Tue, 20 April 2021
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
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Tue, 13 April 2021
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
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Tue, 6 April 2021
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
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Tue, 30 March 2021
Today's guest turned her passion project into a global movement. Chrissie Lam is the founder of Love Is Project, a thriving lifestyle brand that supports thousands of female artisans in developing countries around the world. I’ve known Chrissie for years and have had the pleasure of getting an up-front look into how her business has taken off. Between landing a spot on Shark Tank, multiple press hits, and being featured by Facebook during Women’s History Month, Chrissie has so much insight to share on developing a lifestyle brand with a purpose. In the episode, we talk about what it’s like to launch a business while traveling the world, getting onto Shark Tank and how to leverage the press to grow your business. Chrissie also shares the ups and downs of working with freelancers and agencies, and how she’s been using our Intentional Wealth program to keep her business and life in balance. Episode Highlights - 2:57 Chrissie’s passion for travel
- 5:11 Launching Love Is Project in Bali
- 9:43 The process of getting onto Shark Tank
- 12:55 Chrissie’s mindset heading into Shark Tank and how it panned out
- 14:57 How the power of the press for Love Is Project
- 17:07 The trial and error of hiring freelancers and agencies
- 20:10 How Chrissie is able to work anywhere in the world
- 21:33 What Chrissie wishes she knew before launching Love Is Project
- 21:53 How Chrissie is leveraging the Intentional Wealth program
- 24:20 Chrissie’s advice for people building a lifestyle brand
- 26:20 What Chrissie is most excited about going forward
- 27:35 Helpful resources for entrepreneurs
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_297_Chrissie.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 7:00am CDT
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Tue, 23 March 2021
Our most highly requested guest, Moiz Ali, is here to tell you how he made a 9-figure exit in just over 2 years. Moiz is the Founder of Native, the fastest growing CPG company in the US. Two and a half years after its inception, the company was acquired by Procter & Gamble for $100MM and Moiz is here to tell us how he made that happen. We talk about what made Native so successful early on, how he prepared to sell the company and what life was like at Procter & Gamble after the sale. Moiz also dispels a few eCommerce myths and lets you know what he’d do differently if he could hit the reset button. Episode Highlights - 3:30 How Moiz Ali’s family encouraged him to lean into entrepreneurship
- 5:01 What drove Moiz away from law school
- 6:13 How life is like at Proctor & Gamble
- 11:18 A/B testing deodorant: Native vs P&G
- 16:00 Why Native was successful so quickly
- 20:53 Navigating eCommerce upsells
- 23:43 The team members and agencies Native leveraged to grow
- 28:18 What Moiz would do differently if he could hit the reset button
- 31:06 Raising money: Should you or shouldn't you?
- 35:55 Prepping to sell your company
- 39:45 What Moiz’s schedule was like leading up to the sell
- 43:22 Moiz’s advice on whether you should go all-in on your business
- 45:56 eCommerce myths Moiz wants to dispel
- 48:21 The best eCommerce platform to use
- 50:09 How Ali Capital chooses which companies to invest in
- 53:46 What’s exciting Moiz Ali about eCommerce right now
- 55:40 The three main keys to Native’s early success
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_296_Moiz_Ali_V2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 16 March 2021
There isn't a rulebook for building a $100MM brand. This serial entrepreneur is here to tell you how he did it. Josh Snow taught himself how to build websites at 12 years old. His early venture sparked a full-fledged passion for marketing and branding which led Josh to where he is today, the founder and CEO of Snow - a fast-growing D2C brand and leader in premium oral care. Josh is a true operator and in this episode, we dive deep into how he’s grown Snow to over $100MM in revenue. We talk about the differences between running a $1MM company and a $100MM company, how his leadership has needed to evolve in the process, and his thoughts on hiring the right people. Josh also shares how leveraging influencer marketing was a game-changer and where he plans on taking the company next. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:02 Josh’s pre-teen start to entrepreneurship
- 8:36 Snow’s defining moment of growth
- 13:55 Josh’s take on paid acquisition
- 16:45 How Snow strategically diversified their marketing channels
- 21:34 The biggest differences between running a $1MM and a $100MM company
- 27:07 How Josh has learned how to ask for help as a leader
- 32:20 The difference between “hunting elephants” and “hunting rabbits”
- 39:26 How Snow leverages influencer marketing and a celebrity’s social capital
- 45:00 Common misconceptions about running an eCommerce business
- 52:29 Where Snow is going and the challenges Josh sees on the horizon
- 56:01 Josh’s words of wisdom for eCommerce entrepreneurs
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_295_Josh_Snow.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 9 March 2021
Losing half a million dollars in one year can be a devastating blow. Find out how this company turned things around to become the 20th fastest growing company in the US. Garret Ackerson is the cofounder of Kindred Bravely - a privately held company that has experienced the highs and lows associated with rocketship growth. Garret did a live training for Coalition members last fall, and I'm sharing it with you now because it’s truly a transparent and sobering look into the ups and downs of a fast-growing company. Garret dives into the importance of knowing your numbers, making KPIs a team event, and why founders should carve out time and space to think. He also shares why he's never scared to invest in learning, how to build a flywheel, and find the right partners for your business. If you're a founder or someone who helps eCommerce businesses grow, this episode is a must-listen. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:02 How Kindred Bravely first started in 2015
- 7:02 The KPI system Kindred Bravely uses that promotes ownership
- 14:42 Why you should always schedule time to think
- 16:53 Why you should never be afraid to pay for learning
- 19:39 How to debrief and implement your learnings
- 22:26 The only two functions of your enterprise
- 27:30 How to start thinking and dominos and why you want should
- 28:46 Why you need to create a flywheel
- 34:52 What Garret’s thinking routine looks like and the questions he asks himself
- 36:19 The first hire that Kindred Bravely made and why
- 38:37 How to create a flywheel in Shopify
- 43:17 The most important part of capital management
- 47:00 Kindred Bravely’s financial reporting rhythm
- 51:18 The best way to have successful relationships with agencies
- 53:35 How Garret structures business goals and sprints
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_294_KindredBravely.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 2 March 2021
Buying an ecommerce business can be a brilliant move to build wealth, or have costly unintended consequences. Between finding the right business, knowing what to look for when going through due diligence, and avoiding misinformation - buying an eCommerce business can be a lot to handle. We're giving you a crash course on how to do it. Today’s show is a mashup of three episodes I’ve done with expert eCommerce entrepreneurs in this space - David Newell, Shakil Prasla, and Drew Sanocki. We talk about how to determine if you are the type of person who should buy or build, what a thorough due diligence process looks like, and the things to always investigate within a prospective company. We also breakdown the common pitfalls first-time buyers tend to experience and how to avoid them. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:30 How to determine if you should buy or build an eCommerce site
- 7:27 Buying a business to cross-sell
- 9:29 The 6 key tenets to robust due diligence when buying a business
- 13:12 How to assess the quality of a business’ backlinks
- 16:23 Financials you should always assess as a buyer
- 19:23 Problem areas to investigate before buying a business
- 23:15 Technical and legal checklist items you shouldn’t forget
- 25:38 The biggest mistakes most first-time buyers make and how to avoid them
- 27:34 Leveraging SEO and content for growth
- 30:53 Income and age: Two essential criteria for evaluating a company
- 32:49 Buying a business on a bank loan
- 35:48 Five things to always look for when buying
- 39:04 The advice Shakil would have given himself when he was starting out
- 41:30 Shakil’s process for reviewing prospecting companies and getting them through due diligence
- 43:30 What Drew is most excited about when buying
- 46:15 Merger and acquisition opportunities that can help your brand
- 50:45 Uncovering your blind spots within the acquisition process
- 52:26 Boostrapping vs acquisition: Which is right for you and which comes first?
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_293_Buying_An_Ecomm_Brand_-_Throwback.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 23 February 2021
Apple’s recent championing of consumer privacy means your ad data is never going to be the same. If you’re an eCommerce business owner, you’ve likely been swept up in the confusion around iOS 14 and Facebook ads. Andrew Foxwell from Foxwell Digital is back on today’s show to unpack what this means for you and your business. We’ll be diving into the iOS 14 release and the implications it’ll have on Facebook advertising. We’ll also discuss the tools you’ll need in place for this shift and how you can optimize your ads for this new normal. If your business relies heavily on Facebook advertising, you can’t miss this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:21 The current state of Facebook advertising and what you need to know about iOS 14
- 7:47 Apple’s new positioning around consumer privacy and how it will affect your advertising
- 9:56 How Apple will control the floodgates of information
- 12:52 What we know is changing between iOS 14 and Facebook ads
- 16:05 The upside to these changes within Facebook
- 18:24 What the upcoming data delay will mean for you
- 21:42 8 must-have events to set up to prepare for the new normal
- 25:40 How to set up and customize your new events
- 28:58 Don’t get taken advantage of: A word of caution when searching for help
- 32:05 Who is going to be most affected by these changes
- 37:57 The tools Facebook and Apple are working on to help you
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_292_WhatTheFacebook.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 16 February 2021
If you're trying to stretch your marketing dollars as far as you can there's one piece of low-hanging fruit you shouldn’t ignore. If you cringe when you think about pop-ups, you're missing out on huge wins including more revenue, more email captures, and a higher AOV. Take it from Erik Christiansen, eCommerce CRO expert and the CEO of Justuno. I’ve known Erik for a long time and his company has helped thousands of businesses with conversion rate optimization. He’s joining us today to talk about the future of eCommerce CRO and how you can leverage it in your business. Outside of Erik’s knowledge of eCommerce CRO, what I’ve continued to admire about him over the years is his ability to not only grow a team but retain his team members too. We’ll also cover how he’s built a team of 60+ people, how he thinks about hiring and retention. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:11 How Justuno has evolved over the years
- 6:52 The business basics Erik has been on top of for the last 10 years
- 11:44 Stretching your marketing dollars as far as you can
- 14:20 What Erik has learned about leading a remote team
- 17:51 The two things Erik tells every single one of his employees
- 21:35 What Erik is most excited about in Justuno’s future
- 26:10 How to optimize your landing pages
- 29:45 What Justuno has on the 2021 roadmap you should know about
- 32:05 How to get 30 days of free access to the Coalition
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_291_Erik.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 9 February 2021
Society Has Brainwashed Entrepreneurs To Believe They Have To Sacrifice Everything To Be Successful. “Crush it” culture convinces us that sacrificing our health, personal life, and family is a part of the game and if you’re not making those sacrifices, you can only get so far. It’s time to crush this false narrative and make a paradigm shift. In today’s episode, I’m introducing the Brand Acceleration Formula. It’s a five-step process designed to help entrepreneurs grow their business from $500K to $5MM without sacrificing what matters most to them. We dive into the biggest causes for slow business growth, how to stay focused on the metrics that move the needle, and our best advice on bringing your best ideas to life. I’m going to help 20 entrepreneurs apply this formula and have the best 90 days of their business life. Will you be one of them? Get the details here. Episode Highlights - 6:28 How society has entrepreneurs brainwashed
- 8:29 Are you playing a status game or a wealth game?
- 12:11 The Brand Acceleration Formula
- 15:03 The biggest cause for slow business growth
- 17:15 How to avoid shiny object syndrome
- 20:05 What our most successful clients have in common
- 22:03 The best way to start bringing your big ideas to reality
- 24:21 Our new Intentional Wealth Program
Links And Resources:
Direct download: EI_290_500k-5MM.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 2 February 2021
If you're just focusing on your company's annual income, you're doing it wrong. Today, Ryan Tansom, founder of Arkona, is here to talk about why creating long term value in your business should be your priority.
In 2014, Ryan helped turn his family business around and then sold it for 8 figures. Today he's helping entrepreneurs make the shift from thinking about annual income to focusing on long term value creation instead. In this episode, Ryan shares why your goal shouldn’t always be to maximize income, how to think about investing in your business, and the right way to run your business so that people want to buy it. Whether you have intentions to sell or not, Ryan’s ideas on creating long term value in your business will open up opportunities you’ll have the power and choice to leverage whenever you want. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:49 Why Ryan is passionate about helping entrepreneurs create long term value
- 8:04 The right time for a business to think about its direction
- 11:16 Annual income vs long term value: Which is better?
- 13:51 How investing in your business could be more valuable than cash
- 18:00 Tracking the value of your company even if you don’t want to sell
- 19:30 What a “good valuation” really means
- 22:28 Things professional buyers are looking for when evaluating your company
- 25:47 Understanding the J curve and the opportunities you may be missing in your business
- 30:33 When it’s time to find a new CEO
- 35:37 Why you should focus on long term value even if you don’t plan to sell
- 41:16 What business owners should know about the exit process
- 44:21 The things entrepreneurs actually have control over
- 46:01 What you’ll learn in Ryan’s upcoming Coalition training
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_289_Ryan.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 26 January 2021
Implementing Traction at your company? Here’s what you should know before you start. Many of our clients inside of the Coalition have heard of Traction and have considered trying to implement EOS at their company. If this phrase is new to you, EOS - the Entrepreneurial Operating System - is a set of concepts and tools that can help your team align on a clear vision, make progress towards defined goals, and increase accountability and communication. Our team dove headfirst into the task of implementing Traction just over a year ago and we’ve learned a lot since. In this episode, I’m sharing how we adopted the EOS methodology, the pros and cons of using it, and who I think has the most to gain from it. If you’re an eCommerce entrepreneur who thinks there might be a better way to run your business, this episode is for you. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:50 Life before finding Traction
- 6:53 The best part about using the EOS process and how it changed the game for us
- 8:05 What “rocks” are and how they address the biggest struggles I see entrepreneurs facing today
- 10:27 The feedback from my team that I didn’t see coming
- 11:51 How we work around the biggest con of using EOS
- 15:07 Who EOS works best for
- 16:10 Why I think solopreneurs will struggle implementing EOS
- 18:59 How to get free 30-day access to the Coalition
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_288.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 19 January 2021
Do you want to know how to hire rockstar talent this year? Finding high-quality talent is a major key to the growth of any organization. However, it’s often seen as a difficult task and can cost a lot of time and money when done incorrectly. At Brand Growth Experts we just hired our newest Community and Events Manager after sorting through nearly three hundred applications and I’m here to tell you how we did it. You’ll learn our step-by-process on how to hire a great employee every time, ways to simplify and structure your hiring process, and the tools we used to manage hundreds of applications. If you've been wondering how to hire without getting overwhelmed at the task this episode is for you. Episode Highlights - 6:36 Creating your accountability chart
- 9:39 How to attract the right candidates
- 14:24 Promoting your job with advertising
- 16:52 The number one mistake I see companies make when hiring
- 19:22 Mapping out your hiring process
- 22:20 How to hire using AirTable
- 24:06 Are you valuing your own opportunity?
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_287_hiring.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 12 January 2021
Is your content strategy worth half a million dollars? Mark Stallings is the CEO of Casely, an ecommerce tech-accessories retailer that’s gone from zero to eight figures in just four years. After dropping out of college, Mark convinced his sister Emily to cofound the company with him. They’ve been bootstrapping their way through everything from website coding to paid advertising ever since. I’ve gotten to know Mark over the last few years after he became a founding member of The Coalition in 2018. He joins us to share what he and his sister learned over the years, including how they profitably spend half a million dollars on paid advertising every month. We also touch on how they leverage their content strategy for growth, their approach to hiring, and how they maintain a lean team. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:45 How Casely leverages the subscription model
- 10:33 Why Mark dropped out of college after one year
- 12:14 Diving into an Instagram rabbit hole to understand your audience
- 16:08 What the first six months of paid advertising looked like for Casely
- 18:31 The content strategy that’s taking the business to the next level
- 22:29 Building and scaling the Casely team
- 27:22 The two biggest obstacles when using FB ads
- 29:37 How Mark spends time in the business
- 31:12 Common misconceptions people have about spending a lot on Facebook
- 31:45 The top metrics Mark closely monitors
- 35:01 Mark’s biggest learning experience over 2020
- 38:51 The hardest part about building Casely
- 40:05 The secret sauce for hiring and company culture
- 43:26 What Mark is most curious about today
- 45:00 Two things every ecommerce company should focus on
- 47:15 Mark’s resources and strategies for growing your business
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_286_MarkStallings.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 5 January 2021
2020 Threw Us All For A Loop. Here’s What We Learned From It and How It’s Helping Us Prepare For 2021. Nobody saw COVID-19 coming and nearly every business had to make pivots while market conditions changed daily. Not only did I see changes happen in my own business, but I also witnessed them across all of the ecommerce companies I have the opportunity to work with inside of The Coalition. This made my annual end-of-year review that much more interesting so I decided to wrap up my findings in this episode and share it with you. In this episode, I talk about the things that went well for me and the companies we work with, the hard lessons and challenges that were presented, and the top takeaways that every ecommerce business owner needs to know to prepare for 2021. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 3:55 The number one question I’m asking myself about 2020
- 7:45 How hiring has been a game-changer for our business
- 10:07 What having a local community has done for me
- 11:25 The COVID-19 impact on our business
- 17:09 My biggest takeaways from 2020
- 18:44 Do you own your marketing channels?
- 20:09 How having multiple streams of income can help prepare for 2021
- 22:29 Industries that are going to continue to thrive
- 23:27 Why awareness might not be your marketing problem
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_285_year_in_Review.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 29 December 2020
If you took a month off from your business would it thrive or struggle to survive? Nat Eliason is three-time Ecommerce Influence guest who built a business that runs itself and he's here to tell you how he did it. Nat founded an Ecommerce company called Cup and Leaf (now Sencha Tea Bar) which he sold last year. More recently, he built an agency called Growth Machine that continues to flourish without him being in the day-to-day operations. Tune into this episode to learn how to build a system that prevents things from piling onto your plate, the roles you should absolutely hire for in your business, and the advice Nat has followed to allow for this growth. Episode Highlights - 4:59 Nat and Austin’s elk hunt
- 12:08 The biggest thing Nat learned in 2020
- 15:49 Three reasons Nat is able to consistently put out new content
- 20:39 How to ship high-quality creative work
- 27:57 Nat’s system to avoid piling things onto his plate
- 33:29 Advice Nat received that helped him build a business that runs itself
- 38:12 The roles Nat hired for to build and scale his agency
- 43:50 Three types of workstyles you should know about before hiring
- 48:59 The type of people you need to hire if you want to build a business that runs itself
- 52:00 The business model the most successful companies follow
- 56:42 How to get yourself out of the day-to-day aspect of your business
- 1:02:05 Getting trapped in a company you created
- 1:11:17 Using resistance as a tool for growth
- 1:15:25 Is your productivity destroying your health?
- 1:24:21 What Nat’s most excited about right now
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_284_NatEliason.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 22 December 2020
Is your business taking you on a roller coaster ride? If so, being a conscious leader can mean the difference between your business making you happy or running you into the ground. Are the business decisions you’re making leading to more satisfaction in life? Or do you find yourself running in circles and in a constant state of reaction? These are challenges entrepreneurs have historically struggled with and 2020 was no exception. However, there’s a way to start turning things around and it starts with you. Stay tuned for a crash course in being a conscious leader. We’ll go over the essential things every entrepreneur needs clarity on, how to level up as a leader and how to break through roadblocks we see so many founders struggling with. If you’re ready to start taking radical responsibility for the state of your business, this episode is for you. Episode Highlights - 4:50 What being a more conscious leader means
- 5:48 The number one thing every leader needs to get clear on
- 8:31 The biggest challenge holding leaders back
- 9:48 Breaking a common addiction in entrepreneurship
- 13:37 Leveraging radical responsibility to grow your business
- 17:37 Three ways to better respect your time and everyone else’s
- 21:01 Questions the best leaders are always asking
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_283__A_More_Concious_Leader.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 15 December 2020
Have you ever wanted marketing advice from some of the best eCommerce marketers in the business? I reached out to seven of my friends in the eCommerce space and asked them: What’s the single best piece of marketing advice you’ve ever been given? From words by Mark Zuckerberg all the way to legendary writer Gary Bencivenga, we’re packing in 8 evergreen pieces of marketing advice that every marketer and entrepreneur needs to have in their arsenal. Episode Guests Episode Highlights - 3:56 Steve Chou: Avoiding shiny object syndrome
- 5:43 Peep Laja: The number 1 thing to look into if you’re not making traction
- 8:15 Noah Kagan: What to remain focused on at all times
- 10:58 Kurt Elster: What it takes to be a true expert
- 14:26 Ezra Firestone: Are you quitting too soon?
- 17:00 Chris Orzechowski: How to never have a customer retention problem
- 20:19 Andrew Youderian: Doubling down on what works
- 23:35 Austin Brawner: Pressure over time
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_282_OneQuestion_KlaviyoFirst.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 8 December 2020
Do you think that agencies are a waste of money? Not sure if an independent freelancer can keep up? We’re tackling the freelancer vs agency debate once and for all. Choosing where to spend your advertising dollars is important, but deciding who to spend it on is the other piece of the puzzle. Once you decide to start pulling the levers of paid search and paid social, the question you’re left with is: Who is going to pull those levers? This is where the freelancer vs agency debate comes in and the decision is crucial. Tune into this episode to learn what conditions make the most sense for a freelancer or an agency, the pros and cons of each, questions you should ask before choosing to make a hire, and the one trap you need to avoid. Episode Highlights - 3:48 The freelancer vs agency debate
- 5:42 Why an agency could be the better option for you
- 7:06 Understanding the true cost of working with an agency
- 9:37 The right questions to ask an agency before hiring them
- 13:56 Why a freelancer might be the best choice for you
- 15:47 Challenges to look out for when hiring a freelancer
- 18:10 The benefits of choosing to hire in house
- 22:52 A dangerous trap to avoid
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_281_AgencyVsFreelancer_KlaviyoFirst.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 1 December 2020
Are you ready to improve your email marketing and stop leaving money on the table? Today I'll show you how. Last year one of my clients had a brand new Klaviyo account -- zero emails sent. Over two days we set up the account, created a system for capturing leads, and built email flows focused on generating revenue. 7 days later, they generated $10,000 in revenue from email. Inspired by this experience, I hosted a live training in The Coalition on how to improve your email marketing, and today I'm sharing that training with you. We cover common mistakes people make when setting up their Klaviyo account, how to increase your email lead flow, building and optimizing your email templates, the most important emails to send, and what’s working right now to generate more revenue from email. If you want some quick, actionable wins you can implement in your email marketing today -- don't miss this episode. Episode Highlights - 8:20 Improving your email marketing and generating $10k in revenue in 7 days
- 10:11 How to ensure Klaviyo is properly connected to your site
- 14:02 Creating an on-brand email template
- 16:22 How to increase your lead flow
- 18:35 Choosing the right email pop-up provider
- 21:03 The two biggest revenue-generating email flows to focus on
- 23:56 How to set up email marketing tests to determine what works
- 27:16 What’s working with email marketing today
- 30:26 Our formula to make more money from email marketing
- 32:55 Why you should start sending more emails (and why you can't send too many
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_280_Email_Marketing_Tips.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 24 November 2020
Thinking about starting a software company? This week’s guest is giving you a behind-the-scenes look at exactly what to expect. Michael Facchin is the ultimate bootstrapper. His digital marketing career started in freelance, then he built an agency, Search Scientists, but soon came to a daunting realization: His business wasn’t future proof. With the rise of AI and Facebook Ads becoming more intuitive, he knew manually pulling the levers for his clients’ ad spend wasn’t going to last forever. Thus, Ad Badger - a software tool designed to optimize Amazon PPC - was born. It’s been over two years since Michael was last on the show and I’m so excited to have him back. Not only is Michael one of my closest friends, but he’s an expert at PPC and in today’s episode he’s sharing the ins and outs of starting a software company, the pros & cons of bootstrapping vs joining an accelerator, having VC funding, and a few key insights he’s learned on his entrepreneurial journey. If you’ve ever considered starting a software company, this episode is for you. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:38 Mike’s journey from biology teacher to ads agency owner
- 8:03 Growing a business as a result of the rise of AI
- 12:11 Why Amazon has the best ad platform for direct response marketing
- 15:12 A bootstrappers mentality vs the accelerator mentality
- 18:45 How to determine if an accelerator is a good idea for you
- 21:05 The metrics Michael focuses on most to move his business forward
- 23:23 Mike’s unique perspective on retirement
- 26:19 How Michael is evolving his workhorse mentality and detangling himself from entrepreneurship
- 31:27 The motivation behind diving into entrepreneurship
- 34:55 The hardest part about starting a software company
- 41:01 How Michael and his team use the scrum methodology and why they are moving away from Slack
- 46:27 What Michael wishes he could tell his younger self
- 48:28 The number 1 thing every entrepreneur should have on their entrepreneurial journey
- 50:54 Michael's favorite book on entrepreneurship that changed his leadership style for the better
- 53:14 Is Ad Badger right for you?
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_279_MikeFaccin.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 17 November 2020
If you primarily rely on pixels or cookies for conversion tracking, you need to know about Facebook's new Conversions API, or else you'll be facing some serious data tracking challenges every soon. With the increasing pressure to provide more privacy to consumers, businesses like Apple are making strides to limit consumer information and Google has announced they'll be removing the ability to use 3rd party browser cookies by 2022. This means that eCommerce business owners who rely on pixels for conversion tracking are going to need to find new ways to stay ahead. In today's episode, Andrew Foxwell and I talk about Facebook's new Conversions API, why you need to install it on your site, how it's been shown to increase conversion reporting by 30% and what you can do with that new information. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 3:09 Why you need to install Facebook's Conversions API on your Shopify site
- 6:23 Common mistakes that prevent pixels from properly tracking
- 7:32 The impact of tracking all conversion events
- 10:39 What a 30% increase in conversion reporting can do for your business
- 13:49 The direction of conversion tracking and customer information
- 17:15 How to implement Facebook’s Conversion API onto your site
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_278_ConversionsAPI.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 10 November 2020
Feeling discouraged by a slow start to your business? Mister Jones Health was in the same boat until they unlocked explosive growth that grew the business by 800% in one year. Jason Daemar spent ten years climbing the corporate ladder only to realize one day that he had enough. Since then, Jason and his wife created Mister Jones Health - an ecommerce brand that has hit an astonishing inflection point over the last year even after having a not-so-glamorous start.
In this episode, Jason talks about finding their first 1,000 customers, a few marketing and Facebook advertising secrets you should know about, being a customer-centric business, and building a team. If you’re an ecommerce business owner or work in the marketing space, you are going to get a lot out of this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:08 The idea behind Mister Jones Health
- 12:32 Experimenting with marketing channels to find their first 1,000 customers
- 14:28 The #1 overlooked thing by Facebook advertisers
- 16:29 Mindsets for having a customer-centric business and building empathy
- 20:28 The insight Jason unlocked to grow Mister Jones Health by 800% in one year
- 24:49 Two mindset shifts for continued growth and a strong culture
- 26:27 Why you should spend time learning the language of your industry
- 30:02 The problem with a founder being in the present
- 31:22 Jason’s resources for becoming a leader in your organization
- 33:29 Mister Jones Health is hiring!
- 37:00 One thing Jason wishes he knew prior to starting his business and his advice to new entrepreneurs
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_277_Jase.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 3 November 2020
The reality is most entrepreneurs won't reach the singular exit that retires them for life. So why is their strategy to build wealth rooted 100% in their business? It's common for entrepreneurs to feel the urge to go all in and invest 100% in their business. But spoiler alert: Running a business is hard and selling your business for enough to spend your retirement at the Four Seasons with a pina colada in hand is even harder. In today's episode, Andrew Foxwell and I talk about how entrepreneurs can build wealth outside of their business by focusing on three different buckets of investments, why a diversification strategy is something to consider, and how we are preparing for looming financial issues that are on many people's minds. Episode Highlights - 6:27 Establishing what financial freedom looks like for you
- 9:27 The three buckets of investments
- 10:38 How Austin and his wife got into real estate investing
- 16:08 Austin and Andrew's stock market strategy to build wealth
- 19:18 Protecting yourself from an inflation event
- 22:09 Views on cryptocurrency and how to create a hedge for yourself
- 24:12 Austin's business strategy to build wealth
- 2840 How to build a $100M asset without having a $100M business
- 30:48 Leveraging the skills you have to create outsized returns
- 34:04 The importance of having a net worth progress tracking system
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_276_BuildingWealth_Postscript.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 27 October 2020
Who is truly at the center of your business, your customers or your profits? Tim O'Brien's supplement company, Find Your Healthy Place, is relentless in its pursuit of customer-centricity. After in-store sales started to tank during the onset of COVID-19, Tim knew that making their customer's online experience just as personalized and memorable as the one they had in store would be critical to their survival. Today, Tim's online sales are up from 3% to 26%, and the pivots they continue to make are remarkable. Tune into this episode to learn why Tim feels a customer first strategy works best for his business, how to create personalized experiences online and the key metrics he focuses on as his business continues to grow. Episode Highlights - 5:07 How Tim got started in the wellness industry
- 10:00 The effects COVID has had on Tim’s brick-and-mortar and Ecommerce sales
- 14:19 How Tim is applying his customer first strategy online
- 18:55 Building your competitive advantage into your onboarding process
- 21:59 Choosing to double down on what works
- 23:31 The most powerful metric Tim’s team focuses on
- 25:44 Hard lessons Tim has learned about himself in his entrepreneurial journey
- 28:47 A perspective on what to do when you make the wrong hire
- 30:36 Tim’s approach on local and digital advertising
- 35:31 The email marketing strategy that is generating thousands of dollars in sales every week
- 38:32 What Tim is most excited about in business right now
- 40:01 How you can get in touch with Tim
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_275_TimObrien.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 20 October 2020
Many Ecommerce business owners are wondering how to reclaim their Facebook ad performance to finish on top. Ecommerce entrepreneurs saw some of their best months this spring with consumer’s response to the onset of COVID-19. However, as buying patterns started to shift, summer and fall have been incredibly challenging. In this episode, Andrew Foxwell gives us some insight into what he's learned working with a variety of clients. We dive into how user behavior has changed, what businesses across the globe are experiencing, and leave you with several tactics you can use to increase your Facebook ad performance this year. Episode Highlights - 6:27 How user behavior is impacting the current state of Facebook
- 10:36 A global overview of Facebook ad performance
- 13:59 What the Shaq Stack is and how to use it
- 17:12 Using bid overrides to manage volatile Facebook ad performance
- 19:35 User-generated content and dynamic creative testing
- 22:49 The All-In-One Campaign Budget Optimization when nothing else is working
- 24:48 Finding your unique performance formula
- 27:36 How long you need to run campaigns to maximize Facebook ad performance
- 30:30 When to ramp up your Facebook ad budget
- 33:13 The top 3 things working for US-based advertisers
- 35:23 Andrew’s Q4 prediction on Facebook ad performance
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_274_SinceThe_Spring.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 13 October 2020
Ever Feel Like A Million Bucks After A $20 Haircut? Today’s Guest Knew That Feeling, And It Led Him To Create A Product That Hit More Than $1MM In Sales In Just 12 Months. Calvin Quallis is the Founder of Scotch Porter – a 7-figure New Jersey-based men’s grooming brand now on the shelves of major retailers like Walmart and Target. The brand’s early beginnings trace back to his mom’s barbershop where Calvin noticed men couldn’t help but walk out with an entirely new pep in their step. Since then, Calvin has been on a mission to help men feel their best. Calvin joins us on this episode to talk about what building Scotch Porter has been like, the struggles and challenges they’ve faced, marketing strategies that have worked for them, and so much more. If you’re an ecommerce entrepreneur interested in going into retail, this episode is for you. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:34 The power of a $20 haircut: What inspired the Scotch Porter brand
- 10:19 Creating a mission you can get behind
- 12:17 Laying the groundwork for Scotch Porter
- 15:29 The key characteristic you need to solve your startup problems
- 17:27 What Calvin wishes he knew before signing major retail contracts
- 21:29 Two things Calvin would approach differently if given another chance
- 23:15 The lengthy process of landing inside Playboy magazine
- 25:35 Scotch Porter’s marketing strategies to gain traction
- 27:55 How Calvin would launch a second brand with what he knows now
- 30:23 4 invaluable resources Calvin recommends for your entrepreneurial journey
- 32:26 Why Calvin will hop on a call with any entrepreneur
34:39 The benefits of bootstrapping vs being funded - 36:29 How you can get in touch with Calvin and learn more about Scotch Porter
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_273_Calvin_Updated_Klaviyo.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 6 October 2020
If you’re one of the few people who hasn’t been impacted by the recent turmoil around Facebook ads, consider yourself lucky. For everyone else, this episode is for you. If you're an ecommerce business owner or agency who primarily drives traffic through Facebook advertising, you’re aware of the recent challenges. Between price increases, instability on the platform, and movies like The Social Dilemma that are going to bring even more transparency and scrutiny on advertising through Facebook, it’s a difficult time to grow your business using paid social. Andrew Foxwell and I recorded two episodes back in February of 2019 where Andrew talks about 20 questions he likes to ask clients that are feeling stuck with their Facebook ads. It's still unbelievably relevant today. If you’re having challenges or are seeing a performance drop, these are the questions and strategies that you can revisit to bring new life to your ads. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 7:29 Integrating user-generated content into your creative
- 8:43 Leveraging reviews and social proof in ad copy
- 10:16 Using square video link posts
- 11:56 Performance differences between lifestyle photos vs product images
- 13:50 The problem with unanswered comments on your paid social ad
- 17:50 How to give first-time customers a reason to try your product
- 19:19 Bringing new life to an old ad set
- 20:36 Utilizing dynamic pixel actions to introduce new prospecting audiences
- 22:29 Testing broad match dynamic product ads layered with interests
- 23:26 Splitting dynamic product ad time windows to give your customers the best treatment
- 24:24 Analyzing your audience overlap to help scale your ads
- 27:16 Using value bidding to increase your average order value
- 30:23 Bid overrides, the bully method and getting exposure in a competitive space
- 34:58 The importance of advertising to previous customers
- 37:32 Trying product bundling to bring up your AOV
- 42:02 Remarketing to engaged users
- 43:24 Reading your age report breakdown and how to find it
- 46:22 What your Add to Cart to Purchase ratio can tell you
- 48:08 How to try campaign budget optimization
- 49:45 The importance of getting a naming convention installed
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_272_20_things_relaunch.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 29 September 2020
Building an offshore business is often thought to be risky, or even illegal. However, it's now becoming a very common, and legal way, to lower your global tax rate -- as much as 42%. “Go where you’re treated best,” is Andrew Henderson’s famous tagline. A US ex-pat and founder of Nomad Capitalist, Andrew has legally lowered his global tax rate from 43% to 1%. Now he helps entrepreneurs keep more of their own money, live freely around the world, and create wealth faster through offshore strategies. I found Andrew when searching for a way to diversify my citizenship. I quickly discovered that he's a wealth of knowledge on ways to reduce your tax burden and I’m excited for you to listen to the show. In this episode, we talk about common misconceptions about building an offshore business, what it’s really like living a nomadic lifestyle, and the benefits it can offer to both you and your family. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:47 Andrew’s philosophy of viewing the world as your buffet
- 6:57 The history behind flag theory
- 9:48 Why you should be harnessing difficult countries for different benefits
- 13:02 The biggest misconceptions about offshore business
- 19:26 A case for investing in international real estate
- 22:46 Challenges associated with frontier markets
- 26:05 How families are taking advantage of global citizenship
- 30:21 The differences between a tax-friendly state and a tax-friendly country
- 33:51 What it’s like living a nomadic lifestyle
- 37:35 Andrew’s hypothesis on the future state of taxes
- 42:02 How to approach getting a second passport
- 47:42 Questions to ask yourself when deciding if an offshore business is right for you
- 52:03 Where you can get in touch with Andrew
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_271_AndrewHenderson_1.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 22 September 2020
Perfect Keto started off as a side project and then experienced massive growth -- making $100MM in just 19 months. Dr. Anthony Gustin cofounded Perfect Keto as a side project in November of 2016. He had one goal in mind: making keto easy. Within 4 hours of launching, the company made $20,000 and took off like a rocketship since. Little did he know, the creation of Perfect Keto was at the rise of one of the largest diet crazes of the past 50 years. Anthony joins us to talk about Perfect Keto's growth, his business beliefs, and why retail is a last resort. We also discuss his experience of burnout and how entrepreneurs can best avoid it. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:58 The problem with copying someone else’s formula for success
- 7:15 Starting a multimillion-dollar company by accident
- 12:52 What it’s like riding the wave of one of the largest diet crazes
- 16:02 How to solve nearly all of the problems in your business
- 20:00 Perfect Keto’s science experiment approach to business
- 22:03 Anthony’s experience with burnout
- 28:31 What Anthony wishes he knew before launching Perfect Keto
- 32:00 Anthony’s new approach to building teams and building a solid business foundation
- 34:02 The next health problem Anthony is looking to solve
- 36:42 What business owner’s need to know about entering retail
- 39:25 Advice for entrepreneurs working long hours and going off the grid
- 44:41 A mindset shift for entrepreneurs to start enjoying the process
- 50:17 How you can connect with Anthony
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_270_AnthonyGustin.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 15 September 2020
Do you have a dream of building a 9-figure business? We’ve worked with Ecommerce entrepreneurs who have and here’s what they have in common. Today I’m taking you behind the scenes into the Coalition, my Ecommerce coaching community for Ecommerce entrepreneurs. Every month we have a live training that dives into one aspect of growing your Ecommerce business. In this training, we are talking about the mindset shifts needed to reach 9-figure growth. Drew Sanocki, CEO of AutoAnything and former CMO KarmaLoop, joins us and shares his experience running multiple 9-figure businesses. If you own or work with an established Ecommerce business and want to reach for that same success, this is for you. Episode Highlights - 8:31 The #1 prerequisite for building a 9-figure business
- 11:37 A key team characteristic at fast-growing companies
- 15:24 An unexpected truth about reinvention and the willingness to pivot
- 18:35 How to be laser-focused on your brand
- 20:10 Changing your philosophy around hiring and how to attract top talent
- 23:03 What your role as the founder actually evolves into
- 25:58 This is the #1 way to not get what you want
- 28:11 A founder’s trade-off between growth and time
- 30:57 Drew Sanocki’s background in Ecommerce
- 32:30 The biggest differences between a 7-figure and 9-figure company
- 34:48 When to introduce middle management to your team
- 37:27 What Drew spends the most time doing in his business today
- 44:30 Drew’s philosophy on hiring and the power of networking
- 46:57 What successful founders have in common
- 50:52 The difference between being a single founder and having a co-founder
- 52:59 Putting together a board for your business
- 54:08 How to build the most wealth as an entrepreneur
- 59:02 Auditions vs Hiring: How to ensure you’ve found the right fit
- 1:01:16 Deciding to keep your role as the CEO in a growing company
- 1:05:43 The difference between running a software company and Ecommerce business
- 1:13:08 Believing that an exit is possible
- 1:15:07 Why we are in the Golden Age of Ecommerce
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_269_100M_Mindset.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 8 September 2020
COVID-19 Is Presenting Opportunities For Ecommerce And For This Brand, They've Contributed To 100% Year-Over-Year Growth. Kevin Chen is the Co-Founder and President of iRestore, a company that sells laser hair growth systems. Kevin is a long time client of the Brand Guild and when I last had him on the podcast, iRestore cracked the code on paid social and turned into an 8-figure business. Since then, Kevin's role has changed dramatically within the business, and it has continued to grow, despite unforeseen COVID-19 challenges. In this episode, Kevin talks about creating a tight-knit organization that works remotely, increasing productivity, building company culture, team transparency, and the opportunities COVID-19 is presenting for eCommerce. Episode Highlights - 6:58 What iRestore’s 100% year-over-year growth has looked like
- 7:36 The product launch that changed the economics of Kevin’s business
- 12:33 The only two skills Kevin realized he needs to help the business succeed
- 15:18 Lessons from COVID-19 on how to future-proof your business
- 18:53 Creating an optimal work environment and strong company culture
- 21:38 The impact of working remotely on productivity
- 24:08 What Kevin’s team looks like today
- 26:19 Four things to consider when hiring an agency
- 29:17 How iRestore manages their paid advertising efforts
- 31:30 The unexpected source of fulfillment for Kevin in his business
- 33:55 How iRestore is creating a better employee experience
- 36:28 The most challenging yet critical piece to your business success
- 38:50 Kevin’s struggle with transparency with his team
- 41:02 Fortunate opportunities in an unfortunate time: What iRestore is doubling down on
- 44:10 The freedom COVID-19 has given iRestore
- 46:09 What Kevin attributes the businesses’ largest inflection points to
- 48:38 iRestore is hiring!
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_268_KevinChen.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 8:40am CDT
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Tue, 1 September 2020
This week we're bringing you throwback that is all about the difference between brands that scale and those that don’t. Kurt Elster interviewed me on the Unofficial Shopify Podcast and after re-listening to the episode, I wanted to share it with you. Kurt asks great questions and I outline my entire philosophy on growth. In this episode, we talk about defining a growth strategy, scaling your advertising, and how to hire the team necessary to get to the next level. I also share what I’ve learned from working with some of the fastest-growing brands in the country. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:30 How Austin has helped many brands scale from $500k to $1MM.
- 7:00 Why it's so important to do almost every job in your business before turning it over to someone else.
- 8:27 The big differences between the Shopify brands that scale up and those that don't.
- 12:00 How to remove tasks from your plate so your business can scale.
- 14:20 The core KPI's Austin uses to understand his client's scalability.
- 15:56 Understanding what your net promoter score is and why it is so valuable to ecommerce brands.
- 23:00 The point at which Austin regularly sees businesses die out and how you can overcome it.
- 30:17 Everyone wants to scale their business but it does come with a few downsides.
- 33:45 How PR has helped many ecommerce brands become successful.
- 39:34 The questions you should be asking yourself to help you define your success.
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_267_KurtElster160Replay_BGEIncrease.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 25 August 2020
Beardbrand’s approach to content marketing has resulted in 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube. On today’s episode, I am bringing back my good friend Eric Bandholz. I first met Eric in 2014 at an Ecommerce Fuel event and he was one of our early Ecommerce Influence podcast guests. Since then, he’s been continuing to build an incredible business called Beardbrand. In this episode, we talk about being on Shark Tank, what it’s like being the face of your brand as a founder, content marketing that creates superfans and so much more. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:11 The stressful, year-long experience of being on Shark Tank
- 12:23 The difference between having business partners and owning 100% of your business
- 14:53 How Eric has created freedom in his life and business over the last 8 years
- 19:44 The pros and cons of being the face of your brand
- 22:27 How Beardbrand showcases different facets of their brand through multiple social media channels
- 25:27 Beardbrand’s approach to dealing with online haters
- 27:55 What Beardbrand focuses on to stay ahead of their competition
- 29:48 An approach to content marketing that creates superfans
- 31:57 The lesson COVID-19 has taught businesses
- 34:49 What Eric wishes he had known when he first started his business
- 35:27 The system Eric uses to hire top-notch employees
- 37:29 Key roles Eric plays in the business today
- 39:16 Using agencies to grow your business and when to transition to in-house
- 43:50 Beard Brand’s approach to paid advertising
- 46:05 What Eric is curious about right now
- 48:52 The hidden world of infertility and the journey Eric and his wife have been on
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_266_EricBandholdz_Final.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 18 August 2020
What if you could find the marketing formula that would double your business, and then double it again? This is the kind of growth Oral Essentials is currently experiencing as they’ve dialed in and refined their approach to marketing and paid advertising. On today’s episode, I’ve invited Justin Madahhi, Co-founder and Head of Online Sales and Marketing at Lumineux Oral Essentials, back on the show. Justin and his team were already experiencing fast-paced growth when we started working together two years ago, and since he was on the show last fall, their growth has continued to skyrocket. In this episode, Justin talks about dialing in your messaging, the marketing formula they’ve created to drive consistent sales, how to drive subscription revenue and how to get your team into alignment during high-growth times. Episode Highlights - 7:32 What Justin learned is critical for rapid, successful growth
- 9:43 A sophisticated approach to Facebook marketing
- 13:00 Expectation vs Reality: What startling fast growth actually looks like
- 15:51 Justin’s three main roles in the company today and how his team has grown over the last year
- 19:34 Shifting focus to a long-term brand vision
- 21:13 How to get your team into alignment, set realistic expectations and maintain a high work ethic
- 24:20 The sales channel Justin believes is going to take the company to the next level
- 26:03 Factors to consider when crafting paid ad content
- 28:00 The one thing you need to ask yourself before deploying a new marketing strategy
- 32:22 Why disruption is a double-edged sword and the impact it has on your marketing
- 35:27 Oral Essential’s approach to email marketing and the changes they made over the eight months that have had drastic results
- 38:15 Three steps to successfully drive subscription revenue
- 40:55 Key metrics that will increase the valuation of and stabilize your business
- 43:43 How failure helped Justin get more perspective and learn to set an example for his team
- 45:34 Justin’s advice for entrepreneurs trying to build 9-figure businesses
- 47:47 The most helpful resources Justin has found on his journey, including his recommended Twitter follows
- 50:37 What freedom means to Justin and how it shows up in his business
- 52:13 Analyzing the long term effects of COVID-19 on consumer psychology
- 57:41 Oral Essentials is hiring!
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_265_JustinMaddahi.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 11 August 2020
When I met Greg Williams in the Coalition, he told me he wanted to sell his business and be a millionaire by age 40. A year later, he’s done just that. Greg started Autoimmune Institute in 2017 with the intention to sell, and in just three years, he went from $50,000 to $2,000,000 in sales. In this episode of the Ecommerce Influence podcast, Greg shares the levers he pulled to fast-track business growth, what it actually looks like to sell a 7-figure business, and how to maximize your business’ valuation. If you’re interested in building a business with the intention to sell, this episode is a must-listen. Enjoy!
Direct download: EI_264_GregWilliams.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 4 August 2020
The “crush-it” culture of entrepreneurship almost led to me giving up the business I have today. After two years at a fast-growing startup, I was pushed to the edge mentally and physically. I knew I had to walk away and form a vision for what I wanted my future to look like. It took eight years for me to go from burnout to freedom by building my business into what it is today, and creating that vision involved a lot of trial and error and reinvention. In this episode I talk about some of the lowest points I’ve experienced as an entrepreneur, what it was like to close down a successful marketing agency, the trials of breaking up with a business partner, and the importance of defining success so you know what you’re actually working towards. Episode Highlights - 5:22 The early foundation of Austin’s journey as an entrepreneur
- 8:17 Invaluable experience gained from startup life and lessons learned from burnout
- 10:58 Making sales while you sleep: Austin’s introduction to ecommerce and email marketing
- 12:49 How the Ecommerce Influence podcast was born
- 14:04 The unexpected rise and intentional fall of Austin’s marketing agency
- 18:30 The most important thing to consider when forming a business partnership
- 20:32 Austin’s lowest point in his entrepreneurship journey
- 22:38 The lightbulb moment at a mastermind that led to the creation of a new business model
- 24:47 Crush it culture resurfaces: how a second round of burn out changed the direction of Austin’s business
- 28:50 Hiring a business coach and building a membership site
- 31:23 The three current revenue-drivers for Austin’s business
- 32:42 Austin’s huge mindset shift that led to steady and consistent growth
- 36:07 How to create more freedom in your life as an entrepreneur
- 40:20 Austin’s definition of success in business and life today
- 44:22 An unpopular opinion Austin has about business that many other entrepreneurs won’t agree with
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_263B_AustinandCarly_Finalv2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 28 July 2020
Growing a team is challenging for any company. But going from two people to 90 in just 10 years with a non-traditional business model? That’s an almost unbelievable feat. Connie Matisse, cofounder and CMO of East Fork, joins us today to talk about how she built a successful business with a 90+ person team without following the path of many traditional businesses. Tune in to learn how East Fork created a memorable marketing engine with a self-described “laughable” budget, what they’ve found to be one of the most critical business functions that’s often ignored, and how they’ve kept their store running through the challenges of COVID-19. Episode Highlights - 4:44 How the 2008 economic recession introduced Connie to the world of craft pottery
- 7:00 Reinventing pottery to reach the modern household
- 11:16 Connie’s organic approach to content marketing and building a holistic brand
- 13:35 The challenge of being the voice of the brand for a fast-growing business
- 16:41 What East Fork leadership spends 90% of their time on to ensure successful growth
- 19:23 Moving from WordPress to Shopify and the effect it had on demand
- 21:27 How East Fork is managing production and customer expectations in a COVID-19 world
- 23:36 Analyzing profitability and venture capital funding for a capital intensive business
- 26:21 How East Fork’s leadership style has evolved during COVID-19
- 27:59 The many hats Connie wears as a cofounder
- 30:30 Connie’s process for creating honest and authentic brand collaborations
- 33:05 How to stop following the herd and create space for radical thinking
Direct download: EI_263_Connie.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 21 July 2020
There are only 130 days until Black Friday. With the global economy in so much flux because of COVID-19, what are your Q4 predictions? Are you preparing for a massive Q4 or wondering if your business is going to just get by? In this episode, I go over a few Q4 predictions with cases in favor of and against Q4 being a thriving quarter for ecommerce, factors to consider that are in and out of your control, and most importantly, how you can prepare. Episode Highlights - 3:39 Why the ecommerce industry is primed to have a massive Q4
- 5:59 COVID-19 effects on spending and your consumer’s potential psychological shift during Q4
- 8:01 How to manage your ecommerce inventory to get a leg up against your competition
- 9:12 If your target audience includes these people you might have a difficult Q4
- 10:39 The biggest case against a successful Q4
- 13:17 Large corporations marketing budgets and how they could impact small business’ ability to compete
- 14:27 Austin’s Q4 predictions and his 3 step plan for preparing for the type of quarter in store
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_261B_q4Predictions.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 14 July 2020
With Facebook boycotts, changing advertising policies, and channel unpredictability, it’s more important now than ever to invest in what you can control The approach to search engine optimization (SEO) has changed over the last several years, but it still remains an incredibly important component of your marketing strategy. This week’s guest is SEO consultant and expert Dan Shure. Dan’s been working in SEO for more than 12 years, and he joins us to talk about what’s changed over time when it comes to SEO strategy, the two different types of core content to focus on, what’s working in ecommerce SEO in 2020 and the tools you should be using to be successful. This episode has some great actionable tips you can start using today, and I hope you enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:16 How Dan fell into SEO while working as a professional musician
- 7:50 What is SEO really? Is it a channel, a traffic source, links, or something else?
- 13:30 The #1 thing business owners need to think about when it comes to ecommerce SEO in 2020
- 15:49 Informational intent vs. purchase intent content and how you should be using each in your SEO strategy
- 18:53 Letting the keywords be your guide as you’re thinking about creating content with informational or purchase intent content
- 22:40 Breaking down seed keywords and how to identify them for your brand
- 26:04 Why Dan shifted from an agency business model to a consulting and training model
- 31:35 The technical pieces of SEO you need to watch out for in ecommerce
- 33:55 Should you have a developer on your team to help you with technical SEO?
- 35:34 Shopify blog or Wordpress blog: which is better for SEO?
- 37:20 What’s working right now with content: remember the keywords are king.
- 42:56 Backlinks: do you need them and how to build them proactively
- 46:30 Must-have tools for ecommerce SEO in 2020
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_260_DanShure_Widen.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 7 July 2020
Holistic marketing can make your brand more consistent and unified across all your marketing channels so that it stands out from the competition. Jesse Semchuck, Director of Acquisition for Traeger Grills, joins us to share what he has learned from viewing channels holistically. He shares what the makeup of his marketing team looks like, how internal teams and third party agencies interact, and how a holistic growth approach can create more synergy across all marketing initiatives and the organization. Tune in and find out if holistic marketing is something you should use in your business. Episode Highlights: - 5:59 Jesse Semchuck’s role at Traeger Grills and what he’s been excited to build over the last year
- 7:55 The difference between selling mattresses and selling smoker grills
- 9:18 What’s working well for Traeger Grills right now
- 11:14 The makeup of Jesse’s marketing team
- 12:37 Questions Jesse asks when thinking about strategic scaling and how he decides which marketing channels to focus on
- 17:06 Why low ROAS isn’t always a bad thing and the importance of understanding how different channels impact one another
- 20:13 When is the right time to invest in a full funnel holistic approach to your marketing
- 22:42 What most people do wrong when hiring an agency, and a better way to approach it
- 26:58 How internal team interaction with agencies is structured at Traeger Grills
- 29:00 Questions to ask a potential agency partner
- 30:57 When to outsource to an agency versus keeping things in house
- 32:31 Agency red flags to watch out for
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_259_Jesse_JustUnoUpdated.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 30 June 2020
This Week We’re Bringing You A Throwback To One Of Our Most Popular Episodes Of All Time. In May 2018 we interviewed Jake Kassan about what it really takes to build a $100 million business. This episode has been incredibly popular, and it still extremely relevant today. Jake Kassan, founder and CEO of MVMT Watches, was one of my first clients when he was just launching the brand back in 2013. He talks about how things have changed since then, and how MVMT has grown to what it is today.
MVMT strives to be a best in class brand and best in class in all-around marketing, and Jake shares the strategic approach to marketing MVMT uses to achieve those goals. He also talks about how having a strong team is essential to scaling your business and shares his experience hiring a CMO and supporting team, and what you need to know to do it. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 9:05 How building relationships with customers through direct sales online helped MVMT scale.
- 12:04 The best success comes in stages and this is what each stage of growth has looked like for MVMT over the last 5 years.
- 13:12 Jake’s #1 tip for successfully scaling a business (hint: it’s not email or Facebook ads).
- 15:07 What MVMT would do differently if they had to do it all over again.
- 19:05 As an entrepreneur, Jake believes it’s important to always be testing and working through those results to find success.
- 21:13 The basic math MVMT used to scale in the beginning and how they look at “spending-money-to-make-money” now.
- 24:18 Where MVMT is testing for acquisition and where they’re seeing success.
- 28:28 What you need to know when growing your team so you can successfully scale your business.
- 32:15 How MVMT solidified their appeal with customers through user-generated content.
- 35:09 What Jake loves most about building a lifestyle brand.
- 38:11 Every business goes through low times, here’s a few MVMT went through in order to grow.
- 43:09 Why Jake feels it’s so important to network with and learn from other founders.
Links And Resources:
Direct download: EI_258_TBT_Jake_Kassan.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 23 June 2020
Most companies add a second product line when they want to grow. This week’s guest decided to build a second brand instead. Ashley Merrill founded women’s sleepwear line Lunya in 2014 because she was tired of wearing her husband’s clothes around the house. Five years later, she decided to expand into menswear, but just adding a men’s line didn’t sit right with her. Tune in to find out why Ashley decided to start a second brand, how she grew her company from a startup to an established business, and lessons she’s learned about building a team. Episode Highlights: - 5:16 How an ambition to solve a problem resulted in launching Lunya
- 8:00 How business has evolved since its unconventional 2014 launch
- 10:42 Why having major funding in the beginning isn’t always best, and the spending that eventually moved the needle for Lunya
- 13:05 The value of identifying your brand muse.
- 15:28 One company value that’s contributed to Lunya’s success
- 16:30 Hiring lessons learned growing from a start-up into an established business
- 21:00 How Lahgo started and why Ashley built a second brand, rather than simply adding the men’s line to Lunya
- 25:44 The biggest trap entrepreneurs can get stuck in
- 28:48 The High 5 Test and the lessons Ashley learned from getting her MBA
- 33:20 How non-traditional methods of getting in front of people help the brand
- 39:36 Ashley’s key piece of advice for business owners
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_257_AshleyMerrill.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 16 June 2020
One of the most challenging parts of growing a business is acquiring valuable customers who will purchase from you regularly. Part 3 of our Profit Series gets into the nitty-gritty details of how to increase customer lifetime value. We dive straight into customer-centric versus product-centric businesses and talk about different ways to acquire more high-value customers and share proven tactics that will help you increase customer lifetime value. Episode Highlights: - 3:36 The first strategic decision you must make when thinking about customer lifetime value
- 6:38 The best lever to focus on to increase customer lifetime value
- 8:03 The revolutionary changes with Facebook advertising that help you reach your best customers
- 10:05 The importance of product and service offerings that tailor to high-value customers
- 11:49 Are loyalty programs a good way to increase customer lifetime value?
- 13:20 The strategy that led Best Buy to boom while their competitors got wiped out
- 15:15 The value of subscriptions and talking to your best customers
- 17:58 How to build a solid referral strategy
- 20:10 Additional tactics to increase customer lifetime value
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_256_Profit_Series_Part_3.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 9 June 2020
Is it possible to build a large, successful business with close to $40 million in revenue without using any paid social? Our guest, Nate Lipton of GrowersHouse, shows us how it can be done. And, in addition to not using paid ads, he’s been able to get his customer acquisition costs to zero. Nate shares the different approach to marketing that has helped him build several incredibly successful companies in the cannabis and hemp industries. He talks about exactly how you can use YouTube to establish yourself as a trusted brand and drive ad-free sales. If you're looking for some refreshing ideas for how you can drive more revenue, this is a great episode to jog your imagination about what's possible. Episode Highlights: - 5:54 Nate’s involvement in the cannabis and hemp industries via multiple different businesses
- 9:44 Fixing a gap in the cannabis industry: the creation of the Grower’s Network
- 12:18 The YouTube channel that lifted the veil on growing operations
- 16:37 How Nate got started in ecommerce and his number one piece of advice for beginners
- 20:28 What Nate would do differently if he were building his website today
- 22:31 The future role of video in ecommerce and common YouTube misconceptions
- 24:58 Using video to provide clarity around what a product actually does
- 30:42 One factor that will help you win more customers in the long term
- 32:37 How connecting with your competitors and being radically transparent can benefit your business in a major way
- 35:40 Other non-traditional advertising channels that Nate’s using that have resulted in zero customer acquisition costs
- 41:05 The questions you need to ask yourself to reframe your approach to acquiring customers
- 45:37 What you can do right now to increase your revenue
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_255_Nate.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 2 June 2020
One of the top ways to accelerate your growth on the path to profitability is to increase average order value. In Part 2 of our Profit Series, we’re diving into successful strategies and tactics you can use to increase your average order value. From simple changes with pricing to on-site additions to optimizing your Facebook targeting, we share the exact tactics our top clients are using to increase average order value and how these tactics support the big picture strategy toward profitable growth. Episode Highlights: - 4:27 The 80/20 Rule and how it should impact your overall business strategy
- 8:41 The first thing to do if you want to increase average order value
- 10:30 Successful approaches to bundling products
- 13:02 How to use dynamic product ads to increase average order value
- 16:28 A tactic Kettle & Fire is using on their website collections page to boost sales
- 18:10 Why your best type of customers are the key for increasing average order value
- 20:34 The difference between upsells and cross-sells and how to determine which is best for your brand
- 23:57 The value of delivering relevant products at the point of checkout
- 26:19 How upsells can have a huge impact on average order value and why you don’t have to overcomplicate the offer
- 29:00 A few additional unique ways to increase average order value
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_254_Profit_Part_2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 26 May 2020
TikTok is all the rage right now. Even with fewer people creating content, there are more people consuming. But what makes this platform so viral? August Noble went from leading acquisition at SnackNation to helping his clients optimize TikTok’s acquisition channel -- influencers. He is now using key learnings from other social media platforms to ramp up influencer marketing strategies to promote brands. Tune in and find out what TikTok is all about and how it’s generating more buzz in the social media world. Episode Highlights: - 3:17 How August Noble shares a similar start with our co-host, Austin
- 4:10 The successes at SnackNation that led August to paid media consulting
- 6:47 Lessons learned from Linkedin for B2B and B2C
- 8:32 How Linkedin helped targeting strategy
- 10:08 The tweet about TikTok that landed August on our podcast
- 14:29 What makes TikTok more viral than Instagram or Twitter
- 17:26 Building relationships with influencers
- 21:42 The products that do well on the TikTok platform
- 24:18 What August is prioritizing over tracking
- 26:44 Where TikTok is headed and what the most effective content is
- 30:56 Key learnings from scaling on Facebook and Instagram
- 33:53 What’s the difference between $15K a day and $1k a day ad spend?
- 35:52 Targeting strategies: Specific versus Broad
- 42:48 Tools and resources August recommends
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_253_AugustNoble_Thesis.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 19 May 2020
Do you know what you should be focusing on to make your business more profitable? We’ve had conversations with many clients during these challenging times. While some businesses are booming, others are taking a hit in sales. But the one thing that seems to be on everyone’s mind is profitability. In this episode, we set the framework for our entire Profit Series. Whether or not your business is thriving during this time, we share the five-step process of creating the roadmap you can use for profitable growth. Episode Highlights: - 4:52 The decision you have to make about the metrics you keep in focus
- 6:19 How do you define profit?
- 9:12 What it means to set a profitability goal and how it differs in different industries
- 14:53 How to set a capitalization goal
- 17:55 What is a salary cap?
- 21:25 How to manage salary caps
- 25:03 The three levers to drive profitable growth
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_252_Profit_1.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 12 May 2020
They’ve won the Shopify Build a Bigger Business Competition, hit number 20 on the INC 5000 list, and now they’re on the podcast to talk about turning a personal need into a successful business venture. Garret and Deanne Akerson of Kindred Bravely share how they’ve navigated running a business together as a couple -- from initial startup to hiring over 50 remote employees and all the challenges and milestones in between. Tune in and enjoy! Episode Highlights: - 4:59 How Garett and Deanne started Kindred Bravely
- 9:01 The lessons learned transitioning from Amazon to Shopify
- 12:07 How the Amazon ecosystem has evolved and how to approach it now
- 14:47 How to navigate running a business as married entrepreneurs
- 18:17 What trading flexibility for structure looked like for Garret and Deanne
- 21:55 The things that make a large, remote company successful
- 26:36 Milestones and challenges during the hiring process
- 30:53 How to know when it’s time to hire executive-level positions
- 36:47 Group Zoom calls during the interview process -- is there an advantage?
- 42:36 What questions and themes Garett and Deanne like to bring up during interviews
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_251-Garett26Deanne.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 5 May 2020
If you are advertising on Facebook and Instagram, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! As we see an increase in Facebook and Instagram usage due to COVID-19, many of our clients are scaling up their advertising. Today’s episode will cover what’s working right now in paid social and how our clients and partners are scaling up! Episode Highlights - 6:37 The specific audiences working right now for top of the funnel advertising
- 9:57 User-generated content that’s providing additional scale
- 11:30 What’s working right now to scale up middle of the funnel advertising
- 12:22 The audience advertisers should be targeting
- 13:23 Bid strategy - are cost caps working?
- 15:35 How to acknowledge the challenging times on the website and product
- 19:14 Optimizing dynamic creative within campaigns
- 20:58 What optimization is working in low funnel
- 21:33 How to address shipping concerns
- 22:44 Other messaging opportunities to address delivery concerns
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_250_Whats20Working.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 28 April 2020
The daily habits you or your team have can either hinder your growth or facilitate it. But what should we focus on to build good habits while breaking the bad ones? Our guest is James Clear, New York Times bestselling author of Atomic Habits and writer on the James Clear Blog. James has spent years researching, writing and talking about the topic of habits. He’ll share his insights on what you can do to grow your business, market better, and rethink your habits. If you want to create a better system of habits that will improve yourself and your business, this is an episode you’ll want to tune into! Episode Highlights: - 4:58 Why we struggle to develop and maintain the good habits
- 8:14 The principles of habits are the same in various areas of life and work but applied uniquely.
- 10:15 Three big ideas Atomic Habits centers around
- 16:22 What to ask to reinforce your desired identity as an individual or as a company.
- 18:35 Changing environments can be framed as a positive time to form habits
- 21:23 The personal changes James has made during the Coronavirus pandemic to foster better habits
- 25:10 What to focus on first to help your businesses grow
- 28:56 The transition James made from being a blogger to a business owner and how experimentation made it clear what he was actually trying to build
- 33:20 Three things that make a product remarkable enough to buy
- 38:40 Marketing a product to elicit someone’s desire to make the purchase
- 42:14 The habits James no longer values
- 44:59 Small town influence on James’ family values and love for exploration and travel
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_249_JamesClear.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 21 April 2020
Have you ever felt that in order to grow your business, you just need to work harder? We’re here to tell you that you’re wrong. In today’s episode, we’re busting the five myths of ecommerce. From diversifying traffic to always doing the next big thing, we’ll share the realities that will actually help you scale profitably, without burning yourself out. If you own an ecommerce business or you're intimately involved with one, this episode's for you. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: - 4:54 Myth #1: All I need to do to grow is work harder.
- 6:06 Reality: Do less, but do it better.
- 7:45 Myth #2: To grow you need to diversify traffic.
- 8:03 Reality: Be an expert on one channel, and don’t diversify until you have to.
- 11:59 Myth #3: You need to always be doing what’s new.
- 13:12 Reality: Do the right things at the right time (even if it’s just one thing).
- 17:19 Myth #4: If I follow big brands, I’ll learn what works.
- 20:58 Reality: Here’s what actually works, no matter your size.
- 22:15 Myth #5: Top founders have a clear vision and know what they’re doing from the beginning.
- 23:19 Reality: Find a mentor you can rely on and build your strategy as you grow.
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_248_5_Myths.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 14 April 2020
Being in charge of the global marketing strategy for a 9-figure business is no simple feat. Our guest today is Andrew Rosch, Director of Channel Marketing Strategy for Trek Bicycle. He joins us to talk about what it looks like to manage a global strategy team for a huge global organization, the importance of only focusing on a few key metrics, why email is still his favorite marketing channel, organic content strategies that are working for Trek, and much more. If you’re growing a large business, or you have aspirations to grow into a large business, you won’t want to miss this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:19 What it means to be the Director of Channel Marketing Strategy.
- 7:44 Finding harmony between brick and mortar and ecommerce.
- 9:27 The Trek customer journey both on and offline and how it overlaps.
- 13:02 How Trek avoids alienating its broad-range of customers with its organic content.
- 15:22 The first test influencers have to pass before working with Trek.
- 16:12 How Trek approaches the seasonality of the bike business.
- 18:49 Andrew’s philosophy on measurement and why Trek’s global digital marketers are only responsible for 5 key KPIs.
- 21:23 What the Channel Marketing team at Trek looks like.
- 23:58 How Andrew empowers his global team to share new ideas.
- 25:27 This Director of Channel Marketing Strategy’s favorite marketing channel.
- 27:01 Andrew’s email marketing tech stack and team.
- 29:16 Balancing experimentation and systemization.
- 31:14 Three things Andrew’s learned in his career that have contributed to his success.
- 35:05 In ecommerce, what you see is rarely the whole picture.
- 40:02 The importance of going down the rabbit hole and finding out the larger context of what we see online.
- 43:17 When you create content, assume that whoever is going to see it has never seen anything from your brand before.
- 46:23 Having a brand is key when you’re thinking about business longevity.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_247_AndrewRosch-JustUno_Covid19.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 7 April 2020
This is the final part in our Scaling Series and we’re talking about some hugely successful brands. In our previous episodes, we covered zero to launch, launch to traction, traction to scaling, and growth mode, which will take you from the stages of just starting out to making somewhere between $12 and $15 million. In this episode, we’re diving into specific case studies of brands you’ve probably heard of, like MVMT Watches and Native Deodorant, and talking about why we think they were successful and why they were able to grow and scale up. We hope you’ve enjoyed this series, whether you’re just starting out or close to making an exit. Episode Highlights - 4:07 What MVMT, Pura Vida, and Blenders did that made them special.
- 6:23 The huge significance of the first-mover advantage.
- 9:12 Taking advantage of upselling and cross-selling.
- 10:28 The overnight success of Native Deodorant.
- 11:22 Native’s checkout process and what makes it so great.
- 13:27 The power of subscription at scale.
- 16:43 How Tuft & Needle scaled to over $100 MM in mattress sales.
- 18:02 Why being a copycat business really doesn’t pay off.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_246_Scaling_Series_E5__Just_Uno_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 31 March 2020
Every business has its unique set of growth challenges. Zach Stuck spent several years working for a digital agency before deciding to go out and start an agency of his own, Homestead Studio. Now he’s in the process of building his agency business. He’s on the front lines of trying to help clients grow their ecommerce brands. Today we’re covering a range of topics with Zach. We dive into some specific paid social tactics and what’s working right now for Zach’s clients, and we talk about the onboarding process Zach uses for his clients to ensure both his clients, and his agency, can be successful. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:58 How Zach went from working at an agency to starting his own.
- 8:07 Changes in Zach’s role from agency employee to agency owner.
- 9:52 Resources Zach used to help a client grow from zero to a million in their first year.
- 11:26 Common paid social misconceptions Zach hears from his clients.
- 14:33 What’s working in paid social right now and how to successfully approach dynamic creative testing.
- 17:33 Value-based lookalike audiences and how to easily start using them.
- 19:07 The state of social proof in 2020 - does it really matter?
- 23:37 If you don’t have a large customer audience to run social proofing to, what can you do?
- 24:31 A little known fact about 1% lookalike audiences.
- 27:07 Crucial steps for successfully onboarding new clients and building a strong ongoing relationship.
- 32:00 What’s keeping Zach up at night.
- 34:20 You can’t outsource your growth.
- 37:16 The challenges with growing an agency and how finding clients who are the right fit is key to success.
- 43:20 How Zach’s avoiding the churn and burn that happens so often to agencies.
- 44:57 What Zach’s eating, is he working out, and what his daily life looks like.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_245_ZachStuck_JustUnoUpdate_Covid19.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Thu, 26 March 2020
We're in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis and a time of much uncertainty. Some of my clients are businesses are experiencing growth, and others are down by 50% or more. Even if this crisis leads to an economic recession, you get to choose whether or not you want to take part in it. Today I'm sharing a special recording of one of my recent members-only webinars where I talk about how to lead your ecommerce business during uncertain times, and how to transform this uncertainty into a time of abundance and opportunity for your business (without exploiting anyone). In this episode we'll talk about: - The three things business owners should be focused on right now.
- How to think about cash management during a crisis and why you must use this as an opportunity to build a rock-solid financial future.
- Why playing offense is going to become more important than playing defense in the coming months.
- How to lead (not manage) your way through this crisis and come out stronger on the other side.
- How to bring your team together during uncertain times and to build a resilient remote culture.
- How to react if your business HASN’T been impacted by COVID-19 and how you can ethically use this to your advantage.
We will get through this together. Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_BonusEpisode_Thriving_In_Chaos.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 24 March 2020
In part 4 of our Scaling Series we’re talking about Growth Mode. You’ve made your first seven figures and now you’re scaling up to eight figures. You’ve figured out something that works and you might be starting to feel overworked and overwhelmed. Now is the time to make those key hires and/or outsource channels you feel like you’ve maximized. It’s time to go from the day-to-day manager of your business and grow into the true role of CEO. In this episode, we’re talking about how to start getting things off your plate, managing inventory issues, and how to determine whether it’s time to focus on a new marketing channel. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:38 One of the biggest issues in Growth Mode: Superhero Syndrome.
- 7:57 Implement systems to help you get more off your plate.
- 11:10 Why inventory issues often arise at this stage of growth.
- 13:20 How to solve your inventory issues.
- 16:01 Challenges you might face as you’re trying to hire, and what not to do.
- 18:32 Strategic issues that arise during Growth Mode.
- 20:54 Things to look at to determine how much more room there is for growth with a specific marketing channel.
- 22:06 How to successfully onboard an agency or a new in-house hire.
- 24:33 Businesses that take it to the next level offload successful channels and dive into learning the next one.
- 26:44 Slow down to grow faster.
- 28:14 Remember why you started your business in the first place.
- 29:17 Your transformation from day-to-day business manager to CEO.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_244_Scaling_Series_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 17 March 2020
If you're struggling to make SEO work for your business, this episode is for you. Our guest today is a dual-threat. He’s building an ecommerce brand while also running a digital marketing agency that specializes in SEO. Not only does he get to see what’s working for his clients, but he’s learning from what’s working in his own business. Eagan Heath is the owner of The Splendid Beast and Founder of Get Found Madison. Today he’s doing a deep dive into ecommerce SEO and talking about how to avoid keyword cannibalization, how to get started with SEO (and if it’s even a good idea for your business), and tips for better tracking attribution. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:11 The dual-threat that is Eagan Heath.
- 9:20 What it takes to grow your skills as an agency and the currency you should be selling in.
- 11:21 The different approach to capturing leads as an agency vs as an ecommerce business.
- 13:16 The complex order process for Splendid Beast and the advantages of a highly custom business.
- 16:21 The strategy Eagan used to double his business over the last four years.
- 18:09 How to avoid keyword cannibalization and appear higher in search results.
- 20:05 When you should start thinking about SEO (and whether you should be thinking about it at all).
- 23:43 How to get started with a very small budget.
- 27:34 Why it’s critical to remember that you are not your customer.
- 32:45 The huge value of having a business coach.
- 35:14 What gives Splendid Beast longevity as a business and differentiates it from competitors.
- 38:01 The issue with attribution on Google Analytics and the solution Eagan is using to work around it.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_243_EaganHeath.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 10 March 2020
In part 3 of our Scaling Series, we’re talking about traction to scaling, the period after making your initial $100K to surpassing the million-dollar mark. There are a number of challenges you’ll face at this stage, including becoming overwhelmed with possibilities, losing strategic focus, wearing too many hats within the business, and more. Today we walk you through how to tackle these challenges and the things the most successful businesses do at this stage to continue growing to 8-figures and beyond. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:41 The first problem we see at this stage? Mindset and losing focus.
- 7:53 Why most business owners lose strategic focus at this stage.
- 8:53 If you’re overwhelmed and losing focus, it’s time to hire.
- 10:05 The critical role you have to hire for if you want to continue to grow.
- 10:42 The second problem business owners run into at this stage? The year-over-year mentality, and why you have to get out of it.
- 13:40 It’s time to get serious about email marketing.
- 15:10 Other things you can do to increase average order value and lifetime value.
- 16:30 The companies growing fastest at this stage all have this in common.
- 17:38 Why connecting with other successful business owners is critical to your success.
- 19:51 Challenges with cash flow at this stage, and how you can alleviate cash-related issues.
- 22:31 More commonalities between companies succeeding at this stage of growth.
- 25:56 If you’re ready to take it to the next level, it’s time to get some outside help.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_242_ScalingSeries_P3_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 3 March 2020
There is more than one way to create wealth in ecommerce. While many entrepreneurs follow the path of bootstrapping a business and hoping to one day be acquired, another option is to start on the acquisition side, and grow a portfolio of successful companies. Our guest today has done both. Drew Sanocki is CEO of AutoAnything, owner of PostPilot, and an expert at lifecycle marketing. He joins us to talk about the evolution of lifecycle marketing and the big role direct mail is playing in brand loyalty and repeat purchase rate, as well as how mergers and acquisitions can help your brand, and why M&A are his big focus for the upcoming year. I always learn a lot when we chat with Drew and I hope you enjoy! Episode Highlights - 9:05 Why Drew is so excited about direct mail marketing.
- 12:08 The role of direct mail for Drew's 9-figure dropshipping company.
- 14:54 Bringing direct mail into traditional lifecycle marketing and how it enhances your brand.
- 18:55 Exploring brand partnerships in the direct mail space.
- 19:46 Prospecting with direct mail.
- 21:56 Syncing direct mail with Klaviyo and segments that are working particularly well.
- 27:48 The shifting customer journey and how Drew sees it evolving in the near future.
- 32:49 Why merchandising can be the best kind of marketing.
- 36:11 What Drew’s excited about in this new decade and what he sees as the quickest way to grow a company.
- 39:13 Merger and acquisition opportunities that can help your brand.
- 42:38 Why most business owners have a blind spot to the acquisition process and how Drew would get started building a portfolio.
- 46:15 Bootstrapping vs acquisition -- does it matter which comes first?
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_241_DrewSanocki.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 25 February 2020
We’re on to part 2 of our scaling series, where we talk about the stage from launch to traction, when you’re on track for, or surpassed, the $100K mark. At this stage in the business, you’re moving from selling something to having consistent sales. Today we’ll talk about some of the common problems people run into during this stage, critical questions to answer before you can start scaling up, and where to seek out support. We’re bringing you our knowledge and experience from working with brands that have successfully scaled up, and seeing others that haven’t. In part three, we're going to be talking about traction to scaling. So enjoy this week and stay tuned! Episode Highlights - 4:42 How to know when you’re in the traction stage of your business growth.
- 7:59 Your goal during this stage of scaling up your business.
- 8:45 Places you can turn to when you’re looking for guidance.
- 10:31 Focus on customer acquisition in the early stages of growth.
- 11:26 Why you have to distinguish between signal vs. noise and listen to a diverse set of sources.
- 13:06 One question you have to ask yourself before you continue to scale up.
- 14:48 You must become a channel expert before you outsource.
- 17:13 The minimum AOV you need if you want to acquire new customers via paid ads.
- 20:33 Great opportunities for you if you’re in this stage of growth.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_240_ScalingSeries_P2_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 18 February 2020
If you want to run your business successfully, you need to have a deep understanding of how everything works. Today we’re talking with Helen Guo, co-founder of The Cereal School about how she took her business from zero to well over 7 figures in just eight months. One of the key components of the business’ success is that Helen and her co-founder, Dylan, started by learning and running every aspect of the business themselves, before hiring agencies to take things over. They also put a lot of initial time into building the brand organically, which made it easier to amplify with paid efforts as they’re scaling up. Helen shares her amazing journey with us, as well as her tips for finding the right agency, and how to build a partnership that will last. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:06 Helen’s entrance into the world of entrepreneurship.
- 9:06 The Cereal School’s insanely rapid growth.
- 10:06 Pre-launch efforts to build an audience before the product was ready to officially launch.
- 13:25 How Helen built a 20,000+ person email list without running paid ads.
- 15:29 Helen’s philosophical approach to Facebook ads and scaling up.
- 18:58 Lessons learned from working with different advertising agencies.
- 23:10 The importance of actually learning how to run your own marketing, and the creative approach that sets the Cereal School apart.
- 27:57 How Helen successfully onboarded an ad agency to take over for her.
- 31:33 Questions to ask your agency upfront to build a better relationship.
- 32:41 Where Helen goes for new ideas and advice.
- 34:29 How implementing email marketing helped the Cereal School go from 0% to over 25% of revenue from email.
- 36:56 What Helen’s looking at to the future to stay ahead of the game.
- 38:49 Apps that Helen is excited about right now.
- 41:57 The thing about the Cereal School’s business that can’t be easily replicated.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_239_HelenGuo.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Fri, 14 February 2020
On today's special BONUS episode we're talking about CBO. That's Campaign Budget Optimization. Andrew sat down with expert digital advertisers Molly Pittman and Depesh Mandalia to talk about what's happening with CBO, how it's working, why it's working the way that it is, and some tips to improve your campaigns. They discuss: - Why you can't treat CBO campaigns the same way as you were treating ABO campaigns
- CBO misconceptions
- When CBO works best
- How to think about your budget when setting up CBO
- CBO and Dynamic Creative
- CBO best practices
Enjoy! Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_Bonus_CBO_Depesh_Pittman.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 11 February 2020
Andrew and I have worked with hundreds of different companies at various stages of growth, from pre-launch to multi-million dollar acquisition. Today we’re kicking off our scaling series, where we’ll talk about each stage of growth and the challenges you're going to face as you scale up your business from zero to 8-figures. We’re starting off with a “zero to launch” episode where we’ll address some of the questions you’ll face when you’re determining how to launch and going from an idea for a product to actually getting sales. We’ll be sharing core lessons through each of these episodes that will give you value whether you're at the beginning, already making 7-figures, or somewhere in the middle. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:30 Why we decided to do a scaling series.
- 9:07 The most important thing when you’re just starting out? Feedback.
- 10:24 Knowing what your community looks like is critical for scaling.
- 13:40 Once you know your community, identify their buying power and your market potential.
- 15:38 A zero to launch case study.
- 18:16 Common missteps at this stage.
- 19:40 Creating a “talk trigger” product.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_238_ScaleSeries_1_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 4 February 2020
One of the keys to successful growth is hiring a team that keeps the business running, whether the founder is there or not. Over the last 14 years, Cory Bower, founder of Aviator Gear, has built a multi-million dollar business with a team of 48 full-time employees. When Cory was in the Air Force, he saw a need, launched a company, and to this day uses some of his military systems and structure to keep things running smoothly. It’s always a pleasure to chat with Cory, and I hope you enjoy our conversation about growth, hiring, and critical tools for success. Episode Highlights - 5:55 Introducing Cory Bower and the birth of Aviator Gear.
- 8:12 The unique custom nature of Cory’s products.
- 10:20 Cory’s journey to becoming a fighter pilot.
- 13:53 Transitioning from fighter jets to ecommerce.
- 16:05 How Cory applies lessons learned in the military to his business.
- 18:42 The team structure Cory’s built that lets his business run even when he’s not around.
- 23:55 Engines for Aviator Gear’s growth over the last year and how they communicate about the custom nature of their products through different parts of the funnel.
- 26:43 The role Cory wishes he would have gotten off his own plate sooner, but why you have to have balance as you grow so the wheels don’t fall off.
- 29:18 Tools Aviator Gear uses to keep things running smoothly.
- 35:07 What it looks like to hire and manage a 50-person team.
- 39:29 Cory’s learning process and how he finds useful information to help his growth.
- 42:07 Do this simple thing right now to be more productive.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_237_CoryBower.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 28 January 2020
We’re getting tactical today and bringing you 6 quick wins you can execute today to grow your business. From Facebook, to email, to website optimization, these quick wins will help you generate sales and get results. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:25 Quick Win #1: 4-6% Lookalikes based off pixel value.
- 5:47 Quick Win #2: Identify previous customers who are likely to spend again, but who are no longer on your email list, and hit them with remarketing.
- 7:23 Quick Win #3: Integrate your Klaviyo audiences with Facebook.
- 8:34 Quick Win #4: Turn great text reviews into video reviews.
- 11:14 Quick Win #5: Use bid caps to ensure your Facebook ads are being shown.
- 13:05 Quick Win #6: Get a fresh perspective on your website.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_236_6ThingsYouCanDo_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 21 January 2020
When someone asks about eCommerce best practices, we always hear, “well, what’s Pura Vida doing?” Today we’re talking with Pura Vida CEO, Griffin Thall, to get an inside look at their current strategies, how the company’s grown over the last several years, the way his role has evolved, and what it's actually like to prepare your company for a multi-million dollar sale. Andrew and I both worked with Pura Vida at the very beginning, and we’re so excited to reconnect and bring this episode to you today. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:25 What got Griffin and Pura Vida to where they are today.
- 7:28 How Griffin’s role has changed as the company’s grown.
- 9:02 Pura Vida’s unique influencer strategy and how it started.
- 12:45 Relentless innovation and how Pura Vida continues to increase customer lifetime value.
- 15:18 The moment Griffin realized the brand was going to be a success.
- 16:30 How Pura Vida’s growth strategy has changed over time.
- 17:57 The challenges Griffin’s faced over the years as CEO.
- 20:12 Where Griffin’s seen the most success in hiring.
- 22:12 How Pura Vida’s ambassador program started, and where it’s at today.
- 22:21 A day in the life of the Pura Vida CEO, and the value of growing a team.
- 24:25 Why you’ve got to stop wearing all the hats in your business if you want it to scale up.
- 28:14 What you should be focusing on as a founder, instead of getting enticed by the newest Shopify app.
- 29:28 A key approach for brands launching today vs 6 years ago.
- 31:53 Lessons learned about managing cash while scaling up.
- 33:47 How Pura Vida ended up making a deal with Vera Bradley, and the process of finding and securing that kind of partnership.
- 38:07 Griffin’s biggest takeaway from meeting with investors.
- 39:34 The expansive value Pura Vida’s gained from their partnership with Vera Bradley.
- 41:33 What Griffin’s excited about right now and some things in store for Pura Vida in 2020.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_235_GriffinThall.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 14 January 2020
Every year I grow more personally and professionally, and these weekly episodes are a big part of that. We’ve had discussions about Facebook and email marketing, business processes, how to avoid burnout, and more. Today Andrew and I are sharing the top things we’ve learned in 2019. What were your big learnings over the last year? Episode Highlights - 5:15 No one cares where you are as long as the work gets done.
- 8:33 Be clear about what you want (because you’re going to get it).
- 11:50 Listen, Help, Learn.
- 14:21 Focus on generating profits so you can hire good people.
- 17:52 Dive deeper into discomfort.
- 21:50 Everything takes longer than you expect.
- 24:02 Having a business partner with different perspectives than your own is a huge asset.
- 28: 19 It’s still a great time to build an ecommerce brand.
- 30:46 Play is important.
- 31:48 You don’t need to learn everything yourself.
- 32:40 Track your time.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_234_Final_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 7 January 2020
Digital agencies get a bad rap these days. From providing inflated results to wasting time on dead-end tactics, many businesses have fired their agencies and moved things in-house. However, agencies aren’t the enemy. You just have to understand how to build the right relationship with them, and truly integrate them with your team. Our guest today is Susan Wenograd the CMO of digital agency Aimclear. We talk with Susan about the shift she’s seeing in where brands are directing their paid ad spend, and the issues of attribution that are coming along with it. She talks about how to build a deeper relationship with your agency so they can bring you greater success, and her thoughts around navigating the digital landscape as things continue to change and evolve. This episode is a must-listen whether you're a digital agency or doing digital marketing in-house for a brand. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 8:01 What the role of CMO looks like at a digital agency.
- 10:06 The changes in where brands are spending their paid media dollars.
- 14:43 Today’s analytics are not the analytics of the future, and why attribution objectives may continue to get less defined.
- 18:08 How to spot an agency that’s getting results that are too good to be true.
- 21:26 If you want your agency to be a better partner, you need to more transparent.
- 24:58 As an agency, it’s important to have the difficult conversations and be a leader.
- 30:17 Global perspectives on digital marketing and where the US is falling behind.
- 34:35 You cannot fix broken strategy by optimizing tactics.
- 37:02 If you're entire marketing plan only consists of spending $300K/month on Facebook, you do not have a brand (and that’s a problem).
- 41:06 Why fluidity and flexibility are the keys to long-term success.
- 42:35 Is it time to hand bidding control over to Facebook?
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_233-SusanWenogard_v2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 31 December 2019
Today we’re bringing you part two of our “How to Get Started” series, and in this episode, we’re talking about email marketing. If you’ve recently launched a business and want to get started with email marketing, this episode is for you. Or, if you’ve had an agency managing your email for some time, and want to make sure everything is running as it should be, there are some helpful tips in here that will deepen your understanding. We talk about best practices for list creation, how to capture leads, which emails to create first, how to determine the number of emails you should be sending, and more. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 4:15 Choosing an email service provider (ESP), and why Klaviyo is a great option for many businesses.
- 5:49 Getting your ESP set up correctly: some key things to keep in mind.
- 8:35 Best practices for list creation and management.
- 9:35 Checklist for making sure your ESP is set up correctly.
- 10:15 How to start capturing leads and growing your list.
- 12:03 The more unique your offer, the better. But ultimately, don’t overcomplicate it.
- 14:03 Building an email template for your brand.
- 17:38 Austin’s recommended approach for warming up your audience.
- 19:51 Campaign emails vs flow emails and which ones to prioritize.
- 21:59 Automated email flows to start with: Welcome Series (Buy or Die), Abandoned Cart, Browse Abandonment.
- 25:00 Best practices for sending campaign emails and how to start segmenting your list.
- 29:22 When it’s right to expand your audience: the ideal open rates to look for.
- 30:44 How to decide how many emails you should be sending.
- 31:49 Examples of valuable content that drives revenue.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_232_HowToGetStartedWithEmail_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 24 December 2019
Not many ecommerce brands can say they’ve been around for almost 30 years, but Peepers is one of them. Founded in 1993, with a website that went live in 1996, Peepers has been going strong ever since. In the last 10 years alone, they’ve grown by 900%. John Hart joined the team five years ago and is now the Ecommerce and Operations Director. Today he joins us to talk about how Peepers has continued to evolve, the marketing strategies they're using, including why they find major value in Amazon, and how they’ve successfully approached wholesale. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:08 Introducing John and how he ended up at Peepers.
- 8:27 What Peepers is doing differently that allowed it to grow 900% over the last 10 years.
- 10:10 Peepers’ approach to growth and the channels they’re currently investing in.
- 12:36 Prospecting techniques for both online and offline.
- 13:57 John’s feelings about selling on Amazon and how they make it work in their overall marketing strategy.
- 17:22 The challenge of selling glasses online, and the fun strategy Peepers is using to overcome it.
- 20:29 Why Peepers hasn’t ventured into AI on their site yet.
- 22:36 Lessons learned about website speed and sacrifices that had to be made.
- 25:01 Coming up with the perfect product price and Peepers’ price-testing process.
- 28:49 Peepers’ approach to growing the wholesale component of the business and supporting their partners.
- 31:32 How John’s role has evolved over the last five years and what he’s focusing on now.
- 33:51 Employee retention at Peepers and what they do to keep people happy.
- 38:09 A quick win from John will help you improve your business.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_231_JohnHart_v2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 17 December 2019
One of the questions we’ve received from several listeners recently is, “Can you guys talk about how to get started with Facebook advertising?” We’ve done quite a few episodes where we talk about scaling up your Facebook ads, but we've never started at the very beginning. Today we’re doing just that. If you’ve never advertised on Facebook before, or you’re just starting out, this episode is for you. We’ll talk through how to set up Facebook Business Manager, how to start building audiences for different parts of the sales funnel, how to approach your initial budget, and what success looks like in your first few months of advertising. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:35 If you’re just getting started with Facebook advertising, here are the first steps.
- 8:01 Dynamic Product ads: what are they and why you need them.
- 8:50 Creating customer avatars to inform your interest-based targeting.
- 10:51 The main hurdles you may come across when setting up Facebook Business Manager.
- 13:00 How to check whether you’ve set up Business Manager correctly.
- 14:34 Where people often get stuck with creative and the components of great content.
- 16:51 The three phases of the sales funnel and how to start building audiences for each phase right out of the gate.
- 20:13 How to approach the first three months of advertising: crafting your brand message, how much to spend, and what success looks like.
- 23:23 What is your Cost Per Acquisition goal, and how do you determine it?
- 26:38 How to understand your initial Facebook advertising metrics.
- 28:16 Where to go next after you’re getting comfortable with your advertising.
- 29:35 How to decide which objective to pick for different parts of the funnel.
- 31:31 Two objectives you shouldn't be using.
- 34:07 The key component you have to understand when you get started with Facebook advertising and what success often looks like for the first several months.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_230_HowToGetStartedWithFBAds_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 10 December 2019
Who says girls can’t wear dinosaur dresses? Rebecca Melsky was frustrated when the only patterns she could find for her daughter were pink and flowery. Where were the rocket ships and trucks for girls? In 2013 she teamed up with her friend Eva to start Princess Awesome, a stereotype-busting business that creates clothes of all colors, and with all kinds of patterns, for both girls and boys. Today we sit down with Rebecca to talk about their massive crowdfunding success, how they’ve managed the growth of their business while prioritizing their families, and the key Klaviyo strategies helping them drive major revenue from email. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:51 The story of how Princess Awesome was born.
- 7:39 Princess Awesome’s explosive experience with crowdfunding.
- 12:25 The major impact Kickstarter had for Rebecca’s business, from more than just a financial perspective.
- 13:58 Taking the next step in business growth after Kickstarter success.
- 17:40 Product innovation and the creation of Princess Awesome’s women’s line and brother company.
- 20:39 The benefits of using Klaviyo for email marketing.
- 22:34 How to plan your email campaigns, and how segmentation can help drive more sales.
- 29:20 Things Rebecca’s done over the last year that have had a big impact on her business.
- 32:05 Why Princess Awesome outsources their fulfillment.
- 35:41 The company makeup of Princess Awesome and the critical support roles they’ve outsourced.
- 37:33 Growing a business that serves your lifestyle and how this has been a core part of Rebecca’s business from day one.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_229_RebeccaMelsky_Updated_Klaviyo.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Fri, 6 December 2019
We've got a special Black Friday/Cyber Monday BONUS episode for you today. Andrew saw down with Alex Afterman of 11:11 Digital, Deirdre Kelly and Terry Whalen of Sum Digital, Kurt Bullock of Product Department and Paul Fairbrother of Hootsuite/AdEspresso to do a post-BFCM 2019 recap. They discuss: - Trends they saw over the weekend
- Bidding strategies that worked
- Audiences that were successful
- Creatives we saw working well
- Reporting and assessing numbers
Enjoy! Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_Bonus_BFCM_recap.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 3 December 2019
Today we’re taking a break from our normal programming to go on a short rant about things we hate in the ecommerce industry. We want to shed light on some of the frustrating things we’ve come across over the years to help you keep your sanity as you’re growing your business. We believe in the importance of truth and transparency, and that every single business is different, and hope our little rant today will help you avoid frustration and see through the B.S. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:32 Thing we hate #1: When people take advantage of business owners by making things seem more complicated than they really are.
- 9:18 Just because it’s a big, well-recognized company, doesn’t mean it’s actually doing well, so don’t compare yourself.
- 11:11 Warning signs to watch out for with bogus business information.
- 11:47 Thing we hate #2: When entrepreneurs are told they have to be running ads on every single possible channel.
- 15:07 Thing we hate #3: Example sharing without context.
- 18:11 Thing we hate #4: Not having enough information about why people are building their businesses a certain way and the lifestyles they’re hoping to achieve.
- 21:19 Why context is so important, and why there’s no simple success blueprint for every business to follow.
- 23:17 An example of how to think about the bigger thematic approach when you’re trying to decide if a certain tactic is going to work for you.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_228_TheThingsWeHate_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 26 November 2019
While it may only take a great idea to start a business, it takes a heck of a lot of hard work to build a successful one. Five years ago Patrick Coddou was unhappily working at his corporate job when he had an idea, spurred by personal passion and necessity. That idea eventually got off the ground with two successful Kickstarters, and recently landed Patrick and his wife and co-founder, Jessica, on Shark Tank, where they got backing from Robert Herjavec. This idea, which has now grown into a multi-million dollar company, is Supply, a men's shaving and grooming company. Today Patrick joins us to give an inside look at what makes Supply successful today, and the challenges he faces as he continues to grow his business. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:39 Introducing Patrick and how he started Supply.
- 7:21 The pivotal role of Kickstarter in Supply’s launch and success.
- 9:19 Where the idea for Supply came from and the challenge of creating good products.
- 13:53 Why Patrick wants to grow as quickly as possible with as little outside funding as possible, and the metrics he looks at to track his success.
- 18:59 What Patrick plans to focus on in 2020 as he further diversifies his marketing channels.
- 22:26 As Supply is starting to expand internationally, here are some of the considerations and challenges Patrick is facing.
- 25:48 Why Supply is so appealing in the international market, and how Patrick uses customer service to clarify his value proposition and support customers.
- 29:57 The post-purchase survey questions that help with Supply’s customer retention and satisfaction.
- 34:39 Things Patrick’s done in the last year that have had the biggest impact on his personal and professional life.
- 38:48 The truth about entrepreneurial life that Patrick wants everyone to know.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_227_PatrickCoddou.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 12:00pm CDT
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Tue, 19 November 2019
Two common questions I get from clients are: How much should I spend on advertising and what is a good return on ad spend? Andrew and I are tackling these questions today by breaking down the calculations you need to do to determine what a good ROAS is for your business. We also discuss how to have an open conversation with your advertising agency and the first question you really need to ask yourself before you can realistically estimate the ROAS you need to be successful. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:15 The inspiration for this episode: one of the most common questions Austin gets in the Coalition.
- 6:55 What is a good return on ad spend (ROAS)?
- 9:08 The first question you need to ask yourself to help determine what ROAS is realistic.
- 11:05 Why you have to know your math before you start telling your advertising partner what ROAS you “need.”
- 12:15 The first question you should really be asking to figure out a good ROAS for your business.
- 13:04 Breaking down ROAS calculation and how to discuss it with your agency.
- 15:49 The importance of making the distinction between warm and cold traffic.
- 19:27 A further look at how to calculate the ROAS you need for your business.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_226_TooMuchForAdvertising_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 12 November 2019
As he sat down at his desk on the first day at his first post-college job he thought, “The cubicle life just isn’t for me.” If you’re an entrepreneur, I would venture to bet you’ve had a similar thought at some point along the way. Today we’re joined by Matt Schroeder, the co-founder of Shelly Cove, who started the business in college with his family, and has been off to the races ever since. Matt tells the story of how he taught himself marketing and his journey to eventually leaving his secure job to go all-in on Shelly Cove. He shares the unique ways the brand surprises and delights its customers to keep them coming back for more, and why, as the business has grown, he’s more open to just saying “Yes.” Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:21 How Matt got started in ecommerce and the birth of Shelly Cove.
- 10:39 The roles in Matt’s family-run business.
- 13:57 Lessons learned from going to school full-time while also growing a business.
- 16:55 How Matt became an expert in marketing and business.
- 18:27 The strategy behind Shelly Cove’s product development and release.
- 20:34 When Matt realized he wanted to put all his energy into the business.
- 23:31 How Shelly Cove built a strong brand from day one and the delivery tactic they use to set themselves apart.
- 25:54 Connecting customers with the company’s charity to build deeper brand loyalty.
- 28:18 Some things Matt tried that ultimately flopped.
- 31:36 The turning point from t-shirt company to lifestyle brand.
- 33:26 Surprising sources Matt uses for his shipping supplies.
- 34:44 Advice from Matt: don’t run sales too often.
- 35:20 Looking to make a little extra cash with your business? Check out these sites.
- 37:38 What’s on Matt’s mind right now as Shelly Cove continues to grow.
- 39:26 The roles Matt hired for that allowed him to free up his time significantly.
- 43:53 Matt’s advice for aspiring business owners.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_222_MattSchroeder_Klaviyo_Holidays.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 5 November 2019
Due to Facebook’s influence, your website is less and less often the first place potential customers learn about your brand. We don’t see this changing anytime soon. In fact, Facebook’s already moving to on-site checkout, removing the need to visit your website altogether. Today we’re talking about the future of Facebook advertising and how we see it evolving. We discuss what Facebook’s plans are for the platform, as well as for Instagram, and how you can be prepared for what’s to come. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:13 Why we’re talking about Facebook’s future and what you’ll learn today.
- 6:53 What Facebook has planned for future interactive elements.
- 9:04 How to use Instagram polls to increase engagement.
- 11:17 The future of augmented reality on Facebook and how it could impact your CPM.
- 14:22 Interactive games as ads: worth the hype or overrated?
- 16:05 Andrew’s biggest takeaways about the future of Facebook advertising.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_224_FacebookFuture.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 29 October 2019
You look up at the clock and realize you’ve been working for 14 hours. You’ve still got a dozen more emails to respond to before you can go home, maybe spend a little time with your family, then get 4 hours of sleep and start the cycle again the next day. Sound familiar? This, my friends, is the recipe for burnout. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get addicted to your work and feel like if you’re not spending 16 hours a day trying to grow your business, the person who is will beat you to the top. Burnout isn’t talked about enough in the ecommerce world. But today we’re changing that in our conversation with Mike Jackness, Co-Founder of EcomCrew and someone who has built and sold multiple businesses. Mike shares the story of how he got started in ecommerce, his criteria for buying a business, and what it means to deal with entrepreneurial burnout. This conversation really hit home for us, and we hope you get a lot out of it. Episode Highlights - 6:28 Mike’s life on the road for the last several months.
- 7:52 Who is Mike Jackness and how did he get started in ecommerce?
- 9:30 From ice wraps to adult coloring books: the variety of businesses Mike’s been involved with over the years.
- 11:49 Big opportunities in ecommerce right now that will help your brand stand out.
- 14:27 The criteria Mike’s looking for as he’s thinking about buying another business.
- 18:53 Strategies for increasing average order value and customer lifetime value.
- 23:24 If you’re going to launch a new product, make sure it has synergy with the rest of your brand.
- 26:05 The truth about entrepreneurial burnout and the importance of having connections and support.
- 30:05 Things to watch out for to help prevent yourself from burning out and the ongoing struggle of running a business.
- 34:35 How do you create an environment where you don’t have to compete?
- 36:25 The importance of identifying the time when you’re actually being productive.
- 39:12 Technical challenges of living on the road.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_223_Mike_Jackness.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 22 October 2019
We’re in the midst of the busiest time of year for eCommerce. Will Q4 craziness get the best of you, or will you come out on the other side with your sanity intact? Today we’re sharing five tips that will help you keep you from losing your mind this holiday season. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:36 Tip #1: Communicate holiday availability expectations early for both your team and your family.
- 8:55 Tip #2: Plan, plan, and plan again.
- 10:11 Important components of your marketing plan.
- 14:13 Tip #3: Evaluate your success based on execution, not outcome.
- 17:29 Tip #4: Be nice to your service providers.
- 19:11 Tip #5: Lean into the season.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_222_Surviving_Q4.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 15 October 2019
What if you could double your business with Facebook over the next year? That’s exactly what happened for Oral Essentials when they doubled-down on their FB advertising and focused on scaling up. Oral Essentials CMO, Justin Maddahi, joins us today to discuss some of the game-changing tactics that have helped him grow the business with Facebook. He talks about why he’s shifted to nearly all user-generated content, how he approaches creative testing, and why he’s managing all aspects of Facebook in-house. If you’re trying to scale up your advertising, you won’t want to miss this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:15 The birth of Oral Essentials and what separates them from other oral care brands.
- 8:11 Justin’s journey from science major to CMO.
- 9:48 Why Justin decided to expand the business beyond Amazon and start owning his own channels.
- 11:56 The Facebook tactics that helped Oral Essentials see massive growth, including what Justin says you must start doing right now.
- 13:00 Why shifting to user-generated content is key to Facebook success.
- 16:01 How Oral Essentials got into influencer marketing and the main metrics to look at when deciding which influencers are best for your brand.
- 20:44 Justin’s approach to A/B testing Facebook ads and how much he recommends tweaking an ad before giving up on it.
- 23:45 Why it’s worthwhile to sacrifice a lookalike audience for the sake of testing.
- 25:12 The reason Justin hasn’t tried Facebook’s new Dynamic Creative Testing feature yet.
- 27:24 Don’t get hung up on targeting -- creative is what changes the game.
- 29:29 From ad agency to in-house: why Justin first outsourced his ads, and then decided to bring then back in.
- 31:37 Pro tip: engage with your audience when they comment on your ads.
- 32:47 Oral Essential’s growth strategy: why they’re expanding into retail stores and the impact their increased Facebook budget has had on retail sales.
- 35:00 The two most important things Justin’s learned while doubling the business over the last 12 months.
- 38:41 If you truly want to see success with your Facebook ads, get help from an expert.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EIP_221_JustinMaddahi_Klaviyo_Holidays.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 8 October 2019
If someone tells you the secret to success is working as much as you possibly can, they’re wrong. Successful, productive people don’t work more, they work on fewer things that have greater impact. Today we’re joined by productivity expert and ex-world champion poker player Chris Sparks, who is also the founder and CEO of The Forcing Function. Chris helps entrepreneurs identify what they truly want in life (step #1 to increasing your productivity) and then works with them to achieve their goals in the most effective way possible. We talk with Chris about how to figure out what you actually want, the importance of leveraging your unique assets, and why reflection is the missing ingredient to progress. Episode Highlights - 6:44 Introducing Chris Sparks and how his obsession with productivity began at the poker table.
- 10:12 Why Chris decided to forego a job opportunity at Ford to become a professional poker player.
- 14:56 The double-down inspiration for Chris’ new book: Experiment Without Limits.
- 19:46 What sets Chris’ action-oriented (and free) productivity workbook apart.
- 22:33 The first question Chris asks when he starts working with a new client.
- 23:38 The difference between peak performers and those who are not.
- 25:42 Common myths about what productivity actually looks like.
- 28:39 Why it’s better to take one small step forward every single day rather than make big changes all at once.
- 32:12 How to figure out what you actually want.
- 38:18 What to do when your business has incredible momentum, but it’s costing you the lifestyle freedom you dreamed it would give you.
- 44:28 The importance of reflection to your productivity and progress.
- 47:04 The biggest weapon in any entrepreneur’s arsenal.
- 48:23 Tools Chris uses every day that increase his productivity.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_221_ChrisSparks.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 1 October 2019
Do you ever get into a rut with your marketing ideas? If you’ve been spinning your wheels looking for a new way to move some inventory and surprise and delight your customers, you don’t want to miss this episode. Meri Geraldine, founder of the sustainable jewelry brand Gardens of the Sun, joins us to share the creative way she moved $25K in product in just a few hours. Meri also talks about building an ethical supply chain, ingraining her personal values into the ethos of her business, and how she grew from a small Etsy shop into a full-blown ecommerce store. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:55 Introducing Meri and how she transitioned from working as a sustainability consultant in Indonesia to creating Gardens of the Sun.
- 9:18 How Meri’s quest to meet everybody in her supply chain led to the creation of a sustainable gold mining cooperative.
- 12:15 From an Etsy shop to a full-blown business.
- 14:49 The unexpected joys and challenges of growing a successful business.
- 16:38 How Meri incorporates her values into the ethos of her business.
- 18:53 Benefits of having a Bali-based business.
- 21:16 Maximizing your VIPs: How Meri sold $10K of inventory live on Instagram in just a few hours.
- 25:55 Smashing her monthly sales record with a specialty live sale on Facebook.
- 28:01 How Meri manages invoices and missed payments during live sales.
- 31:53 The other advertising levers Gardens of the Sun uses.
- 33:05 Lessons learned as a sustainability consultant that made Meri a better entrepreneur.
- 34:31 The 3 things Meri is trying to grow in the future: sapphires, creatives sales, and marketing through storytelling.
- 36:59 Resources Meri recommends to other business owners and marketers.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_219_MeriGeraldi.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 24 September 2019
Hey advertisers, Facebook doesn’t care about you. It cares about its users. That’s why it recently launched a new tool called the Customer Feedback Score. Facebook is using this tool to crackdown on drop shippers and other advertisers whose products don’t deliver. Today we’re going to talk about where to find this tool, how to interpret the data it provides, and what you can do to improve your score. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:40 How Facebook is cracking down on drop shippers and shoddy products with its new tool.
- 8:25 Where to find you Customer Feedback Score in your account.
- 9:36 What you’ll see when you access your Customer Feedback Score and how to understand your score.
- 11:40 Reviewing positive feedback: what your customers want more of.
- 13:46 Identifying opportunities for improvement.
- 17:30 Don’t let your score drop too low or your ads, and your page, will be banned from Facebook.
- 18:55 As the big 3 ad platforms work to create better experiences for consumers, you’ve got to plan ahead and shift your approach accordingly.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_218_CustomerFeedbackScore.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 17 September 2019
Sometimes it takes a lot of failures before you make it big. Today’s guest is no stranger to failure -- he once invested $250K in a company that never even launched. But now, Josh Meyer is the CEO and co-founder of Brickell Men's Products, the fastest-growing company in Maine and the fastest-growing skincare company in the world. Josh joins us to talk about the challenges Brickell faced with their rocketship growth, why he’d never raise money for a business again, and his love-hate relationship with Amazon. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:44 Introducing Josh and his path to becoming the CEO and co-founder of the fastest-growing company in Maine.
- 9:45 How Josh runs a business based in Maine, while living in Florida.
- 12:23 The moment Josh realized Brickell’s success was real.
- 14:00 Lessons learned from a $250K business flop.
- 17:32 Some of the challenges of being a fast-growing company.
- 20:39 How Josh assesses Brickell’s success and growth potential, and why he doesn’t trust Google Analytics.
- 24:56 As you spend more money on Facebook, you need to be critically examining the leads you acquire.
- 27:58 Brickell’s approach to customer loyalty programs and how it’s shifted as they’ve grown.
- 31:10 Why Brickell is willing to sell their soul to capture email addresses.
- 33:27 How Josh’s approach to email has evolved as the business has grown.
- 36:49 Why Josh thinks spending money on social media influencers is total BS.
- 39:01 When it comes to rolling out new products, if you’re going to fail, fail quickly.
- 41:14 Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer: how Amazon contributes to Brickell’s continued success.
- 44:54 Resources that have helped Josh along the way.
- 48:30 Now Hiring: Brickell is looking for a Marketing Director.
- 51:18 Three things you can do right now to start growing your business even faster.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_217_JoshMeyer.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 10 September 2019
When I ask business owners what’s holding them back from making their next big hire, you know what they tell me? Hiring sucks. I’ve heard this time and time again. Over the last month, I've gone through the process of hiring a marketing apprentice. I used an approach that’s helped me successfully hire many people over the years -- without stress. Today, I’m going to share my entire approach with you, so you can make your next great hire, painlessly. We’ll discuss how to create a job post that will attract great talent, how to conduct the pre-interview evaluation process, how to conduct a really great interview, and more. Episode Highlights - 6:59 The first step in the hiring process: figuring out what you’re looking for.
- 8:05 Don't make this mistake when creating your job listing.
- 9:01 How to write a job post that will attract great talent.
- 12:44 Writing your post to attract the right people, repel the wrong ones, and make it easy to disqualify applicants.
- 15:03 Outlining the skills and responsibilities you’re looking for in your job post that connect with your company ethos.
- 16:20 Some places to consider posting your job.
- 18:50 How to filter through your first round of candidates.
- 20:09 Round two of the application process: the test task.
- 23:27 How requiring a test task helps you make the right hire and why it’s not too much to ask, especially for remote positions.
- 25:58 The weeding out process after completion of the test task.
- 27:14 Round 3: getting to know your top candidates before the interview.
- 28:19 A lesson we learned at the interview stage and the change we’ll make in the future.
- 30:07 How to approach the face-to-face interview and some questions to ask.
- 34:17 Why we always request a Kolbe score before making a hire.
- 36:09 Extending an offer, onboarding, and beyond.
- 38:48 During this entire process, stay true to your company’s values.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_216_HiringAMarketingAprentice.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 3 September 2019
What would you do if your organic traffic dropped by 90% overnight? That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest earlier this year. Mike Colavita, founder of Fat Buddha Glass, joins us today to talk about his experience being on the receiving end of a big Google slap and how he's recovering from an organic search drop. He shares why his site was dinged in the first place and the changes they’ve implemented since then to make nearly a full recovery five months later. What at first seemed like the worst possible situation turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to Mike’s business. I know you're going to enjoy this episode! Episode Highlights - 5:00 Introducing Mike Colavita and his entrepreneurial journey.
- 6:45 The birth of Fat Buddha Glass.
- 9:20 How to raise brand awareness when you’re banned from practically every channel.
- 12:10 The turning point from part-time business to full-time endeavor.
- 15:19 Finding new marketing channels through content partnerships and placements.
- 16:41 The dire effect of the Google algorithm update on Fat Buddha Glass.
- 18:55 Why Google dinged Fat Buddha Glass and why Mike says it was actually one of the best things that’s ever happened to his business.
- 21:09 What mistakes Fat Buddha Glass was making with their SEO strategy and how they’ve fixed them.
- 24:45 Content is more than just your blog.
- 25:59 The strategies Fat Buddha Glass implemented to recover from its Google slap.
- 30:40 Google reveals what they’re looking for when evaluating web content.
- 32:06 The role blog posts played in improving Fat Buddha Glass’ rankings and why they prioritized product descriptions first.
- 34:57 Tools Mike recommends that helped him on his road to SEO recovery.
- 40:36 The value of having a phone number on your website and how it builds trust.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_215_MikeColavita.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 27 August 2019
If you’ve been wondering how to improve your Facebook ad creative, you’re not alone. Great Facebook ad creative really sets successful brands apart. But, there’s not a lot of information out there about the fundamentals of building a system to generate ongoing creative and how to test whether it’s actually working. So today we’re breaking it down for you. We talk about how to approach creative if you’re spending $5000 a week or $100,000, the questions to ask before you start testing, what’s working right now in terms of creative sizing, and some new tools you must start using. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:48 The amount of Facebook ad creative you need to be testing, and why it’s easier to create content now than ever before.
- 8:16 Clarifying the correlation between how much you can test and your overall budget.
- 9:28 A quick and simple way to pull together UGC and create an ad.
- 13:18 The most common issue businesses run into with putting together new creative.
- 15:22 A system for new creative development that will scale up, whether you’re spending $5K a month or $50K a month.
- 17:21 How often you should be putting new content into your funnel.
- 18:26 The frequency to look for that signals it’s time to update your Facebook ad creative.
- 20:06 What’s working with ad sizing right now and the new tools you need to know about.
- 24:54 The first question to ask yourself before you start testing your ads.
- 27:32 A step-by-step process for testing your creative and what to look for to determine success.
- 29:35 How much money to put behind your creative testing.
- 30:28 Which audiences to test your ads on.
- 31:39 Dynamic Creative Testing and why Andrew believes this is the most efficient way to test your ads.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_214_CrankUpYourCreative.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 20 August 2019
If you can sell water online, you can sell anything. Today’s guest, who has been managing social strategy in the direct-to-consumer space since he was 15 years old, helped Hint water make a killing when he was their Director of DTC business. Recently featured on Forbes 2019 list of 30 under 30, Nik Sharma is an expert at DTC marketing. We chat with Nik about what he’s invested in now, his thoughts on building a brand, and his insightful tips on how to write scroll-stopping ad copy. The DTC space continues to evolve and Nik is at the forefront. I know you’ll learn a lot during this episode just like we did. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 6:51 Nik’s fascinating career journey, starting at age 15.
- 9:07 How Nik successfully managed to sell water online with Hint.
- 12:14 The role of storytelling and the willingness to test new ideas in Hint’s marketing success.
- 14:50 The company structure that allowed Nik to accelerate Hint’s growth.
- 16:55 Changes Nik has seen within the direct-to-consumer space and the three things right now that are driving revenue.
- 22:06 How to evaluate whether you’re copy is going to be scroll-stopping.
- 26:34 Haus’ unique offering that made them so appealing for Nik to invest in.
- 31:07 Components of building a strong community as a brand.
- 35:33 Where Nik would start if he built his own brand today.
- 38:28 The important data to evaluate before investing in a company and the tech stack Nik recommends to access it.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_213_NikSharma.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 13 August 2019
Many business owners tell me one of the reasons they started their own company is to have the freedom to travel. However, as their business grows, travel becomes stressful and they feel like they have less freedom, not more. Today we’re helping you get that freedom to travel back by sharing our strategies for stress-free and productive traveling. We both have a lot of experience traveling and working, and we want to give you our tips for enjoying yourself, and getting stuff done, while on the road. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 5:08 The travel mindset and setting expectations.
- 6:59 The pace of business travel vs. ongoing travel.
- 7:59 A key thing to do on travel days that will help reduce stress.
- 10:47 In order to keep the freedom to travel as your team grows, you need to protect each other’s time.
- 13:42 The travel kit to put together to help you be more productive.
- 15:24 Andrew’s addition to his travel kit that’s been a game changer for staying calm on the road.
- 16:02 Tips for making the most out of long flights and drives.
- 19:05 Andrew’s road trip recipe for success.
- 21:50 What to do right away when you land in a new city to get grounded and ready to be productive.
- 25:20 Some travel apps/access hacks.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_212_HowToTravel.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 6 August 2019
The Golden Era of the direct-to-consumer business may very well be over. But there are still ecommerce brands out there who are crushing it and in today’s episode we explore some of the reasons why. Former Shopify Plus blog editor Aaron Orendorff has written a ton about ecommerce and the direct-to-consumer craze. Today we have a thoughtful conversation about what it means to build a ecommerce brand in the current climate, what some fast-growing, successful companies are doing to show up in a more unique way, and how a bigger picture process around customer acquisition is helping them succeed. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 7:00 Introducing Aaron Orendorff and his two distinct professional lives.
- 10:26 Aaron’s transition from Seminary to Shopify Plus.
- 16:03 Why the Golden Era of direct-to-consumer is over.
- 18:26 How do small ecommerce brands with limited products succeed at shifting categories to scale up?
- 24:18 Engineering AOV from the start to the end of your sales funnel.
- 28:58 Good loyalty program tactics.
- 29:59 The three ingredients to a successful loyalty program.
- 33:37 Some companies who are killing it with their rewards programs.
- 37:23 Why it’s better to drive paid media to content rather than your product page.
- 41:52 SEO as part of the long game for the success of your ecommerce brand...is it right for everyone?
- 44:13 Which brands should invest in content and which ones shouldn't.
- 48:58 You can’t build a brand around itself, you build it around your community.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_211_AaronOrendoff_KlaviyoContest.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 30 July 2019
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. A few months ago I was interviewed on a podcast by my good friend Brett Curry on the Ecommerce Evolution Podcast. We break down what separates e-commerce brands that scale up versus those that plateau. After re-listening to the episode, I decided to share it with you. 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. I had a great time chatting with Brett, and I hope you enjoy! Episode Highlights - 8:25 Why I’m so passionate about dissecting why some brands scale and others don’t.
- 9:56 The KPIs that separate the businesses that can scale from those that can’t.
- 11:18 Demand capture vs. demand generation and which one will allow you to scale.
- 14:51 Factors I look for when evaluating a product’s potential for growth.
- 16:53 How a passionate market can contribute to success.
- 21:03 Why having competitors in your market is a good thing.
- 21:44 Average order value and lifetime value: why they’re important and what to look for if you want to scale.
- 24:48 How to evaluate CPA across different channels and the other metric I recommend examining.
- 27:30 It’s OK if your business doesn’t scale — and this is why.
- 30:28 Growing your business by expanding your product line.
- 34:20 A true entrepreneur falls in love with their customers, not their product.
- 35:47 Great founders know when to ask for help.
- 37:17 Why business founders need to become experts at their marketing channels before handing over the reins.
- 41:23 How a CEO’s role shifts as the company grows.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_210_WhySomeBrandsScale.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 23 July 2019
Email is one of the most trusted ways to drive revenue in ecommerce. But I still see too many people leaving money on the table and missing out on low-hanging fruit. Today I’ll walk you through how to do a two-day email overhaul that will help you increase your revenue. We’ll start by making sure your email service provider and integrations are set up correctly, create a branded email template, ensure you have a great offer that’s capturing tons of leads, and identify the email flows to build that have the biggest financial impact for your business. This is the exact email overhaul process I’ve used with my clients to help them bring in $10K from email in just one week after set-up. Can’t wait to hear your results! Episode Highlights - 5:06 How to ensure your email service provider is set up correctly.
- 6:20 The importance of tracking viewed products.
- 7:30 Other common mistakes Austin sees with ESP setup and integrations.
- 10:20 Creating an email template for your brand (without a designer).
- 13:45 Lead capture: the questions to ask yourself to make sure you’re set up for success.
- 14:55 How to come up with a good offer.
- 16:38 Deciding which tool is right for your lead capture.
- 18:55 The email flows that have the biggest financial impact for your business.
- 21:25 Simple tests to run that will improve your email performance and a tip for using profile properties to evaluate the success of your email sequences over time.
- 25:25 Tips for improving your subject line copywriting.
- 26:55 Using plain text emails to drive clicks.
- 28:00 Adding animated GIFs to emails with Soapbox.
- 28:50 Merging your content with commerce.
Links And Resources
Direct download: EI_209_Email_Overhaul_FoxwellOffer_v2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 16 July 2019
If you’ve been on Facebook in the past week, you’ve probably seen an ad from Buffy. What started as an idea to disrupt the bedding industry has grown into a multi-million dollar business. Today Buffy co-founder Shoaib Kabani joins us to cover a range of topics. 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. , how he thinks about scaling up their business, what's worked for them. Whether you’re a business owner or an ecommerce marketer, you’re going to get a lot out of this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: - 4:49 How a desire to change the bedding industry led to the creation of Buffy.
- 6:21 The training Shoaib got from his start in consulting that’s helped him as an entrepreneur.
- 7:35 Developing the initial idea and concept for Buffy: providing value and values.
- 9:31 The process of validating the concept online, on social, and in person before going all in.
- 12:48 How do I make this a no brainer for the consumer?
- 14:16 What’s worked for Buffy from a creative perspective and changes they’ve made as they’ve scaled.
- 18:40 Some of the unintended consequences of having a free trial offer.
- 19:56 Unique KPIs Shoaib looks at on a daily basis.
- 22:00 A funnel analysis tool that’s been a game changer as Buffy’s scaled up.
- 23:10 The materials and brand values that make Buffy stand out in the bedding industry.
- 25:05 How Buffy uses landing pages to enhance its sales funnel.
- 28:09 Addressing customer lifetime value when you have a limited number of products.
- 32:08 Shoaib’s approach to launching into new ad channels, specifically with affiliates and podcasts.
- 37:14 How the Buffy founders set their budget for testing new channels and concepts.
- 39:10 What you, the ecommerce business owner, need to be thinking about to be successful.
- 41:25 Exciting insight into what’s next for Buffy.
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_208_PowerOfPaidSocial_v1.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 9 July 2019
It’s our goal to help our clients succeed, but even the experts get it wrong sometimes. As we've seen in the first six months of the year, things have changed wildly within Facebook. Today, Andrew shares some of the advice he’s given that hasn’t worked out. And while he’s never intentionally led anyone astray, things don’t always go as planned. Andrew talks about five times his advice has failed on Facebook and the lessons learned from those mistakes. We hope by sharing some of the worst Facebook advice of the year we’ll prevent you from making any of these mistakes yourself. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: - 3:02 Why we’re talking about failure.
- 6:11 Budget advice: what we’ve said before and how we’d correct it.
- 10:35 Creative is the most important part of the FB ad equation, bottom line.
- 13:15 The gut check question to ask yourself before you run with your creative content.
- 14:55 Honesty around product market fit when you have a very specific niche.
- 18:40 Campaign budget optimization: it’s still the Wild West.
- 22:00 Not all lookalike audiences are created equal.
- 23:42 How to determine if your audience is viable for creating a lookalike audience.
Links and Resources:
Direct download: EI_207_5_Ways_Ive_Failed_FoxwellOffer_v_2.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 2 July 2019
Q3 is officially here. What are you doing to prepare for the second half of the year? For my team, the end of the quarter means it’s time to get out of the day-to-day grind and do some bigger picture planning. Every three months we do a quarterly business offsite, where we take a step back so we can review our goals, and set new ones, that will help us move forward in the right direction. Today we’re talking about the process we follow for our quarterly business offsite and how you can host one of your own. I’ll share the questions we ask to review the previous 90 days, how we capture ideas for improvements, and how we come up with our north star goal for the upcoming quarter. Enjoy! Episode Highlights - 2:49 Why Austin’s excited to get off the grid and plan for a new quarter.
- 4:44 How to start preparing for your quarterly business offsite.
- 9:35 Questions to ask as you prepare for your offsite that will help your employees take ownership in the business.
- 12:35 A question that will help narrow in on the vision for the upcoming quarter.
- 13:29 Bonus question: what is one unique way we could create more monthly recurring revenue for the business?
- 14:59 The themes we use for each day of our offsite.
- 15:49 The big question Austin asks himself when reviewing the numbers from the previous quarter.
- 18:11 Questions to answer during a freewriting session to gain clarity on where you want the business to be one year from now.
- 19:10 A more structured alternative for creating a vision for the future.
- 20:59 The freedom and flexibility this kind of planning can give you, both in your work and in your life.
- 25:20 Reviewing your website and evaluating your funnel with critical eyes.
- 26:24 Day two of the quarterly business offsite: goal setting for the next 90 days and identifying your “north star.”
- 30:49 How to successfully wrap up your offsite (don’t forget to celebrate!).
Links And Resources Join The Coalition If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, I have something really exciting for you. For the last year and a half I’ve been coaching business owners and marketers inside a group called The Coalition. What launched as an experiment became a game changer for our over 150 members. If you’d like me and my team of expert marketers and ecommerce operators to coach you on your journey to scaling up your ecommerce business, this is your opportunity. We go in-depth on all the topics we talk about on this podcast and provide actionable training every single month. You’ll also get one-on-one coaching from me to help you grow your business. Head over to JointheCoalition.com to learn more. Can’t wait to see you inside.
Direct download: EI_206_MidYearCheckin_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 25 June 2019
It’s not always easy to maintain high-quality standards, especially when you want to sell organic, sustainable, and made-in-the-USA products.
Costs get high and sometimes that means concessions have to be made.
But sticking to your guns can lead to major payoff, especially when your customers have your back.
Today we chat with Jen and Kevin Long of Noble Carriage, who share the amazing story of how they built their dream company selling organic and sustainable baby clothes.
They share how they built and nurtured a supportive community, how this community helped them in the creation and launch of their own products, their challenging product sourcing journey, and how they’ve stood by their strict sustainability standards along the way.
Enjoy! Episode Highlights: - 3:23 A game changer quick win tip on A/B testing.
- 8:35 How the search for safe and sustainable baby clothes led to the creation of Noble Carriage.
- 10:26 How Noble Carriage engages with its online community of moms in a way that provides support and establishes trust.
- 15:05 The importance of slowing down and examining your profit margins when evaluating your business and your ability to scale.
- 18:39 What Jen and Kevin would have done differently in the growth of their business and why it’s so important not to get stuck living in the grind.
- 21:26 One of Kevin’s big lessons: If you’re going to fail, fail fast.
- 23:04 The value of understanding their audience before creating and launching their own products.
- 26:59 The challenging journey of sourcing organic and sustainable baby clothes.
- 31:09 The role of Noble Carriage’s community in their successful product development and launch.
- 33:08 How Noble Carriage marketed their new product across multiple channels.
- 35:03 What’s working with email for Noble Carriage.
- 37:17 Jen’s plans for expanding their ambassador program.
- 40:51 Some exciting new Noble Carriage products coming later this year to Noble Carriage that people must watch out for and when these will be released.
Links and Resources: Join the Coalition If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, I have something really exciting for you. For the last year and a half I’ve been coaching business owners and marketers inside a group called The Coalition. What launched as an experiment became a game changer for our over 150 members. If you’d like me and my team of expert marketers and ecommerce operators to coach you on your journey to scaling up your ecommerce business, this is your opportunity. We go in-depth on all the topics we talk about on this podcast and provide actionable training every single month. You’ll also get one-on-one coaching from me to help you grow your business. Head over to JointheCoalition.com to learn more. Can’t wait to see you inside.
Direct download: EI_205_NobleCarriage_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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Tue, 18 June 2019
Quizzes are powerful tools used by some of the most successful companies I work with. They can help you capture more emails, display personalized product recommendations to your customers, and increase your conversion rate. In today's episode, I'll share my tips on what companies can see the biggest gains from a quiz, who is killing it right now with their quiz funnels, and how you can build one for your business today. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: - 5:46 Why the most successful companies Austin works with use quiz funnels.
- 6:47 The company or product type that’s a perfect fit for a quiz funnel.
- 8:13 If you have a lot of organic traffic, here’s an example of how a quiz funnel can turn visitors into subscribers.
- 10:44 The companies quiz funnels don't necessarily work well for.
- 12:51 Two examples of companies that are successfully using a quiz funnel.
- 15:31 What sets successful quizzes apart.
- 16:17 Figuring out the right questions to ask.
- 19:10 How to create your first quiz.
- 21:31 Austin’s recommended quiz building tools.
Links and Resources: Become a Member: If you've been a podcast listener for a while and you've yet to join the Brand Growth Experts Membership, now is the time to do it. It’s my online coaching community, and it’s an incredible resource for you. We've got about 120 members, all ecommerce business owners, and marketers. And in that community, I work with you one on one to help scale up your business. That could be scaling up advertising, hiring a team, or diving into marketing strategy. We go really in depth every single month on topics that we also talk about on the podcast. So, if you've enjoyed the podcast, you're going to love the Brand Growth Experts Membership. Head over to brandgrowthexperts.com for more information. Can't wait to see you guys on the inside. Sponsor: Klaviyo If you’re looking to grow your business, there’s only one way. By building real, quality customer relationships. Most marketing software will claim that they do this, but they’ll never deliver on those promises. Klaviyo, though, is different. Klaviyo helps you build meaningful customer relationships by listening to and understanding cues from your customers, which allows you to easily turn that information into valuable marketing messages that’ll help grow your business and make more money. That’s why over 10,000 innovative brands have switched to Klaviyo. If you aren’t already a customer, head over to www.ecommerceinfluence.com/klaviyo and you’ll get a free trial + priority on-boarding. Sponsor: Brex Most online brands will tell you their biggest challenge is cash flow, right? Usually, you’re paying an arm and a leg on interest and fees to finance your inventory and seasonality. Brex is the only corporate credit card built specifically with the needs of ecommerce business in mind, with crazy-good terms: Net 60 float, with no personal guarantee. Your card limit’s based on your monthly sales, not your credit score—and, oh yeah, there’s absolutely no interest and no fees. Whatever you spend on day 1, you have a whole 60 days to pay back. What you spend on day 2, you have another 60 days to pay, or day 61. Brex’s whole goal is to shrink that window between you paying for shipping or inventory and the revenue that’s going to generate, so you can keep growing. Brex is really built for ecommerce—it’s amazing. Right now, Brex is in the US only, so if that’s you, sign up with the code “influence” and a $250 credit will be added to your account and Brex will waive your card fees for life. Got to www.ecommerceinfluence.com/brex to sign up.
Direct download: EI_204_QuizFunnels_NoBrex.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 3:00am CDT
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