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From changes in consumer privacy to new business models popping constantly, the Ecommerce landscape is changing and it's changing fast. Here to help you keep up is my good friend Brett Curry. Brett is an entrepreneur, eCommerce strategist, and host of the eCommerce Evolution podcast. He leads an incredibly talented team at OMG Commerce, and today we're diving into what's new in eCommerce. We talk about the future of eCommerce advertising and who should be most concerned about upcoming privacy changes. Brett shares his formula for creating consistently great content, I share what makes lucrative subscription models work, and we touch on how our roles as CEOs and operators have evolved as our businesses have grown. Episode Highlights: 4:44 The future of eCommerce: A return to the renaissance 8:26 Google’s changes to audience targeting and attribution 11:29 Why agencies and freelancers should be weary of privacy changes 19:12 The formula for consistently creating high-converting content 28:02 Why subscription models aren't going away anytime soon 31:13 How to make a subscription model work for your business 35:51 Three types of subscription models to consider 42:31 How to keep up with the speed of change in business 44:32 What being a basketball coach and CEO have in common 48:10 Austin’s perspective shift on his role in business 53:43 Check out the eCommerce Evolution Podcast Links and Resources: OMG Commerce eCommerce Evolution Podcast Brett Curry on Twitter Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath The Automatic Customer by John Warrillow The Art of Selling Your Business by John Warrillow The Membership Economy by John Warrillow Podcast 295: Building A $100MM Brand: The Story Behind Snow Teeth Whitening @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

It's time to stop losing customers and start understanding them. Sean D’Souza, author of The Brain Audit, founder of Psychotactics, and host of The Three Month Vacation Podcast, is a Marketing Strategist and expert on consumer psychology. He’s one of the most articulate and well-spoken people I’ve met in the field of marketing and he’s here to help you figure out why you aren’t selling as much as you should. In this episode, Sean sets the record straight on the number one reason your customers back out of a purchase. We also dive into how to ease your customer’s fears, the importance of having a uniqueness factor, and how to start understanding your customers in a deeper way so you can stop losing customers. Sean is giving a training inside of the Coalition on May 11th called, “Buy Your Life Back: How to Raise Prices and Not Lose Customers”. Apply to join the Coalition today so you don’t miss out. Episode Highlights: 4:23 Why Sean D'Souza created "psychotactics" 6:41 What stops people from taking a 3-month vacation 10:57 The best way to stop losing customers 19:30 Why your business needs to have a uniqueness factor 25:12 How to come up with your uniqueness factor 32:15 Unpacking the misconception around sales 37:07 Tiger Woods' iconic shot and what it has to do with your customers 40:58 How to start understanding your customer in a deeper way 45:04 Learn more about Sean D'Souza 47:08 Sean’s top recommendation for a vacation destination Links and Resources: Sean D’Souza’s Website The Three Month Vacation Podcast The Brain Audit: Why Customers Buy (And Why They Don't) The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Trying to get valuable time back from your business? Steve Chou and I are here to talk about how automation helps us work smarter. Steve Chou, host of the My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast, has built a large business that only requires the help of one VA. From managing a robust social media calendar to tackling email marketing, Steve has cracked the code on how to do more with less. Steve and I share a joint passion for helping entrepreneurs build businesses that don't consume their entire life. If you've been feeling overworked and bogged down in the weeds of your business, this episode is for you. Tune in to hear how we've freed up our time by automating five key areas of our businesses: hiring, social media, email marketing, our inbox, and project management. Episode Highlights: 4:10 Automation #1: Your hiring process 10:18 Automation #2: Your social media production 15:07 Automation #3: Your inbox 18:17 Automation #4: Your project management 24:15 Automation #5: Your email marketing 29:40 How to combine SMS and email 34:04 What Steve is most excited about 38:14 Check out Steve’s podcast Links and Resources: My Wife Quit Her Job Website My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast Airtable HelpScout Gorgias Planoly Electric SMS @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

The right marketing strategy + the right team members to execute = DTC success.  “A little crazy” is what Ecuadorian artisans called Case Bakker after he requested order after order of handmade blankets to sell to boutiques all over the Ottawa Valley. Rooted in a mission to give back, Pokoloko started off as a wholesale brand dedicated to bringing global inspiration to people's homes and directly supporting artisans all over South America, Turkey, Morocco, and Indonesia. I met Case, Pokoloko’s CEO and co-founder, about a year ago when he reached out with one goal in mind: transition from wholesale to DTC eCommerce. Since then, we’ve worked together inside the Coalition and Intentional Wealth, and his team has made incredible progress. Case joins us today to tell us how. Tune in for a candid talk about how Pokoloko generated their first $100k in sales, what marketing strategies move the needle, the hires that have been essential to their success, and leadership lessons he’s picked up along the way. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: 3:51 How Pokoloko was first created 6:23 How Pokoloko generated their first $100,000 9:19 The biggest difference between running wholesale vs direct to consumer 11:02 Three major initiatives that moved the needle when switching to online sales 13:32 Critical hires when growing a B2C business  15:28 Marketing initiatives with a high ROI 19:01 How transitioning to B2C affects wholesale  20:28 Leaderships lessons Case wishes he knew years ago 24:20 What Case is most excited about Links and Resources: Pokoloko Pokoloko on Instagram Case Bakker on LinkedIn Shoe Dog by Phil Knight The Coalition Intentional Wealth @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Kurt Elster The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Ethercycle Podcast 193: “Must Know” Elements Of Successful Ecom Design Most Business Forget Podcast 282: 8 Ecommerce All Stars Share Their Best Marketing Advice Intentional Wealth The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Classic Car Stereos Jeff Vogl on Twitter  Jeffv@classiccarstereos.com RingCentral Ahrefs NetSuite Podcast 296: The Keys To A 9-Figure Exit: How Moiz Ali Sold Native For $100MM The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Holistic Habitat Holistic Habitat on Instagram Holistic Habitat Insiders Facebook group Foxwell Digital The Coalition Intentional Wealth @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Love Is Project Love Is Project on Instagram Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Chrissie Lam How I Built This Podcast Klaviyo Shopify Brand Growth Experts The Coalition Intentional Wealth @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Moiz Ali's Website Exit Strategy Podcast Ali Capital Native Moiz on Instagram Moiz on Twitter Email Moiz PostScript (use this link for a 30-day free trial) Gorgias (use this link to get your second month free) Brand Growth Experts The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Snow Josh Snow on Instagram Powerhouse Mastermind Josh Snow’s Interviews on YouTube Brand Growth Experts The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Kindred Bravely The 4 Day MBA Vistage Dan Sullivan’s Impact Filter Kolbe Index Brand Growth Experts The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Podcast: 095: 4 Reasons Why You Should Buy An Ecommerce Business & The 6 Key Tenets To Proper Due Diligence Podcast: 195: Austin Ecommerce Investor Reveals His Short-Cut To Scaling Podcast: 241: Evolutions In Lifecycle Marketing & New Approaches To Creating Wealth Websites: FE International, Pro Click Ventures, Nerd Marketing, AutoAnything Social Media: David Newell on Twitter, Drew on Instagram The San Francisco Fallacy: The Ten Fallacies That Make Founders Fail Brand Growth Experts The Coalition Foxwell Digital @a_brawn on Twitter @andrewfoxwell on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Foxwell Digital Blog: Facebook’s Conversions API (CAPI) and How to implement it with your Shopify site Foxwell Digital Blog: What's Working (and what's not) in a Post-iOS14 World Foxwell Digital Blog: Facebook Advertising FAQs Podcast 278: Facebook’s New Conversions API & Why You Need To Install It Before The New Year Brand Growth Experts The Coalition Foxwell Digital andrew@foxwelldigital.com @a_brawn on Twitter @andrewfoxwell on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Justuno Erik on LinkedIn Podcast: 154: How We Got A 10% Win With Simple “DIY” Conversion Rate Optimization @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Intentional Wealth Podcast 289: How To Grow The Long Term Value Of Your Business, Whether You Want To Sell Or Not @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Ryan on LinkedIn Arkona.io Intentional Growth Podcast Value Builder System Value Opportunity Profile The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Traction: Get a Grip On Your Business by Gino Wickman Traction Implementation Tools The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Traction Accountability Chart AirTable The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: Casely The Exit Strategy by Moiz Ali  David Hermann on Twitter Foxwell Digital mark@getcasely.com  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

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: The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes