The Ecommerce Influence Podcast

There Are 2 Directions Your Ecomm Brand Can Go - You Can Be A Brand That Scales Up, Or You Can Flop. In This Greatest Hits Episode We Share the Secrets We've Seen Behind The Brands That Make it Big. 

Some eCommerce brands make it big while others stall out, it’s a fact. But there’s really no big mystery behind why this happens.

Today we're revisiting an interview I gave on the Ecommerce Evolution Podcast by my good friend Brett Curry. We break down what separates eCommerce brands that scale up versus those that plateau.

Brett and I talk about a variety of things, including average order value and lifetime value, and how that directly impacts your ability to scale up. We talk about demand generation versus demand capture: which is "better" and which lends itself to being able to scale. We talk about the roadmap to building a team and scaling up your business, how your role as a CEO changes as you grow, and much, much more.

This is a great conversation with a lot of tips from Brett and me. I hope you enjoy!

Episode Highlights

  • 5:54 Why I’m so passionate about dissecting why some brands scale and others don’t.
  • 7:25 The KPIs that separate the businesses that can scale from those that can't.
  • 8:47 Demand capture vs. demand generation and which one will allow you to scale.
  • 12:20 Factors I look for when evaluating a product’s potential for growth.
  • 14:22 How a passionate market can contribute to success.
  • 18:32 Why having competitors in your market is a good thing.
  • 19:13 Average order value and lifetime value: why they’re important and what to look for if you want to scale.
  • 22:17 How to evaluate CPA across different channels and the other metric I recommend examining.
  • 24:59 It’s OK if your business doesn’t scale -- and this is why.
  • 27:57 Growing your business by expanding your product line.
  • 31:49 A true entrepreneur falls in love with their customers, not their product.
  • 33:16 Great founders know when to ask for help.
  • 34:46 Why business founders need to become experts at their marketing channels before handing over the reins.
  • 38:52 How a CEO’s role shifts as the company grows.

Links And Resources

Direct download: EI_314_Why20Some20Brans20Scale20Replay.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CST

Raising capital can go two ways - it can help you reach your goals faster or be disastrous and destroy your business. 

Karen Howland is the managing director at Circle Up, an investment platform that uses technology to invest in early-stage businesses (mostly health and wellness CPG companies). She’s been investing in companies for the last eight years, and in this conversation, we go deep into early-stage investing, what entrepreneurs need to know about raising capital, and the mistakes she sees entrepreneurs make along the way.

Karen also shares what opportunities are out there right now and what she's most excited about. 

If you’re considering raising capital for your business or are interested in investing this episode will give you the tips and tricks to get started. 

Episode Highlights

  • 4:12 How Karen first got excited about investing 
  • 5:35 The mission of Circle Up and what makes them different from other investment firms
  • 8:32 What’s hot right now in the health and wellness space 
  • 12:47 Why it’s so hard for large CPG companies to incubate and develop their own new products 
  • 15:21 How Covid may have created the opportunity for CPG companies to innovate right now
  • 17:43 The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when raising capital
  • 24:14 Investing in CPG companies vs. investing in tech companies 
  • 28:10 Patterns in companies that have massive success 
  • 30:24 How Amazon, retail, and DTC companies can exist together 
  • 36:05 What the future of protecting your brand on Amazon will look like
  • 40:44 From raising capital to strategic exit - where entrepreneurs have the most challenges
  • 43:55 Areas that Karen is excited about investing in

Resources:

Direct download: EI20313_V2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CST

Buffy was one of the first brands to crack paid social. As today's Facebook advertisers scramble to adjust to changes on the platform we revisit this Greatest Hits episode to learn from one of the best. 

What started as an idea to disrupt the bedding industry has grown into a multi-million dollar business.

This summer we’re re-releasing some of our top episodes of all time, and this week we’re bringing back this incredibly relevant show with Buffy co-founder Shoaib Kabani.

We talk about everything from product development, to the importance of testing, how landing pages can improve your funnel, and what performance KPIs you have to be thinking about as you scale on paid social.

Whether you’re a business owner or an ecommerce marketer, you’re going to get a lot out of this episode.

Enjoy!

Episode Highlights

  • 5:55 How a desire to change the bedding industry led to the creation of Buffy.
  • 7:27 The training Shoaib got from his start in consulting that’s helped him as an entrepreneur.
  • 8:41Developing the initial idea and concept for Buffy: providing value and values.
  • 10:35 The process of validating the concept online, on social, and in person before going all in.
  • 13:33 How do I make this a no brainer for the consumer?
  • 15:20 What’s worked for Buffy from a creative perspective and changes they’ve made as they’ve scaled.
  • 19:42 Some of the unintended consequences of having a free trial offer.
  • 21:01 Unique KPIs Shoaib looks at on a daily basis.
  • 23:03 A funnel analysis tool that’s been a game changer as Buffy’s scaled up.
  • 24:16 The materials and brand values that make Buffy stand out in the bedding industry.
  • 26:27 How Buffy uses landing pages to enhance its sales funnel.
  • 29:11 Addressing customer lifetime value when you have a limited number of products.
  • 33:15 Shoaib’s approach to launching into new ad channels, specifically with affiliates and podcasts.
  • 37:59 How the Buffy founders set their budget for testing new channels and concepts.
  • 40:13 What you, the ecommerce business owner, need to be thinking about to be successful.
  • 42:48 Exciting insight into what’s next for Buffy.

Links And Resources

Direct download: EI_31020Buffy20Replay.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CST

Are you winging it when it comes to processes and systems in your business? Today’s guest will help you stop before you spiral out of control. 

Joshua Uebergang is a master of processes and systems. He is the director of Digital Darts, a Shopify agency based in Australia, as well as a certified Shopify Marketing Expert. He is also a member of the Coalition

In this episode, we get an inside look into an ultra-organized mind. We talk hiring process, the importance of SOPs (and how to write them), iOS 14 mistakes and opportunities, and tools and resources to create your own processes and systems.  

Leave this episode with direct actions to get more organized and build a business structure so stable “a fool could run it.” 

 

Episode Highlights:

  • 4:19 What Joshua is most interested in right now post-iOS 14 apocalypse
  • 6:00 How Joshua got into eCommerce and the shift from Magento to Shopify
  • 8:39 Key processes and systems that helped Digital Darts grow over the last 6 years 
  • 10:42 Why you need a step-by-step hiring process
  • 12:01 The tools Joshua uses to manage processes 
  • 15:00 Defining the “why” in SOPs - not just the how
  • 16:40 Comparing project management tools 
  • 17:45 How the Coalition helped Joshua level up in his business
  • 22:17 Thinking about systems not only in business but also in your relationships
  • 24:05 Common mistakes from the front lines of iOS 14 
  • 26:57 iOS 15 - how concerned should you really be?
  • 39:18 Books that have helped Joshua on his journey 
  • 31:05 Is it easier to run a business with 8 people or 2 people?

Links and Resources:

Direct download: EI_311_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am CST

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