eComFuel Podcast

Have you ever wondered how to build a successful brand while leading a nomadic lifestyle? Elizabeth Mercer is the Owner and Founder of Sleekform.com, a company that makes beautiful ergonomic furniture designed to make the work environment healthier and more comfortable. She is also the official women's ambassador for ECF and joins the show today to dive into the really cool business and life she has built in the process. In this episode, we dive into Elizabeth's experience in building her brand, including her transition from a very data-driven method of curating a catalogue to a mission-based approach that fully embodies the brand. We also talk about she redesigned the packaging for her furniture and the unexpected but massive impact that it had on her business, how she hires a remote team (including the specific questions she uses to attract exceptional team members), and how she manages to balance work while on the road with her husband. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: bit.ly/3oUMQtO Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

We often hear the story of someone selling their business and then deeply regretting it, and for today's guest that is certainly not the case. Dana Jaunzemis is the founder of PictureHangSolutions.com and HomeHealthTesting.com, one of the earliest members of eCommerceFuel, and an incredible entrepreneur who has a ton of experience in mergers and acquisitions. She joins the show to dive into the whole experience of buying, selling, and what life after business is really like. Listen in as we explore Dana's motivations for selling her business, her journey in navigating post-sale life, and elements from her entrepreneurial days that she still longs for. Dana also shares her strategies for keeping ties with the entrepreneurial community and sheds light on aspects of business ownership that she's relieved to have left behind. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/43u2fjm Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

While considering various strategies for attracting website traffic, you might be exploring numerous possibilities, particularly those requiring paid advertising. However, I'd be willing to bet that LinkedIn Ads isn't one of the tools you're utilizing. AJ Wilcox is the host of the LinkedIn Ads Show, an expert in the field, and the owner of B2Linked, a LinkedIn Ads agency that has $150 million in ad spend under its belt. He joins the show today to discuss some of the surprising growth opportunities on the dark horse of social media platforms. Listen in as AJ shares what you need to know in order to understand LinkedIn better, whether there is anything worth exploring for your eCommerce business, and why it is the easiest platform to go viral on. We also discuss best practices for LinkedIn Ads and organic content, what you need to know about running paid ads on the platform, and some of the ways entrepreneurs of all kinds can leverage LinkedIn for their businesses. So tune in, get ready to take some notes, and prepare to elevate your LinkedIn game to a whole new level. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3BJomGr Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Are you overlooking the untapped potential of cold outbound emails? Meet returning guest Danny Kirk, the owner and founder of Kirk & Co, a company that specializes in outbound cold emails, and the host of PromptPod, a podcast focused on prompt engineering. In this episode, Danny sheds light on how eCommerce store owners may be missing out on leveraging cold emails to their full potential. Listen in as he shares lessons and insights he has learned through his cold outbound email experience, the key factors that contribute to successful email campaigns, and the significance of personalization, targeting strategies, and crafting powerful copy. We also discuss how Danny uses AI, whether links actually hurt your deliverability, and what metrics you should be monitoring in your email strategy to optimize your efforts. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3pvDzYU Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Are you tired of hearing about work-life balance and feeling like it's an impossible feat? Steve Chou is the founder of MyWifeQuitHerJob.com and Bumblebee Linens, as well as the author of The Family-First Entrepreneur: How to Achieve Financial Freedom Without Sacrificing What Matters Most, and he has successfully built a business that serves his life and family. In this episode, we're diving into the work-life balance fallacy in a completely off-the-cuff and unplugged conversation. Listen in as we discuss the myth of "having it all" and why it's simply not possible, how to optimize for less stress in life, and how Steve manages to work only 20 hours per week on average. Steve also shares how he determines what he should be working on every day and tips for staying productive while maintaining balance in your own personal and professional life. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3p7H5bZ Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

If you haven't yet hopped on the short-form video bandwagon, now might be the time to start. Savannah Sanchez is the founder of TheSocialSavannah.com, a TikTok expert, and an official TikTok Agency Partner who helps top eCommerce brands elevate their business with creative content on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. In this episode, we dive into her insights and tips on short-form video, TikTok, and the content-creation process. Listen in as Savannah discusses the power of short-form video, why it's become such a popular format for brands, and how short-form video can help businesses engage with their audience and build brand awareness. We also discuss the different platforms for short-form videos, tips for creating engaging short-form content, what Savannah's content creation process looks like, and the power of a good hook. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3AKtqKc Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Toni Herrbach is a long-time eCommerce Fuel member and email marketer who has been in the eCommerce game for a long time. Having increased the email list for NotConsumed.com by a whopping 100,000 subscribers—which in turn helped to 5X the revenue generated from that email list—Toni has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to marketing. In this episode, we're diving into what she has been up to in the trenches of marketing for NotConsumed.com, including how she grew subscribers and revenue, how often they email the list, and how often they clean the list. We also discuss SMS marketing strategies, the jewelry business and related partnership that Toni started, and what she has learned along the way. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/41zW8JC Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Are you curious about the challenges and rewards of building a holding company with multiple eCommerce businesses? Kelcey Lehrich is a longtime member of eCommerceFuel and one of the masterminds behind 365-Holdings.com, a company that has several eCommerce businesses and generates a colossal eight figures in revenue. In this episode, Kelcey shares his journey of building his business and his approach to durable capital, why he chose the holding company model, and the challenges that come with it. Plus, Kelcey will tell us all about what it was like hosting a conference last year for other holding company operators, how he ended up with his own bobblehead, and more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/41hWmoJ Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

As eCommerce owners, we often get caught up in our own perspectives and forget what it's like to be a customer. So today, we're going to shift our mindset and take a fresh look from the other side of the coin: the customer's perspective. Listen in as I share a personal experience of how I discovered a brand I was previously unfamiliar with and made a purchase from them in just 25 minutes—quite unusual for someone who is typically a non-impulsive buyer. You'll hear about the customer journey as it played out in real life, exploring what this brand did really well and what they could have improved, and gain insights into why it's essential to view your funnel from the customer's perspective and create a purchasing journey that resonates with them to create lifelong fans. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3KCnJm3 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

In this episode, we're continuing our chat with Adii Pienaar, who has established successful companies like WooThemes and WooCommerce, and is presently involved in a new enterprise called Cogsy. In addition to his business ventures, Adii is the author of Life Profitably and the host of the Life Profitably podcast, and his unique perspective on Shopify is undoubtedly unmatched. Listen in as we continue to dive into the world of eCommerce and discuss the benefits of using WooCommerce versus Shopify, as well as what it was like building a shopping cart from scratch. Adii also shares how Cogsy is helping merchants and solving a major pain point for eCommerce owners, and we wrap up the episode with a lightning round of questions. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3zRAFQp

How can you achieve a successful exit in your business without selling your soul or burning out until you're barely more than a burnt crisp? I'm excited to chat with Adii Pienaar, a successful entrepreneur who has founded multiple companies, including WooThemes and WooCommerce, and is currently working on a new venture called Cogsy. He's also the author of the Life Profitably book and hosts the Life Profitably podcast, and through the rollercoaster ride of his entrepreneurial journey, he has learned some valuable lessons that he shares today. Listen in as Adii shares his approach to balancing life and business, his experiences of burnout, and the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey, including leaving WooCommerce. We also discuss finding balance as a tightrope act—where you invest deeply in your business while also investing in other areas of your life—and Adii shares his motivation for continuing despite the fear of failure. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/40wCPAE Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Earlier this month, the eCommerceFuel community came together for ECF Live, an event filled with three and a half days of adventure, learning, and connection with smart and interesting entrepreneurs. In this episode, we're recapping the event with Katrina McKinnon, an ECF Live keynote speaker on AI in eCommerce and owner of CopySmiths.com, a high-end content agency and production group for eCommerce. Listen in as we recap the event, reminisce about our experiences, and dive into our overall takeaways from ECF Live, including some intriguing insights on the future of AI in business and its potential implications. Additionally, we share some of the major takeaways from the event, including Katrina's perspective on the AI session, the power and benefits of Wise.com, and how AI has actually made content creation more challenging. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3LK756c Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Do you dream of scaling your business to 8 figures—but feel intimidated by the competition in your niche? Today on the show, I'm joined by Leo Caracas, Managing Director & Co-Founder at GoCase.com, who has achieved massive success in the highly competitive phone and media cases market. Get ready to learn his strategies for scaling a business and standing out in a crowded market. Listen in as Leo shares why he chose to focus on the phone case market, the challenges he faced as the company grew, and the most fun part of scaling a company. We also discuss the importance of having a solid team, what Leo looks for most in new hires, and the three attributes that Leo looks for when evaluating the viability of a company's growth. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3J8K7nN Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Do you struggle to get traffic to your website and increase your revenue? Marc Poirier is the Owner and CEO of RougeCare.ca, which specializes in selling red light therapy products, and he has a phenomenal story of shifting marketing investment and energy toward SEO from paid ads—and, in only a few years, has been able to accrue $25k-$30k per month in free traffic. In this episode, we dive deep into the specifics of Marc's SEO strategy, including why he chose to start investing in SEO, how it has paid off for his business, and how he has built out his content team. We also geek out about long posts versus short, punchy posts, tips for link building, and what to think about for anyone thinking of expanding into other countries. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3IFrRks Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Running an eCommerce business can be a wild ride, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. One major hurdle that many online store owners face is figuring out how to finance their businesses. So today, I have Bill D'Alessandro, perpetual repeat guest and Founder and CEO at Elements Brands, joining the show again to dive into financing and—more specifically—revenue-based loans, also known as merchant cash advances. In the episode, Bill drops some serious knowledge bombs about financing your business and the importance of going into it with your eyes wide open and knowing all of your options. Listen in to hear why he's not a fan of revenue-based loans, the alternatives to look at, and tools for planning your cash flow to avoid falling into the debt cycle in the first place. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3xLswMh Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Today we're diving into the story of Kira Karmazin, a former VP of Merchandising for Carter's, Gap, and Victoria's Secret who took her knowledge of working at really high levels of fashion and the garment industry and started her own business, KiraGrace.com. Not only has she been able to gain a better work-life balance through entrepreneurship, but she's also built something incredibly cool at the same time. Listen in as Kira discusses how she optimized for work-life balance through entrepreneurship, what might surprise you about the inner workings of fashion retail, and what she learned from her time at Victoria's Secret. We also dive into what her small but mighty team looks like, how she has positioned and leveraged KiraGrace.com as a lifestyle brand, and where the opportunities lie in the fashion industry. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3ZeqVKp Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Who said making more money had to be boring? Sharoon Thomas is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fulfil.io, an ERP built for larger 7-figure, 8-figure, and 9-figure brands that helps them scale by leveraging efficiencies and automations. He joins the show today to geek out about all things ERP and not just why you should have one, but also how it could completely transform your business. Sharoon's experience in building Fulfil.io has given him valuable insight into what it takes to develop and implement such complex technology, and he shares the lessons he has learned throughout the process, including what it was like bootstrapping the company. We also delve into the unique strengths and capabilities of Fulfil.io, how it can help businesses reach their goals, and the cost and timeline involved in implementing an ERP. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/40TRiqA Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Want to know the secret behind building an 8-figure brand in just two years? Today I'm joined by Isaac Medoris, the owner and founder of MiniKatana.com. If you're a listener of podcasts in the eCommerce space, chances are you've already heard of Isaac's success. In just two years, he has taken his business from nothing to an 8-figure brand, all through the power of short-form video. Listen in as Isaac shares why video is the most powerful online sales medium available, how it fueled his brand growth, and how he spends his short-form video budget (and why it's worth every penny). We also discuss the most important metrics when measuring video success, where the current opportunities are with video as a medium, and whether it's worth throwing time and money into Instagram Reels. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3XYWJmm Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

If you own a business, you know that one of the hardest parts is the people part. Whether it's leading people, developing people, or retaining people, it can be a major challenge, and having a solid team in place becomes more important as you grow—and even more important as you look to sell. Byron McFarland is a Succession and Equity Compensation Strategist with The McFarland Group who has helped countless firms design compensation plans to incentivize and retain key people, and in this episode, we're diving into the nuts and bolts of building a team that will help take your business to the next level. Listen in as we discuss the critical topic of how to structure retention plans for your business, the key to keeping valuable team members, and plans that reward future performance to drive results. We also share insights on how to approach retention planning when recruiting new talent so you can attract and retain top performers and ensure the success of your business for the long term. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3XOnBFy Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Curious about the latest trends in digital marketing? Andrew Foxwell, Co-Founder of Foxwell Digital, joins me today to uncover some of the trends happening in the digital marketing landscape, including, of course, what you might be able to expect from Facebook advertising in the near future. In this episode, we're diving into the rumors circulating about Facebook's performance, how advertising on Facebook has become easier in some ways (and much harder in other ways), and what is driving overall trends in digital marketing. We also discuss tools that can help streamline your paid advertising workflow, whether TikTok ads are worth the time and money, and an interesting approach to finding influencers for your eCommerce brand. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3R0081y Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Today I'm joined by Ron Shah, Co-Founder and CEO of Obvi, a protein powder specifically designed for women. He has a super cool story of how he's grown the company to over $30 million in size in just three years, and his insight is invaluable for anyone looking to start a business and grow it quickly. Listen in as we dive into the marketing strategies that have worked best for Obvi, how Ron built his rockstar team, and how he overcame the challenges of financing and hiring that team. He also shares insights on financing growth quickly (and continuing to power it), how they leverage community and subscriptions, and the challenges and benefits of marketing to somebody on the opposite side of the consumer spectrum. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3IOjLHO Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

This is part two of my discussion with Matthew Bertulli, co-founder and CEO of Pela, a company that produces eco-friendly products such as the Lomi food disposal device and the PelaCase phone case. In this episode, we are diving into all things business moats—including what they are—and talking about what makes a business really and truly defensible. Listen in as we take a deep dive into the areas of business that are often used to create a competitive advantage and explore the many different ways that businesses can protect their market share from competitors. You'll hear how to use software to your advantage psychologically, how to leverage word-of-mouth and community, and why it's important to understand how humans make decisions when thinking about how to safeguard your market position. Matthew also shares some really interesting insights and tips from the trenches of building his own defensible businesses, so this is an episode you won't want to miss! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3vRHYW4 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Matthew Bertulli is the co-founder and CEO of Pela, a company that produces eco-friendly products, such as the Lomi food disposal device and the PelaCase phone case. He is super passionate about environmental and waste issues, and his journey to finding a way to both reduce waste and make money with some really cool products is impressive, to say the least! Listen in as Matthew shares what it was like once upon a time being two weeks to Christmas with 100 employees and no payroll, as well as how he came up with the idea for (and then developed) the Lomi food disposal machine. We also get into some of the nitty-gritty of branding and marketing and discuss not only what the competitive advantage for brands will be in the near future, but also why word-of-mouth can be such a powerful tool for any business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Qa9pDZ Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

In this episode, we have an in-depth conversation with Jesse Pujji, a well-known entrepreneur and investor who has previously appeared on the show. Jesse is the Founder of Gateway X, Executive Chairman of Ampush and GrowthAssistant, and most recently, the CEO and Founder of KahaniApp.com, a software company that enhances eCommerce store websites into engaging mobile experiences. Listen in as we dive into various topics in this episode, including how many people are on Jesse's various teams, how he was able to get his time back, and what his leadership style is. We also talk about his experience working with an Executive Coach, the benefits he found from working with a coach, and how he balances work and family life. Finally, he shares details about KahaniApp.com and how it is changing the online shopping experience. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3YVqaH0 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

What do you get when you combine TikTok with DTC and eCommerce? You may just get Dulma Altan, the founder of Makelane.com, creator, and commentator on all things DTC and eCommerce on TikTok. Dulma has been on the up-and-up in the eCommerce space, and I'm excited to chat with her about so many different things, including Silicon Valley, capitalism, community, and more. Listen in as she shares what it was like moving from Mongolia to the U.S., the lessons she learned from her first business, and what it was like working at Google. We also dive into TikTok and discuss how the platform has evolved as we come out of the pandemic, as well as what the future of short-form video looks like. To make things even more interesting, we also discuss a little bit about capitalism, what it's like building a really amazing community, and the biggest roadblock for many women in the eCommerce and DTC space. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3uR0EVr Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

It is the most wonderful time of the year! Not only is it a time to get together with friends and family and enjoy each other's company, but it's also the time of year when Bill D'Alessandro and I look back on our predictions from a year ago, see where we were massively off, and make even more predictions for the coming year. So get comfortable, grab your holiday favorite drink, and get ready to see how egregious our predictions were from last year, and speculate with us on what 2023 will bring. We'll be talking about where we think the markets will be headed, what we expect to see from the labor market and domestic sourcing, and what's up with Shopify in the coming year. We also share our AI-related predictions for the new year and chat about some really cool tools that may just change how we all run and manage our businesses. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3FsNgMf Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Do you know where your best customers are coming from? Sara Livingston is the Head of Customer Solutions at Rockerbox.com, and she joins the show today to geek out about all things traffic. From trends to new channels, we're getting into all of it today and answering the question: how do you determine where you should be spending your marketing budget? Get ready to dip into the weeds as Sara shares where the traffic trends currently sit when it comes to where brands are spending their ad money, how marketing spend is changing on different platforms, and how budgets differ between large and small brands. We also get into attribution and discuss how to think about it, how to test new channels, and how to find out where your best customers are coming from—and get them to spend more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3isEB4o Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Dalia Rojas is the owner of Sixty61.com, an incredible brand and eCommerce store that carries custom sport bike parts and accessories. Dalia is also a newer member to the eCommerceFuel community, and she's been an incredible member in the short time she's been part of the community, so I wanted to get her on the podcast to learn more about her, what she's up to in eCommerce, and her interesting journey to owning Sixty61.com. Listen in as Dalia shares how she first acquired the brand after coming from a background in tech, how that background has benefitted the business and growth, and how she has been able to leverage multiple platforms to sell her product. We also discuss the exclusive distributor agreement she has with an Italian exhaust company, how she went about securing that agreement, and whether it has lived up to the hype. If you're interested in learning more about what it's like selling on Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, or how to get into an exclusive distributor agreement in your industry, this is an episode you won't want to miss! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3AVmcUq Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

I was recently looking through the new members to the eCommerce Fuel community and there was one company that caught my eye: Mountain Gazette. Mike Rogge, founder and owner, joins me today to talk about his journey re-launching and breathing new life into the beautiful oversized magazine that celebrates all things mountain sports, adventure sports, and the outdoors. Listen in as Mike shares what it's like to buy something from the past and revive it, how he is marketing the magazine, and how he has built a team of in-house and freelance contributors. We also discuss the economics of print media and content, and geek out about all things sports and the outdoors in general. Mike has a truly interesting story and has built something super cool, so this is an episode you won't want to miss! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3EBEpYe Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

If you've been out and about on a Sunday, you have probably come across the product created by today's guest. Chris Ruder is the Founder of Spikeball.com and he has a really cool story about how he started the company and ran it as a side hustle for five years before taking it full-time and growing it to where it is today. Listen in as Chris shares what it was like raising the initial $100k he needed to launch the business from friends and family, why he never considered using third-party investors, and the lessons he learned mixing business and personal. We also dive into the marketing strategies that Chris has employed, why he has never relied on paid advertising, and how he has leveraged community, connection, and word of mouth to scale his business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3tp0WlK Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

How do you build a great routine in your life as an entrepreneur? Is it possible to have a schedule that allows you to have flexibility, get things done, see your family—and is also efficient so that you're not working 80 hours a week? This episode is for all the hyper-efficiency and optimization geeks out there because I'm answering these questions and more. I've experimented with a lot of different methods and hacks over the years to get the most out of my day, and today I'm talking through the things I have tried. Listen in to hear what has worked to optimize my routine, what has not worked for me, and a quick and dirty overview of my current daily schedule. I also share why I almost always push back on phone call requests, what I'm doing to optimize efficiency in the long term, and why I make deep work blocks a priority to really dig into meaningful work every week. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3UJ2kv3 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Even a decade into eCommerce, I am still often amazed by the variety of things that people make a living from selling online. From high-end toilet seats to live chickens, it never ceases to blow my mind, and it's so cool to see people build really niche, and really interesting, businesses. In today's episode, I'm flying solo and diving into the nitty-gritty of our Charlotte event. I'll be sharing some of the more interesting and unique takeaways that came out of the event and giving you a flavor of what you can expect at a regional event. Listen in as I go over interesting takeaways from not only a tactical perspective, but also from a fun and personal perspective. You'll hear examples of amazing brand and customer experiences, what it was like walking through a FedEx facility (I highly recommend everyone do this at some point in their life), and one of the most popular facets of the event. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Nt9y3K Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

What is the future of Amazon? That's what we're diving into today with Bill D'Alessandro of ElementsBrands.com. Bill is a repeat guest on the show and someone who has very different views on the current—and future—state of Amazon. Listen in as we debate whether Amazon is dying like some believe, whether brands should be leaving the platform for greener pastures, and Amazon's biggest weakness. Whether you sell on Amazon or not, the behemoth is hard to ignore if you're in eCommerce, so this is an episode you won't want to miss! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3F8izgN Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

It's been a tough few years for many eCommerce brands, and in this episode, we're chatting with Brenden Marquardt, owner of LoriBeds.com, a brand of really beautiful murphy beds that are functional, affordable, and made in the U.S. Brenden has built an amazing business that has also faced a pretty challenging period, over the last six months in particular, and we're diving into some of the challenges they've faced, as well as what they've done to weather the storm. Listen in as Brenden shares how the brand came to be, how raising prices led to a rebrand, and the importance of finding the right value proposition. We also get into the supply chain challenges that Brenden has faced, what he's done to overcome them, and how a website redesign turned out to be a game-changer. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3TgFBWT Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

We all know that great customer service is a cornerstone of any successful eCommerce business, but finding a truly great customer service hire is not always easy. Aaron Powell from BunchBikes.com joins me today to share how he was able to find and hire someone who is above and beyond your average run-of-the-mill team member and how that hire has revealed the true definition of what it means to be an "A-Player." Listen in as Aaron discloses how he found his unicorn customer service hire, as well as how this hire has been a game-changer and pushed the business forward in unexpectedly positive ways. We also dive into some bike geekery and discuss the bike market, infrastructure building, and how Aaron has found a niche within a niche that has allowed him to build a really amazing business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Mn6fuA Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

What does it take to build a brand in this day and age, and how has the branding experience changed from even a decade ago? David Segal is not only a tea veteran, having founded David's Tea and now Owner and Co-Founder of FirebellyTea.com, but he also has a ton of branding experience that spans years. He joins the show today to talk all things branding and so much more. Listen in as we dive into David's retail experience, what it's like starting a brand today versus years ago, and how he is weaving really unique branding elements into his new website. We also discuss the investment that went into the current brand and find out what Firebelly Tea is looking for in their next eCommerce Marketing Manager. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3rrxQkt Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

In this episode, we're deep diving into all things leadership with Jesse Pujji, whose name you might be familiar with as a second-time guest on the show. He's an entrepreneur and investor who is also the Founder of Gateway X, Executive Chairman of Ampush and GrowthAssistant, and more recently, CEO and Founder of Kahani, a software that transforms eCommerce stores from boring websites into engaging mobile experiences. Listen in as we talk about a bunch of different stuff, including what it means to be a leader, what it's like working with an Executive Coach, and how Jesse balances family and kids with a very ambitious work schedule. We're also discussing how the online shopping experience today is, in a lot of ways, identical to a decade ago, and whether or not people are really buying off of social platforms. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3dYU8Hf Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

By far, the thing that has made the biggest impact in terms of financial results in my own business—while doing the least amount of work—has been pricing, and it's something that I've always wished I had done so much sooner. Joining me on the show today is Drew Marconi, co-founder of Intelligems.io, which helps eCommerce brands scientifically test their pricing to find the right one for their brand, and we're geeking out together on all things pricing. Take a listen as we discuss the current pricing landscape and find out what Drew learned during their recent Shopify pricing experiments. We also discuss whether it's better to include shipping in your pricing, whether you should let your customer base know if you're raising your prices before you pull the lever, and what to expect in the near future when it comes to pricing trends. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3xpei3H Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

What do you get when you take a discontinued National Geographic catalogue and 12 years of experience in the print catalogue sector? If your name is Allan Shiffrin, you may just get an 8-figure business. If you're an eCommerce brand, you're definitely going to want to listen to this episode to find out how you can make direct mail a major source of sales for your brand. Listen in as we geek out about catalogs, direct mail, and how to be able to make what is equivalent to a Facebook lookalike audience for direct mail contacts. Allan also shares some of the tools and co-ops that you can use to get started, how to lay out a great catalog, and the magic number of products to include in a direct mail catalog. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3BaxlQn Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Search for "side hustle ideas" in Google and you'll get a million and one results. In fact, side hustles have trended upward over the last couple years as people worked them to supplement their income during the pandemic—and many even used their side hustle as an exit path during the "Great Resignation." Spencer Jan is the co-founder of SoloStove.com, and he is one of the side hustle success stories, having bootstrapped his way to a $2-billion valuation in only 8 years while working a full-time job for much of that time. Listen in as he shares Solo Stove's journey from being a side hustle to a highly profitable and valuable company. You'll hear why he and his co-founder and brother, Jeff, obsessed over margins from the very beginning, as well as the painful reality they faced when they first went to sell. We also discuss the importance of profitable margins, how to stay lean as a company, and why it's important to get out of the default mode of working more and instead spend more time on what matters most. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3wEIh7C Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Do you understand why your customers buy? This week, we're running a replay of one of the more interesting episodes from the last year with Charles Burdett of PipDecks.com, which is a suite of card decks that helps people do anything from brainstorming creative workshop ideas and improving their storytelling to designing more innovative products. What makes PipDecks.com particularly interesting is how Charles was able to take a product that has a very low cost of goods and sell it at incredibly high prices. You'll learn how his positioning and his branding have been the secret to selling the decks based on their value rather than on their physical worth. He also shares the one question we should all be asking our customers to understand why they buy, as well as how to overcome the mindset block that most entrepreneurs will grapple with at some point. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3QVnnce Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Email has to be one of the biggest pain points that entrepreneurs face, and it's also something that is an inevitability in today's world if you're in eCommerce. I'm happy to say that I finally feel like I've gotten to a good place when it comes to my inbox—I no longer feel a sense of chaos when I open my email, and what used to take me over 2 hours now takes me half the time it used to. In this last solo episode of the summer, I'm discussing how I managed to wrangle my email and cleared out most of the junk, made the important stuff easy to spot, and overall made it possible for me to move through my inbox quickly and efficiently. I'll also be sharing the game-changer that helped me control the chaos much more easily and why I let go of a lot of hangups I had when it came to email (that you may also have and not even be aware of!). You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3ADmpf4 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Welcome to another episode in the summer mini-series where we're diving into topics related to creating an amazing life—something that I know applies to all the entrepreneurs listening. Today we're jumping into something that all the finance geeks will love: tracking your net worth and spending. I'm sharing not only why you should be doing it, but also the best ways I've found to pull the info together in a way that makes sense and doesn't have you sharing your financial info with third-party apps. Listen in as I break down the high-level reasons why you absolutely should be tracking your net worth and your household spending, the method I love for tracking spending, and what I include (and exclude) when looking at my net worth. I also discuss my 4% rule, benchmarking, and the cool freedom chart that tracks your monthly burn rate against your earnings and shows you real-life progress over time. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3QgSPkR Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

If you've noticed recently that your emails are not being read or clicked through as often as usual, you are not alone. Today on the show I have Daniel Reifenberger, our resident ECF email marketing expert and the Founder and Chief Strategist at YourLoyalTribe.com, to walk us through what has been going on in the world of email marketing—and of course, how you can improve your email deliverability metrics. Listen in as Daniel breaks down the audit he did on eCommerceFuel's email deliverability, and hear my raw, unscripted reaction to the data as I hear it for the first time. We also discuss what the auditing process was like, what the overall email marketing landscape looks like today, and tips for improving your email deliverability. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3oXDOsi Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

If you're in the eCommerce world and have any kind of inventory-based business, you know how growth can be a double-edged sword: the faster you grow, the larger the POs that you have to place and the more likely you are to slip into a negative cash flow. Ben Tregoe is the CEO and Co-Founder at BainbridgeGrowth.com, a company that helps eCommerce businesses with advanced financial modelling and evaluating different options for financing their growth. He joins me today to talk through some of the options and the pitfalls that eComm businesses can face as they grow. Listen in as Ben shares some of the biggest mistakes that brands make when it comes to financing, as well as the importance of thinking well into the future when looking at all the options available. We also discuss the best financing options for every stage of the eCommerce business (including PO factoring, mezzanine debt, and the Kickfurther model) and the one area where many don't focus enough when it comes to financing options. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3PY7Fgd Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

We've all heard the phrase "work on it, not in it" in relation to business—otherwise known as "the owner's trap." But what if I could make the case for why there actually is a time and a place to get back to working in the trenches, talking to your customers, and diving right into the nitty-gritty of your business? In this mini solo episode, I share the top reasons why you should consider periodically diving back into the details of your business, including how you can get some really valuable feedback from not only your customers, but also your team members. Then tune in to the end for a bonus mini-episode with Allan Fisch of Moonshot Brands, an organization that buys Amazon and Shopify businesses and gives eCommerce founders financial freedom, as we discuss what's happening right now in the eCommerce landscape and how A2X plays into Allan's acquisition process. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3PQmpgA Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

So how are entrepreneurs doing lately? Dr. Sherry Walling joins the show for the second time around to give some insight into the state of entrepreneurship today, including whether entrepreneurs are re-evaluating their lives and businesses as the world emerges from the pandemic. As a Clinical Psychologist that specializes in helping entrepreneurs with their mental health, and the founder of the ZenFounder.com podcast, she has a unique finger on the pulse of what it's like to be an entrepreneur in the world today. Listen in as we talk about some of the most common myths that entrepreneurs tell themselves, what it can look like to balance work and personal life successfully as an entrepreneur, and whether it is actually more stressful to be an entrepreneur today than at any other time. We also explore grief and psychedelics, including the strategies that Sherry personally used to grieve and how she uses psychedelics therapeutically in her practice. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3RLT4Wo Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

It's been a wild few years in eCommerce, so I was super excited to sit down and go over the results of our fourth-ever eCommerce Trends Report for 2022. The results were eye-opening, and there were some pretty interesting takeaways about what is working in eCommerce, what's not working, what trends are emerging, and what the general lay of the eCommerce land looks like. In this episode, I'm going over four of the most surprising takeaways, including the best model when it comes to having a strong competitive advantage, pricing tactics that almost always work, and why ROAS is less important than we think. I also discuss something that we saw for the first time ever with Amazon and how really effective branding and marketing played out in the numbers. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3uyQCbX Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

A lot has happened in the last 24 months when it comes to shipping and logistics due to the pandemic, and you might be wondering what the immediate future holds. Here to give us his take is Dhruv Saxena, Co-Founder and CEO of ShipBob.com, one of the largest global 3PL providers that is trusted by over 7,000 brands and fulfills orders all around the world. We're deep-diving into all things logistics, warehousing, and international shipping as Dhruv shares his perspective on the status of international logistics and what you can expect if you're trying to move goods from one point to another. We're also talking about the biggest changes he's seen on the fulfillment side, where popular freight carriers stand after COVID, and what the availability of warehouse space looks like across the U.S. You'll learn some of the best and worst logistics stories Dhruv has ever heard and get the low-down on the demand for same-day shipping for anyone whose name is not "Amazon." You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3OVLUx4 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

There's no doubt that one of the areas that COVID impacted the most was in the way we work, and specifically, in how the pandemic pushed remote work into the mainstream. Dan Andrews is the Co-Founder of Tropical MBA and Dynamite Jobs, and he's been beating the remote work drum for over a decade. He joins the show today to talk all things remote work, including whether it's here to stay. Listen in as we dive into how the narrative of remote work has changed over the past few years, what the optimal structure for organizations going forward will likely be, and whether offering the option to work remotely is still considered a perk for most employees. We also discuss when you should—and shouldn't—post a salary in your job description, what you can do instead to manage expectations and maintain interest, and how to find and vet great remote team members. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3y6kdvf Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.