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We’ve all been saying it - the world is crazy right now. So - I’m sharing what’s top of mind for me going into Q4 and 2022 including the very real energy crisis in China, opportunities to make 6+ figures flipping NFTs, and what the heck to do with paid social in Q4.  This episode is a solo cast. I wanted to check in and talk about what's been on my mind as we prepare for Q4 and ultimately start to make our 2022 business plans.  I’m thinking about how to optimize Facebook and Instagram for Q4 (after a crazy year). I’ve been doing daily journaling and it’s given me a great perspective on where I’m at in my business and life. I’m also talking about how the energy crisis in China will likely impact business and why you should be paying attention now. Plus, I’ll share some new exciting things to come on the podcast with an NFT series.  I'd love to hear from you on Twitter. What are you thinking about? What's exciting to you right now? Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the podcast.  I hope you enjoy this solo episode - I always enjoy talking with you.  Episode Highlights: 2:30 Facebook and Instagram training for Q4 3:33 The Artists Way and the profound impact it’s had on me  6:08 My predictions around the current energy crisis in China causing rolling blackouts  8:20 Managing the winter risk in the U.S.  9:18 What I’m doing to prepare  11:17 Flipping NFT’s for over 6 figures 12:10 Opportunities for young people to acquire property from NFT sale profits  Resources: Coal Shortages Force Blackouts Across China: The Diplomat Don’t Rule Out An Energy Crisis - Goldman Sachs: Yahoo  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

What could you do to make your website better, your ads stronger, and ultimately increase sales? Try one of these expert tips from an agency owner who’s interviewed over 150 eCommerce founders and marketers. Chase Clymer is the host of the Honest Ecommerce podcast and also co-founder of the Electric Eye Agency. In this episode, we’re talking about mistakes that eCommerce owners make with their website and advertising and how to make simple improvements to avoid them.  Chase and I also discuss ideas for Black Friday/Cyber Monday marketing, user testing your website, and how to actually run A/B tests.  Lastly, Chase shares his Brand Scaling Framework philosophy and the 3 KPI’s he bases everything on.   This is a great practical episode with expert tips and takeaways to implement today.  Episode Highlights: 3:28 Why Chase started the Honest Ecommerce Podcast  4:53 Expert tips from 168 interviews with founders & marketers  10:02 How Chase went from punk rock band to eCommerce 11:44 The Brand Scaling Framework and how it works 14:27 3 KPIs the Brand Scaling Framework tracks 18:33 Simple, consistent improvements that lead to big improvements over time 19:23 Mistakes you’re probably making on your website and expert tips on how to fix them  23:34 Why you need to be user testing your site  27:54 Reasonable testing windows for eComm brands based on volume  29:13 Exciting things that are working right now 29:52 Best features of Shopify online store 2.0  34:31 How to audit your Shopify apps purpose  37:19 Black Friday/ Cyber Monday expert tips   Resources: Honest Ecommerce Podcast  Electric Eye Agency Riverside Podcast Recording  User Testing Conversion Crimes  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

The pandemic forced many owners to shift from brick and mortar to eCommerce. Some succeeded, and some did not.  Today’s guest was one of the successful -- she doubled her brick and mortar business revenue in 2020 by implementing Shopify, Klaviyo, and a seamless in-store and online rewards program.  Mandy Buterra began her journey as an entrepreneur at age 50 when she started Wren and Wild a brick and mortar business featuring clean beauty and aerial yoga, in Bend, Oregon. Her business evolved and she was building a good customer base, then COVID hit.   Instead of panicking, Mandy taught herself eCommerce and joined our Coalition membership. Listen to this episode to learn how she’s now hitting sales highs and doubled her revenue in the last year by transitioning her brick and mortar to eCommerce.  If you’re in the transition or considering turning your brick and mortar into an online store this episode is filled with good tips about how to integrate the two business models. If you’re already running an eCommerce business Mandy also has tons of tips around how to build a rewards program and smart email marketing to build customer loyalty.  This is a well-rounded conversation and I know you’ll walk away with at least one tip to implement in your business. Episode Highlights: 4:54 How Mandy started as an entrepreneur 8:30 Taking time for clarity before launching a business  9:14 Restarting, again, after losing a lease  11:11 Mandy’s brick and mortar and how COVID impacted it  13:57 How launching a Shopify site doubled business  15:28 Brick and mortar to eCommerce: the differences and advice for people transitioning 17:04 The importance of data and capturing email in store  18:13 Transitioning a rewards program from brick and mortar to eCommerce 19:38 Rewards program recommendations 20:20 What makes a good rewards program 23:04 Things that have moved the needle in Mandy’s business  27:29 SKU management and how to narrow and focus offerings  30:30: Planning for Q4 and holiday  31:41 The importance of a network when you’re growing a business  33:50 What brought Mandy’s site from a 1.9% conversion rate to 3.9% 35:54 Advice for people growing and building a business Resources: Wrenandwild.com @wrenandwild on Instagram  Smile.io Rewards Program  Klaviyo.com Email Marketing  Conversion Crimes Website Testing  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Are you building to sell? You should be. Even if selling isn’t your main priority it will make you a better business owner and it will make the value of your business higher. This episode has the details of how to do it.  Joe Valley is the author of The Exitpreneur’s Playbook and a buyer and seller of many online businesses, both on his own and now as a broker with Quietlight.com.  Joe’s book is designed to help you get maximum value for your online business and in this episode we go deep into his vast knowledge of building to sell. He answers a ton of questions you should be asking when you’re thinking about selling your business, what multiples to look at for eCommerce, plus he shares mistakes you might be making now and how to prevent those BEFORE you’re getting ready to sell.  It's an excellent interview and Joe is truly an expert in building to sell. If you’re ever going to want to sell your business or have thought about buying a business in the future you’re going to get a ton of value in this episode.  Episode Highlights: 4:03 Why Joe wrote his book 6:14 Who an Exitpreneur is and building to sell 7:11 The argument for building and selling a business 10:17 How Joe sets tangible goals with real data 11:41 Where to start when determining the value of your business  17:09 How to find a good bookkeeper  18:47 The multiple you should be looking for in eCommerce 22:13 Why you should separate inventory when looking at the value of a business  24:19 Joe’s take on aggregators and the roll-ups of FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) and Shopify stores 29:50 Things to look out for in deal terms and the “stability payment”  32:19 Do roll-ups blow up or end up incredibly successful? 34:36 When you should start planning if you’re building to sell your business  36:46 How to “exit without exiting”  39:06 Is there a sweet spot for time to sell a business? 42:09 Joe’s first 3 actions to have success with your first acquisition 46:31 How deals are financed on Joe’s site 50:32 What Joe’s excited about right now Resources: Quietlight.com Exitpreneur.io Book: The Exitpreneur’s Playbook by Joe Valley Book: Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel Centurica.com Market Watch  Boopos.fund The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Building a business is filled with amazing highs and big lows. Despite some tough blows in the early days, one eCommerce founder kept his commitment to his personal health and family and found success on the other side. Jay Campbell is the owner of Aseir Custom, and in this episode he shares his wild journey of building a business. We go deep into what he's learned through major manufacturing issues and how he managed customer experience after that. We discuss how he unlocked massive growth working with influencers. We also talk about Jay’s commitments to his family and personal health and how for the last 5 years he has taken a trip with his wife every 8 weeks.  Aseir Custom went from about $16k / month in sales in February 2021 to hitting $250k in August 2021. The journey has been anything but linear and there’s a lot to learn from this story. Jay has a great mindset and he shares the raw truth of his experience going through incredibly challenging times while seeing rapid growth in the business simultaneously.  If you are an operator in the weeds, building a business, or experiencing rapid growth you will get a lot out of this discussion. Episode Highlights 5:16 How Jay and his wife plan their “every eight weeks” travel adventures  8:01 Jay’s transition to eCommerce  11:09 The beginning of Jay’s hair regrowth business  17:07 Managing Black Friday with major manufacturing issues  19:54 How Jay and his business partner recovered their business from almost shutting down 25:47 The realities of running an eCommerce business and trying to scale  28:30 The benefits of getting help in the early stages of building a business  33:53 Learning from the first year and a half of Jay’s business  39:43 How Jay manages work while he’s traveling  Links And Resources Jay’s Website  Aseir Custom @jaycampbell333 on Twitter  Jay’s Podcast  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Is TikTok the new frontier for social advertising? How to get reliable Facebook ad performance data post iOS 14? These are some of the questions The Social Savannah is answering for us today. This episode features Savannah Sanchez a media buyer and owner of The Social Savannah. Savannah started her advertising career at large agencies working on Facebook ad accounts.  In 2019 she left to create her own boutique agency helping eCommerce brands with their paid social advertising.   She is a prolific creator of ads and creative as well as an optimization expert. She has cracked the code of TikTok ads and continues to be a top creator of winning Facebook creative.   In this episode Savannah and I discuss how to get started with TikTok ads, the key metrics to be tracking on Facebook post iOS 14, how creative strategies should vary between social channels, and some of the tools Savannah uses to track metrics across channels. Savannah also shares her vast knowledge working with TikTok influencers and what you can do to see success there.  If you are running a brand or doing digital marketing, you're gonna get a lot out of this episode! Plus: if you’re a member of the Coalition check out Savannah's recent training: Demystifying TikTok. Episode Highlights 4:40 Savannah’s community of media buyers  7:26 How Savannah got started in advertising  12:05 Takeaways from running media budgets of $100k+ 15:03 The biggest difference between Facebook and TikTok ad account strategies  18:04 How to start from zero with TikTok advertising  21:05 Finding TikTok content creators  22:26 Going viral on TikTok  23:22 What a good hit rate is for TikTok  24:37 How KPI’s differ by social channel  28:53 The biggest changes on post iOS 14 Facebook  32:31 MER (marketing efficiency ratio): Savannahs favorite KPI  35:35 How long does it take to set up cross channel reporting for a simple channel strategy  38:26 The technical set up for TikTok  39:14 Using TikTok influencers to run ads 42:06 What Savannah’s daily life looks like  44:03 Savannahs favorite tools 1:01:52 Tips for success when breaking out on your own  Links And Resources Savannah's Website Ad Creatives Only Facebook Group Supermetrics  @social_savannah on Twitter  Savannah Sanchez on YouTube Superhuman for email  Calendly Sunsama Monday  Uber Conference  Book: A World Without Email by Cal Newport  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

In this Greatest Hits episode we're revisiting a conversation about market disruption and big goals. JT Marino shares the story of his dream to build a company that would disrupt the mattress industry. JT Marino was the co-founder of Tuft & Needle, and this is his story of bootstrapping his way from nothing to the largest online mattress retailer in the world. JT, who is now the Chief Strategy Officer for SSB Phoenix, joins us to share his incredible story. We talk about why customer-centricity was one of Tuft & Needle’s core principles from the beginning, and the role it played in their eventual merger with Serta Simmons. JT shares his thoughts on the importance, as a founder, of having an intimate understanding of how every aspect of your business works, and why they decided not to take any outside investments when they first started out. This is one of my favorite founder interviews we’ve done and I hope you enjoy it! Episode Highlights 4:58 Introducing JT Marino 6:47 How the friendship and partnership started between the founders of Turf & Needle, JT and Daehee 11:13 How the Tuft & Needle co-founders maintain a strong friendship while running a business together 12:51 How JT’s prior experience with heavily-funded, but unsuccessful, Silicon Valley start-ups influenced Tuft & Needle’s decision to not take outside investments. 17:21 The importance of identifying “the problem” when you’re building a business, and how this led to the creation of Tuft & Needle 19:28 Some of the other principles the Tuft & Needle founders committed to before starting their business 22:11 How JT and Daehee used a problem-solution approach to determine whether they had a product-market fit for Tuft & Needle 27:59 The benefits of being highly involved with and having an intimate understanding of every aspect of the business, from manufacturing to supply chain to marketing 31:30 How Tuft & Needle moved through the pit of sorrow and started to scale 35:12 How a Hacker News blog post contributed to explosive growth of Tuft & Needle 37:51 The importance of customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth to Tuft & Needle’s success, especially when they had a limited advertising budget 39:40 The various channels that helped grow the business over time 42:45 JT's approach to tracking attribution across a variety of channels 45:55 How Tuft & Needle developed advertising techniques and targeting that span across digital and non-digital 50:34 The unconventional reason Tuft & Needle started selling on Amazon 53:39 The Net Promoter Score target T&F set before making the decision to list on Amazon 56:10 JT’s advice if you’re considering selling on Amazon and the importance of looking at the market picture as you start to grow 59:35 The role customer-centricity played in Tuft & Needle’s decision to merge with Serta 1:06:46 The future of the mattress industry 1:09:48 JT shares his hobbies and what’s in store for him in the next year   Links And Resources Tuft & Needle How to Get Startup Ideas by Paul Graham Blog: How we bootstrapped to the #1 rated mattress on Amazon.com Meet the Warby Parker of Mattresses JT on Twitter: @johnmarino JT@tn.com The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

We’re bringing back this Greatest Hit with 6 quick wins you can execute today to grow your business immediately.  I get asked for my growth checklist for eCommerce businesses all the time so I'm bringing back this episode with Andrew Foxwell on how to grow your business with 6 tactical and quick wins you can implement today. We're sharing the tried and true things we know work from Facebook ad set up to email segmentation, and website optimization to customer acquisition. I guarantee these tips will help you generate sales and you'll see results immediately. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 3:59 Quick Win #1: 4-6% Lookalikes based off pixel value. 5:21 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. 6:57 Quick Win #3: Integrate your Klaviyo audiences with Facebook. 8:08 Quick Win #4: Turn great text reviews into video reviews. 10:48 Quick Win #5: Use bid caps to ensure your Facebook ads are being shown. 12:39 Quick Win #6: Get a fresh perspective on your website. Links And Resources Klaviyo UserTesting Profit Summit The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @andrewfoxwell on Twitter Brand Growth Experts Foxwell Digital Review or subscribe on iTunes

Positioning your brand correctly is the most powerful thing you can do to attract and retain customers. Effective copywriting is how you do it.  My guest on this episode is none other than The Email Copywriter, Chris Orzechowski, and he’s here to deliver massive value about copywriting, positioning, and marketing strategy.  We talk about how to think about copywriting, ways to improve your emails, and different styles of email campaigns and flows. We go deep into positioning and ways to unlock advertising angles for your brand that are probably already inside your own head if you’re passionate about your business and products.  Chris is a member of the Coalition, our community of 250+ eComm founders, and recently did a training on How to Make Your Emails Irresistible. It’s one of our most popular trainings so definitely check it out. If you’re interested in joining the Coalition to access this training and more like it, sign up here.  Episode Highlights: 4:08 How Chris became The Email Copywriter  4:54 Why Chris chose to focus on eCommerce copywriting 9:01 Where Chris’s advertising inspiration comes from 11:36 Debunking the biggest misconception about email marketing - sending too many emails  15:18 Long form copy - why you should test it  19:28 Writing about your product with dimensionalized benefits  21:07 Levels of market sophistication and how to position yourself in your industry 24:21 Appealing to your market identity  26:26 Chris’s favorite email testing opportunities 28:15 The process Chris uses to test copy  32:08 Copywriting that shifts people’s mindset  33:17 Using your product knowledge to write inspiring copy  39:09 How to talk to your customers to inform your copywriting 40:49 The future of email marketing - what you should be thinking about 46:11 What’s working right now in email marketing - things to test today 52:28 The new marketing copy opportunity - SMS  58:59 How to hire a copywriter  Resources: Chris’s Website  Make Your Marketing Emails Irresistible Training Copychief.com The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

I have worked with hundreds of different companies at various stages of growth, from pre-launch to multi-million dollar acquisitions. In this Greatest Hits episode we're talking about scaling a brand and what it takes.  This is the first episode in 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. In this “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. If you enjoy this episode be sure to go back and check out the other core episodes in our Scaling Series that will give you value whether you're at the beginning, already making 7-figures, or somewhere in the middle. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 5:04 Why we decided to do a scaling series. 9:12 The most important thing when you’re just starting out? Feedback. 10:29 Knowing what your community looks like is critical for scaling. 13:45 Once you know your community, identify their buying power and your market potential. 15:43 A zero to launch case study. 18:21 Common missteps at this stage. 19:45 Creating a “talk trigger” product. Links And Resources Launch To Traction: The Scaling Series, Part 2 Traction to Scaling: The Scaling Series, Part 3 Growth Mode: The Scaling Series, Part 4 Case Studies: The Scaling Series, Part 5 The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @andrewfoxwell on Twitter Brand Growth Experts Foxwell Digital Review or subscribe on iTunes

In this episode we have a handful of quick and easy wins that have been tested and proven to increase revenue. If you’re looking for a win that also saves you time - it’s in here.  Lisa Byrnes is a marketing and business coach. She's also a member of the Coalition, our community of 250+ eCommerce business owners and experts.  After 17 years managing multi-million dollar brands, Lisa left her corporate job and started her own marketing business to support emerging eCommerce business owners (specifically women) build their marketing strategy and fulfill their own dreams.  We’re talking tactical easy wins for emerging brands ($10k - $50k) and this episode is filled with great action items that won’t take much time but could have a big impact on your business.  Enjoy! Episode Highlights: 4:47 Why Lisa started her coaching business and her focus on female entrepreneurs 7:33 The biggest mistakes emerging brands make 10:10 Strategy: marketing towards a persona instead of a demographic 13:17 Common website mistakes that are easy to fix  16:00 How to tell your authentic brand story & and the marketing power of a founders face 18:50 Brands who successfully showcase the founder as the face of the brand  22:12 Easy things to do to engage with customers  25:26 How to focus and not immediately dive into the next new and exciting marketing idea  29:09 How the Coalition has helped Lisa grow her business  29:57 Voice of customer copywriting technique  31:36 One thing to take away from this episode and implement this week  Resources: Lisa’s Website @lisabyrnemarketing on Instagram The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

There Are 2 Directions Your Ecomm Brand Can Go - You Can Be A Brand That Scales Up, Or You Can Flop. In This Greatest Hits Episode We Share the Secrets We've Seen Behind The Brands That Make it Big.  Some eCommerce brands make it big while others stall out, it’s a fact. But there’s really no big mystery behind why this happens. Today we're revisiting an interview I gave on the Ecommerce Evolution Podcast by my good friend Brett Curry. We break down what separates eCommerce brands that scale up versus those that plateau. Brett and I talk about a variety of things, including average order value and lifetime value, and how that directly impacts your ability to scale up. We talk about demand generation versus demand capture: which is "better" and which lends itself to being able to scale. We talk about the roadmap to building a team and scaling up your business, how your role as a CEO changes as you grow, and much, much more. This is a great conversation with a lot of tips from Brett and me. I hope you enjoy! Episode Highlights 5:54 Why I’m so passionate about dissecting why some brands scale and others don’t. 7:25 The KPIs that separate the businesses that can scale from those that can't. 8:47 Demand capture vs. demand generation and which one will allow you to scale. 12:20 Factors I look for when evaluating a product’s potential for growth. 14:22 How a passionate market can contribute to success. 18:32 Why having competitors in your market is a good thing. 19:13 Average order value and lifetime value: why they’re important and what to look for if you want to scale. 22:17 How to evaluate CPA across different channels and the other metric I recommend examining. 24:59 It’s OK if your business doesn’t scale -- and this is why. 27:57 Growing your business by expanding your product line. 31:49 A true entrepreneur falls in love with their customers, not their product. 33:16 Great founders know when to ask for help. 34:46 Why business founders need to become experts at their marketing channels before handing over the reins. 38:52 How a CEO’s role shifts as the company grows. Links And Resources ECommerce Evolution Podcast Business Lunch Podcast 2PM Episode 189: What’s Actually Working In SEM And On YouTube In 2019 (with Brett Curry) Profit Summit Intensive Workshop The Ecommerce Coalition Training: What's Working With Google Ads Right Now The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Raising capital can go two ways - it can help you reach your goals faster or be disastrous and destroy your business.  Karen Howland is the managing director at Circle Up, an investment platform that uses technology to invest in early-stage businesses (mostly health and wellness CPG companies). She’s been investing in companies for the last eight years, and in this conversation, we go deep into early-stage investing, what entrepreneurs need to know about raising capital, and the mistakes she sees entrepreneurs make along the way. Karen also shares what opportunities are out there right now and what she's most excited about.  If you’re considering raising capital for your business or are interested in investing this episode will give you the tips and tricks to get started.  Episode Highlights 4:12 How Karen first got excited about investing  5:35 The mission of Circle Up and what makes them different from other investment firms 8:32 What’s hot right now in the health and wellness space  12:47 Why it’s so hard for large CPG companies to incubate and develop their own new products  15:21 How Covid may have created the opportunity for CPG companies to innovate right now 17:43 The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when raising capital 24:14 Investing in CPG companies vs. investing in tech companies  28:10 Patterns in companies that have massive success  30:24 How Amazon, retail, and DTC companies can exist together  36:05 What the future of protecting your brand on Amazon will look like 40:44 From raising capital to strategic exit - where entrepreneurs have the most challenges 43:55 Areas that Karen is excited about investing in Resources: Circle Up Website Email Karen: khowland@circleup.com  Karen’s LinkedIn  @karenhowland2 on Twitter  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Buffy was one of the first brands to crack paid social. As today's Facebook advertisers scramble to adjust to changes on the platform we revisit this Greatest Hits episode to learn from one of the best.  What started as an idea to disrupt the bedding industry has grown into a multi-million dollar business. This summer we’re re-releasing some of our top episodes of all time, and this week we’re bringing back this incredibly relevant show with Buffy co-founder Shoaib Kabani. We talk about everything from product development, to the importance of testing, how landing pages can improve your funnel, and what performance KPIs you have to be thinking about as you scale on paid social. Whether you’re a business owner or an ecommerce marketer, you’re going to get a lot out of this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 5:55 How a desire to change the bedding industry led to the creation of Buffy. 7:27 The training Shoaib got from his start in consulting that’s helped him as an entrepreneur. 8:41Developing the initial idea and concept for Buffy: providing value and values. 10:35 The process of validating the concept online, on social, and in person before going all in. 13:33 How do I make this a no brainer for the consumer? 15:20 What’s worked for Buffy from a creative perspective and changes they’ve made as they’ve scaled. 19:42 Some of the unintended consequences of having a free trial offer. 21:01 Unique KPIs Shoaib looks at on a daily basis. 23:03 A funnel analysis tool that’s been a game changer as Buffy’s scaled up. 24:16 The materials and brand values that make Buffy stand out in the bedding industry. 26:27 How Buffy uses landing pages to enhance its sales funnel. 29:11 Addressing customer lifetime value when you have a limited number of products. 33:15 Shoaib’s approach to launching into new ad channels, specifically with affiliates and podcasts. 37:59 How the Buffy founders set their budget for testing new channels and concepts. 40:13 What you, the ecommerce business owner, need to be thinking about to be successful. 42:48 Exciting insight into what’s next for Buffy. Links And Resources Buffy Heap Shoaib on Instagram: @ShoaibKabani Foxwell Digital Brand Growth Expert Review or subscribe on iTunes

Are you winging it when it comes to processes and systems in your business? Today’s guest will help you stop before you spiral out of control.  Joshua Uebergang is a master of processes and systems. He is the director of Digital Darts, a Shopify agency based in Australia, as well as a certified Shopify Marketing Expert. He is also a member of the Coalition.  In this episode, we get an inside look into an ultra-organized mind. We talk hiring process, the importance of SOPs (and how to write them), iOS 14 mistakes and opportunities, and tools and resources to create your own processes and systems.   Leave this episode with direct actions to get more organized and build a business structure so stable “a fool could run it.”    Episode Highlights: 4:19 What Joshua is most interested in right now post-iOS 14 apocalypse 6:00 How Joshua got into eCommerce and the shift from Magento to Shopify 8:39 Key processes and systems that helped Digital Darts grow over the last 6 years  10:42 Why you need a step-by-step hiring process 12:01 The tools Joshua uses to manage processes  15:00 Defining the “why” in SOPs - not just the how 16:40 Comparing project management tools  17:45 How the Coalition helped Joshua level up in his business 22:17 Thinking about systems not only in business but also in your relationships 24:05 Common mistakes from the front lines of iOS 14  26:57 iOS 15 - how concerned should you really be? 39:18 Books that have helped Joshua on his journey  31:05 Is it easier to run a business with 8 people or 2 people? Links and Resources: Digital Darts @digital_darts on Twitter Digital Darts on Facebook  Joshua Uebergang on LinkedIn Book: Traction by Gino Wickman Book: The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker  Book: Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! by Greg Crabtree Asana Monday  Airtable  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

What Would Pura Vida Do? From Start-Up to Multi-Million Exit We Talk Strategy With One of The Top Ecommerce Brands Today.  When someone asks about eCommerce best practices, we always hear, “well, what’s Pura Vida doing?” and in this episode we’re talking with Pura Vida CEO, Griffin Thall, to get an inside look at their 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.  Get a behind-the-scenes look at Pura Vida's exit strategy. Interested in the Coalition training with Griffin? You can join the Coalition membership here for access to this and many other great trainings and resources. Episode Highlights: 7:00 What got Griffin and Pura Vida to where they are today. 8:03 How Griffin’s role has changed as the company’s grown. 9:33 Pura Vida’s unique influencer strategy and how it started. 13:23 Relentless innovation and how Pura Vida continues to increase customer lifetime value. 15:53 The moment Griffin realized the brand was going to be a success. 17:09 How Pura Vida’s growth strategy has changed over time. 18:32 The challenges Griffin’s faced over the years as CEO. 20:47 Where Griffin’s seen the most success in hiring. 22:47 How Pura Vida’s ambassador program started, and where it’s at today. 22:56 A day in the life of the Pura Vida CEO, and the value of growing a team. 25:00 Why you’ve got to stop wearing all the hats in your business if you want it to scale up. 28:49 What you should be focusing on as a founder, instead of getting enticed by the newest Shopify app. 30:03 A key approach for brands launching today vs 6 years ago. 32:28 Lessons learned about managing cash while scaling up. 34:22 Pura Vida’s exit - how they ended up making a deal with Vera Bradley, and the process of finding and securing that kind of partnership. 38:42 Griffin’s biggest takeaway from meeting with investors. 40:15 The expansive value Pura Vida’s gained from their partnership with Vera Bradley. 42:14 What Griffin’s excited about right now and some things in store for Pura Vida in 2020. Links and Resources: Pura Vida Attentive Griffin on LinkedIn Griffin on Instagram griffin@puravidabracelets.com The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

  In a world full of varying attribution models, collecting and using data is critical to understanding your customers and running a successful business. Kevin Hillstrom is President of MineThatData, a consultancy that uses data to help executives better understand the relationship between their customers, advertising, products, brands, and channels. Kevin supports a diverse set of clients, from internet startups, to billion dollar multichannel retailers and previously held various roles at major retailers like Nordstrom, Eddie Bauer, and Lands' End. In this episode, we talk about the myths of eCommerce, how using data can help boost repeat purchase rate, when and where to discount and how to deal with the attribution problem of running multi-channel marketing. Kevin’s been the influence for a lot of what I’ve done in my own business, and I know you’ll enjoy the conversation. Episode Highlights: 4:24 How (and why) Kevin consistently publishes daily blog content 6:47 Kevin’s background from working in analytics to starting his own business 9:15 The biggest challenge business owners face around their analytics and using data 12:08 Approaching the attribution problem 17:21 Identifying low-cost and no-cost acquisition channels for your brand 21:04 Using data to retain the new customers you acquired in 2020  27:06 Building a solid foundation that will pay back in conversion dividends over time 31:42 When to start investing in the “welcome program” mentality 35:46 Looking at repeat purchase rate data 41:24 The biggest mistake business owners make when evaluating data 45:14 The discount challenge - when & where is the place for discounts 48:13 Everyone thinks their customers are loyal - why they’re actually not 52:04 Where to go to learn more about Kevin Links and Resources: Kevin Hillstrom’s Blog: MineThatData Book: Total Package @minethatdata on Twitter Intentional Wealth The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Imagine the insights you'd glean if you could get a behind-the-scenes look at five different brands at once. Lucky for you today's guest is pulling back the curtain.  Andrew Faris is the host of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast and CEO of eCommerce holding company, 4x400. After helping grow one brand from $0 to $20MM in less than 2 years, Andrew founded 4x400, where he supports five different eCommerce brands. In this episode, Andrew shares the challenges he's faced and how his mindset has changed while running multiple eCommerce businesses simultaneously. We discuss the shift he anticipates we'll see in how brands reach their audiences in the near future and the channels he's investing in as a result of this.  If you're an eCommerce operator, you won't want to miss this episode. Episode Highlights: 4:13 The meaning of 4x400 and how it relates to business growth. 6:11 Andrew's beginnings in the eCommerce world. 10:20 The challenges of operating multiple eCommerce businesses at once and the depth of learning that comes with it. 15:57 What Andrew's team at 4x400 looks like. 19:03 Metrics Andrew regularly looks at to track brands' success. 21:34 Impacts of the iOS 14 update across five different brands.  24:57 Channels Andrew is investing in as a result of Facebook's volatility. 29:45 The mindset shift entrepreneurs need to make around attribution. 32:37 Why you should take a cautious approach to your 2021 projections, especially if you crushed it in 2020. 33:59 How Andrew measures success and the difference between his free cash flow and EBITA goals.  37:15 Recommended resources for eCommerce entrepreneurs. 40:10 Lessons Andrew's learned as he's grown into a leader in his business. 45:25 Things that are making Andrew's life better right now. Links and Resources: 4x400 Bambu Earth Slick Products 31 Bits Genuine Canine Modern Fuel QALO Agency Partners Kynship CTC Community Resources eCommerce Fuel ADmission  Podcasts Ecommerce Playbook eCommerce Fuel Generous Giving Planet Money Freakonomics Klaviyo Twitter Andrew Faris Taylor Holiday Web Smith Related Episodes 211: From Seminary To Shopify Plus: A Conversation About Brands with Aaron Orendorff 306: What’s Next In Ecommerce: The Future Of Amazon, Facebook Sustainability, And Emerging Channels With Andrew Youderian Intentional Wealth The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Think you need to sacrifice everything to have a successful business? You're wrong. When you get to a certain point in your business' growth, sacrificing your relationships and your health is the worst thing you can do for your ongoing success. We help you scale up without sacrificing everything or feeling overwhelmed. Today, I'm walking through our current programs so you can determine which one is the right fit for you.  Episode Highlights: 3:37 A coaching community with tools to help you scale up 6:41 Building connections with established eCommerce entrepreneurs 10:02 Accelerating your growth without adding more to your plate 12:03 Expanding your network and keeping yourself accountable 14:21 Where to go if you're ready to level up in your business Links and Resources: Coalition Intentional Wealth @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Most people start a business because they dream of freedom. But in reality, they build themselves a prison. Having 7 or 8-figure revenue only does so much good if your entire business is dependent on you. I see so many business owners with more stress and less free time. The good news is, it doesn't have to be this way. In this episode, I'm sharing the 7-step roadmap for how to build a self-managing company that brings you joy and gives you the freedom you've always desired.  If you're ready to get more freedom in your business, without sacrificing your health, personal life, or family, you need to check out Intentional Wealth. It's an 8-week accelerator for eCommerce business owners that kicks off July 7. The enrollment period is open now, and the program is filling up quickly. Get the details here. Episode Highlights: 3:05 Step #1 for building a self-managing company: Change your mindset about what's possible. 5:07 Step #2: Understand what you're really selling. 7:11 Step #3: Start thinking like a general manager, not a coach. 9:37 Step #4 for building a self-managing company: Share your intent, not your outline. 12:21 Step #5: Narrow down your metrics and give your team autonomy. 14:43 Step #6: Embrace delegation as a competitive advantage. 17:01 Step #7 for building a self-managing company: Find your mentors. Links and Resources: Intentional Wealth Strategic Coach Book: The Art of Selling Your Business Book: Traction @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes