Podcast appearances and mentions of scott voelker

What's the key to growing a YouTube channel fast? For that and more, follow us here andsubscribe to our YouTube channel!In this episode ofBuilt Online, we reconnect with Scott Voelker to discuss his latest YouTube venture. He shares how he built a $100K/year channel in just nine months, revealing key strategies for audience growth, niche focus, and monetization. Scott also breaks down why engagement matters more than views and how simple setups can still drive big results. If you're serious about growing your YouTube channel, you won't want to miss this episode.------------SCOTT VOELKER:- Live Video School YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@livevideoschool- Live Video School Website:https://www.livevideoschool.com/- FREE $100k Roadmap Guide:https://www.livevideoschool.com/100k-business-plan- FREE Title Hooks File:https://www.livevideoschool.com/hooks- Brand Creators YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@brandcreators⁠- Brand Creators Website:https://www.brandcreators.com/- Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockyourbrandpodcast⁠------------BUILT ONLINE:- YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk036m54SJk6QNkrBK_Y17ND7OYIoALSx- Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OBIOzNIaEvHC4c3iGPrwP- Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/built-online-podcast/id1661426024------------ABOUT EVERBEE:- Website:https://everbee.io/- YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@helloeverbee- Blog:https://everbee.io/etsy-seller-blog/- TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@everbee.io?lang=en- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/everbee.io/- Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/416630082921388

Scott is on a mission to help others build online businesses that provide stability and the freedom to live life on their own terms; without the GET RICH QUICK HYPE. He's a family man first, wanting to teach, inspire and motivate others to build a future proof business that fits their lifestyle.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for building a loyal customer base in e-commerce.The importance of email marketing for brand growth and customer retention.Scott Volker's journey from Amazon selling to expanding into Etsy.The potential of Etsy as a marketplace for sellers.Techniques for capturing customer emails through giveaways and promotions.The role of YouTube in enhancing brand visibility and engagement.The significance of personal engagement with customers to foster loyalty.Tools and platforms for effective email marketing.The impact of building an email list on business valuation and resilience.Insights on overcoming challenges and the importance of perseverance in business.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Scott Volker, a renowned e-commerce expert from Brand Creators and the Rock Your Brand Podcast. Scott shares his journey from selling on Amazon to expanding into Etsy, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and building a loyal customer base. Key strategies discussed include leveraging email marketing to create a raving fan base and the potential of Etsy as a complementary marketplace. Scott also introduces his new YouTube venture, Live Video School, aimed at helping others master live video content. This episode offers actionable insights for scaling e-commerce businesses to new heights.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Build and Engage Your Email List: Launch a giveaway featuring a bundle of your top-selling products using tools like King Sumo, and promote it via Facebook Ads. Integrate new email addresses into an autoresponder system, and follow up with announcements and discounts to keep the audience engaged.Leverage YouTube for Brand Growth: Create and upload engaging content on YouTube, such as product tutorials or behind-the-scenes videos. Use YouTube Shorts to capture attention quickly, and include calls-to-action for viewers to join your email list.Utilize Product Inserts for Email Collection: Include product inserts with your Amazon or Etsy orders, inviting customers to join a VIP list for exclusive discounts and giveaways. Regularly update this list with personalized content and promotions.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comJungle ScoutQuiet Light BrokerageKing SumoAutoresponderPrintfulVidIQEtsyEverbeeConvertKitKajabiBeehiivKlaviyoOpus ClipsBrand CreatorsThe Compound Effect by Darren HardyTiny Habits by BJ FoggAtomic Habits by James ClearSteve Chou from My Wife Quit Her JobMichael Jackness from Ecom CrewSpecial 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 busine...

Today, I’m thrilled to have my long time friend Scottie V back on the show.  Scott Voelker is known in many circles as the grandfather of Amazon as he was one of the first and most popular podcasts in the space. But in this episode, we’re going to talk about Etsy and how he and his wife have grown a thriving Etsy business selling print on demand products.  Enjoy! What You’ll Learn Tips on how to sell on Etsy How Scott in his wife started their business on Etsy How to grow your sales and how to advertise on the […] The post 524: Insider Tips On How To Sell Profitably On Etsy With Scott Voelker appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

Today, I have my good friend Chris Shaffer on the show.   Chris works with Scott Voelker over at Brand Creators, and he consults with dozens of e-commerce companies and owns a bunch of his own as well. Chris always brings a unique perspective on what’s working in e-commerce, and he’s the type of guy who always gets his hands dirty.  In this episode, we discuss what’s working and how to maximize your marketing budget. What You’ll Learn A better way to grow your sales outside of driving more traffic The number one mistake that most ecommerce business owners make How […] The post 507: Budget-Friendly Ecommerce Tips That Will Double Your Sales With Chris Shaffer appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

On this podcast episode, host Cody McGuffie talks with full-time online entrepreneur Scott Voelker. Scott has been selling online for over 10 years and has built multiple million dollar brands. He has recently been focusing his experience on his wife's shop, which has made over $40,000 in revenue in the first two months. The podcast also covers topics such as the numbers of success on Amazon vs. Etsy and the tools to use to grow your Etsy business fast.The Etsy Seller Podcast is hosted by Cody McGuffie, CEO and founder of EverBee. In each weekly episode of this podcast, you'll hear from experienced Etsy Sellers on how they run their Etsy business, how they got their first sales on Etsy, how they marketing their Etsy shops and so much more. EverBee is a Etsy product analytics tool that helps Etsy sellers find best selling products and keywords so they can sell more on Etsy.  It helps Etsy sellers speed up product research and product discovery so they can get their first Etsy sales and grow their business. Sign up for EverBee for free at the link - https://everbee.ioKey points and timestamps:00:03:43 Start a business with passion.00:05:11 Start with what you know.00:13:11 Pick a niche and serve.00:15:02 Build a niche brand for customers.00:23:54 Validate demand before moving forward.00:28:27 Keep learning and growing.00:28:41 Take action and refine.00:33:30 Drive SEO with Everbee.ioFurther episode details:Start small and grow bigStarting out small and growing big is a concept that has been around for centuries. It is a philosophy that is often applied to business, but it can also be applied to life in general. Scott Volker is a prime example of someone who has taken this approach and has been able to build multiple million-dollar brands. Scott started his journey in the online selling world by teaching people how to sell on Amazon FBA. He took a step-by-step approach and was able to build a successful business. He eventually sold all of his businesses, but his success was a testament to the power of starting small and growing big. Scott and his wife then moved on to their Etsy shop, Sashi Shop. When they first started the shop, they were able to generate $40,000 in revenue in two months. This is a prime example of how starting small can lead to big success. The key to success is to start small and focus on the details. Focus on what works and keep improving it. Don't try to do too much at once and don't be afraid to fail. Learn from your mistakes and keep going. Scott's success story is a great example of how starting small and growing big can be a successful strategy. He started out with a small business, but was able to grow it into multiple million-dollar brands. He was able to take a step-by-step approach and focus on the details of what works. He was also willing to take risks and learn from his mistakes. Starting out small and growing big is a great way to achieve success. It takes patience and dedication, but it can lead to big rewards. If you focus on the details, take risks, and learn from your mistakes, you can achieve success. So take Scott's advice and start small and grow big!Start small, think bigScott is a great example of someone who started small and ended up with a successful business. He started out as a photographer and then moved into marketing. After that, he started learning editing and eventually started an online business. He taught people what he had learned in photography and how to use Photoshop. That business was successful and eventually turned into a six-figure business.From there, Scott started to hear about private labeling and launched his first product. That product went on to do over a million dollars in sales. Scott then sold his e-commerce business and took a break to focus on his podcast. His wife then started to dabble in Etsy and Scott jumped in to help her out.Scott's story proves that you don't need to have a huge business to make it big. He started out small and took risks to get to where he is today. He learned from his mistakes and used his knowledge to grow his business. That's the key to success. Start small, think big.Scott's advice is great for anyone looking to start a business. You don't need to start with a huge business plan. You can start small and grow it into something bigger. Take small steps, use your knowledge, and be willing to take risks. That's the key to success. Start small, think big.## Pick a niche and serve.When it comes to starting a business, the most important thing to do is to pick a niche and serve it. This means finding a specific market or group of people and focusing on providing them with a product or service that meets their needs. It's important to narrow down your focus and become an expert in that area. This will help you stand out from the competition and make it easier to market your business.When selecting a niche, it's important to consider the market size, competition, and potential for growth. You want to make sure that the market is large enough to sustain your business and that there is enough competition to keep you motivated. It's also important to consider the potential for growth. You don't want to get stuck in a stagnant market that won't support your business.Once you've chosen a niche, it's important to focus on serving it. This means providing quality products and services to your customers. You want to make sure that they are satisfied with what you provide. It's also important to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in your niche. This will help you stay ahead of the competition and give you an edge in the market.In conclusion, picking a niche and serving it is the key to success in any business. It's important to select a niche that is large enough to sustain your business and that has enough potential for growth. Once you've chosen a niche, focus on serving it by providing quality products and services to your customers. Stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in your niche and you'll be well on your way to success.Build relationships with customersBuilding relationships with customers is also an important part of running a successful business. It's essential to establish trust with customers and to provide them with a great customer experience. You can do this by offering quality products and services, providing excellent customer service, and engaging with customers on social media. Additionally, you can collect customer email addresses and use them to send out notifications about new products and services. Doing this will help you to build relationships with customers and create loyalty.Validate demand before proceedingHowever, before you can start engaging with customers and building relationships, you must first validate the demand for your products and services. If there is no demand for what you are offering, then it is unlikely that you will be able to build up a customer base and make a profit. To validate demand, you can use tools such as keyword research, market research, and competitor research. Keyword research will help you to identify what people are searching for online, and market research will help you to understand the needs of your target market. Additionally, competitor research will help you to identify what your competitors are doing and how you can do it better.Once you have validated the demand for your products and services, you can then start to build relationships with customers. You can do this by creating content that is tailored to their needs, engaging with them on social media, and offering discounts and promotions. Additionally, you can use customer email addresses to send notifications about new products and services. Doing all of these things will help you to build relationships with customers and create loyalty.Overall, it is essential to validate the demand for your products and services before proceeding. Doing this will help you to ensure that you are offering something that people actually want and need, and it will help you to create a successful business. After you have validated the demand, you can then start to build relationships with customers and create loyalty.Keep learning, give firstOne of the best ways to do this is to be curious and keep learning. Scott, a successful ecommerce entrepreneur, recommends that instead of spending money on a Frappuccino, you should invest it into Etsy ads. This will help you to get more visibility and reach more potential customers. Additionally, he suggests that you should be doing basic SEO, such as titling your images properly, to make sure that your products are easy to find. Scott also recommends that you create multiple products to leverage and put them on more than one product. This will give you more real estate on Etsy and more lines in the water, so to speak. The more products you have, the more chances you have of making sales. Finally, Scott suggests that you give first before expecting anything in return. This means that you should be providing value to your customers before asking them to invest in you or your products. In doing this, you will create relationships and loyalty with your customers, which will lead to more sales in the long run.  All in all, the key to success in ecommerce is to keep learning and give first. Validate the demand for your products and services, invest in ads, do basic SEO, create multiple products, and give first. Doing these things will help you to create a successful business.Take action to gain resultsScott Fox, an ecommerce expert, recently discussed the importance of taking action to gain results on a podcast. He believes that learning is important, but it is the action that will bring results. Fox encourages people to take action and adjust as they go. He also recommends reading the book The Compound Effect, which is about taking small steps that will eventually lead to big results.Fox also encourages people to invest in Etsy ads and use the data to refine and tweak their strategies. He believes that the data will help you to learn more about what works and what doesn't. He also recommends reading his book, The Take Action Effect, which is about his journey from making seven dollars an hour to becoming a seven-figure earner.It is clear that taking action is the key to success. Learning is important, but it is the action that will bring results. Investing in ads, using data to refine strategies, and giving first will help you to create a successful business. Taking small steps and making adjustments as you go will help you to achieve your goals. So, take action today and start creating the business of your dreams!Drive Etsy SEO with Everbee.ioOne way to start taking action is to use Everbee.io to drive SEO and get those sales. Everbee shows you the key search volume that helps you understand what people are actually typing in that search bar. With this data, you can better understand what people are searching for and what they are actually buying. This tool is essential for growing your Etsy business.  Everbee.io provides a number of features that can help you to drive SEO and get those sales. For example, it can help you to identify and target the right keywords to use in your SEO strategy. This can help you to optimize your website and make it easier for people to find your products. Everbee.io also helps you to track and analyze your website's performance. You can use this data to identify areas of improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly. In addition to helping you drive SEO, Everbee.io also helps you to optimize your listings. It can help you to create more effective titles and descriptions for your products, which can help you to increase your visibility in search engine results. Everbee.io also helps you to identify the best images to use for your listings, which can help to attract more customers. Overall, Everbee.io is an invaluable tool for driving SEO and getting those sales. It can help you to identify the right keywords and optimize your listings for better visibility. It can also help you to track and analyze your website's performance and identify areas of improvement. So, take action today and start using Everbee.io to drive SEO and get those sales!

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2019. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. Scott Voelker is the host of The Amazing Seller Podcast, a top rated business podcast where he helps everyday people build successful, Lifestyle Online Businesses through his TAKE ACTION approach. Top 3 Value Bombs: 1. Think about something you've done that you have succeeded at, and feel great about that. 2. Start believing in yourself and give yourself credit. 3. You don't have to be an expert. Find your niche, and if it's not clear, learn the process. Take action. Check out the website to grab a copy of Scott's book, The Take Action Effect! - TakeActionEffect.com Sponsors: Speakeasy: An app that allows you to organize your own live talk show! Visit GetSpeakEasy.com to download the app and start interacting with your audience LIVE! HubSpot: Building a business is challenging enough; your tech stack shouldn't make it harder! Learn how HubSpot can help your business grow better at Hubspot.com.

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2019. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. Scott Voelker is the host of The Amazing Seller Podcast, a top rated business podcast where he helps everyday people build successful, Lifestyle Online Businesses through his TAKE ACTION approach. Top 3 Value Bombs: 1. Think about something you've done that you have succeeded at, and feel great about that. 2. Start believing in yourself and give yourself credit. 3. You don't have to be an expert. Find your niche, and if it's not clear, learn the process. Take action. Check out the website to grab a copy of Scott's book, The Take Action Effect! - TakeActionEffect.com Sponsors: Speakeasy: An app that allows you to organize your own live talk show! Visit GetSpeakEasy.com to download the app and start interacting with your audience LIVE! HubSpot: Building a business is challenging enough; your tech stack shouldn't make it harder! Learn how HubSpot can help your business grow better at Hubspot.com.

Scott Voelker has been in the online business game for almost 12 years and has built multiple 7-figure brands! In today's episode you're going to learn: How to diversify your traffic and income How to grow your audience and your email list How you can future-proof your business by focusing on the skills you build along the way! If you need help starting, building, and growing an online business, check out all of the support and resources for entrepreneurs at https://www.ShaneSams.com and https://www.FlippedLifestyle.com!  Follow Shane on twitter @shane_sams.

Sagi Shrieber on The Commit First Podcast Presents:How to Take Action on Your Dreams (w/ Scott Voelker)SUBSCRIBE HERE:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=sagishrieberYou can also find the show in audio, on your favorite podcasting app:- Spotify: http://sagishrieber.com/spotify​​- on iTunes: http://sagishrieber.com/itunes​​- Stitcher: http://sagishrieber.com/stitcher​​Check out the Commit First Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/commit.first​​If you want to stay up to date with my posts and values, follow my Instagram account too: https://www.instagram.com/commit.first​​/sagishrieber------------------------********Episode 98 - How to Take Action on Your Dreams (w/ Scott Voelker) *******The 100th episode is on the horizon, and to celebrate it, we'll be featuring 3 iconic episodes from the show's past releases! A second re-release down, here's episode no. 59 with Scott Voelker. "I am all about taking the risk."We all carry a certain vision in our minds that we want to turn into reality. This vision is often fueled by passion, and we could have had this passion for most of our lives. Perhaps it's a passion you found early on in your younger days, or perhaps it's something new that you've just found love for. Regardless of whether it's old or new, dreams are the vision people have for themselves, a goal that they want to work towards for the rest of their lives. It's a great thing to have the perfect visualization of yourself in your mind, and to know where you want to be. But do you know how to get yourself from here to there? A dream- as powerful of a fuse it is in igniting the explosion we call success- is just like potential energy. Sure, it's got the kick to take you places, but it won't go anywhere without the right starter. It won't take you anywhere if you don't take action. How do you take action, exactly?Taking action on your dreams is like making a leap of faith into the uncertainty that the future holds. Comfort zones are often within your space, and you need to get out of THAT space. You have to get to where you want to go, and where you want to go isn't where you are right now. As you watch this episode, you'll realize that taking action is taking risks. When you want to act on your dreams, you'll eventually have to make a gamble and expose yourself to a little risk, with the better chance of growth.On this release, we'll be recalling the topics I covered with Scott Voelker about how we can take the right set of actions and turn our dreams into reality. Tune in as we cover a portion of his book, the "Take Action Effect," which talks about the elaborate plan he devised to help himself and other entrepreneurs find success. Scott emphasizes the importance of mindset and how taking out "Mental trash"- which hinders you from finally working on your goals- is very important. Have you stopped making excuses, and finally started working on goals that you only used to talk about WANTING to work on?Now a father of 3 kids and a loving husband to his wife for the past 25 years and counting, Scott Voelker decided one day that he didn't want to keep swinging hammers for the rest of his life. Right after graduating high school, Scott was pushed into the life of a construction worker. He changed his mind somewhere down the line, and finally decided to take the reins. He steered himself towards the direction of success, building his own company known as "The Brand Creators." With The Brand Creators, Scott has helped thousands of people unlock their true potential by helping then TAKE ACTION. With his guidance, many entrepreneurs have found success he calls their "ultimate freedom business." Scott has proven to be a great brand builder through his work, developing the skills of his clients to turn them into confident, resilient, and future proof entrepreneurs. ********Topics discussed on the show:********IntroductionKnowing Your NumbersMaking That LeapTaking Action = Taking RiskThe Take Action EffectChanging Plans for OpportunitiesRecognizing Your AchievementsGetting Through Mental TrashHow to Create a Future Proof YouThe Shiny Object SyndromeThe PlanPutting It Out ThereAttracting the Right PeopleFind Your "Why"Niche Down"Take Action" Moments********Links Mentioned:********Rock Your Brand: ttps://www.brandcreators.com/category/podcast/Brand Accelerator Live: https://learn.brandcreators.com/brand-accelerator-liveThe Take Action Effect - Scott Voelker: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Action-Effect-Future-Proof-Business-ebook/dp/B07WSYBN2T********Where to find Scott:********His Website: https://www.brandcreators.com/His Email: scott@theamazingseller.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottvoelker/ (@scottvoelker)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-voelker-8b604325/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.voelker.9********

Playing SideHustle Live with Scott Voelker from Brand Creators. Scott helps everyday people start and grow their own online, future proof brand that creates freedom in their life. Over the years he's helped thousands of people TAKE ACTION to UNLOCK their true potential on building their ultimate freedom business, by developing the skills to make them resilient, confident and FUTURE PROOF. He's clocked my 10,000 hours over the years working in the trenches and helping others build and grow their brands. He knows the power in TAKING ACTION better than anyone and I've seen people's lives changed as a result of it. Including his OWN! He believes in it so much that he wrote a book titled “The Take Action Effect” which helps to unlock the true potential in anyone who adopts these simple, but powerful methods. He's been through some hard stuff growing up and was never handed anything in life. But, that also allows him to understand what prevents people from going after their goals due to the lack of confidence and feeling STUCK! It's now Scott's MISSION to help others unlock their true potential and TAKE ACTION towards creating their own Ultimate Freedom Business and LIFE they deserve. Website: www.brandcreators.com Insta: https://www.instagram.com/scottvoelker Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockyourbrandpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottvoelker Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCufEXE2Ir9IBgTIPGcJdtCA ~

"Apples to Apples meets Shark Tank" in SideHustle, the party game for entrepreneurs. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, the team behind the game is looking for ways to raise awareness and stand out on the crowded Amazon marketplace. In this coaching episode, you'll meet co-founders Darby Rollins and Tomer Soran, who (along with a 3rd co-founder, Tim Palladino) are looking for some ways to expand on the initial traction and grow a brand in the "productive play" space. To help out with this one, I enlisted Side Hustle Show alumni and e-commerce and branding pro, Scott Voelker.  Full show notes

On this episode of Wizards of Ecom, you’ll hear from Scott as he talks about his book Take Action Effect, why he wrote and published the book and his goals in writing it. Take Action Effect is a book about breaking through your limitations and finding freedom from the rat race but how can this book help you grow your brand. Find out why Scott wrote this book instead of something of his expertise. This and so much more to learn from Scott Voelker. In This Episode: [00:36] Introducing the Godfather of Private label, author of Take Action Effect, Scott Voelker. [03:10] Why Scott wrote Take Action Effect and not about Private Label. [08:40] His love for building brands. [14:00] Advice to ecom businesses who find Amazon selling hard and expensive. [17:59] Scott talk about selling stuff before they arrive. [19:00] Did Scott have a timeline for the book? [22:06] Scott talks about getting help on writing his book from a website called Scribe. [22:35] Took him 10 months to do the book. [25:56] Scott about working best under deadline. [27:25] Scott gave 7/10 to describe the impact of the book to his life. [28:45] Quoting a line from the book about having no time to start a business. [32:19] Scott talking about email list. [36:40] Creating content. [38:08] What is Scott's main goal in writing his book? [40:10] Scott speaks about building a connection with his readers/listeners. [44:20] How much of an investment is the audio book? [48:20] How podcast book goes [50:45] Is there another book? [52:35] What Take Action effect is about and why you should read it? Guest Links and References: WEBSITE: https://www.takeactioneffect.com/the-book https://brandcreators.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/scottvoelker/?hl=en PODCAST: The Amazing Seller Book References: The Compound Effect By: Darren hardy Tiny Habits By: BJ Fogg Links and Resources: Wizards of Amazon: https://www.wizardsofamazon.com/ Wizards of Amazon Courses: https://amazonwizard.teachable.com/p/amazon-wizard Wizards of Amazon Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/South-Florida-FBA/ Text “Amazon” to 69922 Wizards of Amazon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WizardsofAmazon/ Wizards of Amazon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wizardsofamazon/ Wizards of Amazon on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wizardsofamazon

Scott Voelker may be a new grandparent but has the energy of a teenager. This year marks his 19th year being self-employed, and although he is slowing down to focus more on family, his workload at Brand Creators is still more than most will tackle in a lifetime.  Running the Rock Your Brand Podcast is his primary focus with nearly 900 episodes and 16 million podcast downloads, but that's just the start.  Last year Scott checked a few things off his to-do list: Wrote the book Take Action Effect. Ran a high-level mastermind (10 people at $25,000 to join). Completed a $200k home renovation for an Airbnb rental. Managed his podcast 175k-350k monthly downloads. Created online courses for Brand Creators. Hosted a live event with over 250 people in attendance. (pre-Covid) Completed a handful of exciting case studies.  Sold a business which all together netted just at 7 figures.  Listen in to hear what Scott has learned and where he will be focusing his time in the future.

Scott Voelker of Brand Creators On Membership Branding + Future-Proofing Your Online Business! On this week’s episode of the Membership Masters Podcast I welcome Scott Voelker of the Rock Your Brand Podcast. Scott has been in the membership game for almost 12 years and has built multiple 7-figure brands! Today Scott shares a ton of wisdom on branding and subscription memberships with you. Everything from Costco-style membership sites to selling physical products on Amazon. And, all the information about his new membership site over at brandcreators.com.   In today’s episode you’re going to learn: 1. How to diversify your traffic strategies to grow your audience and your email list. 2. Why building congruency in your membership is key to long-term retention. And, 3. How you can future-proof your business by focusing on the skills you build along the way!

Selling physical products is a great way to grow a business and a brand.  Sometimes in the online world, there can be a feeling that there are two types of businesses - ones that sell physical products and ones that sell digital products. The truth is you can do both, and adding physical products can be a great way to support (and fund) the growth of your eCommerce business. That is why I am excited to welcome my good buddy Scott Voelker to talk about adding physical products. Connect With Scott Voelker Brand Accelerator Live Brand Creators   Connect With Kevin Sanderson Facebook Group   Check Out This Exclusive Training You can also learn from experts to help you maximize your holiday sales at the upcoming Q4 Domination Summit, October 6-8, 2020.  Sign up for your free ticket for the dates of the event: Q4Domination.com Subscribe to Maximizing Ecommerce on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, the 2nd of September, and today we have an interview with Scott Voelker. Scott Voelker graduated high school and worked for his father’s construction company for a while. Once his thoughts of owning the business someday were shut down, he and his wife started a photography business, which they knew nothing about. They wanted to create their own schedule. He learned a lot of business by running a brick and mortar. Then he dove into the online space.  Success for Scott is being able to create your own lifestyle, your own day-to-day. It’s not about having a nine-figure business because of all the heaviness that comes with that. Give it a listen, Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2VkXGHq Listen on Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/39TYebQ Motivated Entrepreneurs Website: https://motivatedentrepreneurs.co.uk/ Please Like, Share and Subscribe to Motivated Entrepreneurs Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3eA64u5 Rock Your Brand Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/rock-your-brand-podcast/id963294070 Brand Creators: https://brandcreators.com/   Have a great day, Dean

Good morning everyone! Thank you for tuning in. Today is  Friday, the 19th of June.   Once a week, I am going to review a book. This week’s book is The Take Action Effect by Scott Voelker.   What is your "Why?" We need a solid foundation and that is our mindset. There is no point moving forward if you don’t have a solid foundation. So ask yourself "Why" 7 times to know your why. Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39S8fGh Listen on Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/39TYebQ Brand Creators - https://brandcreators.com/   Enjoy, Dean

Picture this… You’re on a boat in the middle of the ocean... The waves are crashing in every direction you look… You start to panic…  Fearing how the waves might overcome you… But then you slow down and realize that there’s a perfect circle of water around you… Unaffected by the waves and the chaos.  You’re sitting in complete peace. You don’t wonder for long why this is… You just go with it! And despite the unknown and uncertainty… You are moving, thriving, and truly living! You can have this kind of hope and peace. Your business and your life can thrive and grow in this season.  There is no better time than now to show up, serve the people around you, and create the life and business you’ve always wanted.  You can have this. You can do this.   In this week’s episode of the Epic Success Podcast, I talk with Rachel Perry, Jennifer Berson, and Scott Voelker. We deep dive into the power of showing up big and serving people even bigger!  These 7 figure entrepreneurs deep dive into everything they are doing since the start of the pandemic. They share their top ways that they are showing up, sharing, and serving their people.  You’re not going to want to miss this incredible episode of the Epic Success Podcast. So grab a pen and paper and start taking notes! The biggest take-aways from today’s episode are:   You can have the know-how to deal with your anxieties so that you can show up and serve the right way in your business. -Rachel Perry   Anxieties are a reality of life, with or without the current pandemic. You have permission to feel whatever you are feeling. You are okay and it will be okay! And you don’t have to stay there.. You can learn how to deal with those feelings so you can have the freedom to run your business and your life the way you want!  [2:06]   This is possible. You can have a thriving business right now! -Jennifer Berson   You can have hope in the middle of any situation. There is opportunity everywhere you look. Now more than ever is the time to show up, share, and serve. You have the power to change the way you think and be the creator of your thoughts, creating the life you really want. [11:40]   Just because the idea is already out there doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. -Scott Voelker   It’s important to have someone that you look up to that inspires you. You are that person to someone. People will resonate and like you because of who you are and how you show up and serve. It doesn’t matter if someone out there is doing what you want to do, you will reach a whole group of people that they haven’t been able to reach because of who you are. So just believe in yourself and go for it! [33:40]  Everything around us has settled into a new normal. The shifting economy might feel different,  but you have the power to show up, share, and serve your people.  Your tribe is looking to you for hope and encouragement! So don’t be afraid to speak what is on your heart and give the very best version of yourself to your people.  I know you have this in you… To show up and to serve your tribe in a big, big way! And I can’t wait to see how you’ll do it! Tell me: What are you going to do this week to show up and serve your people? I’d love to know! Tell me by sending me a message on Facebook or a DM on Instagram. I can’t wait to hear from you! My good friend James Wedmore has his step-by-step plan for attracting your First 100 Leads! This plan will help you make your first sale and be the foundation for all the sales that follow.  This 14-Video Mini-Course: Your First 100 Leads, is usually $197… And he's offering this course to you for absolutely free!  Inside this training, you’ll discover why “traditional list-building” strategies don’t work, and just leave you spending months creating a bunch of free content no one ever sees, or worse, attracts leads that never invest with YOU. This is the way to get your business off the ground fast!  Click the link below and get access to this Free Mini-Course! Register for the free First 100 Leads Mini-Course:  >>> https://drshannonirvine.com/100leads Today I want to give a shoutout to one of my Epic Success Podcast listeners who left a 5-star review titled “Epically Successful”: “Dr. Shannon is clear, direct and entertaining. Love the insights she shares!!!”   I absolutely love sharing the brain-based process of creating success in your life & business with you each week on the Epic Success podcast! Reviews are how I know you’re finding value and help me share Epic Success with more people! If you have something you want to say about the Epic Success podcast, I’d love it if you’d post a 5-star review on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Episode 20This FiringTheMan podcast is a book review of “The Take Action Effect” by Scott Voelker. David and Ken discuss the lessons learned from this book and how we have implemented some of these lessons into our own business. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Scott Voelker – he is the host of “Rock Your Brand Podcast" (formerly: The Amazing Seller Podcast) and stands out from other influencers in his space due to his commitment to push forward, even when times get tough. This book highlights many of Scott’s successes but also his failures. Buy now on Amazon: “The Take Action Effect” by Scott Voelker – ORDER HERE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.FiringTheMan.comFacebookYouTubeInstagram Email us --> support@firingtheman.com

During this pandemic, I’ve had a lot more time to listen to podcasts. It’s a great way to fill the time while giving your eyes a break from screens. I certainly don’t have a corner on the market and there are people out there who you can learn a lot about marketing from. These are probably podcasts you haven’t heard of, but they will help your business incredibly. Here they are:   1. The Copywriter Club Podcast by Kira Hug and Rob Marsh 2. The Amazing Seller Podcast by Scott Voelker 3. Podcast Strategies for Growing Your Business by Danny Ozment 4. The Business Event Playbook by Lauren Davis 5. Brand on Brands on Brands with Brandon Birkmeyer 6. Pricing is Positioning with Paul Klein 7. The Marketing Your Movement Show with Duane Zingale 8. The Gayla Scrivener Show 9. Creative Chats with Mike Brennan 10. Live Life Rich with Marissa Nehlsen Honorable mention: Fundraising Freedom Podcast with Mary Valloni   Make sure to check out of each of these podcasts by clicking the links above. You won’t regret gaining all the knowledge they have to give on entrepreneurship, live events, money mindset, building funnels, and even podcasting itself.   Resources: Brand You Bootcamp   Connect with Mike: https://mikekim.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikekimtv/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekimtv Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mikekimtv/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/mikekimtv   *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com 

Things have been turned upside down lately.  A lot of us suddenly a lot of extra time on our hands.   Do you also have a dream job/career/business that you have been thinking of getting into? Not sure if you should take that next step? Now maybe the time to take the leap and start taking action!  If you do, chances are you are going to need an understanding of how marketing can work for your company/project as well.  Scott is in the middle of rebranding.  But you can find some of his stuff at:  brandcreators.com Get more from Jesse and Chase The Craft: www.chasethecraft.com Support The Podcast: www.chasethecraft.com/support  

Scott Voelker is the founder and host of The Amazing Seller, a top-ranked podcast that helps everyday people start and grow online e-commerce businesses. I met Scott about a year ago at the Puerto Rico masterminds and we talked for hours about life and business. He’s in a different internet marketing space than I am, but what he talked about piqued my interest. I’ve thought about diversifying my income streams in the past, and now more than ever us entrepreneurs need to be considering these things. So, in this episode, Scott explains how to diversify and future proof our businesses. He talks about:   1. The cornerstone that is your email list 2. Evergreen assets and the importance of getting traffic 3. Monetizing our chosen database 4. Starting other brands to diversify your revenue 5. The difference between personal brands and e-commerce 6. How uncomfortable moments show us who we really are and what we really want   Resources: The Amazing Seller podcast The Take Action Effect: Proven Steps to Build a Future-Proof Business & Create Your Ultimate Freedom   Connect with Mike: https://mikekim.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikekimtv/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekimtv Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mikekimtv/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/mikekimtv   *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com 

Scott Voelker produces an Amazon FBA Podcast — and for many of you, that statement was total jibberish. That’s because Scott has discovered that driving deep into a niche topic enables him to attract a very niche and passionate audience. So, just so you have some context… The FBA part of what I said stands for “Fulfilled by Amazon,” it’s a way of selling products you create or source and have Amazon ship them, handle customer service, handle the processing - everything. It’s an AMAZING possibility for those who want to build their own product-based business. But it’s NOT easy, as Scott explains. You’ll hear his story, learn about how he learned online marketing and creative digital product creation, retail arbitrage, Amazon FBA, and serving others to help them succeed. You’ll benefit from listening to this episode if you... Are willing to take action to move forward… no matter where you’re starting from [0:52]  Love stories of people who’ve paid their dues to reach success [4:36] Wonder if you can succeed without a college degree [10:48] Are in a situation that feels hopeless or “dead end” [15:35] Have always wanted to start and run your own business [17:30] Are curious about selling Private Label products [30:40] Want to learn how to make your own luck and build an audience [37:10] Would like to know the benefits of creating your own  podcast [41:20] Are interested in discovering what you have to offer an audience [43:20] GET NOTIFICATIONS OF NEW EPISODES OF... Podcastification (this show) Scott’s podcast: The Amazing Seller 5 Minute Pitch (Scott’s podcast partnership project) CONNECT WITH: Carey and the Podcast Fast Track Team: https://PodcastFastTrack.com  Scott: https://TheAmazingSeller.com  Read the FULL show notes, including resources mentioned on this episode at https://PodcastFastTrack.com/133 Music used in this episode: "Shaving Mirror" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ "Rock Your World" from https://Audionautix.com (Jason Shaw)

Today’s guest is a husband, father, and successful ecommerce brand owner. And he’s also the mastermind behind planning the extraordinary event where I was a keynote speaker last year, Brand Accelerator Live! I’m so excited to share with you my interview with Kevin Sanderson from Maximizing Ecommerce! Kevin is a full-time ecommerce seller who also helps others grow their businesses. He is the host of the Maximizing Ecommerce podcast and YouTube channel, as well as the event planner behind Brand Accelerator Live, our good friend, Scott Voelker’s conference with 200 attendees. We cover so much in this episode about Kevin’s journey -- from growing his ecommerce business on the side of his day job to going out on his own full-time, and we also dive deep into how he and Scott created Scott’s first ever large-scale live event. And at the end of the interview, I reveal some exciting news coming later this year! In this episode, you’ll learn: How Kevin leveraged his corporate career experience when he made the transition to working for himself How he pitched Brand Accelerator Live to Scott -- and made it happen! How Kevin keeps shiny object syndrome at bay You can find all of the links and resources that I mention in today’s episode at MonicaLouie.com/45.

What is one of the surest paths to substantial wealth? Grow and sell a business. Today's episode is all about Joe's book project, “The Exitpreneurs Playbook.” Joe has over 8000 stories to tell about what it's like to buy, what it is like to sell, and ways to outsmart the typical entrepreneur process. Mark is interviewing Joe about this upcoming project, his motivations behind creating it, and how getting to the writing process carried its share of challenges. Joe believes that an exitpreneur should have the tools in hand to start, run, and grow their business for better decision making later on. He is not telling anyone to sell, he is offering them the strategies they need in order to be ready if they do. Episode Highlights: Joe's idea and the process of putting it into book format. Why he wanted to write the book. Reasons exit planning can be challenging for the business owner. The differences between an entrepreneur who is considering a sale versus one who has actually prepared an exit. How businesses often outgrow the founder and smart moves to make before that happens. The importance of reverse engineering to the goal for a better exit strategy. The difference between the entrepreneur and an exitpreneur. How Joe came up with the book title. Transcription: Mark: So Joe I was at an event recently in Salt Lake City and it was in just general kind of a conference meeting room for about 50 people or so and they had a lot of books in this place. And I was intrigued to just kind of look around and see what was there and you'll never guess what book was up on the shelf. Actually, do you want to guess? Joe: Yeah I want to guess. I'm looking around my office, Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss? Mark: You know what? It actually was in there. Joe: It was in there. Mark: Not the one I'm referring to. Joe: The ONE Thing by John Keller? Now, wait let's call out one of our friends; Superfans by Pat Flynn? Mark: You know I don't know. There were a lot of entrepreneurial focused books so maybe that one was there; I don't know. Joe: Okay. Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel? Mark: Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel; yeah absolutely, that was on the shelf. In fact, they had multiple copies of it. They were giving that book away. And today; what is it? It's February 11th so we're a little bit past a year since Walker launched that book and it spent a year as number one on Amazon Bestseller in this category which is pretty fantastic. I mean obviously, we're super happy for Walker. He won an award for being the thought leader of the year through a major alliance of mergers and acquisition advisors. Joe: Huge. Mark: That is huge. He's had professors from Ivy League colleges come up and talk to him about the book. All of this leads me to something beyond just the accolades and that is the information that's out there in this space about what it's like to sell, what it's like to buy. Walker is talking on specifically which is the buy-side and how to use this as an investment vehicle, how to outsmart the Startup Game as he says and reduce some of that risk. But there's also a whole on the sell-side as well where people don't really know that their business is sellable or they don't think about it. But just yesterday I was reading something on the fastest way to build wealth; what is the fastest way to build wealth? And the conclusion that they had is the fastest way to build wealth is through building a business and selling it. This is one of the quickest ways to actually building wealth. And I know you've had guests on the podcast here who have talked about this process or you call it your Incredible Exits series. I'm really, really excited that you're writing a book on this and you're not calling it Incredible Exits despite everybody else's opinions that you should but it's these stories behind the scenes. Joe: Yeah I'm excited to be writing it finally. I sat down with some friends a year ago probably around a fire pit; maybe a year and a half ago because it was summertime. We're recording this in February of 2020 and I said look I'm making an announcement, I'm writing a book, I'm telling you guys to call me out on it and then I didn't do anything but I tried. I tried to write it. I tried to outline chapters. I tried to follow up… Mark: Hold on one second. You made this promise right on a fire pit with friends? Joe: Yes. Mark: How much did you consume before you made this promise? Joe: I'm a 2-drink maximum kind of guy, that's just the way I am. Mark: Okay. Joe: It's like giving myself an injection of the flu when I have more so it wasn't much. But I didn't get it done. It's a lot of work. So I followed the original book in a box method and didn't get it done at the scheduled time. I was at Brand Accelerator Live with our friend Scott Voelker last September and one of big Scott's announcements was that he actually wrote a book. And it is also here on my desk somewhere; where is it Scott? It's the Take Action Effect. I just turned my head away from the microphone, sorry folks. And I met his scribe; a young lady by the name of Brennan and I connected with her during the event and talked with her and said okay this is it I'm done. I'm hiring a scribe and I'm going to write the book. And I've talked to a number of people about it and let me just cover the process and then answer the question as to why the heck I'm doing this because it's a massive undertaking. The process is instead of actually writing a book myself with written words and a keyboard I get interviewed for I think it was 8 2-hour sessions; so 16 hours in interviews. First, we outlined the chapters and go through the whole process and instead of talking about; I mean writing an article or a chapter on seller's discretionary earnings and add-backs and the three levels of add-backs and all the different things that we talk about on a regular basis Brennan interviewed me. She transcribes the entire interview through UberConference and Rev.com for those that really want great transcription services. And now we're in the sort of lull between all of those interviews and me getting my first draft. They're going to give it to me in thirds. So the first one I will get will probably be I want to say mid to late March and then they'll drip it out in thirds every week for 3 weeks. They want to overwhelm me in terms of reviewing and editing. I still have a lot of technical stuff to add to it but it's really kicked the process into high gear. It's not cheap, let me tell you that. It's an expensive undertaking but I think given what we do for a living and how many people we're trying to help I think it's well worth it. Why am I writing a book? Walker's been an inspiration, very successful with Buy Then Build and the amount of people that he's been able to reach and help on the buy-side. We work with sell-side brokers or sell-side clients for the most part and I've done the math Mark, does it sound inconceivable that I've talked to 8,000 entrepreneurs over the last 8 years? Mark: Not at all. Joe: Yeah and that's probably a conservative number. I'm not saying I've had an in-depth evaluation with 8,000 of them but I have without a doubt talked to 8,000 and that does not count standing in front of a room with 3, 4, 500 people. And the challenge has been we've got to reach them one by one and I know that Walker's book has been as you said best seller. I think it's probably sold over 10,000 copies at this point. Mark: It's over 15 at least. Joe: 15,000 copies? Mark: Yeah, I actually talked to Walker about it a while ago. Joe: I think he told me something like 99% of books sells less than a hundred copies that are published. Now Walker, correct me if I'm wrong but it's pretty impressive. So to get what we share on those valuation calls into somebodies hands before, during, and after they have a valuation call and when they're in an audience that will give them every possible detail that we've developed over the last 8 plus years of doing what we do and sharing that in writing so that they can essentially change their mindset. And that's the goal of the book, it's to change their mindset from reaching out to us when they're sick and tired of running their business or they've had a bump where things get tougher and they say Gosh how can I sell this business? A buddy of mine told me I can get X multiple. I'm going to call Mark and say Mark how much can I sell my business for? I want to change people's mindsets. Instead of saying how much can I sell my business or more often they say how much is my business worth, I want them to say I want to build wealth like you said at the beginning and I want to sell my business for X dollars. I want to do that in 4 years. In order to do that, they need to understand where they are today. And the book is going to help them reverse engineer the path from where they are today to that exit so that they can do a partial valuation, get comfortable with brokers, and drive that path. I had a conversation with Mike Jackness recently and Mike talked about the fact that about what we do sometimes entrepreneurs just don't want to hear it because the idea of exit planning is so beyond what they're trying to do when they're just trying to keep the wheels on the bus, right? They're running out of inventory, they've got competitors coming at them from every angle, they're trying to do cash flow planning and it's just so hard that they can't see out the front window. The objective of the book is to sort of clear that window, have a clear path to an exit that they understand and it's a much better ride. I've been through it myself personally. You did it for me back in 2010. I could see nothing, understood nothing, we had a call, we had several calls and the light bulbs went off and I knew exactly the path to take and I'll tell you what operating my business became a lot more fun and exciting even though I was sick and tired of it after 5 years. Mark: You know the more I experience the business and grow as an entrepreneur the more I'm learning. With anything dealing with a goal really the best way to achieve these things is what you've said, reverse engineer it. Rather than just kind of impulsively decide that I'm going to do something figure out where you want to be and then reverse engineer. But in order to reverse engineer it, you need to understand the mechanisms that are going on to create that value. You're trying with this book to create a shift in the mindset of entrepreneurs, right? By the way, folks if you haven't figured this out we don't have a guest; Joe is the guest. I'm going to interview Joe about the book and maybe we'll talk a little bit about what it is like to do what Joe and I've been doing and everyone else at Quiet Light. Joe: Right, we're co-guests. We're co-hosts and co-guests today because I want to grill you too. Mark: Very good. Alright, I want to start out by saying okay let's talk about your experience. You've been doing this for 8 years. You've done literally tens of millions of dollars of transactions on your own within Quiet Light Brokerage. Joe: I'm fastly closing in on 100 million. Mark: That's right you are. You are; absolutely. Joe: Inaudible[0:11:17.8] 12 to 18 months; pretty shocking. That's amazing. Mark: Absolutely amazing. Talk to me about the mindset that you often see or most naturally see in an entrepreneur that comes to us to sell versus those rare cases of somebody who has planned to sell and what is the difference in the actual process value and stress levels I would say for everyone involved. Joe: Yeah. Look all the success stories that you guys hear about on the Incredible Exits for the most part those are people that had the mindset that they wanted to determine and plan out their exit. They got an education, they figured out what their exit goal was and they called Mark, myself, Jason, Amanda, Chuck, anyone of us and reverse engineer the path to that. They didn't call and say what's your fee, okay I want to list. It was this how does this whole thing work and then we worked with them over a 6, 12, or 18 month period sometimes even more. Those are the success stories that you're hearing about. The people you're not hearing about never sell their business because they call. They might have a call like this or I was just at eCommerceFuel last week as an event and kudos to Andrew Youderian and all the guests and all the people that are there; brilliant, so many smart folks. But even with that high level of entrepreneurial success and drive I still get e-mails like I've gotten this week which is a great chat last week, great presentation. I did a presentation with Mike about the sales of ColorIt. You've really inspired me to sort of try this path to an exit. And then I said okay well this is what I need. Yeah, I don't know I'm so busy with adding SKUs and I'm not really there yet. I'm not ready to sell yet. I'm not ready to think about selling yet. Whereas the yet it should be now regardless of where you are in the business. These people are already doing; the 2 that I'm thinking about where I got the e-mails like the one I don't know his growth. Well, I could do the math on his growth but the discretionary stands out that he's close to 600,000 in discretionary earnings and it is 5 to 6 times more than he ever made in his prior day job. And so he's trying to work towards an exit and retirement. The other was doing nearly 10 million in revenue and had a 25% decline. He's young, he's under 30 years old. And neither of these guys are really ready to exit. Of course, they're not ready to exit but I want them to set a financial goal. I don't care if it's 3 to 5 years from now. Set that goal. I need to exit for X in order to exit. And then figure out where they are, get the education, and work towards that. In 5 years if they're not ready to sell then move the goal post, move it 6 years down the road or 7 years down the road. That is as you said at the beginning the surest way to real financial wealth. But we're not talking about them yet because they're pausing, they're hesitating, they're not going to do it. Those are the stories that I talk about a little bit in the book. There's somebody that was my first million-dollar listing back in the day at Quiet Light. I remember it well. I'm not going to name names. We'll call him Big Mike. That's not his name but we'll call him Big Mike. He had no financials; none whatsoever. And I remember sitting over Christmas break taking all of his bank statements and I actually created the profit and loss statement myself. That is a no-no. We do not do that anymore. No. But I did it. I got it all detailed and accurate and listed the business for 1.1 million. I got an offer for 800 from the gentleman that you sold his business once upon a time. It was actually a good offer because the revenue trends were in decline. And Big Mike said to me well why would I accept it all I have to do is XYZ over the next 12 months and I'll make a quarter of a million dollars and then we can sell the business for 1.2, 1.3 million. And I had a great deal of experience in paid advertising at the time as you know because I just sold my business. This was probably 2012 or early '13. And so we walked through all the possibilities, what to do and how to do it and off he went. The problem was that Big Mike's heart was not in it anymore. He had run up all of his personal debt and personal expenses; his overhead was very high. He lived the life of a very, very successful entrepreneur and his business was no longer trending that way so money was getting tight. He didn't have the ability to pull money from the business and put it into the ad spend that he needed to to reverse it. And so every year for the following 3 years I got any mail from Big Mike that said something along the lines of hey my revenue and profit is at XYZ, can we sell the business for this? And each year it went from that offer from Tony of 800 to the value really was in about 600 the next year. And then the next year he sent me an e-mail it was really based upon what he had given me, about 500. The last time he sent me an e-mail it was about 400. Every single time I replied with based upon what you've given me which is just an email with numbers and I'd say your business value was probably X. Please run a profit and loss statement out of Quickbooks or Xero and export it to Excel with a monthly view. Silence, nothing for 12 more months because he didn't take the necessary steps to do what you have to do in protecting your most valuable asset, in his case his business. And so he's probably got a job, unfortunately. And that's the path unfortunately too many people go down or they learn from the mistakes and they hang up their hat on this particular business. They can't sell it and they move on to another one and hopefully learn from that mistake but it's a painful one. I just want to see people learn from that and therefore the painful process of writing a book. Mark: You know it's great to focus on the success stories. We like success stories. I like talking about success stories that make me happy. But for all these success stories that you have shared so far through the podcast that you'll be sharing through this book we also have the stories like that. And I could probably rattle off a number as well. Maybe I'll start a new podcast or write a book called Unincredible Exits or Nasty Exits or something like that. It will be real depressing and no one will ever want to read it. But you're absolutely right in; that example is really good. That example shows what we see so often from entrepreneurs where they're running; they're used to the hustle, they're used to the grind, they're used to being able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps to be able to correct something but sometimes when a business gets mature especially after you've run it for a while doing that can be really, really difficult. I also think it's; I want to re-emphasize something you said which is the picking number, reverse engineering, and getting to that number doesn't mean that you have to sell at that point. We've been pretty public and I will continue to be public by saying that the best scenario for you is to create a business that you can own for your life, right? Because it's difficult to start a business; the cash flow that they build is great, the value that is in them as assets is also fantastic. So I'm a big believer in building and holding or buying and holding and growing but that doesn't mean that exiting shouldn't be an option. And so when you hit that number, if you're not ready to sell you can always move the goalposts as you suggested or create a new goal. But something that I know you've told me in an email where we were discussing this book is you said one of the goals is to not allow the business to outgrow its founder. And boy this is an issue that comes up time and time again that we see and that is business owners were really good at starting, really good at founding something and even growing it to a certain extent getting to a point where making that next shift is difficult. I always describe that the growth path of a business is a series of climbs and plateaus. You climb to a point and it starts to plateau and then you have to change the business a little bit. Maybe you have to add new people; maybe you have to add a different structure to the business. And once you do then hopefully you start climbing again and then you hit another plateau and then it's another shift or another restructuring of the company or maybe a new initiative. What point and is there any examples that you've seen where somebody has hit that point where business is just about to outgrow them and they were smart enough to be able to not let it do that? Joe: Yeah the climbing the plateaus, by the way, let's not forget the valleys, right? Yes, my name is Joe Valley but… Mark: Don't forget the valley. Joe: There are two valleys here, right? It's a climb, it's a plateau, and then boom there's a really nasty valley right there and you're in it. You got to climb out of it. That's why I think it's important to actually do something that you like; something that you enjoy a little bit. It could be something that you're passionate about because when those tough times come and as an entrepreneur they will unless I'm unique and nobody else has tough times. I don't think I'm unique. You're going to have to fight and climb back out of that valley and on the other side there's a mountain, a peak; not a plateau hopefully. And those are great success stories to tell and very sellable businesses. But the idea of a business outgrowing the founder is not original, right? I mean this is something I've seen throughout my own entrepreneurial life where I used to do radio advertising. I owned a radio direct response media buying agency back when there were 800 numbers associated with 60-second spot ads. I could have held that business and grown it but it would have required more and more overhead in terms of people. I don't like managing a lot of people. I tell you what your job is and how to do it and I expect that you're going to work hard and do the best you can. If you don't I'm kind of blunt unfortunately and fortunately in some ways. So if you're in a situation and I see this a lot where buyers sometimes naively say well if it's so great why are they selling it? And it is because the business more often than not has outgrown them. They wanted to live the 4-hour workweek. It turned into 30 and that's okay. And they've got 5 VA's and that's okay. But in order to take it beyond just a SaaS business that's doing 2 million in revenue, they need to hire 3 more developers. They don't want to go through the headache and hassle of that. Or to take it off of Amazon they need to learn SEO offline or email marketing or whatever it might be and that's not their skill set. Or it's hiring people and that's not their skill set. And they learned that one of the greatest ways to earn wealth is to sell a business. Now people that buy Walker's book have learned that they can; a different breed, a different mentality of an entrepreneur comes in. They're not the startup entrepreneurs. They come in and they take over where that startup entrepreneur left off. The business has outgrown them and they hand it off to somebody like Matt Howeth who can. He comes from the corporate world. He's always had lots of travel, lots of staff, and lots of hours. He gets it. He can take it and bring that business in and have a team of employees, a team of VA's and manage it and take it up to the next level because that's his passion. That's what he does. He gets it. The startup is not his passion. It's not his skill set. So one of the things that I think is critically important and sometimes this only comes with age and mistakes and failures and successes and that is to figure out who the hell you are. What kind of entrepreneur are you? Mark: That brings in mind 2 clients I've worked with in the past 14 years now. And one of them; I've quoted this story before but he came to me with a business, I've never talked to him about sharing his story so I won't say what he was selling. But he was selling a physical product. He had initially acquired this business for 5 figures, like a mid-5 figure level and immediately grew the business significantly to the point where it was doing 7 figures in top-line revenue, mid-6 figures in discretionary earnings and so when he gave it to me to sell one of my very first questions was why are you selling? You've been growing year over year, you're only adding value to the business, this looks like a fantastic business, you've got great rankings, great positioning great pricing; all these things working in your favor and he said well right now I store all of the inventory in an external garage on my property. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my son and I go out and we fill orders. It's really nice. It's like I don't have any more room for inventory and if I wanted to get another space I'm going to have to hire somebody and then I'm going to have to hire more people to handle the marketing. I just don't want to do that. I would rather cash out and move on. Meanwhile, another entrepreneur that I've dealt with, he was a CPA by trade and loved being on the buy-side and what he really, really enjoyed was taking a business that was somewhat complex, somewhat messy, somewhat inefficient in the way it was run and simplifying it. And I love; I've sold a couple of businesses for him, I love taking a look at where his businesses started. Their P&Ls were these super long crazy messes and by the time that he was ready to sell they were consolidated down into less than 30 lines because he simplified these businesses, really focused on this principle of 80:20 and said I'm going to just focus on what really makes sense and I'm going to get rid of all the rest of it. For him the act of cleaning it up was great but he would; unlike with Walker's book which is a lot of buy, build, and grow, his was I'm going to buy make more efficient and then I'm going to sell. And he did this several times and it was really fun to watch because he knew who he was. That first seller that I had, he knew who he was. He knew he didn't want to have a staff he had done that and didn't want to do it again. He loved running the business with his son. The second entrepreneur, he was a buyer, he knew what he liked, he also didn't want to have a large staff. There are other people out there that do want to build that team. There are people out there that say I want to have 100 million dollar exit so I'm going to buy a bunch of these businesses and build something or I'm going to acquire 15. They're all different types of entrepreneurs and everyone has different skill sets. Knowing who you are I think that right there is a great bit of advice but going back to what you were saying earlier Joe if you're so busy and in the weeds constantly and just running and hustling and hustling and hustling and never taking a moment to step back and to think about either the exit or about maybe this topic here of what type of entrepreneur are you, where do you want to see yourself in the next 5 years, what type of business operation do you want to have it's really hard to know where you're going and then your business drives you instead of driving your business and your career drives you instead of you driving your career. Joe: Yeah. Walker's book takes the mystery out of buying a business and the how-to and building it beyond that hence the title Buy Then Build or what he coined as acquisition entrepreneurship. My book The Exitpreneurs Playbook is going to take the mystery out of selling your business and setting those goals on what your exit is and reverse engineering a path to that. Now that I've said the title can we make fun of me in terms of predicting I don't know the future doom and gloom of this title because I did the opposite of what everybody told me to do? Mark: You know what? I like it. I remember doing this when I picked the Quiet Light Brokerage logo. I did 99 designs and I had everyone vote on different types and I hated what everybody chose. So I'm like well it's my business so I'm going to do my own thing. Joe: And you know it's a check, check, send something; I don't know, it must've been fall of last year and email out something about the Quiet Light logo and how it has stood the test of time so kudos to you. Yeah so I sent an e-mail out to a couple of dozen past clients that I sold their businesses and they're going to be part of the book. So part of the book is education and part inspiration; inspiration with them sharing some golden nuggets, wisdom, experience things that they wish they did differently. So I sent it out to them and then another say dozen of influencers that are in the space. People that we know well like Mike Jackness, Greg Mercer, Andrew Youderian, Ezra Firestone, things of that nature; people of that nature. And I think out of roughly 25 people Jason Yellowitz is the only one who said he liked Exitpreneur. Everyone else said Incredible Exits, Joe, it just rings, it rings. And there's been something about the term Exitpreneur that has stuck with me during the interview process and the more I said it out loud the more Brennan and I, and again she's my scribe, the more it just felt natural. Because that's what people are becoming when they sell their business, they're exitpreneurs. The difference between an entrepreneur and an exitpreneur is an entrepreneur is somebody that runs their own business but an exitpreneur is somebody that runs their own business and they have the knowledge and a plan. And I want to give them that knowledge in order to devise a plan and become one of those people that generate most of their wealth from an exit. So fingers crossed on that. Can I do a shameless plug right now for the Quiet Light Podcast where I think we're about 25 minutes in and just a little bit of a shameless plug? I have to tell you… Mark: I felt like this whole thing was a shameless plug for your upcoming book. Joe: I know but I don't even; I haven't even put up a website yet. There's no Facebook group. Really what it is, is a plug for education because part; in truth, I've said the same thing 8,000 times over and over. Maybe I'm just tired of saying it so I'm… Mark: With that Joe when I was on this trip recently I was in the airport and thinking about Mission, Vision, Values for Quiet Light Brokerage and I don't have the vision statement out yet but this component of education, if it's not part of our main vision it's definitely one of our core values and really something that I've built up. I was speaking to somebody just this morning before we recorded this about one of the goals or one of the mission; I'm sorry one of the core values of Quiet Light is to give entrepreneurs the right education and the right set of tools to be able to make good informed decisions. Because when I sold my business I didn't feel like I had that. I felt like I was misled. I felt like I was put in a position where somebody wanted to get me in an exclusive contract, promised me big bucks, and then when I went to go sell I was completely unprepared. I didn't know what was happening and so when I started Quiet Light the goal has been from day one not to tell anyone to sell but to give them the tools so that they know what their business is worth today, what it could be worth in the future, what's driving its value so that you can just make a good decision. That's your decision. So the education piece and I joke about this being a shameless plug; the reason that I'm excited about this, and I genuinely am excited that you're writing this book is because that education piece needs to be out there. And I love the idea; more than the idea, love the opportunity that we have to educate entrepreneurs of what's available to them if they transition from an entrepreneur to exitpreneur, understanding that, the bulk of the wealth that you build in your lifetime for most entrepreneurs will be at that exit. That might be 2 years from now, that might be 20 years from now, either case it's fine but having that plan to maximize that value and keeping the process smooth is important. Sorry, I totally cut you off of that but I want to emphasize that the education piece is really what I'm super excited about. Joe: Now we were going to do 2 parts of this podcast, a little bit on the book and a little bit about the philosophy behind Quiet Light's foundation and how you built the company and the entrepreneurial approach. So let's do a; I think we should do an entire podcast on this business and how it's built with entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs just to educate people more about who we are, what we do, and why we do it because I think it's necessary and you've done an incredible job with the model. But in terms of the education, I got a voicemail yesterday and this is the type of thing I want everybody out there that thinks they don't have time to do it and they're just keeping the wheels on the bus so to speak, take the time to make time for planning your exit using the educational tools that we provide whether it's this podcast or articles or Walker's book on my eventual book or having a conversation because that's an education tool. Have a conversation with an adviser at Quiet Light. Really do it. But I got a voicemail from somebody who I sold businesses for, very, very well off financially, runs a family office now, bought a business from Walker for around 8 million dollars in 2019. And he heard the podcast on product innovation, product development with Zack at Gembah. And he just left a voicemail yesterday saying hey man I just want to let you know on the way back home from Austin I got a chance to meet with Zack and we're going to go ahead and do some product innovation, product expansion, adding a number of new SKUs and accessories to the brand. I really appreciate it. I don't know if enough people tell you that we actually use the tools that you share so thank you. It's great to hear that. So thank you sir; I'm not going to say your first name, for reaching out and letting us know. For the rest of us this is the shameless plug part and I've said this, I said this at Blue Ribbon Mastermind and I said it in eCommerceFuel, Mark you and I have done now I think it was 114; I checked this morning, podcasts. So that's how many are up on iTunes. We've got a total of 31 reviews. They're all huge close to 5-star reviews. Thank you, everyone, who has given us reviews. I wasn't aware that we had any at all because we hardly ever plug it. And so I was at Blue Ribbon Mastermind talking to David Wood who will be a guest on the podcast in a few weeks. He's a personal coach and a good friend of Ezra's and he said something about he was on 70 podcasts last year and he chose which ones to go on based upon the number of reviews. So I checked ours. We have 31; pleasantly surprised. I checked the EcomCrew, Mike Jackness and he's got 81. So I stood on stage at Blue Ribbon Mastermind and I said everybody come on now Mike's not here, I want one more reviews than Mike has. He's been doing; I think he's done 3 times as many podcasts as us so we're doing okay. But please if you enjoy the podcast, if you like the podcast take a minute and go to iTunes or Stitcher or wherever you're listening and pop in a review. We greatly appreciate it and share the information and wealth with all the others that need it. Mark: Yeah. There's a video out there and I don't know if we're going to be posting it on our YouTube channel but there's a video out there of you making this plug at Blue Ribbon Mastermind and Ezra is standing there with you and he's thinking this is what you're using the stage time for? Like you have the opportunity to talk about what Quiet Light does and all you're doing is trying to beat Mike Jackness and like absolutely I'm trying to beat Mike Jackness that's it. Joe: We won't be sharing that video. That's not ours to share but I shared it with the team and had a good laugh at myself because of it so no doubt about it. Mike's a great guy. Ezra is a great guy. We don't mention people that we don't like obviously so if we've never mentioned you oh boy that's a long list; oh no, I can't say that. Let's just say thanks; final thanks, Mike Nuñez. Thank you, Mike. Mark: Yeah, Mike Nuñez, absolutely. I think that's a great way to end up this episode here. Let's do one in the future about the building of Quiet Light Brokerage and I'd also love to get feedback from people that have listened this far through this episode and are listening right now. Are there topics that you'd like to hear us talk about outside of bringing guests in? And we can bring on people within Quiet Light Brokerage, bring in Walker on the podcast again or Chuck or Brad or any of the many entrepreneurs that are working with Quiet Light Brokerage. Anything you want us to talk about specifically when it comes to buying or selling? We'd love to know, we want to produce content that you guys wanted to hear so feel free to hit me up Mark@QuietLightBrokerage or Inquiries@QuietLightBrokerage as well. Joe: Awesome. Thanks, everyone. Links and Resources: Quiet Light Brokerage

One year ago we listed a business that created a massive amount of activity, garnering ten offers, many above asking price. As part of our incredible exit series, today we welcome a seller who has had some time to reflect on all the things he did right in his sale and share what he has been up to since. Paul Anderson started his career as an accountant, taking the safe path and spending ten years in corporate America. An increasing lack of passion led him to start to build his own lifeboat. He avidly studied Amazon FBA and learned by following experts in the e-commerce space. Although his first launch failed he carried on, honing his awareness of product opportunities out there and eventually he hit it big. Today Paul delves into the building of the business, the pillars of his success, and the components of his path to becoming an exitpreneur. Episode Highlights: Paul's first product's failure to launch and what he learned. How he sourced the second product and what happened in the last quarter of 2016. Funding subsequent stock and the challenges of inventory planning. How Paul stands on all four pillars of a successfully built business as well as that invisible fifth pillar. The scheduling and nitty gritty of the sale process. How the final buyer was chosen and the deciding factors for Paul. Why the highest bidder does not always win. The toughest challenges of running the business. Why Paul decided to sell. What he has been doing since the sale. Tips for building a successful content website. Transcription: Mark: So almost one year ago to the date of the recording of this episode of the podcast I was on a car ride with Joe; you Joe from where was it? It was from Dallas down to Houston and then Houston back up to Dallas. We were meeting with a good friend of ours that lived in Houston and while we were in that car ride you had launched a new listing that went absolutely berserk. And I've referenced this; I think we've actually talked about this on the podcast a few times, I've referenced this deal because it was one of these outlier deals that seem to check every single box and the result was just a massive amount of requests for phone calls and I believe 10 offers within a very short amount of time. And it's been a year since that launched and obviously, the deal closed which we're super happy about but now you finally get to have the seller on the podcast talking about all the things that he did right. Joe: Yeah it's a great time because it's a year out so he gets to look back. And over the years of doing this podcast the people listening have heard us talk about the four pillars; risk, growth, transferability, and documentation and someone might go yeah ok whatever, the reality is that they matter. Paul Anderson sold his business; 10 offers, he checked off every one of these pillars and the six little subtitles under each pillar and then the fifth one which I know Mark there's no fifth pillar, but the fifth one is the man or person or entrepreneur behind the business. Paul being a former CPA turned entrepreneur who outsourced his bookkeeping to a bookkeeper is just a super likable guy, stay at home dad, buttoned up in so many different ways. The end result is I had to clear his schedule; he basically had three conference calls with highly qualified buyers for five days in a row. He was exhausted from it because each one was… Joe: So you had 15 conference calls then. Paul: 15 conference calls. Joe: And I remember again we were in the car going back up to Dallas and you were on the phone pretty much constantly telling people okay let me see if I can arrange a time for you. So there was a lot more requests for conference calls on this deal. Paul: A lot more requests and we say we had 10 offers but finally a few people dropped out because they just didn't want to compete because they knew what it is going to be. And the funny thing is people get concerned about that and we always say right up front look don't get caught up in the hype of multiple offers, don't go beyond your comfort level, offer-wise. We want you to make an offer that works for you and hopefully will work for the seller as well because we want it to go all the way from letter of intent through to due diligence and that's exactly what we wound up with. And oddly enough Paul did not choose as we always say they don't necessarily choose the highest price. He didn't do that. He picked the offer that was best for him and I think it was somewhere $150,000 lower than the highest price. So we talked about a little bit of that process, what makes a good seller, a good buyer, and then we talked about what he's doing today which is really interesting as well so hopefully, everybody will enjoy this podcast. Joe: Absolutely. Paul: Let's go to it. Joe: Hey folks. Joe Valley here from the Quiet Light Podcast and today I have an Incredible Exits client on the phone with me. It's Paul Anderson. We sold Paul's business I think; when was it, Paul? Paul: March of last year, so a little under a year ago. Joe: Spring of 2019; so a little under a year ago. So we're going to talk about Paul's exit. We're going to talk about what Paul went through when he built the business, sold the business after he sold the business, and what he's doing now so we're going to get the full picture. Paul welcome to the Quiet Light Podcast. Paul: Thanks Joe, good to be here. Good to talk to you. Joe: So for the folks listening why don't you give a little bit of background on your professional pedigree and your entrepreneurial journey? Paul: Yeah, sure. So I actually studied accounting and followed that path. I was kind of one of those people that never really knew what I wanted to do. Like some people I think they're just like hey I want to be a TV news reporter or a journalist, I never really had that strong thing tapped me on the shoulder that said this is what you should do so I took a pretty safe practical path. I went into accounting and got my CPA. I spent about 10 years working in corporate America doing accounting and finance jobs and didn't really ever feel like that passion and eventually it started to kind of wear me down. I got to the point where I had to think of something else to do and try to build my own little lifeboat to escape from that because something inside me just didn't feel right anymore doing that. So that's kind of what led into starting a business. So that's in 2016. Somewhere; I don't even remember where I started to hear about Amazon FBA and I kind of consumed everything I could about it like podcasts, there's this guy Manny Coats inaudible[00:06:09.6] Helium10, he had a great podcast back then, Amazing Seller; there's all sorts of good stuff online about the model and that's kind of how it started and I started really small. We can get into it from there but that was kind of the first step, learning about it and seeing like oh I think I could do this. Joe: So you learned about it from podcasts; you didn't pay for a course or anything like that, you were absorbing free information from experts in the space. Paul: I never bought a single course it was all podcasts, Facebook groups, Reddit forums, and I was just… Joe: I love it. Paul: Yeah I can tell you about the first launch which was a total fail but that was like my training course like the very first launch because I learned. Joe: Failure is a great lesson. How much money did you pull together to launch the business and were you working at that point in the CPA business? Paul: Yeah I was still working. It was 2016, I put $5,000 in to do; most of it was an inventory buy so I was on Alibaba like at night trying to find my suppliers talking with China and I put in probably about 5,000 bucks to start on my first product. Joe: Okay. And you just mentioned Helium10; did you use Helium10 to help you find that first product? Paul: Yes. So it's funny like almost all the products I launched I've kind of like encountered in the real world somewhere and the product that turned out to be my big business was I kind of got onto it from a discussion with my parents. We're just having a casual discussion like you would have many times a day and they mentioned this particular thing and I would always in my iPhone put down; anything that seemed interesting I would just like log it in there and then I come back to it. So I had a list of 20 to 30 things going and I went back and started doing some research. I actually was using Jungle Scout back then and I switched over to Helium10 for everything now. Joe: Oh they're both great products; both of them. Manny and Greg have both been on the podcast; great guys. Paul: Yeah, for sure. So I kind of punched it in there and said like oh this looks like; the numbers look good and that's kind of how it started but it really was that conversation being like; I think if there's a lesson there it's being aware, we have so many kinds of filters and blinders on like if you really put yourself in the headspace of looking for opportunities you'd be surprised how many little things you read online or you hear about through friends like this is really popular; there's just all sorts of those little things that pop up that could turn out to be big businesses. Joe: So pay attention to your surroundings; the stuff that you use every day, emerging products in categories and niches and try to pay attention to and think is there an opportunity? Did you use any tools to see if a lot of people were selling in that particular category and that particular product? Paul: I mean Jungle Scout helps with that but mainly you can just go on and kind of assess like if page one everyone's got a thousand reviews and they're really well-known brands or something that's probably going to be a tough place to break into. Joe: Tough barrier; okay. So tell us about your first test, it was an epic fail? Paul: Yeah, so I was really pumped and thought like here it is, this is going to be like my ticket out of full-time work and it's going to be amazing and it was actually an accessory. Have you ever heard of pour-over coffee? Joe: Yeah. Paul: So that was kind of just bubbling up, seeming like oh this is really a trending product… Joe: Too much work; I never bought it because… Paul: Too much work, yeah, but there's a lot of people that are really into the craft obviously a coffee one and having some artisan experience. So I sourced these little wooden coffee stands that's basically used to make pour-over coffee. And it was kind of a cool thing but it turns out products made out of wood can crack and can break and have issues and I was not an expert at sourcing at that point in time so the long story short a lot of the products ended up cracking and breaking. And then once you start getting all these one-star reviews and returns; like my garage was full all around with carts of returned inventory and there wasn't that much demand I think. At the start, I was thinking oh you really got a niche down into this little tiny space and own that and there just wasn't quite enough demand in that space either. So I kind of learned to be a little smarter on sourcing and just to look for ways that things can go wrong inaudible[00:10:31.6] thing that's just so niche that like even if you execute and everything is great like you're going to be selling a couple of units a day. Joe: So how much money did you test and lose on that first product launch? Paul: So that was about 5,000 bucks in and I didn't take to bad a bee but I think I lost about a thousand dollars on it which isn't bad. Joe: Oh that's not bad. Paul: Yeah. Joe: Not enough to make you go away and say okay this didn't work I'm done; I'm going to go back to the corporate world. You got a taste for it and you said okay I just picked the wrong product. Paul: Exactly. And I mean I was still in the corporate world and like 5,000 bucks it's not like a lot of money at the time so it wasn't like I was; I'm like yeah whatever it doesn't matter. At that point, the stakes felt real and high. Joe: Yeah. Paul: Because it definitely was like I can see the power here on Amazon it's just like finding the right thing to really get this thing spinning. Joe: Okay. So you learned a lesson; you only lost 20% of your money but you get an excellent education from it better than any course you could have ever purchased. You went out there tried it, failed, learned, and didn't lose so much that you couldn't do it again. So you came up with another product niche and decided to go at it again? Paul: Exactly yes. So then I was actually going over to; are you familiar with the Canton Fair which is the big supplier…? Joe: Yeah. Paul: So I had a trip booked to go over there and kind of in-between going there… Joe: Just out of curiosity did you book it with a group or was it just you? Paul: Just me and my wife went over. Joe: Oh okay, because I was just talking to Athena from China Magic and they have a group of folks that go on a regular basis for those that are terrified to go alone. So you and your wife chose to book a flight to China and go to the Canton Fair alone. Paul: I loved it. It was really, really full out and I'm eager to go over there. Joe: Okay. Paul: I actually ended up finding my supplier on Alibaba before I went so I can't really say that the trip necessarily paid off in terms of like… Joe: Did you connect with him in person when you got to the Canton Fair? Paul: No because it was still too early and he was pretty far away from the Canton Fair. I think it helped me really see kind of like the culture of China and doing business with China and I think just a little savvier about how things work. So it was a great education for that and just like a lot of fun to check it out; I mean the place is just massive, like multiple football fields. Anything you want to ever source it would be out there so it was a super interesting spot. But anyway back to your second question so yes I stumbled upon this other product and started kind of the wheels turning in 2016 to source it. I got it on I think in the fall of 2016 and I remember that Q4 for Amazon or e-commerce is like the prime time and I remember just refreshing that seller app that Black Friday, Cyber Monday, like all through up until Christmas and it was just mind-blowing the sales that were coming in off this new product. Joe: What was it like your first day that you got a sale, how many sales did you have all together; do you remember? Paul: Oh I mean it started slow. The first thing was probably just two or three units. I mean it's really; it was in such a momentum game like when you have no momentum it's hard to keep momentum and then once you get this momentum going and the wheels start spinning it can blow your mind like the amount of sales that… Joe: And that actually blew our mind within the first month or in that first quarter like what did you wind up with on the biggest day within a couple of months of launching it in the Q4 of ‘16? Paul: I don't want to say maybe like $8,000 of sales there. Joe: Oh, wow. Paul: Something big like and then when you look at the profits from that it's like wow I made more money like on this one day than; and I had a pretty decent corporate job, I'm like this is crazy like the potential. So the hooks kind of got in me right there and then '16 was kind of just getting off the ground and then the next year is when the ball really started to roll. Joe: When you started to get revenue in the fourth quarter of 2016 and sales started to come in you had euphoria with the fact that you were getting that kind of revenue and making more money in one day than you made perhaps in a month in the corporate world but did you also have the fear of oh my God I'm going to run out of inventory? Paul: I did. Joe: Okay. Paul: Yeah, inventory is like not something glamorous to talk about and you don't really hear about it that much in podcasts or anything else but it's like running a physical products company doing an Amazon business like the inventory planning is so difficult because your sales can change on a dime. inaudible[00:15:20.7] your supplier 30 days early to make something and another 30 days to put them on a ship to get it over here. So you've got these difficult variables to manage that can leave you stocked out or even a little bit too much stuck so that's always a tough thing to manage. Joe: Awesome. I don't think I've ever met an Amazon seller or an e-commerce business person that's been growing rapidly that's not run out of inventory at one point or another. All right, so you started with $5,000, did a test, failed, how long between the first failed test and the second product that took off; how many months was it? Paul: That was about three months I think. Joe: Okay, and all the time you kept your day job which is fantastic. So you've got some revenue, you've got some money in the account that's transferred to your business account, at what point did you order more inventory with and did you just use that money or did you sit down and talk as a family and say okay this is a winner we need to take a home equity line of credit; how did you fund the rest of the inventory purchases? Paul: It was all really funded with profits. Joe: It was? Okay. Paul: Yeah, it was. Joe: And you didn't have to take any money out for living expenses because you had your day job so that's perfect. Paul: Yeah. If I wouldn't have my day job it would have made it much more difficult but luckily I had some steady income coming in on the day job and then I was able to just take the profits and reinvest them back in and just go from there. Joe: Fast forwarding you had an amazing 2017, an amazing 2018; strong year over year growth, like huge year over year growth. For those listening, Paul's business was listed again spring of 2019 and it's those perfect situation folks where we talk about the four pillars of a sellable business and that invisible fifth one which is the person behind the business and that's Paul. We have a 30-month-old Amazon business with an incredible brand that's growing rapidly year over year. The financials we're set up impeccably. Paul is a CPA but he did something incredible which was what? You outsourced the books to an e-commerce bookkeeper; brilliant by the way. So those of you that are out there saying oh I can do this I'm not going to pay a few hundred bucks to a bookkeeper we've got a CPA here that chose to outsource to an e-commerce bookkeeper because he can do better things than bookkeeping with his time like grow a multi-million dollar Amazon brand which is exactly what you did. Your business checks so many boxes. It was SBA eligible. You were the owner behind the business. You built trust. People believed in you. During the recorded video interview, you're the first person; and I keep asking people to do it now, you're the first person that ever sat in front of the camera, reached down picked up the product and demonstrated the product. You showed the new packaging that you had just done. It was beautiful and the end result was an overwhelming request to buy the business, conference calls where you had to clear your schedule for a week. I said Paul cancel everything, right? We had to clear it and we ended up with I think three calls with qualified buyers every day for five days. We wound up with 10 total offers. I think we were at; the top one was something like $150,000 over asking price. Paul: Yeah, I think that's right. Yeah. Joe: Yeah, and we say this all the time that it's not always the offer that comes in with the highest number, it's the right fit more than anything else. We had; of the 10 offers, I think we had maybe six that were SBA and four that were cash. You ended up choosing a cash buyer and not just because it was a cash buyer but also the person behind the business. We did video interviews between the buyer and seller. How much did that matter and how much of a difference did that make for you? Paul: The interviews mattered a ton. I mean that was the deciding factor because when I went into the process I just thought like well it's pretty simple, right? You take the highest number and the highest bidder wins but as you get into it and talk to different people it's like a huge diverse set of backgrounds that people are coming through Quiet Light looking to buy, right? Joe: Right. Paul: And some people I felt like wow I could just hand this to them and they could run with it immediately and do like as good or better a job with this than I ever could. And others are like hey I really like this person and their heart is in the right place but I feel like the transition might take a little bit longer and then what if somewhere they dropped the ball and things get sideways like I don't want that somehow to come back to me. I don't know if that's a rational way to think about it but if there was a lot of comfort like feeling this guy or these guys I feel like really got it, they get it, they know what to do, they will hit the ground running from day one so to me that mattered a whole lot. Joe: Yeah. And I think given the fact that we're in this remote world where your buyers and sellers are all over the world literally sometimes doing a video conference call for that initial call breaks the ice. You're not reading the client interview anymore, you're not just talking to somebody on the phone; you can see the whites of their eyes and anybody that wants to see Paul we're recording this both on Zoom with video and audio and it will be up on the YouTube page as well. He does not look like a buttoned-up CPA today and I was making fun of him when we first got on the call. You've always looked like that but today you know what you're a successful exitpreneur. You got the sweatshirt on, a little stubble, working from home; I love it. All right so I want to you ask a couple of things just for the audience purposes. Number one back to running the business what was the toughest challenge in running the business? Let's start with that. Go ahead. Paul: Yeah. I'd say even at the start this isn't even a tactical thing but the hardest thing was just getting the momentum going. Starting an Amazon business is not like hey I'm trying to create an electric car and beat Elon Musk but even me like I had a lot of doubts at the start like is this is going to work, am I going to lose all my money? All of these doubts kind of creep into your head so I remember really kind of struggling to pull the trigger in a way thinking like I just don't know is this supposed to be my pathway? So I think that was really hard to overcome and you just kind of keep going one foot in front of the other and once you get a little momentum it just like brings all this energy and life into you that you just feel so energized to just keep improving and add products and make your products better and make the packaging better. Getting that first momentum can feel elusive and challenging so I think that was like a big thing at the start. Joe: And you failed and then you stuck with it and then you succeeded. Paul: Yeah. And I was kind of at an inflection point like should I keep going or is this just not meant to be and then you know. Joe: This may be a dumb question but are you glad you kept going? Paul: I'm very glad. It changed my life that I kept going. I mean I'd still be sitting at a desk in corporate America right now I hadn't kept going and like we've got a three-year-old son at home like the physical time we will spend with him and then mentally my head is so much like the stress is away from me. So I was always stressed working in corporate America so it's been the biggest blessing ever to go out and do this. It's changed my whole family's life. Joe: Okay. So let me ask the question that all buyers ask, why did you sell the business? Paul: Yeah, it was a tough decision to sell because I was having so much fun running it. And I think the honest answer is the value of the business became such that it really could provide a lot of security for our family. And it felt like if I was 23 and single and didn't have kids I'll like alright instead of going for this I might have just keep on going and try to sell it for three times this or five times this or just keep going. But knowing Amazon can be volatile and like I had all my eggs in that basket so it just felt like the responsible thing is to take some chips off the table and let go of the business but it was really hard. Joe: The responsible thing; I like that, the responsible thing. Your CPA background is coming out now. That's good. Paul: Yeah. Joe: All right so what was the toughest part about going through the sales process and selling the business; what was the hardest part there? Paul: Picking a buyer was really tough. Joe: It's a good problem. That's a good problem to have. Paul: I mean just even knowing how to approach it and you really helped a ton Joe in that process. When it's your first time through and you already have kind of these emotions like you built this thing and now it's worth something that people want it, it's a weird feeling and like how to value it and how to find the right fit and thinking about SBA versus cash; there's just a lot of things that are spinning through your head at that time so I think just getting a clear head and trying to identify what the right fit was the toughest part. Joe: Okay. I think you again exception rather than really had 10 offers, I think maybe one or two might have come in slightly under asking price but the vast majority was above. I think 2019 the average offers that we had on any single listening was two and a half so you are five times that amount which is pretty exceptional. That goes to the brand that you built. It goes to the way that you set the business up with its own entity. You didn't come and go books. You're a CPA but you hired a professional bookkeeper. You instilled so much confidence in buyers. They clearly came out of the woodworks to buy your business. All right, the toughest part was choosing the buyer; that's amazing. It's not what I would've guessed you would have said. Sometimes it's due diligence but with you, it was choosing a buyer. All right so now there's life after the sale, you were in the corporate world working 40, 50 hours a week or sometimes more in tax season and then you're an entrepreneur working from home spending time with your son now what are you doing? You've sold the business nine months ago, what are you doing with your time? Paul: Yeah so it's been nice to have a little; in life usually you're just like chasing after the next thing and I've had just the time to step back and think really what I want to do and what I want my life to look like so it's been like a real luxury. So I'm going into; I'm building a website, it's called WealthFam.com. Joe: Fam like family? Okay. Paul: Yup like family. It's brand new but basically it sort of like combines my background and what I like to do. So it's all about building wealth; becoming financially independent, starting and running online businesses. Basically, it's how to be smarter with your money and use the money to help kind of enable the life that you want to live whether it's being with your kids or going on trips or whatever else. So it's a content site which is a super interesting thing. I thought a lot about going back and doing another Amazon business but I just didn't feel the same spark for like starting it and it takes a lot of energy and mental fortitude to take something from A to Z and you've got to really want it kind of every step of the way. So this just kind of really energized me and there's been some great stories like Ramon's story; you featured Ramon. It like blew my mind the… Joe: His content site, yeah. Paul: And that happened in the content space so that was really exciting to me. And on top of that I just like doing this stuff so it feels like the right sort of fit. Joe: So what kind of subjects are you going to cover on Wealth Fam? Paul: So it's broken down a couple of categories like making money, saving money, investing money, financial independence, and then some stuff like how money intersects with having a kid and being married or buying a house. So I'm trying to make it like a modern personal finance site that people in their teens, 20s, 30s, can find well like at least from my experience like education society; like our schools and in general, there's not a lot of like real training about… Joe: There's none of it. There's none of it, yeah. Paul: And there's even a lesson mode like starting an online business and like the potential kind of betting on yourself. Joe: It seems like a great idea because you're taking your educational experience along with your entrepreneurial experience and marrying them together with a content site which is great. I love content sites. We work with SaaS, content, and FBA and content is just fantastic. Scott Voelker is really, really focused on helping people go beyond FBA and build content sites and some of them have great success and its driving more traffic back to FBA and getting their business products sold. For those that aren't familiar with content site monetization, how do you plan to monetize the site? Paul: So there's a couple of traditional ways that people will do it. So, first of all, you have to have traffic. I mean if I have traffic inaudible[00:28:43.3] selling eyeballs like it's tough to; getting traffic is really hard and you're playing like this SEO game and it takes a long time to rank in Google. Then there's a couple of primary ways, the first is affiliate links like you could be selling a course or selling something on Amazon or selling; the Amazon FBA thing is a really interesting thing for Amazon sellers to marry their inaudible[00:29:04.9] business with content. I love that idea. I think that's really smart. There's brand sponsorships, other partnerships; but it's like advertising and affiliate income are kind of the two main plays for monetizing. Joe: I got you, okay. All right how's life at home; what do you do with your time? I mean you've you don't have a job. You're starting a content site which might take a little bit of your time. You've got a baby. Paul: It takes a lot of time. Joe: It takes a lot; the startup phase is always the hardest, isn't it? Paul: Inaudible[00:29:38.4] the thing I underestimated about content is that like writing is really hard. Joe: Yeah. Paul: I think oh I can write something about Amazon, that's easy, I know this. It takes a lot of time to really do a good job at clarifying your thoughts but overall I'm just trying to optimize my life for happiness and contentment and I get that right now being with my son and my wife. So I spend a lot of time with my family. We do a lot of cool stuff together. And I'm really liking; I do some Amazon consulting because I'm still at the Amazon blog and I like to be involved in it so I'm doing some of that for some local companies which I love doing.   Joe: Good. Paul: And then this content thing really is exciting and fun and I'm going to see where it can go and… Joe: So you didn't make enough on the sale of your business to never work again but enough to give you a pretty long runway and you're enjoying your expertise in the Amazon space and doing some consulting while you're building up another content or a content business? Paul: Yeah that's a fair way to… Joe: Does that sum it up? Paul: Yeah and I'd like to go up those kind of shift too, right? I'm not sure how in-tune you are with the financial independence world, all the people that want to retire early and be financially… Joe: Oh yeah, fire. Paul: So like if your burn rate or you can live on 40 grand a year once you stacked up a million bucks, in theory, you can quote-unquote retire. Joe: Sure. Paul: But as you think about education and college and healthcare and all these other things that number maybe gets a little bit… Joe: It gets blown out of the water. I have an 18-year-old and we're 14 days away from knowing what he's getting into which is schools and I'm rooting for the in-state schools; I'm not going to lie to you, I'm rooting for the in-state. Paul: Hey, I went to an in-state school and… Joe: Look at how it turned out; pretty damn good. Paul: Yeah. Joe: All right cool. Well, listen Paul I always tell the story about you and your brand and the fact that that fifth pillar makes a huge difference. It's the person behind the business that builds a great business with the next owner in mind. You kind of did that, I don't know if you did it intentionally or not but you said I'm going to build a great business. I want to put it all in a package that's going to help the new owner of the business do amazing things with it. And Matt the new owner of the business as you know is doing amazing things with it. And it pays off when you think about others exactly what you did that paid off for you, it paid off for your family, and now hopefully through Wealth Fam, it's going to pay off for a lot of other visitors to your website as well so people can start young and start smart and get on the right path financially. So listen man thanks for your time. I appreciate the business that you've built because it allows me to tell a story of how the person behind the business makes a tremendous difference so thank you and I appreciate you coming on the podcast today. Paul: You got it. Anytime. Thanks a lot, Joe. Links and Resources: Paul's Website Jungle Scout Helium 10

Scott Voelker is back on the Become a Media Maven podcast to talk about how people can finally take action on a business idea, even if they’re scared. In his book, The Take Action Effect, he talks about the many businesses he started and how his mindset and hard work played a big part in his success. Scott talks about the safety nets he hung to fall back on while he carved out time to work on his side hustles. These five steps will get you started: 1. Side hustle. 2. Start small and work your way up. 3. Use your unique assets. 4. Having the focus and the direction to hit your goal. Pick something, go, AND COMMIT FOR 8-12 MONTHS! 5. Don’t build something, then validate it. Instead, validate it, then build it. Also, invest in a coach or mentor to take action to see results faster.

Today our guest is a big name in the Amazon space. Scott Voelker is not only an incredible Amazon seller, but he is also a fantastic mentor to others in the space. His podcast, The Amazing Seller, offers Amazon sellers invaluable support and insights and today we are picking his brain about his background and […] The post Episode 32: How To Build A Brand, Leverage Outside Traffic & Crush It On Amazon! with Scott Voelker appeared first on TurnKey Product Management - Podcast.

In a world where so many businesses are competing for attention, you must create a connection with customers to stand out. You may offer a similar product or service, but what you do to brand yourself and connect will make a difference. This episode is all about connection, marketing, and how to stand out from the crowd. Chris Shaffer—an expert in customer relationships and branding—joins Kevin in this episode of Maximizing Ecommerce. They worked closely together to put on Brand Accelerator Live with Scott Voelker. He’s an absolute whiz in ecommerce and here to share his expertise. Don’t miss this episode!  Outline of This Episode [2:55] Cultivating relationships with customers [4:50] Kevin introduces Chris Shaffer [5:55] Background in Ecommerce [11:55] Baseline Budgeting [13:30] Strategy and optimization [15:35] How to start building a list [17:30] Learn your target market [20:20] Facebook has a group for everything [24:30] Content - how do you pick where to start? [26:50] The power of Facebook groups [34:00] Market, message, match. [42:20] Learn how to communicate with your list [51:30] How to track how your emails are performing [57:20] How to connect with Chris If someone wrote you a blank check, what would you do?  If you were offered unlimited resources to grow your business, what would you do? Chris points out that it can be fun and allows you to be creative with marketing. You can experiment without the fear of an idea failing. In reality most of use don’t have an open-ended budget, but what if you attempted to innovate as if you did?  Many companies follow a strategy labeled “baseline budgeting”. In simplistic terms, if they don’t spend their complete marketing budget they run the risk of being stuck with a lower budget for the upcoming year. This drives the marketing team to spend money wastefully—and why you’ll often see CPC driven upwards towards the end of the year.  They’re spending upwards of $10,000 a month when they could get the job done with $6,000. Chris believes this type of budgeting system needs to be phased out. It penalizes a team for doing great work on a lower budget. Chris and Kevin continue to talk strategy and figuring out your target market, so keep listening.  Offer value where your audience lives If you understand your target market, you need to begin to learn where they “live”. Is your customer on Facebook? YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest? Start where others in your market have found success. Once you build an audience, you can transfer it to any platform you prefer. Scott Voelker and Chris met because they had booth joined ecommerce Facebook groups and were answering questions. They quickly became the go-to experts in the group because they offered value. It was one of the catalysts that led to the success of the Amazing Seller podcast.  They were involved in the community and leading with value. When the podcast was launched, a linked was dropped in the Facebook group. It took off. People in the group downloaded the podcast, and chatter about it spread to other Facebook groups. What could you do to boost your business if you simply placed the needs of your customers first?  Market. Message. Match. List-building is a strategy that everyone everywhere recommends, and for good reason. It allows you to directly market to people who want to hear from you. It pulls traffic to your website. But how do you get people on your list? According to Chris, one of the easiest things you can do—and the hardest to mess up—is a product giveaway. Don’t do something crazy like an iPad. Everyone wants one and you won’t convert true followers. You’ll end up with a lot of people who hit “unsubscribe” after the getaway.  Instead, offer a package that plays off of your target market and meshes with your product. Chris’s favorite way to do this is to offer a “newbie” giveaway and an “expert” giveaway. It speaks to both sides of the spectrum of customers. Whatever you do, make sure to always remember: does the product you're offering match the market you’re offering it to? Chris summarizes the principle as “market, message, match”.  A connection with customers can’t be an algorithm Chris points out that your #1 competitor is a nameless and faceless brand on Amazon. Email marketing can be one of the easiest ways to cultivate a connection and relationship with customers. That connection allows you to transcend the platform—and separates you from the lowest priced offer on Amazon. How do you create that connection? Treat them like your friends.  Make your emails conversational. Treat people like people, not an algorithm that you’re trying to figure out. Allow people to learn to hear your voice in your writing. The way you read a message from a friend is a different, deeper connection. It’s not always about the call-to-action. Start by piquing their interest, offering something of value, and building the relationship.  Chris and Kevin talk about how to incorporate a call-to-action, how often to include one in your emails, and how to track how they’re performing. If you’re looking to connect with your customer on a deeper level and ready to build a loyal following for your brand, this is a can’t-miss episode! Resources & People Mentioned The Amazing Seller Podcast The GaryVee Audio Experience The Amazing Seller on YouTube Connect with Chris Shaffer The Amazing Seller Facebook Group Connect With Kevin Sanderson www.YouTube.com/maximizingecommerce www.Facebook.com/maximizingecommerce www.Twitter.com/maxecom Subscribe to Maximizing Ecommerce onApple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM

Today I’m thrilled to have my buddy Scott Voelker back on the show. Scott was my partner in crime for the 5 Minute Pitch and I recently spoke at his conference at Brand Accelerator Live. As entrepreneurs, our biggest problem often lies in our own heads. In this episode, Scott and I break down the Take Action Effect, how to overcome your excuses and make progress with your business. Be sure to check out his new book! What You’ll Learn Key takeaways from Brand Accelerator Live Why Scott decided to write a book about the Take Action Effect How to […] The post 281: Scott Voelker On How To Get Out Of Your Own Head And Take Action appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

Scott Voelker of the Amazing Seller podcast holds nothing back on this first guest episode on Masters of Marketplace podcast. Scott is one of the most authentic, genuine and influential ecommerce experts and hosts a top rated marketing podcast. In this episode, Scott shares his entrepreneurial journey and how his business has evolved over the years, along with his recommendations on how to get started selling online, the true costs of starting a brand online and how to get started even if you don't have much money to invest initially. Scott gives his expert recommendations on how to build your brand outside of Amazon, the importance of mindset and he talks about how taking action made amazing things happen for him, like his podcast, his live event Brand Accelerator Live and his new book The Take Action Effect. Can you still make money on Amazon? How can you earn money right away? What if you are just starting selling online today? All this and more as this special guest shares a real and proven strategy on how to create different streams of revenue and built a legitimate business of our own. So let’s dive in!  Show notes can be found at: https://www.mastersofmarketplace.com/9

Scott Voelker, the amazing seller himself, is back on the podcast today with a new book that will guide entrepreneurs on a path to financial freedom. Scott has transformed from someone who dabbled in e-commerce into a seven figure business owner, author, and host of one of the most popular e-commerce podcasts out there. Now he is sharing his tips with other entrepreneurs, offering sets of specific steps to follow to create a business that will allow freedom and flexibility. From the construction career he left at an early age to starting and building a successful photography business, Scott has built on his entrepreneurial nature for over two decades. In 2008 he started selling photography products online and soon realized it could become a full time income. Fast forward a few more years and he started to hear more about Amazon FBA model and how some people were making good money using the platform. He started researching and listening to any valuable information he could garner then used all the know-how he'd gathered and applied it to his product listings. Episode Highlights: How Scott and his wife got their start building a business from the ground up. Scott discusses the path he took and how the book delves into his future plans. Whether he finds the pathway to the end goal more difficult than five to ten years ago. How Scott is evolving from being “The Amazon Guy.” Helping others with the book and the action steps he outlines. Scott addresses the question of finding time to start a side hustle. Learning how to schedule downtime once success allows for less work time. Tips for finding that future-proof opportunity. Taking the affiliate marketing path as an opportunity to learn your market. Using channel diversification as a building block. Transcription: Mark: Joe recently I sent you a book through Amazon that I was hoping you would read and I'm assuming that's the next book on your reading list, right? Joe: No. Sorry. Mark: I'm not going to buy you any more gifts. Joe: No. Now you sent it to me via Amazon and I think I have to download it onto my Kindle app. Mark: You haven't even downloaded it? Joe: I haven't even downloaded it. Mark: Oh my goodness. Joe: You're just trying me. See the reason I haven't is because it's a productivity book and you're trying to get me to be more productive but I haven't read it yet so I'm not as productive as I could be. Do you see an excuse thing going on here? Mark: Productivity is one of those things that I'm sure everybody's like Joe is terrible at getting stuff done. Joe: This book I'm holding out for those that are on the YouTube channel. Thank you for being on the YouTube channel, by the way, you're awesome. This is the book I'm currently reading it's called the Take Action effect By Scott Voelker; a friend of ours and we just had him on the podcast. And that's what the book is all about. It's a combination of, and this is why I'm not reading the book you sent me. And I have one more in front of that by the way but this one is amazing it's really telling Scott's story. Scott as lot of people know has a podcast called The Amazing Seller podcast. With the audience he has every month he could fill up the Bank of America Stadium here in Charlotte and I think that's like 25, 30,000 people. He started out just telling his story building an Amazon business and everything he was going through. He just laid it all out on the line. He's really transferred himself or transformed himself into someone that is first and foremost helping people take action in their lives and he talks about this in the book and how he did certain things in his life and what an impact it had and what it led to next and next and next and now where he's at running a 7 figure business with the lifestyle that he wants. It's still one of the most important things about Scott and the book and the action steps that he shows people how to take is to run a business, set your own goals, how to set goals properly with vision boards and different things but with a lifestyle that you want. This is not a get rich quick scheme it's a book to build the life that you want; how to take certain steps and actions and if you want to run a 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 million dollar business great. These will help and there are some examples of that; of people that are doing that. But if you want to just earn an extra couple of thousand dollars on the side and build the business slowly there are absolutely some steps in there for those folks as well; people that are listening now that still have full time jobs that don't dare buy a business this allows them to take certain steps and actions to do that and build a safe business that's going to be relatively passive that they could do part-time as they build that up and eventually quit your day job work and sell it through Quiet Light. Mark: One of the things I like about this is the idea of having a purpose to what you're doing. And I think there is this tendency to chase success, chase success, chase success, and we put in our minds that success is a certain business goal while we ignore the other aspects of our life. And I know over the past 13 years running Quiet Light Brokerage I've run across so many successful entrepreneurs who have built amazing businesses but frankly are somewhat miserable because they've built prisons for themselves. And we talk about why are people selling. Sometimes it's just because they've built that prison of a business and they need to get out. And they realize that they need to readjust their life priorities. I love when we meet people like Scott, like Ezra Firestone, and some of these other guys that have reached certain levels of success and now what they're doing is they're really trying to just be helpful and really contribute to that entrepreneurial community with some of the lessons they've learned. And I love the focus of this book. I love that it's a system out there to help you identify what's really important and have everything else flow into that, set the real goals out there and build that system including the business that fits those goals. Joe: And it's just that Scott is a real guy giving real-life examples of things that he's done and the path that he's taken and he's giving real advice here that is action-oriented. And it's a mindset. It's inspiration. And they're steps to take as well. It's one of the best books I've read in 2019. I highly recommend everybody take a listen to the podcast and at the end and in the show notes here you can go to take action effect and download or buy the book. It's available. He went further than our very own Walker Deibel, he made it available in the audio version as well. Mark: Walker needs to step his game up and start a recording. No. Fantastic. Let's get to this episode here. I love introducing our audience to people that we find to be good friends of Quiet Light because they share some of our mission and purpose. So I'm excited to share this episode with everybody. Joe: Let's get to it. Joe: Hey folks Joe Valley here from the Quiet Light Podcast and today I have a guest that is back on. But this time he is a published author on his way I'm sure to being a best-selling author. Scott Volker, welcome to the Quiet Light Podcast. Scott: What's going on Joe? Thanks so much for having me. Joe: Welcome back I should say. I just saw you a couple of weeks ago at Brand Accelerator Live; a fantastic event where you launched the book, a big hit and my goodness I'm looking at some of the reviews and they're fantastic. And I'm reading it myself of course. And let's get into that but first for those folks that don't actually know who you are why don't you tell us all about Scott Voelker? Scott: Yeah. Well to kind of sum it up I've been at this basically creating businesses that allow me to have the flexibility, the freedom, that's always my first and foremost. Back when I was like 21 years old I was working for my father's construction company and from there I thought I was going to own that company one day and then that partnership and son in law that was stealing and some craziness I soon saw that that wasn't the path that I was going to take. But I wanted to still be able to work for myself and my wife and I started a photography business, learned the ropes through good old trial and error, and built that into a business that allowed us to take our kids to school and home from school and all of that stuff. And it's really important me to watch my kids grow up and I've got 3 kids ages now 11, 21, and 24. But I've been at this for over 18 years and really building businesses hasn't really changed just the platforms have changed. And so when I wrote this book I wanted to go through and tell the story of myself. Someone that didn't have a college degree and felt a long time ago that I kind of felt to myself like I wasn't smart because I didn't go to college. But then after kind of building some businesses and watching other people go to their 60 plus hour a week job and then seeing myself not have to do that I was like well wait a minute I'm going to give myself a little bit more credit. I've done okay. And so it in a nutshell that's what I do. I just love building businesses. But I like more about just building a business it's more about the freedom and the flexibility, stability and all that stuff. Joe: And that is what you talk about in the book. Let me just; I don't think I said what the name of the book is. It's called The Take Action Effect. Scott: Yeah. Joe: Proven Steps To Build a Future Proof Business And Create Your Ultimate Freedom. I'll hold it up here for those folks that are on the podcast; I'm sorry on the YouTube channel. Scott: Yeah. Joe: One of the things that you talk about in the book really hit home with me and that is that your wife had that first idea for you to go off and on your own. Scott: Yeah. Joe: And it's and it's continued in your relationship. You guys work through all of your business opportunities and ideas together, right? Scott: Yeah, 100%. I mean she was my take action moment as I talk about in the book a lot. I think we all have these moments in our life that something happens; like a decision happens that we make either because we're forced to and then we see the result from it or we choose to, we take that leap. And I was frustrated with my job and I thought I was going to own this company and then found out that it wasn't going to probably happen and we needed to figure out another way. And then that's when my wife had said maybe we should start a photography business which at the time we didn't have digital it was all film based not YouTube videos to go out there and educate yourself. So Scott that wasn't a good student in school had to figure out how to go through and teach myself Photoshop and just how to run a studio and we did that. But yes she was the one with the idea and still to this day she's always the one kind of nudging me a little bit and saying like you should probably listen to this. Even the podcast The Amazing Seller Podcast that was because she said that you should; I had the idea but she was likey should probably lean into that a little bit and here we are. Joe: That's funny you know my wife usually has the idea and then I have to go out and do it. It's a running joke in 20 plus years of marriage. I was going to I think our wives are very similar. Our marriages are very similar but it sounds like there's one distinct difference is that my wife comes up with the idea and I have to execute. So you're taking a lot of past so it's interesting from a construction worker to entrepreneur in the photography space before really the online world existed and then discovering it through eBay and then Amazon and then The Amazing Seller podcast. Scott: Yeah. Joe: Can you just talk about that path a little bit and talk about what the Part 2 of this business about this book talks about? Scott: Yeah. So like I said the photography business being brick and mortar I learned a lot about how to get clients in the door. And a lot of people say like Scott when you start a business should it be your passion. And if it could be then yes that would be amazing because then you would love to work on it every day. But I wasn't passionate about photography. I was passionate about getting out of my job. So my wife was passionate about photography but then I started to develop these passions and that was marketing and that was Photoshop and video editing. And the way that it kind of led me to really the online space and e-commerce really was my wife was looking for props on eBay. So in our business, we always were unique in the way that we had props. We had certain sets and we had like a lot of backgrounds that cost us 2 or $3,000 and people would pay just to come in because we had this hand-painted backdrop. So my wife was looking for this cedar bridge that she had seen somewhere else and she found one on eBay. It was like 130 bucks it was a little 4-foot little wooden cedar bridge. And so then as she was looking at one of the other stores that she shops at she's seen the same bridge for 30 bucks and she's like it's selling for 130. I bought one for 130 maybe we should try to sell this thing. I said okay. So then that's where we got the idea and we started selling those. Actually, we took the minivan over to the store and we loaded it up and we packed that thing and that money actually paid for our kids tuition for a private school. And so that opened my eyes to eBay and like what else could I sell, right? And even though I had a business I'm still thinking to myself as an entrepreneur like well that wasn't that hard. Maybe I should try to find more things to sell. So then we actually started a video business on the side of our photography business; they kind of work too, you know one of the same. And then I started building these projectors to transfer old 8-millimeter film. So the old 8-millimeter film that we use to have grown up as kids it was a lot of times silent film but there was some sound when it got; I think it was Super 8 and then I found a machine that was modified to transfer the film. And so when I got that I kind of looked at it and being in the construction world I'm like this is just a modified projector. Let me go ahead and reverse engineer what they did here and I did that and I started selling them on eBay for about 800 bucks. I was selling one or two of them a week. Joe: Wow. Scott: Yeah, so I made about 100,000 on just old projectors that I modified for film transfer and that's kind of what got my wheels spinning about this online stuff. Joe: And it never would have happened if you didn't; I'm going say this so many times, taken some action, right? Entrepreneurs are special people. They come up with an idea and they don't think about it and think about it and think about it and think about it. They've got to do some planning, of course, the more complex world we live in you've got to do some planning especially when you're going to spend some dollars. But I think maybe Scott back then when you and I didn't have any gray hair we were able to take action a little simpler and a little quicker, right? I would just with that whole ready aim fire or ready fire aim what is it? Scott: Yeah. Joe: Those things, right? And I just take my path and hustle and work hard and get it done and figure out the road to that end goal which I knew what the end goal was. I just didn't know the road or the path. Scott: Yeah. Joe: Are you finding now given that you've; I mean you've done all this for 20 years an entrepreneur in many, many different past and you've coached thousands of people through The Amazing Seller podcast and many of them 6, 7, 8, 10 figure exit eventually. Scott: Yeah. Joe: Are you finding that the pathway to that end goal whether it's an eventual exit of a business or just a one of a lifestyle where you can drive your kids to work every day and spend more time with your spouse and you take family vacations, is it more difficult than it used to be in your opinion? Scott: I think it depends on what your final outcome is. I think for a lot of people it's not about building an 8 figure business just to say you built an 8 figure business; to some people it is. It's like bragging rights but for a lot of people; and I know you told me a story about a guy he was a stay at home dad I think and he built his company in 2 years without pulling a dime out of it so they could cash it out and then live off of that and live the life that they wanted. So I think for a lot of people it is that. So for me personally I think it is I don't want to say easy; it's simple. Nothing is easy. Like everything that I've ever done, there's always been struggles and issues that you have to overcome; whatever like that's business. You just have to learn how to adapt, how to move, and adjust. But I think it is actually easier nowadays to build a business that you can potentially exit. And actually getting to know you more, getting to know the team over at Quiet Light has actually got my wheels spinning once again at looking at this as an opportunity for me to build something maybe from scratch, get it to a certain level, and then sell it, and then you just repeat that process. Like I could build a team to just help me do that. So again my wheels are always spinning. And the more I talk to you and I start hearing these stories I'm like that seems like a pretty straightway to go. But the principles and the concepts are pretty much the same. They haven't really changed. And that's what is in the book is really these pillars; these core things that make up a market, make up products, make up traffic; like all of that stuff hasn't really changed. The platforms change but the principles never change. Joe: You addressed some of the approaches in Part 2 of the book about building your future proof business. Scott: Yeah. Joe: You started out as an Amazon guy, right? You were selling on Amazon telling your story in the podcast but you've evolved quite a bit. Can you address that and then we'll talk about how the book addresses it as well? Scott: Well yeah but the book itself actually is my pivot. So we talk about pivoting all the time. So when I started the podcast you're right I was getting into the Amazon game just like everyone else was. It's just I was kind of doing it and other people were just kind of consuming information and saying like I'll wait until we have all the pieces that are working or all of the answers, right? Joe: You were telling your story whether it was a success or a failure and everybody was listening. Scott: Exactly. And so as I started to do that I also started to see how the market was shifting. So when the podcast was started it was Scott the Amazon guy. And then after I started to kind of see that the market was changing, more competition was coming, and it was getting a little bit riskier I'm like I don't want to go down that road. Now that doesn't mean it can't work. I just don't want the headaches of constantly just worrying that my accounts are going to get shut down or whatever. So I'm like I'm going to go back to basics build a business from skill sets that I've built and I talk a lot about that in the book like everything we've done we've built skill sets that we can then leverage in the future. So for me to really go down that road of like okay where was I van and where am I now, it's all about evolving; all about growing. I mean I think we're all doing that as we learn more things like even like when I first started I didn't think about having a brand that I could exit. And now I'm thinking; a lot of times I'm thinking to myself could this brand be sold, what would it take to sell this business? So a lot of times I'm thinking more along those lines now. But like I said people are always kind of like thinking of me as the Amazon guy and I don't want to be known; I don't want to 20 years from now be Scott the Amazon guy. I want to be the guy that helped people build a business that allowed them the life that they want and that they deserve. Joe: That's what I'm seeing with the people that I've met that have listened to your podcast and then to your events and are connected with you in any way. Whether it's Brand Accelerator Live, your inner circle Mastermind group, or The Amazing Seller podcast; they're not just building Amazon businesses, they're building businesses that will allow them to live the life that they choose to first and foremost. Scott: Right. Joe: Some of them that's all about building value and exiting and others it's all about taking care of others. Rachel; I had a conversation with one of your followers, listeners, attendees, whatever you want to call them, Rachel we don't use the last name but an amazing story. She's building a business so that she can help others. Scott: Yes. Joe: She's going to make money off the business but that's not the focus. The goal is to be able to use that money to help others foster children charities and things of that nature; really good people. You're building good humans which I think is terrific. You're surrounding yourself with them as well. Scott: It's pretty awesome. It's funny Joe I was just listening to the Ask Scott session that we recorded there live at Brand Accelerator and it just happened that the one lady came up and was telling us about her problem and her problem was is that she was wondering how she was going to keep up with the amount of scale. And I said that's a real bad problem to have. And I knew you were in there; I thought you were in there and I called you out and I go I think this is a question for Joe later kind of let him help you on that. But it's really; it's pretty rewarding to sit there and think to yourself I had something to do just because I showed up, pressed record, and started helping people. That right there that will; to me that surpasses any amount of money that I can make from a podcast is hearing other people's stories and how they're set up now to really live the life or maybe donate to their charity. That's like again the effect of the take action is the effects of that we're able to do the ripple effect on other people but also on your life and your business. So it's really about the ripple effect all the way through. Joe: Yeah, not necessarily about just building that business and exiting it. It's everybody involved along the way. Scott: 100%. Joe: That lady was Karen by the way and she did have some good problems, right? People wish to have her problems. Scott: Growth every year, year after year, and I don't know… Joe: Yeah. How do I keep up with buying more inventory? One of the things that you talked about which I think is really, really important both in the book and on stage and I'm going to just summarize for anybody listening. This book really encapsulates everything Scott's done in his life and what you've done in your life, Scott. But then it also gives a pathway to taking action and seeing what the impact and effect of that action is. But someone said look I'm busy I've got a full-time job. I'm trying to do this. How did you find the time for that? How do you find the time for this if you; you're an advocate of don't quit your day job if you have one do a little side hustle and build this over time until it's safe to exit. How would you address that question but Scott I just don't have time? Scott: Yeah and I actually I address this on stage when I came to that point because I shared my story that I was working 60 plus hours a week for my father's company running I think was like 13, 14 guys at one time that were underneath me making sure that those jobs got done. So I was always the first one there and the last one to leave like always. On the side, I was building a house from scratch. I was like 25 years old. Joe: That took a little time. Scott: It took me 11 months. And I remember Joe my mother in law lived up on the Hill. She lived probably I don't know maybe 500 or 1,000 feet. She was up on a hill though and she could look down and see the property. We had two acres. And I remember one night I wanted to get this one spot on the house done outside. It was up in the peak. I had a 30-foot ladder up against the house and I had floodlights out there at 2 o'clock in the morning because I wanted to finish. She couldn't sleep because she was worried about me going to fall and I'm up there nailing up my siding because I wanted to get that peak done because I didn't want to come back to it the next day and do it. And then I got up at 6x o'clock and I went to work. So when people say I don't have time I don't have sympathy for that because you probably have time you just are not really wanting it bad enough in my eyes. You know what you're watching your TV show or maybe you're taking an extended lunch break or maybe you're just oh I need my 8 hours of sleep you know like get 6 for a month, right? I mean it's not going to kill you but if you really want it bad enough you will find the time. And I've done it. My photography business when I was learning that when I was getting ready to leave my job I was up till 2 o'clock in the morning figuring out Photoshop. I was figuring out how we were going to do billing for our customers. Like I was figuring out all that stuff late at night and then I'd get up and I'd go to my job because I wanted it so bad. And I was so interested in it because I wanted it so bad. Joe: Yeah you are preaching to the choir if I'm the choir right now because yeah look the thing that I see consistently I mean I've done this in my life you and I have been self-employed for about the same amount of time and it's always started with a side hustle and then work like crazy. As you are building that business you're not really making a whole lot of money. You're not taking anything out and oddly enough when you're making the most money is actually when you're not working as hard in my experience. Scott: Right. Joe: You get it up to that level and it starts to just; it's a scalable business. And with that scale, it's starting to generate enough revenue to kick off and then you can quit your day job and then you can live that lifestyle that you want. It's hard though when you're a hard worker and a hustler like yourself and like so many people that are listening. How do you shift from that I'm used to working, I love working, I'm going to work, I'm going to work, I'm going to work to I'm going to sit down and I'm going to have coffee and breakfast with my wife every day by the pool at 8 o'clock? Do you have the discipline to really reschedule your downtime? Scott: You definitely have to schedule it for sure. You have to schedule it and I'm getting better with that like I'm still not perfect Joe. I have to make sure that at 6 o'clock at night that's my cutoff. I'm not going to do anymore posting and I'm not going to do any more answering. It's hard because we can work as long as we want. And when you start to see momentum you want to work more because you want [inaudible 00:24:18.18]. But I've made it very, very clear in my life that I want to have that time. I literally wrote out a vision board and really I created a video years ago that I wanted to see come true. It wasn't like you know the woo-woo stuff but it was like what am I working towards. And one of them was having a coffee and breakfast with my wife. And so here we are many years later and literally, I just got in now. I mean I started my day today at 10 o'clock in the morning. I had a first interview at 10:00. I dropped my daughter off the school at about 7:45. My wife and I got back here. We went out to the pool. I had coffee. I was out there with the dogs. I had my laptop. I was answering a few emails; doing stuff. I'm out there chillin' with my wife hanging out. And that's what I want my life to be. Now could I be doing other things to try to make the Amazing Seller bigger or my e-commerce businesses bigger? Yes, I could but I choose to; like that's kind of like my time. You know what I mean? Joe: Right? Scott: And I do think it's hard. You have to be disciplined. A lot of people say Scott I could never do it. I would never get any work done. Then maybe you do need a job. Joe: I've heard that often. I couldn't work from home I could never get any work and that's just discipline. It's focus and discipline. Scott: 100%. Joe: We've gone from how do you find the time to do this extra side business and side hustle and grow it to how do you schedule your downtime so that you could work. You don't need to as much but scheduling your personal life to make sure that you're there for your family and things of that nature. My kids are older than you. Well, not actually mine are 16 and 18 right. You've got 21? Scott: 21, 14, and 11, yeah, Joe: So I've driven my kids to school from kindergarten right up until last year when my oldest got his license and it's an honor, right? It's a privilege and an honor to be able to do that. And when they look back someday that's what they're going to remember. They're not going to remember that Dad was making more money or something like that. So from finding time to scheduling time; your book specifically talks about all of that in your life and creating the mindset of action and everything you've done in your life. But can you address like a little bit of the how to's in terms of building that future proof business and the steps that you go through with the folks that are listening. Scott: Yeah. To me, it's very, very simple and even if you're looking at this because I know people listening here are probably looking to possibly buy a business or sell a business. Here's the deal. Like whenever you're looking at an opportunity you want to first see if there's a market already there. Like a lot of people say I want to invent a market. That's risky because we don't know; I mean if you ever listen to Shark Tank they always say has the market validated the product? No I don't have any sales it's in pre, or we're kind of building this thing out, it's in pre-production, or we're in like the pre-stage and they're like come back to us when you have sales that the market actually voted and said we actually want and need this. So the market is critical. You have to have a market. Now I'd like it to also be a submarket. So we could talk about like and I always talk about the bass fishing. So if we went like fishing we would niche it down into bass fishing. If we wanted to go one level deeper we could go kayak bass fishing. And then we can really own that category and then we can also build out of that category to serve a wider part of the market. But I always like to look at the market first. Then from there, I want to see what's the potential in the market? And that could be going to Amazon and seeing how the products are selling using a tool like Jungle Scout or whatever tool you want. We have these tools that let us know the market's buying these products. Now we can either sell those products ourselves as our own brand or we can affiliate market those products. We can do all kinds of things. So I want to validate that there are actually sales being made there. Joe: Let me just stop you for a second because some of the language you're using I don't know if everybody knows it. Talk about the affiliate marketing aspect of it because it's a brilliant path that you educate people on taking. Scott: And I'm going to be doing more of it Joe; I got to be honest with you. I was just thinking about this this morning I'm like man there's so many things that I could cover just for getting back from Brand Accelerator Live. People get stuck at the I've got to launch products or I've got to grow mine. If you bought a business; right now if you bought a business and you're thinking I don't want to launch a whole bunch of products because it's something a whole bunch of capital. Why not take the content side of things. Build out traffic and start putting out products that are related to your product as an affiliate bringing some revenue but also get them to vote that the products that you're putting out there from them they want to buy then you can private label them. So I think it's an easier way to get started. If you're just listening to this and you're getting started, the easiest ways to start looking at the market and how much traffic the market has. And then from there can you get in front of the market by getting attention by posting content, building an email list, like getting attention with influencer, whatever. Then you can start to say okay all these products I'm not going to private label all these it's going to cost me a small fortune. I'm going to start putting products out there like a kayak bass fishing boat. Like I might do that but I'm not going to sell it as my own but I might do an affiliate offer for it. So basically on Amazon, we can use their whole catalog. We can become an associate for them. And it's not going to be a ton of money it's 4%, 8%, depending on where your bracket is; the category but it's a nice easy way anyone can get started. It's not going to cost you hardly anything to set up a website and to start posting content. You can write it yourself or have someone else write it and then just start building that over time. Joe: It's a great way to go back to discovering your market as well because as you niche it down people are going to buy certain things and you can say okay well that one's much more popular than the other. Scott: 100%. Joe: The tools like Jungle Scout do that very, very well. But this is an action you've got proof in your own bank account which ones they like more. What about the multiple channels. You and I have talked about this before. We talked about channel diversification. That's something you talk about quite a bit here as well. Scott: Yeah. Well, I think again there's a lot of businesses that are very successful and you sell these businesses just Amazon FBA. We got someone in my inner circle that bought I think 3 businesses from you guys already. Joe: 3. Scott: Big businesses too; crazy amounts. I mean one of them is doing like 6,000 units a day like insane. Joe: Yeah. Scott: And you know what I mean? So it's massive. So the potential there is huge but also I look at like there's a little bit of risk there because if that channel decides to go away or they shut your account down there is a potential. So I want to build a back end support there in some kind. So I want to start building content. I want to start getting my own traffic so that way there I could lead people over to my Shopify store or I could leave people over to my channel if something shall happen. Now if it doesn't; great, keep using that. And I don't; I never tell anyone not to use the channel. Use the channel. Leverage the heck out of it. Drive traffic to Amazon. Build up your rankings. Do all of that stuff. But I do think that having your own email list is a must. I think having your own content, your own home base I call it; your own blog, your web site so this way you control that asset. And to be honest with you Joe like I'm really interested lately and I think I talked to you about it, content sites to me are never going anywhere. We're always going to have content sites. We're always going to have information that people are going to be searching for. So for me what I'm looking at doing is starting something and building it over the course of 12 to 18 months. Now listen to what I just said there over 12 to 18 months not 3 days or 30 days. It's going to take time for the search engines to kind of pick it up and get it indexed and all that stuff. And if I can build that piece of property like I used to do in the construction days; I find a piece of property, I build a house on it, I get some revenue coming in by renting it out, and then I might want to sell it. That's kind of what I'm thinking about. And there's ways you can do that without even having to launch a physical product until you get to the 12, 18th month. Then you can decide what you want to do. But you can start getting revenue coming in from affiliate offers, from AdThrive, Mediavine, any of these other networks just from the content coming in. So for people that say I can't get started because I don't have the capital, I don't have the know-how, I don't have the time, do something like even if it's just building out a content site over the next 12 months do that. Just do that. Joe: Yeah I think again taking action, right? Scott: Yeah. Joe: We just got to say that whole lot here; the take action effect. This book as I've read it and as I've talked to you, you are an interesting mix of inspiration and how-to; and you are the book. That's what emanates. You call it a pivot I call it it is what you are, you're inspiring people to go beyond their current capabilities or to get started and take some action but you're also teaching them how to do it. So it's a nice blend of both and was that the main objective of the book itself? Scott: It was actually a little bit difficult and to be honest with you Joe because I didn't want to just be let me show you how to start a business. I wanted it to be for someone also that has a 7 figure business right now that are 100% dependent on Amazon they read the book and they go oh I can do all of these other things and then probably bring in more revenue, bring in more traffic, get a better multiple when I go to Joe Valley and Quiet Light. So I was looking at two different paths. So as you're reading the book you're going to hear me talk about if you're feeling stuck at your corporate job right now and you feel like you can't get out of it here's what you could do but if you already have a business you should do this too. So it's kind of like you're serving two camps. And it was kind of hard when I was going down that path because I wanted to really talk to both people not just the person starting. Joe: Yeah and I think it's an important message for both. For those that have bought a business that want to diversify beyond Amazon and those that are listening to their spouse and that spouse is saying honey we've got a great gig here you've got health insurance and a retirement plan are you crazy you're going to buy an Amazon business and [inaudible 00:34:05.8]. No, you teach them how to do something on the side as a side hustle and let it grow and take less risk but still have that that additional income down the road or a decent exit as well which boosts the retirement plan. Right, Scott? The book itself again folks it's called The Take Action Effect; Mr. Scott Voelker from The Amazing Seller and beyond. The beyond card is you just do so many other things. How do people find the book; where can they go, what do they need to do to get this in their hands and learn everything you've talked about? Scott: Yeah, just go to TakeActionEffect.com and there's just a simple page there. It'll tell you a little bit more about the book and it'll lead you over to most likely Amazon you get paperback hardcover or the Kindle; pretty affordable to be able to take this information. I don't think people are taking the value in a book is much as they should. It is a way for you to really understand me and my story but also who I've helped and who I want to help. And it allows us to start that relationship because I'm all about relationships. And I want to be able to build a relationship with you way before you would ever hire me or come to one of my workshops or inner circle or whatever. And this book is a way to do it. It's a really, really small investment to be able to really get you thinking differently because the way I look at it Joe is we're installing the Take Action mindset. We're taking this to where you think you know what I don't think I can do this and by the time you get done with even the first; probably quarter of the book you're going to feel like you're going to conquer the world. And that's what it's really all about. Now, Joe, before I do end this I'm going to ask you a question. Joe: Yes? Scott: I want to know one of your take action moments. Joe: Okay. Scott: What's something that you can recall that you're like if that never happened my life would be totally different. Joe: Let's see. Well going back to your vision board I did something very similar once upon a time and it was a Tony Robbins program writing down my goals and envisioning what they are. And I literally; and this is I described my life; I put it all down from the lifestyle that I wanted to live and the type of woman I wanted to marry. Lo, and behold within 6 months I met her. Scott: Wow. Joe: I showed her the list maybe 18 months later and it described her to a T. So that is a Take Action moment for me in terms of writing that list down. Now it changed over the years in terms of my goals. At one point I wanted to have the boat in the harbor in Portland Maine. Well, I live in North Carolina right now that's not really going to happen. And I didn't want it once I had kids. I couldn't really spend much time with them on a boat in that situation. The other one Scott when I'm at Brand Accelerator Live is; I mentioned it before we started recording, is that I have taken action on moving forward with my book as well. We're not going to talk too much about it. I'm going to drop a little hint in here and then I'll be quiet for 12 months. But it's something that I've talked about for many years and I've tried and I've tried and I just haven't gotten it done. And you've inspired me to get it done. And some of your tips in the book itself have allowed me to sort of bullet point what I need to do to take more action and get it done; so two impacts right there and I think is going to make a huge difference for me. But again it's not always; like Rachel says it's not always about me or her. It's about how you can help others as well. And I think you're doing that. You're helping others first and it's benefiting you. And I think it's the best way to go about it. So thank you, Scott, for being my friend, for being my colleague, for being on the Quiet Light podcast. I hope to see you on it again. Scott: Thank you so much, Joe. I appreciate it, man.   Links and Resources: The Take Action Effect Scott's Website Scott's Podcast Scott's YouTube Channel

If you want to build a satisfying life without sacrificing a paycheck, and you want to build a more profitable business without sacrificing your life, then this episode of the Lead with Love podcast is for you. In this episode, I get cozy with Scott Voelker, founder and host of The Amazing Seller podcast, a TOP Ranked Business show where he helps regular, everyday people start and grow their own online business in Ecommerce.   Scott is a serial entrepreneur that has built and helped others build 6 and 7 figure brands online over the past 15 years and has now taught and inspired thousands all over the world, through his “Take Action” approach with his book: The Take Action Effect: Proven Steps to Build a Future-Proof Business & Create Your Ultimate Freedom. What you'll hear (and don't want to miss!): :: How Scott knew it was time to leave his father’s construction business and become his own boss  :: What it looked like to start a photography business with his wife and the benefits and challenges of being in a partnership with a spouse  :: How Scott transitioned to the online space and what pushed him to do so  :: The marketing strategies from his early days of being an entrepreneur that still work for him (and you) today  :: What his first product launch looked like, and why he says it literally “changed his life”  :: What inspired him to start his top-ranked podcast and the “failures” that taught him so much about podcasting, business and life in general  You can find the full show notes from this episode over at https://jadahsellner.com/amazing-effect-taking-action-scott-voelker-171 

Today I’m thrilled to have Dave Manley on the show. Dave was a finalist for the 5 Minute Pitch, my Shark Tank like show with Mike Jackness, Greg Mercer and Scott Voelker where we gave away 50,000 in cold hard cash. Dave runs MMA Bobblehead which is an ecommerce business selling bobbleheads of UFC fighters. Dave was one of my favorite contestants on the 5 Minute Pitch and I wanted to a deep dive into his story today and how he makes sales. Enjoy! What You’ll Learn Dave’s motivations for starting his business How Dave validated his niche The bold […] The post 277: An Interview With MMA Bobblehead Founder Dave Manley appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

Scott Voelker is the author of The Take Action Effect: Proven Steps to Build a Future-Proof Business & Create Your Ultimate Freedom. He’s also helped thousands of people all over the world with his podcast The Amazing Seller, and is one of the leading influencers in the field of e-commerce, helping other entrepreneurs build their own 6 and 7 figure brands.    What We Discuss with Scott Voelker: The birth of The Amazing Seller podcast The concept behind The Take Action Effect How to take action when you feel frozen Self-sabotaging behaviors and how to overcome them His book writing process and capitalizing around his strengths How to find a person you can trust The biggest thing thats hold a person back The importance of having big dreams Creating the bond before the payoff Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Scott is the host of The Amazing Seller Podcast, a top rated business podcast where he helps everyday people build successful, Lifestyle Online Businesses through his TAKE ACTION approach. Top 3 Value Bombs: 1. Think about something that you have done that you have succeeded at and feel great about that. 2. Start believing in yourself and give yourself credit. 3. You don’t have to be an expert. Find your niche, if it is not clear, learn the process. Take action. Check out the website to grab a copy of the Take Action Effect Book - TakeActionEffect.com Sponsors: ClickFunnels: Ready to build your first sales funnel without having to hire an entire tech team to help? With ClickFunnels, you can! Visit EOFire.com/click to start your free 14-day trial today! Capterra: Online reviews help us make decisions daily – and they can also help you find the right software for your business! Visit Capterra.com/fire to find the tools to make an informed software decision for your business today!

In this episode, I’m talking to Scott Voelker from The Amazing Seller! Scott Voelker is the founder and host of The Amazing Seller podcast,  a top-ranked business show where he helps regular, everyday people start and grow their own online businesses in eCommerce.  Scott is a serial entrepreneur who has built and helped others build 6 and 7 figure brands online over the past 15 years and has now taught and inspired thousands all over the world through his “Take Action” approach! In this episode, you’ll learn: How niching down has played a part in helping Scott build several successful businesses over the last twenty years  The 4-part formula that Scott has used for nearly 15 years to successfully launch products online How to future-proof your business so you’re not building your brand on rented land Plus, a whole lot more! You can find all of the links and resources that are mentioned in today’s episode at MonicaLouie.com/22!

Today I brought on Scott Voelker (for the second time) on the show! Scott came on the show first on episode 16, and told his incredible story coming up as an entrepreneur to making multiple 7 figures.

  Many people view blogging as a project that requires a specific set of skills and years of writing experience. Both of these certainly help but they're not a prerequisite to getting started. As Jennifer Garza attests, it's more important to just start writing.  In 2011, the mompreneur iSaveA2Z.com, a platform where she could conveniently share tips on how to save money. The website got so much traction that it now has a million monthly views on average. Along the way, Jennifer went through a lifestyle change. She discovered and fell in love with the keto diet. So much so that she created another website around it, Low Carb Inspirations. In a span of a year, she's landed a cookbook deal and is now the proud author of Keto Friendly Recipes: Easy Keto for Busy People. In this episode, you'll learn: How being frugal led to blogging (5:34) How she achieved success as a blogger (6:25) The journey that led to her second website, Low Carb Inspirations (9:38) The true key to her success (20:51) Her ecommerce plans (30:59) I hope this episode inspires all our listeners out there to pursue blogging, whether as a jumpoff point to ecommerce or to supplement existing marketing efforts for your brand. As Scott once said in this podcast, “Attention is the new currency.”  And putting the word out is certainly one way to get more eyeballs on your product. This episode is part of our Women's Month celebration. We'd love to see more women in the ecommerce industry, so if you are a female business owner, head over to www.ecomcrew.com/underthehood and tell us your story. We'd love to feature you on the podcast. Connect with amazing people like Jennifer at ecommerce events like Scott Voelker's Brand Accelerator Live. Get tickets. Finally, if you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling!

Today we're joined by Scott Voelker of The Amazing Seller podcast. Scotty's not just a personal friend but a comrade-in-arms in a number of ecommerce projects, the most recent being season one of the 5 Minute Pitch along with Steve Chou and Greg Mercer. Scott and I have many similarities when it comes to our background and how we've grown our respective ecommerce businesses. So, after hearing his presentation on ecommerce business sustainability at this year's Sellers Summit, I got him on the show solo. Not everything works forever Ecommerce is a dynamic industry. It's constantly evolving according to the latest market trends and who's dominating it (big “bad” Amazon). Strategies that may have worked will lose their edge eventually. As Scott puts it, “Things that worked yesterday may not necessarily work today”. Innovation and a good understanding of the market are crucial for being successful long-term. Grab their attention “Attention is the new currency.” Speaking of marketplaces, what we've found that does work is capturing the market's attention. How do you that? By being genuine and bringing something valuable to the table. After you've identified a target market, you'll need to create a plan that grabs and sustains their attention. This usually involves putting out content in some form or another. But offering valuable content is only half of the picture. You also need to establish that trust with your audience. Do so by proving your expertise in the subject and your willingness to guide people who may not experts themselves, but are working towards getting on that level. Tune in to the full podcast episode for more insights on how you and your brand can navigate the changing tides of ecommerce and remain relevant in the years to come. And check out the resources section of this page for more information on an ecommerce event Scotty's putting together in September.   We have a book and we're giving it away for FREE. If you want a physical copy of our tried-and-tested Amazon launch strategy complete with examples and screenshots, get yours here. Want to get advice from Mike and have your business featured on the podcast?  Sign up for the EcomCrew Roadshow today! Join season two of the 5 MInute Pitch by filling out and submitting the application form. Finally, if you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling! Resources Brand Accelerator Live 2019 E187: How to Save on High-Quality Content for SEO – Under the Hood with Sebastien Taché

This episode is a follow up of sorts to our 200th episode. After wrapping up 5 Minute Pitch semis, my co-judges Scott Voelker, Steve Chou, Greg Mercier and I had some time to talk a bit about ecommerce while out for dinner here in San Diego. But it's not the usual shop talk that you'd expect. For one, Scott initiated a speed round and dropped this thought-provoking question. What you would do right now with all the information that you know, everything that you've gained, but you only have 5,000 dollars to start your new business? Unsurprisingly, each one of us had a different answer to this. I'd start a blog and get into affiliate marketing. Greg would invent a product or improve upon an existing one. Steve (who doesn't need the $5,000) would join an online forum, become an authority figure and use that influence as a launchpad to having his own paid courses and webinars. Finally, Scott would build an audience by creating content that would target a specific or niche market. These discussions are really something that I look forward to. Being able to bounce ideas of three of my best buddies in the industry, each one successful in his own right is always a treat. That being said, these talks bring about insights that could be useful to any up and coming entrepreneur. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we had fun recording it. In other news, registration to EcomCrew Premium is now closed but, you can still learn from us through our suite of free courses. There's a total of 20 videos covering ecommerce topics like Importing from China and Building a 7-Figure Business. Find more information on the link below. Free Video Courses We're also launching giveaway during the holidays so like and follow our Facebook page for the latest updates. Finally, if you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling!

It's our 200th episode. I'd like to start off by saying a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who've tuned in to this podcast from the very first one. A few weeks ago we wrapped up the semi-final round of 5 Minute Pitch. The finalists will be judged on their presentations at the Seller's Summit next year in Miami, Florida. After three days of competition, I sat down with my co-judges Scott Voelker, Steve Chou, and Greg Mercier to record this podcast. Over the course of this endeavor, we've had the chance to meet a variety of entrepreneurs. Some have already gotten their feet wet while others are still at pre-income level. There are those who developed their own products and those who took the “me too” approach in terms of what they wanted to sell. Each of them had something to bring and this whole experience has reinforced our belief that people behind ecommerce businesses are some of the most driven, passionate, and hardworking individuals you'd find anywhere. It is indeed a great community to be a part of. With that said, here are some takeaways from this fun and meaningful discussion. Is it still possible to bootstrap an ecommerce business? Uniqueness and defensibility are good characteristics to have A “me too” product isn't necessarily a bad thing Amazon is still a great place to get started, especially if you're a solopreneur But when your business gains traction, start building your brand outside of Amazon Personality can be a big factor; putting yourself out there to promote your brand can be your ticket to success Double down or diversify? If you have a strategy that you know works, it makes sense to double down or even triple down on it A good time to diversify would be after achieving a significant business goal Head over to https://www.5minutepitch.com/ and sign up so you can follow along with the selection process. Registration to EcomCrew Premium is open for one last time this year. Follow our Facebook page for all the latest updates. Sign up this week and you can get 50% off on our subscription plans. If you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling!

Early this year my buddies Steve Chou of My Wife Quit Her Job, Scott Voelker of The Amazing Seller, Greg Mercer of Jungle Scout and I came up with a new show called the 5 Minute Pitch. All four of us met up last week to film the semi-finals, and it's a little strange to say this, but it's probably the hardest I've worked the whole year. The schedule was so brutal that I wasn't able to touch my laptop for 3 whole days. Imagine that. The 5 Minute Pitch The 5 Minute Pitch is a Shark Tank style show where we have 32 contestants pitch us their businesses for 5 minutes, for a chance to win $50,000. Unlike Shark Tank, there's no strings attached, which means we don't take any equity from the company that wins. Over the next few weeks after the creation of the show, the four of us and a couple of guest judges got together on Skype while 32 companies pitched their business ideas to us. We narrowed the contestants down to 8 and had them fly to San Diego last week to present an extended pitch, in person, to all four of us plus one very special guest judge who we can't reveal yet (hint: his podcast is in iTunes' top 100 Business Podcasts). We will be airing the first batch of pitches early next year on iTunes and YouTube. The finals, which will determine the winner who will take the $50,000 prize, will be held in Miami, Florida during the Sellers Summit. Most Important Takeaway from the Semi Finals There is one thing that stood out to me during our filming last week (aside from the back pain from having to sit in the same position for too long) and that is there's one thing all successful businesses have. The ability to adapt to change. In business, you don't need to have everything figured out at the get go. You don't need to have everything planned. If you get too buried in planning, taking into account every possible scenario in your head, you might not get around to doing anything at all. Learn to take action, get early feedback, and use that feedback to steer your business in the right direction. Being nimble and learning how to ride the tide is the most important skill you need to learn to achieve business success. If you think about it, so many successful businesses--AirBnB, Lyft, Cisco--didn't have all their ducks in a row. And if you look at their history, they are not the same company as they were when they started. But they all have one thing in common: the ability to adapt to change. Even the 5 Minute Pitch didn't start out perfectly. We knew we wanted to do this but the details weren't clear to any of us when we started. But we went ahead and did it anyway, improvising and learning from our mistakes along the way. The result of it is a show that all four of us are excited and proud to present to you. EcomCrew Premium Opening One Last Time This Year We've recently been limiting the number of people we accommodate with EcomCrew Premium because we wanted to be able to attend to the needs of every single one of our members, and having too many people sign up prevents us from doing that. We have a trick up our sleeve for our next reopening on Black Friday, which will be the last time we will open registrations this year. Connect with us on Facebook to be among the first to get updates about our surprise for the reopening. Thanks for listening to this episode! Until the next one, happy selling.

¡Bienvenid@ al podcast del Emprendedor Amazónico! Me llamo Rafa y soy el ser humano detrás de todo esto. Episodio a episodio te iré dando las herramientas (nada de humo aquí, todo perfectamente aplicable y medible) que te permitirán, al igual que a mí, y miles de seres humanos más, me han permitido, vivir la vida que sueñas. Hace unos años me sentía angustiado en mi trabajo. Había terminado la carrera, y había encontrado un muy buen trabajo de “lo mío”. Sin embargo no era para nada feliz. No me sentía realizado en el trabajo, detestaba los horarios absurdos, que además no coincidían para nada con mis picos de productividad natural (es decir cuando más me cundía hacer cosas) y echaba más horas que un reloj, siempre anhelando que llegara el viernes. Al igual que tú, empecé a investigar cómo dar un cambio a mi vida. Estaba confuso y aterrado pues todos a mi alrededor pensaban que estaba loco. Todo empezó a cambiar cuando descubrí otros podcast que me presentaron una realidad diferente. Descubrí que hay miles y miles de personas que se ganan la vida online. Viajan cuando quieren, viven donde quieren, en definitiva, viven la vida de sus sueños. Aprovechan todas las bondades tecnológicas de la época que nos ha tocado vivir para exprimir la vida al máximo. Desde ese momento, pienso que hay dos grupos de personas respecto a este tema: aquellos que sólo se quejan y anhelan una vida que les haga felices y aquellos que como tú y como yo, cogen las riendas de su vida y luchan por mejorarla. Tras varios años dedicado en exclusiva al mundo online puedo asegurarte que ese estilo de vida. No es un mito, como yo pensaba cuando lo escuché por primera vez, ni tampoco son personas especiales con súper poderes que les permiten vivir la vida de sus sueños. No. Cada año viajo a más de 8 países diferentes y en mis viajes he conocido a muchas personas diferentes que se ganan la vida online. Todos caminan sobre dos piernas, unos son más guapos, otros más feos. Y todos son como tú y como yo. Tienen sus miedos, sus esperanzas, aficiones, etc. Ah y un ordenador portátil. Es lo único que necesitan para trabajar allá donde estén. No tienen que pedir permiso a ningún jefe, ni irse de vacaciones cuando les toque. Puede hacer deporte de manera regular y buscar los mejores supermercados para comer los más sano posible. Al igual que tú, ellos y yo elegimos luchar por vivir la vida que soñamos. Existen muchos modelos de negocio online, en el Emprendedor Amazónico, nos vamos a centrar en la creación de marcas de productos físicos y en cómo usar el poder de Amazon para catapultar el lanzamiento de estas marcas. En el podcast te voy a enseñar todo lo que he aprendido a lo largo de varios años de estudio y experiencia. Yo creé mi propia marca de productos hace unos años y además he trabajado, y trabajo como consultor, con muchas otras marcas, en distintas categorías. Además de haber estudiado las técnicas de márketing de grandes nombres en el mundo de los negocios online como Scott Voelker, Pat Flynn, Ramit Sethi, Neil Patel o Ryan Moran. Todo esto me ha dado una profunda visión sobre este modelo de negocio. Como ves todos estos nombres son de personas de habla inglesa, pero no te preocupes, este podcast no es en inglés. Ahora tú tienes la oportunidad de acceder a todo ese conocimiento en español, a través del podcast del Emprendedor Amazónico. No importa si no tienes ni idea. Vas a aprender a generar ideas de producto y de negocio desde cero hasta creación de fuentes de tráfico externas a Amazon para hacer crecer tu marca sin necesitar a Amazon. Recuerda que Amazon será sólo la plataforma de lanzamiento, pero que el objetivo es crear tu propia marca que puedas vender en tu tienda online. Vas a aprender no sólo lo que yo ya sé, sino todo lo que yo vaya aprendiendo y descubriendo, además de lo que muchos otros expertos que traeré al podcast tienen que enseñarte. No esperes más y únete al grupo de los que hemos decidido vivir la vida de nuestros sueños. ¡Escucha el episodio de Introducción ahora! Nos vemos en el podcast. Rafa El Emprendedor Amazónico #cambiandovidasemprendiendo

If you're an entrepreneur who's been tinkering around with an awesome business idea but short on capital, we'd love to help. In this episode, I met up with three of my buddies in the industry, Greg Mercer from Jungle Scout, Steve Chou from My Wife Quit Her Job, and Scott Voelker from The Amazing Seller, to talk about our latest project called the 5 Minute Pitch. It's an opportunity for bootstrapped online businesses to pitch their best business idea to us as judges and win $50,000. Who are we looking for? We are on the lookout for an online business with great forward momentum. We want someone who can take a unique business idea and add the meat and bones to it. So, give us your business backstory, be transparent about your numbers, and spill all the details for your chosen venture.   Finally, act natural. “Let your personality shine through because at the end of the day we are investing in people. Oftentimes, businesses have to make pivots and go on to do different types of things. So we want to know that the founders that we're giving this money to as a gift are going to really exceed with it.”, says Greg. How can you join? Simply log on to www.5minutepitch.com or fill out the application form here. Please note we only accept 32 entries so time is of the essence. How do we pick a winner? The grand prize winner will be selected after a series of elimination rounds. We're starting with 32 contestants who will be giving us their 5-minute pitch on Skype. From that cluster, we'll be selecting 8 contestants to advance to the next round. These 8 contestants will again be narrowed down to 4. The lucky 4 will be flown to San Diego to present their pitch live to the four judges. From these, we'll then select the grand winner of a $50,000 cash gift.   What does the winner get? We're giving away a cash gift worth $50,000 to the lucky winner plus some mentoring time with each judge. We're launching this contest in the fall. Sign up for our email list to get the latest updates.   Other Useful Resources: MyEcomcrew Jungle Scout My Wife Quit Her Job The Amazing Seller   Thanks for listening to this episode! If you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling!

¡Bienvenid@ al podcast del Emprendedor Amazónico! Me llamo Rafa y soy el ser humano detrás de todo esto. Episodio a episodio te iré dando las herramientas (nada de humo aquí, todo perfectamente aplicable y medible) que te permitirán, al igual que a mí, y miles de seres humanos más, me han permitido, vivir la vida que sueñas. Hace unos años me sentía angustiado en mi trabajo. Había terminado la carrera, y había encontrado un muy buen trabajo de “lo mío”. Sin embargo no era para nada feliz. No me sentía realizado en el trabajo, detestaba los horarios absurdos, que además no coincidían para nada con mis picos de productividad natural (es decir cuando más me cundía hacer cosas) y echaba más horas que un reloj, siempre anhelando que llegara el viernes. Al igual que tú, empecé a investigar cómo dar un cambio a mi vida. Estaba confuso y aterrado pues todos a mi alrededor pensaban que estaba loco. Todo empezó a cambiar cuando descubrí otros podcast que me presentaron una realidad diferente. Descubrí que hay miles y miles de personas que se ganan la vida online. Viajan cuando quieren, viven donde quieren, en definitiva, viven la vida de sus sueños. Aprovechan todas las bondades tecnológicas de la época que nos ha tocado vivir para exprimir la vida al máximo. Desde ese momento, pienso que hay dos grupos de personas respecto a este tema: aquellos que sólo se quejan y anhelan una vida que les haga felices y aquellos que como tú y como yo, cogen las riendas de su vida y luchan por mejorarla. Tras varios años dedicado en exclusiva al mundo online puedo asegurarte que ese estilo de vida. No es un mito, como yo pensaba cuando lo escuché por primera vez, ni tampoco son personas especiales con súper poderes que les permiten vivir la vida de sus sueños. No. Cada año viajo a más de 8 países diferentes y en mis viajes he conocido a muchas personas diferentes que se ganan la vida online. Todos caminan sobre dos piernas, unos son más guapos, otros más feos. Y todos son como tú y como yo. Tienen sus miedos, sus esperanzas, aficiones, etc. Ah y un ordenador portátil. Es lo único que necesitan para trabajar allá donde estén. No tienen que pedir permiso a ningún jefe, ni irse de vacaciones cuando les toque. Puede hacer deporte de manera regular y buscar los mejores supermercados para comer los más sano posible. Al igual que tú, ellos y yo elegimos luchar por vivir la vida que soñamos. Existen muchos modelos de negocio online, en el Emprendedor Amazónico, nos vamos a centrar en la creación de marcas de productos físicos y en cómo usar el poder de Amazon para catapultar el lanzamiento de estas marcas. En el podcast te voy a enseñar todo lo que he aprendido a lo largo de varios años de estudio y experiencia. Yo creé mi propia marca de productos hace unos años y además he trabajado, y trabajo como consultor, con muchas otras marcas, en distintas categorías. Además de haber estudiado las técnicas de márketing de grandes nombres en el mundo de los negocios online como Scott Voelker, Pat Flynn, Ramit Sethi, Neil Patel o Ryan Moran. Todo esto me ha dado una profunda visión sobre este modelo de negocio. Como ves todos estos nombres son de personas de habla inglesa, pero no te preocupes, este podcast no es en inglés. Ahora tú tienes la oportunidad de acceder a todo ese conocimiento en español, a través del podcast del Emprendedor Amazónico. No importa si no tienes ni idea. Vas a aprender a generar ideas de producto y de negocio desde cero hasta creación de fuentes de tráfico externas a Amazon para hacer crecer tu marca sin necesitar a Amazon. Recuerda que Amazon será sólo la plataforma de lanzamiento, pero que el objetivo es crear tu propia marca que puedas vender en tu tienda online. Vas a aprender no sólo lo que yo ya sé, sino todo lo que yo vaya aprendiendo y descubriendo, además de lo que muchos otros expertos que traeré al podcast tienen que enseñarte. No esperes más y únete al grupo de los que hemos decidido vivir la vida de nuestros sueños. ¡Escucha el episodio de Introducción ahora! Nos vemos en el podcast. Rafa El Emprendedor Amazónico #cambiandovidasemprendiendo

Today I want to talk about the direction the company is taking and how I plan to keep up with it. We have really plateaued as a company, and part of that is because we don't have the manpower. We need some new structure. I have decided to take a two-prong approach to restructuring things. The two sides of the business are:  The product side or “getting the product to our customers.”  The eCommerce side - email marketing, promotions, product development, and generally everything pre-sale.  Hopefully, this new structure will help us get to an eight figures status. If you know someone who is kind of a “techie” person, then contact me at mike@terran.com. I would like a resume or a letter telling me why you are the best fit for the company.  The things I'm looking for in a new hire are as follows:  Able to relocate or already living in the San Diego area.  Understands and knows how to manage content.  Experience in eCommerce is super important. You need to know how to run Amazon and Shopify stores.  A fast learner who can pick up on the stuff they don't know.  A good communicator, so that we can be more efficient.  A hard worker and self-starter.  Someone who wants a long term position.  I realize that nobody is going to have all the experience I am looking for, but what is important is the prospect's willingness to learn. So if you know someone or you are a good fit for me, please let me know.  Just a reminder, I will be speaking at some events this year. Here is a list of those events.  Ecommerce All Stars -- Austin, TX, August 4-5. Global Sources -- Hong Kong, October 17-19. EcommerceFuel Live -- Laguna Beach, CA, January 11-13, 2018. Also if you go to www.ecomcrew.com/summit2017, you can download my slides from my presentation at Sellers' Summit 2017. You will also get a discount code for $50 off the price of a virtual pass to all the great content from the summit.  Included in this package will be a free round table session with Scott Voelker, Greg Mercer, Jeff Cohen, Steve Chou, and myself. That round table will be June 26th at 2 pm Pacific time. If that's something that interests you, then check out the link to sign up.  This episode is sponsored by Stamped.io. We have recently switched to Stamped.io, so we can get the most out of our reviews, and they have a really great product. We are proud to partner with them and there is a link below to check them out.  Resources Mentioned Today:  Amazon.com Colorit.com Ecommerce All Stars EcommerceFuel Live Ecom Crew Facebook Page Global Sources Sellers' Summit Virtual Pass Shopify Stamped.io Tactical.com  Don't forget about our Facebook Live episodes. Just like our Facebook page and you will be notified when we do an episode. If you have any questions or anything you'd like us to discuss on the podcast please go to ecomcrew.com and fill out the contact form. Also, we would really appreciate if you would leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

Scott Voelker's (TheAmazingSeller.com) journey is an amazing Amazon and e-commerce success story. Beginning with retail arbitrage (buying local items and selling them on Amazon), then online arbitrage (buying physical items online and re-selling them on Amazon), private labeling (get a product sourced), and finally, e-commerce (setup a storefront outside of Amazon), Scott has not only generated a huge income scaling his business, he also teaches others how to do it. Topics covered: how Scott narrows down the perfect product to sell, every time Scott's "open brand" strategy that allows him to experiment with new physical products how to deal with copycats and the price wars how to build a list and get lots of reviews quickly (and remain compliant) using contests Resources The Amazing Seller (Podcast) The Private Label (Workshop) The Amazing Seller (Facebook group)

Scott Voelker is a serial entrepreneur. It all started worked for his father's construction company, which the two built to over a million dollars annually. From there, Scott made the leap into photography, because freedom and security meant so much to his family. Business was great, but it turned out to be another job. From there, he went into the online space where he built courses along with some selling on Ebay; he was beginning his journey into freedom. Scott learned about selling on Amazon, and saw it as the next best option to digital products; in the FBA model, Amazon handled most of the heavy lifting. His vision of freedom was booming much more real. His first year in business on Amazon is more than the average American would see in ten. From there, he started the Amazing Seller podcast, in an effort to reach out to higher level seller. However, it turned out to be so much more of a teaching experience, allowing Scott to touch so many lives. Check out his story...   Scott's Favorite Quote: "Take Action!"   Scott's Favorite Book:Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion   Links From Today's Show:theamazingseller.comtheamazingseller.com/workshopAmazon Selling Blueprint - How to Find and Launch Your First Private-Label Product on Amazon in 90 Days or Less