The Ecommerce Influence Podcast

Trying to get valuable time back from your business? Steve Chou and I are here to talk about how automation helps us work smarter.

Steve Chou, host of the My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast, has built a large business that only requires the help of one VA. From managing a robust social media calendar to tackling email marketing, Steve has cracked the code on how to do more with less.

Steve and I share a joint passion for helping entrepreneurs build businesses that don't consume their entire life. If you've been feeling overworked and bogged down in the weeds of your business, this episode is for you. Tune in to hear how we've freed up our time by automating five key areas of our businesses: hiring, social media, email marketing, our inbox, and project management.

Episode Highlights:

  • 4:10 Automation #1: Your hiring process
  • 10:18 Automation #2: Your social media production
  • 15:07 Automation #3: Your inbox
  • 18:17 Automation #4: Your project management
  • 24:15 Automation #5: Your email marketing
  • 29:40 How to combine SMS and email
  • 34:04 What Steve is most excited about
  • 38:14 Check out Steve’s podcast

Links and Resources:

Direct download: EI_302_SteveChou_Coalition.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CDT

The right marketing strategy + the right team members to execute = DTC success. 

“A little crazy” is what Ecuadorian artisans called Case Bakker after he requested order after order of handmade blankets to sell to boutiques all over the Ottawa Valley. Rooted in a mission to give back, Pokoloko started off as a wholesale brand dedicated to bringing global inspiration to people's homes and directly supporting artisans all over South America, Turkey, Morocco, and Indonesia.

I met Case, Pokoloko’s CEO and co-founder, about a year ago when he reached out with one goal in mind: transition from wholesale to DTC eCommerce. Since then, we’ve worked together inside the Coalition and Intentional Wealth, and his team has made incredible progress. Case joins us today to tell us how.

Tune in for a candid talk about how Pokoloko generated their first $100k in sales, what marketing strategies move the needle, the hires that have been essential to their success, and leadership lessons he’s picked up along the way.

Enjoy!

Episode Highlights:

  • 3:51 How Pokoloko was first created
  • 6:23 How Pokoloko generated their first $100,000
  • 9:19 The biggest difference between running wholesale vs direct to consumer
  • 11:02 Three major initiatives that moved the needle when switching to online sales
  • 13:32 Critical hires when growing a B2C business 
  • 15:28 Marketing initiatives with a high ROI
  • 19:01 How transitioning to B2C affects wholesale 
  • 20:28 Leaderships lessons Case wishes he knew years ago
  • 24:20 What Case is most excited about

Links and Resources:

Direct download: EI_301_Case.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CDT

Misinformation is spewed left and right about nearly everything in eCommerce and it’s driving Kurt Elster and I insane.

We are excited to bring you episode 300 of the Ecommerce Influence podcast and our special guest today is Kurt Elster. Kurt is a CRO expert, host of the Unofficial Shopify Podcast, and runs an eCommerce website design and development agency called Ethercycle.

If you’ve been a long-time listener of the podcast, you know that Kurt is a trusted recurring guest and in this episode, we’re hoping to put a nail in the coffin of six costly eCommerce myths. 

Tune in as we set the record straight on Google PageSpeed, website design and copywriting, work ethic and so much more.

Enjoy!

Episode Highlights:

  • 5:28 Myth #1: You need to diversify your traffic
  • 8:38 Myth #2: Google PageSpeed is crucial to getting more sales
  • 14:00 Myth #3: You have to be the first to do everything 
  • 18:49 Myth #4: If a “big” business is doing it, it must be right
  • 23:10 Myth #5: Hustle and grind is the key to business success
  • 27:57 Myth #6: People don’t read on the internet 
  • 35:40 Check out the Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Links and Resources:

Direct download: EI_300_Kurt_Elster_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CDT

Does your business take all of your time or does it give you the freedom to do the things you love?

Jeff Vogl, president of Classic Car Stereos, has been intentional about creating that shift over the last couple of years and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him do it. Jeff and I started working together in 2019. Since then, Jeff’s business has grown tremendously and he’s continued to add to his portfolio.

From mastering the art of creating packages his customers can’t ignore, boosting his AOV, and spending more time on the golf course than in the weeds of his business, Jeff is a sharp entrepreneur and he’s here to tell you how he made these big wins possible.

Tune in to learn how you can creatively increase your AOV, why Jeff believes a Google AdWords strategy is a must, the importance of bidding on your brand, and how a change in leadership style has unlocked the freedom Jeff always wanted.

Enjoy!

Episode Highlights:

  • 4:03 Learning how to create packages to boost your AOV
  • 6:20 How Classic Car Stereos manages all of the moving parts in their business
  • 8:18 Jeff’s journey from spending time in the weeds of his business to spending time on the golf course
  • 10:55 A mindset shift on inventory management and demand planning
  • 16:19 Entrepreneurial finance 101: The numbers every entrepreneur should know
  • 25:06 Using Google Adwords and why you should always be bidding on your brand
  • 29:12 Evolving your leadership style to empower your team
  • 34:35 The resources Jeff uses to grow Classic Car Stereos

Links and Resources:

Direct download: EI_299_Jeff.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CDT

Holistic Habitat self-taught their way to Facebook Ads success. Here's why they doubled their ad budget in 2020.

Kristin Holler is the co-creator of Holistic Habitat, an eCommerce home decor company for the socially conscious. I met Kristin in 2019 and have worked with her inside the Coalition, and most recently, as a member of Intentional Wealth. Since we started working together, her business has grown tremendously and email marketing makes up 30% of her monthly sales. However, that’s not the only lever Kristin has learned how to master.

With a roll-up-your-sleeves mentality, Kristin has led Holistic Habitat through the ever-changing landscape of Facebook ads, the COVID-19 pandemic, market shifts and so much more. She’s here to share how they grew 500% in 2018, how she became a Facebook ads pro, and the secret behind creating ads that convert. We also dive into the biggest leadership takeaways of 2020 and how to get out of your own way.

Episode Highlights:

  • 4:21 How Kristin started as an eCommerce entrepreneur
  • 7:27 The moment Kristin realized Holistic Habitat had potential
  • 9:55 How Holistic Habitat grew 500% in 2018
  • 12:53 Why Kristin doubled her FB ads budget at the beginning of COVID-19
  • 16:53 The biggest leadership takeaways from 2020
  • 19:13 Working in the Coalition: How Kristin increased profits and got out of her own way
  • 23:25 Becoming a Facebook ads pro
  • 26:23 How to run Facebook ads that convert
  • 28:32 Holistic Habitat’s unforgettable marketing mishaps 
  • 31:10 Advice for purpose-driven brands trying to build customer loyalty 
  • 33:57 The #1 thing Kristin wishes she knew before starting her entrepreneurship journey
  • 35:27 What’s keeping Kristin up at night
  • 37:16 Lessons from COVID-19 that keep moving the needle
  • 38:43 How Holistic Habitat creatively increases their average order value
  • 41:52 Get in touch with Kristin

Links and Resources:

Direct download: EI_298_KristinHoller_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CDT

1