Ecommercefuel: Build, Launch And Grow A 6 Figure Plus Ecommerce Business | Ecommerce Fuel

As entrepreneurs, we often have busy and packed lives—and as a result, friendships often get pushed to the side. Cultivating friendships is something that I think is really important, especially as we go into the new year and start to think about how we’re going to invest our time in 2022. That’s why I’m bringing back one of my favorite episodes all about friendships and entrepreneurship, where I talked about the importance of friendship not only on our mental health, but also on our physical well-being. I also shared why I’m so intentional with my own friendships and have been able to nurture them, despite the busyness that tends to come with entrepreneurial life. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3qjeBbY Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

One of my favorite episodes from the past year is one I did with my accountant, Mario Lucibello, and I’m excited to share it with you again as we head into the ever-so-fun tax season. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: accounting doesn’t sound very festive. But what if I told you that Mario has some tips for how to give yourself a last-minute bonus before we get to the end of the year? Not only does he give insights into entrepreneurship, taxes, and finances in this episode, but he also has a really unique perspective on happiness and wealth that I think everyone should keep in mind as we go through the holiday season. Mario has been fortunate to see the finances of hundreds of entrepreneurs over the years, which has helped to shape his perspective on money and wealth. So kick back and enjoy this interesting and refreshing replay. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3J1UEiq Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want

Josh Cauley is the owner of ShipHaven.com and a long-time ECF member who I just recently had the opportunity to meet in person. Josh currently resides in Puerto Rico, and he joins me today to talk about how living there benefits him financially, how he has built a true adventure business, and how he utilizes headhunters to help him grow and scale. Listen in as we talk about the difference between a headhunter and a recruiter, how Josh has used both to earn a 95% staff retention rate, and the questions he uses during the hiring process to vet candidates. You'll learn why he moved to Puerto Rico, how he manages to stay productive while also traveling, and key insight into why he doesn’t believe that selling on Amazon is sustainable long-term for most eCommerce businesses. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3058ejo Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe v

Thanks to the pandemic, the last two years have seen incredible growth and change for the eCommerce space. Some of which we predicted, and some things seem to have come completely out of nowhere. As we near the end of the year, it's always fun to look back at the predictions we made, as well as what we believe we can expect to see in the coming year. To help us reflect on these predictions is Bill D’Alessandro, CEO of ElementsBrands.com. Will Facebook advertising be fixed by the end of next year? Will there be a new web browser on the horizon? Could this be the largest year we have ever seen for eCommerce M&A? Tune in as we share our thoughts on these questions and more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3y29nF9  Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

I’m excited to have my good friend and returning guest Mr. Eric Bandholz joining me on the show today. Eric is the man behind Beardbrand.com, an eCommerce store that is dedicated to building a community of like-minded beardsmen. We caught up to talk about so many things, including his new project, the reason behind it, why he is choosing to stay away from Facebook and Google tracking, and what he is doing instead to create brand awareness and buzz. Listen in to hear Eric’s philosophy around freedom, why he chooses to live a debt-free life, and more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3G8dSAz  Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

Darnell Jackson is the Chief Operations Officer at VIPHaircare.com, a 100% black-owned luxury beauty brand that focuses on the growth and maintenance of strong, healthy hair. Darnell has a really interesting story, having grown up without access to a lot of resources and overcoming all of that to build a successful beauty brand with his wife. Listen in as Darnell shares his journey as a young entrepreneur, how he pivoted from illicit pursuits to business pursuits, and what it’s like bootstrapping your way to the top without a safety net to fall back on. We also discuss why his next focus is on growing a personal brand instead of a business, and how he and his wife are approaching influencer marketing to make that happen. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3x09aBU Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.  

Sean Frank is the COO at Ridge Wallets, an everyday essentials brand that started on Kickstarter in 2013 and blew well past its goals in the first and second campaigns. Since then, they have bootstrapped their way to $100 million in sales without any investors or credit (until recently!). In this episode, we’re diving into how Ridge Wallets grew to the size they are today in an industry that is notorious for sucking up cash, as well as the unique influencer strategy that helps Sean get the most exposure for the brand with the least amount of work. Sean also shares the one key metric that he uses to dial in his headcount to keep the business lean without overloading his team, and we talk about why the next two years may be the hardest for those in the eCommerce game. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3qORDvg Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via e

A lot has changed over the last year when it comes to online marketing, with increased competition, changing dynamics, and major platform changes. If you feel like your head is spinning, you are definitely not alone. Steve Chou joins me today to dive into the current state of eCommerce, including what we’re ignoring and where we’re really doubling down in our marketing efforts. Listen in as we talk about all the changes that have happened over the past few years that are informing strategy in Steve’s business and in my own. You'll learn what we are doing to get the most bang for our buck, as well as why Steve is moving away from third-party platforms in favor of those that he has some measure of control over. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3BLKlKK Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

Usually when I invite a guest on the show, it’s to learn all the trade secrets of what they do really well, but today’s guest joins me because he’s an incredible human being that also happens to be really good at running an eCommerce store. Meet Josh Willard, the founder of Josh’s Frogs, an 8-figure business and the largest producer of captive-bred poison dart frogs in the United States—and possibly the world! Listen in as we dive into Josh’s interesting approach to building a values-based business, where he gets the most bang for his buck when it comes to marketing, and why he decided to only sell frogs that are raised in-house. We also talk about why Josh shares the company’s financials with his team (including revenue, profit, and even his own salary) and the benefits and risks of opening the books in this way. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2ZHfRMq Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episod

I could probably count on one hand the number of people who have landed on the website through a cold pitch email, but today’s guest is one of those people. Jason Lee is the founder of TheFBAFlipper.com, and he joins me today to talk about the ins and outs of the Chinese FBA market. Listen in as we dive into what the FBA market is like in China, who is typically building FBA businesses, and how these businesses differ from those found in the West. We also dive into some of the fraud tactics you’ll find in the Chinese market and why Western merchants have a significant advantage over their Chinese counterparts despite government support for FBA businesses. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3FQbFKK Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

Have you asked yourself lately what the heck is going on with hiring? It’s a great time to be an employee, but a rough time to be an employer, and unless you’re a business of one, you have likely experienced the pain of finding the right people to join your team over the last year. In this episode, I’m joined by three wonderful ECF community members, Andy Hayes of PlumDeluxe.com, Meredith Erin from BoredwalkTshirts.com, and Mehtab Bhogal from KartaVentures.com, to discuss all things hiring. Listen in as we talk about what has happened with the job market, including the trends Andy, Meredith, and Mehtab are each seeing in their respective markets around the country. You'll learn the factors that have played into the difficulty finding the right people to fill open roles, how they are trying to get people through the door, and what to expect for hiring as government benefits begin to expire. We also dive into some of the egregious things that job applicants have asked for in their job search. You can find show

How many of you have considered buying a business, swooping in to fix all the problems, and making a boatload of money from the experience? Sounds great, right? The fantasy is rarely the reality though when it comes to buying a business, and today Mike Jackness of EcomCrew joins me to talk about his transition into buying a business and managing it post-acquisition. Listen in as we dive into what it was like for Mike to purchase a business and become a remote CEO, why he’s looking for somebody to take over his role as CEO of the business, and what he’s looking for in that rockstar replacement. You’ll definitely want to listen to this episode if you’re looking for a really amazing opportunity to work for an eCommerce company in a high-level capacity. And even if you’re not looking for a new gig, hopefully you’ll get a few insights into what it’s like to buy and manage a business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3FDVDUe Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figu

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 18 months, you are probably aware that container prices are stupidly high right now. Our ECF importing expert, David Bryant of eComCrew, joins me today to discuss what has caused these ridiculously high prices and what you can do to mitigate the pain. Take a listen and get insight into how we got to where we are when it comes to global shipping, what the near-future holds for lead times and pricing, and what you can do now to help lessen the blow. There are some valuable lessons I learned from my conversation with David, so make you don’t miss this episode—especially with holiday shopping just around the corner! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3ipjdtW Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

It’s been a rough year for many of us. Shipping rates have gone through the roof, supplier prices are increasing, and margins are getting tighter. My good friend and regular guest Bill D’Alessandro joins me today to discuss one piece of the profitability puzzle: the sad world of supplier price increases. We’re diving into what’s been going on in the world with supplier price increases, if the levels we’re hearing about are in line with what the official numbers say, and whether or not you can expect even more price increases in the near future. We’re also looking at different ways you can protect your business and your personal investments, and mitigate price increases without impacting your sales and profitability. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3kGMAcS Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

The real magic of the ECF community is when you get together in person. It’s where stories are born, memories are made, and friendships are created. For the last 2 years, we have wanted to bring someone into the team who could focus on the magic of bringing people together, and I’m happy to announce that Audrey Smith, event planner extraordinaire, has joined the ECF team to up-level our post-pandemic live event game plan. In this episode, we’re diving into Audrey’s background in event planning, what made her apply for ECF, and what her favorite planning has been so far. We’re also talking about what is coming down the pipeline for ECF, including a sneak peek of the upcoming ECF Live, and what you can expect in the near future when it comes to regional events. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3lsOYmB Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

Corey Nicholson is the 20-year-old co-founder of Peachy Shapewear, a line of women’s shapewear that leveraged the power of TikTok to scale to 7 figures. Today we’re diving into the details behind their success, as well as Corey’s own personal journey from McDonald’s to eCommerce. Listen in as he shares how Peachy Shapewear has leveraged TikTok influencers to scale, his recommendations for partnering with them, and the details to optimize TikTok ads, content, and workflows. If you’ve been considering up-leveling your TikTok game, this is an episode you won’t want to miss! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3hhFSYH Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

For the first 12 years of my entrepreneurial career, I was the only shareholder in my business, and I didn’t fully appreciate how much that fact really streamlined decision-making, finances, and governance until I brought on shareholders. The truth is that bringing on shareholders opens up a whole new world in terms of possibilities and opportunities, but it also opens up a whole new set of considerations. So, in this episode, I’m jumping into all the things that you should be considering if you’re thinking about starting—or investing in—a multi-owner business so you don’t shoot yourself in the foot. I’ll be sharing how you can set up governance, what to think about when it comes to compensation, some of the different ways boards can be structured, and even what to consider when it comes to selling the business or its shares.  You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3BKuj4f Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear abo

Could you really unplug from your business for an extended period? What would that look like? How could you make it happen? What would happen to your business in your absence? These are all questions we’re answering today with my guest, Greg Howlett. Greg is the CEO of CaringSunshine.com and Cobblestone Trade, and he recently went off-grid, completely unplugged, for five weeks with his family. As business owners, we all struggle with the work-life balance, so I brought Greg on today to discuss how he is able to step away from his business without things falling apart. Listen in as he shares how you can make it work in your business, the lessons he has learned from years of making unplugged time a priority, and the first step to actually making it happen for yourself.  You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/382xLdi Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via

Today I am joined by Andrew Faris, the CEO and man behind 4×400, a holding company that launches and grows eCommerce brands. He is also the voice behind The eCommerce Playbook podcast, and one of the things I love most about him is his super candid thoughts about the good, the bad, and the ugly of eCommerce businesses. Listen in as Andrew dives into the businesses he has purchased, what went well, what didn’t go well, and some of the hard knocks he experienced along the way. We also talk about the difficulties of protecting cash flow without relatable revenue streams to forecast from, and Andrew shares some of his favorite pieces of eCommerce tech. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2UigWrS Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups?  Subscribe via email.

Oftentimes, a large portion of an entrepreneur’s wealth comes from the exit, and in this episode, I’m sitting down with Joe Valley to get geeky about the highs and lows of selling businesses. Joe is not only the author of The EXITpreneur’s Playbook and a long-time business broker with Quiet Light Brokerage, but he has also helped a lot of ECF members exit their own businesses. Listen in as we dive into the art of buying and selling from Joe’s perspective, having handled hundreds of transactions over his career, including how you can set up your business to sell for top dollar right from the beginning. We also talk about where the market is right now in terms of buying and selling eCommerce stores, as well as some of the specifics surrounding FBA businesses, addbacks, and what the perfect-sized business really is. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2VxNj6A Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners?  Learn more here.   Want to hear about new episode