invaluable insights on creating systems and developing a sustainable business, emphasizing its impact on his entrepreneurial journey. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Ral West recommends a range of resources to help grow a small business, including Tony Robbins' Business Mastery, which offers transformative insights into strategy and growth, and Amy Porterfield's Digital Course Academy, ideal for creating and marketing online courses. He also highlights the value of YouTube as a free resource for learning topics like marketing and automation, alongside entrepreneurial podcasts for professional development. These tools underscore Ral's belief in continuous learning and leveraging expert knowledge to drive success. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Ral West emphasizes the importance of systems as the most crucial tool for growing a small business. Whether through automation, apps, or processes, implementing effective systems ensures efficiency, scalability, and the ability to manage details without being overwhelmed. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Ral West advises his day-one self to start without fear of failure, embrace the journey, and be ready to pivot when necessary. He highlights the importance of learning continuously, not striving for perfection, and believing in yourself to navigate the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Systems are the backbone of sustainable business growth – Ral West Empower your team with clear values and watch your business thrive – Ral West Success is built on resilience, adaptability, and the courage to pivot – Ral West  

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Matthew Pollard, founder of Rapid Growth Academy. Matthew shares how he empowers introverts to thrive in business, scales his team to 12 members, and transforms professional service businesses. Discover his proven rapid growth strategies, focus on passion-driven models, and approach to achieving six-figure revenues. Gain insights into building a profitable and sustainable business while embracing your unique strengths. Tune in for actionable tips to drive business success! Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Matthew Pollard, the hardest thing in growing a small business is standing still long enough to get the strategy right. He emphasizes the importance of resisting the urge to act on unvalidated ideas or self-importance, as proper strategy is key to sustainable growth. What's your favourite business book that has helped you the most? Matthew Pollard's favorite business book is "The E-Myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber. He highlights how it taught him the importance of systematizing a business and focusing on what truly matters, rather than trying to do everything himself. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Matthew Pollard recommends the podcast "Smart Passive Income" by Pat Flynn as a valuable resource for growing a small business. He found it helpful for discovering strategies, tools, and insights to build an online business, though he advises being selective to avoid unnecessary expenses What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Matthew Pollard suggests project management software, such as Monday.com, as a valuable tool for growing a small business. He also emphasizes the importance of social media posting tools that automate and optimize content sharing, ensuring efficiency and a consistent online presence. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Matthew Pollard advises his day-one self to "stop taking yourself so seriously." He highlights the importance of focusing on having the best intentions for clients rather than striving for perfection or overthinking outcomes​. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Success comes from creating a business that aligns with your passion and values – Matthew Pollard Building a profitable business starts with putting purpose ahead of profit – Matthew Pollard Introverts thrive when they embrace their unique strengths and work with systems – Matthew Pollard  

Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com   Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com  **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102   See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire   See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

Stanley Ference, Stanley has an extensive background in intellectual property law, including Online Counterfeiting. He advises clients on all aspects of patent, trademark, and copyright law. Stanley's practice includes litigation for both plaintiff and defendant, patent prosecution for computer-related technology, trademark prosecution and oppositions. Stanley has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and has served as an expert witness. He is an E-Discovery Special Master for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Ference was selected to the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list. In 2020 Stanley was recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers & Partners, IP Stars and Super Lawyers. He has also been recognized as a Lawyer of the Year by U.S. News and the firm has been recognized as a Best Law Firm.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of protecting intellectual property (IP) for e-commerce businesses.Challenges posed by online counterfeiting and its impact on brand owners.Legal options available for e-commerce sellers facing IP infringement.Differences between patents, trademarks, and copyrights.Emotional and financial toll of counterfeiting on entrepreneurs.Strategies for enforcing IP rights and taking legal action against infringers.The role of online marketplaces in IP protection and their limitations.Mindset shifts for entrepreneurs regarding counterfeiting as a sign of success.Continuous monitoring and enforcement of IP rights as a necessity.Actionable steps for e-commerce sellers to secure and enforce their intellectual property.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley discusses the critical issue of online counterfeiting with Stanley Ference, a leading patent attorney from Pittsburgh. Josh shares his personal struggles with intellectual property (IP) protection, emphasizing its importance for business growth. Stanley offers expert advice on navigating IP challenges, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights. He highlights the necessity of proactive legal action and continuous enforcement to protect e-commerce brands. The episode provides actionable insights for seven-figure business owners aiming to scale, stressing the value of professional legal guidance in safeguarding their intellectual property.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Prioritize IP Registration and Enforcement: Secure patents, trademarks, and copyrights for your products, and be proactive in monitoring for infringement. Regularly enforcing these rights is essential to protecting your brand from counterfeiters and should be a core business practice.2. Consider Legal Action When Facing Infringement: When encountering counterfeits, consult with a legal expert to assess your options, even if you don't have formal IP protections in place. Legal professionals can help you navigate complex cases, and actions like asset freezing orders can have a significant impact on reducing counterfeit activity.3. Be Prepared for Ongoing IP Protection: Recognize that IP enforcement is an ongoing effort. Regular monitoring of marketplaces and prompt action against infringers will help maintain your brand's integrity and reduce the risk of long-term damage. Stay organized and informed to streamline your IP protection strategy effectively.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazon Brand RegistryApex Program for PatentsMy Life in Court by Louis NizerFerence LawBill Gates on LinkedInSteve Jobs on LinkedInSteve Wozniak on LinedInSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Stephen Pope of My Amazon Guide. Today, I am speaking with Stanley Ferentz, one of Pittsburgh's leading paten...

I met Daniel Andrews through someone who has been monitoring Unstoppable Mindset and who told me that Daniel would be an interesting guest. How true it was. Daniel is a South Carolina guy born and bred. He makes his home in Columbia South Carolina. While in college he took a summer job with Cutco Cutlery after his sophomore year. I guess he liked the position because he stayed with Cutco for 15 years in sales positions.   While at Cutco his mentors introduced him to the concept of personal development. As you will see, he is widely read on the subject and he also learned to put his book learning to good use.   In 2013 he made the move to becoming his own boss and developed a true entrepreneurial spirit that still drives him today. He helps clients grow their businesses by seeking real quality contacts. He tells us that his goal is to introduce clients to 72 or 120 clients per year. As Daniel points out, a network of thousands of people is not nearly as effective as a smaller network of persons with whom you develop real credible relationships.   Daniel offers many wonderful and relevant tips on relationship and network building that I believe you will find useful. And, if you want more, Daniel provides his phone number at the end of this episode so you can reach out to him.       About the Guest:   Daniel grew up in Columbia, South Carolina after his dad moved from active duty USAF to reservice duty, in 1976. He attended college in Atlanta Georgia, where he took a summer job with Cutco Cutlery after his sophomore year, in 1988. His mentors, Ray Arrona, Ken Schmidt (RIP), Earl Small, and Don Freda introduced him to the concept of personal development, and his early career (the “summer job” lasted 15 years) was influenced by the writings of Zig Ziglar, Og Mandino, and Dale Carnegie.   He moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 2003 with his first wife, and switched careers. In his second career, a mix of B2B and B2C, he was influenced by  the writings of John Addison, Harland Stonecipher, and Jeff Olsen, encouraged by his mentor Frank Aucoin.   After his move to Houston, Texas, in 2013, he decided to become a true entrepreneur, and not just an independent contractor. The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber, Quench Your Own Thirst, by Jim Koch, and Profit First by  Mike Michalowicz were instrumental in making this jump, and he's currently engrossed in Super Connector by Scott Gerber and Give & Take by Adam Grant, as he builds a business based around showing people how to identify, find, meet, and grow relationships with a handful of key referral partners, to make sure there is a steady pipeline of 72-120 warm introductions to ideal client prospects every year.   He's been married to Adina Maynard since July 5th, 2019, after he returned to his hometown in the fall of 2016.     Ways to connect with Daniel:   Other handles: DanielPAndrews@outlook.com Pinterest link: https://www.pinterest.com/danielpandrews/   Daniel Andrews' personal FB link: https://facebook.com/danthemanwiththeplan1967   Daniel Andrews LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niasoutheast/   FB link - business page https://facebook.com/danandrewsnia   My video platform https://events.revnt.io/cutting-edge-business-coaching-llc   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.     Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well and hello everyone. This is Michael Hingson, your host for unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're with us today, and really glad to have the opportunity once again to be with you and talk about all sorts of different sorts different kinds of things, as we do every week. That's why we call it an unstoppable mindset, where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, because unexpected is much more fun. Keeps us all on our toes. Our guest today is Daniel, and would like to welcome you to unstoppable mindset, and we really appreciate you being here. Yeah,   Daniel Andrews ** 01:58 it's good to be here. Happy to participate. And really, I'm honored by the fact that you invited me to be here. So thank you for that. Well, we   Michael Hingson ** 02:05 made it. It's It's been fun, and we, we got introduced through Noah, who, I guess, does publicity for you.   Daniel Andrews ** 02:19 He and I have talked about that at some point. I'm trying to remember the entire chain that got me to you. You know, the person introduced me to him, to her, to him, to her, to him, to her, to you, right? I need a family tree of an introductory tree on my wall over here. I just keep up with all the connections. Yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 02:38 Keeps you alert and keeps you alert, you know, yeah, for sure. Well, I really am glad that you're here. And Daniel has a, I think, a great story to tell. He lives in Columbia, South Carolina, which he's really mostly called home, although he was born elsewhere, but sort of since roughly a fair, well, a fairly short time, he moved to Columbia and has been there. So I won't go into all those details. We don't need to worry about him, unless he wants to tell them, but Columbia has been home most all of his life. He did live a little ways, a little while away from Columbia, and on that, I'm sure we're going to talk about, but nevertheless, Columbia is home. I've been to Columbia and enjoy it, and I miss South Carolina sausage biscuits. So I don't know what to say, but nevertheless, one of these days, I'm sure I'll get back down there, and the people I know will make some more. But meanwhile, meanwhile, here we are. So why don't you start by telling us a little bit about kind of the early Daniel, growing up and, you know, all that, just to give people little flavor for you, sure,   Daniel Andrews ** 03:46 older brother two years older than me, exactly. I mean, within a couple days of two years, we're the only two no other siblings. Dad was an Air Force fighter pilot, and people think that must be pretty cool, and at some level, it is. But to help frame it better and give you a better detail of the experience of being the son of a fighter pilot, I encourage people that I talk to to remember the movie Top Gun. Not the second one where everybody was a good guy, they were older and more mature and, you know, but in the first one where there was the good guy that was a jerk and the bad guy that was a jerk, but they were, they were both jerks. And you know, it's a weird environment to grow up in when the biggest compliment one man can pay another is you don't suck that bad, right? That's literally the biggest compliment they're allowed to pay each other. So I grew up always thinking like I was coming up short, which has got some positive and some negative attributes. My clients love it because I tend to over deliver for what I charge them, but it kills my coach because he thinks I'm not I'm not fairly pricing myself in the marketplace, but I it made me want to be an entrepreneur, because the benchmarks are clear, right? You? In a sales environment, you know whether you're ahead or behind. You know what you got to do to catch the number one guy or gal if you're trying to beat the competition, you know how big your paycheck is going to be if you're working on, you know, commission or base, plus commission and and I really enjoyed the environment of being, I don't want to say competitive, but knowing that, you know, I was competing with myself. So many of my friends are employed by academia or small companies or big corporations, and even when they benchmark really good results, the pay, the compensation, the time off, the rewards, the advancements aren't necessarily there. So I really like the idea of having a very specific set of objectives. If I do this, then that happens. If I work this hard, I get this much money. If I achieve these results, I get, you know, moved up into into more authority and more responsibility, and that really made a world of difference for me, so that that has a lot to do with it. And as a result of that, I've opted for the self employment   Michael Hingson ** 05:54 certainly gives you lots of life experiences, doesn't it?   Daniel Andrews ** 05:58 It does. And I think, I think that people that work for other people is certainly learn, learn a lot as well. Meaning, I've not had to have extended co worker relationships or manage those over time. My first wife was fond of saying that Daniel's good in small doses, right?   Michael Hingson ** 06:15 So here we are, Ayan, so you're, you're telling us a little bit about you and growing up,   Daniel Andrews ** 06:22 sure it just you know, father is fighter pilot, right? And always pushing me to do more, be more. And that led me to choose a route of self employment, usually as a in the early parts of my career, independent contractor for other people. So I still had a structure to work in, but I knew what my objectives were. I knew how much money I would earn if I produced X result. I knew what it meant to get more responsibility, and that worked well for me. And then about eight years ago now, I decided to become a full fledged entrepreneur and really do my own thing and create some fun stuff. And it's been a fun ride in that regard, but I do love the freedom that comes from setting my own objectives on a daily basis. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 07:07 there's a lot to be said for that, and then not everyone can do that, because it does take a lot of discipline to be an entrepreneur, to do the things that you need to do, and know that you need to be structured to do the things that that have to be done at the same time. You do need to be able to take time off when that becomes relevant. But still, it does take a lot of discipline to be an entrepreneur and make it work successfully,   Daniel Andrews ** 07:35 right? And I don't know that I've mastered the discipline for it, but at least I'm working on my objectives and not somebody else's. The only person I'm letting down is me. You know, when I, when I, when I miss a deadline or don't execute, so that feels better to me than having the weight of somebody else's expectations on me   Michael Hingson ** 07:52 counts for something, doesn't it? I think so well. So you, you grew up in Columbia, but then you went off to college. Where'd you go to college?   Daniel Andrews ** 08:02 Down in Atlanta, Georgia, small school there. But I had a choice of three places, and each of them had offered me scholarship funds that equaled the same cost to me. IE, the packages were different, but the net cost to me in each case was going to be about the same. So rather than pick based on the financial aid or the scholarships are being offered, I picked on which city it was in. And I figured being a college kid in Atlanta, Georgia was a good move. And it turned out it was a good move. There was lots to see and do in Atlanta, Georgia, only about four hours from home. And it just it worked out to be pretty good that my other choices were Athens, Georgia, which is strictly a college town. And you know, when the summer rolls around, the place is empty. It goes down, and the other was a school and Farmville, Virginia, excuse me, the closest town is Farmville, Virginia, where the 711 closed at six. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that, yeah, not too sure. I want to be that far out in the sticks right as a 19 year old away from home for the first time, I wanted. I wanted. I wanted to have something to do with my freedom, meaning, if I was free to do what I wanted to do, I wanted to have something to do with that so and not not sit around Farmville, Virginia, wonder what was going to happen next. Yeah. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 09:19 so what did you major in in college?   Daniel Andrews ** 09:23 That question always comes up, and I'm always hesitant to answer that, because people think it has something to do with what I do today, and it does not in any way shape or stretch. I got a BS in psychology, which I tell people was heavy on the BS and light on the psychology, but at   Michael Hingson ** 09:38 the same time. And so my master's degree is in physics, although I ended up not going into physics, although I did a little bit of science work. But do you would you say, though, that even though you got a BS in psychology and you went off and you're clearly doing other things, did you learn stuff, or did that degree benefit you? And do you still. I have skills and things that you learned from that that you use today. I   Daniel Andrews ** 10:04 used to tell people that I had three facts that I used in college, that I learned in college, that I used on a daily basis, and for the longest time, I could recite all three. But nobody asked me what they were for the longest time, and I'm sure I still use all three of them, but I can only recall one, so the answer is, for the most part, no. But I think I went to college for a piece of paper. Someone else was paying for it. In this case, the school, not my parents. It was a scholarship, and I went to school not to learn anything. I went to school to get a piece of paper. I started off as a physics major, by the way, and when I got to the semester where they were trying to teach me that light is both a particle and a wave, I'm like, Yeah, we're going to need a different major, because I did not get my head around that at all. And and the degree that was had the least hurdles to get to switch majors and finish at that moment in time with psychology. So that's the route I took. I was just there for the piece of paper.   Michael Hingson ** 11:05 Physics wasn't what you wanted to do, huh?   Daniel Andrews ** 11:08 I did. But if the textbook had said light has attributes of both a particle and a wave, I might have been able to grasp it a little bit quicker. But it said light is both a particle and a wave, and it was the week of finals, and I was struggling with the intro in chapter one for the textbook, and I'm like, yep, might be time for different major at this point,   Michael Hingson ** 11:29 my master, my master's is in physics, and you mentioned and I enjoyed it, and I and I still have memories and concepts that I learned, that I use today, probably the biggest one is paying attention to detail and physics. It isn't enough to get the numeric right answer, you got to make the units work as well, which is more of a detail issue than just getting the numbers, because you can use a calculator and get numbers, but that doesn't get you the units. And so I found that skill to be extremely important and valuable as I worked through physics and went through and I actually got a master's and also a secondary teaching credential, and I thought I was going to teach, but life did take different directions, and so that's okay.   Daniel Andrews ** 12:18 Well, when you frame it that way, I will say that there is something that I learned that I that I use, maybe not in my work, but in my field of vision, and that's this, you know, lab and experimental methods taught me to ask the question, how did they ask the questions? Right? What was the structure of the test, the experiment, the the data collection right? Because you can do an awful lot of things. For example, they have found that if a doctor says to a patient, we have a chance to do surgery, there's a 10% chance of success, meaning that you'll live, they get a better up to uptake than if they say there's a 90% chance that you'll die. Yeah, it's the same information, but you always have to look at the way the questions are framed. Polls are notorious for this right data collection from my days in Cutco, I read a study and I put quotes around it right? A study that said that wooden cutting boards retain less bacteria than plastic cutting boards or polypropylene polyurethane, which is clearly blatantly wrong if you're treating your cutting boards correctly. And I looked into it, and they simply wiped the surface and then waited a day and measured bacteria count? Well, if you don't put it what you can dishwasher a plastic cutting board and sterilize it, right? Why would you simply wipe the surface? In the case of the wood, the bacteria was no longer at the surface. It had sunk into the woods. So there's not as much on the surface. I'm like, oh, but it's still there. It's just down in the wood. You have to literally look at the way these tests are done. And I guess the wooden cutting board industry paid for that study, because I can't imagine anybody else that would would a care and B make the argument that a wooden cutting board was better than a plastic one for sanitation reasons,   Michael Hingson ** 14:13 because it's clearly all it's all sales. And of course, that brings up the fact that you get that kind of knowledge honestly, because when you were a sophomore, you got a summer job with Cutco.   Daniel Andrews ** 14:24 I did, yeah, and I remember 3030, what is that? 36 years ago, now having to explain what Cutco was, but Cutco has been around for so long in America that most American households have at least some Cutco on them at this point. So I find most people already know and understand, but it was a direct sales job. It was not structured the way an MLM or a network marketing company has, but my job is to literally take, you know, a kit full of samples, right? Some some regular, normal, standard products that we would use and sell, and take them into people's homes and sit at the kitchen table and demonstrate. Right? The usefulness. Go over the guarantee, go over the pricing options, and you know what choices they could pick stuff out, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. Turned out to be more lucrative than most people imagine. I don't want to brag too much about how much reps make doing that, because then customers get upset we're being overpaid, but yeah, that's not true either. But it was a blast to to do that and the learning environment, right? What I learned about setting my own goals, discipline, awareness of the way communication landed on other people. I don't the psychology of communication, being around people, helping them understand what I knew to be true, finding ways to address concerns, issues, objections, without making them feel wrong or awkward. You know, it was a good environment, and that's why I stayed for 15 years. For   Michael Hingson ** 15:52 me, after college, I went to work with an organization that had developed a relationship with Dr Ray Kurzweil, the futurist and who now talks a lot about the singularity. And at that time, he had developed a machine that would read print out loud. Well, it would read print, and he chose, for the first application of that machine to be a machine that would read print out loud so that blind people could read print in books, because his technology didn't care about what type styles or print fonts were on the page anyway. After the job was over, I went to work for Ray, and after about eight or nine months, I was confronted with a situation where I was called into the office of the VP of Marketing, who said, your work is great. We love what you do, but you're not doing anything that produces revenue for us, because I was doing Human Factors work helping to enhance the machine, and so we're going to have to lay you off, he said. And I said, lay me off. And he said, again, your work is great, but we don't have enough revenue producers. We're, like a lot of startup engineering companies, we've hired way too many non revenue producers. So we got to let people go, and that includes you, unless you'll go into sales. And not only go into sales, but not selling the reading machine for the blind, but there's a commercial version that had just come out. So I ended up doing that, and took a Dale Carnegie sales course, a 10 week course, which I enjoyed very much. Learned a lot, and have been selling professionally ever since, of course, my story of being in the World Trade Center and escaping on September 11 after that, I still continue to sell. What I tell people is I love to view my life as now selling life and philosophy. Rather than selling computer hardware and managing a hardware team, it really is about selling life and philosophy and getting people to understand. You can learn to control fear. You can learn to function in environments that you don't expect, and you can go out of your comfort zone. And there's nothing wrong with that, you know. So that's it's been a lot of fun for the last 23 years to do that.   Daniel Andrews ** 18:00 Okay? Now you got me curious. What's the commercial application of a machine that will take a printed book and read it out loud? What I can clearly see why people with various and sundry?   Michael Hingson ** 18:12 Well, for people who are blind and low vision, well, so let's, let's deal with it. The commercial application for that particular machine is that people will buy it and use it. Of course, today it's an app on a smartphone, so it's a whole lot different than it was as a $50,000 machine back in 1978 1979 but the idea behind the machine was that libraries or agencies or organizations could purchase them, have them centrally located, so people who never could read print out loud before could actually go get a book, put it on the machine and read it.   Daniel Andrews ** 18:46 Okay? So this would make sense libraries and institutions of public knowledge, okay. But then, as I could see, where someone would want one in their home if they had need of it. But I was just curious about the commercial application well.   Michael Hingson ** 18:57 But then over time, as the technology advanced. As more were produced, the price went down. And it went from $50,000 down to $20,000 and you started to see some in people's homes. And then, of course, it got less and less and less and eventually, before it became almost a free app on a smartphone today, it used the Symbian operating system and Nokia phones, and the the technology, in total, was about $1,800 and then, of course, it became an app on a smartphone, and a lot of OCR today is free, but the other side of it was the machine I sold was a version that banks would use, lawyers would use, other people would use to be able to take printed documents and get them into computer readable form, because people saw pretty early on that was an important thing to be able to do so they could peruse databases and so on and so the bottom line is that it was very relevant to do. Yeah, and so there was commercial value, but now OCR has gotten to be such a regular mainstay of society. You know, we think of it differently than we did then, very   Daniel Andrews ** 20:10 much. But yeah, we still have one that can read my handwriting   Michael Hingson ** 20:15 that is coming. You know, they're my handwriting. I wanted to be a doctor, and I passed the handwriting course, but that's as far as I got. But, and as I love to tell people, the problem was I didn't have any patients, but, you know, oh boy. But the the bottom line is that there were applications for it, and and it worked, and it was great technology. So it taught me a lot to be able to be involved in taking the Dale Carnegie sales course, and I know he's one of the people that influenced you in various ways. Very much, very important to recognize for me that good sales people are really teachers and advisors and counselors. Absolutely you can. You can probably talk people into buying stuff, which may or may not be a good thing to do, but if we've really got something that they need, they'll figure it out and they'll want to buy   Daniel Andrews ** 21:11 it. Yeah, the way it was summarized to me, and this particularly relates around, you know, the Cutco product or another tangible you know, selling is just a transference of enthusiasm, meaning, if they knew and understood it the way I did, it would make perfect sense. So the question was, how do I find a way to convey my enthusiasm for what I knew about the product? And as simple, I don't wanna say simple, it sounds condescending in as few words as possible, in ways that made it easy for them to digest, right? Because some people are, are tactile, and they want to hold it, look at it. Others are, you know, knowledge oriented. They want to read the testimonials and a guarantee and, you know, things like that. So just, how do you, how do you kind of figure out who's looking for what? Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 21:56 and the reality is, everybody is a little bit different in that arena. And as you said, conveying enthusiasm, you'll either be able to do it or you'll find that what you have isn't really what's going to make them enthusiastic, which can be okay too. Yep, the important thing is to know that and to use that information. And when necessary, you move on and you don't worry about it, correct? We have cut CO knives. We're we, we're happy. But anyway, I think the the issue is that we all have to grow, and we all have to learn to to do those things that we find are relevant. And if we we put our minds to it, we can be very productive people. And as you pointed out, it's all about transmitting enthusiasm, and that's the way it really ought to be.   22:54 Yeah, I think so.   Michael Hingson ** 22:55 So you talk about, well, so let's, let's go back. So you went to work for Cutco, and you did that for 15 years. What would you say the most important thing you learned as a as a salesperson, in working at Cutco really came down to,   Daniel Andrews ** 23:16 there's so many fundamental lessons in the direct sales industry, right? It's why, you know, so many people got their start with Encyclopedia Britannica or Southwestern books or Cutco knives, right? There's a, there's a, I mean, in the 90s, CentOS, the uniform people and sprint when cell phones were new and actually had to actively be sold because people had to be talked into it, yeah. You know, they ran whole recruiting ads that said, Did you used to sell knives, entry level work, starting at base, you know, salary plus commission, right? Because it was so foundational. So it's hard to say the most important thing, but I would say the ability to take control of my own schedule, and therefore my own actions, right, was a huge part of it. But then the ability to really know what, understand the people that I was working with as customers. As my time at ketco matured, and even after I left working with them full time, I still had a database of customers that wanted to deal strictly with me and the fact that they were happy to see me right? That when I was again, after I'd moved away, if I came back to town, that my customers would be like, Oh, I heard you're in town when you come to our house and have dinner, right? And just the way, I was able to move from business relationship into one where I really connected with them. And you know that many years, seeing that many customers give me some really cool stories too, which I'm not going to eat up most of this, but I've just got some fun stories of the way people responded to my pleasant persistence, follow through, follow up, knowing that I could run into any one of them anywhere at any moment in time. And not feel that I had oversold them, or I had been pushy, right, that they would be happy and what they bought. And as a matter of fact, I've only ever had one customer tell me that they bought too much Cutco. And she said that to me when I was there sharpening her Cutco and selling her more. And she said she had bought more than she needed for her kitchen. Initially, I'm selling her more for a gift, let me be clear. And I paused, and I said, Do you remember how the this is like five or six years later? I said, you remember how the conversation went? Because I use the story of that demo when I'm talking to other people and to other reps. She said, Oh yeah, no, no. She goes, I will 100% own that I chose to buy more than I needed. She goes, I was not trying to pin that on you. I was just trying to tell you that that's what I did. I said, Oh, okay, because I wanted to be clear, I remember very clearly that I offered you the small set, and you chose the big set. And she goes, that is exactly what happened. I made the choice to over buy, and that's on me, and that level of confidence of knowing I could go through time and space, that I could meet my customers here, you know, when I came back to town, or now that I moved back to town, and I don't have to flinch, right? But I'm not that I did it in a way that left them and me feeling good about the way I sold them. That's pretty it's pretty important,   Michael Hingson ** 26:15 and it is important, and it's, it's vital to do that. You know, a lot of people in sales talk all about networking and so on. You, don't you? You really do talk about what I believe is the most important part about sales, and that's relationship building, correct?   Daniel Andrews ** 26:34 I took, took my theme from The subtitle of a book called Super connector, and the subtitle is, stop networking and start building relationships that matter. And I'm, I'm comfortable using that, by the way, there's another book titled networking isn't working, and it's really hitting the same theme, which is, whatever people are calling networking is, is not really, truly building a network and relationships that make a difference. It's social selling. I call it sometimes. It's being practiced as speed prospecting, right? Or marketing by hand. There's, there's, there's a bunch of ways that I can articulate why it's not literally not networking. It's simply meeting people and treating them very one dimensionally. Will you buy my thing? Or do you know somebody That'll buy my thing right? And those are very short sighted questions that have limited value and keeps people on a treadmill of thinking they need to do more networking or meet the right people. I get this all the time, if I can just find the right people, or if I could just be in the right rooms, right at the right events, and I'm like, or you could just be the person that knows how to build the right relationships, no matter what room you're in. Now, having said that, are there some events, some rooms, some communities, that have a higher likelihood of high value? Sure, I don't want to discourage people from being intentional about where they go, but that's only probably 10 to 20% of the equation. 80 to 90% of the equation is, do you know what to do with the people that you meet when you meet them? Because anybody that's the wrong person, and I simply mean that in the context of they're not a prospect. Knows people that could be a prospect, but you can't just go, Oh, you're not going to buy my thing. Michael Hinkson, do you know, anybody that's going to buy my thing that's no good, because you're not going to put your reputation on the line and refer me somewhere, right until you have some trust in me, whatever that looks like.   Michael Hingson ** 28:30 And that's the real issue, right? It's all about trust right down the line. You know, network is meeting more people, meeting more people. That's great. I love to meet people, but I personally like to establish relationships. I like to get to know people, and have probably longer and more conversations than some of my bosses would have liked. But the result and the success of establishing the relationships can't be ignored   Daniel Andrews ** 29:05 correct. And I think that you kind of threw in a word there that I think some people will internalize, or it will reinforce some of their preconceptions. And I think it's worth addressing. And I'll just give you a quick example. Six, six weeks ago, four weeks ago, I had a conversation with somebody I was introduced to. His name happens to be Michael as well. Michael, Mike Whitmore. He was impressed with the quality of our first well, it went 45 it was scheduled for 25 and I went 45 because we really gelled. And he invited me to come to a cocktail party that was being hosted by a company he was affiliated with three hour event, and we spoke again later to make sure you know everything was in order, because it involved me flying to Salt Lake City for a cocktail party I did. He was there. We spoke briefly. We both mingled with other. People. I had breakfast with him the next day. This is yesterday that I had breakfast with him. And as we're talking, he's like, Okay, I have 80 people that need what you've got. He's, he's basically, after a few conversations, gonna refer about $400,000 for the business to me, right? And I'm like, Okay, and so what people miss is that you can build that relationship quickly if you're intentional about building the relationship. And where I see the mistake most people make. And God bless Dale Carnegie, and Dale's Carnegie sales training course, right? But that that the model, what I call the cocktail party model, or the How to Win Friends and Influence People, model of getting to know somebody you know. How about that ball team? You know? Did your sports club win? Right? How's the weather up there? Did you hear about the you know, how's your mom, right? When's the last time you were camping with the fam? All legitimate questions, but none of them moved the business conversation forward. And so the ability to build a productive business relationship faster by focusing on the mutual shared value that you have between each other and the business aspects, and including the personal as the icing on the cake is a much better way to do it, and that's why I was very particular about the fact that, you know, when I was talking about my experience with ketco, that it was over time that the personal aspects, that the friendship looking aspects, evolved On top of the business relationship, because it is way easier to mix the ingredients, to put the icing or friendship on the cake of business than it is to establish a friendship and then go, by the way, it's time for us to talk business, right? You need to our client, or you need to let me sell what I'm offering that can get become jarring to people, and it can call into question the whole reason you got to know them to start with, right? So I much prefer the other route. And just one other brief example, speaking with a woman in a in what I, you know, a first paired interview, Quick Connect, 25 minutes long, and she's like, understand, you know, relationships, it's the, you know, it's the way to do it, right? It's the long play, but it pays off over time. And you know, as long as you stay at it, and I'm like, Why do you keep saying it's the long play? Well, because relationships take time. And I'm like, You say so. And we started to run long and realized we had more value, so we booked it. Ended up being about four or five weeks later, because my calendar stays pretty full, and she's so we've been in 125 minute phone call. We start the second zoom with her, with Peggy asking me who's your target market again. And I gave her the description for a $25,000 client. And she said, I have three people that I can refer you to in that space that might might want to be clients. And then she started to try and tell me how relationships are the long play? Again, I'm like, thank you. Hold up. We spent 25 minutes together a month ago, and you started this conversation by referring $75,000 worth of revenue to me. What makes you think relationships are the long play? I think you can make them last if you want them to last, but it doesn't take a long time to build those I said I knew what I was doing with those first 25 minutes. That's why, at this stage of the game, you're looking to refer business to me. Yeah, right, yeah. And so I don't think it's a long you're not establishing a marriage relationship, right? You're not deciding who your new best friend is going to be, right? You're trying to establish a mutually beneficial business relationship and see what it takes you right with the right set of questions, it goes so much faster   Michael Hingson ** 33:49 and and that's really a key. And for me, one of the things that I learned in sales, that I really value a lot is never answer or ask close ended questions. I hate yes and no questions, because I learned a long time ago. I don't learn much if I just ask somebody. Oh, so you, you tell me you need a tape library, right? Yes, and you, you ask other questions, but you don't ask the questions like, What do you want to use it for? Why do you really need a tape library today? What? What is it that you you value or that you want to see increased in your world, or whatever the case happens to be, right? But I hate closed ended questions. I love to engage in conversations, and I have lots of stories where my sales teams. When I manage teams, at first, didn't understand that, and they asked the wrong questions. But when I would ask questions, I would get people talking. And I was I went into a room of Solomon brothers one day back in like, 2000 or so, or 2000 early 2001 and I was with. My best sales guy who understood a lot of this, but at the same time, he wanted me to come along, because they wanted to meet a sales manager, and he said, I didn't tell him you were blind, because we're going to really hit him with that. And that was fine. I understood what he what he meant, but also he knew that my style was different and that I liked to get more information. And so when we went in and I started trying to talk to the people, I turned to one guy and I said, tell me what's your name. And it took me three times to get him to say his name, and finally I had to say I heard you as I walked by. You know, I know you're there, what's your name? And then we started talking, and by the time all was said and done. I got everyone in that room talking, which is great, because they understood that I was really interested in knowing what they were all about, which is important,   Daniel Andrews ** 35:53 correct? And I mean part of it right, particularly if you're problem solving, right? If you're there with a solution, a sales environment, open ended questions, predominantly the way to go. There's always going to have to be some closed ended right? What's the budget for this? Who are the decision makers in the process? But, and I certainly think a lot of the same ones apply in decision making. Meaning, it's probably an 8020 split. 80% of the questions should be open ended. 20% you know, you know, you just need some data from the other person, right? Because, as I'm meeting people, I need to decide who to refer them to, right? I know I can think off the top of my head of three different resume coaches, right? People that help people get the resume, their cover letter and their interview skills together. And one charges, you know, four to 5000 for the effort, right, depending on the package, right? One charges between 2030 500 depending on one guy charges, you know, his Deluxe is 1200 bucks, right? And the deliverable is roughly the same. Meaning, I've never looked for a job using these people, because I've been self employed forever, but I would imagine the deliverable is probably not three times as or four times as good at 5k at 1200 Right, right? But I need to know the answer, what you charge, because the rooms I will put people in are going to differentiate, right? I actually said it to the guy that was charging 1200 I said, Where'd you get the number? And he told me. And I said, Do you realize that you're losing business because you're not charging enough, right? And he said, Yes, some prospects have told me that. And I said, I'm sorry. Plural. I said, How many? How many are going to tell you before I before you raise your rates? And I said, here's the thing, there's communities, networks that I can introduce you to at that price point, but the networks that I run in won't take you seriously if you're not quoting 5000 for the job. Yeah? And he just couldn't get his head around it. And I'm like, Okay, well, then you're stuck there until you figure out that you need to triple or quadruple your price to hang out in the rooms I hang out in to be taken seriously.   Michael Hingson ** 37:57 Yeah? And it is tough for a lot of people, by the way, with that Solomon story, by the time I was done, and we had planned on doing a PowerPoint show describing our products, which I did, but even before we did that, I knew our product wasn't going to do what they needed. But went through the presentation, and then I said, and as you can see, what we have won't work. Here's why, but here's what will work. And after it was all said and done, one of the people from near the back of the room came up and he said, we're mad at you. And I said, why? He said, Oh, your presentation was great. You You gave us an interesting presentation. We didn't get bored at all. The problem was, we forgot you were blind, and we didn't dare fall asleep, because you'd see us. And I said, well, well, the bottom line is, my dog was down here taking notes, and we would have got you anyway, but, but, you know, he was he we had a lot of fun with that. Two weeks later, we got a proposal request from them, and they said, just tell us what we're what we're going to have to pay. We got another project, and we're going to do it with you. And that was   Daniel Andrews ** 39:02 it, yeah, and because the credibility that you'd established credibility,   Michael Hingson ** 39:07 and that is a great thing,   Daniel Andrews ** 39:09 that was part of the discussion I have with some of my clients today when I hold a weekly office hours to see what comes up. And I said, it's just important to be able to refer people to resources or vendors, as it is to refer them to a prospect, right? If you don't have the solution, or if your solution isn't the best fit for them, the level of credibility you gain to go, you know what you need to do? You need to go hang out over there. Yeah, right. You need to talk to that guy or gal about what they have to offer. And the credibility goes through the roof. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 39:39 we've been talking about networking, and I think that's everything we've talked about. I think really makes a lot of sense, but at the same time, it doesn't mean that you don't build a network. It's just that networking and building a network are really two different sorts of things. What are some of the most important things that you've learned about building. That   Daniel Andrews ** 40:00 works. Sure, there's several, and some of them come as a bit of a shock to people. And I always say it's okay if it's a shock to you, because it was a shock to me. But I don't take I don't have opinions. I have positions based on data. Right? You know that from your from your days as a scientist, what you think ought to be true absolutely irrelevant in the face of what the data tells us is true. But I think one of the important things is that it's possible to give wrong. Adam Grant says in the first chapter of his book, give and take. That if you look at people's networking styles, and I'll use the common vernacular networking styles, you have givers, people that tend to give more than they, you know, receive takers, people whose objective is to always be on the plus side of the equation. And then matchers, people that practice the degree of reciprocity. And I would even argue that that reciprocity and matching is a bad mentality, just so you know. But if you look at the lifetime of success, a career is worth of success. In the top levels of success, you find more givers than takers and matchers, which makes a lot of sense. In the lowest levels of success, you find more givers than takers and matchers. They're giving wrong. They tend to polarize. They tend to either be high achieving or very low achieving, because they're giving wrong. And so I and Michael, let me use his name. We had breakfast yesterday morning after the happy hour, and I said, Mike, are you open for coaching? And he said, You know I am. He said, I didn't have you flat here in Salt Lake City, because I don't respect you. What do you got for me? I said, Josh kept thanking you yesterday for the things you've done for him in his world lately, you know, over the last several years. And he kept saying, What can I do for you? And you said, Oh, no, I just love giving. I love giving, right? You know, it's not a problem. You know, I'm in a great position. I don't need to have a lot of need of resources. And I said, and you're missing the fact that he was explicitly telling you this relationship feels uneven. I said it takes longer to kill it, but you will kill a relationship just as quickly by consistently over giving as you will by taking too much. And it's a little more subconscious, although in Josh's case, it was very conscious. He was actively trying to get Mike to tell him, what can I do for you so I don't feel like I'm powerless in this relationship. And Mike was like, Oh my gosh, I never thought of that. Said, Look, I said, I don't know how your kids are. He said, well, two of them are married. And I said, my grown daughter argues with me over who's going to buy dinner. But I get it because I used to argue with my dad, who was going to buy dinner. Yeah, dinner together, right? It feels weird for someone, even somebody, that loves you, right? And, of course, the only way I can do it with my daughter is to explain, it's her money anyway. I'm just spending her inheritance on her now, it's the only way she'll let me buy dinner every time we meet, and she still insists that she pays the debt, because over giving will get in the way of what we're trying to accomplish, right? That's fair, yeah. And so people miss that, right? I get this law of reciprocity. If I just give and give and give to the world, it'll all come back to me. No, ma'am. We have 6000 years of recorded history that says that's not   Michael Hingson ** 43:18 how it works. There's there's something to be said forgiving, but there's also receiving. And in a sense, receiving can be a gift too. So you're mentioning Michael and Josh. Josh would have loved, as you're pointing out, Michael to tell him some things that he could do for Michael, and that would have been a great gift. So the reality is, it's how people view giving, which is oftentimes such a problem. I know, for me as a public speaker, I love dealing with organizations that are willing to pay a decent wage to bring a speaker in, because they understand it, and they know they're going to get their money's worth out of it. And I've gone and spoken at some places where they say, well, we can't pay you a lot of money. We're going to have to pay just this little, tiny amount. And invariably, they're the organizations that take the most work, because they're the ones that are demanding the most, even though they're not giving nearly as much in return. And and for me, I will always tell anyone, especially when we're clearly establishing a good relationship, I'm here as your guest. I want to do whatever you need me to do, so please tell me how best I can help you, but I know I'm going to add value, and we explore that together, and it's all about communication.   Daniel Andrews ** 44:48 I think so well. And in the case, you know, just go back to the mike and Josh story real quick, right? There's, there's number one, there's a sense of fairness. And I don't like the word reciprocity or magic, right? I like the word. Mutuality, but there's a sense of fairness. Number one. Number two, it's a little bit belittling to Josh, for Mike to act like Josh doesn't have anything to offer him, right? It's a little bit condescending, or it could be, Mike doesn't mean it that way, right? No, what he means is my relationship with you, Josh is not predicated on us keeping a scoreboard on the wall and that we make sure we come out even at the end of every quarter, right? But, but. And then the third part is, you know, I said, Mike, think of how good you feel when you give. He says, I love it. It's great. That's why I said, so you're robbing Josh of the feeling of giving when you don't give him a chance to give. I said, you're telling him that your joy is more important than his joy, and he's like I never thought of over giving or not asking as robbing people of joy. I said, You need to give the gift to Josh and the people around you to feel the joy that comes from being of use, of being helpful, of having and I said, even if you have to make something up or overstate the value of a of a task that he could do for you, I said, if you literally don't need anything in your world, Mike, find some job Hunter that's looking for work. And say, Josh, as a courtesy to me, would you meet with Billy Bob and see if you can help him find work somehow give Josh the sense that he's contributing to the betterment of your world, even   Michael Hingson ** 46:26 if it may not work out that this person, Billy Bob would would get a job, but it's still you're you're helping to further the relationship between the two of you, correct, right? You're   Daniel Andrews ** 46:38 helping him feel like he's an equal in that relationship. And that's an important part of it. It really is. It's now I do an important part. I do believe we absolutely should tithe. We should give of our time. We should be at the homeless shelter on Thanksgiving. If that's what we're called to do, we should be, you know, you know, aid to the poor, you know, mentoring junior people who don't have a lot to offer us. I absolutely believe that's true. So when I say give strategically or given a sense of mutuality, but we need clear delineations on you know what we're doing, because if we give indiscriminately, then we find out that we're like the people in chapter one of Adam Grant's book that are in the lower quartile of success, even though we're quote, doing all the right things. And the best way to make you know, the example I give on that, and I'll articulate this little bit, I'm holding my hands apart and moving them closer together in stages, just because the visual will help you here too. But I tell people, right? I hold my hands apart and I say, you know, we're going to spend this much time on the planet alive, right? And this much time on the planet awake, right, and this much time on the planet at work. And then I'll pause and go, these are approximations right, because clearly they are right, and this much time on the planet dealing with other people. So if, if it's true that we only have a limited or finite resource of time to spend building a network with other people, then why wouldn't we choose people whose message is worth amplifying and who we're well positioned to amplify and vice versa? And to make that even more clear for people, if you're a real estate agent, you could find a lot of people that would refer business to you, but you could find a few people that would refer a lot   Michael Hingson ** 48:25 of business, a lot of business. Yeah,   Daniel Andrews ** 48:27 you could find a mortgage lender, a divorce attorney, a moving company, a funeral home director, a nursing home director, right? And and if you're going to spend time building relationships with people, why wouldn't you find the people who are positioned to touch more people that you need to touch, particularly if there is some mutuality, meaning, as a real estate agent, I would be just as likely to be able to help a mortgage lender, a moving company, a funeral loan director, etc, etc, etc, right? All those things can come into play. And you know, the John gates, the salary negotiation coach, right? And Amanda Val bear, the resume writing coach, anybody can refer business to Amanda, but John's going to refer a lot more business to Amanda. Anybody can refer business to John, but Amanda's going to refer a lot more business to John. And and, you know, given that we've only got a finite number of conversations we're able to hold in our lifetime, why wouldn't Amanda and John be spending time with each other rather than spending time with me, who might occasionally meet somebody who needs them, but not on a daily basis the way Amanda meets John's clients? John meets Amanda's potential clients.   Michael Hingson ** 49:32 So here's the other way to spin. May not be the right word, but I'll use it. Frame it. Frame it. So you've got somebody who you're not giving a lot of, let's say a real estate agent. You're not giving that person a lot, but you're giving Elmo Schwartz, the real estate agent down the street, a lot more referrals and so on. Then the real estate agent who you're not referring a lot of people to, comes along and says, You. You know, I know you're really working with this other guy, but you know you and I have have had some conversations, and so how come I can't take advantage of the many opportunities that you're that you're offering? And I, for me, I always rejoice when I hear somebody ask that question, because at least they're opening up and they're saying, What do I need to do? At least, that's what I assume they're asking,   Daniel Andrews ** 50:24 yes, yeah, and that's a question that I teach people to ask, under what conditions would you feel comfortable referring business to me, right? Right? And you know, they may go, well, we don't share the same last name, but all my referrals go to, you know, Billy Bob, because he's my brother in law, and Thanksgiving gets weird, right? If he realizes I've been given leads to you, right? You know, it may never happen. Now, in my case, I believe in having multiple referral partners in every industry, right? Yeah, I don't just pick one, because personality plays part of it, right? I mean, and we can go back to real estate just because you say you're a real estate agent, I'm a real estate agent. I mean, we're calling on the same market. Same market at all, right, right? You could be a buyer's agent. I could be a seller's agent. You could be calling on, you know, what's a probate and estate issues? I could be dealing with first time homebuyers and young people, right? And therefore, and a lot of times it's personality, meaning, I personally, is not even the right word approach to business, meaning, there's some people that I would send to Ann Thomason, and there's some people I would send to Kim Lawson, and there's some people I would send to Elaine Gillespie, and some people I'd send to Taco Beals, right? Because I know what each of their strengths are, and I also know what sort of person they want to work with, right? Right? That's 1/3 person would appreciate them.   Michael Hingson ** 51:42 And that's the important part that that when somebody comes along and says, How come such and such, you can answer that, and you can do it in a way that helps them understand where they can truly fit into what you're offering, and that you can find a way to make it work, and that's really important. I've always maintained the best salespeople or teachers, pure and simple, in almost everything, and preachers, but but listening preachers. So it is, it is important to, yeah, well,   Daniel Andrews ** 52:16 and I bring this up in the context because we have a Bible college here in our town. So when I was a manager for Cutco, right? We get the college kids, right? Some of these seminary students, you know, looking for summer work and right? And they're like, you know, how does sales relate to, you know, being in the ministry later, I said, man. I said, Are you kidding? You kidding? I said, it's the purest. I said, you've got the hardest sales down on the roll. You ask people to pay the price now, and the payoff is at the end of their life. That's not sales. I don't know what is. At least, when people give me money, I give them something for it within a couple of days, you know, I said, I said, You better be good at sales if you're going to be your preacher eventually. Because you the, you know, the payment, the cost comes now, and the payoff, the reward comes later. I said, Man, those are the same but teachers the same way, right? You've got to invest the kids, the kids or the student, no matter how you know and what they're learning and why it's going to be relevant down the   Michael Hingson ** 53:06 road, right? Yeah, well, you You clearly have, have accepted all of this. When did you realize that maybe you were doing it wrong and that you re evaluated what you do?   Daniel Andrews ** 53:17 That's a great story, and there was a light bulb moment for me, right? I think the kids these days call it the origin story, right? You know. And and to tell the story correctly, but I have to give labels to the other two people involved, because their names are so similar that when I tell the story, I managed to confuse myself who was who. So I was in St Louis, Missouri, which, for reasons I won't go into for this podcast, is a weird town to be involved in B to B business in. They literally would prefer to do business with somebody they went to high school with. It's just a It's strange, but true. And I can go into the background of why it's true. It just is. It's accepted by people that have sold in towns other than St Louis. It's they know that St Louis is weird. Okay, so I'm having trouble not getting the traction I want. Who's in my industry, he agrees that we're going to partner and we're going to have a revenue share. I don't believe in finder's fees, but if you're going to co create the value with me, that's a different thing altogether, right? Writing a name on a piece of paper, I'm not paying for that. But if you're going to go with me on the appointment and help me get the job done. Yeah. Okay, back to the point. So my wingman, right? My partner, I call him wingman for the version this story, local, been around forever, prospect, business owner, right? We've got a B to B offered that's going to be fairly lucrative, because he's part of a family that owns a family businesses quite, quite a large there in St Louis. And we had met with the CFO because that was the real touch point on the business. As far as the value proposition over lunch, the four of us have been there prospect wingman CFO, of the prospect of myself, and it went reasonably well. Out they wanted to follow up to make the decision, which is not, not atypical. So we're back there standing in the parking lot of the prospects business, and the prospect points at me and says, Who is this guy? And my partner says, he's my guy. And the prospect points at me and goes, but I don't know this guy, and my partner says, but I know this guy, and the prospect points me and says, Well, what happens if something happens to this guy? And my partner says, I'll find another guy. And that was the purest, simplest form of what's truly happening when you're building a network. See, my days at Cutco were predicated on some of the same things. I go to Michael's house. I asked the name of your neighbors, your best friends, your pastor, your doctor, whoever you think, and then I would call them Hey, your buddy Michael insen said you'd help me out. So I'm borrowing a little bit of credibility, but the sale was made in the product, right? I'm only asking for a moment of your time, but I expected to show up, meaning I was only borrowing someone else's credibility to get a moment of your time. But I expected to show up and let the product and my Sterling personalities, I like to think of it, shine through and make the sale. There you go. And I realized, because when the prospect pointed me and said, Who is this guy, I thought my partner would say, he's my guy. Daniel, here's your chance to rise and shine, bring it, do that song and dance that you do, right? And he didn't. He kept the focus on the real point, which was that the prospect had credibility with my partner, and my partner had credibility with me. Yeah, right. And, and, and in that moment where he refused to put the spotlight on me, my partner kept it on himself, and he said, Mr. Prospect, don't worry about him. I'm not asking you to trust him. I'm asking you to trust me. And that was the light bulb where I said, Oh, what we're building is not introductions. We're building endorsements. When I get to the prospects door. I have the all the credibility that came from Bert, who referred me right, whatever credibility my partner, Bert, had with the prospect Butch. I show up on Butch is doorstep with that credibility. And when Butch starts to question it, the prospect starts to question it, my partner goes, What do you question? You're going to question him. We're not talking about him. We're talking about you and me, and we've known each other 30 years. What are you doing here? And I'm like, oh, that's why we're doing this. That's the point. I'm not asking to borrow your Rolodex. I'm asking to borrow your credibility.   Michael Hingson ** 57:38 And the other part of that question that comes to mind is, did the credibility that Bert and Butch have with each other ever get to the point where it transferred to you, at least in part? Oh, yeah,   Daniel Andrews ** 57:55 yeah, we got the sale. Yeah. I mean, that was the conversation where he's like, All right, we're going to do this. I'm like, because it was a big deal. It was a very large deal. And, yeah, but in   Michael Hingson ** 58:04 general, you know, I hear what you're saying, and in general, somewhere along the line, the prospect has to say, has to hopefully recognize this other guy really is part of the process and has value, and so I'm going to like him too, correct,   Daniel Andrews ** 58:23 and you can drop the ball. It's possible to screw it up, but I'm starting at a level 10 in the case of this particular pair of people, and it's mine to lose, as opposed to starting from zero and trying to get up to five or six or eight or whatever it takes to make the sale, and that's the biggest difference, right? It will, it will transfer to me, but then it's up to me to drop the ball and lose it, meaning, if I don't do anything stupid, it's going to stay there. And you know what was great about my partner was he didn't even not that I would have but he didn't give me any room to say anything stupid. He's like, he's like, let's not even talk. Put the spotlight on Daniel. Let's keep the spotlight on the two of us, and the fact that I've never let you down in 30 years. Why would you think this is going to be a bad introduction   Michael Hingson ** 59:09

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Matt Kostan is the CEO of ProductPinion, and he revolutionizes brand growth through real consumer insights. His platform transforms shopper feedback into sales-driving strategies.A serial entrepreneur with over a decade of experience, Matt has scaled multiple seven-figure brands across Amazon, Kickstarter and retail. From product development to market domination, he is renowned for sharing actionable advice for e-commerce sellers through his engaging talks on world stages. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Innovative strategies for e-commerce sellersEnhancing product listings to improve salesImportance of consumer insights in e-commerceThe "million-dollar image hack" for product imagesIntroduction of the AI tool "Variations" for image creationUtilizing consumer feedback for optimizing listingsThe shift towards conversational search queriesBuilding brand reputation in competitive marketsEffective A/B testing strategies for product listingsLeveraging external press and relationships with journalists for brand visibilityIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Matt Kostan, CEO of Product Pinion. They delve into advanced e-commerce strategies to help 6-7 figure business owners scale to 8 figures and beyond. Matt shares actionable insights, including the "million-dollar image hack" for creating standout product images based on competitor analysis. He introduces "Variations," a new AI tool for generating effective Amazon listing images. The discussion emphasizes the importance of consumer feedback, continuous testing, and leveraging AI tools to enhance product visibility and drive sales. This episode is a must-listen for ambitious e-commerce entrepreneurs.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Action Item #1: Implement the Million-Dollar Image Hack: Focus on creating standout product images by analyzing your competitors and leveraging AI tools for creative differentiation. Test multiple image concepts in a controlled environment to measure click-through rates and select the most effective one for your Amazon listings.Action Item #2: Leverage Consumer Feedback for Listing Optimization: Collect feedback through customer reviews and surveys to identify relevant keywords and descriptors that resonate with shoppers. Continuously update your product listings to reflect these terms, improving search visibility and relevance.Action Item #3: Adapt to Conversational Search: Optimize your product titles and descriptions for natural, conversational queries. Use consumer insights to identify commonly used phrases in your niche, and ensure your listings are tailored to the evolving search behavior of shoppers.Resources mentioned in this episode:Product PinionCanvaGoogle FormsHelium 10Jungle ScoutPerplexityChatGPTWirecutter (New York Times)Vetted (Forbes)Underscored (CNN)InovioDescriptThe 4-Hour Workweek by Tim FerrissBuy Back Your Time by Dan MartellAlex Moses PodcastAndrew SedlakDorian GorskiSpecial 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 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 AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Stephen Pope from My Amazon Guide. Today, I am speaking with Matt Kostan, the CEO of Product Pinion. And today we have some amazing hacks. We've got AI tools that he's going to be sharing with us. We're going to be talking about how ...

Art Koch, Art is a globally recognized supply chain transformation expert and consultant with over three decades of transforming business performance at mid-market and Fortune 500 companies. He's increased corporate valuations by over a billion dollars, utilizing his proprietary methodologies to improve customer loyalty, reduce inventory by over $250 million, and increase EBITDA by $100 million-plus annually. His new book is now available, titled The Supply Chain Revolution: Unlocking the Sustainable Profit Chain. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of supply chain efficiency in e-commerceChallenges and inefficiencies in inventory managementConcept of inventory as a depreciating asset"Art's Law" and its implications for business complexityStrategies for analyzing sales data to improve inventory practicesNeed for data integrity and inventory accuracyBuilding strong relationships with suppliersImportance of professional development and employee engagementRole of artificial intelligence in improving lead time accuracyFostering a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvementIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Art Koch, founder of Art Koch Management Consulting and a renowned supply chain expert. Art shares his insights on the critical role of supply chain efficiency in e-commerce, emphasizing the pitfalls of excessive inventory. He explains how inventory often masks deeper operational issues and depreciates over time. Art introduces "Art's Law," which highlights the disproportionate complexity driven by a small percentage of sales. He offers actionable strategies, including evaluating low-performing SKUs, ensuring data integrity, and hiring data experts, to help e-commerce entrepreneurs streamline operations and drive sustainable growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Action Item #1: Streamline SKUs to Reduce Complexity: Analyze your sales data to identify low-performing SKUs that add complexity without contributing significantly to revenue. Consider eliminating or consolidating these SKUs to simplify inventory management and lower operational costs.Action Item #2: Ensure High Data Accuracy for Effective Inventory Management: Aim for near-perfect data accuracy (99.999%) when managing inventory, especially if using third-party systems. Invest in software tools like Power BI to track and report data accurately in real-time.Action Item #3: Foster Strong Supplier Relationships for Reliability: Build long-term agreements with suppliers rather than relying on spot buying. Maintain open, regular communication to keep suppliers informed about your inventory needs and forecasts, ensuring better support and reliability.Resources mentioned in this episode:Six SigmaSo StockedInventory PlannerPower BIChatGPTThe Supply Chain Revolution: Unlocking the Sustainable Profit Chain by Art KochThe Long Game by Dorie ClarkArt Koch Management ConsultingThe Supply Chain RevolutionElon Musk in LinkedInSpecial 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 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 AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today I am speaking with Art Koch. He is the founder of Art Koch Management Consulting, and today we are going to be talking about why inventory is evil and art has a fantastic response as to why inventory is evil. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure ecommerce businesses to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner who can help take your business to the next level, my team and I bring...

Years ago, Michael Gerber wrote a popular book called E-Myth. The primary premise behind the book is that many entrepreneurs work hard at their craft, but they're not always adept at developing systems and processes.  This results in many entrepreneurs working harder, but not smarter. Which is often why franchises succeed more frequently than ... The post Becoming Scalable appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The Daily Boost - Episode 5011 Are You Working ON Your Life or IN It? Host: Scott Smith Episode Description In this thought-provoking episode, Scott Smith tackles the universal challenge of procrastination with his signature blend of humor and wisdom. He weaves personal anecdotes, timely observations about Inauguration Day 2025 and Martin Luther King Day, and robust business insights from "The E-Myth" to deliver a compelling message about taking control of your life. Through engaging storytelling, Scott challenges listeners to examine whether they're truly working on their life or just being swept along by it, offering practical wisdom for those ready to stop being "crastinators" and start taking action. Featured Story Scott shares the insightful parallel between Michael Gerber's "E-Myth" concept and personal life management. Just as a plumber can get caught up in running a plumbing business instead of doing actual plumbing, people often find themselves caught up in "running" their lives instead of truly living them according to their vision. Key Takeaways - The simplest success recipe: Stand up, take a step, repeat - Being aware of what's truly holding you back requires honest self-reflection - External interruptions and others' return to routine can derail your New Year plans - Success is an ongoing journey that continues even after achieving initial goals - The importance of distinguishing between working "in" your life versus working "on" your life Memorable Quotes "The only time you get to stop standing up, taking a step, and repeating is the day you die." "Have you sat down to work on your life, or are you just buzzing around in your life?" "Stand up, take a step, repeat. That's it. That's the world's easiest success recipe." Scott's Three-Step Approach 1. Honestly assess what's truly holding you back in your life 2. Take control of your schedule instead of letting it control you 3. Regularly step back to ensure you're working on your life, not just in it Connect With Scott Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Email: support@motivationtomove.com Website: https://www.faceyourpassion.com/ Special Offer: https://www.9minuteclaritycode.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Willis is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, a three-time #1 Best Selling Author and the owner of Lake Growth Financial Services, a financial firm in Chicago, Illinois. As co-host of the Not Your Average Financial Podcast™, he shares some of his strategies for investing in real estate, paying for college without going broke, and creating an income in retirement you will not outlive.  Mark works with people who want to grow their wealth in ways that are safe and predictable, to become their own source of financing, and create tax-free income in retirement.  Book “How to be an Amazon Legend and Fire Your Banker.” Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Introduction to the podcast's mission and focus on e-commerce business leaders.Mark Willis's background and experience with business owners and e-commerce entrepreneurs.Common financing challenges faced by e-commerce businesses, particularly reliance on banks.Overview of Mark's book, "How to Be an Amazon Legend and Fire Your Banker."Concept of using dividend-paying whole life insurance as a financial strategy.Importance of having control over personal finances and becoming one's own source of financing.Discussion of non-direct recognition policy loans and their benefits.Comparison of whole life insurance policies to home equity lines of credit.Tax strategies that can complement the use of whole life insurance policies.Actionable takeaways for e-commerce entrepreneurs to enhance financial management and independence.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Mark Willis, a certified financial planner and owner of Lake Growth Financial Services. They discuss financial strategies for e-commerce entrepreneurs aiming to scale their businesses. Key topics include overcoming reliance on traditional banks, using dividend-paying whole life insurance as a financing tool, and implementing effective tax strategies. Mark shares insights from his book, "How to Be an Amazon Legend and Fire Your Banker," emphasizing the importance of financial control and independence. The episode provides actionable advice to help business owners manage capital and achieve greater financial security.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Action Item #1: Invest in the Right Places: Business owners should ensure they are putting their money into vehicles that will grow and provide liquidity when needed.Action Item #2: Implement Tax-Saving Strategies: It's crucial to work with a certified financial planner to identify and implement effective tax strategies.Action Item #3: Execute Financial Strategies: Taking action is essential; business owners should not just learn about strategies but also implement them to see real results.Resources mentioned in this episode:Lake Growth Financial ServicesFAFSAAugusta RuleFuture ToolsKickstart with MarkHow to Be an Amazon Legend and Fire Your BankerDebt: The First 5,000 YearsThe Holy BibleThe Lord of the RingsNot Your Average Financial 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 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 AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today, I'm speaking with Mark Willis of Lake Growth Financial Services, and we're going to be talking a lot about how you can bank on yourself and become your own source of financing in your business. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner who can help take your business to the next level, my team and I bring hands on experien...

Aaron Biner, he originally started off selling footwear on Amazon in 2008. Eventually he pivoted to private label and is a current 7 figure seller on the platform. He currently runs his own agency Marketplace Nerd that is focused on helping sellers with consulting and managing PPC. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. PPC (Pay-Per-Click) strategies for Amazon sellersConversion rate optimization techniquesImportance of understanding key metrics like TACoS and ACoSBalancing advertising budgets with profitabilityStrategies for optimizing PPC spend and traffic qualityDay parting and timing for ad campaignsPrice adjustments and their impact on salesSeasonal trends and inventory managementData-driven decision-making for performance trackingBuilding strong supplier relationships for better sourcing and pricing In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Aaron Biner, CEO of Marketplace Nerd, to discuss advanced PPC strategies and conversion rate optimization for Amazon sellers. Aaron emphasizes the importance of understanding key metrics like TACoS and ACoS to make informed decisions. He shares actionable insights on balancing PPC budgets, optimizing ad spend, and leveraging data-driven strategies to enhance profitability. The discussion also covers effective pricing tactics, the significance of building strong supplier relationships, and the necessity of continuous product launching. This episode is a must-listen for Amazon sellers aiming to scale their businesses amidst rising competition and costs.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Action Item #1: Understand Your Numbers: Utilize tools for SKU-level profitability to make data-driven decisions.Action Item #2: Test Different Strategies: Experiment with various approaches and analyze the results to find what works best for your products.Action Item #3: Build Supplier Relationships: Meet suppliers in person to negotiate better pricing and ensure product quality.Resources mentioned in this episode:Scale InsightsPower BISellerboardHelium 10Jungle ScoutData DiveData RoverProphecyChatGPTSeller SessionsSreenath Reddy on LinkedInStephen Silcock on LinkedInRitu Java on LinkedInSpecial 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 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 AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordova's and Michael Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today, I'm speaking with Aaron Biner, who is the CEO of Marketplace Nerd, and we're going to be talking a lot about PPC conversion rate optimization strategies that can help you survive the increased competition and fees on Amazon. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure e-commerce companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner who can help take your busines...

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Michael Denehey interviews Mike McHenry, founder of Seamless SMSF, shares his inspiring journey of scaling from a solo venture with one team member to a thriving business with 50 staff. Based in Gold Coast, Australia, Seamless SMSF audits over 30,000 funds for 360 firms, emphasizing a people-first culture. Mike reveals key lessons on building processes, maintaining strong relationships, and fostering team development. His insights offer valuable takeaways for entrepreneurs navigating growth. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Michael delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Mike McHenry believes the hardest part of growing a small business is managing people. He emphasizes that while people are the greatest asset, they can also be the biggest challenge. Success comes from hiring for cultural fit over skill alone, fostering trust, and building a supportive and aligned team culture. He stresses that having the right people who follow effective processes is essential for delivering outcomes and sustaining growth. What's your favourite business book that has helped you the most? Mike McHenry's favorite business book is "The E-Myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber. He appreciates its focus on the importance of systems and processes in creating scalable and successful businesses. Mike considers it a foundational read for anyone starting or running a business, highlighting how it teaches entrepreneurs to understand their customers deeply and build businesses that feel personal and supportive. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Mike McHenry recommends exploring sales-focused podcasts and resources like Simon Sinek's insightful YouTube content, which emphasizes people and leadership challenges in the modern era. While he doesn't follow specific podcasts regularly, he values recommendations from trusted contacts and seeks out learning opportunities that align with his interests. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Mike McHenry highlights culture as the most critical "tool" for growing a small business. He emphasizes creating a people-first environment where empathy, respect, and collaboration are central. Building strong relationships with employees and customers fosters trust and engagement. Additionally, he recommends developing clear systems and processes to deliver consistent outcomes. McHenry advises asking, "What do I want people to say about my business when I'm not in the room?" and aligning your actions to achieve that reputation. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Mike McHenry's advice to himself on day one of starting out in business is: "Don't panic. It's going to be okay." He stresses the importance of staying calm, focusing on the bigger picture, and forgiving yourself for mistakes, as they are part of the journey. He encourages new entrepreneurs to approach business as a game, focus on their intent, and trust that things will work out with perseverance and a people-first mindset. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Success in business starts with giving a genuine care about people and their needs — Mike McHenry Outstanding culture drives outstanding results; never compromise on it — Mike McHenry True business growth happens when you leave your ego at the door — Mike McHenry  

Ral West is one of those people whose story stays with you. Over four decades as an entrepreneur, she's seen it all. In her mid-twenties, she took the plunge and started her first business. That bold move led to running a charter air service between Alaska and Hawaii for 25 years, flying wide-body jets with her husband. Selling it to Alaska Airlines was a career highlight—but far from the finale. Since then, she's owned small cruise ships, invested in real estate, and continued building her legacy. Now, Ral dedicates her time to helping other entrepreneurs achieve what she has: balancing business success with a fulfilling life. Her journey is real, raw, and packed with lessons for dreamers everywhere. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Challenging Generational Norms “Early in my career, working for my father, I hit the glass ceiling. He came from a different generation, and his views were, let's say, a bit old-fashioned. But I decided, ‘Thanks, Dad—I'll take it from here.' And I broke away to chart my own path.” Juggling Act: The Exhausting Middle Years “Between 35 and 55, I was stretched thin—running a business, raising young kids, volunteering. Sleep felt like a luxury. My health suffered, my marriage struggled, and I couldn't do it all.” The Breakthrough: Building Systems and Letting Go “I learned the hard way that trying to do everything myself wasn't sustainable. I created systems, implemented processes, and built a team I could trust. Using metrics and data-driven management, I structured my business so it could run smoothly—whether I was there or not.” The Slow Burn of Transformation “Building systems, processes, and a reliable team didn't happen overnight. It was years in the making. I started small—reading books like The E-Myth by Michael Gerber, going back to college, and studying with mentors like Robert Kiyosaki. Each step added a piece to the puzzle.” Bite-Sized Delegation: Starting Small “You don't need massive financial success to start delegating. It starts with breaking down your daily tasks into bite-sized pieces and identifying what you can transfer to someone else.” Turning Intuition Into Systems “One of my toughest challenges was documenting decision-making processes—like when to increase advertising spend. It took weeks of introspection and trial and error before I realized I was relying on sales trends over a three-day period. Once I had clarity, I turned it into a system my team could follow, even when I wasn't there.” Creating Culture: Embodying Values and Principles “It wasn't just about systems and metrics; it was about building a team that shared my values. From customer service to feedback collection, we worked hard to create a culture that prioritized our principles.”  _________________________ Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ral West Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2.5+ Millions Downloads 80+ Countries

Send us a textEpisode 349: Problems in business often start with a lack of systems. Our host, Jamie Irvine, shares clips from a past interview with Michael E. Gerber, author of The EMyth. They discuss the need to have systems and the idea that a real business is one that does not rely solely on the owner.Our host also interviewed Steve Harter, owner of Knomatic. Knomatic builds custom solutions for problems in heavy-duty companies at affordable prices. Are you struggling with the systems in your heavy-duty business? Go to heavydutypartsreport.com/systems to get started with a solution!Show Notes: Visit HeavyDutyPartsReport.com for complete show notes of this episode and to subscribe to all our content.Sponsors of this EpisodeHeavy Duty Consulting Corporation: Find out how many “fault codes” your heavy-duty parts business has. Meet with us today. Visit HeavyDutyConsulting.comHengst Filtration: There's a new premium filter option for fleets. If you're responsible for a fleet, you won't believe how much using Hengst filters will save you. But you've got to go to HeavyDutyPartsReport.com/Hengst to find out how much.Diesel Laptops: Diesel Laptops is so much more than just a provider of diagnostic tools. They're your shop efficiency solution company. Learn more about everything Diesel Laptops can do for you today by visiting DieselLaptops.com today.HDA Truck Pride: They're the heart of the independent parts and service channel. They have 750 parts stores and 450 service centers conveniently located across the US and Canada. Visit HeavyDutyPartsReport.com/HDATruckPride today to find a location near you.Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission. Sign up for our weekly email so you never miss out on an episode: Follow the Show

This week on the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole interviews Dominic Rubino. Dominic is a construction business coach and author who has also built and sold two of his own multi-million dollar companies. For over 20 years, Dom has worked closely with contractors, showing them how to put simple systems in place. He knows what he's doing and his message is simple: you don't need a lot of time or a business degree to build a multi-million dollar construction business. You just need simple systems. Dom is the author of Construction Millionaire Secrets: How to build a million or multimillion-dollar contracting business the smart way. He also hosts two of the leading construction industry podcasts: Profit Tool Belt and Cabinet Maker Profit System. When he's not coaching or podcasting, he's doing what he loves most: being a husband and a dad and failing terribly at fly fishing.‍In this episode, Dom and Nicole talk about: [00:03:59] What makes a person a millionaire? It might not be what you think![00:10:39] The "Who Am I?" secret of Mindset and standing for something.[00:12:22] An assessment to figure out what you stand for [00:18:42] A formula to start thinking, acting, planning, and goal setting[00:31:39] How important it is for creators to see the end results of their work[00:35:21] How getting your goals onto paper is a game changer for your businessWant to know more about Dominic?Dominic's book: https://a.co/d/28cpmOJCabinet Maker Profit System Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cabinet-maker-profit-system-podcast/i…Profit Tool Belt Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/profit-tool-belt/id1473467565LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dominicrubinoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cabinetmakerprofitsystem/Other books mentioned on this episode:Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey: https://a.co/d/dRf6OubThe Path by Laurie Beth Jones: https://a.co/d/gTZSRh9The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack: https://a.co/d/c0aIGjYThe E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber: https://a.co/d/gN51Eel$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi: https://a.co/d/d2ZzTUuEat That Frog by Brian Tracy: https://a.co/d/0EVn1MhDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast for more insights on creating thriving workplaces! 

“The satisfaction of success doesn't come from achieving goals; it comes from struggling well.” - Ray Dalio In this episode, I dive into the power of embracing struggles on your journey to success. Drawing from personal coaching experiences, mentorship insights, and lessons from Ray Dalio, Michael Gerber, and Robert Kiyosaki, we uncover why the challenges you face are essential to your growth.

Sreenath is the founder and CEO of a technology company called Intentwise. As the likes of Amazon and Walmart share more data than ever before, at Intentwise their goal is to help brands and agencies make the most of all this data.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of data in e-commerce for competitive advantage.Evolution of data availability and its impact on sellers.Types of questions sellers should ask to leverage data effectively.Categories of questions: operational, diagnostic, and strategic.Practical examples of operational insights for tracking performance.Case studies demonstrating successful data utilization by sellers.The significance of understanding competition at the product level.Tracking customer behavior, including repeat purchases and lifetime value.The necessity of data organization and visualization for quick insights.Actionable steps for sellers to harness data for informed decision-making.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley converses with Sreenath Reddy, CEO of Intent Wise, about leveraging data to scale e-commerce businesses. They emphasize the importance of data from platforms like Amazon and Walmart for gaining a competitive edge. Srinath shares insights on organizing and visualizing data, tracking key metrics like customer lifetime value and repeat purchase behavior, and identifying true competitors. He advises creating a roadmap of critical questions, ensuring data quality, and using technology to streamline data management. This episode provides actionable strategies for e-commerce entrepreneurs aiming to scale to eight figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Develop a Roadmap of Questions: Sellers should create a list of key questions they want to answer using data, ensuring they have a clear focus on what insights are necessary for their business.Visualize Data: It's crucial to have tools in place to visualize data effectively. Whether through internal development or third-party tools like Intent Wise, sellers need to see how their inventory, ad performance, and organic rankings interact.Leverage Data for Decision-Making: Sellers must establish processes to analyze data regularly and use those insights to inform strategic decisions. In an increasingly competitive landscape, those who can harness data effectively will have a significant advantage.Resources & Links SectionJosh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comIntent WiseAmazon Marketing CloudAWS APISelling Partner APIPower BIChatGPTMade to Stick by Chip and Dan HeathRick Watson on RMW Commerce ConsultingSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordova, and Michael Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today I am speaking with Srinath Reddy, the founder and CEO of Intent Wise, and we are going to be talking a lot about how you can use data that Amazon and Walmart and all the marketplaces are giving you in order to create a com...

David was an Amazon Seller himself and he had a hard time connecting with affiliates. This roadblock inspired David to create Archer Affiliates and he now connects Amazon sellers with influencers, publishers, and affiliates.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of affiliate marketing for Amazon sellersStrategies for creating a successful affiliate networkTypes of products that perform well in affiliate marketingCommission structures and competitive rates for affiliatesEngaging and building relationships with affiliatesUtilizing promotions and discounts to drive salesLeveraging external traffic to enhance visibility on AmazonThe role of PR agencies in connecting with media publishers and influencersTesting and iterating marketing strategies for optimal performanceNetworking within the e-commerce community for growth and learningHere are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Integrate Affiliate Marketing into Your Overall Strategy:   Treat affiliate marketing as a core part of your marketing strategy, not just an add-on. This means aligning it with your PPC efforts and overall sales goals, and using platforms like Archer Affiliates to connect with the right influencers and publishers.2. Set Competitive and Strategic Commission Rates:   Calculate a competitive commission by combining your Amazon brand referral bonus with your advertising cost of sales (ACoS). This will help you attract quality affiliates by offering them a fair share of the profits.3. Focus on Audience Alignment When Choosing Affiliates:   Ensure that the affiliates you choose have audiences that are genuinely interested in your products. Use platforms like Archer Affiliates and social media to find influencers whose audience aligns with your target market.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comArcher AffiliatesAmazon Associates ProgramSlickdealsDeal NewsBest ReviewsLevantaPerch Plus Program$1 Billion Seller Summit12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson12 More Rules for Life by Jordan PetersonThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark MansonSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordova's and Michael Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today, I am speaking with David Katz of Archer Affiliates, and we're going to be talking about how to create know a no brainer affiliate network to be able to propel your sales on Amazon even further. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner who can help take your business to the next level, my team and I bring hands on experience, strategic insights, and the resources needed to fuel your growth. So if you or someone you know is ready to scale or looking for an investment partner, reach out to me directly at Josh at Ecomm Breakthrough dot com. That's e-comm with two M's and let's turn your dreams into reality. But today I am super excited to introduce you all to David Katz.Josh Hadley 00:00:46  David was a former Amazon seller himself and he had a hard time connecting with affiliates. Therefore, this roadblock inspired David to create Archer affiliates, and he now connects Amazon sellers with influencers, publishers, and affiliates. With that introduction, welcome to the show David.David Katz 00:01:00  Hey, how's it going, Josh? Thanks for having me on, man....

Ral West is the kind of person you meet and immediately think, “Wow, she's lived a life.” Over 40 years as an entrepreneur, her story is full of twists and turns. In her mid-twenties, she took a leap and started her first business. That was just the beginning. For 25 years, she and her husband ran a charter air service between Alaska and Hawaii, flying wide-body jets. Eventually, they sold it to Alaska Airlines—a huge milestone, but not the end of her journey. She's owned small cruise ships, invested in real estate, and kept building. And now? She's helping other entrepreneurs figure out the same thing she did: how to run a business and have a life. Her story is inspiring, real, and packed with lessons for anyone chasing big dreams. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Challenging Generational Norms “Early in my career, working for my father, I hit the glass ceiling. He came from a different generation, and his views were, let's say, a bit old-fashioned. But I decided, ‘Thanks, Dad—I'll take it from here.' And I broke away to chart my own path.” Juggling Act: The Exhausting Middle Years “Between 35 and 55, I was stretched thin—running a business, raising young kids, volunteering. Sleep felt like a luxury. My health suffered, my marriage struggled, and I couldn't do it all.” The Breakthrough: Building Systems and Letting Go “I learned the hard way that trying to do everything myself wasn't sustainable. I created systems, implemented processes, and built a team I could trust. Using metrics and data-driven management, I structured my business so it could run smoothly—whether I was there or not.” The Slow Burn of Transformation “Building systems, processes, and a reliable team didn't happen overnight. It was years in the making. I started small—reading books like The E-Myth by Michael Gerber, going back to college, and studying with mentors like Robert Kiyosaki. Each step added a piece to the puzzle.” Bite-Sized Delegation: Starting Small “You don't need massive financial success to start delegating. It starts with breaking down your daily tasks into bite-sized pieces and identifying what you can transfer to someone else.” Turning Intuition Into Systems “One of my toughest challenges was documenting decision-making processes—like when to increase advertising spend. It took weeks of introspection and trial and error before I realized I was relying on sales trends over a three-day period. Once I had clarity, I turned it into a system my team could follow, even when I wasn't there.” Creating Culture: Embodying Values and Principles “It wasn't just about systems and metrics; it was about building a team that shared my values. From customer service to feedback collection, we worked hard to create a culture that prioritized our principles.”  _________________________ Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ral West Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2 Millions+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Paul is an experienced attorney with nearly 20 years in complex tax, litigation and M&A matters. Paul is also a trusted resource in the eCom world, regularly quoted in the press on matters involving Amazon and eCommerce, and was the most-cited resource in the House Antitrust Committee's report on Amazon's business practices.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Current challenges faced by Amazon sellers, particularly the "purge" of resellers.Increased scrutiny on invoices and sourcing requirements imposed by Amazon.Rising fees and their impact on sellers' profit margins.Intellectual property (IP) challenges, especially regarding infringement from overseas sellers.Legal strategies for protecting IP rights and enforcing compliance.The importance of maintaining proper documentation and compliance with Amazon's regulations.Trends in Amazon's enforcement practices and the consequences for non-compliance.The need for a unified lobbying effort among Amazon sellers to advocate for their interests.Predictions for future compliance requirements and the necessity for sellers to prepare in advance.The role of services like Seller Basics in helping sellers manage account health and avoid suspensions.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley engages with Paul Rafelson, an attorney with nearly 20 years of experience in tax litigation and M&A. Paul, affiliated with the Rafelson Law Firm and Seller Basics, discusses the current challenges Amazon sellers face, particularly the "purge" of resellers. He highlights increased scrutiny on invoices, rising fees, and the importance of compliance. Paul introduces Seller Basics, a cost-effective service designed to help sellers manage account health and prevent suspensions. The episode underscores the need for proactive legal strategies and compliance to navigate Amazon's evolving marketplace.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Strengthen Documentation and Compliance Practices: Ensure that all invoices and sourcing documents are meticulously organized and easily accessible.2. Proactively Protect Intellectual Property (IP): Register your trademarks, copyrights, and patents as early as possible.3. Diversify Sales Channels and Optimize Cost Structure: Consider expanding to other e-commerce platforms to reduce dependency on Amazon.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comSeller BasicsEdison IPCalifornia's Proposition 65Marketplace PulseChatGPTHilton HartOutliers by Malcolm GladwellBillion Dollar Seller SummitSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interviewed the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordovez and Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth. Today I'm speaking with Paul Rafelson of the Rafelson law Firm and seller Basics, and we are going to be talking a lot about how you can protect your brand through the Amazon purge that is currently underway right now. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner who can help take your business to the next level, my team and I provide hands-on experience, strategic insights, and the resources needed to fuel your growth. So if you or someone you know is ready to scale or looking for an investment partner, reach out to me directly at Josh at Ecomm Breakthrough. Com. That's E-comm with two M's and let's turn your dreams into reality. But today I am super excited to introduce you all to Paul Rafelson.Josh Hadley 00:00:48  Paul is an experienced attorney with nearly 20 years in co...

In this episode of The Pilates Business Podcast, host Seran Glanfield shares her all-time favorite business books that have shaped her approach to leadership, marketing, and growth. Whether you're looking for strategies to scale your boutique fitness studio, create a standout brand, or shift your mindset for success, Seran's curated list of must-reads will inspire and guide you. From foundational concepts on business structure to powerful insights on marketing and leadership, these books provide practical takeaways that studio owners can apply today.Key Takeaways:How to scale your studio with systems from The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.Crafting a compelling brand message with Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller.This is Marketing by Seth Godin—rethinking marketing as service, not selling.Developing leadership skills with Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek.The power of mindset with The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.Tune in to hear actionable advice on how to apply these lessons to your studio for long-term growth and success.Got a question for Seran? Add it here

Introduction to Kevin Donnelly (0:00-5:00)Kevin's background as a serial entrepreneur and business coach.Scaling his company from 40 to 600 employees.The superpower of ninja recruiting top talent.The Journey of Scaling a Business (5:01-15:00)How Kevin landed a big contract with AT&T that propelled his growth.The importance of implementing a business operating system.Systems like EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and Rockefeller Habits.Shifting from Technician to Conductor (15:01-25:00)The mindset shift from technician to business leader.Kevin's concept of “E-Wakening” inspired by Michael Gerber's The E-Myth.The importance of peer accountability and building a high-performance team.Lessons in Leadership: Letting Go and Firing the Empty Suits (25:01-35:00)The process of letting go of underperforming team members.Common pitfalls entrepreneurs face when scaling their business.Creating a culture of accountability and execution.Ninja Recruiting: Hiring and Onboarding A-Players (35:01-45:00)Kevin's proven strategies for recruiting top talent.The importance of structured hiring processes and assessments.Setting new hires up for success with onboarding and 30-60-90 day plans.Exit Planning and Increasing Business Valuation (45:01-55:00)John Warrillow's eight drivers of value from Built to Sell.How to increase your business's multiple for a successful exit.Strategies for creating a business that thrives without the owner.Kevin's Personal Journey: Facing Dark Times and Emerging Stronger (55:01-1:05:00)Kevin's story of losing a million dollars in 2006 and letting go of half his workforce.How he turned that crisis into his greatest opportunity.The power of persistence and continuous learning.The Four Freedom Factors (1:05:01-1:15:00)Kevin's keys to achieving freedom as a business owner: talent, systems, strategy, and numbers.Moving from being owned by the business to owning it.Closing Thoughts & Call to Action (1:15:01-End)Kevin's “Holy Grail” of coaching others to reach their full potential.How to connect with Kevin Donnelly: Kevin Donnelly's Website, Freedom Point Advisors, and Hiring Labs.

Chris is a successful entrepreneur whose resume includes successful ventures in marketing, import/export, Brand Creation, and consulting. Over the years, he has built and sold several companies while also assisting numerous brands in achieving rapid growth on Amazon. Currently, he is a seven-figure Amazon seller and a consultant for multiple companies, specializing in brand protection on the platform.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights on Amazon.Challenges faced by seven-figure Amazon sellers, including rising fees and competition.The impact of resellers and hijackers on brand integrity and pricing.Opportunities and challenges of selling through retail channels, such as Walmart.The importance of a robust IP protection strategy, including trademarks and patents.The Amazon Transparency Program and its role in preventing counterfeiting.Protecting Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) across multiple sales channels.Recommendations for developing a comprehensive IP protection strategy.The significance of monitoring and addressing unauthorized sellers on Amazon.Resources and tools for enhancing e-commerce operations and brand protection.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, hosted by Josh Hadley, Chris Lyell shares strategies for enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights on Amazon, protecting brands from hijackers and resellers, and overcoming challenges faced by seven-figure Amazon sellers. Chris discusses the importance of Amazon's Transparency Program to combat counterfeit products and protect listings. He also highlights the complexities of maintaining Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) across multiple sales channels and offers actionable advice for developing a robust IP protection strategy. The episode provides valuable insights for business owners aiming to scale their e-commerce operations and safeguard their brands.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Develop a Comprehensive IP Protection StrategyInclude trademarks, copyrights, and patents to reduce competition.Utilize Brokers and Industry ContactsNavigate retail opportunities effectively with the help of experienced brokers.Implement a Robust Monitoring StrategyProtect Amazon listings from unauthorized sellers, especially after entering retail channels.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazon APEX ProgramFaireAmazon Brand RegistryAmazon Report Violation ToolAmazon Transparency ProgramAveryOpenAI / ChatGPTData DiveBillion Dollar Seller SummitTools of TitansSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordovez and Michael Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today I'm speaking with Chris Lyell, and we're going to be talking about how you can enforce your rights on Amazon to not only protect your IP, your intellectual property, but how you can create a digital moat around your business to protect you from hijackers, resellers and all that good stuff. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious entrepreneur and looking for a partner who can help take your business to the next level, my team and I bring that hands-on experience, the strategic insights, and the resources ready to fuel your growth. So if you or someone you know is ready to scale and looking for an investment partner, reach out to me directly at Josh at Ecomm Breakthrough dot com. That's ecom with two M's and let's turn your dreams into reality.Josh Hadley 00...

Chelsea Cohen is an Amazon inventory & FBA fees expert and the co-founder & CEO of SoStocked.com, an Amazon inventory management software now part of the Carbon6 ecosystem. She has helped hundreds of 7 & 8-figure sellers increase profitability through stockout avoidance and fee prevention. Chelsea has been featured on Billion Dollar Sellers Summit, 7-Figure Sellers Summit & Prosper Show, among others.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges faced by Amazon sellers in the current economic climate.Hidden costs and fees associated with selling on Amazon.Importance of understanding unit economics for profitability.Strategies for managing aged inventory to avoid high storage fees.The impact of shipping costs and the need for effective cash flow management.Inventory forecasting and its role in financial planning.Data-driven decision-making for optimizing inventory management.Liquidation strategies for excess inventory.The future of selling on Amazon and potential profit margin challenges.Actionable takeaways for sellers to improve inventory management and reduce costs.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Chelsea Cohen, CEO of SoStocked, an Amazon inventory management software. They discuss the hidden costs and fees Amazon sellers face, especially in the current economic climate. Chelsea shares insights on understanding unit economics, managing shipping and storage fees, and the importance of inventory forecasting. She highlights strategies to mitigate these costs, including negotiating supplier terms and optimizing product packaging. The episode provides actionable advice for Amazon sellers aiming to improve profitability and navigate the complexities of e-commerce.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Negotiate Supplier Terms: Explore creative payment terms with suppliers to maintain cash flow and avoid locking up inventory.Focus on Aged Inventory: Implement a plan to manage aged inventory proactively, ensuring that products are sold before incurring high storage fees.Optimize Product Packaging: Reassess product packaging to ensure it meets Amazon's requirements and potentially reduces FBA fees.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comCarbon Six EcosystemAmazon Global Logistics (AGL)SoStockedSeller InvestigatorsPPC EntourageAmazon Liquidation ProgramBillion Dollar Seller SummitProsper ShowTravis Ziegler's on LinkedInThe One Thing by Gary KellerTomer Rabinovich on LinkedInSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today I am speaking with Chelsea Cohen, the CEO of So Stock. Com in Amazon inventory management software. And we're going to be talking about all the hidden costs and fees that Amazon is charging you, how to identify them, and how to reduce them so that you are more profitable. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure e-commerce companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner who can help take your brand to the next level, my team and I bring on that hands-on experience, strategic insights, and the resources needed to help fuel your growth. If you or someone you know is ready to scale or looking for an investment partner, reach out to me directly at Josh at Ecomm Breakthrough.Josh Hadley 00:00:44  Com that's E-comm with two M's and let's turn your dreams into reality. But today I am super exci...

Colin Raja has been deeply immersed in the Amazon industry for nearly a decade. Over the years, he has developed 2 7-figure brands, and now he is focused on helping other brands achieve similar success. His approach is entirely data-driven and recently, he executed a $4 million launch with just one product.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for launching products on AmazonTransition from traditional product launches to data-driven approachesImportance of keyword optimization in product visibilityBackend optimization and its role in product rankingUnderstanding Amazon's browse nodes and product categorizationAligning product types and item types for better indexingThe significance of General Ledger (GL) matching in Amazon's fee structureContinuous monitoring and optimization of product listingsUtilizing customer reviews and feedback for keyword relevancyEffective pricing strategies and their impact on conversion ratesIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley chats with Colin Raja, a veteran Amazon FBA seller turned consultant. Colin shares his decade-long expertise in launching products on Amazon, emphasizing a shift from traditional methods to a data-driven approach centered on keyword optimization. He discusses the importance of backend optimization, understanding Amazon's browse nodes, and aligning product types for improved visibility and ranking. Colin also provides actionable strategies for optimizing product listings, leveraging PPC data, and continuously monitoring performance to enhance product launches. This episode offers invaluable insights for experienced Amazon sellers aiming to scale their businesses.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Optimize Your PPC Campaigns:   - Action: Regularly review your PPC data to identify high-performing keywords and adjust your strategy to focus on these. Use the insights gained to refine your keyword targeting and improve your product listing's visibility.   - Why: This helps in effectively leveraging the data to drive more targeted traffic and increase conversions.2. Ensure Accurate Product Categorization:   - Action: Verify that your product is listed in the correct category and browse node using Amazon's Browse Tree Guide. Regularly check for any changes in categorization that might affect visibility.   - Why: Proper categorization ensures that your product appears in relevant searches, enhancing its discoverability and ranking.3. Utilize Customer Reviews for Keyword Optimization:   - Action: Monitor customer reviews for frequently mentioned keywords and integrate these into your product listings. Run targeted PPC campaigns using these keywords to boost visibility.   - Why: Engaging with reviews and incorporating relevant keywords can improve your product's search relevance and ranking on Amazon.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazon Seller CentralAmazon Browse Tree GuideProduct Pinion99 DesignsCloudy AIThe Untethered Soul by Michael SingerVine ReviewsSpecial 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 SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The E-myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today I am speaking with Colin Raja. Colin is a veteran Amazon FBA seller turned consultant, and today we are going to be talking about all the secrets to la...

Aaron Cordovez; Co-Founder of Zulay Kitchen and Technical Architect of Samurai Seller. He is in the Top 100 Sellers on all of Amazon, selling $75 million a year. While working a 9-5 as a coder in 2015, he started Amazon as a side hustle to try and earn his family an extra $500-$1000 a month.In two years' time, he was making over 6-figures a month from Amazon and today has sold over $200 million worth of products on the internet.He has spoken in front of tens of thousands of people across the world and is on a mission to empower people to a life of entrepreneurship and success.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges and strategies for e-commerce businesses, particularly on AmazonMargin compression and the need for brands to differentiate themselves through innovative products and designDiversifying to other marketplaces such as TikTok and WalmartStrategies for leveraging TikTok's platform, including partnering with creators and offering commissionsProduct ideation process at Zulay Kitchen and the role of category managersOrganizational structure of Zulay Kitchen and the roles and responsibilities of various teamsFinancial aspect of product launches and the strategy of pricing products competitivelyDefensive strategies for brands facing aggressive competition on AmazonSamurai Seller's managed services and automation toolsImportance of continually creating and innovating to stay ahead in the competitive marketIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley welcomes Aaron Cordovez, co-founder of Zulay Kitchen and technical architect of Samurai Seller. They dive into the competitive world of Amazon, discussing the necessity for brands to innovate and differentiate themselves to combat margin compression. Aaron shares Zulay Kitchen's strategic approach to product development, emphasizing the role of category managers and a rigorous evaluation process. He also touches on the global team dynamics and the financial realities of product launches. The conversation then explores defensive pricing strategies and the potential of low-profit margins on Amazon, debunking myths about low pricing and underscoring the importance of upselling. Aaron warns against variation abuse and concludes by highlighting the services of Samurai Seller and Nexus Capital, stressing the need for continuous creation and innovation for Amazon sellers. Listeners are encouraged to connect with Aaron for further insights into scaling their e-commerce ventures.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Action Item#1 Launching new products is essential for growth.Action Item#2 Operational efficiency is crucial for scaling your business.Action Item#3 Implementing a loss leader strategy can attract customers and lead to upselling opportunities.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comZulay KitchenSamurai SellerMr. PenNature's Bounty FTC Lawsuit on AmazonZulay's Kitchen Milk FrotherAaron Cordovez's websiteNexus Capital's websiteJabran Niaz on LinkedInScientology A New Slant on Life by  L. Ron Hubbard 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 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 Area**Josh Hadley** (00:00:00) - Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of the E-myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today, I'm speaking with Aaron Cordovez. He's the co-founder of Zulay Kitchen and technical architect of Samurai Seller. And today we're going to be talking a lot about some next level strategies that are going to help your brand survive on Amazon and other e-...

Bestselling author Michael Gerber shares a story about how a simple idea can change your life forever. But only if you seize the opportunity, execute the idea, and create the systems!Source: The E-Myth SeminarHosted by Sean CroxtonFollow me on Instagram

Why do so many business fail, while only the few succeed? Today, Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, reveals 3 things successful entrepreneurs and businesses do to thrive in a competitive market. Source: Turn-Key Business Revolution: Classic Michael Gerber - EMythHosted by Sean CroxtonFollow me on Instagram

Learn More About Attending the Highest Rated and Most Reviewed Business Workshops On the Planet Hosted by Clay Clark In Tulsa, Oklahoma HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/business-conferences/ See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Clay Clark Testimonials | "Clay Clark Has Helped Us to Grow from 2 Locations to Now 6 Locations. Clay Has Done a Great Job Helping Us to Navigate Anything That Has to Do with Running the Business, Building the System, the Workflows, to Buy Property." - Charles Colaw (Learn More Charles Colaw and Colaw Fitness Today HERE: www.ColawFitness.com) Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire See Thousands of Actual Client Success Stories from Real Clay Clark Clients Today HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

In this episode, we dive into the distinction between working on your business and working in your business, as popularized by Michael Gerber in "The E-Myth Revisited." Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week. Show notes: SideHustleSchool.com Email: team@sidehustleschool.com Be on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questions Connect on Instagram: @193countries Visit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.com Read A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.substack.com If you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.