Podcasts about Skus

Daniela from Mindful Goods joins the podcast to explore how New York State's new AI image regulations are impacting Amazon sellers and forcing brands to adopt greater creative transparency. As consumer sensitivity to "AI slop" grows, brands are encountering false negatives where overly polished human photography is mistaken for AI, making human split-testing and data-driven creative execution essential. While nimble solo founders leverage one-click AI tools for quick design wins, established 7-to-9-figure brands are using AI strategically to scale catalog design templates across thousands of SKUs and bridge visual gaps in costly photoshoots. To maximize conversion and overcome these creative challenges, Daniela outlines the importance of single-message visual hierarchy and leveraging internal databases to pre-test Main Images and A+ Content before launching.   Episode Notes: 00:00 - Introduction to Daniela and Mindful Goods 01:02 - New York State AI Regulations & Amazon Disclaimers 03:18 - Compliance Fines & The Shift Toward Creative Transparency 04:49 - How AI Raised the Creative Baseline for Entry-Level Sellers 06:34 - Consumer Sensitivity & "Over-Perfection" False Negatives 09:06 - How Enterprise Brands Strategically Use AI vs. Solo Founders 11:59 - Scaling Massive SKU Catalogs from Months Down to Minutes 13:38 - Leveraging 1,000+ PickFu Split Tests for Creative Strategy 17:38 - Live Amazon Listing Audit: Buzzed Honey & Premium A+ Content 22:55 - The #2 Factor in Amazon Conversion 26:45 - Daniela's Design Proof Substack & Free Split-Testing Playbooks   Related Post: AI Visibility for Amazon Products: Are ChatGPT and Rufus Recommending You? How to Reach Daniela: Substack: Design Proof Website: mindfulgoods.co LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dbolzmann Scott's Links: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813 X: @itsScottNeedham Instagram: @smartestseller YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371 Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog

Want to get your product featured in holiday gift guides, product roundups, and online publications?In this episode, PR coach Gloria Chou breaks down how small business owners and product-based brands can pitch journalists and land organic PR features without a PR agency or industry connections.You'll learn:• The different types of gift guides your products can fit into, from price and recipient to lifestyle, occasion, and product category• How to use Perplexity and AI to uncover relevant gift guide angles, consumer trends, and the products most likely to get featured• How to choose the right products or SKUs to pitch instead of overwhelming journalists with your entire catalog• Where to find journalists actively looking for products and expert sources• What to include in a product PR pitch, including samples, shipping information, pricing, photos, affiliate links, and where your product is sold• When to pitch print vs. digital holiday gift guides and why it may not be too late to get featured• How organic PR features can help your brand become more visible and recommended across Google and AI search platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and ClaudeWhether you sell on Etsy, Amazon, your own website, or in retail stores, you'll walk away knowing how to make your products easier for journalists to discover, feature, and recommend.Want to get your products featured in gift guides, roundups, and the media?In my free PR & AI Visibility Masterclass, I'll show you how to find the right PR angles, pitch journalists, and earn organic media features without hiring a PR agency — so your business can get discovered in Google and AI search and become a brand AI recommends.

In "Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands", Joe Lynch speaks with President and CEO of the Americas region of GEODIS, Laura Ritchey, about how emerging brands can navigate trade volatility, manage inventory, and build scalable, resilient supply chains. About Laura Ritchey Laura Ritchey joined GEODIS in July 2025 as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Americas region. Laura is responsible for overseeing the region's freight forwarding, contract logistics and transportation business units along with engineering and technology, IT, ProVenture (U.S.-based subsidiary of GEODIS focusing on industrial real estate) and Material Handling Resources (one of the country's leading material handling distributors owned by GEODIS). In total, Laura oversees GEODIS Americas' expansive operations including nearly 20,000 employees and more than 230 sites across eight countries. Laura brings over 30 years of experience to GEODIS, with 15 focused on supply chain management in both retail and third-party logistics. Laura began her career in finance before transitioning to supply chain operations, including sourcing, distribution and strategic transformation. Prior to her current role, Laura was most recently CEO at Radial, Inc., a leader in e-commerce fulfillment solutions, where she drove revenue growth and profitability through operational excellence. At Radial, she led the North American P&L for a $1.4B e-commerce logistics division, responsible for relationships with over 170 clients across four service lines. Before joining Radial, she held leadership positions at L Brands, FullBeauty Brands and Centric Brands. Laura is on the Dean's Advisory Council at Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and is an active board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Nashville Branch. Additionally, she is actively involved with C200 whose mission is to inspire, educate, support and advance current and future women leaders. Laura earned her J.D., MBA and bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University. Additionally, Laura is accredited as a certified public accountant and admitted to the bar in Ohio. About GEODIS GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. The Group operates a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and 48,000 employees. In 2025, GEODIS generated €10.6 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group. Key Takeaways: Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands Beware the "10K Order Trap" During Rapid Growth: Scaling operations from 1,000 to 10,000 monthly orders often breaks a business before demand stalls. Emerging brands must build strong foundational supply chain building blocks early—such as maintaining clean master data (accurate dimensions and weights) and choosing a 3PL capable of global growth—to avoid costly operational failures when reaching inflection points. Adopt a Hybrid Inventory Strategy to Balance JIT and JIC: Shifting strictly between "Just in Time" (JIT) and "Just in Case" (JIC) risks either stockouts or trapped working capital. A balanced, hybrid approach—keeping adequate stock of fast-moving core basics while tightly controlling slow-moving seasonal items—helps protect cash flow without sacrificing availability. Re-evaluate the "Amazon Effect" and Recommerce to Protect Margins: High-speed, free shipping creates an illusion of necessity that drives up last-mile costs. Brands should focus on order delivery certainty over pure speed while implementing circular economy strategies (recommerce) to rehabilitate and resell returned apparel, which often recovers up to 95% of inventory value. Mitigate Sourcing Risks Beyond Single-Factory Bets: Diversifying supply chains requires going all the way back to raw material inputs rather than simply relocating assembly plants. Navigating evolving global tariffs requires nearshoring flexibility, dual-sourcing critical SKUs, and re-orchestrating supply chain flows across regional hubs. Understand True Landed Costs to Avoid Margin Shock: Delegating freight forwarding and customs clearance entirely to overseas manufacturers often leads to hidden markups and supply chain delays. Leveraging an end-to-end global provider with licensed customs brokerage capabilities ensures clear visibility into total landed costs and regulatory compliance. Leverage Global Scale with Curated, End-to-End Execution: Supported by a global network spanning nearly 170 countries, over 48,000 employees, and €10.6 billion (USD $12.35 billion) in revenue (2025), GEODIS provides emerging and established brands with an agile, end-to-end "launchpad for global growth" across contract logistics, freight forwarding, and transportation. Avoid the "Set It and Forget It" Supply Chain Mindset: Ongoing volatility, regulatory shifts, and geopolitical friction require continuous evaluation of supply chain networks. Taking a cautious, practical approach to emerging technologies like AI (for labor forecasting and route planning) ensures operational stability while safeguarding proprietary data. Learn More About Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands Laura Ritchey | Linkedin GEODIS | Linkedin GEODIS The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Welcome to the latest episode of the Food and Beverage Magazine Podcast, hosted by the Editors of Food and Beverage Magazine. In this week's episode, we explore major mergers, seasonal menu launches, and technology platforms shaping the future of food, beverage, and hospitality. We kick off with major business moves, discussing Ferrero's strategic acquisition of the better-for-you brand Purely Elizabeth to deepen its breakfast footprint. We also explore massive franchise expansions and retail milestones, including Big Chicken opening its second Massachusetts location, Paris Baguette's aggressive goal of hitting one thousand US units by 2030, and Cousins Maine Lobster introducing its mobile concept to Des Moines.Next, we look at the seasonal product launches and flavor innovations driving consumer engagement this autumn. We spotlight Peet's Coffee bringing back its thirty-day Cold Brew Pass alongside its fall lineup, Philz Coffee's new Apple Cinnamon Roll and Pecan Pie cold brews, and Einstein Bros Bagels launching its pumpkin-infused menu. In the snacking and beverage aisles, we cover the limited-edition Reese's Peanut Butter Latte collaboration with The Nitro Bar, Hershey's expansion of its Halloween portfolio to twenty SKUs, and Waterloo Sparkling Water's eye-catching packaging refresh.Finally, we dive into the technology and logistics transformations redefining restaurant operations. We examine how Yanolja Cloud Solution is launching its AI concierge globally, Coco robots managing last-mile pizza runs for Little Caesars, and how POS systems are integrating directly with back-of-house intelligence platforms to cut down on missed QSR calls. We also travel to the high seas to highlight how Four Seasons Yachts is bringing premium wellness and longevity programming onboard with Lanserhof.For full articles on these stories, exclusive insights, and daily industry news, visit fbmagazine.com. Be sure to also check out our network syndication at foodservice.media, which gives brands, buyers, and operators a direct path to the categories that matter most. Thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to the newsletter so you never miss the latest trends.

Thirteen years in business. Nearly 700 wholesale accounts. And the biggest shift Rachel O'Neill of Loftipop made this year was admitting her wholesale business was being run like a D2C channel.If you started in direct-to-consumer and layered wholesale on top, this episode will feel familiar. Rachel came into Paper Camp with a thriving business at Loftipop and left with major enhancements: separate pricing logic, a leaner product line, and a strategy built around the retailers she already has.In this episode, you'll learn:Why wholesale is not an extension of your D2C business — it's a separate model with its own pricing, margins, and rulesHow Loftipop added 60 accounts in the 6 months after Paper Camp, growing from 690 to about 750Why Rachel discontinued SKUs that were still selling — and why she felt "so much lighter" afterwardHow to run channel-by-channel margin math before keeping a product in your wholesale catalogWhat it looks like to nurture current retailers — email outreach, direct mail, and consistent touchpoints — instead of only chasing new accountsHow staying open to change, 13 years in, became the shift that moved her whole business forwardFrom the episode:"The biggest takeaway is that your wholesale business is not D2C. We came into wholesale thinking it was just an extension of our D2C... it's actually a whole separate business model and strategy." — Rachel O'Neill"If you're serious about wholesale, it's 100% worth the investment. In terms of numbers, we've already made our money back and more." — Rachel O'NeillPaper Camp is currently open for enrollment, which only happens twice a year!SIGN UP FOR PAPER CAMP NOWYou can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/456Quick Links:Free Wholesale Audio SeriesFree Resources LibraryFree Email Marketing for Product MakersPTP LABSPaper CampMentioned in this episode:Paper Camp is now open for enrollment!Enroll now in our next round of Paper Camp: http://prooftoproduct.com/papercamp

"My business is too young for this." If you've ever said that about wholesale, this episode is for you. Sherry Lam joined Paper Camp with fewer than 20 SKUs, a handful of inconsistent accounts, a full-time day job, and a brand-new baby — and decided that was exactly the right moment to build her wholesale foundation. She went from 3 shaky accounts to more than 50. This is her story, in her own words.In this episode, you'll learn:Why Sherry started wholesale with fewer than 20 SKUs — and how starting early with the right foundation paid offHow she grew from 3 inconsistent accounts to more than 50 while working a day job and raising a babyHow doing wholesale correctly early on turned a "maybe this is a hobby" question into a real revenue streamHow to vet whether Paper Camp is right for you: free resources, the podcast archive, and talking to alumni before you investWhy she came back and took Paper Camp a second time — and what had changed, from Faire's growing role to new outreach normsWhat the alumni community looks like after the course ends, especially for solo foundersAbout Sherry:Sherry Lam is the founder of Sherry's Palette, where she designs greeting cards, enamel pins, art prints, and more. She built her wholesale business from 3 accounts to over 50 while working a full-time day job — and she's offered to be a resource for anyone on the fence about Paper Camp.Paper Camp is currently open for enrollment, which only happens twice a year!SIGN UP FOR PAPER CAMP NOWYou can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/455Quick Links:Free Wholesale Audio SeriesFree Resources LibraryFree Email Marketing for Product MakersPTP LABSPaper CampMentioned in this episode:Paper Camp is now open for enrollment!Enroll now in our next round of Paper Camp: http://prooftoproduct.com/papercamp

You look really successful on the outside. Your bank account says something else.If revenue keeps climbing but profit feels like it's standing still, this episode is your next step. So many wholesale brands miscalculate their profitability, and it's not because you're bad at math. It's because most founders stop at product level margin instead of looking at the real cost of fulfilling every wholesale order.In this chat, I'm breaking down the full profitability formula, the three profitability traps I see over and over inside my client work, and exactly how to diagnose (and fix) a margin problem without panicking or slashing your prices overnight.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:- Why "my product margin is 80%" doesn't actually tell you if you're profitable- The full formula for calculating your real profit per wholesale order, not just gross margin- Every hidden cost quietly eating your margin that you're probably not tracking- The story behind my most profitable looking holiday season that almost broke me- The 3 profitability traps I see constantly with wholesale brands- Why your opening order minimum might be costing you money- How having too many SKUs hurts your bottom line, even when customers love the variety- The right way to think about raising your wholesale pricing without losing accounts- A simple framework for diagnosing exactly where your margin is leakingEnjoy the chat! Join me live on September 17, 2026 for the FREE Faire Success Blueprint Workshop (updated with brand new content for 2026), where I'm walking you through exactly how top performing brands set up their entire Faire presence, page, pricing, buyer outreach, and email automations, all on top of the profitability foundation from this episode.Reserve Your Free Seat HEREGROW YOUR WHOLESALE BUSINESS:Retail Pitching

Most Amazon operators are unknowingly losing money to AI-driven fraud, and it's not just a scare tactic. Neil Twa dives into the alarming thirty-three percent rise in AI-fueled attacks, a structural shift that's reshaping the ecommerce landscape. This isn't just about security; it's a direct hit to your cash flow. Neil breaks down a real-world example from a home goods brand in his portfolio, illustrating how these attacks target specific SKUs rather than spreading evenly across your account. Discover the three strategic moves you need to make: mapping refund and return rates by ASIN, identifying targeted listings, and tightening your cash flow management. This episode is a wake-up call for sellers at every level, from those just launching their first product to seasoned operators managing million-dollar brands. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep356 Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep356

TikTok Shop is on track to hit one hundred billion dollars in gross merchandise value by 2026, driven by U.S. sales. Yet, many FBA operators are still on the sidelines, debating whether to jump in. Neil Twa, host of The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast, breaks down this massive opportunity and what it means for your brand. He shares insights from a mid-sized home goods brand already seeing success on TikTok Shop, and offers three actionable moves for sellers at any level. Audit your top SKUs for TikTok viability, focus on visual products, and don't miss out on this growing marketplace. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=epNone Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep-draft

Send us Fan MailNate Littlewood, founder of Future Ready CFO, joins Noah Wickham on the MAG Growth Podcast to explain why profitable Amazon and e-commerce brands can still run short on cash. They cover the difference between profit and cash flow, how inventory can drain working capital, and why fast growth can create financial pressure. Nate also shares how founders can use ROI math, bottleneck analysis, and team skills to choose better growth projects. The conversation also looks at the 80/20 rule, underperforming SKUs, product catalog growth, and why adding more Amazon products does not always lead to more sales. Amazon sellers, CPG brands, and e-commerce founders can use these ideas to make better financial decisions and focus on profitable growth.If cash flow, inventory costs, or profit margins are holding the brand back, book a call with us to figure out what needs fixing first. https://bit.ly/4jMZtxu #AmazonSeller #Ecommerce #CashFlow #AmazonFBA #Entrepreneurship Want free resources? Dowload our Free Amazon guides here:Download the 2026 Amazon AI Operating Manual: https://bit.ly/3SLmusPAmazon Receiving Delay Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04cdD4c0Amazon Catalog Spring Cleaning: https://hubs.ly/Q046BVfp0Amazon Proft Margin Defense 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q042trRH0Amazon SEO Toolkit 2026: https://bit.ly/4oC2ClTAmazon Seller Strategy Report 2026: https://bit.ly/3YN1RME2026 Ecommerce Website & SEO Readiness Checklist: https://hubs.ly/Q04btghf0Amazon 2026 PPC guide: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYX Timestamps00:00 - Pricing, Margin, and Ecommerce Growth01:50 - Nate Littlewood and Future Ready CFO03:54 - Why Founders Are Data Rich but Decision Poor06:51 - Knowing When a Business Is Ready to Grow08:37 - Using ROI to Pick Growth Projects09:45 - Finding Bottlenecks in an Ecommerce Business11:14 - Matching Growth Plans to Team Skills13:53 - Why Profitable Brands Can Have No Cash15:34 - How Fast-Growing Brands Grow Broke17:14 - The 80/20 Rule for Amazon Products18:05 - Calculating the Real Cost of Each SKU20:12 - The Jam Study and Too Much Product Choice21:24 - When More Amazon SKUs Hurt the Business23:43 - New Products vs Product Variations-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

Chris and Jake Yap were two weeks from shutting down. A billion-dollar retailer had copied every product they launched and sold them for one tenth the price, then put it in the news - buy this coffee table from us for $499, or from them for $49. They'd burned their business savings, their personal savings, and taken out personal guarantee loans chasing speed. Jake was telling his wife he wasn't sure he could make rent. Then in those two weeks they made one switch that changed everything: instead of testing designs, they started testing problems. Little Lively launched last October, grew 30% compounding month on month, went worldwide in the same month it launched, and now spends around $600,000 a month on Meta. In this interview, Chris and Jake break down the exact testing framework that found their winning product, why they killed 700 SKUs to bet everything on one, and how they built an internal AI agent that runs across their entire company. What you'll learn in this interview: • The switch from testing designs to testing problems - and why it saved the business in two weeks • How they turned $10 wireless chargers off Alibaba into $300K cash in their first year • The Abundance Framework: testing up to 1,000 designs a week before ever committing to production • Why fast-fashion-style furniture drops became a vicious discount cycle that nearly killed them • How suppliers with 60-day payment terms effectively became their investors - and the relationship approach behind it • The 60 ROAS launch: what happens when you actually solve a real problem • Why they now welcome copycats - and how being 4-5 years ahead on the roadmap makes competitors into free marketing • Why they launched worldwide in the same month instead of proving one market first • "Australia is small and hard, the US is big and easy" - the contrarian take on market selection • Caesar: the company-wide AI agent living in their Slack that their team used to build an entire ERP system from scratch If you're running a DTC brand, drowning in SKUs and discounts, or trying to figure out how to find the one product worth betting everything on, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about focus, product testing, and what it takes to come back from the brink. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH LIFELY Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lifelyhome/ LinkedIn →https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifelyhome/ Website → https://lifely.com.au/ CONNECT WITH JAKE YAP LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-yap/ CONNECT WITH CHRIS YAP LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-yap-185964198/ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

Our playbook to $100K a month is free, and it comes with an AI tool that builds a plan for you: ► The $100K Playbook: https://capitalism.com/100K Dr. Benjamin Hardy is the co-author of the books, "10x Is Easier Than 2x" and "Who Not How" with Dan Sullivan. I read his new one, "The Science of Scaling," and then I couldn't sleep. Step one is to set a goal so big you don't believe you can hit it, and I got stuck there, so instead of interviewing Ben about his framework I asked him to run it on me live. He pulled my own goal three years forward and made me say out loud what would have to go, which is when it clicked: the goal is not a prediction, it's a tool for deciding what you cut. Mentioned on the podcast: ► The $100K Playbook: https://capitalism.com/100K ► Bootcamp waitlist: https://capitalism.com/bootcamp ► The Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy ► 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy ► Who Not How by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy (0:00) Very talented entrepreneurs could be getting 100X the results they are (0:38) Step one of the book: set an impossible goal (1:02) My challenge to you before we start, and the number I want you to aim at (2:21) "I have a bone to pick with you." The book that cost me a night of sleep (3:10) How Ben made his money, and the coaching company he sold (4:15) Why he walked away from social media, masterminds, and his old business (6:27) Most people think scale means doing twice as many things (8:03) High-rep, low-rep, and Joseph Nguyen's "no-rep" learning (9:59) Five pathways that were all decent, and not one of them powerful (11:09) I got stuck on chapter one with seven goals that all seemed related (14:20) Using time as a tool: shorten the window, filter out the seven-figure decisions (15:53) "How blunt do you want me to be?" Ben moves my 2030 goal to 2027 (16:53) The first thing that falls apart is a role we manage instead of hire well (18:29) Acquire bigger brands, or install better operators (19:20) The honest answer for why I never just changed the timeline (20:44) Nobody is monitoring your goal, which is exactly what makes it a tool (23:30) Your impossible goal does not have to be a billion dollars (24:46) What happens after $100 million, and why a billion feels unclear (26:05) My seven goals out loud, and the four I had already forgotten (27:20) The Cleveland Guardians, and the goal I stopped believing in (30:34) Your goal and the company's goal are two different goals (32:20) The Bain Capital founder who could not answer "how do you choose the right goal?" (33:39) "Just choose" versus optimizing for the wrong thing (36:02) The purpose of the goal is whatever it forces you to face (37:58) Physician's Choice cut profitable SKUs to build a $100 million company (39:55) Why every event and every scroll hands you four more goals (41:47) Alicia Alt went from 10 customers to 8,000 in one week (43:20) The power law, and why a great one is worth 10,000 average ones (45:20) Margin for error: what a superstar does for everyone else on the floor (46:03) "The who often comes with the pathway" (48:15) Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr. had the same game and different goals (52:43) José Ramírez took $100 million below market to be the greatest Cleveland player ever (53:37) How many goals Ben actually has (54:48) The Logan Paul problem, and what Musk is really optimizing for (57:41) You are not sacrificing the other six goals, you are sacrificing them for now (1:00:37) Raising the floor is the conscious choice to let things go (1:04:07) "I'm not capable of that." Why belief is not required at the start (1:08:44) Hidden commitments: the $31 million founder avoiding his father's collapse (1:12:45) Big visions and a life you actually enjoy DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this Podcast Channel and the resources available for download/viewing through this Podcast Channel are for educational and informational purposes only.

Getting a massive retail PO can feel like the breakthrough your CPG brand has been waiting for. But what if saying “yes” actually puts you out of business?In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin are joined by CPA and fractional CFO Scotty Palmer to break down one of the biggest challenges facing growing consumer brands: managing cash while scaling.Scotty shares real-world examples of brands that looked profitable on paper but were nearly out of cash, companies trapped by expensive receivables factoring, and founders who landed major retail opportunities only to discover they couldn't afford to fulfill them.They also unpack why your best-selling SKU isn't necessarily your most profitable, how rapid retail expansion can create a cash-flow crisis, and why looking backward at financial statements isn't enough when your business is growing forward.In this episode:The difference between profitability and cash flowWhy a big retail PO can actually hurt your businessThe hidden cost of receivables factoringHow to model cash needs before entering more storesWhy more SKUs don't always mean more profitHow to identify your most profitable products and channelsThe difference between a bookkeeper, controller, and CFOWhy growing brands need a forward-looking financial strategyIf you're building a CPG brand and preparing to scale into brick-and-mortar retail, this episode will help you understand the numbers behind sustainable growth.Learn more about CPG Insiders: https://cpginsiders.com/Connect with Scotty Palmer / Take the financial quiz: https://palmersadvisers.com/Get your copy of The 27 Unbreakable Rules: https://a.co/d/0bUR3OHeSubscribe for more conversations about building, scaling, and growing successful consumer brands.#CPG #CPGBrands #CashFlow #RetailStrategy #businessgrowth #CPGInsiders

https://directtoconsumer.typeform.com/DTC-Brand?utm_source=podcast-636&utm_medium=podcastSubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupFifteen videos in a shoot day. A writer's room where creators cross-edit each other's scripts. Hair, makeup, and wardrobe walkthroughs before anyone hits record. This is what organic content looks like at Kiyoko Beauty (kiyoko.ca), the curated Asian beauty retailer that hit 8 figures in 5 years, bootstrapped, while all three co-founders kept their full-time jobs.Gillian Liu walks through the whole machine, from a part-time student's 3M-view TikTok to a production calendar planned a month out.If you run content, growth, or a retail business on thin margins, this episode is worth a notebook.What's inside:The full production process: concepts and formats planned a month ahead, scripting against a reference hook library, a writer's room because "sometimes you're in it too much by yourself," script read-throughs with talent, then batch shoot days. "It's not vibes at all."Her comparison for why the pros post consistently: comedians who have joke-writing down to a science.The hiring filter for content roles: "What's your screen time? Show me." Her most recent hire clocks 8 hours a day. Gillian's reaction: "That's it?"Where it started: a student with 1,000 followers, found via Instagram DM, told to post three times a week with no direction. Three months in, one video hit 3M views on a niche product only Kiyoko carried, and site sessions 10x'd overnight.Platform roles: TikTok reaches strangers, Instagram converts them through stories and community, YouTube Shorts reposts overperform, and Red Note gets Gillian recognized on the street by the Chinese Canadian community.The math forcing all of this: retailer margins. A Meta top-of-funnel ad runs ~$10 CPM; organic works out to under a dollar. Paid has been bottom-of-funnel Google only for five years.The curation model itself: pay brand premium on COGS, then harvest demand created by other people's marketing budgets.Merchandising by data: Amazon US/Canada volume, Korea's top sellers, brand heads-ups on strategic SKUs, and Shopify's "search queries with no results" report.Brands as partners: one runs a 50/50 ad split with Kiyoko, others commission content monthly and pay in inventory value.The early jank: a $2,000 first order, a free Shopify theme, shipping from a co-founder's basement, and buying out-of-stock items from the Asian grocery store down the street.Why three co-founders kept their 9 to 5s (cash flow first, risk second), plus two warehouse moves in five months and the new California fulfillment center.Who this is for: content leads and founders doing organic at scale, and any operator whose margins can't support paid top of funnel.What to steal: her writer's room. Have creators cross-edit each other's scripts before anything gets shot.Visit the brand: kiyoko.caTimestamps:00:00 Building an Eight-Figure Brand While Working Full-Time06:10 The Organic Content Strategy That Changed Everything10:02 How Kiyoko Produces Viral Content at Scale17:07 Merchandising and Choosing Winning Products28:03 Why Organic Beats Paid for Customer AcquisitionSubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Can a small craft cannabis producer survive when government gatekeepers control which products reach consumers?Kirk visits Edmonton's New Life Canna to speak with co-founder Robert Raposo. A former firefighter-paramedic and entrepreneur, Robert explains how a casual idea about growing cannabis became a 6,000-square-foot micro-cultivation and processing operation.Robert takes us inside the difficult economics of Canada's legal cannabis industry—from rotating SKUs to provincial product listings. He explains how government-controlled distribution can limit consumer choice, and why successful products can still be delisted.The conversation also explores the BC cannabis distribution strike, farmgate retail, cannabis marketing restrictions, funding barriers and the challenges of supporting local growers. Robert shares why New Life Canna works with independent cultivators to create “win-win” partnerships while producing distinctive craft cannabis strains.Listen now to discover what it really takes to build a craft cannabis company—and why growing exceptional cannabis is only one part of surviving the regulated market.New Life Canna Ltd - websiteRobert Raposo - LinkedInAdditional Music:Desiree Dorion desireedorion.comMarc Clement - FacebookTranscripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

For Mike Pedersen, Infocomm always feels like coming home. "It's a little bit like a family reunion," he told UC Today at this year's show in Las Vegas. "I get to see so many people I know and acquaintances I've made." But beyond the networking, Pedersen, Audiovisual Experience Manager at Iowa State University, had serious business to attend to, including speaking at the HETMA Higher Education Summit, a day-and-a-half event dedicated entirely to higher education AV professionals.His session focused on a topic close to his heart: standardisation. For universities managing dozens or even hundreds of classrooms, standardising AV systems delivers benefits that ripple across the entire institution. "Instructors can walk into any room, and it looks familiar," Pedersen explained. "They don't have to worry." From an operational standpoint, fewer SKUs mean bulk purchasing and tighter cost control, a significant advantage for institutions under constant budget pressure.Day-to-day, however, the challenges are more human than technical. Helping instructors feel comfortable with classroom technology remains an ongoing task. "Sometimes you've got to tell them how to share their laptop screen onto the projector," Pedersen admitted. The solution, he finds, is patience and careful one-on-one support.On the wider industry landscape, Pedersen is watching AI closely. He highlighted a prototype system from an Australian university that uses AI to autonomously test classroom AV equipment overnight, checking projector output and audio quality, then raising a ticket if something is off. "Those are the types of things that are coming," he said. "Labour savings and improving overall reliability, that's going to be huge."AV over IP is another trend he expects to accelerate, with falling price points making the technology viable for an ever-growing number of spaces.His takeaway from Infocomm 2026 was unambiguous: "AI is everywhere. If you're not coming up to speed on it quickly, you're getting behind."

Today, we are joined by the amazing Maryna from the Ad Badger team. If you have ever wondered why your Amazon PPC performance suddenly dropped, even when your bids, keywords, and competitor pricing look perfect this episode is for you.Maryna shares her brilliant workflow for managing massive Amazon accounts that juggle thousands of SKUs. We discuss how to combine three essential Amazon reports into one master spreadsheet to accurately track your inventory levels. But the real magic happens next: we explore how to feed that data into AI chatbots, like Claude or Gemini, to instantly generate beautiful, actionable dashboards.We'll see you in The PPC Den!

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley tackles what he calls the "silent killer" of e-commerce businesses: inventory mismanagement. Drawing on his experience scaling brands to eight figures, Josh explains how poor inventory forecasting, ordering too much or too little, can devastate cash flow and lead to bankruptcy. He shares cautionary examples, practical frameworks, and key strategies, including SKU-level forecasting, maintaining 90-120 days of inventory, using pre-orders to validate demand, and having liquidation plans ready. Josh emphasizes that protecting cash flow is ultimately more critical than maintaining perfect stock availability.Bullet Points:Importance of effective inventory management in e-commerce.Consequences of poor inventory forecasting on cash flow and profitability.Risks associated with overstocking and understocking inventory.Strategies for accurate inventory forecasting at the SKU level.Guidelines for managing inventory levels and turnover ratios.The impact of temporary demand spikes on inventory planning.Necessity of having a liquidation plan for excess inventory.Benefits of using pre-order pages to gauge demand and improve cash flow.Emphasis on prioritizing cash flow over maintaining perfect stock levels.Lessons learned from cautionary examples of inventory mismanagement.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction: The Silent Killer of E-commerceThe host introduces the number one reason e-commerce brands fail and go bankrupt, which he calls the "silent killer."00:00:54 Inventory: The Kryptonite of E-commerceInventory is compared to Superman's Kryptonite, a silent threat that drains a business's power and can sneak up unexpectedly.00:02:00 The Dangers of Inventory ForecastingThe host explains that inventory forecasting is never 100% accurate and discusses the asymmetrical risks of ordering too much versus too little.00:04:48 The Compounding Problems of OverstockingOver-ordering inventory creates a chain reaction of problems, including cash flow issues, debt, compressed margins, and increased storage costs.00:08:01 The Manageable Downsides of UnderstockingOrdering too little inventory has downsides like lost sales, but also upsides like liquid cash and the opportunity to raise prices.00:10:53 Case Study: The Thrasio BankruptcyThe host uses the Amazon aggregator Thrasio as an example of how poor inventory processes can lead a major company to bankruptcy.00:12:55 Key Lessons from Thrasio's FailureLessons include not assuming demand spikes are permanent and the critical importance of forecasting at the individual SKU level.00:14:51 Four Major Inventory RulesThe host shares four core rules for inventory management, including when to kill SKUs and targeting 90-120 days of inventory.00:15:46 Understanding Inventory Turnover RatioA healthy inventory turnover ratio is explained, with a target of 4-6, depending on manufacturer lead times and supply chain.00:17:43 Managing Highly Seasonal ProductsA strategy for seasonal products is to under-forecast and plan to sell out just after the peak demand week.00:21:21 Forecasting for Trendy ProductsFor products based on trends, designs, or sayings, it's wise to forecast a 20% decline in sales year-over-year.00:23:07 The Importance of a Liquidation PlanBrands should build a liquidation plan and establish relationships with partners before they ever face an urgent need to sell excess stock.00:24:09 Managing Inventory for Product LaunchesThe risks of being overly optimistic with new product launches and the importance of placing smaller initial test orders are discussed.00:27:04 The Pre-Order Page StrategyUsing pre-order pages on Shopify is presented as a key strategy to gauge demand and improve cash flow significantly.00:29:00 Improving Your Cash Conversion CycleThe host emphasizes how pre-orders can create a negative cash conversion cycle, which is the key to scaling infinitely.00:31:04 Summary: 10 Key Takeaways for Inventory ManagementA distilled summary of the top ten rules and frameworks for effective inventory management to protect your business and cash flow.00:34:04The Ultimate Goal: Distributable CashThe primary metric for a business owner should be distributable cash, which indicates a healthy, profitable, and sustainable operation.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Shopify": "00:27:00"  "TikTok": "00:23:07"  "Cash Conversion Cycle Podcast": "00:30:06"  Key Concepts and Strategies  "Pre-order Pages": "00:27:04"  "Liquidation Plan": "00:23:07"  "SKU Level Forecasting": "00:31:04"  "Inventory Turnover Ratio": "00:16:48"  Important Metrics  "Distributable Cash": "00:34:04"  Recommendations  "Download Slides": "00:35:00"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Today I'm going to be talking about the silent killer that kills e-commerce brands when an e-commerce brand goes to die. This is primarily the number one reason as to why they go extinct, and why they potentially even go bankrupt. Today, I'm going to be diving into what that silent killer is and how to defend against it so that it doesn't become the silent killer for your business. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and a father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaires on Amazon, Shopify and TikTok shop.Josh Hadley 00:00:54  And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, E-comm Breakthrough. Those of you who watched either the movie or read the comics of Superman recall that Kryptonite was the one thing that could bring Superman to his knees. He almost had invincible power, but when it came to Kryptonite, it was made him almost powerless. It didn't kill him outright. It slowly drained every power that he had. He couldn't fly. He couldn't use his strength. He couldn't see through walls or outrun a bullet. But he was still breathing. Still alive, but completely powerless. The most dangerous part is that he genuinely never saw it coming until it was too late. So how does that apply to business? And what is this silent killer that is the Kryptonite of ecommerce brands. Well, that is inventory. Inventory truly is e-commerce Kryptonite because it is the most dangerous aspect of scaling your business, because it is one of those things that can sneak up on you. And before it's too late, you have already put yourself in a really bad position and effectively made your brand powerless.Josh Hadley 00:02:00  So if we understand that inventory is the Kryptonite for ecommerce brands, what are we supposed to do about that? How do we defend against it? And how do we make sure that i...

Lizzie Shilko launched Revi Gear, a Colorado ski helmet brand, in August 2025 — and spent her first season hand-delivering helmets out of her car trunk to shops across the state. She walks through the retail hustle that landed her first account, why customers make better sales reps than any sales force, and how a cold-email campaign — sent from a brand with no website, no funding, no logo — landed her a manufacturing partner.Lizzie also gets candid about the gap between her McKinsey background and founder life: no salary, no security, no manager to validate the work. She talks through the anxiety of founder-led social media, separating internal conviction from public comments, and why speed to market beat waiting to get it perfect.Approaching year one, she's shifting from sprint to endurance — fewer SKUs, more intentional growth. A tactical conversation for anyone building a hard goods brand from scratch.REGISTER for the KORE SummitEpisode HighlightsShow up in person — retail hustle, hand-delivering helmets, founder-as-sales-forcePull marketing beats push marketing — customers become unpaid sales repsFake it till you make it — sourcing manufacturers with zero brand infrastructureManufacturer trust — flying overseas, wiring life savings, building the relationshipFounder-led social media — growth, public criticism, internal vs. external validationSpeed to market — pre-orders as real product-market-fit signalSprint to endurance — shifting from launch speed to intentional, incremental growthEvolving "why" — from proving personal capability to building something others can be proud ofLinksRevi Gear's websiteRevi Gear on InstagramRevi Gear on Christy SportsSeniqHalf DaysWild RyeAway luggageBuilt BarsThe KORE Podcast is a production of the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise. Learn more about KORE and the podcast: https://koreoutdoors.org/podcast

Is your Amazon brand falling behind because you're not using AI? The uncomfortable truth is, probably yes. Neil Twa dives into the widening gap between those who are using AI and those who aren't on The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast. As Neil breaks down, AI isn't a future problem; it's a present necessity. He shares insights from generative AI news coverage, pointing out what many articles miss: the real-world impact on ecommerce brands. Neil highlights a pattern seen across brands in the $15,000 to $40,000 monthly revenue range, emphasizing the urgency of integrating AI into your operations. This episode is packed with actionable moves, like running an AI complaint audit on your worst-reviewed SKUs. If you're still making decisions based on gut feelings and disconnected data, Neil offers a solution tailored for you. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep336 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep336&learn_mcp=1

How does an $8 Amazon product stay highly profitable? Today's guest reveals his wholesale strategy, European sourcing advantages, AI workflows, and resilient multichannel growth.   ► Watch The Podcasts On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Helium10SeriousSellersPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 ► Instagram: instagram.com/serioussellerspodcast ► Free Amazon Seller Chrome Extension: https://h10.me/extension ► Sign Up For Helium 10: https://h10.me/signup  (Use SSP10 To Save 10% For Life) ► Learn How To Sell on Amazon: https://h10.me/ft   Can an Amazon seller build a profitable business around products priced under $10? In this episode of the Serious Sellers Podcast, Bradley Sutton sits down with Ivan Komashinsky, the entrepreneur behind the U.S. distribution of Pedag Insoles and the Meltonian shoe-care brand. Ivan shares how he went from working at Microsoft to acquiring an established seven-figure e-commerce business—and eventually tripling its revenue. While Amazon remains Ivan's largest channel, his company has built a much broader operation through its own websites, independent retailers, regional distributors, Walmart, eBay, TikTok Shop, and Faire. Ivan explains how wholesale volume, strong supplier relationships, and European manufacturing allow Meltonian to maintain healthy margins on products selling for as little as $7.99. He also breaks down why managing inventory in-house makes sense for a business carrying thousands of SKUs across multiple sales channels. Ivan also reveals how his team uses Helium 10 tools such as Cerebro and Magnet to rank for valuable non-branded keywords and develop new products based on customer demand, competitor gaps, and search behavior. More recently, he has been using the Helium 10 MCP through Claude to investigate declining product sales, analyze trends, and explore profitability, traffic, conversion rates, keyword rankings, and advertising performance through natural-language conversations. From building authority on Reddit to getting started with wholesale through Faire, trade shows, and industry associations, Ivan offers a practical roadmap for creating a more resilient e-commerce business. His story shows that success does not always require expensive products or a business built entirely around Amazon. With the right sourcing, volume, distribution strategy, pricing policies, and willingness to adapt, even a traditional brand can unlock new growth opportunities. In episode 758 of the Serious Sellers Podcast, Bradley and Ivan discuss: 00:00 - Introduction 03:27 - Buying An Established Seven-Figure Online Business 06:22 - Growing Pedag And Acquiring Meltonian 07:33 - Building A Diversified Multichannel Sales Business 09:59 - Expanding A Traditional Brand Into Sneakers 11:05 - Finding New Products Through Market Demand 12:25 - Making An Eight-Dollar Product Highly Profitable 15:29 - European Sourcing And In-House Inventory Management 20:01 - Ranking For Valuable Non-Branded Amazon Keywords 22:26 - Using Helium 10 Tools And MCP 27:00 - Building Brand Authority Through Reddit 28:26 - Expanding Into Wholesale Through Faire 31:24 - Protecting Retail Margins With MAP Pricing 32:38 - Live Meltonian Sneaker-Cleaning Product Demonstration

Jasim Eisa is the founder and CEO of Voadera, a global e-commerce partner helping brands win on Amazon and other online marketplaces. He built the company from selling used books at 15 into a 150-person operation managing over 30,000 SKUs and driving $100M+ in sales. Through Voadera's Marketplace Accelerator, he helps brands fix broken listings, eliminate unauthorized sellers, and scale profitably with full-service marketplace execution. He is on a mission to help great products achieve the dominance they deserve online.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges of margin compression on Amazon and strategies for adaptation.Importance of operational efficiencies and cost savings for scaling e-commerce businesses.Tactics for reducing operating expenses, particularly in supply chain management.The significance of procurement strategies and direct sourcing from manufacturers.Shipping cost optimization through density and packaging strategies.Fulfillment strategies, including the use of FBA versus third-party logistics.Marketing efficiencies focused on organic ranking and conversion rate optimization.Increasing customer lifetime value (LTV) through various promotional strategies.The role of AI in enhancing operational capacity and workflow efficiency.Key performance indicators (KPIs) for tracking business metrics and ensuring team alignment.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley sits down with Jasim Eisa, founder and CEO of Voadera, to discuss scaling e-commerce businesses profitably on Amazon. Jasim shares how his team achieved nearly $820,000 in operational savings through supply chain optimization, smarter procurement, and shipping density improvements. The conversation also covers marketing efficiencies, coupon strategies to boost customer lifetime value, reimbursement recovery, and practical AI applications. Jasim emphasizes that as brands scale, small per-unit savings compound significantly, making operational efficiency as important as growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Stack Small Wins Relentlessly Audit every step of your operations and implement micro-improvements (e.g., packaging, shipping, processes). Small savings per unit compound into massive annual gains. Optimize for Profit, Not Just Growth Regularly review SKU-level profitability, Amazon fees, and inventory levels. Shift focus to efficiency as you scale—margin control is the new growth lever. Use Data to Drive Conversions & LTV Double down on high-converting keywords, continuously test PDPs and coupons, and implement strategies like Subscribe & Save and bundling to increase repeat purchases.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Cost-Saving InitiativeJasim discusses a major initiative to cut $1 million in operational expenses, focusing on supply chain efficiencies.00:00:24 Podcast Introduction & Guest BackgroundHost introduces the podcast, Jasim Eisa, and his experience scaling an e-commerce business to $100M+ in revenue.00:01:43 Managing Large-Scale Amazon OperationsDiscussion on managing 30,000 SKUs and the complexities of large-scale Amazon selling.00:02:07 Amazon's Evolving Marketplace & Margin CompressionExploring margin compression, Amazon's profit-maximizing changes, and how brands must adapt to new fee structures.00:04:26 When to Focus on Growth vs. Operational OptimizationAdvice for brands on prioritizing top-line growth versus operational cost optimization, depending on business maturity.00:07:30 Leverage in Cost Savings: High-Volume ProductsHow optimizing costs on high-volume SKUs yields significant savings, and the importance of leverage as brands scale.00:08:37 Operational Savings Strategies OverviewJasim outlines the philosophy of achieving savings through many small improvements rather than one big change.00:09:03 Procurement & Cost of Goods OptimizationTactics for reducing product costs by eliminating middlemen and running RFPs to manufacturers.00:10:40 Shipping & Supply Chain OptimizationStrategies for shipping cost reduction, including RFPs for freight, optimizing packaging density, and leveraging Amazon programs.00:13:43 Shipping & 3PL Strategy RecommendationsHigh-level recommendations for shipping from China and choosing between Amazon's logistics and 3PLs.00:15:17 Optimizing FBA Fees & Inventory ManagementBest practices for managing FBA storage, inbound placement fees, and maintaining optimal stock levels.00:17:01 Freight Forwarders vs. AGL RatesComparison of AGL and freight forwarder rates, and when to use each based on business size and shipment volume.00:17:53 Marketing Efficiency: Organic Ranking & ConversionHow aligning SEO, creative, and marketing teams to target high-converting keywords saves money and boosts organic ranking.00:21:39 AOV & LTV Strategies on AmazonIncreasing average order value and lifetime value through coupons, multi-basket analysis, and subscribe & save tactics.00:24:47 Stackable Coupons & Tactical PromotionsUsing stackable and visible coupons to increase conversions, with caveats for premium brands.00:26:02 Ships-in-Product-Packaging & ReimbursementsCost savings from shipping in product packaging and maximizing Amazon/Walmart reimbursements and recovery.00:28:39 KPIs & Data Tracking for Operational EfficiencyKey metrics tracked at leadership and departmental levels to ensure efficiency and profitability.00:30:59 Counter Metrics & Avoiding Operational PitfallsImportance of pairing KPIs (e.g., revenue vs. profit, in-stock rate vs. months on hand) to avoid unintended consequences.00:32:43 Team Structure & KPI ManagementHow leadership and teams use KPIs, Google Sheets, and the Traction framework to manage performance.00:34:33 AI in E-commerce OperationsCurrent state of AI in e-commerce, realistic expectations, and how AI is integrated into specific workflows.00:35:54 AI Use Cases: Creative, SEO, and Product DevelopmentExamples of AI increasing creative output, improving SEO, and aiding product development through contextual prompts.00:39:27 AI vs. Human Labor: Cost-Benefit AnalysisDiscussion on when AI automation is cost-effective versus when human or VA labor is preferable.00:41:08 Final Takeaways & Action ItemsThree actionable takeaways: focus on high-impact savings, optimize high-volume SKUs, and leverage AOV/LTV strategies on Amazon.00:44:04 Book, AI Tool, and Influencer RecommendationsJasim shares his most influential books, favorite AI tool use cases, and respected figures in the e-commerce space.00:46:08 Contact Information & Episode Wrap-UpHow to connect with Jasim Eisa and closing remarks from the host.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites  "Voadera": "00:01:43"  "AGL (Amazon Global Logistics)": "00:11:17"&nb...

Don’t miss this massive SMB partner shift! Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX: https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ In this pivotal episode, we sit down with Jose Gomez Cueto, Microsoft’s SMB leader for the Americas, to uncover the monumental shifts happening within the partner ecosystem and the $20 billion cloud opportunity currently on the table. The discussion dives deep into Microsoft’s commitment to the CSP channel, the explosion of AI agents, and why shifting from traditional headcount growth to outcome-based results is critical for survival. From navigating the complexities of the marketplace to the urgency of becoming “Customer Zero” with AI tools, this conversation provides the roadmap every MSP needs to thrive in the new era of technology. https://youtu.be/QE-1w7GeyPM Key Takeaways Microsoft operates a $20 billion cloud revenue business in the Americas alone, with 80% driven by the channel. The Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program is now Microsoft’s primary hero motion for the fourth region. The currency of SMB growth is shifting away from headcount and moving directly toward AI-driven outcomes. MSPs must transition from traditional IT outsourcing to strategic business process consulting to survive. Failing to proactively adopt and secure AI tools creates massive liability and shadow AI risks for organizations. IT providers are urged to become “Customer Zero” by deploying and testing Copilot and autonomous agents internally before selling them. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Key Tags CSP, Agent 365, SMB cloud revenue, outcome-based selling, Copilot for business, Defender for business, shadow AI risks, AI agent deployment, Purview data security, Marketplace API integration, autonomous agents, Customer Zero, Microsoft Americas segment Transcript Jose Gomez Cueto AUDIO PODCAST [00:00:00] Jose Gomez Cueto: And, and you know, if I might say something that is confidential, avid Vince, uh, to be quite honest, please, please, uh, by definition, a marketplace is eliminating intermediaries. [00:00:11] Vince Menzione: You can feel it happening. [00:00:13] Vince Menzione: The ecosystem is shifting beneath us. The way Hyperscalers are partnering, how AI is remaking the channel and what it means to win in 2026. [00:00:23] Vince Menzione: Welcome to the Ultimate Partner Podcast. I’m Vince Menzi, own your host. And each week I sit down with leaders at the intersection of technology, partnerships and outcomes. The voices shaping how ecosystems actually work. We talk about what’s real, what’s changing, and what it takes to lead in this era where the partner channel isn’t just part of the strategy. [00:00:45] Vince Menzione: It is the strategy because being in the room changes everything. Let’s start. [00:00:55] Vince Menzione: I am absolutely thrilled for our, our next guest. Um, some of you heard me talk about this maybe earlier or in various pockets of conversation. Um, I believe both the SMB market is an, is an incredible opportunity. We’ve called it the Acre of Diamonds at Ultimate Partner at previous events. And then the MSP community, which I want to thank so many of you to for coming, coming on board now. [00:01:25] Vince Menzione: ’cause we’ve had some MSPs that have come to all our events. And doubled, tripled, quadruple the sizes of their business. From what they’ve learned in these rooms. And so we invited our next guest to come. Oh, Jose, come on up. Jose Gomez Cuerto is the leader of Microsoft’s SMB business for the Americas. Come on. [00:01:43] Vince Menzione: Come on over. Come on over. Sit down with me. And I was so thrilled to get this gentleman to come join us. His team is doing incredible work. I got to meet some of his team actually earlier this year. And we know each other for many years ago. [00:01:56] Jose Gomez Cueto: We do. [00:01:56] Vince Menzione: When I was at Microsoft, right? Yeah. So, so great to see you again. [00:01:59] Jose Gomez Cueto: It’s a pleasure to be here. Uh, thanks for the invitation. I’m thrilled to be here. And thank you all for making time, uh, or traveling here. Uh, this is the best time. To be in the industry. [00:02:10] Vince Menzione: It’s an incredible time. [00:02:11] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah, [00:02:11] Vince Menzione: it’s an incredible time. So sit down. Yeah, sit down. Let’s, yeah. So let’s talk about you and your organization. [00:02:17] Vince Menzione: Um, let’s talk, well, I, I, I wanna bring this up because it was like, the noise I heard in the room when I was, I went to Interven earlier this year. Yeah. Is, does Microsoft Care about this market? And, um, I was at Microsoft many years, we worked together when I was a, a gm. And, uh, it was run differently back in the day. [00:02:37] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And there’s been a lot of changes to what we call the SME and C business now. Mm-hmm. Uh, and the SMB business, which you run. So let’s talk a little bit about your organization, where you sit in the organization, and then I want to kind of dive in a little bit about what’s changed. ’cause a lot has changed for the better. [00:02:54] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah, it’s a great question and I think that that’s what a lot of people think about, uh, SMB and, and who’s SMB and, and who’s at Microsoft and who do I talk to. So, [00:03:02] Vince Menzione: yes. [00:03:02] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, even though I know a lot of, uh, friendly faces in the room, I think it’s a great, uh, starting point. Vince, so. Basically, uh, I am responsible for what we call the small and medium business, uh, segment. [00:03:15] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, we can also call it small and medium enterprises. Uh, I would say that it is not a monolith. Uh, we do have, uh, subsegmentation, I think that our friend Jay was talking about up to 20 subsegmentation. Uh, we think about it for simplifi simplification purposes on three. Uh, so we have, uh, the smaller organizations, the medium-sized organizations. [00:03:36] Jose Gomez Cueto: And then what we call top point manage, which is basically large enterprise that we simply don’t have an account management team, uh, assigned to. And we are the happy recipients of many of those, uh, every year. Uh, so I would say that, uh, a best definition would be also anything that is unmanaged and is primarily driven through the channel. [00:03:54] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, we run in the Americas approximately more than $20 billion of revenue, uh, on cloud. Uh, that’s [00:04:01] Vince Menzione: crazy. [00:04:01] Jose Gomez Cueto: So, and 80% of that is done. Through companies that are here, [00:04:05] Vince Menzione: $20 billion of business. [00:04:07] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah. So, um, the, the Americas region that I’m, uh, representing and under my responsibility includes basically three sales units, the United States, Canada, and Latin America. [00:04:18] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yes. Latin America is more fragmented because we have multi-country and multi, uh, subsidiary, uh, structure. Just to recap a little bit of what you asked me rewinding on what has happened in the last two or three years. Yeah. We brought basically, uh, probably something that you might remember from you were there. [00:04:36] Jose Gomez Cueto: I, yes. Uh, which is bringing the segment, uh, with the channel together. So, uh, I think that, um, uh. Earlier in the morning, uh, Steven was, uh, talking about it, what we call S-M-U-N-C, which is, uh, this segment with the channel. And the main reason is to drive, uh, that synergy, uh, and making, uh, a very bold statement that many of you might remember in the last two years, uh, Judson and Ralph, uh, heter or, or new, uh, president for this, uh, fourth region. [00:05:05] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, ’cause we call it fourth region. Yeah. ’cause the other one is our enterprises. [00:05:08] Vince Menzione: Yeah. So Asia, Americas Exactly. And, and EMEA. Then you’re the fourth region. [00:05:13] Jose Gomez Cueto: We’re the fourth region. So, so, um, making CSP, uh, our hero motion, and that is fantastic news. I, I started, uh, part of my journey, uh, in, in the channel, uh, way earlier in distribution in the year 2000. [00:05:30] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:05:30] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, and fast forward, I would say 2011, we were launching the first commercial SaaS offering, which was Office 365. Um, I had the privilege to be, uh, leading the launch globally for that. Uh, but then we, the first thing we did was build a channel, and that was called syndication. And basically the precursor of that, uh, became CSP, basically putting, uh, the partner or customer in the middle, the partner around it for the, not only the, the opportunity, but also the responsibility to serve the customer. [00:06:04] Jose Gomez Cueto: 360 from, uh, presales all the way to, uh, uh. Upsell cross sell, and in between deployment, uh, things, uh, around, um, servicing, bundling offers, uh, troubleshooting and support, et cetera. So, uh, back to your question was, this is a very important thing because we’re basically, uh, making our channel the scale and, and the vision that we have is, is that we are gonna be continuing to scale through the channel. [00:06:33] Jose Gomez Cueto: So, um, one last thing I say, uh, in terms of the organization that I think is important for everyone to understand, and I’m gonna go a little bit into more org structure, is that we, we have these three sales units that are geographic. But, uh, what we’ve done this year is to have, uh, more depth on the solution area. [00:06:50] Jose Gomez Cueto: So you might remember that, uh, we’ve simplified them, uh, same as we used to have 8, 13, 13 areas. Now we have only three Oh yeah, same, same, uh, in the solution area. So we have, uh, the AI business solutions. Uh, cloud and AI platforms. And then, uh, security and my team basically mirrors that structure. And we have, uh, team members, uh, primarily, um, our partner, solutions specialists that are, their job is to work with companies like you. [00:07:17] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, some few we do, uh, direct in others. What we do is work with, uh, our top distributors, and I think we have, uh, in the room many of those. I think Google is gonna follow up, uh, for PAX eight, and that’s, uh, how we’re going to market now. [00:07:31] Vince Menzione: So just a little bit of context too for me. ’cause I, I, I had heard this at another event. [00:07:36] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And I just wanted to share this. Um, when I was at Microsoft, we, we did not put the right emphasis and energy and resources in the s and b market when I was there, or, or it was fragmented. Every group did it differently. You remember those days too, right? Well, with public sector, we didn’t necessarily have a team focused, and every business did it a little bit differently. [00:08:00] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. And I think one of the contexts you, you mentioned Ralph and being in Ralph’s organization. Yeah. Pulling that all together and creating the fourth region created a lot of focus that didn’t exist. And consistency in terms of execution. I think that’s what you’re talking about here. Right? And then also the fact that like, we didn’t, I don’t think we had a sep, an SMB leader back in, back in the day. [00:08:22] Vince Menzione: Like we didn’t have somebody that we can go to to think about the MSP community the way we do today. Mm-hmm. Right. We were just, they were just almost like unmanaged entities out there. Yeah. Was that, would you, would you agree with that? [00:08:32] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah, I, we went through several iterations that, uh, you might argue, uh, were painful or not. [00:08:38] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, ultimately what we’re committed is to simplify the partner experience. And make that the same for the customers. But what we have is now one center of gravity, uh, a global SMB organization. We have three area leaders. And uh, and that helps us, uh, to be quite honest and in confidence. And you and I talked about it, Jose, this is a forum for, uh. [00:08:58] Jose Gomez Cueto: Speaking the truth. Uh, we, we, we have to fight the gravitational force of the managed space. The company has a big enterprise footprint, so, uh, many of us have become, uh, the chief agitators, uh, to fight the good fight, uh, for SMB. Uh, try to under unpack, uh, in every single conversation with senior Execut. [00:09:17] Jose Gomez Cueto: What is an MSP? And no, it’s not data consulting or one of the large, uh, global design. Uh, and then we explain what they do and then what is a two tier channel, how do distributors work? And, uh, and what about this and what about that? So I think that that has been, uh, a great, uh, progress and a lot of that can be reflected, uh, into how we’re, hopefully everyone in the room is seeing it in how we’re going to market. [00:09:40] Jose Gomez Cueto: I’ll give you two examples. [00:09:41] Guest: Yes. [00:09:42] Jose Gomez Cueto: Um, for, for quite some time. We, we have very limited, uh. Product truth. That’s what the lingo that we use internally, uh, related to offer that were targeted to SMB. And I would say that, uh, business premium, uh, for M 365, uh, was the fact to offer. But now we’ve been able to in, uh, increase, uh, the not so not only commitment, uh, but also the investment that we’re doing as a company into launching offers. [00:10:08] Jose Gomez Cueto: So we have a co compiler for business that is. At a lower price point that has, uh, the same capabilities at the enterprise, uh, that we’re, uh, doing that we also have some security, uh, offers, uh, that are now unattached to business premium, which is our hero motion for sub 300 space. So you start to see, uh, an important trend and it’s great to have jobson at a CEO, uh, of the commercial business capacity because, uh, we’re making things happen. [00:10:34] Jose Gomez Cueto: So what I would say is that I love coming here to these forums. A lot of my team members are here. We’re here to learn. We’re the learner. All we, we, we don’t know much. We need to learn more. Uh, and, and just keeping us honest in terms of bringing that, uh, ethos of, of the customer that most of you are serving and, and, and things that we can improve to get better to deliver value. [00:10:58] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And the speed at which you’re moving has been pretty fast. It’s been very nimble. Like I, I, I’ve been watching this progression. It’s really like you, you’re really leaning in. I was actually hoping because I could ask you a bunch of questions. Yeah. But we have such a great audience and for the first time we really have opened it up to a lot of MSPs in the room. [00:11:18] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And I know you, you wanna get some interaction with some of these folks as well. I thought maybe we would open if you’re okay with this. Yeah, absolutely. I’d rather than I go off script a little bit. I’d rather open it up to some of the MSPs in the room. We’re sitting here eager to learn how and, and what Microsoft is going to do to help. [00:11:35] Vince Menzione: Because I think the opportunity, I personally think the opportunity is huge right [00:11:38] Jose Gomez Cueto: now. Yeah. Let’s do that and well, we get, uh, warmed up. I would say that. [00:11:43] Vince Menzione: So we need some mics. Yeah. [00:11:43] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, something that I’m, that I’m seeing, uh, Vince, and, and, and a question that many of you might have is why now? And, and why this an, an exciting, an exciting time. [00:11:54] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:11:54] Jose Gomez Cueto: Um, and I would say that, uh. Right now we’re seeing, obviously Jay talked about it and, and the big transformation, but it’s a once in a generation or one in a lifetime. Yeah. Uh, shift of the entire platform. Uh, and, and a lot of the scenarios are even maybe scary, but what we see is huge opportunity. And from an SMB perspective, uh, the biggest thing that excites me is moving from, um, something that was. [00:12:23] Jose Gomez Cueto: More related to size, and now we’re moving to outcomes. So, so think about the future of SMBs, uh, with agents and things being measured on outcomes. And, and what this leads to is, uh, Jay talked about it as well, and sorry Jay, it’s such a good job that I keep quoting you. Um, we do that a lot. Uh. You got it. [00:12:49] Jose Gomez Cueto: So you talked about, uh, I noticed that Bill Gates when he said, you know, uh, uh, a pc, uh, in every desk and what we see is every human empowered with agents. Yeah. Especially in work. And what does that mean, that the currency changes being, because what you’re gonna be able to, to envision. Not in the, in the, in the near future, but now is an agentic explosion where then, uh, the currency is outcomes? [00:13:14] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yes. So if you think of an SMB growing, it’s not growing on, on, on full-time employees or headcount. It’s growing on the ability to do more through agents. So, so I think that’s an important thing and, and that’s something that we’re working very closely with our all, all our channel and the offerings that we’re launching to market as well. [00:13:32] Vince Menzione: I also think about the MSPs as being perfectly positioned because what you described, the new, the new model, the future customer and the outcomes is gonna require hands on the steering wheel at all times. [00:13:44] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yes. Yeah. So on that one, and still waiting for some, uh. Someone that is not shy to ask questions, but we’ll, we’ll keep going in the meantime. [00:13:52] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, I, I think that, uh, we are learning, all the [00:13:55] Vince Menzione: MSPs are lined up over here. I’m marching them all. [00:13:57] Jose Gomez Cueto: We, and, and I almost know by name all everyone in the first two rows. Yes. Uh, so, so, uh, I might pick on them. Uh, they’re too shy, but, but we’re learning together. Uh, Vince, uh, the important thing is, is the transformation, uh, and the opportunity, but also the risk of, uh, not acting. [00:14:17] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, what we were seeing, uh, for the first, uh, year or two was kicking tires, people testing, uh, ai. And now what we’ve seen is basically, uh, a full adoption. Uh, of the agentic technology, not even adoption of the tools, but embracing the technology. So I, I want to give you, uh, two specific, uh, examples or data points we have, uh, just in the Americas, more than almost 9 million, uh, people using copilot chat. [00:14:49] Vince Menzione: Wow, that’s amazing. [00:14:50] Jose Gomez Cueto: So imagine, uh, the, the potential that is there for people that are actively using the tool. Yeah. Uh, to en enable new scenarios of doing things. Uh, another example, and I think I have, uh, someone in my team here, is Amber in the room. Amber Kinney? No, she left. Okay. So Amber runs, uh, cloud and ai, uh, uh, or Azure platform. [00:15:12] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, her team has deployed, uh, more than, uh, 11 agents internally for our partner solution specialist, uh, from. Simple agents that will, uh, tell is if a specific deal is eligible for a pre-sales or post-sales program. And comparing all the complexity of our programs, oh my [00:15:29] Vince Menzione: goodness. [00:15:30] Jose Gomez Cueto: All the way to, to, to managing a pipe more effectively of opportunities. [00:15:34] Jose Gomez Cueto: So what we’re seeing is real. This is not something that people are just kicking the tires. It’s like this is the opportunity. So back to, to the point of m ms. P uh, is, is about learning together on how to transition. To, uh, a model that is gonna be based on outcomes. And, and we were discussing, uh, I was with some of our distributors, uh, many of them in the last two months in, in a specific partner advisory, uh, councils and, and some people were just sharing their experiences. [00:16:04] Jose Gomez Cueto: Oh, I decided to charge X amount for an agent. And how do you come up with that number? I don’t know. We’re just testing. Okay. And what about their current revenue? Uh, and, but what about the tokens? What if, uh, the agents start to consume and they’re gonna do the metering? So, so I think that we’re learning together in this space. [00:16:22] Jose Gomez Cueto: Um, but what it is important is just to think about the important, the, the, the critical role that the MSPs are gonna have in leading. And the biggest challenge that we’re seeing and, and we see it over and over and over is, uh, the part about scaling. [00:16:38] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:16:39] Jose Gomez Cueto: The skilling is not, uh, about learning how to use the copilot tool or to do, uh, some, uh, you know, tuning and that, because thankfully our, at least our, our technology as a platform, uh, pretty much carries the same, uh, security, uh, and compliance configurations that you have in your Microsoft 365 tenant. [00:17:00] Jose Gomez Cueto: But it is more the, the, the skilling about understanding how to do. Customer outcome conversation. What is your AI strategy? What [00:17:08] Vince Menzione: that’s scaling? Yes. [00:17:09] Jose Gomez Cueto: What really matters? Not [00:17:10] Vince Menzione: the technical skill. It’s, it’s really the approach that they’re taking. [00:17:14] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah. [00:17:14] Vince Menzione: With the organization. I, it seems that MSPs for many years were down in the weeds. [00:17:20] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah. [00:17:20] Vince Menzione: They were turning the, the wrench, so to speak, in the organization, and yet now it seems like this. Kevin Piker, your old boss used to use this term. The, the CIO. The CEO is the new CIO. In other words, you need to be selling upstream. You need, you need to be having the conversations in the organization that are strategic [00:17:40] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah. [00:17:40] Vince Menzione: To that organization. [00:17:41] Jose Gomez Cueto: So, two, two twofold on, on that, uh, point, which is very important. One is, uh, not our, a lot of our MSPs are equipped right now. [00:17:49] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:17:49] Jose Gomez Cueto: To have a, a conversation about business strategy. Because traditionally has been more outsource it. [00:17:56] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:17:56] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, we started with, you know, managing the networks, then adding services, support tickets, et cetera. [00:18:03] Jose Gomez Cueto: So being able to have that conversation is important. Uh, we, we see through a lot of our tooling that, uh, the shadow AI is everywhere. And what I always tell in any MSP conversation that I have is risk security. You’re on the hook if something happens. That’s right. So if you’re not acting. Uh, then it is a liability. [00:18:22] Vince Menzione: You’re letting things take off in your own organization. Yeah. People are using [00:18:25] Jose Gomez Cueto: philanthropic on their own. The company can go, uh, bankrupt or get sued or get, uh, if they’re in a regulated industry, they can be taken out, et cetera. So, so that’s an important point, uh, related to, to that transformation. Uh, and, and the other part of the skilling that you mentioned that is super important is being in the weeds. [00:18:45] Jose Gomez Cueto: That is where the innovation is happening. Yeah. The later research that we have is being in the front line because it’s all about, uh, reinventing those processes. So I think that it’s a, it’s a good combination that if we have the MSPs, um, and we’re working, uh, not only internally but with our distributors to develop the right skilling around those other type of, uh, consulting skills. [00:19:07] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, data skills, uh, business process, uh, redesign and flows. Uh, that is where, where we see the big opportunity. [00:19:14] Vince Menzione: So it’s balancing out the technical skills with the business process skills, the consulting skills. Yeah, exactly. I think we have a question over here. Yeah. [00:19:22] Guest: Good afternoon, Vince. Good. Sorry. Thanks for the great content. [00:19:26] Guest: The question is around small medium businesses and the cost around cybersecurity. So. Basically, as new tools are coming up that are AI based, such as co-pilot for security, defender for AI, are also consumption based, is there a risk that SMEs will be left out under that cybersecurity poverty line? [00:19:52] Jose Gomez Cueto: I don’t think, uh, it is, uh, a risk to being left out, uh, in the country that the, the SMBs, I would say are more help is needed. And, and the way we think about it from a perspective of, of ai and specifically I’m want to talk about agents, uh, it was mentioned by Steven in, uh, in the morning, and I’m gonna talk a little bit high level and then I’m gonna try to bring it down to, to more tangible is this concept of intelligent and trust. [00:20:19] Jose Gomez Cueto: So on the intelligence, what, what we’re, what we’re trying to say here is that your AI is not just generic stuff that you just prompt and you get like anything that is on the web, but there’s contextual. Data, and, and that’s what we do, uh, with what you might be familiar with, which is the iq. Uh, so we have, um, iq, uh, also in Foundry and on our different data products. [00:20:40] Jose Gomez Cueto: So basically bringing the context of your work, of your contacts, of the people you interact, uh, of the meetings of, of the emails, of the SharePoint files, but also important connectors that are in line of business applications that you can bring to copilot. And then. That intelligence, uh, is relevant and that that basically increases innovation. [00:21:01] Jose Gomez Cueto: And the part about trust, uh, uh, not exactly in cybersecurity, but, but related is basically, uh, agent 365. Uh, can I see, show of hands, who’s aware of Agent 365? Maybe like [00:21:14] Vince Menzione: in the front two rows, [00:21:15] Jose Gomez Cueto: 20%? Yeah. So, um, that is basically, uh, an, an amazing opportunity for our MSP channel because it gives you opportunity to. [00:21:25] Jose Gomez Cueto: Basically observe, uh, govern and apply security to the, the agent activity that is happening. So we think in the context of ai, I think that that’s a, a, a super important, uh, aspect to mitigate any risk of, of what can happen if there’s not, uh, the right, uh, posture. Uh, and then, uh, on, on, on the other part of security, I would say that something, I mentioned something about offers. [00:21:51] Jose Gomez Cueto: We brought the capabilities of the enterprise, uh, SKUs and solutions into these add-ons to N 365. So I would say that with, uh, defender for business, uh, plan two, and sorry to go into the SKU language, uh, it, it is important to, to understand that you have those advanced capabilities. And then another one that we’re pushing, uh, hard and, and is had great receptionist, um, uh, purview, uh, and purview. [00:22:15] Jose Gomez Cueto: What allows you is just to really do everything related to data. Data security policies of what data should be prompted by the model, what information to stay or, or, or not stay. Uh, and I think that’s, that’s also a good opportunity that we’re seeing to bring those, uh, advanced capabilities into the SMBs. [00:22:33] Jose Gomez Cueto: The challenge that we have is how do we get them faster, uh, to everyone, especially when there’s, uh, you know, competing, uh, so solutions around it. [00:22:44] Vince Menzione: We have one more question, and I think we’re probably gonna have to break after that. I know we’re over time already and you’ve got a busy rest of your day. I got, well, we got one back there and we’ve got a mic up here, so, so we have two questions. [00:22:57] Vince Menzione: Yeah. We’ll do Tim first and then we’ll get the [00:22:59] Vince Menzione: mic up. I’ll go for the first 30 minutes and we’ll go from there. Yes. Long time listener. Great to see you again. Jose. Um, business premium, we did E seven. We talked about getting a voice from the MSP space. To build out a business premium, like additional offering. [00:23:13] Vince Menzione: Is there any context to that you have any vision in your crystal ball for October? [00:23:17] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, I cannot say or, or deny. Uh, but yeah, I think that what, what you I love it in, in all seriousness team. Uh, thanks for the question. Uh, I think that what you should expect is, uh, I call it product truth, uh, more, uh, SMB built purpose built for solutions. [00:23:35] Jose Gomez Cueto: So an equivalent of, of any seven as well. Yeah. [00:23:40] Vince Menzione: You still have, we have another question in the back? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. [00:23:43] Guest: Yeah. Uh, Jeremy here with Integral, um, there’s this kind of idea going around that while CSP has been very successful for many of us as MSPs and, and since the beginning, it’s been a great program that was focused on s and b and it’s come up now. [00:23:57] Guest: There’s this kind of shift saying, and CSPs and you think about being marketplace companies where CSP is, the plumbing and marketplace is, is the lead. If that is true, or maybe you comment on that, that idea. How does marketplace strategy playing into kind of, I guess I’m plugging serials piece now from behind, but how does marketplace strategy then play into the s and b market if CSPs are focused on that marketplace mechanism? [00:24:21] Guest: Where CSPs now are and the, and the modern work and all the things that we’ve been doing really well for a long time become, maybe plumbing is too far down the stack, but really marketplace being a focus, is that a strategy piece that we should be thinking about for CS p strategy overall? [00:24:36] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah, it’s a great question and I’ll try to keep it brief. [00:24:39] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, I think you need my v The vision that we have is we’re doing both. Uh, we’re empowering, uh, and customers to find what they need. Uh, in the marketplace. Uh, zero talked about also the opportunity for resellers to get enrolled and start to add services and other things. There’s also, another part of the is, is multifacet, uh, to work with ISVs to make it easier and recruit them to bring the right offers. [00:25:03] Jose Gomez Cueto: For SMBI would say that the feedback that we need is to make sure that the right SA ISVs are the ones that serving SMV are represented. Then from another front, I would accept that yes, we have some, uh, plumbing work to do because right now, uh, some part of the billing is not really that nimble for a two tier model if you’re working through a distributor. [00:25:23] Jose Gomez Cueto: So we made some great progress. Uh, we, we, uh, have, uh, announced something and Ignite, if you missed it, I think we might talk about it, uh, soon. Uh, but we have that, that connection via APIs with, uh, the four largest, uh, global distributors. So we’re making progress towards something that will be seamless. Uh, but I think that the biggest opportunity that we have is, is to crack the code, uh, for marketplace. [00:25:46] Jose Gomez Cueto: And, and, you know, if I might say something that is confidential, avid Vince, uh, to be quite honest, please, uh, by definition a marketplace is eliminating intermediaries. So that’s the dilemma. How do you bring the channel in between to help you expand, [00:26:02] Vince Menzione: right? [00:26:03] Jose Gomez Cueto: That that is really the, the, the, the, the holy grail, if I may use those words. [00:26:07] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, but that’s something that, that we’re working towards. And I think, uh, we have a great opportunity ahead and, and you should expect, uh, more announcements as we head into the summer events on how we’re gonna make that more seamless. [00:26:19] Vince Menzione: And REO really lit up the channel Yeah. In, in a big way. ’cause that a hundred percent, that was a blocker before. [00:26:24] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah. [00:26:24] Vince Menzione: Yeah. But CSP is also an incredible opportunity if it, you know, I know, I know there’s other sessions and conversations around it. And it does feel, and I’ve heard this before, like I wanna buy from my MSP because they’re the ones I trust. [00:26:37] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yes. [00:26:37] Vince Menzione: But yet I go, I have to go around the system in order to transact my Microsoft licenses. [00:26:43] Vince Menzione: Right. Yeah. And that’s, [00:26:45] Jose Gomez Cueto: I think the scenario getting the gentleman was mentioning is related to marketplace. But yeah. Vince, uh, uh, I just wanted to perhaps close, uh, please. Because I think we’re outta time, right? Yeah, we [00:26:54] Vince Menzione: are. [00:26:54] Jose Gomez Cueto: Yeah. Uh, just in terms of what to expect, uh, we are continuing to be, uh, partner centric. [00:27:01] Jose Gomez Cueto: You should expect as we go into the next fiscal year, uh, more refinement into the customer subsegmentation, we have this concept of above 300 and below 300, uh, working even closer with our distributors to help us scale and amplify the efforts that we do around recruitment, scaling, go to market, uh, co-sell, et cetera. [00:27:22] Jose Gomez Cueto: Uh, and then, uh, obviously expect, uh, we, we, a call to action that I have for everyone is become customer zero. Vince, I’m gonna put you on the spot here. How many agents did you use today? [00:27:37] Vince Menzione: None. [00:27:37] Jose Gomez Cueto: Okay. [00:27:38] Vince Menzione: I, I’ve been in the room leading the room today, [00:27:41] Jose Gomez Cueto: even with more reason. [00:27:42] Vince Menzione: No, I, in, I need to do [00:27:43] Jose Gomez Cueto: more. Put your autonomous agents. [00:27:44] Vince Menzione: I do. [00:27:45] Jose Gomez Cueto: I’m not kidding you and I didn’t, I need to be [00:27:47] Vince Menzione: more of [00:27:47] Jose Gomez Cueto: a frontier for myself. The answer I get usually is like one hand raiser, by the way. Uh, but, but, uh, jokes aside, uh, I think. Becoming customer zero is critical. We cannot be deploying and selling what we’re not using. Uh, we have, uh, great tooling for low-code scenarios, uh, in, in, in, now, I don’t wanna say like in a few months now we have no one, uh, people that have zero knowledge and coding already developing and deploying agents into a secure environment. [00:28:19] Jose Gomez Cueto: It is happening. [00:28:20] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:28:20] Jose Gomez Cueto: So, uh, then, uh. Copilot. It is not a competitor charge, GVP or cloud. It is a platform we have both included. [00:28:29] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:28:29] Jose Gomez Cueto: Do we have multimodal, we have iq. That is everything, uh, closed in terms of, uh, your intelligence. It is secure by default. Uh, and then allowing you to, to do, um, agents and then agents 365 to manage it. [00:28:41] Jose Gomez Cueto: So basically those three stages, customer zero. Uh, copilot agents and Agents 365 as your tool to, to manage them [00:28:50] Vince Menzione: and don’t go rogue and start doing your own things with anthropic and setting up your own instances because you’re gonna compromise your, your instance in your environment. [00:28:59] Jose Gomez Cueto: Well, actually, uh, if you do it in the copilot interface [00:29:02] Vince Menzione: Oh, well, I’m saying do it. [00:29:03] Vince Menzione: Yeah. I’m, I’m at RO going off, off, off, uh, [00:29:06] Jose Gomez Cueto: off. Yeah. Yeah, [00:29:07] Vince Menzione: yeah. Great. Well, thank you, sir. Appreciate you. Thank you. Thanks for listening to the Ultimate Partner Podcast. If today’s conversation resonated, share it with a partner leader in your network. Subscribe where you listen, and head over to the Ultimate partner.com for show notes related content and the resources for this episode. [00:29:29] Vince Menzione: And if you haven’t already, now’s the time to register for the Ultimate Partner Live event in Reston, Virginia, October 26th through October 28th. Until next time. Keep showing up in the rooms that matter because being in the room changes everything.

On a recent edition of the “At Your Convenience” podcast, experts discuss how THC beverages are proving to be a strong performer in convenience stores, with GPM Investments doubling sales after adding dedicated coolers in April. Shane Mabry of GPM, which operates 1,100+ stores across 27 states, says the retailer started cautiously in three states two years ago before expanding to 210 stores with 42 SKUs.Koby Licciardo of Nowadays notes that c-stores drive critical trial through cold singles, leading to repeat purchases. The consumer base is surprisingly diverse across age and gender, defying initial expectations. Even premium 750ml bottles at $55 are selling well, signaling category maturity as brands and retailers refine merchandising strategies, he says.

Sixty-four percent of what Alexa recommends to shoppers is sitting outside the organic top ten. Not page two, not rank eleven. Nearly 41% of those picks are outside the visible results entirely. Neil Twa dives into a Marketplace Pulse article that reveals a startling shift in Amazon's landscape. In a study of nearly two thousand non-branded queries, Alexa's AI is bypassing traditional FBA ranks. Neil shares a real pattern from his portfolio, highlighting a home goods brand with solid products and good reviews that still gets overlooked. He breaks down three actionable moves to audit your top five SKUs for intent language, not just keyword density. If you're spending big on Amazon Ads and still getting bypassed by Alexa's recommendations, this episode is a must-listen. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep332 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep332&learn_mcp=1

Stop losing revenue after the click! Get your free conversion audit at https://www.tiereleven.com/cro/service Are you optimizing your ads but ignoring what happens after the click? Most brands obsess over traffic acquisition while leaving massive revenue opportunities hidden inside their websites, forms, and customer journeys.In this third episode of our CRO series with Ned MacPherson, head of CRO at Tier 11, we get into why CRO is really revenue optimization and why copying a competitor's "pretty" site is a dangerous shortcut. Ned introduces the AI feature we built that scours the web every couple of hours to show high-end shoppers exactly how the price compares to the market, without them having to leave the page.We also get into something wilder: an AI agent that runs live pricing experiments across thousands of SKUs on its own. We talk about generative engine optimization (GEO) and how to structure your site so LLMs like Claude and ChatGPT actually recommend your website. In this episode:- Why conversion rate optimization is really revenue optimization- How data-driven CRO beats design-based assumptions- Optimizing landing pages, PDPs, forms, and post-click experiences- How lead generation forms create massive conversion leaks- The role of AI agents in the future of CRO strategy- Why generative engine optimization (GEO) matters for future visibility- Improving e-commerce performance with AI-powered pricing experimentsMentioned in the Episode: Previous Episodes With Ned MacPherson: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-796-stop-redesigning-start-diagnosing-the-cro-method-that-actually-works/https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-797-what-a-live-cro-audit-reveals-that-your-design-agency-never-shows-you/ Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel:Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1We Appreciate Your Support!Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode:https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/

Sometimes data can be overwhelming. Being able to transform that data into actionable information can deliver high ROI. Jesse Lange, Managing Director of Lange Estate Winery, and Mark Evans, President of Triumph Advisors, discuss how Enolytics helps them make strategic decisions through actionable information in every part of their businesses, from DTC and wholesale into operational planning. Thanks to Enolytics for sponsoring this episode. Detailed Show Notes: Jesse's background: 2nd generation winegrower in Willamette Valley, focus on winemaking and grape growingMark's background: helped build Jackson Family's fine wine division, ran wineries for ~20 years, now fractional CEO for 2 wineries (higher end, DTC focus)Often there's too much data (facts) and not enough information (which is actionable)Gut instinct not always the best tool, having data is criticalEnolytics having both DTC and wholesale data can be used for production planning, revenue projections, planning market trips, seeing which varietals/SKUs doing well in each regionThe data enables building 10 year revenue projections by channel at the driver level (e-commerce, hospitality, membership, wholesale)Key metrics to look at: membership retention rate, customer lifetime value by acquisition source, purchase velocityDrilling down on wholesale data allows targeting the right marketsMark requires clients to use Enolytics (or another data platform) to partner with themEnolytics helps move from reactive to proactive, e.g. - Mark often converts tasting room staff from part-time to full-time and has them implement outreach programs to at-risk members determined by Enolytics in their downtimeCan be used like a CRM tool, even where Salesforce was unsuccessfulCan see some impact of critic scores through the data, but influence has been waning since ~2005, younger generations not really looking at scoresOne key insight is understanding member referral, correlating customer acquisition data to new club membersEnolytics is high ROI: can often do 2-3 programs that deliver $5-10k/each that micro-targets people and doesn't overwhelm the customer baseAdvice for other wineries: looking at peer wineries is critical, need to train people on the data tools, and ensuring the data mapping from e-commerce to Enolytics is accurate is essential Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quick question: Are you pricing your FBA holiday orders for 2026 fees yet? Most operators aren't, and Amazon won't remind you until it's too late. Neil Twa dives into a Retail Dive piece revealing Amazon's new fulfillment fees for the 2026 holiday season, urging sellers to ship inventory early. With 20+ years of experience, Neil shares a real-life example from a home goods brand in his portfolio that sees a massive revenue spike during Q4. He outlines three critical moves to make now, not in September: pull your Q4 fee baseline today, run the FBA revenue calculator on your top holiday SKUs, and prepare for fee changes. If this resonates, especially the fee change issue, it's the exact problem Caiman Data was built to solve. Most sellers miss these details until it's too late. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep327 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep327&learn_mcp=1

Are you leaving money on the table by ignoring AI personalization in your Amazon brand? Neil Twa dives into the missed opportunities most operators face by not using customer behavior signals. While ad spend continues to rise, conversion rates remain stagnant. Neil breaks down a real case from one of his portfolio brands in the home goods category, where traffic and conversion were decent, but repeat purchases lagged. Discover how AI personalization can transform your brand's performance by utilizing data you already have. Neil shares three actionable moves you can implement this week, regardless of your current level. Open your Brand Analytics Search Query Performance report, filter by top SKUs, and identify search terms driving impressions but not conversions. The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast is here to help sellers at every level maximize their potential. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep326 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep326&learn_mcp=1

In this episode, Adam Martel talks about stepping up from legacy processes, embracing PartsEdge automation, and what it's like to turn the chaos of managing 50,000+ SKUs into a streamlined, growth-focused operation. From running smarter online sales to preparing for industry shifts like mandatory video MPIs, Adam shares gritty, optimistic insights on staying competitive and turning inventory faster.We dig into the real-world challenges parts managers face: drowning in outdated DMS setups, legacy sources nobody even remembers, and lacking tools to break out of silos. If you've ever felt like inventory is a guessing game, this one's for you.--------------------------------------------This show is powered by PartsEdge: Your go-to solution for transforming dealership parts inventory into a powerhouse of profitability. Our strategies are proven to amp up parts sales by a whopping 20%, all while cutting down on idle inventory. If you're looking to optimize your parts management, visit

Most automation projects stall long before the first robot moves. Not because the technology isn't ready, but because buying feels like a maze: vague budgets, endless “it depends” quotes, and months of back-and-forth just to learn what something costs. We sit down with Wes from FANUC to talk about a different path for manufacturers, especially in food and beverage packaging: standard, scalable robotic solutions you can pilot quickly and then replicate across lines or plants.We dig into what “automation made simple” looks like on the ground, including FANUC's CRX cobots and the growing partner ecosystem behind ready-to-deploy applications like cobot palletizers. We talk about why transparent pricing and show-floor demos can lower the barrier to trying automation, how lead times improve when systems are standardized, and why some suppliers can even support trial periods or quick evaluations before you fully commit.If you're newer to robotics automation, we share a practical way to approach evaluation: define your SKUs, speeds, payloads, and KPIs before you get distracted by a shiny demo. We also get real about what drives success after install: operator-friendly HMIs, changeover flexibility, safety and risk assessment choices like area scanners, and the small day-to-day tweaks that keep a system running for years.If this helps you think more clearly about your next automation decision, subscribe, share the episode with a teammate, and leave a quick review so more manufacturers can find it.Support the show_________________________________________________________________

I have been trying to get Grace Beverley on this podcast for eight years. Eight! Grace, if you didn't already know, is the founder of TALA, and in this conversation she is more honest than most founders in her position tend to be about how it actually happened. The decisions, the mistakes, the things that nearly went wrong. I learned things in this episode that I genuinely wasn't expecting, and I've been in this industry for over two decades. We talk hero SKUs, the newness trap, what burnout actually looked like for her, a coat launch that made a million pounds in a single day, and why she was so deliberate from the very beginning about building a brand that didn't revolve around her. If you own a fashion brand at any stage, this one's worth your full attention. What we cover: 00:00 — Why Grace is my most-requested guest (and why it took eight years to make it happen) 04:04 — How TALA has evolved — and what "activewear" actually means for them now 09:36 — Why Grace calls newness a drug, and how chasing it nearly derailed the business 13:51 — What I'd tell a bedroom brand owner who's getting inconsistent sales 17:23 — The hero SKU argument: one product, 50% of your revenue — and why even a multi-billion pound brand still works this way 20:42 — Why Grace made sure TALA was never built to depend on her 26:22 — When stepping back helps, and when it makes things worse 29:36 — Burnout: what it looked like, and the advice she ignored for too long 32:21 — What it's really like to build in public as a female founder 35:56 — The full story of the million-pound Storm Puffer launch 43:10 — Opening physical stores at Carnaby and Westfield and why every location had to stack up commercially 47:20 — Why the most useful mentor isn't who you think Please visit my website to get more information: https://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/

Dr. Angela Casey spent nearly 15 years treating skin cancer before she had her business idea. She didn't come from entrepreneurship - she came from molecular biology, medical school, residency, and a clinical practice. When the idea hit her, it was so obvious she couldn't believe nobody had done it properly. She searched every major retailer - Ulta, Sephora, Target, Walmart, Macy's - and found nothing worth recommending to her own three daughters. A Macy's assistant tried to sell her 12-year-old an anti-aging eye cream. Bright Girl was the answer to that gap, and it cost her $350,000 and three years to bring it to life. In this episode, Angela gets completely honest about what it takes to launch a product the right way from scratch - the hundreds of surveys, the thousands of patient conversations, the Covid shipping crisis that sent her costs up six times overnight, and what nearly $120,000 in packaging sitting in a warehouse actually feels like when you're still flying the plane as you build it. What you'll learn in this interview: How Angela validated Bright Girl before spending a cent - surveying hundreds of people on SurveyMonkey, questioning thousands of patients over two years, and physically visiting every major beauty retailer to confirm the gap was real Why she interviewed dozens of cosmetic chemist teams around the world before finding the right fit - and how three years of clinical research meant she only needed three rounds of formula revisions The real cost of a custom, premium launch: $50K for the first filled run, $120K when you include the 36,000 empty bottles in reserve, and $350K all in when you add branding and design What it felt like to order 40,000 bottles and jars across four SKUs in 2020 - just as Covid hit and shipping costs multiplied by six Why she spent the first year of DTC sales proving market fit before ever approaching dermatology practices as a distribution channel - and why that sequencing mattered The exact moment she knew the product had real credibility: when other dermatologists - notoriously skeptical of new skincare brands - started recommending Bright Girl not just to patients but for their own children How selling through dermatology practices built the trust that made mass retail possible - and the retailers Bright Girl is now stocked in Why Amazon, launched just over a year ago, is now growing at 10-20% month over month - and how TikTok Shop became an unpredictable but consistent additional channel The email marketing lesson from her Founder mentor that unlocked 15-20% of website revenue from a channel she had barely touched What two full-time jobs actually looks like - five days a week in clinical practice, seven days a week on Bright Girl - and the non-negotiable routines that hold it together If you're early in your journey and wondering whether your idea is good enough to back with serious money and serious time - Angela's story is a masterclass in what deep validation actually looks like before you commit. She still wants more. She's her own harshest critic. But $40K a month on a brand she built from scratch with zero business experience, while running a full medical practice, is not nothing. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH BY DR ANGELA CASEY Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/brightgirlbeauty/ Angela's Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/angelacaseymd/ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brightgirl.com/ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

When Walmart builds a global flywheel like Amazon's, and you're only selling on one platform, you're at risk. Neil Twa dives into why ignoring Walmart's structural shift is a mistake for ecommerce operators. He shares the story of David, who was doing $30,000 a month on Amazon with six SKUs, and how expanding to Walmart changed his business. Neil outlines three critical moves to prepare your catalog for Walmart, emphasizing immediate action. This episode is a must-listen for sellers at every level who want to stay competitive in a multi-platform world. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep317 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep317&learn_mcp=1

Have an idea or tip? Send us a text!Your customer starts a photo order on their phone, asks a question in store, pays at the counter, and expects everything to “just work.” Most retailers cannot deliver that simple experience because their POS, e-commerce site, kiosk, and lab workflow are stitched together from different systems, each with its own SKUs, pricing, and payment records. Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Pat Hugron, Vice President of Operations and R&D at Dakis, to unpack how unified commerce for photo retailers is meant to fix the daily grind of reconciliation, duplicate inventory, and channel confusion.We trace Dakis's long path from early product recommendation tech to building tools for camera stores, photo labs, and specialty retailers who need a single platform. Hugron shares what has changed in production over the years, why outsourcing the long tail of photo gifts can be healthier than trying to make everything in-house, and why “seamless” matters as much to the lab as it does to the customer. We also dig into the return of film, why the resurgence surprised so many stores, and how better film processing workflow and delivery can keep customers engaged long enough to actually order prints.Then we get practical about what “unified” means: one product catalog across online and in-store, a save-and-send quote that lets staff build a cart and email a payment link, and unified data that can support smarter follow-up and add-on sales. Hugron also previews what is still coming, including purchase orders, receiving, and serial number tracking, plus how retailers can get hands-on training at the IPIC boot camp.Energize your sales with Shareme.chat, the proven texting platform. ShareMe.Chat ShareMe.Chat platform uses chat-to-text on your website to keep your customers connected and buying!MediaclipMediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.Independent Photo ImagersIPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.Photo Imaging CONNECTThe Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, NBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showSign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.Contact us at gary@thedeadpixelssociety.comVisit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group,  The Dead Pixels Society. Leave a review on Apple and Podchaser. Are you interested in being a guest? Click here for details.Hosted and produced by Gary PageauAnnouncer: Erin Manning

Today I want to talk about SKU numbers because a question that I often get asked is how many SKUs should I have before I start selling wholesale? Unfortunately, the answer is it depends. Which I know you all want like a solid number and we do give some solid recommendations and guidance for like how much we want you to have in Paper Camp and also how many you should have before you start exhibiting at trade shows. But I wanted to do this solo episode on the podcast about this topic because there is a lot of nuance and I want to break down what that nuance is and so you can apply it to your own business.Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit.Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners. Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for our next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the wait list and you'll get early access to enroll.SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLISTYou can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/448 Quick Links:Free Wholesale Audio SeriesFree Resources LibraryFree Email Marketing for Product MakersPTP LABSPaper Camp

Your Best Customers Are Quiet-Quitting. Here's the Proof with Ethan Giffin   Find Rocky Lalvani @ www.ProfitComesFirst.com  or email  him at rocky@profitcomesfirst.com Make more, work less video: https://youtu.be/   You haven't lost the account. The customer still picks up the phone. But somewhere in the last 18 months the reorder volume dropped, and nobody flagged it because the relationship still looks fine. That's how B2B quiet quitting works. Your customers don't cancel and don't complain. They just route their consumables to whoever made buying easiest, while keeping your account open for the orders that still need a conversation. By the time it reaches your revenue line, the relationship has already moved. Ethan Giffin has spent nearly two decades inside mid-market manufacturing and distribution watching this happen. In this episode, he and Rocky break down how to find it in your own data, why most digital fixes fail before they launch, and the one alignment conversation that changes the outcome.   In This Episode: How to find B2B quiet quitting in your order data before it hits your revenue The $5 vs. $50 order-processing gap and how to calculate your exposure Why the five-team alignment failure kills most digital projects before launch The hero vs. arsonist dynamic and why your most indispensable people may protect the friction Private equity's playbook for modernizing legacy manufacturers and capturing the multiple The three-year sequence from zero to a digital channel customers actually use Why AI makes things worse without clean operational systems first   Key Takeaways: Pull your top 20 accounts and look at order frequency, not just revenue. Frequency drops first. A call center order costs about $50; a portal order about $5. Run that across your volume. Salespeople don't lose when customers self-serve. Quotas rise, territory grows. Start with the SKUs customers actually reorder, not the full catalog. Test your own buying process. You don't know how hard it is until you do.   About Ethan Giffin: Ethan Giffin is the Founder and CEO of The B2B eCommerce Agency and author of Closing the Digital Revenue Gap. Since 2007, he has worked with mid-market manufacturers and distributors across the U.S., helping executive teams find the structural leaks in their revenue, modernize how their customers buy, and build digital systems that actually get used. He also hosts The B2B eCommerce Summit, an annual gathering of operators shaping the future of B2B commerce.   Ethan's approach focuses on three things most digital projects skip: sequence, alignment, and adoption. His book and consulting work give executive teams a practical blueprint to protect margins and build buying experiences that keep customers coming back. Away from the agency, he performs as DJ Opie, producing nonprofit galas across Baltimore since the age of 16, helping charitable organizations create events that raise more money and leave a lasting impression on donors.   Links: Website: https://ethangiffin.com/   https://b2becommerceagency.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethangiffin/   https://www.linkedin.com/company/b2becommerceagency/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@B2BeCommerceAgency   Podcast: TheB2BeCommercePodcast  Free Copy of the book: https://b2becommerceagency.com/free-consultation/     Profit Blueprint Calculator I Profit Comes First: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/profitblueprintcalc-page   Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Free Copy of the Profit Blueprint Book: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page  Monthly Newsletter signup: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/newsletter-signup Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.     

SEASON: 6 EPISODE: 34Episode Overview:Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast for entrepreneurs and business leaders who want to grow their business, level up their game and become preferred in the markets they serve.Let's be honest: in today's market, growing your revenue is only half the battle. The real danger? Growing so fast that you break your own business. When your logistics fracture, your software stacks multiply, and your profit margins start bleeding cash, marketing success can quickly turn into an operational nightmare.Our guest today is the man who steps in when guesswork fails. Michael Kleinmann is a seasoned D2C operator, founder, and fractional C-suite executive who has built and scaled multiple businesses to the mid-eight-figure mark. He is a master at turning back-end infrastructure, fulfillment, and supply chains away from boring cost centers and into lethal competitive advantages.Whether you are running an e-commerce giant, scaling a subscription model, or just trying to protect your margins in a shifting economy, today's conversation is a blueprint for logic-driven execution. Please join me for my conversation with Michael Kleinmann.Guest Bio: Michael Kleinmann is a seasoned direct-to-consumer (D2C) operator, founder, and executive advisor with more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and modernizing seven- and eight-figure e-commerce and subscription brands. A true pioneer in the digital retail space, Michael launched Freshpair from his New York City apartment in 2001, transforming it into a category leader with over 30,000 SKUs and even founding "National Underwear Day" before its successful acquisition. In 2012, he repeated his success by launching Underwear Expert, growing it from a massive content marketing platform into a high-performing subscription powerhouse driven by proprietary curation technology.Today, Michael steps into organizations as a fractional C-suite executive, transforming logistics, fulfillment, and operational infrastructure into true strategic assets. He brings deep, end-to-end expertise across product, tech stacks, marketing, and supply chain management, replacing guesswork with practical, logic-driven execution. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for engineering creative solutions to complex operational bottlenecks—delivering massive freight cost savings, optimizing 3PL partnerships, and turning around struggling business processes.Michael is far from your typical, surface-level consultant. Having worn every imaginable hat over 25 years of hands-on business building, he knows exactly how to align infrastructure with rapid revenue growth while ruthlessly protecting profit margins. He joins us to share his proven systems for navigating the realities of scaling and removing the friction from modern e-commerce operations.Resource Links:Website: https://www.mkinc.com/Product Link: https://www.mkinc.com/servicesInsight Gold Timestamps:02:40 I gravitated towards technology and business04:41 We had just about every hurdle you can think of06:12 I created National Underwear Day08:20 How do you get from zero to 100 with next to nothing or maybe fumes?10:38 I want to hear the problem from their perspective; that doesn't mean that that's what the problem is15:11 There's a lot of analytics that you can get about different things to try to see if B2C makes sense17:03 I was reading this morning that there's 73,000 3PLs in the United States20:35 By moving to a 3PL, you can get your costs lower than if you did it yourself21:48 Amazon is a shipping carrier that you can use separate from selling on Amazon24:42 If you want to pick something easy to do, don't have a direct-to-consumer brand28:40 I think asking for help is difficult33:20 I just went through the whole entire business and tried to simplify everything38:53 I think there's a lot more opportunity, but it's different40:00 mkinc.comConnect Socially:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkleinmann/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@poweredbymkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/poweredbymkEmail: mk@mkinc.comSponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://calendar.summit-learning.com/widget/booking/JKItVP7WErmCBjU2cCIxRainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

Revenue dropping despite having a beloved brand? That's the reality Beardbrand faced, even after building the beard care category from the ground up. Neil Twa dives into their journey, revealing how a 15-year-old company like Beardbrand navigates a crowded market. Eric Bandholz, the man who made beards cool, isn't just resting on past successes. The packaging story is a standout, Beardbrand reworked their entire look to break into Target, adding new SKUs to fit the bill. Neil breaks down three critical moves for sellers at every level. First, audit your channel math before scaling spend. Beardbrand is tripling down on Meta as their top acquisition channel. Do you know your top channel? If you're feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of channels and decisions, you're not alone. Most operators are. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep313 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep313&learn_mcp=1

Jennifer Fisher started with $5,000 and a dog tag she sketched on a piece of paper for her son - a son she almost never had, after chemotherapy, failed IVF, and years of surrogacy attempts. She knocked on doors on 47th Street, got Uma Thurman to wear her piece on a Glamour cover, and bootstrapped the brand for 20 years without taking a single dollar from investors. Now Jennifer Fisher Jewelry is on track for nine figures, growing 50% year over year, and targeting 200-300% growth by 2028 - with a $20 jar of salt as her secret customer acquisition weapon. In this interview, Jennifer breaks down the Instagram pivot in 2017 that tripled sales overnight, how 6% of salt buyers convert to jewelry customers, and the manufacturing mistake she made after Covid that nearly broke the entire business. What you'll learn in this interview: • How a dog tag she sketched for her son became Hollywood's go-to jewelry brand - starting with Uma Thurman on a Glamour cover • Why she launched DTC before Shopify existed - and what running a jewelry brand on Magento in 2005 actually looked like • The 2017 Instagram pivot: how showing her real life - cooking, dogs, kids - tripled sales overnight • How a $20 jar of salt she made in her kitchen became a full customer acquisition funnel - with 6% of buyers converting to jewelry • Why founder-led creative outconverts every influencer she's ever worked with - and why she still does it all herself • The manufacturing mistake that nearly broke her: why not moving production out of NYC fast enough after Covid was her biggest business regret • How a JV with Centric Brands unlocked the operations, manufacturing scale, and systems she couldn't build alone in 20 years • Managing 4,000 SKUs (cut from 10,000) - and the inventory planning challenge that still costs her sales every season • Why she's launching men's jewelry, silver, sunglasses, and home as category expansions - and how she decides what's actually her • What surviving chemo, years of IVF, and the loss of her father taught her about handling fear in business If you're building a DTC fashion or lifestyle brand, trying to figure out how founder-led content and creative actually works at scale, or just want 20 years of hard-won bootstrap lessons from someone who built nine figures without ever raising a round, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about brand building, customer acquisition, and what it means to show up as yourself. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH JENNIFER FISHER Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jenniferfisher/ Website → https://jenniferfisher.com/ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his strategic framework for approaching major sales events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Rather than chasing short-term profits, Josh advocates using these events for customer acquisition through aggressive discounts on front-end products. Using Athletic Greens (AG1) as a prime example, he illustrates how maintaining a cohesive brand promise drives long-term success. Josh also emphasizes the importance of the 3:1 lifetime value to customer acquisition cost ratio as the key metric for sustainable e-commerce growth.Bullet Points:Strategic approach to major sales events (Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday)Importance of customer acquisition over short-term profitsUse of aggressive discounts on front-end products to attract new customersCase study of Athletic Greens (AG1) as a successful brand exampleFocus on maintaining a cohesive brand identity and promiseEmphasis on understanding and optimizing customer lifetime value (LTV)Recommended LTV to customer acquisition cost (CAC) ratio for scalable growthImportance of thoughtful product packaging and messaging for customer engagementCaution against short-term gimmicks that can damage brand trustStrategies for using sales events to clear excess inventory and enhance brand equityTimestamps:00:00:00 Approaching Major Sales EventsThe host discusses different strategies for sales events like Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday for e-commerce brands.00:00:52 Introduction to the HostJosh Hadley introduces himself, his e-commerce experience, and the focus of the podcast on building a true brand.00:01:48 Defining a Real BrandA real brand sells a promise to a customer, not just products. The host uses Athletic Greens (AG1) as an example.00:02:52 AG1's Brand Promise StrategyHow AG1 uses a starter kit to introduce customers to their brand promise of convenient health and wellness.00:03:54 Prime Day as Customer AcquisitionThe primary goal of Prime Day should be front-end customer acquisition, not short-term profitability, to build an ecosystem.00:05:57 The Importance of Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)Focusing on the long-term LTV of a customer and the 3-to-1 CAC to LTV ratio for sustainable scaling.00:07:51 AG1's Customer OnboardingAG1's starter kit includes materials to onboard customers into their ecosystem and encourage repeat purchases, building long-term trust.00:09:04 Long-Term Brand Building vs. Short-Term TacticsThe best brands focus on a 3-5 year time horizon, building trust through repetition and delivering on their promise.00:11:06 Creating a Cohesive Brand EcosystemBrands should have a lead offer that introduces customers to an entire ecosystem of products delivering on a single promise.00:13:22 The Two-Pronged Strategy for Sales EventsUse aggressive discounts on acquisition products to attract new customers and use the event for liquidating excess inventory.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"AG1 (Athletic Greens)": "00:01:48""Expandify": "00:07:00"General Concepts"Lifetime Value (LTV) Ratio": "00:05:57"Recommendations"Front End Acquisition Offers": "00:13:22""Liquidation Offers": "00:13:22"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00  One of the biggest topics that's always up for debate this time of year is, hey, how should I approach Prime Day? Should I be aggressive giving out a bunch of discounts? Should I turn off my PPC campaigns and just maximize profitability? Should I actually increase my prices and not decrease them? So I just ride the high of all the traffic that's going to Amazon? Well, today I'm going to be diving into how I'm going to be approaching Prime Day moving forward. And this also includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday as well. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough podcast I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children.Josh Hadley 00:00:52  I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing over $20 million in annual revenue, doing multi-millionaire on other sales channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify, and also the host of the number one e-commerce podcast for business strategy. And that is Ecomm breakthrough. Today, I want to share with you our mindset of how we're approaching Prime Days moving forward. This also includes how we're going to be approaching, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and what some of the best brands out there in the e-commerce space are doing. I think that this is game changing because this kind of piggybacks off of what I've talked about in the past, which is, are you actually building a true brand, or are you just trying to sell products on Amazon, or are you just a product brand that's just slapping their brand name on a bunch of different random products that don't have a whole lot of cohesion? If that's the case, you probably don't want to listen to the rest of this podcast episode because it's not going to be relevant for you.Josh Hadley 00:01:48  This is going to be for those sellers that are actually trying to build a real brand. And what does a real brand mean? It means you're not just selling products, it means you're selling a promise to a customer, and then you're actually able to deliver on that promise to a customer. Now, one of the best examples that I want to dive into is aji one. And aji one does an excellent job of this on Amazon because they know exactly who they are as a brand. You don't just see Aegon all of a sudden coming out with, hey, now they're selling socks. Aegon supplements is not coming out with, you know, iPad covers or cell phone cases or anything like that. They're not an opportunistic, you know, product business. Instead, they are actually a brand trying to serve a very specific target market and customer delivering on the promise of, hey, if you come to us, we will provide you with the fastest, easiest way to get all of your vitamins and minerals in a very efficient way so that you are living your best life, that you are living, you know, in an optimal health environment.Josh Hadley 00:02:52  Okay. That's their brand promise. Now, are they actually able to deliver on this promise. And so ultimately, I share with you this example because this is what's going to be kind of set the foundation for why you're going to execute prime days and all of the big deal days like Black Friday, Cyber Monday in a new framework. So with AG one, one of the things that they do knowing their brand promise is how do I introduce people to our products to let them know, hey, they're tasty, they're easy, they're convenient, and hopefully you feel better while you use these. That's their brand promise. Okay, so how do they do that? Well, they have a seven day starter kit that they sell on Amazon. Now. They also sell some of their other SKUs on Amazon as well. But one of their key things and I just pulled it up. They're doing over 2000 units a month just on their one supplement, ...

It's tough to compete with Supergoop, the sunscreen startup that entered the market in 2006 and quickly became the industry darling before selling to private equity firm Blackstone in 2021. In many ways, the company created the modern sunscreen playbook by marketing it as skin care, not sun care.  “[Supergoop started] with the mission of really transforming the SPF category, so that people wouldn't think of it as a seasonal thing,” Lauren Weinberg, chief marketing officer of Supergoop, told Glossy. “The way the brand did that was really by coming out with formulas that debunked, I would say, all the things that people didn't like about sunscreen. So, it wasn't sticky, it wasn't greasy, it didn't have an odor, and it could go as a primer underneath your makeup.”  Today, Supergoop sells one unit of its cult-favorite Unseen Sunscreen every 16 seconds, but staying on top requires constant evolution, Weinberg told Glossy. For Supergoop, this has included evolving the company's channel mix this year to better reach new and existing consumers.  “Consumers don't really think about where they see and hear about brands,” Weinberg said. “One of the things I noticed when I came [into this role in February 2026] is that the way we were storytelling as a brand, or how we were communicating with consumers, was not really cohesive across all of our channels. So we've really been trying to focus on doing cohesive storytelling.”  Small shifts this year have helped to grow sales through a more diversified channel mix. For example, Weinberg's team is focused on promoting lesser-known SKUs on evolving platforms, such as TikTokShop, while launching its best-sellers across new channels, including Target in February and Amazon Premium starting in May.  Weinberg joined Supergoop at the top of the year after more than two decades in marketing. Her CV includes six years at Yahoo, ending her tenure as VP of marketing, plus another six years at Square, where she was the global chief marketing officer. She held the role of CMO at Peloton before joining the Supergoop team five months ago.  Glossy Beauty Podcast host Lexy Lebsack sat down with Weinberg to discuss everything mentioned above, plus the challenges of tackling Amazon in-house through a Premium storefront and entering mass retail at a prestige price point, and the power of emerging social channels and social commerce.  The following conversation was recorded in front of a live audience at Glossy's annual E-Commerce Summit in Miami on June 1. 

Jeremy Goldman is VP Editorial & Insights at RETHINK Retail, a community platform supporting retailers, brand leaders, logistics practitioners, and AI specialists. Before joining RETHINK Retail, he founded and sold the Firebrand Group, spent years as an analyst at eMarketer, and has been building e-commerce properties since 2000. He also runs a podcast called Future Proof.This episode examines the gap between AI hype and business reality. Jeremy argues that agentic commerce attracts far more attention than the near-term use cases justify, and that the brands quietly gaining ground are the ones who never stopped running the fundamentals.The conversation covers where AI is delivering real results today, including enhanced product discovery for high-consideration SKUs, and what is actually shifting in search as LLMs reshape how buyers find products. Jeremy and Eitan work through why Google is more relevant than the current discourse suggests, what the rise of TikTok Shop signals about the pace of social commerce adoption, and why community building has become one of the most underrated growth levers available to brands right now.Listeners will leave with a clearer read on where the real ROI in AI sits in 2026, a sharper sense of which fundamentals are worth doubling down on, and a framework for knowing whether their company is commerce-optimized, marketing-optimized, or falling short on both.Website: https://www.vimmi.netEmail us: info@vimmi.netPodcast website: https://vimmi.net/commerce-untold/Eitan Koter's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eitankoter/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VimmiVideoCommerce/featuredGuest: Jeremy Goldman, VP Editorial & Insights, RETHINK RetailJeremy Goldman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremygoldmanRETHINK Retail: https://rethink.industries/Key Takeaways:• Agentic commerce is real technology, but the claim that AI will handle all buying decisions within two years is not where the near-term reality lands• AI-driven product discovery is already delivering measurable results for large-catalog, high-consideration SKUs, and that is where brands should focus first• Most companies are either commerce-optimized or marketing-optimized, rarely both, and knowing which one you are determines where the gaps are• Community is the growth lever most brands are underinvesting in: a brand with a genuine community is structurally harder to displace than one relying solely on paid acquisition• When hype cycles hit, the companies that lean back into fundamentals, email, checkout friction, fulfillment speed, and conversion rate, take share from everyone else while they are distractedChapters:[00:12] Introduction and Inside RETHINK Retail[01:37] From E-Commerce Builder to Editorial Leader: Jeremy's Career Thread[05:44] Agentic Commerce: Real Technology, Outsized Claims[07:34] Where AI Is Delivering Real Results in Retail Today[10:28] Google Is Not Out: AI Search and the LLM Landscape[15:27] Commerce vs. Marketing: Knowing What Kind of Company You Are[18:49] Community Building as the Next Growth Unlock for Brands[21:26] TikTok Shop and Why Social Commerce Is Catching On[23:41] Why the Fundamentals Win When Everyone Else Chases Hype[28:36] Omnichannel Strategy: When and How to Add a New Channel[30:33] What Jeremy Is Focused on in the Second Half of 2026

SmarTrak.ai Turns Cisco Data Into Partner Growth, Podcast Cisco 360, AI, refresh cycles, and multivendor migration are creating new openings — and SmarTrak.ai says partners have a timely opportunity to grow more strategically. “We help them manage their practice, grow their practice, and increase their profitability around it,” says Ted Lee of SmarTrak.ai. In this Technology Reseller News podcast, recorded following Cisco Live, Doug Green speaks with Ted Lee of SmarTrak.ai about the company's expanding role in helping Cisco partners turn Cisco data into actionable business intelligence. Lee describes SmarTrak.ai as a platform built to help Cisco partners manage their Cisco practice by ingesting data from Cisco APIs and other sources. The goal, he says, is to give partners better visibility into customer environments, including hardware assets, software, services, service contracts, subscriptions and enterprise agreements. For end customers, SmarTrak.ai provides visibility into Cisco infrastructure and spending, helping organizations optimize their environments while giving partners a more strategic way to support long-term customer retention. The discussion focuses heavily on Cisco 360, one of the major themes at Cisco Live. Lee says SmarTrak.ai announced a Cisco 360 module designed to help partners understand how they can perform under the program, identify opportunities to improve their scores, and increase profitability with Cisco. “We announced at Cisco Live that we had a 360 module that we are releasing that gives predictability into how they can perform, how to optimize it,” Lee says. “Since we have their entire estate with every one of their customers globally, we can then give them opportunities with which they can raise their scores in order to increase their profitability with Cisco.” Lee also points to a larger market moment for Cisco partners. With major refresh cycles, end-of-life events, new AI-enabled products and changing customer infrastructure requirements, partners have an opportunity to move from reactive selling to more strategic planning. SmarTrak.ai is also putting that intelligence directly into the hands of sales teams. The company announced a mobile application designed for sellers and solutions engineers who are meeting customers in the field, giving them access to forward-looking intelligence around sustainability swaps, end-of-life replacements, AI replacement SKUs and other Cisco-driven opportunities. “Sales reps are not sitting at their desks,” Lee says. “These partners are out with their customers, and we are putting this wealth of intelligence in the hands of their sales reps and their solutions engineers.” The podcast also covers SmarTrak.ai's multivendor migration capabilities. Lee notes that customer environments are rarely Cisco-only. Partners often encounter Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Aruba, Ruckus, HPE and other installed platforms. SmarTrak.ai's migration platform allows partners to ingest those install bases and build forward-looking roadmaps for when it may make sense to replace other platforms with modern Cisco solutions. Lee says the platform can help customers budget, help partners quote more effectively, and help move opportunities toward higher-level Cisco buying programs such as enterprise agreements. The conversation also touches on audit readiness. Lee says SmarTrak.ai has helped partners pass CX Expert and advanced audits by providing the visibility and health scoring needed to support certifications, partner status, rebates and incentives. “We are a full Cisco practice engine to help them take advantage of the wealth of data and opportunity in front of them and turn it into revenue and profitability with the end customers,” Lee says. AI is also part of the SmarTrak.ai story. Lee says the company was founded in early 2023, as large language models were becoming more widely accessible, and recognized an opportunity to use AI against Cisco's large data universe. SmarTrak.ai is SOC 2 Type II and is pursuing ISO 27001 certification, Lee says, emphasizing that the company is “security first” while using AI to help partners analyze data faster and identify new sales opportunities. Lee describes the result as “agentic lifecycle intelligence,” enabling partners to generate forward-looking Cisco practice plans, budgets, replacement strategies, enterprise agreement eligibility, and takeover opportunities across large customer bases. “One of our customers has nearly 10,000 Cisco customers,” Lee says. “They can view any customer in the world with a few clicks of their mouse, and they can create a five-year forward-looking internal or external Cisco practice plan.” The podcast offers a look at how SmarTrak.ai is positioning itself as a Cisco partner growth platform: helping partners make Cisco data more usable, make customer conversations more strategic, prepare for Cisco 360, manage refresh cycles, and turn infrastructure intelligence into recurring revenue opportunities. Learn more at smartrak.ai.

Industrial Talk is onsite at MD&M West and talking to Kai Li, Production Manager at Mean Well USA about "Power solutions for manufacturing". Overview Kai Li, Product Manager at Mean Well USA, discussed the company's role as a leading power supply manufacturer with over 15,000 standard SKUs. Mean Well specializes in industrial equipment, medical devices, and LED lighting, emphasizing reliability and smaller, higher-protection power supplies. The company has a subsidiary in Kansas City dedicated to providing turnkey solutions. Li highlighted Mean Well's adaptability, driven by a robust R&D team and long-term supplier relationships. The company is transitioning to a solutions provider, focusing on sustainability and AI-driven power demands. Li also mentioned Mean Well's extensive training programs for distributors and their reliance on a global distribution network for over 70% of sales. Outline MD&M West and Industrial Talk Introduction Scott introduces the episode of Industrial Talk, sponsored by MD&M West and News and Brews, highlighting the innovation and energy at the event.Scott thanks listeners for tuning in and celebrates industry professionals who solve problems and innovate daily.Scott mentions the importance of MDNM West and the role of Informa and News and Brews in telling the story of manufacturers. Introduction of Kai Li and Mean Well Scott introduces Kai Li, the product manager at Mean Well USA, and invites him to share his background.Kai Li explains his role at Mean Well, mentioning his 10-year tenure and transition from field applications engineer to product manager.Kai Li highlights Mean Well's expertise in power supplies and their role as a hidden champion in the industry.Kai Li discusses the company's focus on solving customer issues by understanding market needs and providing tailored solutions. Mean Well's Market Position and Solutions Kai Li elaborates on Mean Well's market position as a leading power supply manufacturer, serving various industries including industrial equipment, medical devices, and LED lighting.He explains the company's strategy of providing comprehensive solutions rather than just components, through their subsidiary, Mean Well Power Solutions.Kai Li details the company's approach to developing products based on customer feedback and market trends.He mentions the creation of a subsidiary in Kansas City, Missouri, to focus on providing turnkey solutions for customers. Manufacturing and Market Adaptation Scott inquires about Mean Well's ability to stay nimble and adapt to market changes.Kai Li attributes the company's adaptability to a strong R&D team and a large portfolio of standard SKUs, with plans to add 15% new SKUs annually.He discusses the impact of emerging technologies like gallium nitride and silicon carbide on Mean Well's product development.Kai Li emphasizes the importance of long-term relationships with suppliers and customers in maintaining a steady supply chain. Future of Power Electronics and Sustainability Kai Li predicts a bright future for power electronics, driven by advancements in AI and other revolutionary technologies.He highlights Mean Well's active participation in power electronics conferences to stay updated with the latest trends.Kai Li discusses the company's transformation from a component supplier to a solutions provider, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).He mentions the importance of maintaining a broad market focus to cater to various industries and customer needs. Distributor Relationships and Training Kai Li explains Mean Well's strategy of hosting training sessions and events for distributors to keep them informed about new products and applications.He details the company's efforts to educate distributors through webinars, technical seminars, and direct interactions with the product and technical teams.Kai Li emphasizes the importance of a strong distribution network, with over 260 distributors worldwide, in driving sales and market penetration.He highlights the bi-directional communication between Mean Well and its distributors to gather market feedback and improve product offerings. Conclusion and Contact Information Scott asks Kai Li about his excitement for the future of Mean Well and the company's sustainability initiatives.Kai Li reiterates the importance of sustainability and Mean Well's transformation into the Sustainable Development Group.Scott provides contact information for Kai Li, including his LinkedIn profile and Mean Well's website, to encourage listeners to reach out for more information.Scott wraps up the podcast, encouraging listeners to attend MD&M West and highlighting the importance of storytelling and marketing in the industrial sector. If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation. Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy! KAI LI'S CONTACT INFORMATION: Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kai-li-725419113/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mean-well-usa-inc-/ Company Website: https://www.meanwellusa.com/ PODCAST VIDEO: https://youtu.be/IRDIdUAJgL8 THE STRATEGIC REASON "WHY YOU NEED TO PODCAST": OTHER GREAT INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES: NEOM: https://www.neom.com/en-us Hexagon: https://hexagon.com/ Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/ Fictiv: https://www.fictiv.com/ Hitachi Vantara: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/home.html Industrial Marketing Solutions:  https://industrialtalk.com/industrial-marketing/ Industrial Academy: https://industrialtalk.com/industrial-academy/ Industrial Dojo: https://industrialtalk.com/industrial_dojo/ We the 15: https://www.wethe15.org/ YOUR INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL TOOLBOX: LifterLMS: Get One Month Free for $1 – https://lifterlms.com/ Active Campaign: Active Campaign Link Social Jukebox: https://www.socialjukebox.com/ Industrial Academy (One Month Free Access And One Free License For Future Industrial Leader): Business Beatitude the Book Do you desire a more joy-filled, deeply-enduring sense of accomplishment and success? Live your business the way you want to live with the BUSINESS BEATITUDES...The Bridge connecting sacrifice to success. YOU NEED THE BUSINESS BEATITUDES! TAP INTO YOUR INDUSTRIAL SOUL, RESERVE YOUR COPY NOW! BE BOLD. BE BRAVE. DARE GREATLY AND CHANGE THE WORLD. GET THE BUSINESS BEATITUDES! Reserve My Copy and My 25% Discount

If a customer returns a product they never actually sent back, who eats that loss? You do. And Amazon's automated refund system isn't doing you any favors. With ecommerce return rates hovering between 20 and 30 percent, depending on your category, it's a problem you can't ignore. Apparel returns? Worse. Electronics? Brutal. Neil Twa, your host, dives into the real impact of Amazon's returns policy shift on sellers at every level. He shares a story of an operator managing $65,000 a month across 14 SKUs, whose net margins took a hit from untracked returns. Neil outlines three critical moves to protect your margins: start by pulling your return report by ASIN this week. This isn't just theory, it's what works. The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast is here to help you navigate these challenges. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep311 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep311&learn_mcp=1 See your Amazon numbers in one place and protect your margins with Caiman Data at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep311&learn_mcp=1

Adam Hiner, CEO of Pacha, shares insights on product innovation, sustainable practices, and the journey of building a healthy and regenerative food brand. We talk about the happy accidents and consumer feedback that lead to making new and better products, like their new gluten-free, sourdough buckwheat tortillas! Adam then shares why Pacha joined the Purpose Pledge, the challenges of building a CPG brand (like cashflow), the benefits of self-manufacturing, and why passion is essential for success in this industry. Tune in to get advice from a leader who's built multiple successful brands while leading with integrity.Key topicsProduct innovation driven by consumer insights and feedbackStrategic experimentation with new productsThe benefits of self manufacturingPurpose-driven business and sustainability commitmentsPurpose Pledge, what it means, and how it worksThe importance of focusing on core SKUs and honing recipesProfitability and cash flow challengesThe importance of passion for successInner peace to bring about world peaceSound bites“I pulled a batch of crackers out of the oven and they were floppy like little tortillas. Then I started experimenting with tortillas and just said, yeah, the market really needs a better tortilla right now.”“We had our buckwheat buns, but we rebranded them as English muffins because all of our customers were saying, hey, this isn't a bun, this is an English muffin.”"Our bread tastes like real bread. It doesn't taste like this thing that was modified to try to imitate the texture of white bread.““We've always had a plan to do something more than just be a company that's making money.”“When we saw Purpose Pledge coming forward, felt like it felt like an opportunity to do something that felt maybe more impactful and less just numbers driven.”“It's nice to have really great mentors who have been doing it and have done it before.”“We were really grateful for our DTC channel because we've had so much direct feedback from customers, which we wouldn't have had with just being a retail brand.”“One of the biggest challenges is just financing the company, you know, just keeping the lights on. 30%-50% of my job is just keeping cash coming in.”“Sometimes adding more SKUs does generate more revenue immediately, like if Whole Foods puts out six SKUs versus four, but the trade off is the velocity of all the SKUs is now lower.”“Peace really does start within us and maybe the most impactful thing we can do is to just like to start here and have and find peace with ourselves.”Chapters03:00 Introduction to Pacha and Product Evolution05:57 Innovative Product Development and Consumer Feedback09:08 Special Releases and Creative Experimentation11:59 Joining the Purpose Pledge: A Commitment to Impact14:59 Understanding the Purpose Pledge's Roadmap and Commitments18:00 Customer Insights: What Consumers Love About Pacha's Products34:31 The Benefits of Fermentation and Buckwheat37:07 The Challenges of Regenerative Agriculture40:02 Navigating the Food Industry: Profitability and Challenges46:00 The Importance of Focus in Product Development52:59 Personal Insights and Recommendations for a Better WorldLinksAdam Hiner on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/adamhinerPacha - https://pachabread.comPacha on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/live-pacha/Pacha on Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/live_pacha/Pacha on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@livepachaPacha on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livepacha…Purpose Pledge - https://purposepledge.org/…Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/…Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/…Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetworkHeritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_RadioHeritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radio…The Food Institute - https://foodinstitute.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most grocers can launch same-day delivery. The real challenge is building a model that keeps customers happy while still protecting margins at scale. In this RETHINK Retail Podcast episode recorded at Shoptalk Europe, Top Retail Expert Sharon Yourell sat down with Rohlik Group leaders to break down how they built a profitable in-house same-day delivery operation across five markets. The conversation goes deep into the strategic side of eGrocery, including: - Achieving fulfillment orchestration across 25k+ SKUs with near-perfect inventory accuracy and minimal substitutions - The tradeoffs grocers face when customer relationships, transaction data, and margin ownership shift to third-party platforms - Why owning the customer journey  and creating operational consistency are critical drivers of long-term eGrocery profitability A must-listen for grocers focused on building more resilient in-house operations. Listen above!

Most Amazon operators treat TikTok and Walmart like a backup plan, but ignoring these platforms could cost you 119% growth. Neil Twa breaks down why relying solely on Amazon is a single point of failure. He shares insights from a company that's thriving by diversifying across all three platforms. Neil recalls a conversation with a community member who was making $30,000 a month on Amazon with eight SKUs and solid margins. The key takeaway? Expanding to Walmart Marketplace and using TikTok isn't optional if you want to keep up. Whether you're doing $5,000 or $500,000 a month, these moves are crucial. Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep304 Ready to implement with us? Join the Voltage Business Builders cohort at voltagedm.com: https://voltagedm.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep304