eComFuel Podcast

Learn how Kris Cody generated $300K+ on Kickstarter without any paid traffic. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2DMaxaT

This is the last episode of shopping cart month, where we talk about some other contenders, even if they're not the biggest ones on the scene. We cover Bigcommerce, Volusion, and Americommerce and compare and contrast their various strengths and weaknesses. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2mTNDap

What I've noticed is that WooCommerce has been like an underdog, but it seems like it's about to change. This week, we're talking with Brian from PostStatus.com and Zach Stepek from MindSize.me to chat about the potential and pitfalls of WooCommerce. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2F9aYfH

Listen to Bill D'Alessandro from Rebel CEO and I doing a recap on my favorite event of the year, the eCommerceFuel Live conference. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2FDGz9w

This week, we're talking with Alan Merrick who is a Magento expert in our community and Kalen Jordan from the podcast Mage Talk about Magento and who it's best suited for. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2CXuQVB

If you like to nerd out on shopping cart software as much as I do, then stay tuned. This week, we're going to dive in talking about Shopify with Carson McComas from Fuel Made. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2CdLJrn

Learn from Jayson Gaignard on how to meaningfully connect with someone busy and well­-known like Seth Godin. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2or4KEl

Learn from Raphael Schneider, YouTube Wizard who has built a channel with more than 125,000 subscribers. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2AFgy7J

This is a followup conversation with Dave McGeady to see the results of a marketing experiment is going and what the results were. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2o4J8uT

Learn highly effective direct mail marketing tips and print catalog ideas to make your store. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2jsBs2l

Today I sit down with Bill D'Alessandro to make some bold ecommerce predictions for 2018. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2B7ccJF

Anastasia leveraged the readership of her popular blog to jump­start the business. So she knows a thing or two about building and connecting with an audience via the written word. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2B9ZLdz

Andy Hayes from PlumDeluxe.com talks about how to grow a blog and how they've used the platform to generate close to two-thirds of their sales. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2zCIrzw

The founder of the popular Leadpages software is getting into cryptocurrency. Let's geek out together talking cryptocurrency with Clay Collins. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2nuPs0U

Learn how to build a highly profitable portfolio of eCommerce businesses. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2iUN11X

Hiring a business manager can free up your time if done correctly. Learn the strategies to find, hire and incentivize the right person. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2y4IP6d

This Fall we hosted "ECF Week", where community members in 20+ cities across the globe got together to connect. I couldn't make all the events but I did my best and joined 8 meetups in 9 days. It was a roadtrip and the likes of which I've never attempted before. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2zBZimU

Learn how to calculate your customer lifetime value and how to use it to grow and improve your business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2lx8t1E

Andrew Egenes and Phillip Naples from Unbrokerage.com join me to talk what types of eCommerce insurance store owners need to protect themselves. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2lAnzDI

Earlier this year I came close to buying a mid 7-figure business with a team of 15 people. At first, it looked like a diamond in the rough. A business I could purchase relatively cheaply, spend a short time improving and systemizing and then step back to enjoy significantly improved profitability. But after doing my diligence and talking with others I realized it ultimately wasn't the right opportunity for me. How could I have initially been so excited about something that clearly wasn't the right move? Today I share the 7 questions that prevented me from making a very, very expensive mistake... ...and perhaps will help you at some point, too. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2gG7Z80

Our discussion recorded while camping covers his time working with Zappos founder Tony Hsieh, travel, and (of course) lessons learned from making numerous investments in the eCommerce space. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2hLQAHt

John Cavendish joins me today to share his experience growing an FBA Amazon Europe business and discuss the ins-and-outs of what you need to consider if you want to be successful. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2hA9gtI

We dive deep about the ins-and-outs of raising money, building company culture and how to screen for pro-active employees when hiring. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2y3Byql

Over the last nine months I've been a total slacker. The previously weekly podcast got cut back to one flimsy episode a month while I took a sabbatical to take a little time off and figure out what I wanted to do next. Well I'm thrilled to announce that the podcast is returning to its weekly schedule and I've finally figured out what I want to do with my life. (Spoiler: Decided against the full-time mime gig. Turns out it wasn't as lucrative as I thought.) Today on the show I'm excited to bring back the podcast full-tilt, share what I've been up to and what I see ahead for eCommerceFuel. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2y8p7Kn

In the second episode of our SEO series, SEO expert and founder of 180Marketing Jeff Oxford explains how to optimize your internal links to generate more traffic. While internal linking is not the most important SEO factor, solid internal structure will make it easier for Google's crawlers to index your pages. Jeff explains whether old SEO strategies like PageRank, sitemaps, and domain authority are still relevant in 2017. Separating fact from myth is the most important lesson from this episode and will ensure you're using your time effectively. Jeff also walks us through a step-by-step process for helping pages rank better and how to get the right traffic. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2vQguzP

You can boost your on-page SEO with some simple fixes that together create big results, and our eCommerce Fuel Forum expert Jeff Oxford can tell you how. Jeff talks about recent improvements to search engine algorithms that have changed the SEO factors you should be focusing on. We talk about branding, how to handle meta tags, headings, and paragraphs, and why content is still king. Jeff also ranks each on-page SEO factor out of ten, so you know just which elements to polish up to boost your clickthroughs, traffic, and engagement. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2twcm6I

Andy Bedell joins us to share some inside knowledge and tips for using Facebook, Amazon, and other resellers to sell and market products effectively. He also shares his own captivating copywriting process and some investment ideas and inspiration. We also talk about CRAP products, Amazon leakage, how Facebook ads work, how to properly vet a reseller, and plenty more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2sMarv5

Amazon's BOOST Event was the first annual FBA (Fulfilled By Amazon) conference for sellers on the platform. Long overdue guest Bill D'Alessandro joins us to give us his five biggest takeaways from BOOST, including new developments in international selling, protecting your brand on Amazon, multichannel fulfillment, and much more. Bill learned that Amazon is focusing on international expansion and making Amazon even more attractive to sell with. Seller-Fulfilled Prime is also growing rapidly, and we discuss whether that's a good thing for sellers, or just a smart play by Amazon. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2toOUY9

With several Hong Kong exhibitions coming up, it's important to make the most out of the opportunity to meet with factories and directly source products. Cameron Walker is the President of Gifts, Home, and Hardware Group at Global Sources and explains how to get what you want out of these massive events. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2sffbL1

It can be tricky to write copy that's both funny and effective. I thought I'd ask Dave Munson of Saddleback Leather, who's a pro at striking this particular balance, for his tips. Dave also talks about how he harnesses video in his business, and what he's learned from running an eCommerce business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2rtgaVV

On the show today, our resident Importing and China expert Dave Bryant shares what he learned from his experience working in an Amazon warehouse. Dave kicks off the episode by talking about the recent sale of his business, which opened up the chance for him to do a temporary stint at an Amazon warehouse for oversize products. We talk about what it looks like on the floor, how they track productivity, and potential problems Amazon may have with staffing as they continue to grow. Dave also talks about what he'll do differently in his next business now that he has insight into how Amazon's facilities work on a day-to-day level. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2rPWkDx

We're trying something a little different on this episode of eCommerce Fuel: instead of our normal interview, I've invited Noah Kagan and Dave McGeady to talk about Dave's business Wyldsson. Dave, Noah and I talk about the inexpensive, quick, and impactful changes that Wyldsson could make in the next thirty days to boost its sales and improve its conversion rate. We also discuss why Dave should start collecting emails from his customers, how to encourage them to become subscribers, and the small tweak he can make to his product photos to move even more inventory. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2pw55RK

Entrepreneurs that make money off of intellectual property - like artists and eCommerce storeowners Meredith Keller and Matt Snow - know that protecting your IP is an uphill battle. Meredith and Matt join us to talk about how they've dealt with counterfeiters stealing their ideas, and ways we could improve IP and international shipping policy to better support small businesses in the US. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2nfvHJs

100xing your business in three years might sound impossible, but one of our best new eCommerce Fuel contributors - Daniel Parker - is here to share the story of how his company did just that. After being recruited to MyChoiceSoftware in 2013, Daniel and his partner used clever marketing and stellar customer service to drive their business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2kejPDg

Welcome to the first episode of 2017! Today I'm chatting with Brad Bernhart, a fellow Montana business owner and the craftsman behind the awesome tools over at Earlywood Designs. Brad talks about his recent experience handling an unexpected rush of orders, thanks to a press release over the holiday season that depleted his inventory and left him shorthanded in the workshop. An unanticipated shortage of product is not an uncommon problem for eCommerce business owners to confront, so I thought it would be good to hear how Brad handled the experience. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2jAb0FQ

If you've been listening for the past few weeks, you already know I'm stepping away from the podcast in 2017 to focus on some new projects. Today I'm filling you in on those plans, which include getting back to writing fresh blog content for you all. The last three years of podcasting have been an awesome experience, and I'll still be recording new episodes every month or so. And, the eCommerceFuel community will still be just as active as ever and now is an excellent time to join us. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2hoXfdk

X and I dig into some specifics about email deliverability best practices, including what makes up your email reputation. We talk about how to come back from being put on a blacklist and if it's possible to make it past Google's "Updates" tab into your customer's main inbox. X also shares several tools for managing email lists and avoiding spam traps that can immobilize your business email. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2hCiwPG

Drew Sanocki of Nerd Marketing shares an episode of his podcast with us, all about how to utilize discount ladders in your business. Drew then answers some of my questions, including how to know a customer's average time to purchase and how to develop an even more nuanced approach to discounts. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2hqIxBT

In this episode, Taylor Pearson and I talk about knowing where to invest your time, and how to choose the right area of expertise for your skillset. Taylor also shares his thoughts on the popular publishing platform Medium, as well as his top 3 must-read books for entrepreneurs. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2fwOpYj

Stephan Jacob is the co-founder of Cotopaxi, a high-end outdoor apparel manufacturer. Backed by ventured capital, he's creating a larger operation that genuinely incorporates social initiatives into all aspects of their business operation. Stephan shares the challenges he's faced managing a company that has experienced rapid growth. We also discuss how to cultivate fierce brand loyalty, locate and hire top talent, and foster a company culture that empowers team members and supports sustainable growth. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2fLOwxa

We've got a quick but extensive accounting lesson for you today from Catching Clouds co-founder Scott Scharf. As an eCommerce accounting expert, Scott gets to see the inner workings of dozens of eCommerce businesses -- and he's here to tell us what separates the good from the great. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2fLg7BN

Building a brand through a proprietary product may very well be the future of eCommerce for small businesses. Dave Bayless, of Human Scale Business, knows firsthand what it takes to grow and scale early-stage companies or inventions. He has a wealth of experience both on the private equity side and as a consultant helping entrepreneurs build their brands. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2frg8HL

On this episode, Bill and I talk about the keynote speakers, panel discussions, and overall takeaways from this year's excellent eCommerceFuel Live in Savannah, GA. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2einpg6

In this episode, Chad talks about how he got into selling gun parts, as well as some of the things he's learned about business and marketing over the years as an entrepreneurial jack-of-all-trades. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2fbomYs

In this final episode from our beach mastermind group, Andrew moderates a discussion between Bill D'Alessandro and Zack Kanter about how Amazon will change in the coming years. Will they consider buying out either UPS or FedEx? Will they simply drive them out of business? We attempt to answer these questions, but we also talk drone-delivery and discuss the future of eCommerce as a whole. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2enQ6cy

It seems like every über-successful entrepreneur has a special daily routine that sets them up to dominate the day. In this episode, we talk frankly about our own positive and negative habits and how they impact our work and personal lives. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2e9XtUJ

Mastermind groups are a familiar topic in the eCommerce community. In the kickoff episode of this three-part series, we take a peek inside the recent entrepreneurs' retreat I attended, hosted by our frequent guest and good friend Bill D'Alessandro. Together with Will Nathan of Homepolish, Zack Kanter of Proforged, and Marshall Hayes and Alex Herndon of Amplio Digital, we discuss many benefits of spending time with like-minded and highly motivated fellow entrepreneurs. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2e9TGFz

Eric Bandholz returns to eCommerceFuel to take about the benefits and challenges of scaling your team in a way that leads to productivity, why he decided against selling on Amazon, and how launching another company, UrbanBeardsman.com, is taking his business in a new direction. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2dvhVKc

Virtual reality is the talk of the town right now, and not just in tech circles. Today we're chatting with Daniel Beauchamp, head of VR at Shopify, to understand how virtual reality might change the face of eCommerce in the not-so-distant future. We start with a basic overview of VR and headsets. We then dive into the fascinating potential of virtual reality as it could benefit eCommerce merchants and customers, and what it will take to generate a virtual store with 3D depictions of your products. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2cXLOI7

There's a lot to keep track of when you have a growing small business, and managing cash flow can be tricky. Bill and Andrew have had their own encounters with cash flow issues in the past, so today they share those lessons. They talk about why you might be strapped for cash even if your revenue is booming, legitimate reasons for having cash flow issues, and the best ways for small businesses to raise more funds. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2bZF0GR