Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Ecomm Breakthrough
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Product Launch PPC Secrets: How to use AI to Rank Products Faster | 27 Apr 2026 | 01:06:25 | |
Today, we’re excited to welcome back Mansour Norouzi to dive even further in the best PPC Ad strategies working on Amazon today. Mansour is the Partner and Director of Advertising at Incrementum Digital, where he leads high-performance PPC Management strategies for 7- and 8-figure Amazon brands managing millions in monthly ad spend. He also has his own brand that he manages as a seller.
> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Mansour Norouzi, director of advertising at Incrementum Digital. Mansour shares advanced, data-driven Amazon PPC strategies for launching and ranking products, emphasizing the importance of conversion rates, focused keyword targeting, and campaign structure. He explains how to use Amazon’s analytics tools to optimize ad spend, discusses tactics for both new and mature products, and highlights the growing role of AI tools like Claude and OpenClaw in e-commerce workflow optimization. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for effective Amazon advertising. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Tools and Websites
Books and Influencers
Videos
Templates
Key Concepts and Strategies
Episode Sponsor This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost! Transcript Area: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 None of this that we're talking about is magic. Like, if you always do this, this will always happen. That's not the way it works. You have to have a conversion r... | |||
| We Had $30K Left… 30 Days From Bankruptcy | 23 Apr 2026 | 00:18:55 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares how his ecommerce business nearly collapsed in January 2024, with only $30,000 in the bank against a $300,000 credit card payment. He reveals how failed product launches, poor financial forecasting, and complacency caused the crisis. Josh outlines three key lessons: implementing cash flow forecasting, creating a structured product launch playbook, and making more calculated bets. He details his recovery through diversifying sales channels, particularly TikTok Shop, which went viral and revitalized his business, ultimately turning a near-bankruptcy into a breakthrough success story. Links and Mentions: E-commerce Platforms Business Strategies and Lessons Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction & Crisis Unveiled 00:01:02 Causes of the Crisis 00:02:03 Complacency and Lack of Process 00:03:02 Cash Flow Forecasting Lesson 00:03:56 Implementing Cash Flow Forecasting 00:05:06 Key Lessons Learned 00:05:55 Building a Product Launch Playbook 00:06:46 Launching Better Products & Calculated Risks 00:07:58 Systems Breakdown & Exposure 00:09:00 Immediate Actions: Focus on Sales 00:09:54 Growth Initiatives & Channel Diversification 00:10:50 Results of Channel Experiments 00:12:34 TikTok Shop Breakthrough 00:13:29 Advice for Entrepreneurs in Crisis 00:14:25 Doubling Down on Winning Channels 00:15:15 Building a Flywheel: TikTok Shop & Shopify 00:16:15 Encouragement & Lessons from Setbacks 00:18:21 Sports Analogy & Final Words Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 I had $30,000 sitting in my bank account with a $300,000 credit card payment coming due, and I had no idea what to do. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. First and foremost, who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I'm a man of faith. I am a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife. I've been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade, doing multi millions in revenue on different sales channels such as Shopify, TikTok, shop and of course, Amazon. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast in the e-commerce space. And that is E-com breakthrough. This was January of 2024 for me, and this was the first time where my back was severely up against a wall to where I felt like, is this where I have to declare bankruptcy? It was a very, very uncomfortable position to be in. Josh Hadley 00:01:02 And to be honest with you, I felt like I had failed miserably as a business owner, and this has been the first time where I actually had to dip into my own personal bank account just to fund payroll. That wasn't even to cover the credit card payment that was going to be due. I had to cover payroll for the week, and I didn't have enough money in the bank account. I'm going to share with you, like, the actual things that I implemented in the business to get us out of this really, really sticky situation and to clear the way through what I thought was going to have to be us declaring bankruptcy for the overall business. So what happened here is basically a series of like, unfortunate events that kind of like compounded onto each other. So let's dive back in. Like what drove me to only have $30,000 sitting in the bank account with a $300,000 credit card payment coming due. Well, what happened is, number one, we had some bad product launches. So in the months of November and December, we had launched some new products and I was very optimistic about these products. Josh Hadley 00:02:03 We placed some large purchase orders for them, and then we invested heavily into pay per click ads on Amazon, thinking that we knew how to rank these products well. Well, sadly, these products did not go over as well as I as I had thought. And so we accumulated a massive advertising budget for those products. And then they didn't even sell very well. And now I was stuck with a lot of inventory, but b I had a bunch of ad spend that was now added to my credit card bill that was going to be due. The other thing that I learned from that process is that, hey, we didn't have a really good process of launching products like up until that point, maybe I had just been like winging it, or I thought we knew the process to launch products successfully on Amazon.... | |||
| Throwback: Innovate or Stagnate - The Key to Continuous Growth on Amazon | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:16:06 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Amazon expert Shannon Roddy about strategies for building, growing, and protecting successful Amazon brands. Shannon emphasizes the importance of product quality, authentic brand storytelling through images and videos, and adapting product lines based on customer feedback. He shares practical tips for scaling from 7 to 8 figures, highlights the need for continuous optimization, and discusses protecting intellectual property. Shannon also recommends resources like Avenue Seven Media’s free checklist and influential figures in e-commerce. The episode offers actionable advice and inspiration for Amazon sellers aiming for long-term growth. Chapters: Introduction & Guest Background (00:00:00) Brand Building Fundamentals (00:00:41) Showcasing Brand Identity on Amazon (00:02:11) Quality Product as Foundation (00:02:32) Adapting Brand Presentation to Audience (00:03:03) Learning from Customer Feedback (00:04:01) Continuous Optimization & Discovery (00:04:57) Adapting and Expanding Product Lines (00:05:52) Executing the Fundamentals (00:06:46) Case Study: Table Mate (00:07:42) Three Actionable Takeaways (00:08:28) Protecting Your Brand (00:10:59) Most Influential Book (00:11:25) Favorite Productivity Tool (00:12:28) Most Admired E-commerce Leader (00:13:37) Avenue Seven Media & Free Resource (00:15:16) Episode Wrap-Up (00:15:55) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Free Resource Books People Mentioned Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Shannon Roddy. Shannon is an Amazon expert. He's a speaker and a director of business development at Avenue seven media. He founded Marketplace Seller Courses, home of the Amazon Brand Success Academy, and has consulted with over 200 companies and individuals to launch, grow and protect their Amazon brands. Shannon is a passionate innovator who loves to inspire others to achieve greatness and his family. Currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. So with that, welcome to the show, Shannon. Hey, Josh. Shannon 00:00:34 Thanks so much for having me. I've been really excited. We planned this a several months back, so something I've definitely been looking forward to. Josh 00:00:41 I am of the same agreement to yourself, Shannon, that there is more than enough room for all of us to compete. but to your point, you've got to bring value to the market, right? Long gone are the days, especially on Amazon, of just creating another meta product, and especially if you're in the US, like good luck trying to find something cheaper and more efficient. Josh 00:01:05 Process like that's not your capability, right? But what you can do. And here's where a lot of the overseas competitors, you know, fail to kind of compete with us on. They don't understand our market, period. Yeah. They don't they don't understand the end consumer. All they know how to do is to make things cheaply. Right. Yeah. And so I think that's a that's a big mindset shift. Number one is approach everything even new product opportunities as to okay, here's what's out there in the market. But it's probably not serving everybody the right way. So bring something new to the market. But I want to wrap up this whole brand building thing. I know we've spent a lot of time on it, but I want to wrap it up by by one kind of, you know, action item here with you, Shannon, as you talked about specifically on Amazon being able to showcase who your brand is, what you stand for is your recommendation that you take one of your listing images and you turn it into this kind of infographic or lifestyle image. Josh 00:02:11 and you kind of state your either your company mission or what your brand is about there. And then do you create a video, right. And obviously there's A+ content and premium A+ content. Like where what's your recommendation for like a seller? That's like I have none of that today. What should they actually go do? Shannon 00:02:32 Yeah. I mean, you know, the one last piece to this. Again, you can't build a great brand if you don't have a great product, right? The foundation is you've got to have a quality product. Even if you sell it well, the reviews will come out in the end. Right. So I want to just, you know, go back and lay the foundation. You got to have a great product for any of this to work, you know. And so once you've got a great product, it really is about showcasing it. And and again, I think the answer is it depends. It depends on the brand. I worked with the tattoo company. They were very much about lifestyle. Shannon 00:03:03 They hired tons of influencers out there. They had this very sort of sexy avant garde motif. And so the lifestyle images conveyed that. But they had things like, look, we don't do animal testing. It's cruelty free. It doesn't have these sort of nasty ingredients in it. And so it wasn't like one image that housed everything. It was sort of telling that story through the different product images and reinforcing the A+ content. And I think the video was just lifestyle, right? So that was their sort of style was the way to translate their brand to Amazon. And that's again, that's sort of what we do at Avenue seven because it's not a copy and paste platform. Right. You're really taking the essence of the brand and the product and translate it into Amazon. And there's, you know, their style was very minimalistic. Their bullet points were only one line long. And people go, oh, well, that's terrible for SEO. That's never going to convert. You have to do paragraphs, you gotta keyword stuff. | |||
| TikTok Shop Secrets: Chase Chappell’s Blueprint for Scaling E-Commerce Brands With Creator Armies | 20 Apr 2026 | 00:53:24 | |
Chase has advised on over $200 million in ad spend across Facebook and TikTok, helping brands turn paid traffic into predictable, scalable revenue. Through his experience running his own agency, Chappell Digital Marketing, and now as part of DOE Media, he’s helped DTC and e-commerce brands not only master ad buying but also build sales pages that convert and expand into new channels beyond Amazon. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley interviews Chase Chappell, a leading performance marketing expert, about scaling e-commerce brands beyond seven figures. Chase shares actionable strategies for channel diversification, creator management on TikTok Shop, and building omnichannel ecosystems. He emphasizes the importance of rigorous creator selection, transparent feedback loops, and integrating paid media with organic content. The discussion offers practical advice on leveraging TikTok’s rapid growth potential, nurturing creator communities, and adopting an all-in, omnichannel mindset to drive sustainable, scalable e-commerce success. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Tools and Websites
Books
Concepts and Strategies
People and Brands
Social Media Links
This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audi... | |||
| I Lost 90% of My Sales Overnight… Here’s What I Did Next | 16 Apr 2026 | 00:23:25 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares how the COVID-19 pandemic caused a devastating 90% overnight sales drop in his Amazon party supplies business — just as he'd bought his dream home and left his corporate job. Facing financial pressure with no safety net, Josh pivoted boldly, launching educational homeschooling posters that quickly became bestsellers. He shares three key lessons: focus on what's already working before diversifying, build a cohesive brand, and take calculated big risks. Josh also emphasizes saving profits for emergencies, illustrating how resilience and adaptability helped him scale to over $20 million annually. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Key Concepts and Strategies Lessons Learned Timestamps: 00:00:55 Pre-COVID Life & Buying a New Home 00:02:44 Closing on the Dream Home & COVID Hits 00:03:39 Immediate Impact of COVID on Business 00:05:27 Financial and Emotional Pressure 00:07:18 Initial Scramble & Early Pivots 00:09:00 Experimenting with New Revenue Streams 00:10:01 Gradual Recovery & The Big Pivot 00:10:57 Launching Educational Posters 00:12:55 Lessons Learned: Focus on What Works 00:15:49 Lessons Learned: Brand Cohesion 00:18:14 Lessons Learned: Take Bigger Risks 00:20:07 Action in Crisis & Doubling Down 00:22:03 Preparing for a Rainy Day 00:22:56 Conclusion & Final Encouragement Transcripts: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 I lost 90% of the sales in my business overnight. At that point, I felt like my business was done for. It was time to close up shop and find something different to do. Today I'm going to share with you the exact strategies, the tactics, and the lessons learned that I implemented in the business to be able to resurrect it from the dead and to get it where it is today of generating over $20 million in annual revenue. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. First and foremost, who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I'm a man of faith. I am a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife. I have been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade, doing multi millions in revenue on different sales channels such as Shopify, TikTok, shop and of course, Amazon. Josh Hadley 00:00:55 And I am also the host of the number one business strategy Podcast in the e-commerce space, and that is E-com breakthrough. So what drove a 90% decline in my sales? Well, before we get to that point, I have to tell you the story of where my wife and I were at at that specific moment in time before the 90% decline in sales happened overnight for us. Well, this was January of 2020, and my wife and I were looking at needing to move to another home. And that was because we had kind of, frankly, outgrown our existing home. We knew we wanted to grow our family. We had a three bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom, two bath house. We had two kids at the time, and we knew we wanted to be able to expand our family and continue to grow. And, you know, especially working from home, that three bedroom, two bath house and being 1900 square feet became really small, really quick, especially trying to run a business out of the house. Josh Hadley 00:01:49 And so we were trying to find like, where is the place that we need to be? Well, it came one Sunday. We were driving around and we stumbled upon an open house, and we went into this open house and we felt moved upon to move into this house. Now, this house was almost triple the size of our current home. This was figuratively like a dream home for us. It was in a dream neighborhood. We got to still attend the same church and be around the same family and friends that we were around at the time. And so we felt like with that, like this was our godsend. This was an answer to prayers and we need to go close on this home. And so although this was a very exciting time, it was also very nerve wracking for me because this was the biggest purchase that I was ever going to make in my life. I had never had a mortgage, a need to take out a quote unquote a jumbo loan for a mortgage, ever. And this was a lot of money, all of the money that we had been saving up for. Josh Hadley 00:02:44 And, you know, basically taking profit from the business was going to go to a big down payment on this property. Well, guess what? We did close on this property of February 28th, 2020. And as many of you know, what was just around the corner was going to be Covid and basically the lockdown and the shutdown to the world as we knew it at the time. And so my wife and I, I remember this like it was just yesterday. My wife and I were there at target late at night just before, like it was closing time at target. And I remember, you know, thumbing through on my phone just kind of like the news and things like that. As I was waiting in line and I saw the information where it was, I think it was the jazz, it was the Utah Jazz and some other team. Maybe it was the Houston Rockets, I'm not sure. But that game was canceled and the NBA literally canceled that game before it was about to tip off. Josh Hadley 00:03:39 Like people like people were ... | |||
| Throwback: How to Build a Resilient Supply Chain | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:16:22 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Corey Apirian, a seasoned supply chain leader, about innovative e-commerce supply chain strategies. Corey explains how Davinci enables brands to create virtual product bundles, optimize inventory, and improve profitability across channels like Walmart and direct-to-consumer platforms. They discuss the limitations of relying solely on Amazon’s fulfillment, the benefits of diversified fulfillment strategies, and the importance of data-driven merchandising. Corey also shares advice on global supply chain resilience, emphasizing hybrid inventory approaches and multi-sourcing. The episode concludes with actionable tips for brands to enhance agility and succeed in today’s evolving e-commerce landscape. Chapters: Introduction to Corey Apirian and His Expertise (00:00:00) Product Bundling Without Physical Kitting (00:00:49) Market Basket Analysis and Channel Merchandising (00:03:00) Optimizing Multi-Channel Fulfillment Beyond Amazon (00:06:42) Limitations of Amazon’s Fulfillment Ecosystem (00:07:44) Direct Integrations and Fulfillment Strategy Recommendations (00:09:50) Global Supply Chain Challenges and Recommendations (00:11:07) Actionable Takeaways for E-commerce Brands (00:13:17) Closing Remarks and Contact Recommendation (00:15:43) Links and Mentions: Tools and Services Key Concepts Actionable Takeaways General Advice Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you all to Corey Apirian, a seasoned supply chain and operations leader with over 19 years of experience. A key to his success was his ability to develop and execute strategies that drove significant growth, cost savings, and exceptional customer service. Specifically, he specializes in e-commerce and channel merchandising, aligning operational initiatives with corporate objectives and building and leading high performing teams through inclusion, collaboration and engagement. His experience includes product management, contract negotiations, continuous improvement, and implementing emerging technologies as well as cultivating key relationships. So with that, welcome to the podcast, Corey. Corey 00:00:46 Thanks for having me, Josh. Excited to be here. Josh 00:00:49 A seller could essentially come to you or a brand and say, hey, I've got here's a bunch of different products. I think some of these could be bundled really well together. I don't know which ones which, but obviously if you're doing that on Amazon FBA. You have to kit them together first and send them in before you can collect data. In your example, you don't actually have to have them kidded to actually create that skew and at least merchandise it on different sites. Josh 00:01:15 Is that correct? Corey 00:01:15 Yeah, it's exactly right. And like the cooler part about it is that all the excess inventory was then utilized on your merchant field, on your Walmart Marketplace and so on and so forth, so that you can create two packs, four packs, six packs of all the different core components. And really, you have no more waste, right? So you're utilizing now you can't force bundles onto consumers. I think we all know that. But by creating a different skew set a washcloth that's sold in a, in a in a traditional merchant store, you know, it might be $2 or $4, right? But when you when you bundle that as a four pack of washcloths, you know, I have two, two young boys, I don't just buy one washcloth like we buy a bunch of them at once. Right. And, you know, by able to have that differentiated assortment that's core to that demographic Online. You know, it really gives a fresh look at assortment and profitability and channel management. Corey 00:02:09 And those are really important things. And then, you know, the efficiency of manufacturing those sets now in ships and in containers, reducing waste, creating efficiencies at the warehouse level also and profitability on freight and top line. I mean, those are all amazing things and all great success stories. And yeah, our tech allows that infinite permutation in a very targeted way, but also looking at the market baskets and suggesting what should be sold in a very targeted way. And that's the piece that I think people are really missing out there is combining the FDM, that front end merchandising with this concept of network optimization and inventory control, and how do you place goods and merchandise them on differentiated channel sets so that they're available for same day one day fulfillment, 1 to 2 day fulfillment, you know, through a physical location network. And again, that's exactly the problem that DaVinci is solving together. Josh 00:03:00 That's amazing. Tell me a little bit more about that market basket analysis, right. That DaVinci is is doing some of the I, you know, to determine how you're going to merchandise different products or how to come up with the correct type of bundles. Corey 00:03:16 Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of core principles of channel management and merchandising. You know, when you look at your club channels and having larger pack sizes, your mass channels having smaller, lower price point channels that interoperate also with what's in store? You know, a beauty manufacturer might have a 6.9oz bottle of shampoo. That's a proven bottle of shampoo and price point and cubic foot that has sat on a Walmart and Target shelf for the past 30 years and might have new updated packaging, new formula, ingredients. You know, that's the merchandising side of it. But like that, cubic foot turns and creates X number of dollars with the amount of profitability and cash flow turns that that has on shelf all the time. But when you when you ship that to target, they're going to merchandise that online and target in Walmart. You can have a buy in line pick up and store optionality to that. And they may offer it to ship to the end consumer in a myriad of different ways. But that same consumer might be adding two of those to their shopping cart. Corey 00:04:14 They might be adding a 33 point ounce of the shampoo. Or at least, you know, five different bottles of that shampoo. That adds up to a 33.8oz and a 16.9 of conditioner, right? Maybe their ratios are different. So if you're a brand that's operating in that space, you now have the ability to directly merchandise som... | |||
| AI Strategy for Amazon Sellers: What to Automate First (And Why) | 13 Apr 2026 | 00:49:35 | |
Lee Assoulin is the Founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency that partners with premium brands to scale profitably on the world's largest marketplace. With over 12 years of Amazon expertise, Lee has guided venture-backed startups, heritage brands, and category leaders through the complexities of the platform, combining strategic depth with operational rigor. He's currently managing over $220M in annual revenue while building AI-powered infrastructure to redefine how agencies operate. His mission is to prove that premium brands can win on Amazon without compromising on quality or brand equity with an agency they can trust. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Lee Assoulin, founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency. Drawing on 12+ years of experience, Lee discusses how AI is reshaping Amazon brand management. Key topics include avoiding "shiny object syndrome," building solid SOPs before automating, keeping humans in the loop for critical decisions, and developing an "AI native" team culture. Lee also shares practical advice on recording team calls, refining documentation with AI, and empowering team members who genuinely embrace AI tools to drive sustainable business growth. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Timestamps: 00:00:23 Introduction to AI in E-commerce 00:01:01 Guest Introduction: Lee Assoulin 00:02:46 The Current State of AI in E-commerce 00:04:31 AI and "Shiny Object Syndrome" 00:05:57 The "Aladdin's Cave" Analogy for AI 00:08:33 SOPs: The Foundation for AI 00:10:00 The Right Approach to AI Automation 00:12:15 Can One Person Build a $100M Brand? 00:14:55 The Risk of AI Homogenization 00:16:27 Practical AI Use Cases for Beginners 00:19:24 The Dangers of Lazy AI Implementation 00:22:23 Automating Your Executive Assistant 00:24:10 Building a Company "Brain" 00:27:11 The Power of Personal Context for AI 00:29:47 How Top Brands Automate Operations 00:32:14 Staying Compliant with Amazon's AI Rules 00:33:55 The Cost-Benefit Analysis of AI vs. Humans 00:36:01 The Trap of "Sexy Dashboards" 00:39:09 How to Onboard Your Team to AI 00:41:55 Three Actionable Takeaways 00:45:26 Most Influential Book 00:45:59 Favorite AI Tool 00:47:01 Admired Person in E-commerce 00:48:32 How to Connect with Lee Resources mentioned in this episode:
Tools and Websites | |||
| The Cost of Scaling Beyond Amazon No One Talks About | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:55:01 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his blueprint for scaling an e-commerce brand beyond Amazon through a strategic omnichannel approach. Drawing from over a decade of experience, Josh debunks the myth that simply adding sales channels drives growth. Instead, he outlines a phased expansion strategy: master Amazon first, then expand to marketplaces, TikTok Shop, Shopify, and retail. He emphasizes building documented systems, hiring capable teams, and approaching each platform as a unique business to avoid operational chaos and achieve sustainable, long-term growth. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Videos and Masterclasses Recommendations Key Concepts Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction & The Omnichannel Myth 00:01:50 Stages of E-commerce Brand Growth 00:06:30 The Real Problem: Sequence, Not Product 00:07:22 Channel-Specific Complexities | |||
| Throwback: Don’t Launch Your Product Without This Audience-Building Secret! | 08 Apr 2026 | 00:17:26 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Will Russell, CEO of Russell Marketing, about effective strategies for launching e-commerce products. Will shares his five-step framework, emphasizing audience building through paid ads, partnerships, virality, and organic growth. They discuss practical tactics for Amazon sellers, such as using product insert cards with QR codes, leveraging surveys for product validation, and segmenting email lists for launch campaigns. Will highlights the importance of nurturing existing customers and using their feedback for product development. The episode offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to maximize launch success and scale their businesses efficiently. Chapters: Introduction to Will Russell and Russell Marketing (00:00:00) Strategies for Building an Engaged Audience Pre-Launch (00:00:55) Piggybacking and Partnerships Explained (00:01:20) Virality and Organic Growth (00:02:47) Summary of Audience-Building Approaches (00:03:53) Leveraging Existing Customer Bases for Product Validation (00:05:07) The Value of Existing Communities in Launches (00:07:11) Applying the Five-Step Framework to Amazon Sellers (00:08:14) Step 1: Product Validation Tactics (00:09:26) Step 2: Audience Building and Customer Surveys (00:10:37) Step 3: Audience Engagement During Product Development (00:11:50) Step 4: Conversion Strategies and List Segmentation (00:13:05) Step 5: Scaling and Ongoing Audience Engagement (00:14:02) Review Research and Copywriting Insights (00:14:28) Segmentation Strategies for Different Launch Models (00:15:19) Conclusion and Final Thoughts (00:17:01) Links and Mentions: Advertising Tools: Books: Marketing Concepts and Strategies: Content and Influencer Strategies: Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Will Russell. He is the CEO and founder of Russell Marketing. Russell Marketing is an innovative digital agency specializing in e-commerce launch marketing. To date, they have generated more than 25 million in revenue for over 300 new entrepreneurs. Will has been featured on Forbes, Business Insider, Crain's New York Start-Up nation and many more. Will also has launched the Russell Gibbs Foundation, a family foundation that offers grants and mentorship to 501 C3 partners committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. In November of 2022, Will's first book launch in five. Take your Idea From Light Bulb Moment to Profitable Business in Record Time, was published by Nicholas Brealey. So welcome to the show, Will. Will 00:00:52 Thank you. Thanks for having me, Josh. It's a real pleasure to be here. Josh 00:00:55 When you talk about building an engaged, you know, audience or, you know, building it up a The following. What are what are the channels or strategies to kind of build this following of people before you've even launched a product? Will 00:01:15 By and large, most people are going to lean heavily into paid acquisition. Will 00:01:20 And so, you know, that means paying Facebook or Google or Reddit for ad space and driving traffic using those methods. Now, not everyone has big budgets. They can just plug in. To do that, I always suggest paid acquisition because frankly, is the quickest and easiest way of getting from where you are to where you need to be. But I understand not everyone has the budget. So for those who don't have those budgets, or for those who don't want to rely entirely on those budgets, there's a few other avenues you really look to. One is piggybacking. And so by piggybacking, we're looking for partners or like minded communities that already we have the people we want, and we want to build a connection with the managers or the founders of those communities and essentially piggyback on top of the success they've had to get access to these people. So examples of that might be, maybe you don't want to put $10,000 into a Facebook ad campaign, but maybe you could purchase an advertising spot or in a particular media websites newsletter, or you could write a guest post, or you could do some sort of exchange post promotional exchange with them over a period of six months, where maybe front end of that relationship, they're helping you, but then towards the back end, you're going to balance that out more and start helping them in different ways. Will 00:02:47 So piggybacking and looking at those kind of partnerships is a really good route. Another effort we're going to look to is virality. It's a tough one because it's you know, there are obviously elements to what makes something viral and, and checkboxes that you can go through. But there's always an element of luck there. You don't really know for sure whether a big effort to go viral is going to work. And so it can be a bit of a risk, but virality and that can be things such as word of mouth, marketing strategies, referral strategies and fun content, user generated content, things like ambassadors or affiliate marketing. We might even include some influencer marketing in that. So we've got the virality is certainly a good a good path to go. If you don't want to lean into pushing too much of your budget into paid ads, and then I mean, the fourth and longest one, I suppose is is the organic, you know, people that don't have big budgets and and maybe don't excel. I don't have any partners or I don't have. Will 00:03:53 I can't make things viral. They can't ... | |||
| The #1 Mistake Ecom Brand Owners Are Making with AI | 06 Apr 2026 | 00:52:36 | |
Today on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, we’re joined by a true expert at the intersection of technology, data, and e-commerce growth. Ellis Whitehead is the co-founder of DataBrill and a leading mind in PPC management, data science, and business intelligence space. With a PhD in automation and years of experience architecting smart technology for Amazon sellers, Ellis has helped brands leverage data-driven strategies to scale profitably and stay ahead of the competition. He’s here to share how sellers can use advanced analytics and Ai to break through the seven-figure ceiling and unlock the path to eight figures and beyond. Ellis, welcome to the show! Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode, host Josh Hadley interviews Ellis Whitehead, co-founder of Data Brill, about how seven-figure e-commerce sellers can leverage AI and data to scale effectively. Ellis outlines a four-step “data chain” for success: centralizing data, capturing historical records, connecting disparate data sources, and building guardrails for AI. They discuss common pitfalls, the importance of solid data infrastructure, and actionable hiring advice for building in-house data teams. The episode emphasizes that AI is only as powerful as the data foundation supporting it, offering practical strategies for sustainable e-commerce growth. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Timestamp: 00:00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:00:58 Guest Introduction 00:02:00 AI Hype & Seller Challenges 00:02:37 The Importance of Fundamentals 00:03:11 Common Data Mistakes in E-commerce 00:05:07 Overview of the Four Data Chain Links 00:07:29 Step 1: Centralizing Data 00:09:21 Technical Setup for Centralized Data 00:11:38 Non-Technical Founders & Getting Help 00:15:14 Ongoing Maintenance Caveat 00:16:45 Ways to Ingest Data 00:19:15 Navigating Amazon API Access 00:21:45 Step 2: Capturing History 00:24:27 Use Cases for Historical Data 00:26:30 Pitfalls of Ignoring Trends 00:29:10 AI Automation Cautionary Tale 00:31:01 Tracking Keyword Popularity Over Time 00:33:24 Step 3: Connecting the Dots 00:35:53 Practical Tactics for Data Integration 00:37:05 Step 4: Constructing Guardrails 00:39:06 Guardrails in Action: Use Cases 00:43:12 Building In-House Data Teams 00:44:30 Three Actionable Takeaways 00:47:38 Final Recommendations & Closing 00:48:07 Book Recommendations 00:49:30 Favorite AI Tools & Workflow What is Git? (00:50:19) 00:51:22 E-commerce Influencer Recommendation 00:51:51 Where to Find Ellis Whitehead 00:52:20 Podcast Outro Resources mentioned in this episode: | |||
| The TikTok Shop Strategy No One Is Teaching (Creator Engine Framework) | 02 Apr 2026 | 00:58:12 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley introduces his "TikTok Creator Engine," a structured system for turning product samples into loyal brand evangelists. Josh outlines five creator stages—Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Evangelist—and explains how to move creators through each using personalized outreach, gamification, community building, and targeted ad spend. He also details key team roles, essential KPIs, and onboarding strategies to replace the ineffective "spray and pray" approach with a scalable, relationship-driven affiliate program that generates consistent revenue. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Videos and Playlists Concepts and Strategies Metrics and KPIs Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introducing the TikTok Creator Engine 00:01:12 Host Introduction 00:02:17 Core Principles of the System 00:04:10 Common Problems with Creator Programs 00:06:49 The Five Stages of the Creator Engine 00:10:40 The Required Team Structure 00:15:03 Stage 1: Inactivated Creators 00:17:53 The 30-Day Onboarding Sequence 00:21:31 Tools for the Activation Program 00:24:27 The YouTube Onboarding Playlist 00:28:51 Gamifying Onboarding: The Bingo Card 00:30:42 Stage 2: Activated Creators 00:33:29 High ROI Move: Boosting Videos with Ads 00:35:29 Stage 3: Emerging Creators 00:40:13 Stage 4: Performing Creators 00:45:38 Stage 5: Brand Evangelists 00:50:16 Collecting Creator Contact Info 00:51:58 Key Metrics to Measure 00:54:48 Daily Roles of the Team 00:55:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 That activation stage is honestly the biggest miss that I see most brands like just completely skipping and they just go from inactivated creator to somebody went viral and it's as simple as that. And and that's all they're relying upon. Whereas we're going to methodically walk all of these creators through these five different stages. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Today, I want to share with you all the TikTok Creator Engine. This is how we're turning thousands of samples into thousands of brand evangelists. This isn't just about like sending out as many samples as you possibly can. The spray and pray approach, just hoping that somebody will go viral. Rather, this is a systematic process that we follow to ensure that every sample we send out actually has the chance of helping some of t... | |||
| Throwback: From China to Mexico - Revolutionizing Your Manufacturing Strategy | 01 Apr 2026 | 00:17:11 | |
In this episode, Josh interviews Amy Wees, CEO of Amazing at Home E-commerce Consulting. Amy shares her expertise in product development, sourcing, and sales, emphasizing the benefits of diversifying manufacturing—particularly sourcing from Mexico as an alternative to China. She discusses Mexico’s advantages in cost, quality, and logistics, and highlights common mistakes sellers make, such as not knowing their numbers or lacking supplier contracts. Amy stresses the importance of understanding unit economics, building strong supplier relationships, and differentiating products to succeed in today’s competitive e-commerce landscape. Chapters: Introduction to Amy Wees and Amazing at Home (00:00:00) Why Source from Mexico? (00:00:28) Mexico’s Manufacturing Capabilities (00:02:04) Evolving Supply Chains and Workforce Trends (00:03:25) Discovering and Building Trade Shows in Mexico (00:05:35) Common Seller Mistakes: Not Knowing the Numbers (00:07:34) Protecting Supply Chains and Supplier Relationships (00:10:12) Josh’s Key Takeaways for Sellers (00:12:16) How to Connect with Amy Wees (00:16:35) Podcast Closing (00:17:05) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Books and Resources Key Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Amy Wees. Amy is the CEO of Amazing at Home E-commerce consulting, a world renowned company that has helped thousands of brands launch private label products on Amazon and beyond. Amy's knowledge in product development, sourcing, marketing and sales have enabled her to help countless entrepreneurs develop their own successful businesses. So welcome to the show, Amy. Amy 00:00:25 Thank you for having me, Josh. I'm so excited to be here. Josh 00:00:28 I love what you talked about in terms of, you know, diversifying your risk with manufacturing and supply chain, and you've been able to find a lot of that in Mexico. So why don't you tell us more about Mexico? Why have you been so invested lately into, you know, sourcing from Mexico? Amy 00:00:49 Well, you know, it's really we used to go to China all the time. You can go twice a year during canton fair times. And and I still sourced from China. I, I love my manufacturers in China. They're wonderful people. They're very efficient. Amy 00:01:04 Really great. So I don't think that there's anything wrong with China. But at the end of the day, one of the biggest things that all of us have to realize is that we have options and, and that, you know, we don't ever whether it comes to only selling on Amazon, putting your eggs all in that one sales channel basket or only using FBA. What happened during the pandemic? Everybody who is only using FBA, their stuff got stranded. Meanwhile, we tripled our sales because we were able to merchant fulfill. so that's that's, you know, a huge learning thing. And so many people are learning that the restock limits, we talked about that, you know, like, hey, maybe we need to start digging more into these other sales channels so that we are able to drive more traffic to Amazon and have even greater restock limits now that things are changing. Right. so I think it's important to never put all your eggs in one basket and to always know what your your options are. Amy 00:02:04 And so Mexico was a natural, solution. Potential solution. If we look at injection molding and manufacturing around the world. Mexico's number two in injection will be right behind China. So, you know, when we look at even electronics, Latin America is just as high in electronics manufacturing as China is. And a lot of people don't realize that. One of our speakers on the Mexico trip, he's he's an engineer and he specializes in helping electronics companies move their supply chain from China to Mexico. big companies like Seagate have completely moved manufacturing to Mexico. Chinese factories, major factories in China are now reopening new facilities in Mexico. Why? It makes sense, right? It makes sense. You've got free trade. As long as your product is 70%, produced in Mexico. You've got the free trade. So that's a wonderful opportunity there. You actually have lower labor costs in Mexico than you do in China. China labor costs have risen. and you have a highly educated and motivated workforce in Mexico, which that is also changing in China quite a bit. Amy 00:03:25 We're all finding with our factories and, you know, talking with my factory owners, every year after Chinese New Year, a lot of their employees do not return. It's very hard for them because e-commerce has really taken off in China. And so a lot of these, you know, it used to be you can walk through a factory in China a few years ago, and they didn't have, you know, they didn't sell it in e-commerce. Nowadays, that's nearly impossible to find a factory that doesn't sell. And so the workforce is evolving in China, and it's causing some, some issues in terms of supply chain, not only for labour. for quality control, you know, so there's even the Chinese are looking for alternatives to different places to open up factories and things like that. So I think that all of us have to evolve. We look at any company that does not evolve with the times what we find. You know, we look at like the toys R us stories and we look at, you know, the top 50 retailers in the United States of America. Amy 00:04:30 Also on the e-commerce websites. So it's very important for us to pay attention and make sure that we're looking at, okay, what's next. And also when we look at, you know, how many. Issues did we have with, with, ports being backed up and with our. With our supply chain just being at a complete stoppage. and we were all talking about men. For Q4 this last year. You better get your stuff in by August, because there's no way the October timeframe is dead. because there was so much, you know, caught back up and everything prior to this Q4. So this year it was a little bit better. We had some catch up, but we really need to be paying attention. And so for me, I'm right here in San Antonio, Texas. I traveled to Mexico a lot. I love Mexico, and I always see all these things,... | |||
| Kevin King Reveals the Future of E-Commerce, AI, and TikTok Shop | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:49:57 | |
Today’s guest is someone our audience already knows and respects — and I’m excited to have him back on the show. Kevin King is not just a veteran Amazon seller… he’s one of the most connected and influential figures in the entire Amazon ecosystem. He’s been selling online for decades, has built and exited multiple brands, and continues to operate in the trenches — not from theory, but from real-world execution. When Kevin speaks, it’s not just his own experience — it’s insights gathered from the top 1% of sellers globally. So if you’re a 7-figure or 8 figure seller looking to break into the next level, you’re about to hear from someone who has a front-row seat to what the best in the world are actually doing right now.
> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews veteran Amazon seller Kevin King about the future of e-commerce for established seven-figure sellers. They discuss the growing impact of AI, the decline of traditional private label models, and the rise of social commerce platforms like TikTok. Kevin emphasizes the importance of building real brands, leveraging automation, and focusing on human relationships with creators. The episode also highlights actionable strategies for scaling, the value of strong systems, and Kevin’s upcoming Market Masters event for networking and learning. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode: Don’t chase every new tool, channel, or strategy. Pick the highest-priority opportunity, focus your resources on it, and scale it before moving to the next. 2. Build and Document Systems Growth requires clear systems and processes. Whether tasks are done by humans or AI, success depends on how well you document and structure the workflow. 3. Hire Smart People to Run the Systems AI alone won’t build a $100M brand. You need talented leaders who can design, manage, and improve systems while using AI as a tool to enhance results.
Special Mention(s):
Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost! Transcript Area Kevin King 00:00:00 And there is no it's not like ranking in Google in the old way of backlinks where you rank. And basically you can if you type in podcast microphones and you're in Dallas, you can see pretty much the same results as I see down here in Austin with AI, my past search history and your past search history changes that completely. So no, there is no ranking in AI. It's being the answer for what questions people asking to be in the authority. MC 00:00:22 Welcome to the E-com Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:36 Do you want to know what's wor... | |||
| I Said No to These 5 Opportunities… and It Made Me More Money | 26 Mar 2026 | 00:28:19 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares hard-won lessons on the power of focus in scaling an ecommerce business. Drawing from personal experience and mastermind insights, Josh reveals five key things he’s saying “no” to—like low-volume product launches, unprofitable SKUs, and distracting sales channels. He emphasizes prioritizing high-impact opportunities, leveraging top-performing creators, and resisting shiny new trends like AI experiments. Josh’s disciplined approach highlights how saying “no” to distractions enables entrepreneurs to concentrate resources on what truly drives sustainable, exponential growth. Links and Mentions: Business Influencers & References E-commerce Platforms & Tools Frameworks & Systems Business Concepts & Strategies Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to Business Focus 00:01:03 Lessons from Mastermind Events 00:02:58 The Power of Doubling Down 00:04:43 Saying No to Small Product Launches 00:07:25 Prioritizing High-Impact SKUs 00:08:26 Product Momentum Matrix Explained 00:15:09 Focusing on Brand-Defining Products 00:17:05 Saying No to Low Leverage Sales Channels 00:18:12 Sales Channel Momentum Matrix 00:22:11 Rejecting AI Distractions 00:26:56 Focusing on Top-Performing Creators 00:28:03 Conclusion: Focus Over Distraction Transcript Josh Hadley 00:00:00 I will promise you like 99 times out of 100. The person who doubles down in one single business is going to have far greater returns and success than the entrepreneur that thinks they're going to split their time and diversify themselves across multiple different business units. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. In today's episode, I'm going to be sharing with you guys exactly what I'm saying no to. In my business right now, that is one of the most important things as it relates to business strategy as a whole. I think that business strategy is less. These are the things that I am doing, and it's much more about these are the things that I am specifically not doing in my business and why business strategy is ultimately, hey, there are 1,000,001 different opportunities, but there are limited resources. Josh Hadley 00:01:03 And so really it's prioritizing which of those million and one opportunities do I actually want to take on with my limited time, resources and ability to be able to go execute? Because in general, if you want to see something really succeed, you've got to put some significant amount of time and energy and thought process behind it. So today I'm going to be sharing the five things that I'm saying no to in my own business. And I'm sharing this after coming off of the heels of three different events that I've attended within the last two weeks. So over the last two weeks I've attended a few different mastermind groups, some with e-commerce specific people involved and others with just kind of general entrepreneurs who are all over seven figure sellers. So here are some of like the takeaways. And I heard this over and over again at multiple events. I continue to hear people that they already have a successful busines... | |||
| Throwback: Transform Your E-Commerce Business - Key Metrics Every Amazon Seller Must Track | 25 Mar 2026 | 00:17:44 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Tyler Jefcoat, founder of The Seller Roundtable, about financial strategies for Amazon and e-commerce sellers. Tyler explains key metrics like COGS, Amazon fees, and advertising costs, and shares actionable tips on optimizing profit margins, managing inventory, and preparing for business exits. He emphasizes the importance of accurate accounting, SKU-level analysis, and disciplined habits for long-term success. The discussion also covers useful tools and resources, including Merchant Spring and the book "Atomic Habits." Listeners gain practical advice to build more profitable and acquisition-ready e-commerce businesses. Chapters: Introduction to Tyler Jefcoat and Seller Accountant (00:00:00) Key Financial Metrics for Amazon Sellers (00:00:38) Profit Margins and Targets for Sellers (00:01:44) Net Profit Margin Benchmarks and Market Trends (00:03:59) Preparing for Exit: Case Study and Best Practices (00:05:01) Return on Capital and Product Portfolio Analysis (00:06:54) FBA Fees and SKU-Level Analysis (00:10:18) Automating FBA Fee Audits (00:11:45) Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:12:59) Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits (00:15:40) Favorite Software Tool: Merchant Spring (00:16:46) Closing Remarks and Contact Info (00:17:28) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Books Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Tyler Jefcoat. Tyler is the founder and CEO of Stellar Accountant, where he exercises his passion for helping sellers maximize their businesses. Tyler provides financial coaching for sellers totaling more than 100 million per year in e-commerce sales. Tyler also leads the Sellers Roundtable, an exclusive mastermind group for seven and eight figure sellers. Before founding Seller Accountant, Tyler was the co-founder and managing partner for Care to Continue, a home health care company that grew from 0 to 100 employees in four years. So, Tyler, welcome to the show. Tyler 00:00:36 All right, Josh, thanks for having me. Josh 00:00:38 So you have your top line revenue. The next thing we have is you're going to have your cost of goods sold, right? So with your cost of goods sold, you said the average is about 30 to 35% is what you're seeing right now. Tyler 00:00:52 And this kind of landed cost. So if you kind of think about what it costs you to satisfy your Chinese Po and then do the duties freight into the states, I think. Tyler 00:01:01 Across the board, we're seeing literally pretty close to a third 33, 34%. Josh 00:01:05 So if you're below 30% or so, that's a good indication then. Right. Okay. Looking good. All right then next you have your Amazon fees that are going to come up. Right. And I think I'm going to split these up with the advertising separate. So what is your Amazon fees that your 15% commission plus the pick and pack. All that goes into the Amazon ecosystem. You're saying 30 to 35% is what you're seeing there. Is that right? Tyler 00:01:34 To keep the numbers easy is probably another third. So you got about a third in your unit cost to Google. You got about a third and normal Amazon fees. Josh 00:01:44 okay. Cool. And then so all right. So at this point we have 66% right of our revenue going to Cogs in Amazon. And so what you're saying is that the last remaining portion for that POG number that you were talking about is your advertising expense specifically on Amazon. So with your advertising expense, you said ideally you want to be between that 20% to 25%, you know, net gross margin, including the advertising costs in there. Josh 00:02:16 So that means you're going to be needing to sit around somewhere between 15 to 20%. Correct. Tyler 00:02:22 So if we if you think about it, we've got it split into thirds, a third in cogs, a third name is on fee. So we've got 33 points left. I can spend between, you know, roughly 10% on tacos in that model. Let's assume that your cost of goods sold model. Then I'm really going to. So so right. Take another 10% away for ads. That leaves me with a 23% P&G or post advertising gross profit. And I would say that's a really good target. Like, again, I would rather aim for 25 and hit 23 than really flirt with 20 constantly. But yes. So that would be that would be a fairly prototypical private label or kind of brand building seller on Amazon is third, Amazon fees. Third product cogs are about a dime, about ten points going to tacos. And then I've got 22, 23, 24% after ads that I can put towards my overhead. Tyler 00:03:08 And mama wants a boat, you know, whatever it is, that's the money I want. Josh 00:03:12 Makes sense. Makes sense. So with that, and then the other thing you mentioned is, hey, if you have really good cost of goods sold, right, you know, you might be 10 to 20%, right? Well, then you could ramp up your advertising spend. Right. So you can kind of offset those things, but the more profitable you are, the better. Like you said, some people were 30 to 35% that were really getting some premiums, with all the acquisitions that were going on. So this is awesome. This gives us a lot to think about and great targets to shoot towards, especially like net profit margin. You said, you know, ten is kind of the average. You said, right. 15 means that you're really good. You know looking good. You're a good candidate to be acquired. Is that correct? Tyler 00:03:59 Yes. And honestly, coming out of like 2022, I would actually say that, you know, 10% was actually probably pretty good because we did see a lot of headwinds. Tyler 00:04:09 So give your give yourself some grace. Like if you're looking at your piano right now, you know, here in the middle of 2020 and you're like, well, boy, I got 5% last year, I must be dead. That actually might be more normal than you think it is. But don't don't think that that's going to be normal forever. I think we are we're, we're we're continuing to want to see the market get better and we want to we work too hard and we risk too much to take a 2% profit margin for too long. And so getting a 10% is really crucial. And then I think if you're going to exit, getting it closer to that 15% net profit. Yeah. Josh 00:04:38 Awesome, awesome super valuable content. Tyler thanks again. All right. So with that, let's talk about maybe some of the levers that people can be pulling, you know, as they prepar... | |||
| Most Brands Fail on TikTok Shop for This One Stupid Reason | 23 Mar 2026 | 01:01:43 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Julia Rubien and Nicolette Brunetti of Amie, a TikTok agency for beauty brands. They discuss effective affiliate marketing strategies on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of strong shop operations, community building, and data-driven content. The conversation covers commission structures, contests, retainers, and creator engagement, highlighting the need for strategic planning and long-term investment. Key takeaways include selling the affiliate first, nurturing a supportive community, and ensuring operational readiness before scaling. The episode offers actionable insights for brands aiming to succeed on TikTok Shop. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.
Julia Rubien 00:00:00 I think clients think that sometimes it's as simple as, let's just invite everybody to a target plan, and that's that. And one time I had to write out for clients, like all the different strategies that go into affiliate marketing, and without showing the slide, I'll kind of rattle some off. But to us, we think there's acquisition strategy, there's commission strategy, there's engagement strategy, there's partnership strategy, there's sample strategy, tiering strategy, incentive strategy, event strategy, content strategy. So there's all these different strategies. MC 00:00:36 Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:50 Do you want to know what's actually working on TikTok shop right now? What are the strategies some of the top brands are implementing in order to grow their shop sells or attract new affiliates. Well, you're going to love today's conversation. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. Josh Hadley 00:01:05 I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my jour... | |||
| Why Most E-Commerce Brands Run Out of Cash (And How to Fix It) | 19 Mar 2026 | 00:35:42 | |
In this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley shares his "essential cash flow playbook" for scaling e-commerce brands without outside capital. He explains how to forecast cash flow, delay payments to suppliers and ad platforms, and strategically use credit cards to extend payment cycles by up to 55 days. Josh details practical tactics, such as rotating credit cards and using services to pay suppliers, to improve cash conversion cycles and avoid debt. He emphasizes the importance of disciplined cash flow management as the foundation for sustainable, rapid business growth. Links and Mentions: Tools and Strategies Quotes Websites Credit Cards and Financial Tools Payment Services Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction & Episode Overview 00:00:57 The Hidden Strategy Behind Top E-commerce Brands 00:01:54 The E-commerce Cash Flow Challenge 00:03:50 Personal Cash Flow Crisis Story 00:04:53 The Importance of Cash Flow Forecasting 00:05:56 How the Cash Flow Spreadsheet Works 00:07:09 Forecasting Purchase Orders and Launch Timing 00:08:08 Spreadsheet Walkthrough: Weekly Cash Tracking 00:11:04 Identifying Cash Shortfalls and Solutions 00:12:57 When (and When Not) to Use Debt 00:13:53 The Dangers of Leverage Without Financial Sophistication 00:14:54 Credit Card Hack: Delaying Payments 00:16:38 Increasing Amazon Billing Thresholds 00:17:34 Paying Ad Charges with Multiple Credit Cards 00:18:19 Credit Card Application Hack 00:19:08 Optimizing Statement Dates for Maximum Float 00:20:12 Amex Plum Card for Extended Float 00:21:06 Seasonal Cash Flow Management Example 00:21:57 Rotating Credit Cards & Tracking Rewards 00:22:46 Recommended Business Credit Cards 00:23:54 Paying Suppliers with Credit Cards via Third Parties 00:24:56 Offsetting Credit Card Fees with Rewards & Tax Savings 00:28:06 Turning Cash Conversion Cycle Negative 00:29:06 Cash Conversion Cycle Levers: Positive & Negative 00:31:53 Impact of Credit Card Hack on Cash Flow 00:32:55 Action Steps & Forecasting Best Practices 00:34:37 Conclusion & Free Resources Offer Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 How would you like to be able to delay payments to your suppliers and even like the big advertising platforms like meta, like Google, like Amazon, even TikTok shop by over 55 days without missing a due date or without having your ads turned off. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Would you like to know the number one strategy that sits behind some of the best performing e-commerce brands in the entire world? And this is the strategy that actually sits behind the scenes. It's not outwardly visible, but it allows them to scale infinitely and you never know what's sitting behind the scenes. Today, I'm going to be revealing what that number one strategy is and how you can implement it into your own business. Josh Hadley 00:00:57 My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I'm a father of four and husband to a beautiful wife. I've been in e-commerce business owner for over ten years now, and also an eight figure business owner doing multi millions of revenue on Amazon, Shopify, TikTok shop and also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, the E-com Breakthrough Podcast. So today, what is this number one strategy that sits behind the scenes? It's I'm going to show you it's the essential cash flow playbook. And first you're going to be like oh Josh, that's not that's not hot. That's not sexy. Like, this is this isn't like magic. This isn't the number one strategy. Today I'm going to show you why. It truly is ... | |||
| Throwback: Don't Let Amazon's Changes Dim Your Profits | 18 Mar 2026 | 00:17:09 | |
In this episode, the host interviews Amazon and e-commerce expert Bradley Sutton, who shares actionable strategies for successful Amazon product launches. Bradley discusses natural keyword integration, backend optimization, and advanced Helium 10 tools like Historical Cerebro and inventory management. He highlights the importance of monitoring Amazon listing changes with alerts to avoid costly mistakes, and offers advice on budgeting for product launches. The episode concludes with Bradley’s personal recommendations and tips for staying informed, providing valuable insights for Amazon sellers aiming to optimize listings, manage finances, and scale their businesses effectively. Chapters: Introduction to Bradley Sutton and Amazon Listing Strategies (00:00:00) Where to Add Keywords in Listings (00:01:15) Special Features Field and Indexing Speed (00:02:47) Advanced Helium 10 Tools for Launches (00:04:15) Sponsored Ad Placements and New Page One Strategies (00:06:46) Three Actionable Takeaways for Product Launches (00:08:37) Financial Acumen and Scaling Successfully (00:10:57) Bradley’s Most Influential Business Book (00:12:07) Underutilized Helium 10 Tools for Sellers (00:13:59) Where to Follow Bradley Sutton (00:16:45) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Additional Resources Books Podcasts Social Media Links Key Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Bradley Sutton. Bradley is passionate about everything Amazon and e-commerce. He can talk about anything really. Launch strategy. Keyword research, the Amazon algorithm and everything in between. He has launched hundreds of products on Amazon for himself and clients, and he is privileged to host the most listened to podcast in the world for Amazon sellers. The Serious Sellers Podcast. Meeting helium ten customers around the world is his favorite thing to do with that. Welcome to the show, Bradley. Bradley 00:00:33 Thank you for having me here. It's great to be here. Josh 00:00:35 My question to you, Bradley, is you talked about add some of the top keywords into your listing. Where do you add them into your listing? because I could foresee an issue of, for example, maybe you're selling a calendar, right? And a pen. There's one particular type of pen, or it's a set of markers or something, right. That keeps showing up in the the frequently bought together. But those are very kind of two very different products. Josh 00:01:02 Right? So how would you go about incorporating the marker top keywords into calendar type, you know, a calendar type product and where do you put them right. Does it matter? Is it bullets? Description. Back end. Bradley 00:01:15 There's a couple of different ways. So like the most ideal way is just to get it as organic and natural as possible. You know in there. So like the you know perfect situation would be like for example, let's use that gothic, candle holder. You know, I could like, say in one of the bullet points or description, like, you know, hey, you can put a gothic candle holder on top of the coffin shelf and then you have a real spooky, you know, effect or whatever like that. You know, like something that actually makes sense. That's not that's not keyword stuffing. Yeah. You know, sometimes that doesn't you know, you're not able to do that most of the time though, if you really think about it. I mean, if two products are complementary, there's a way to tie it together. Bradley 00:01:51 I mean, otherwise it wouldn't be complementary with each other. Like like there's got to be a way. But in the extreme circumstances where there's not, of course you've got your search terms, your back end search terms. most Categories still have hidden the subject matter like you can't do it in your edit listing, but like once you create your listing, if you use like helium ten Listing Analyzer or you or your advanced user of flat files like in helium ten Listing Analyzer, we still have the subject matter and even though you don't see it there, it still works like we can tie it in the API in the back end. And then so there's usually 4 or 5 more lines of 50 characters. So you can put some of these keywords and then another one where it's very limited. But like if you just can't put it anywhere, is is this this back end feature that, that categories like home and Kitchen have that's called special features. And that doesn't help for ranking. But special features is like the most it's the craziest field I have seen in Amazon in years where I could put something there. Bradley 00:02:47 And I'll get index for it, like in less than 60s, you know, really, you know, if you change your title or your description, sometimes it takes like up to a day for you to get index or for you even to show up. You change something in the search terms. Like it was amazing that hey, like within 15 minutes you could be indexed, you know, like in the old days, this one is like less than 60s. And I could I prove that two ways. You know, using that special URL, that Ajax URL that that shows what's in the back end, or by actually just running index checker to show that, hey, this wasn't indexing then 60s later it is. So, it's it you have to be careful that you can't keyword stuff like you can in search terms and subject matter because the special features it's actually this is kind of a positive and a negative. the positive of course, is that, you know, you can index almost anything at all, even if like sometimes st... | |||
| The TikTok Shop Playbook That Turns Small Creators Into Big Sales | 16 Mar 2026 | 00:34:35 | |
Josh started his career at American Airlines (AA) and spent 5 years in their MBA leadership development program. Josh’s experience at AA further refined his leadership abilities and strategic decision making skills. While employed at AA Josh and his wife Becca started Hadley Designs. As the CEO of Hadley Designs, Josh led the business to gross $100,000+ in revenue within it’s first year and in 2022 Hadley Designs crossed the eight figure mark, grossing over $10,000,000 in revenue. In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, standing still means falling behind. In a recent episode of the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast, host and eight-figure brand owner Josh Hadley pulls back the curtain on the real struggles and breakthrough strategies that have propelled his business from the brink of collapse to new heights. This episode is a masterclass for e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to scale beyond seven figures, with a special focus on leveraging TikTok Shop, affiliate marketing, and integrated sales funnels across Amazon and Shopify. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his journey overcoming business setbacks and reveals his proven strategies for scaling e-commerce brands on Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop. He details how he rebuilt his business using TikTok Shop affiliate marketing, building a network of creators, and optimizing sales funnels. Josh emphasizes the importance of creator partnerships, viral content, and subscription models, offering listeners a step-by-step blueprint for driving growth and profitability in today’s competitive e-commerce landscape. He also provides actionable tips and resources for brands seeking to break through stagnation and achieve lasting success. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources & Links Section | |||
| How to Hire the Right People: The 3 Interviews That Reveal True A-Players | 12 Mar 2026 | 00:43:11 | |
In this solo episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his proven framework for hiring senior leadership in ecommerce. Drawing from personal experience, Josh outlines the costly pitfalls of bad hires and emphasizes the value of securing top 1% talent. He details a structured, three-part interview process focused on track record, culture alignment, and role competence, offering actionable tips for assessing candidates. Josh also discusses the legal and financial implications of hiring, underscoring the importance of systems and focus for business growth. The episode concludes with a call to share and review the podcast. Hiring the wrong person can be a costly "hiring mistake" for any business, impacting your bottom line significantly. This video dives into effective "recruitment" strategies and a robust "hiring process" to help you avoid these pitfalls. Learn about crucial "interview questions" and how to "how to hire" the right talent to propel your e-commerce brand forward. 💥 #BusinessTips #EcommGrowth #HiringSmart #shorts Timestamps: 00:00:00 The Pitfalls of Charismatic Hires 00:00:30 Introduction & Podcast Context 00:01:59 Early Hiring Mistakes 00:04:10 The High Cost of a Bad Hire 00:06:05 Legal and Tax Implications of Remote Hires 00:08:07 The Power of Great Hires 00:09:07 Overview of the Senior Leadership Hiring Framework 00:10:03 Track Record of Performance Interview 00:11:06 Conducting the Track Record Interview 00:13:30 Truth Serum Questions & Reference Checks 00:17:07 Identifying Top 1% Patterns 00:23:50 Red Flags and Non-Redemption Policy 00:24:49 Culture Alignment Interview 00:27:40 Core Values Deep Dive 00:29:42 Role Competence/Technical Interview 00:30:40 Metrics and Business Impact Questions 00:35:25 Case Studies and Test Projects 00:39:10 Scoring and Rubrics for Test Projects 00:40:03 Summary of the Three-Stage Framework 00:42:07 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Books Videos Core Values Interview Frameworks Podcast Platforms Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 And honestly, one of the biggest mistakes that you can make is hiring somebody that is very charismatic, that can talk really eloquently in an interview and come off as though they are really polished and well put together. But then when they actually have to do the work, that's where they fall apart. And at that point it's way too late. You've already incurred some massive expenses in the business once you've actually initiated those hires for your business. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Have you ever made a hire and then 30 days later, regret that decision and realized that you just made a bad hire? And would you like a framework that could increase your odds and success rate of hiring the right person and being confident that you have found top 1% talent? That's what I'm going to be diving into today. Josh Hadley 00:00:58 So today I'm going to be diving into the senior leadership, hiring and interview framework that I use in my own business to be able to assess whether I have a level talent, the top 1% talent, because this is honestly one of the best competitive advantages that you can have in your business, bar none. I don't care what happens with AI, I don't care what happens with the economy. I know that one thing will always exist throughout the entire lifetime of us as humans, and that is the arbitrage opportunity that comes from hiring the right person. The right person can have an outsized, massive ROI better than any stock return that you could possibly have, better than any new sales strategy that you're going to implement. Hiring the right person can provide an infinite ROI for your business. And that's why I'm so adamant about nailing this for my own business. So today, what I want to share with you is really what came over a period of time. First and foremost, my name is Josh Hadley. I am a man of faith. Josh Hadley 00:01:59 I am a husband to a beautiful wife and a father of four. I have also been in the e-commerce game for over a decade, and I'm an eight figure brand owner selling multi millions on multiple channels TikTok shop, Shopify and Amazon. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce, Ecom breakthrough. Today, I'm going to be diving into the problem that I ran into first and foremost. When I began hiring for the first time, I started just jumping on zoom calls wit... | |||
| Throwback: Mastering Amazon - Essential Strategies for Supplier Relationships, Cash Flow, and Inventory Management | 11 Mar 2026 | 00:16:05 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Pradeep, a scientist-turned-entrepreneur who built a seven-figure Amazon business in under a year. They discuss advanced strategies for Amazon sellers, focusing on negotiating cost of goods sold, building strong supplier partnerships, optimizing inventory and cash flow, and avoiding the pitfalls of launching too many products at once. Pradeep shares actionable tips on supplier negotiations, payment terms, and expense management, emphasizing the need for a sophisticated, business-minded approach to succeed in today’s competitive Amazon marketplace. Chapters: Introduction to Pradeep and His Background (00:00:00) Beyond Basic Amazon Strategies (00:00:37) COGS Negotiation and Supplier Relationships (00:01:45) COGS Tracking and Unit Economics (00:04:19) Inventory Management Pitfalls (00:05:44) Amazon Warehousing Changes and Cash Flow (00:06:53) Cash Flow Mistakes and Overspending (00:07:13) Negotiating Payment Terms for Cash Flow (00:09:42) Launching Multiple Brands: Cautionary Advice (00:11:50) Key Takeaways and Action Steps (00:13:04) Expense Management and Exit Planning (00:15:08) Closing Remarks (00:15:57) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Key Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I am excited to introduce you to Pradeep. He is trained as a scientist at Oxford University and Harvard University, and then he became the vice president of Global Business development for a biotech company. During the pandemic, he found himself in a unique situation which led him to start his Amazon e-commerce business. He became a seven figure seller in just 11 months and now has a new business model of acquiring distressed assets, and he also owns a boutique Amazon account and launch management agency. So welcome to the podcast, Pradeep. Pradeep 00:00:36 Thank you so much. Josh 00:00:37 I love that you made the mention of when we go to conferences. And as you listen to speakers speak on stage or even listening to podcasts time and time again, we hear the same optimization strategies and the same keyword strategies, and it's just a new tool that people are using. But instead what you're saying is like, the hard stuff is what people aren't necessarily talking about. People aren't getting into the weeds of cogs and negotiating with suppliers and renegotiating on an ongoing basis, and the finer details of logistics and where you're warehousing things. Josh 00:01:14 And with Amazon, you know, reducing inventory limits across the board for people. What are people doing now to kind of prepare themselves for a world where Amazon does limit you completely and with maybe 1 or 2 months worth of inventory and that's it. And how are you staging your inventory and still winning on Amazon in that environment and then cash flow? I mean, all of these things are such great topics. So yes, let's do a deep dive into each of these. Let's start with the cogs first. Pradeep 00:01:45 Yeah, sure. so what we see is quite interesting with cogs. the cog numbers to start off with, sometimes a minimum, we say 3 to 5, but as Amazon and e-commerce goes more expensive, I think it's about 8 to 10. So if you're buying something for $1, you should be above 8 to 10 in terms of selling prices, if not more, right? What we see is again and again people are saying, hey, we have particularly beginners, hey, we have this 3 to 4, but with inventory, PPC, shipping and all these things, it's just the profits are gone. Pradeep 00:02:21 Before the pandemic or during the pandemic is very profitable. And this is, by the way, experienced. This sounds stupid. I find I find myself finding myself stupid explaining this to someone, but we actually see it every day. Seven, eight, nine figure sellers saying you want this brand because the cogs have gone too expensive because they haven't worked out. Fundamentally, the multiples and the multiples have to be really strong now and the bigger multiple margin to sell. So those cogs are fundamentally negotiable, and you have to have the right product and the cogs are cheap. Price number one. It sounds stupid, but that's what we see. Number two is the negotiation. Hey, we bought 100,000 units. Next time we're going to have three 400,000 units. But you're still selling for the same price. Why? Your your factory should be giving you a note or, you know, handle cash flow or a cheaper price because they're getting raw material cheaper. And what we see is, you know, I sign NDAs, but what we see is some of these aggregators and others who are famous when they go back and some of these factories are quite savvy, say, hey, you raise X amount of money. Pradeep 00:03:29 All of a sudden your cogs are gone up. So, you know. So I think that's again how you negotiate and how you have exclusive agreements for a period of time, particularly on your best selling products. We do this in pharma and other business tools all around the world. You want it for five years. This is the price. If the if if inflation goes down or if the market changes, this is going to be a price. We have the power to change it not you. So it might be having exclusive agreements. And that's how sophisticated you guys we have to get in e-commerce. Because this is no longer a, a mom and pop kind of operation. This has to be sophisticated. Even if your mom and pop or a guy in a basement. That's how you should be thinking. you know, solar. It could be a corporate on your own, but you've got to think like that. So, cogs and how you define the first cogs, the renegotiate the cost is very important. Pradeep 00:04:19 Then thirdly, how are you people storing cogs, right. How are you doing unit economics and how are you storing Excel sheet or software and so forth. And that has to be updated on a daily basis. we see fundamental mistakes and we see fundamental errors as well. You can pick it out straight away from, profit and loss statements as well. so that's something people have to be aware of. And it gets really hard because if you have multiple brands, multiple products, multiple inventory, you know, it's all over the place. | |||
| The Step by Step Path to Turn Any Ecom Brand Into a $100M Retail Machine with Mark Young | 09 Mar 2026 | 01:09:31 | |
Dr. Mark Young, the Founder and CEO of Jekyll & Hyde Advertising, a powerhouse agency that’s been helping challenger consumer brands break through the noise and scale into household names with billions of revenue and exits for nearly three decades. He’s also the host of the CPG insiders podcast, the number 2 podcast in all consumer packaged goods niche. Mark is also the author of a new book 27 Unbreakable Rules of Retail, how to build a $100M+ brand in brick and mortar Mark is not your average marketer — his background blends neuroscience, persuasion, and behavioral psychology with decades of hands-on experience in CPG and direct-response advertising. Through his agency, Jekyll & Hyde, he’s helped hundreds of emerging brands launch, grow, and dominate retail shelves and online marketplaces. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Dr. Mark Young, CEO of Jekyll and Hyde Advertising. Mark shares his expertise on building $100 million consumer brands in brick-and-mortar retail, emphasizing that 80% of product sales still occur offline. He discusses the challenges of retail entry, the importance of unique, premium products, and the power of TV advertising to drive demand. Mark also highlights the value of expert partnerships and leveraging both human intuition and AI, offering actionable advice for e-commerce brands aiming to succeed in physical retail. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s): | |||
| The CEO Dashboard That Instantly Shows If You’re Winning or Getting Crushed | 05 Mar 2026 | 00:48:42 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares hard-earned lessons from a cash flow crisis in January 2024, when his business couldn’t fund payroll. He explains how this pivotal moment led him to develop a “CEO dashboard” with three essential tools: the Weekly High Five Tracker, a departmental scorecard for leading indicators, and a 52-week cash flow forecast. Josh also reveals advanced credit card strategies to optimize cash flow, emphasizing proactive management, team accountability, and the importance of focusing on activities that drive results for sustainable business growth. Join Josh Hadley on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast as he shares his journey scaling an ecommerce business from zero to eight figures. Discover essential business tips for effective business management, including strategies for tracking leading indicators, optimizing cash flow, and understanding key KPIs. This podcast is your guide to significant business growth and success. 🚀 Tools and Dashboards "Weekly High Five Tracker": "00:08:36" Books Websites and Services Key Metrics and Indicators Credit Cards Mentioned Concepts and Strategies Chapters: 00:00:58 Personal Story: Running Out of Cash 00:01:52 Lessons Learned from the Cash Crisis 00:04:46 The CEO’s Three Key Priorities 00:05:38 Desert Island Exercise & Dashboard Mindset 00:06:32 Leading vs. Lagging Indicators Explained 00:08:36 Tool #1: Weekly High Five Tracker 00:09:37 How the Weekly High Five Tracker Works 00:13:13 FAQs and Best Practices for the Tracker 00:16:06 Customizing Leading Actions for Your Team 00:17:54 Tool #2: Weekly Scorecard 00:19:47 Examples of Departmental Leading Indicators 00:21:12 Year-over-Year Metrics and Warning Signals 00:25:09 Supply Chain and Inventory Management Metrics 00:26:10 Tool #3: Cash Flow Forecast Sheet 00:27:18 How to Build and Use a Cash Flow Forecast 00:36:40 Credit Card Strategy for Cash Flow Management 00:39:37 Paying Vendors with Credit Cards & Fee Arbitrage 00:41:36 Optimizing the Cash Conversion Cycle 00:44:19 Favorite Credit Cards for E-commerce 00:46:17 Recap: The Three Dashboard Tools 00:48:13 Call to Action & Closing Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 So imagine you're on a desert island. You're stranded, you don't have your computer, you don't have your phone. You're just going to get three paper reports delivered to you. How are you going to know whether your business is going to be crushing it while you're away, or it's about to fall into the pits of despair? So today I'm going to introduce you to that answer. And this has been the CEO dashboard. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Have you ever wondered the best way to actually manage your business as a CEO, and do you wish you could actually see one specific dashboard that would tell you the exact health of your business, whether you are winning or losing? Today, I'm going to be introducing to you three different tools and dashboards that will allow you to effectively manage the business as the CEO. Josh Hadley 00:00:58 So today we're going to dive into the CEO dashboard. First off who am I. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost I am a man of faith. I am a husband to a beautiful wife and four children, and I have been selling in the e-commerce space for over ten years now, and a multi-million dollar seller on all sorts of platforms TikTok, shop, Shopify, Amazon and more. And also the host to the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce that is the E-com Breakthrough Podcast. Today, I want to start by sharing with you a story. I want to bring you back to a point in time. In my business, this was January of 2024, and I remember like it was just yesterday going upstairs to my office and it was a cold day. So I love... | |||
| Throwback: Unlocking the Secrets to a Profitable Exit | 04 Mar 2026 | 00:17:19 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Scott Deetz, an expert in helping Amazon and e-commerce entrepreneurs maximize business value and prepare for successful exits. Scott outlines the four pillars that make a business attractive to buyers: risk diversification, profitability, growth rate, and earnings size. He shares actionable tips, including building a data room, implementing monthly strategic finance reviews, and structuring accounting to maximize add-backs. Scott also discusses the importance of separating owner and business expenses to boost valuation, offering practical strategies for entrepreneurs aiming to scale and sell their businesses at top valuations. Chapters: Introduction to Scott Deetz and His Expertise (00:00:00) Defining a Valuable Platform: Four Key Pillars (00:00:18) Deep Dive into the Four Pillars (00:01:07) Capital Strategy and Growth (00:03:25) Recap of the Four Pillars (00:04:29) Input Metrics: Profitability, Scalability, Repeatability, Defensibility (00:05:46) Case Study: Operations vs. Product Innovation (00:07:16) Actionable Takeaway 1: Build Your Data Room Early (00:08:15) Actionable Takeaway 2: Implement Strategic Finance Monthly (00:10:03) Actionable Takeaway 3: Structure Accounting for Add-Backs and Valuation (00:11:17) Clarifying Add-Backs and Corporate Structure (00:13:06) Horizontal and Vertical Corporate Structuring (00:14:09) Conclusion and Final Thoughts (00:17:12) Links and Mentions: Tools and Concepts Actionable Takeaways Key Concepts Summary of Four Pillars for a Platform Company Transcripts: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Scott Deetz. Scott helps Amazon and e-commerce entrepreneurs unlock growth and profitability bottlenecks in their businesses, and then exit for a top valuation. Scott, welcome to the show. Scott 00:00:15 Hey Josh Scott. Great to be here and I'm really looking forward to it. Josh 00:00:18 Scott, maybe we can dive a little bit deeper into that case study. At the beginning, you talked about, you know, that they were you identified that they were a good platform, right? So that they could continue to grow. What does that platform mean? Scott 00:00:31 Yeah. So the pillars of a great platform, the way that I think about it, my mentor, and has done over $20 billion of transactions. So, you know, you know, old school 30, 40 years in the investment banking world. And he his number one thing that he said to me was, Scott, it's not what the seller is selling, it's what the buyer is buying. So I would encourage everybody to not think about what you think is valuable in a business, but think about what buyers value in a business? The first thing that buyers value is not growth, but it's risk diversification. Scott 00:01:07 So the first thing that you need to think about is that you need to be compliance as a part of risk diversification, but also true diversification of your products so that no one product has, you know, more than, you know, 20% of your revenue. Otherwise, Amazon shuts it down or new competition comes in. A buyer can't get comfortable with that risk profile. So, so the first thing I would say is you analyze your risk. The second pillar of valuation is your profitability percentage. And so a lot of people think that if they have more profitability, that they're more valuable than if they have smaller profits. And while that is one of the pillars, a company that has 25 or 30% profit margins is just much more flexible and therefore valuable than a company that's 10 or 15%. So the second thing that we saw in this company was that they had a. Ability to have profitable products. And then we went to growth percentage, which is the third pillar. And I would if you wanted to benchmark a minimum growth percentages 20% per year. Scott 00:02:19 Now with Covid and Covid bumps, you might not all be there. but remember, you're not selling what you've done. You're selling what the business can do with the buyers capital infusion. And their definition is that minimum 20%, ideally 30% year over year growth is required. Well, if you think about what that capability really is, what we saw in this platform was a capability to successfully innovate and launch new products into the marketplace, because once a product gets up to a certain level, it kind of is what it is. So for people that are looking at action items that they can have today, it's that ability to have a successful launch model to drive the growth rate to that particular output. And then the fourth one becomes the size of the earnings. If you can prove that you can do it over a longer period of time, then you become more valuable because 30% growth on a company with a million of revenues is a lot different than somebody with 10 million of revenue. and so I think it's just important to think along building in and that's where that capital need comes in. Scott 00:03:25 Yeah. Because, you know, in this situation, back to this case study we saw in them even what they didn't see. We saw the platform, but they were think of it as borrowing money from uncle Bob. And if you go by, borrow 50 grand from your uncle, that's no problem. But when your business is at 10 million and you go ask them for 1.2 million, you know, uncle Bob says, you know I love you, Josh, but you know, I'm not the right investor for that level. So you have to think of your capital strategy not as an event, but as a process where you're always looking at what capital at the lowest risk, in the lowest cost to fuel that growth. And a lot of people get to a certain level, they don't have the capital planning. So then the growth rate, you know, levels off. So we saw the platform and we brought the capital strategy to place, and we did it through a combination of debt and equity. Scott 00:04:17 And that's what continued to fuel the growth because the person already had in place the ownership group alr... | |||
| Sales Tax Audits Are Coming for Ecom Sellers, Here’s How to Avoid the Audit with Sam Ross | 02 Mar 2026 | 00:50:33 | |
Sam Ross is the Co-Founder and CEO of Numeral, a company revolutionizing how e-commerce and SaaS businesses handle US sales tax and international tax automation. Before launching Numeral, Sam built several e-commerce ventures that generated over $50 million in revenue, giving him first-hand experience with the challenges of scaling, managing cash flow, and preparing for an exit. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Sam Ross, co-founder and CEO of Numeral. They discuss the complexities of US sales tax compliance for e-commerce businesses, especially after the 2018 Wayfair Supreme Court decision. Sam shares his entrepreneurial journey, explains how Numeral automates tax compliance, and offers practical advice on managing tax risks. The conversation also explores emerging e-commerce growth strategies, including leveraging AI, personalized marketing, and niche product development, providing actionable insights for founders navigating today’s challenging tax and digital landscape. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): | |||
| Why 8 Figure CEOs Ignore 80% of Their Business & Grow Faster | 26 Feb 2026 | 00:28:27 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explores the “hidden cost of growth” in e-commerce. Drawing from his own journey scaling to eight figures, Josh explains how business expansion often leads to overwhelming complexity, not more freedom. He introduces the “momentum matrix,” a framework based on the 80/20 rule, to help entrepreneurs focus on the most impactful products and sales channels. Josh shares actionable strategies for prioritizing efforts, reducing operational overload, and maintaining lifestyle goals while scaling, emphasizing that true freedom comes from systems and focus—not just hitting revenue milestones. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast! 🚀 In this episode, Josh Hadley shares his journey in scaling a business from zero to eight figures, focusing on practical strategies for founders. We discuss the importance of simplicity in business, utilizing "The Momentum Matrix" to identify growth drivers and profit engines while avoiding "The Complexity Trap." Learn how the 80 20 principle animated helps identify the most impactful SKUs and sales channels for optimal time management and accelerated growth. Tune in to level up your business! Tools and Frameworks Concepts and Principles Websites and Platforms / Sales Channels Action Items Chapters: Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:01:00 I can't even fathom what that looks like. And then I achieve that and I say, oh, I'm nowhere near the kind of the freedom aspect or the lifestyle that I was on set out to achieve. We're going to be diving into how to prevent those issues from creeping up inside your business. That as it scales, how do you still continue to maintain that freedom of time and lifestyle that you set out to achieve? I'm going to be sharing three actionable things that we have implemented in our own brand to ensure that it's not only me who's getting constrained, but it's also the team members that also feel like they're getting more free time back onto their calendars in order to help grow the business in the correct way. So who am I? Number one, my name is Josh Hadley. I am first and foremost a man of faith. I'm a father of four and also a husband to a beautiful wife. I've been in the e-commerce space for over ten years now and primarily driving revenue on some big sales channels Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. Josh Hadley 00:02:03 And last but not least, I am the host of the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast and is one of the number one e-commerce podcasts for business strategy. All right, so today we are diving into what is the hidden cost of growth, why scaling actually makes you feel busier instead of free. And guess what? All of us get stuck in this trap at one point or another. When I explain this inverted pyramid of value in my last episode, I talked about how most founders get stuck doing the admin, the busywork, even the operational optimizations where they just feel like they're putting in 40 60 hours a week, which is good. However, they're not focused on the growth levers in the business. And so what happens, though, when you do focus on the growth levers of the business? Your business will actually scale. It will begin to grow. But therein with that scale will come the additional cost. And we're going to be diving into what is that hidden cost. If you're doing the right things and you are working on the growth levers of the business, what are the costs that you are going to incur and how do you prevent having to pay some of the expensive costs associated with the growth of that business? All right. Josh Hadley 00:03:17 So let's talk about what is the hidden cost of growth. All right. Basically complexity grows sometimes faster than even your revenue or especially your profitability. So why does that happen? Well, let's say you did work on focusing on those growth levers. That means you either introduced more SKUs to your business or you introduced additional sales channels. All right. Now those things are good. It did create some more revenue for you. But by incorporating those new, new things into the business, the number of ta... | |||
| Throwback: Protecting Your Genius - The Essential Role of IP in Building a Profitable Brand | 25 Feb 2026 | 00:17:27 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Afolabi Oyerokun, co-founder of Honu Worldwide, about his journey building successful Amazon brands. Afolabi shares key lessons he’d apply if starting over: focus on innovation, automate processes, and prioritize time for rest and strategic thinking. He emphasizes creating unique products, niching down, and protecting intellectual property through patents and copyrights. Afolabi also discusses using data-driven research for product development and effective listing strategies. The episode offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to scale and protect their e-commerce businesses. Chapters: Introduction & Guest Background (00:00:00) Lessons Learned & The Importance of Freedom (00:00:56) Three Key Takeaways: Innovate, Automate, Rest (00:02:21) The Power of Innovation & Niching Down (00:04:58) Protecting Intellectual Property (00:08:30) Case Study: Copyright Enforcement on Amazon (00:10:24) The Value of IP in Brand Exits (00:12:19) Finding Design Inspiration & Trend Analysis (00:14:08) Product Listing Strategy: Variations vs. Standalone (00:16:20) Closing & Future Topics (00:17:11) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Concepts and Ideas Key Takeaways Notable Quotes Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm really excited to introduce you to Afolabi Oyerokun. He is the co-founder of Honu Worldwide and Innovative Product Development, Sourcing and 3PL company based in Pennsylvania. Afolabi has always been a has always been passionate about finding things, haggling and negotiating prices. His obsession with finding good quality products at bargain prices led him to help several seven and eight figure brands increase their profits and scale rapidly by buying smart from Asia and the US. He is behind the successful launches of several multi-million dollar products on Amazon and other retail channels. An entrepreneur at heart, Afolabi owns and has sold a few seven figure private label brands. He loves helping people design, develop and manufacture innovative products. Welcome to the show. Afolabi 00:00:53 Thank you Josh. I'm happy to be here. I'm excited. Josh 00:00:56 You know, if you were to restart on Amazon, which I think that's what you're doing now, is you're creating some new brands and launching them on Amazon. What are some of those lessons, actionable takeaways that you can give to other sellers to say, hey, here are the challenges that we faced at different points in the business, that I'm going to make sure that we don't go through these same challenges again in the future. Josh 00:01:20 If you wouldn't mind breaking some of those lessons learned for us. Breaking it down. Afolabi 00:01:25 I'm going to, if I were to start all over again, I'm also going to weave some stories and past experiences into it. So when somebody goes into E-comm, you're starting your e-commerce or you're starting your Amazon business. Sometimes we forget the reason why we started in the first place. We forget the reason why we quit our jobs and we went into e-commerce. For me, my main driver was freedom. I wanted freedom, I wanted to be. I wanted to be able to control my time. I wanted to be able to be there for my family any day, any time. I wanted to be able to take off. If I want to take off, I want to take off, you know? Yeah. So you start this e-com business and you're married to it. You know, you're you're you're waking up 3 a.m. in the morning. You're, you know, you're sleeping late at night. So eventually it defeats the purpose of why you started in the first place. Afolabi 00:02:21 So we found ourselves caught up in all those things. You know, me and my business partner, we would fight each other. You know why? Why? You know why are we running out of stock? I'm like, I didn't know that product was going to run out of stock, you know? You know, we didn't have a good system in place and we didn't have the freedom or anything. So going back now, looking back to where we came from to now, there are three things I'm going to do differently this time. First, I'm going to innovate. Second, I'm going to automate. Third, I'm going to have a lot of free time to think. Because for me, I believe that thinking time is a very creative time. I believe that your rest time is very important. People ask me, you know, you know, jokingly, maybe I'm speaking to Norm, I mean, Norm. You know, there's my business partner on you. You know, he picks, you know, he picks up on me a lot. Afolabi 00:03:19 He's like, hey, I love you. What did you do this weekend? I'm like, no, I did nothing. I just sat on my couch and I was watching soccer all day. I was not doing nothing. You know, sometimes he calls me. I said, I'm going to stop disturbing me. I'm on the field with my son. We're playing soccer here. Please. You know. Yeah. Josh 00:03:41 So, yeah. Afolabi 00:03:42 Freedom. Time to spend time with your loved one is very important. So I'll make sure that this time I automate so that I can free up myself to do whatever I want whenever I wanted to do it. I don't want anything just pressuring me down all the time. Because when I'm thinking I'm creating things that are so valuable in my rest time. Yeah, I could be sitting on a lounge. I mean, on a on a on a recliner. And you, you know, you when you're relaxed, when your mind is at rest, you so many creative ideas come to you and you can look into your business and, and actually spot all the things you are doing wrong when you're in a relaxed mode, you know? Josh 00:04:26 Yeah. Josh 00:04:27 So you're you're kind of three takeaways then, right? If you were to restart would be to innovate, automate and then have more time for thinking and just downtime in general. Right. So... | |||
| Why Amazon Wants You to Overspend on Ads, The Hidden Truth No One Talks About with John LeBaron | 23 Feb 2026 | 00:59:06 | |
John LeBaron is the CRO at Pattern, the leading e-commerce accelerator that helps brands scale profitably across marketplaces worldwide. John runs the SaaS and Services business units for Pattern and oversees all global go-to-market activities for the company and its partners. Prior to joining Pattern, John ran marketing for the Google Cloud business at Rackspace and has held a variety of global marketing roles with leading tech companies including Apple, Cisco, and Ciena. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MSW from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Communications from Brigham Young University. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews John LeBaron, CRO at Pattern. They discuss how e-commerce brands can profitably scale on Amazon amid rising competition, pricing pressures, and operational challenges. John shares Pattern’s data-driven strategies—optimizing inventory, pricing, traffic, and conversion—using advanced AI tools and logistics solutions. Key takeaways include the importance of inventory availability, rigorous conversion rate optimization, and strategic PPC management to build organic rankings. The episode offers actionable advice for brands seeking sustainable growth and highlights Pattern’s role as a partner in navigating today’s complex e-commerce landscape. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.
John Lebaron 00:00:00 We're absolute zealots around something we call the e-commerce equation, which is revenue as a function of traffic times, conversion times, price times, availability. And I think that's very much the way that we think about accelerating brands is just isolating those specific variables of the equation and really going to work on okay for traffic, for example, there's paid traffic. There's, you know, organic traffic, there's off platform traffic. And what are all the hundreds of different kind of atomic levers that we want to pull and automate increasingly via AI for the brands that we represent. And and then helping them set an expectation, helping them forecast appropriately, helping them understand what is their ops upside. Speaker 2 00:00:47 Welcome to the E-comm Breakthrough Podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:01:00 Are you tired of getting squeezed by Amazon, watching your sales fall? Watching more overseas competitors come in to overtake your market share? Watching the race to the bottom pricing. Josh Hadley 00:01:12 Well, today's guest has the answer for you of how to di... | |||
| Throwback: The Secret Sauce to Scaling Your Brand - Delegation, Planning, and Investor Appeal | 19 Feb 2026 | 00:16:43 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews James Thomson, Managing Partner of Equity Value Advisors, about scaling e-commerce brands, especially on Amazon. James shares practical advice for brand owners aiming to grow from seven to eight figures, emphasizing the importance of delegating tasks, building a competent team, and creating a three-year business plan. He discusses making brands attractive to investors, leveraging capital for faster growth, and focusing on brand equity and customer experience. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for building teams, enhancing brand value, and strategic planning for long-term success and potential exits. Chapters: Introduction and Guest Background (00:00:00) Actionable Steps for Scaling from 7 to 8 Figures (00:00:58) The Power of Delegation and Building a Team (00:01:13) Strategic Thinking and Long-Term Planning (00:04:04) Making Your Business Attractive to Investors (00:04:53) Developing a Three-Year Business Plan (00:05:46) Preparing for Channel and Category Expansion (00:07:03) Securing Capital and Mindset Shift for Growth (00:09:01) Investor Excitement: Key Growth Levers (00:10:46) Three Actionable Takeaways for Brand Owners (00:12:33) The Importance of a Three-Year Plan (00:15:04) Conclusion and Contact Information (00:16:30) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Key Concepts and Strategies Actionable Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm really excited to introduce you all to James Thomson. James is the managing partner of Equity Value Advisors, advising brand executives and investors that are seeking guidance on how to accelerate e-commerce revenues and to align e-commerce and physical retail distribution and pricing strategies. Formerly, James was the chief strategy officer at Big Box Experts, a managed services agency supporting brand executive teams selling online, as well as private equity investors evaluating brands sold on Amazon. He has also served as the business head of Amazon Services, the division of Amazon responsible for recruiting tens of thousands of sellers annually to the Amazon Marketplace. He also served as the first fulfillment by Amazon Account Manager and prior to Amazon. James was a management consultant and retail banker. So with that introduction, James, welcome to the podcast. James 00:00:56 Thank you for having me today, Josh. Josh 00:00:58 On that note, James, I mean, we talked a lot about different strategies that people can be implementing to move from seven figures to eight figures and beyond. What would be like your actionable advice for them to say, hey, this is what I would do first, second, third. James 00:01:13 So the first thing I would do, we actually haven't talked about yet. First thing I would do is I would start to delegate tasks to people and clear up your plates so you can spend more of your time thinking about how to go and source better products, how to do more research to find those product gaps in your catalog that you can start to fill. How to start thinking about new channels that you might expand into. When I think of the day to day activities of what it takes to run an Amazon business, there's an awful lot of stuff that, quite frankly, we don't really like doing. You got to check reports. You got to check seller central. You got to check your inventory. You probably got to talk to your, three people if you've got one that's bringing products in from overseas. There's a lot of activities that need to be looked at. And I didn't even talk about, oh, you got to file 20 seller support tickets today. All that kind of stuff you need to be saying to yourself, even though I think I can do this better than anybody else in the world. James 00:02:08 The reality is, there's only so many hours in the day you need to go hire a VA or outsource this to a trusted colleague who, you know, make. Of course you know it's going to cost you money, but the money that you spend to have somebody do a lot of these repetitive tasks or tasks that you don't really like doing, that frees you up to do much higher value added stuff to drive your overall business. If you've got more time to be doing new product research and thinking through, okay, where is there opportunity for me to potentially expand my product line? where do I need to start thinking about culling out some of the products in my products? Because quite frankly, not all this stuff has turned out to be gold. You've got to have time to think through those bigger questions. And the only way to do that is to start outsourcing some of the mundane that comes with running an Amazon business. as you get better at outsourcing that and accepting the fact that, yeah, you know, this other person who's taking on these tasks may not be quite as amazing at doing it as I am, but quite frankly, I don't need amazing, I need confidence. James 00:03:10 And the more you can get competent help to help you with many of these tasks, the more time you free up to work on other types of activities. When my partner, business partner and I were running our Amazon agency, we did everything we put on every hat imaginable to run that business. And as we started to outsource certain tasks and get more comfortable with listen, we can outsource most of this stuff with high confidence to people, as long as we train them properly and we're patient and we get them up and running. All of a sudden we now had a multiplier effect. We have a multiplier effect. That's when the genius of being a business owner starts to really kick in. And yeah, you know, wouldn't you love to have five other people who is as strong and intelligent and good looking as you are to be there with you? I don't need that. I need 3 or 4 highly competent people in each of their specific areas to help me pursue different responsibilities so that I can go and tackle some of these bigger, long term questions. James 00:04:04 That's the stuff that really starts to matter, and that's the stuff where I get excited because I r... | |||
| Why Your 7 Figure Brand Will Never Hit 8 Figures (Unless You Fix This) | 18 Feb 2026 | 00:43:03 | |
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explores why many e-commerce brands stall between $1 million and $5 million in revenue. He introduces the "inverted pyramid of value" to illustrate how founders often get stuck in low-leverage tasks, and explains that breaking through requires identifying and focusing on the business’s main constraint. Josh shares actionable frameworks and prioritization strategies to help entrepreneurs delegate, systemize, and concentrate on high-impact activities, enabling them to escape the “swamp” and scale their businesses to the next level. Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough Podcast! I'm Josh Hadley, sharing my journey scaling an "ecommerce business" from zero to eight figures. This episode details "scaling strategies" and the "business mindset" needed to overcome common "business obstacles" faced by entrepreneurs. Learn how to identify constraints and "grow your business" beyond plateaus with a solid "ecommerce strategy"! 🚀🔥 #EcommerceTips #BusinessGrowth #shorts Tools and Concepts Books Video Content Key Concepts Questions for Identifying Constraints Business Constraints by Revenue Thresholds Action Items Encouragement Chapters: Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:01:05 This is the real reason why your growth will stall between that 1 million to $5 million revenue threshold. This is what I term the swamp of e-commerce. This is where it's like ridiculously hard because one of the most important things that you have to do is just simply work so much harder in the business. Or you could go out and hire a bunch of people, but you don't really have that amount of profitability yet. In order to go build out the true management or leadership team that you would ideally like. And so either you're going to need to go get venture funding to be able to afford that type of talent, or that means you're going to start needing to put in that 40, 60, 80 hour workweeks. That is going to really help you move out of that swamp. So let's talk about what are the real reasons why growth stalls between million and 5 million. Well, number one, most e-commerce brand owners, they don't understand the true value levers that sit inside of the business. Okay. And this is just kind of an entrepreneur syndrome at the end of the day, which is shiny shiny object syndrome, right. Josh Hadley 00:02:17 This is most entrepreneurs deal with this where it's like, oh great idea. Oh, I heard somebody else's killing it over here. Oh, that sounds like a great tactic. Maybe that's what I need for my business. Those might be all great ideas, but it really gets you going in multiple directions, which is actually what's keeping you stuck. a lot of brand owners, they get stuck doing a lot of admin work. They feel like they're busy and they may wear a badge of honor saying, yeah, I'm working 60 hour week workweeks. That may be fine, but if you're just stuck doing 60 hour workweeks, working on admin stuff with inside the business, you're not actually growing the business, and that's why you're stuck inside the swamp. In addition to that, you're optimizing parts of the business that have low leverage. And it could be something as simple as, you know, spending too much time focused on customer service or trying to refine that overly too much. And then last but not least. Josh Hadley 00:03:17 I mean, a lot of brand owners sometimes could be working on the right growth initiatives for their business. However, they get stuck because they're working on so many big growth levers at the same time. They're not they're kind of like an inch deep but a mile wide. And if you're trying to actually grow a certain growth lever in your busine... | |||
| Why 99% of TikTok Sellers Will FAIL (Hard Truth) with Rafay & Graeme | 17 Feb 2026 | 01:05:41 | |
Rafay and Graeme are the founders of The UpTik, an education and mentorship platform that helps eCommerce brands and entrepreneurs scale through TikTok. With over a decade of experience in eCommerce and short-form video, they’ve helped thousands of businesses grow on platforms like TikTok, Shopify, and Amazon using proven frameworks that drive real results. Their approach bridges the gap between traditional eCommerce and the creator economy—turning social media attention into anti-fragile revenue. They’ve worked with everyone from early-stage founders to billion-dollar brands, and their new book, Scroll to Sold, breaks down exactly how to turn TikTok attention into sales.
> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Rafay and Graeme, founders of Uptik and authors of From Scroll to Sold. They share expert strategies for e-commerce brands to succeed on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of benchmarking competitors, producing high volumes of content, and building strong, supportive relationships with creators. The discussion covers actionable tips, common pitfalls, and the evolving role of social commerce, offering listeners a roadmap to drive sales and brand growth through TikTok’s unique ecosystem. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode: | |||
| Throwback: How Can Brands Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace? | 12 Feb 2026 | 00:14:32 | |
In this episode, the host interviews Brian Johnson, a leading expert in online advertising and Amazon conversion strategies. Brian shares actionable advice on how brands can stand out in crowded marketplaces by highlighting unique product features, understanding buyer psychology, and continuously innovating their listings. He emphasizes the importance of clear, benefit-driven messaging and regularly analyzing competitors and customer feedback. Through real-world examples, Brian illustrates how deep customer understanding and attention to detail can drive sales and outpace competitors. Listeners gain practical tips for differentiating products and optimizing Amazon listings for higher conversion rates. Chapters: Introduction to Brian Johnson (00:00:00) Differentiation Through Unique Features (00:00:57) Mindset Shift in Product Optimization (00:02:16) Understanding Buyer Psychology (00:02:48) Continuous Innovation and Adaptation (00:04:15) Communicating Benefits Quickly (00:05:12) Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics (00:06:07) Three Actionable Takeaways (00:07:00) Pattern Breaking in Listings (00:09:04) Understanding Customer Motivation (00:10:25) Learning from Competitor Mistakes (00:12:00) Closing Remarks and Farewell (00:14:12) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Concepts and Strategies Actionable Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you all to Brian Johnson. Brian has served as a leader in online advertising and conversion rate strategy for nearly two decades. He's a trusted partner to tens of thousands of brands across the globe. And Brian's work has earned him a reputation as a disruptive force in a world brimming with new and interesting challenges. Through his advertising agency, Canopy Management, as well as his highly successful Amazon advertising consultancy, community training and software, Brian has helped over 25,000 brands increase sales by over $2 billion on Amazon through advertising strategy, conversion rate optimization and differentiation. The results his products and services deliver continue to put him in high demand, with companies both large and small around the world. So with that introduction, Brian, I want to welcome you to the podcast. Brian 00:00:56 Thanks for having me. Josh 00:00:57 I don't remember there's a there was a beer company and you might know this, right? That what they changed in their marketing is that they said that their their beer was filtered, right. I think that's the correct thing, right? Where their beer is the exact same. Josh 00:01:14 Went through the exact same process as everybody else. Right. And that is the differentiating factor is like they just went through that thought process of like, all right, what's the most expensive step or what's the what takes the longest amount of time. And they're like, oh, we spend a lot of time filtering. Let's call out that our beer is filtered. And so at that time, nobody else was calling out that our beer was filtered, whether that was important or called out. You know, and and it differentiated them. And I think there's a lot I mean, I've already had a big mindset shift with that, like with some of my products that, one thing that we can do is like there's a lot of like, hand tooling time that takes a lot of, like, hand craftsmanship for some of our products. It's like, why don't we say that this is actually handcrafted like each one gets, you know, we can market that. And instead of just looking at the standard competition and just looking at like, oh, what does everybody say about planners? Right. Josh 00:02:16 Well, our planner has 1000 pages. Mine has 1001 pages or things like that. That's that's the basic stuff. Like what? I love those questions that you talked about. And it can make such an impact. So I'll let you continue going down that path. But I want the audience to know, like this is a huge mindset shift and I don't we haven't had any podcast guests on thus far that's ever talked about something as simple as this when it comes to product optimization, that I think genuinely is like a true miss right now in the industry. Brian 00:02:48 It is a huge opportunity because I can I can guarantee you that. But, you know, I wasn't just being cheeky when I said, like, I could walk into any niche on Amazon and immediately see the opportunities. that is that is a true statement because your competitors, they don't understand the buyer psychology. They're not taking the time to consider their bio psychology. In fact, you're probably even going up against some brands that have, you know, a thousand SKUs and they don't have the time or the resources in order to even go through that process. Brian 00:03:16 But you can, right? If you truly are passionate about the audience that you're serving, I'll probably mention it a little bit later on. As far as, review, analysis. That's a whole, whole additional topic that goes into that. But, those examples, those are just a couple of, of, you know, 20 different, 30 different ways that you can make small improvements to how well that your product, you know, catches somebody's eyes, compels them or interests them, hooks them, I call it, to pull them into your product listing just from what's in your first 75 characters of your title. and then go towards the end the listing itself, 100% is that, yes, you can you can point out benefits and I and I made I pointed out a couple of examples here as far as like how do you come up with a benefit or feature that makes my product appear to be unique? Now, you brought up a very good point. And that is, you know, my competitors don't do this currently, and that is. Brian 00:04:15 Yes, they will adapt. When they see your success, they will emulate you. And you'll need to continue to innovate. So just plan on every six months going back, looking at your ni... | |||
| The 7 Meeting Framework Every Scaling CEO Needs | 11 Feb 2026 | 00:38:40 | |
Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, where I document my journey scaling an e-commerce brand and share the systems, strategies, and lessons learned in real-time. This episode introduces a scalable meeting cadence designed to improve business operations, outlining various types of effective meetings including weekly 1:1s, leadership huddles, and quarterly strategic planning sessions. Each meeting type has specific objectives and agendas to foster leadership and team alignment, ensuring your business is always moving forward. 🚀 In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his proven seven-meeting operating system for ecommerce teams. Drawing from his experience scaling an eight-figure brand, Josh details how structured weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings drive alignment, accountability, and rapid decision-making. He explains the purpose and agenda of each meeting, emphasizes the importance of preparation and focus, and offers actionable advice for implementing this system to eliminate distractions and accelerate business growth. Listeners gain a clear framework to improve team communication and execution on the path to scaling their own businesses. Tools, Frameworks, and Concepts Meeting Types Key Practices and Actions Websites and Media Key Takeaway Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction & Importance of Meetings 00:02:05 Common Meeting Challenges & The Seven Meeting Cadence Overview 00:06:52 Weekly One-on-One Meetings 00:13:51 15-Minute Leadership Huddles 00:17:25 Weekly L10 Leadership Meeting 00:24:47 Monthly All Hands Meeting 00:29:01 Monthly Financial Review 00:33:37 Quarterly Strategic Planning 00:34:47 Annual Strategic Planning 00:36:58 Action Steps & Conclusion Josh Hadley 00:00:00 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Fun fact do you know that 99% of you are holding meetings the wrong way? Or there's probably a good portion of you that don't even hold meetings at all because you see them as unproductive, not worth your time, or you have no idea what to even be talking about in those meetings. Today, I'm going to share with you the seven meeting operating system that I use in my own business, in order to ensure that everybody's rowing in the same direction, that we're executing, on the same strategies and tactics in order to scale to over nine figures. First and foremost, who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I am a man of faith, a father of four, and a husband to a beautiful wife. Josh Hadley 00:01:01 I've been selling into e-commerce space for over ten years. You can see that we've been in eight figure brand for quite a while, and we've been selling on many sales channels in the multi millions in each of these channels on Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And last but not least, host of the Econ Breakthrough podcast, where I'm documenting and sharing my journey with you so that you can implement those same strategies to scale your own business. First and foremost, before we even get into meetings, one of the key takeaways is making sure that you understand the principle that systems and focus, scale and and distractions kill. That's the first principle that you need to understand. Because if you understand that one principle, this will give you immense clarity for every meeting that you step into systems and focus, scale, distraction kills. All right. So who of you listening can relate to this? Meetings feel like a waste of time. You don't know what to talk about in meetings. Your team seems disengaged in your meetings. Josh Hadley 00:02:05 Meetings seem to create more work instead of actually solving problems or the work. Meetings drain your energy. Instead of creating more momentum in your business and you feel like you're the only one driving those meetings. All right. If you... | |||
| The #1 Mistake TikTok Shop Sellers Make When Launching a Product with Michelle Barnum Smith | 10 Feb 2026 | 01:12:46 | |
Today on the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, let’s welcome a true expert in the world of social commerce, Michelle Barnum Smith. Michelle is the founder of TTShopSellers and one of the leading voices when it comes to helping e-commerce brands unlock the massive potential of TikTok Shop.
Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Michelle Barnum Smith, founder of TTShopSellers, TikTok Shop Strategist and TikTok Shop Expert. Michelle shares actionable strategies for e-commerce sellers looking to succeed on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of focused product selection, engaging content, and leveraging affiliates. She explains how TikTok Shop differs from traditional marketplaces, offers tips on pricing, merchandising, and listing optimization, and discusses the necessity of continuous content creation and advertising. The episode concludes with personal insights from Michelle and an invitation for listeners to access free audits and further resources. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode: | |||
| Throwback: Are You Missing Out on 40% of Your Revenue? The Power of Email Marketing for Amazon Sellers | 05 Feb 2026 | 00:16:26 | |
In this episode, e-commerce expert Norm Farrar shares actionable strategies for Amazon sellers to build and engage their own audiences. He discusses using insert cards to collect customer emails through offers like free products, warranties, and cookbooks, and emphasizes the importance of email marketing to boost revenue. Norm explains how to create and repurpose valuable content, such as chef-sourced recipes, across Amazon posts and social media. He also highlights the benefits of hosting live cooking shows on Amazon Live and using video creation services to enhance product listings, offering practical tips for optimizing Amazon sales and brand growth. Chapters: Introduction to Norm Farrar (00:00:00) Case Study: Email List Building with Insert Cards (00:00:33) Insert Card Offers: Free Products and Extended Warranties (00:01:36) Meal Plans, Cookbooks, and Recipe Content Strategy (00:03:20) Repurposing Content: Newsletters and Amazon Posts (00:04:34) Mindset Shift: Value-Driven Email Marketing (00:05:00) Amazon Live Cooking Show Launch (00:06:52) Live Content Strategy and Product Demonstrations (00:07:45) Video Content Creation and Repurposing (00:09:07) Using Billo for Video Production (00:10:38) Three Actionable Takeaways for E-commerce Brands (00:12:57) Amazon Internal Tools for Listing Optimization (00:14:46) Closing Remarks (00:16:21) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce to you Norm Farrar. Norm specializes in providing e-commerce and online marketing services for brands. He has worked with fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, and 20th Century Fox since the early 1990s. Norm has focused on helping entrepreneurs optimize their operations and unlock their businesses potential. Presently, he is the host of the popular Amazon podcast lunch with Norm. So welcome to the show, Norm. Norm 00:00:32 Hey, glad to be here. Josh 00:00:33 So, Norm, I wanted to ask, you know, what are some of the best practices that you see with that? And maybe do you have any case studies or maybe some examples that you might be able to share with us, just to kind of spark some ideas in people's mind of the various opportunities that do lie in, you know, building your own audience off of Amazon from those insert cards. Norm 00:00:55 Well, and it's a good and bad story, but I know we were working with a beauty company who had built an email list up to 280,000 emails. Norm 00:01:08 Wow. But he would not. He never. He thought it was inconvenient. It would inconvenience people if he sent them emails. Josh 00:01:18 That doesn't make sense. Norm 00:01:19 280,000 emails. So yeah, that that that wasn't, that wasn't a smart move, but, Josh 00:01:27 Attracting. I mean, how did he attract 280,000 people to give him their email address? Right. Like, do you know what the offer was? Norm 00:01:36 Yeah. Well, different beauty products. So what it would be is you could go. You could go to the insert. It would go to a landing page. The landing page, would offer them one of his other products. So if you had the shampoo conditioner, you could have the, what's called keratin treatment, or you could have, there was, some serums and stuff like that, but you were offered a free product. So in the $10. Josh 00:02:06 In the insert card on the insert card, it says, hey, claim your free product I assume then yeah. Okay. Norm 00:02:13 Yeah. So all it did was send. Norm 00:02:16 He got the email address and the address because he had to send the product. So he had, he had it all and he did not and would not send out a single email. Josh 00:02:29 Fascinating. Yeah. Which is you know, going back you kind of shared that stat that you think that people are missing out on 40% of revenue just by not implementing, you know, additional as. Yeah. Right. Norm 00:02:43 You sell a million bucks, you're missing out a 400,000. Josh 00:02:46 Fascinating. Yeah. Any other stories or examples of, like, insert cards or, you know, ways that work to get people to provide their email address? Norm 00:02:56 Well, there's always the extended warranty. So that is something, again, going back to the knife company, extended warranty. So it's a lifetime warranty. Okay, great. That's a lifetime warranty anyway. Basically. But, you know, it's a lifetime warranty. another one was just like I was talking to you about before. A knife with the honing rod. Okay, great. Norm 00:03:20 another one that worked for that company was the meal plan and cookbook. So you can either download and get a weekly email. So what's in that weekly email with the weekly plan? Well, there's some sort of promotion. It wasn't all the time, but there was either just some recipes. So this is something that we did as well. We went out and we, talked to chefs and we talked to culinary schools, and we gave them, very expensive knife. And so the deal was we'll supply the whole class with these very expensive knives. if they provide us with a recipe and spread it out on their social media, tag us on their social media. So we got a ton of user generated content and we got a ton of Recipes. So what do we do on Amazon posts? We provided recipes. So that started to get a very unique following. And then because of that, we ended up getting all this really cool stuff that we could put onto this other page, fill in to the newsletter, and when people got their newsletter, they got recipes, which ended up being two full, really incredible recipe books. Norm 00:04:34 So now we give away the recipe books. But we could peel off one recipe at a time, which people enjoyed, you know? And we didn't do it, but you could have even segmented it further. If the person was vegan, you could just send them vegan recipes or vegetarian or, you ... | |||
| Amazon Supply Chain Secrets with Ephraim Ausch | 03 Feb 2026 | 01:03:07 | |
Ephraim Ausch, Chief Logistics Officer at Tactical Logistic Solutions. With years of hands-on experience helping brands navigate the complexities of Amazon FBA and global supply chains, Ephraim has been instrumental in guiding 7-figure sellers to scale with smarter, more reliable shipping and logistics strategies.
Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Ephraim Ausch, Chief Logistics Officer at Tactical Logistics Solutions. They discuss the evolving challenges Amazon sellers face, including rising logistics costs, tariff complexities, and intense competition from overseas sellers. Ephraim shares actionable strategies for optimizing supply chains, navigating shipping terms, and maintaining profit margins. The conversation also covers the importance of brand building, diversification across marketplaces, and leveraging expert consultants. Practical advice and industry insights make this episode essential listening for e-commerce entrepreneurs aiming to scale and stay competitive. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.
Ephraim Ausch 00:00:00 The main question. You start off right now. Should I use AWS or not? Is the main factor. Question is the cost right? AWS is actually increasing the rates as of January 1st for West Coast. Now obviously that's going to push more people to East Coast where it takes longer to get there, but they'll get congested there and then they'll raise the rate in East Coast. And then they raise the rates across the board. I believe that's their model. MC 00:00:29 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business... | |||
| Throwback: Don’t Let Your Listings Get Hijacked - The Amazon Seller’s Guide to Staying Safe! | 29 Jan 2026 | 00:17:12 | |
In this episode, the host interviews Howard Thai, a former top 50 Amazon seller and founder of the Elite Seller Society mastermind. Howard discusses how his mastermind group helps sellers solve problems, access mentorship, and gain valuable resources. He shares insights on black hat tactics in the Amazon marketplace and stresses the importance of understanding these to protect your business. Howard advises sellers to fully optimize their listings, monitor for unauthorized changes, and innovate through unique product bundles to stand out and succeed on Amazon. Chapters: Introduction to Howard Thai and His Amazon Journey (00:00:00) Overview of the Elite Seller Society Mastermind (00:01:19) Value of Mastermind Groups and Continuous Learning (00:03:16) Black Hat Tactics: Stigma and Seller Concerns (00:04:22) Understanding and Defending Against Black Hat Tactics (00:04:52) Current Black Hat Tactics and Amazon’s Response (00:06:17) Proactive Listing Protection Strategies (00:08:32) Filling Out All Listing Fields for Security and Visibility (00:09:43) Leveraging Filters and Searchability on Amazon (00:11:41) Key Takeaways and Actionable Advice (00:12:52) Closing Remarks and Resources (00:15:59) Links and Mentions: Elite Seller Society Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Without further ado, I am excited to introduce to you Howard Thai. Howard is a former top 50 seller on all of Amazon. And his origin story as a seller is an epic itself. Between selling thousands of units of hoverboards daily and battling with Amazon Incorporated on Amazon, Apple actually on Amazon. The story of his humble beginnings is a story too long to tell. He began his journey as an educator by single handedly spearheading the training of Chinese sellers on Amazon. The insights that Howard provided and the tools he developed led to what many in the United States consider the Chinese takeover of Amazon. He has saved, started, scaled and sold hundreds of businesses via Amazon and other virtual platforms. And he's done it time and time again. So welcome to the podcast, Howard. Howard, I think this is a good time to kind of talk about your mastermind. You do something with the elite seller society and you have a mastermind big, you know, kind of event that you do once a year, I believe. Josh 00:01:05 this is something that I've been very interested and I keep asking you about. I think every time I talk to you, I'm like, hey, do you have the dates? And do you know where you're going yet? So tell us more about that. And what is it all about? What content are you sharing? Howard 00:01:19 So the elite level of society is like, a mastermind that I have created. it's everyone that's been in our event, our mastermind events that gets, gets added into and, we kind of go in and help each other within our group, like how to solve problems, as well as, there's like, something that we can offer our group through, like, other mentorships or through, like, special, like things. I'm working on getting our, all our membership members. Members, that own, their own, account rep So that they don't have to go through the SAS program or SAS program. That really sucks. So they're getting like really good quality. employees and Amazon being able to support them. Howard 00:02:13 So I'm talking to Amazon on that on how we can actually make that work for our employees. So that's just something cool that I'm working with or things that things that are always open when you're in the mastermind. I like like you said, my shift change. Like you never you're in a box all the time. For most of the people that aren't in, in these mastermind I'm talking about, like, if you're even in these podcasts or in Facebook groups, you'll never get the same kind of, like information that you really could get on those different platforms than if it was in Bessemer. You probably know that, Josh. so, like, I'm just sitting there and learning and like, oh, there is this thing that out there to doing this stuff, you know, I'm not ready yet for it, but I know it's out there exists, so I need to do it. Like, for example, like, digital marketing, you know, I need to do some marketing, but I went to, I went to, custom conversion. Howard 00:03:16 I went to, a lot of, Carrie's events, like the weird events, you know, three and and even I'm thinking about getting into those two masterminds, right? One from all inside one site and also from Perry site, you know, so I'm trying to I'm looking into that. They're not cheap. They're like maybe 25,000 a year. but, yes, it's from the world, right? Josh 00:03:39 So yeah, I know that. That's great. And I agree with your statement there, Howard, in terms of, you know, the deeper tactics, if you want to go deep with stuff, you need to start reaching out and joining some of those mastermind groups. So I think it's going to take your learning to the next level. Now, Howard, you've educated a lot of Chinese sellers, right? And I think there's a negative stigma in the marketplace where it's like, oh, the Chinese sellers, they just want to implement black hat tactics, and that's who's always attacking me. you know, prior to this conversation, you and I discussed and you're like, you, you see kind of the black hat, black hat tactics kind of, you know, lessening to some extent or or another. Josh 00:04:22 But from your experience, you are so well versed on Amazon. I know a lot of sellers are fearful when it comes to black hat tactics, but would you mind kind of educating our audience in regards to what are the active black hat tactics that you see being implemented right now, and what are ways that sellers can do to protect themselves in advance, as well as what do you do if you do have a black hat tactic that actually affects you and attacks your listing? Howard 00:04:52 People think that, you know, like this stigma like, hey, you know, black hat and you do black hat, right? But the reality is, if a person has been in this industry for so long, they would need to know how to protect themselves. What kind of backpack techniques? Like what you're asking. Right. so, like, a computer security guy, right? Who does? Computer security? Needs to know how people are coming in and attacking the system. So if you're like a programmer an... | |||
| Amazon Keyword Optimization is DEAD (The New Way to Rank on Amazon) with Jon Tilley | 27 Jan 2026 | 00:52:41 | |
Today’s guest is someone who’s on the cutting edge of Amazon growth strategy and tech innovation. I’m thrilled to welcome Jonathan “Jon” Tilley, the CEO and Co-Founder of ZonGuru—a powerful, AI-powered software suite built by Amazon sellers for Amazon sellers. With over a decade of experience in branding, digital strategy, and now SaaS leadership, Jon has helped thousands of serious sellers optimize their listings, scale profitably, and build businesses that last. Under his leadership, ZonGuru has grown into a globally trusted toolset, known for being Amazon Rufus-optimized, data-driven, and designed to boost revenue and conversion.
> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Jon Tilley, CEO of ZonGuru. They discuss how AI-driven search engines like Amazon’s Rufus are transforming e-commerce. Jon explains the importance of structuring product listings with new schema standards and focusing on brand storytelling to connect emotionally with customers. The conversation covers optimizing for AI algorithms, leveraging social platforms for visibility, and preparing for conversational commerce. Jon also shares practical tips and tools for sellers to future-proof their businesses in an AI-powered marketplace, emphasizing adaptability, authenticity, and deep customer understanding. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more. Transcript Area Jon Tilley 00:00:00 At the very heart of that. I think it's truly understanding how to technically structure your listings for these new intelligent algorithms. And there is a very specific schema that you should be applying to your listings, whether it's on Amazon or whether it's on Shopify or where else you are. you know that schema? The good thing about it is it is evolving around what that schema looks like and what influences that those algorithms. But, there is a lot of similarities in terms of the schema across the different platforms. So that I would say is is number one. MC 00:00:38 Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:52 Do you want to know what the future holds for the future of e-commerce and agent ecommerce? Or do you want to know how to stay ranked and relevant on Amazon as SEO dies and AI engine optim... | |||
| Throwback: Stop Hiring Helpers - Why You Shouldn't Be the "Genius with a Thousand Helpers" | 22 Jan 2026 | 00:14:35 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Ryan Deiss, founder of DigitalMarketer, about the smartest way for entrepreneurs to hire their first employees. Ryan explains why business owners should avoid hiring assistants for minor tasks and instead recruit experienced professionals who can fully own critical business functions. He discusses overcoming fears around big hires, financial considerations, and the importance of mapping out your value creation process. Ryan also shares strategies for systematizing operations and building a team that enables real growth and freedom, rather than creating more management headaches. Chapters: Introduction to Ryan Deiss and Episode Overview (00:00:00) Common Mistakes in First Hires (00:02:12) The "Genius with a Thousand Helpers" Trap (00:02:56) Hiring Professionals to Own Critical Functions (00:03:46) Overcoming Fear and Financial Concerns in Big Hires (00:04:37) Cost Comparison: Professionals vs. Multiple Helpers (00:06:14) The Real Cost of Ineffective Hiring (00:07:48) Path to Entrepreneurial Freedom (00:09:18) Debunking the "Learn It Before You Hire It" Myth (00:10:13) Three Actionable Takeaways (00:11:39) Closing and Where to Learn More (00:13:31) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Key Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce to you Ryan Deiss. Ryan is the founder and the CEO of The Scalable Company Digital Marketer, and a founding partner at Scalable Equity, LLC, a venture equity accelerator that builds and acquires B2B media and software brands. He is a bestselling author, founder of multiple companies, collectively employing hundreds around the globe, and one of the most dynamic speakers on business operating systems in the United States today. So welcome to the podcast, Ryan. Ryan 00:00:32 Thanks for having me. It is not difficult to be among the most dynamic speakers about business operating systems, because most people would consider that to be like watching paint dry. But I think it's I think it's pretty sexy stuff, so I appreciate that. Josh 00:00:47 Hey, and I agree as well. Typically it is, it is one of those topics that most people, I think tend to avoid, right? If you go to a conference and you're like, which one should I go to? I think the shiny object is always like the newest marketing hack, right? Or like social media? and with your experience obviously running Digital Marketer, you're you're well versed in that. Josh 00:01:09 And I think you could argue you're one of the most well-versed in digital marketing itself. But today we're going to be talking all about business operating systems. So how do you know who should be your first hire? Right. is it kind of going along that customer journey, so to speak, or your value journey that we're talking about here? And is it identifying, you know, hey, actually our secret sauce is in product innovation, right? Like that's our secret sauce. That's where it seems like we're bringing a lot of value, especially on Amazon. Right. You talk about, you know, bringing traffic. It's like well Amazon's brought traffic to you. Plus they have the fulfillment engine. So like they've tackled two big levers for a lot of people right. so if you identify like, hey, we're really good at product innovation or something like that, Does that mean, hey, I should first hire out that product innovation? Or do I need to figure out a product? Do I need to hire a project manager? Or is it an executive assistant? Like, how do you go through the process of deciding who to hire first and why? Ryan 00:02:12 So let me answer the question by telling you what not to do. Ryan 00:02:14 And then I'll come back around and give a more explicit answer. So what most people do, and it's not what you should do, is they go around and they look at all the stuff that needs to get done, right. And it's their name in all the boxes. And so what they say is, okay, I need to get somebody to help me with all of the little things so that I have more time to do these quote unquote important things. Right? So I need to hire, you know, a virtual assistant to help, like, answer my email and to deal with my scheduling. And, you know, I need to hire somebody else over here to, you know, respond to this and take care of that. And, you know, in this particular step, if I, if I just had somebody to help me do some of the pieces of this, you know, then, you know, then then I could be more efficient. And what we're doing when we do that is. Ryan 00:02:56 And the reason that's not what you do is you're what is known as the genius with a thousand helpers. Okay. And so you're not actually creating any additional space and freedom for yourself. You're just adding the management of other people and the tasking out of other people to your already cluttered to do list. And that's why it doesn't work. And that's why ultimately these people wind up failing and we're like, oh, they suck. And they were supposed to help me. And they're supposed to take time off. And they're not. They're just asking me all these questions. I don't have time to answer all these questions. Right. It's because we didn't hire someone to own a critical aspect of the value creation process. We hired somebody to help us continue to own that process. So what I would encourage you to do is look at the value creation flow and to say, what are the critical tasks and processes that I don't like. And I'm not particularly good at, but I'm currently being forced to do okay. Ryan 00:03:46 So it's incredibly critical. It's incredibly important. But you don't necessarily like doing it and and you don't necessarily. You're not necessarily the best in the world at it. So let's say again, you know, you're running an e-commerce business and you really love the product side of things. You love the innovation and the sourcing. you love, you know, thinking about the packaging and the positioning, but you're getting the bulk of your traffic, let's say, from, you know, Pinterest and Instagram. And really, you don't geek out that much on Pinterest and Instagram, but you're good enough at it, right? So what people would say is like, I guess I'm gonna get somebody to help with photography and maybe somebody can write some of the descriptions and do a littl... | |||
| Ecom Cash Flow Hack: How to Borrow from Yourself, Not the Bank with Mike Olson | 20 Jan 2026 | 00:56:20 | |
Today, I’m excited to welcome Mike Olson, Partner and Founding Member at WealthPoint, LLC. With over 25 years of experience in financial and insurance planning, Mike has dedicated his career to helping affluent families and business owners unlock clarity in complex financial decisions. He holds multiple professional designations—CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®, and MSFS—and is nationally recognized for his expertise in structuring insurance solutions that fuel business growth. In today's episode, we’re diving into a powerful and often overlooked strategy: how e-commerce entrepreneurs can use insurance to fund inventory cash flows. Mike is here to share how these creative financial tools can give Amazon sellers and online business owners the liquidity and leverage they need to scale sustainably from 7 figures to 8 and beyond.
> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Mike Olson of Wellpoint LLC about using life insurance as a strategic financial tool for e-commerce entrepreneurs. They discuss how established business owners can leverage specially structured life insurance policies to fund inventory, manage cash flow, and scale sustainably, while also gaining tax advantages and creditor protection. The episode covers the pitfalls of traditional financing, the importance of disciplined policy funding, and actionable steps for building a financial “war chest” to support business growth and personal security. Mike also shares insights on technology, AI, and economic resources. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more. Transcript Area Mike Olson 00:00:00 This is for the entrepreneur that has a profitable business. You don't start putting your first dollar that you're saving into insurance, right? You still have a balance sheet. You have some cash. Your business has a strong kind of cash reserve to support it. Personally, you have write a savings account for bills. So this is kind of that add on. Once you have a successfully profitable business and now you're trying to optimize efficiency. MC 00:00:32 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:46 Before you take out a loan for your business, you need to listen to this podcast first. Imagine having the ability to unlock liquidity right when you need it most without the headaches of traditional financing. That's exactly what we're going to be talking about today. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my journey to nine figures, I bring you unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in e-commerce. Josh Hadley 00:01:17 Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of The Myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today, I am excited to welcome Mike Olson. He is a partner and founding member at WellPoint LLC. With over 25 years of experience in financial and insurance planning. Mike has dedicated his career in helping affluent families and business owners unlock clarity in complex financial decisions. He... | |||
| Throwback: Avoiding the Price Race - Build a Compelling Brand Narrative | 15 Jan 2026 | 00:17:02 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Simon Hammer, VP of Product at Vimbly Group, about acquiring and managing e-commerce brands. Simone shares a case study from the cocktail shaker market, illustrating how focusing solely on quantitative metrics led to missed opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of qualitative customer feedback, brand storytelling, and product-market fit to build lasting brands and avoid competing only on price. The discussion highlights key lessons for e-commerce leaders: assess market potential, listen to customers, and continuously test and iterate to stay competitive. Chapters: Introduction to Simone Hammer and Background (00:00:00) Approach to Brand Acquisition and Quantitative Analysis (00:00:55) Case Study: Cocktail Shaker Brand and Market Dynamics (00:01:38) Competitor Analysis and Information Memorandum (00:03:08) Market Changes and Increased Competition (00:04:07) Brand Building vs. KPI Focus (00:05:05) Consequences of Ignoring Qualitative Feedback (00:06:59) Importance of Qualitative Customer Insights (00:07:53) Lessons Learned and Industry Trends (00:09:01) Host Reflection and Question on Customer Feedback (00:10:04) Specific Customer Preferences Missed (00:10:53) In-Person vs. Online Customer Insights (00:11:55) Three Key Takeaways for E-commerce Success (00:13:43) Closing Remarks and Future Follow-Up (00:16:48) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Key Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Simon Hammer. Simon is the VP of Product at Vimbly Group, a New York City based firm that scales and invests in tech enabled businesses where he has worked for over ten years. He currently runs Vimbly Group's e-commerce business unit, as well as having his hands involved in a number of Vimbly Group's eight other business units. Prior to the Vimbly Group, Simon was a healthcare investment banker at a boutique investment bank in New York City, where he focused on raising capital and mid-market mergers and acquisitions involving biotech, healthcare, technology and healthcare service companies. He has a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, and I met Simon at the Billion Dollar Seller Summit earlier this year. And Simon, I'm excited to welcome you to the podcast. Welcome. Simon 00:00:50 Thanks, Josh. Really appreciate that. Nice intro. Thanks for having me. Josh 00:00:55 As you look to acquire other brands, and I love that you kind of were an acquire or aggregator before the aggregator theme became pop became popular. So you're not on the the bandwagon there. Josh 00:01:08 You can be like, no, we were doing this long, a long time ago. You know, I think that that's really interesting, Simon. I think you've taken this approach that's actually a little bit different than I think the typical answer is, right, because I've listened to a bunch of other people that talk about acquiring businesses. And I'm looking at these specific numbers and, you know, I'm trying to draw conclusions and, you know, kind of look at 2020 and what happened during Covid and say, okay, this was an artificial bump and it's all very quantitative, right? Simon 00:01:38 All the quantitative stuff that you're talking about like looking historical, it's a given. Right. We always do that. We've always done it. And for the longest time, that's all we did. And, you know, one of our brands right now is going through a major shift in that it, for such a long time survived on three products. Basically, there's a whole, you know, there's more skews, but there's basically more Asians. Simon 00:02:02 But there's there's effectively three basins. One of those. basically a shell of itself now. And part of the reason why is because, you know, actually, if you'll divulge me for a second. So, pre-COVID and even through the first, you know, a couple years of Covid and depending on where you want to, you know, start and stop it, I guess. or, you know, where the beginning till now is, I guess. But first couple of years of it, it was doing incredibly well, right? It was something like anywhere between 25 and 35%, or it accounted for 25 to 35% of our gross margin. That gross margin, including everything from landed costs, three PL costs, FBA costs, advertising, marketing returns, all that stuff. Just not just not like overhead and, and software, things like that nature. But but gross profit. Right. And so it was a large part of our business. this one product and you know, during the beginning of Covid, I got my hands on a competitor, one of our biggest direct competitors. Simon 00:03:08 Their information memorandum, which is basically like their, this deck. it's like 50 pages of their business because they're trying to sell their business. Okay. And through like, you know, like, you know, my partner Sam, he has just a ton of connections in the entrepreneur space, a ton of connections with these brokers. And so we get a lot of deals right across a lot of different industries. and so we just happen to get our direct competitors information memorandum. Right. So this gave us everything about their business, right? We knew the numbers. We knew. we knew, who their suppliers were, right? What their strategy was, what their projections were like. You know, you name it, we knew it. And, I mean, we were like, we could look on helium ten and know that we were dominating. But then we saw the real numbers. We were, you know, we were dominant player in the market. and then all of a sudden, right, like during Covid, you start seeing freight costs go up. Simon 00:04:07 You start seeing, a lot of sellers into the space. The cocktail shaker space is kind of the space that we're playing in for one of our brands. and this is where the the set, you know, was established. and, you know, was this, you know, what's called roughly like 30% of the business. it had basically, started having rank weed, right? The ran... | |||
| How to Launch Products That Competitors Can’t Copy with Tomer Rabinovich | 13 Jan 2026 | 01:02:49 | |
Tomer Rabinovich is a self-taught Amazon business owner, consultant to some of the biggest names in the online sales industry, and one of the most sought-after speakers at Amazon seller events throughout the world. He began his entrepreneurial journey at the age of ten as a professional magician, he studied economics and business in college. He later launched his first product and established a thriving Amazon business based on observation, iteration, and a unique ability to simplify the complex. He now consults 7-8 figure sellers through his Mastermind Coaching groups and his digital programs as well. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Tomer Rabinovich, an Amazon business owner and consultant. They discuss the evolving challenges of selling on Amazon, including increased competition and shrinking margins. Tomer shares strategies for success, such as launching "impossible products" with high barriers to entry and creating social media-friendly items that can go viral. The conversation covers the importance of omnichannel sales, building strong teams and company culture, and focusing on continual product development to drive growth in the rapidly changing e-commerce landscape. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.
Tomer Rabinovich 00:00:00 And one of the biggest barriers to entry, I will say, is creating a social media friendly product. And if you can do that and you can make your product, I call it like almost organically going viral, is a game changer these days, and that will get you to omnichannel very quick. And we can talk more about that if you like. Intro 00:00:25 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:39 Do you want to know what's working right now to take your Amazon business to the next level? Or do you want to know all the mistakes to avoid in the ecommerce space? Today's guest has been around the block of time or two, and he is sharing all of his secrets with us today. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to nine figures on my journey to. Josh Hadley 00:01:03 Nine figures. I bring you unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of The Myth, and Matt Clark from ASM. Today, I am excited to introduce you to Tomer Rabinovich. He is a self-taught Amazon business owner consultant to some of the biggest names in the online sales industry, and one of the most sought after speakers at Amazon seller events throughout the world. He began h... | |||
| Throwback: From Optometrist to Amazon PPC Domination! | 08 Jan 2026 | 00:15:12 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Dr. Travis Zigler, a former optometrist who founded "Eye Love", a brand focused on healing dry eye naturally and funding free eye care clinics. Travis shares his journey from optometry to e-commerce and Amazon PPC, leading to the creation of Profitable Pineapple Ads. He discusses the importance of finding personal fulfillment beyond business, explains the 80/20 rule for Amazon advertising, and offers actionable strategies for optimizing PPC campaigns and product listings to drive growth and impact. Chapters: Introduction to Dr. Travis Zigler and His Journey (00:00:00) Starting Profitable Pineapple Ads and Finding Personal Worth (00:01:08) Mission Trips and Foundation Work (00:02:59) Pivot to Amazon PPC and Agency Origins (00:03:33) Simplifying Amazon PPC: The 80/20 Principle (00:05:50) Scaling the Agency and Using Software (00:06:47) Simple PPC Strategies and Case Studies (00:07:55) Optimizing Listings and Campaign Structure (00:10:00) Three Actionable Takeaways and Final Thoughts (00:11:25) Episode Wrap-Up (00:15:02) Links and Mentions: Companies and Foundations Websites Concepts and Strategies Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Doctor Travis Zigler. He is a recovering optometrist turned ecommerce entrepreneur. He is the founder of Eye Love, whose mission is to heal 1 million dry eye sufferers naturally. Doctor Travis and his wife, Doctor Jenna Zigler, used the profits from Eye Love to Fund free clinics in Jamaica and the US through their charity, the Eye Believe Foundation. And due to the success of Eye Love, others have asked if Doctor Travis would help them grow their businesses online and more specifically with Amazon, which led to the creation of the profitable Pineapple Ads Agency. Well why pineapple? Well, why not specializing in Amazon PPC? Doctor Travis blogs about Amazon PPC and selling on Amazon, and also has a free Amazon PPC Masterclass, which you can check out at Profitable pineapple.com. So welcome to the podcast, Travis. Travis 00:00:57 Josh, happy to be here and glad to be glad to be providing value to your audience, so looking forward to it. Josh 00:01:03 You had previously started profitable pineapple ads before the exit. Josh 00:01:07 Is that true? Travis 00:01:08 Yeah, so we started about four years ago and the exit was about a year ago. Okay. Josh 00:01:12 And so so yeah, you had already started it. So you already had something else going on, right? Do you feel like that helped? Travis 00:01:18 It did help. But to go back to your question about tips and pointers, it's all about where you find your worth in life. And a lot of us as entrepreneurs find that worth in what we're doing in our business. We bury ourselves in busy work because that's what we feel like is our worth. And it's all about that is finding what makes you feel. I don't want to say worthy, but find out what makes you feel good inside. I'm a creator. I love to educate and so I educated with my dry brand. We had a show called The Dry Eye Show. It was a podcast and a YouTube station. But then in the agency side, I also am. I teach people all the strategies that we used. And so I love to educate people on how to do stuff. Travis 00:02:05 And I was a professor at Ohio State. So I find my value in education, in masterminding with people, in networking. And so as long as that didn't go away when we sold our business, then I would be fine. My wife, on the other hand, I don't think she knows as much. She finds it in motherhood a little bit. But we have we have two kids and they're in school during the day, so. But she also finds it in I think writing is her kind of passion. Is email, copywriting, blog posting and creating that value for people in the written form. But when Eye Love kind of is going away or has gone away, and it's changed over the last year and a half, she didn't get to do that as much as she used to. And so her kind of value and her worth that she felt kind of went away. And so she kind of felt empty inside. And it's very hard. So as an entrepreneur, we need to find our worth in something that we can continue doing even when the business is gone. Travis 00:02:59 That doesn't mean busywork. It just means focusing on what you feel like you were put on this earth to do. And mine is education. And then focusing on our foundation's mission, which is giving people vision that don't have access to eyecare. And so we go on mission trips three, two to 3 to 4 times a year, and we donate to those causes as well. And that's because that's where we find value, is giving people vision because that helps their lives, of course. And then also educating and creating for people to help them learn things as well. Josh 00:03:33 All right. Let's pivot now Travis, into profitable pineapple ads. you know, tell us why you got started in PPC. And let's talk about some of the, you know, tactics that have been working in PPC specifically for now. And then. I know you've got in the Billion Dollar seller summit. you shared some advanced tactics about implementing blog strategies and some of that cool stuff. And so we'll get to that. But let's talk about just regular old PPC to begin with and your journey to where it got to you. Josh 00:04:06 Right now with your agency? Travis 00:04:08 Yeah. So the agency was just born out of a need that we had. And again, listening to the universe and how it's coming at us and taking action on it. And so what happened was we hired multiple agencies, seven agencies total tried six softwares. This was back in 2016 and 2017. And finally I hired a good friend of mine who had a very respectable agency and software. And I thought, you know, I think they're going to do a great job. If they can't do it, then I got to figure it out. And unfortunately, it just didn't work out. And what I found with agencies constantly is they just spend a lot for a little return. And they always promised, yeah, it's coming, it's coming. We're just getting the data. The problem is I kind of knew what to do with the Amazon PPC, ... | |||
| 2026 Ecom Predictions With Ezra Firestone: The Strategies Smart Brands Will Follow | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:43:06 | |
Ezra is the founder of BOOM! by Cindy Joseph, a multimillion-dollar DTC beauty brand built on authenticity and emotional storytelling. He’s also the founder of Smart Marketer, where he’s helped thousands of entrepreneurs grow their online businesses, and Zipify Apps, a suite of tools that help Shopify brands boost conversions and lifetime value.
Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode: | |||
| Throwback: From Suspended to Successful - Brad Allen's Amazon Adventure | 01 Jan 2026 | 00:17:00 | |
In this episode, the host interviews Brad Allen, an Amazon seller and entrepreneur, about his journey from eBay and retail arbitrage to building a successful Amazon FBA business. Brad shares how he sourced high-end European skincare products, overcame a major account suspension and $400,000 debt, and transitioned to private label. He highlights the importance of active business management, cash flow planning, and creativity. The episode concludes with actionable advice for Amazon sellers: stay hands-on, manage inventory and finances wisely, and innovate to stand out in the marketplace. Chapters: Introduction and Account Suspension (00:00:00) Early E-commerce Journey (00:00:33) Discovering Amazon FBA (00:01:11) Corporate Career and Realization (00:02:19) Entrepreneurial Mindset Shift (00:03:34) Deep Dive into Retail Arbitrage (00:04:36) European Skincare Arbitrage Strategy (00:06:45) Scaling and Living Abroad (00:08:54) Amazon Account Suspension Details (00:10:04) Lessons from Suspension and Financial Struggles (00:11:05) Advice on Growth and Risk (00:11:48) Financial Intelligence and Risk Management (00:13:57) Three Actionable Takeaways (00:14:11) Episode Wrap-up (00:16:43) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Actionable Takeaways Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I am super excited to introduce you to Brad Allen. I met him at Kevin King's, $1 Billion Seller summit, and he's going to have a lot of knowledge to share with us. I'm going to dive in like immediately to what was mentioned in your bio. You had your account suspended. You had you ran into 400 K of debt and loans, but you've kind of come out the other end and you're you're crushing it right now on Amazon. So tell me, Brad, what happened with the account suspension? Brad 00:00:33 So I, I was doing, retail arbitrage and I got, I got really into it. it it was actually kind of unique. It started off, where I was, I, I was really into eBay growing up, so I was always selling stuff, just like as a kid throughout the house, whether it was mine or not. I was grabbing, like, antiques from the basement and, like, selling stuff out of the garage. And I think that's where I got kind of, you know, introduced to e-commerce and kind of obsessed so that that kind of was always on the side. Brad 00:01:11 And I was doing that through grade school, high school, and then into college. And I learned about Amazon FBA and I think 2012. and as an eBay guy, it was like blew me away because I was, you know, the guy waiting in line at the, at the post office and having to deal with customers. So the fact that you could just send a bunch of items in and Amazon will ship it and take care of customer service was very appealing to me. So I started, I just started watching videos and the easiest way to start, which I don't know how many people really started out like this, but I'm sure some. But I was going into, you know, odd lots and Walmarts and just buying toys or whatever I could find. And essentially I was just kind of learning that process. so, you know, that was a good way to, like, get my feet wet into Amazon FBA. and then, you know, life kind of happened where that was put off to the side. Brad 00:02:19 I was in the corporate world for a while. not doing very well. I just, was not very passionate about what I was doing, and, I got a call from a buddy. I was living in South Florida. I'm from Ohio originally, and, I got fired from one job. You know, I was working for good companies. They were, like, fortune 500 companies. And I kind of noticed right away that the people that were successful were extremely passionate about the company, and they had just drank the Kool-Aid. And I just did. I just didn't care, really. I thought our products were overpriced, which is not the mentality that you want to have when you're trying to sell something. so I was just kind of, just doing enough not to get fired. And my friend, in Columbus had called me and said, hey, I just bought this epoxy coating company. So what we're doing is we're installing, like, showroom floors in garages. You know, the the garages in Columbus or the Midwest are all cracked and spoiled. Brad 00:03:34 so, you know, this was December and he was like, hey, I can't pay you that much, but, you know, this will be our company. and I'll share profits with you. So I wasn't really doing much. You know, in terms of growing personally or professionally, although I was in South Florida, which was pretty cool for for an Ohio guy. Sure. I took him up on it, and I remember it was December. I go from this cushy sales job in South Florida. Even though I didn't like it. And then all of a sudden, I am installing, garage floors in the suburbs of Columbus. In December, we're using, like, heaters to keep ourselves warm. And the funny thing was, I actually was enjoying it more, because it was ours. So that kind of, like, turned on the light that, you know, the way that I'm going to be successful is if I'm doing something for myself, like, or as a team. And that kind of drew me back to this e-commerce stuff. Brad 00:04:36 and like I was saying, I had learned about, the Amazon FBA and I had a this background in eBay. So I just kind of I remember in one of your podcasts, you were talking about how after work, you would go home and just watch videos. yeah. Because you, you know, you kind of saw that as a way out. But, you know, what you have to do is you have to put in the time. You know, even after a long day of work when most people are just watching TV or they want to decompress. I was just drawn to just scanning eBay, you know, looking at Amazon. And I was like, I was wondering if there was an opportunity for products that I could buy on eBay and flip on Amazon. And I kind of just somehow stumbled upon this, category of high end skincare. And I was noticing that there was these really, like, high end brands that were selling for, you know, almost nothing on eBay because, li... | |||
| The 4 Steps to Explode Your TikTok Shop Sales in 2026 with Julia Rubien | 30 Dec 2025 | 01:07:04 | |
Julia Rubien is the Founder and CEO of Amie, a TikTok agency dedicated to helping beauty brands grow and thrive in one of the fastest-moving platforms today. Under Julia’s leadership, Amie has become both a TikTok Marketing Partner and a TikTok Shop Partner, making them one of the go-to agencies for brands that want to convert attention into real revenue. She and her team specialize in creating original and trending content, running highly effective TikTok ad campaigns, and building engaged communities that feel authentic and connected. Her work has helped beauty brands not only showcase their products but also turn TikTok into a true virtual storefront, driving measurable growth.
> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Julia Rubien, founder and CEO of Amie, a TikTok agency for beauty brands. Julia shares expert strategies for succeeding on TikTok Shop, emphasizing the importance of optimized shop operations, high-volume affiliate marketing, original brand content, and robust ad campaigns. She highlights the need for significant investment, tailored promotions, and a holistic, coordinated approach. Julia also offers actionable tips for brands to build momentum and scale effectively on TikTok Shop, while sharing insights from her own experience and agency work. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.
Julia Rubien 00:00:00 These are the moving parts we need to work on, and we need to work on them all at the same time. So I would say that, you know, every client's shop strategy is going to be a little bit different depending on the product, the price point, the brand, the where they're at in their growth journey. But the advice that I could give every listener and every single brand is that. Intro 00:00:27 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:41 Do you want to know how to generate more sales on TikTok shop and increase the number of views that your videos get on TikTok? Well, today's guest has mastered turning TikTok into a community driven sales machine. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my journey to nine figures. Josh Hadley 00:01:07 I bring you the unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in eCommerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of The Myth and Aaron Cordova's. Today. I am excited to welcome a guest who is truly shaping the future of e-commerce through the power of TikTok. Julia Rubien is the founder and CEO of Amie, a TikTok agency dedicated to helping beauty brands grow and thrive in one of the fastest moving platforms today. Under Julia's leadership, Amy has become both a TikTok marketing partne... | |||
| Throwback: Build a Multi-Channel E-Commerce Empire beyond Amazon | 25 Dec 2025 | 00:16:50 | |
In this episode, host Josh interviews Steven Yates, CEO of Prime Guidance, about strategies for scaling e-commerce brands. Steve emphasizes optimizing Amazon listings and leveraging all available tools before expanding to other marketplaces like Walmart or eBay. He discusses the importance of having a direct-to-consumer website, maximizing Amazon advertising, and using analytics tools to track performance. Steve provides actionable advice on when and how to diversify sales channels, ensuring brands grow efficiently and profitably while building a strong foundation on Amazon first. Chapters: Introduction to Steven Yates and Prime Guidance (00:00:00) When to Expand Beyond Amazon (00:00:48) Sales Lift Estimates from Other Marketplaces (00:01:28) Importance of Optimizing Amazon Before Expanding (00:01:39) Choosing the Right Next Marketplace (00:03:32) Launching a DTC E-commerce Website (00:04:04) Benefits of Having a DTC Website (00:04:38) Capturing and Nurturing Website Visitors (00:05:46) Key Levers to Pull on Amazon (00:06:21) Detailed Breakdown of Amazon Optimization Levers (00:06:33) Amazon Advertising and External Traffic Strategies (00:08:05) Utilizing Amazon Programs and Betas (00:09:11) Order of Operations for Optimization and Traffic (00:10:31) Three Actionable Takeaways for Brands (00:11:21) Tools for Tracking Amazon Metrics (00:13:40) Brand Analytics and Bonus Tool Recommendation (00:14:59) Where to Learn More About Prime Guidance (00:16:21) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Steve Yates. He is the CEO and founder of Prime Guidance. Steve developed well-rounded expertise working for multi-billion dollar fortune 500 retailers such as Amazon, Dick's Sporting Goods and eBay enterprise prior to founding Prime guidance in all industry consulting. With 30 years experience in retail management and 23 years experience in e-commerce. Steve and his team provide companies with strategic advice and innovative solutions that are based on real life experience working for industry leading retailers. He helps companies grow faster, smarter and more profitably by providing advice, mentoring and coaching for today's busy executives. So welcome to the podcast, Steve. Steven 00:00:46 Thank you. Josh. Thanks for having me. Josh 00:00:48 One of the first questions I want to ask, just kind of selfishly for myself, because we're looking to expand onto different channels right now with our business. We've grown to eight figures just on Amazon alone. But we're we are looking to, you know, is it time to explore or double down more on Walmart eBay, Wayfair? Do we try to get into target? Do we go international right and start shipping stuff into Canada, Mexico, the UK, etc.? So my question to you here, Steve, is what kind of sales lift do you see from those different marketplaces? Right. Josh 00:01:28 Like what do you estimate as hey you go to Walmart it best case scenario, you're probably looking at a 10% lift eBay. Maybe it's a 2%, you know, so on and so forth. Steven 00:01:39 Yeah. So it's a very tricky question because I've seen it wildly different. So interesting. I had to if I had to, to put a rough assumption across a lot of different categories and product lines, I would say Walmart is the very next marketplace you're going to want to focus on outside of Amazon. And by the way, don't do it until you're what I like to say 80 to 90% optimized on Amazon. Don't spend your time on these smaller marketplaces, because that's oftentimes the shiny object that gets you in trouble when you're doing a whole bunch of different things, you're not doing any of them well. You've got to you've got to be really well positioned on Amazon. And when I say 80 to 90%, I don't mean of your total opportunity for growth. But if you've identified all these levers you need to pull on Amazon, you need to have a good storefront. Steven 00:02:26 You need to have A+ content. I need to have all of these different components pulled together. Do you feel good about how well optimized they are, and are they in place 80 to 90% of where they should be before you, you know, start migrating to another marketplace? Because if you don't, you're essentially lifting and shifting a catalog that's not optimized to another marketplace. And now all of your optimization efforts are going to be that much harder because you're doing full optimizations across a whole bunch of marketplaces. That's a that's always a risk. I would say Walmart is probably, in the number of 10 to 20% of the Amazon business, and eBay is probably the neighborhood of 10%, maybe 5 to 10% of the, of the Amazon business. but it really does differ quite a bit. I've seen some I've seen some people that actually sell more on Etsy than they do on Amazon because their product is sold out after on that website. I've seen people that do phenomenal on eBay, even though eBay is, you know, not not growing. Steven 00:03:32 It's. Yeah, it's it just so happens that their customers there and that's why I go goes back to, analyzing where your customers spend their time and money and make sure you're present there, do it in the right order. But ultimately make sure you're you're present there. And where you go next is not a cookie cutter answer just because everybody else goes to this next Walmart, you know, Walmart next or eBay after that or whatever, doesn't mean that's... | |||
| He Drove $300M+ in Shopify Sales. Here’s His Exact Targeting Formula with Mo Elhawary | 23 Dec 2025 | 00:54:43 | |
Mo is a growth strategist who's helped scale 8- and 9-figure DTC brands in health, wellness, beauty, skincare, and more. He comes from a pharmaceutical background, but what really sets him apart is how he blends data and customer insight to lead content strategy — he’s been behind over 1,500 pieces of performance-driven content, from UGC to statics to direct response ads. On top of that, he's hands-on with product development, creative systems, and helping teams actually execute and scale with clarity. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews creative strategist Mohamed Elwahary (Mo), who specializes in scaling high-revenue DTC brands. Mo shares actionable insights on holistic data analysis, customer persona development, and the power of testing content at scale—especially on platforms like Meta and TikTok Shop. He emphasizes using real customer language in marketing, the importance of founder-led storytelling, and leveraging AI tools for creative production. The episode concludes with Mo’s personal recommendations and advice for brands aiming to break through growth plateaus and reach nine-figure success. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more. Transcript Area Mo 00:00:00 One of my case studies are doing. We're doing really great on Amazon, and they decided at some point to turn off all of their meta ads. Instantly, their Amazon sales shrink by 35% instantly. Why? Because what you do not know in the arena where we live, I might see your ad on Facebook and buy from Google and buy from Amazon and buy elsewhere. Come again and buy back later even with the referrals. So we need to understand things holistically. MC 00:00:41 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:55 Do you want to know how to increase your sales page conversion rates? What is the difference between a struggling product and a multi-million dollar brand came down to just one thing. Your sales page and your brand messaging. Today's guest knows exactly how to optimize for those conversions. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley. Josh Hadley 00:01:16 I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my journey to nine figures, I bring you unfiltered conversations with ... | |||
| Throwback: Unlocking Customer Engagement - The Secret Weapon of QR Codes in E-Commerce | 18 Dec 2025 | 00:16:39 | |
In this episode, Josh interviews Kris Gramlich, an experienced Amazon FBA seller and entrepreneur. Kris shares practical strategies for building customer loyalty, including using product insert cards with QR codes that lead buyers to claim free gifts in exchange for their contact information and order ID. He emphasizes providing value rather than manipulating reviews and discusses sourcing free sample gifts locally to quickly engage customers. Kris also offers actionable tips on optimizing product images, building an audience, and leveraging influencer marketing, all aimed at fostering long-term relationships and driving repeat business on Amazon. Chapters: Introduction to Kris Gramlich (00:00:00) Product Insert Cards & QR Codes (00:01:03) Landing Pages & Customer Verification (00:02:00) Avoiding Review Manipulation (00:04:06) Free Gift Strategy & Messaging (00:05:15) Sourcing & Sample Packs (00:05:48) Landing Page Experience & Brand Story (00:07:30) Gift Relevance & Opt-In Process (00:08:01) Email Follow-Up & Community Building (00:09:16) Consumable Products & Customer Satisfaction (00:10:26) Actionable Takeaways & Listing Optimization (00:11:46) Product Launch Strategies & Influencer Marketing (00:13:55) Where to Find Kris & Closing (00:15:51) Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites Transcript: Josh 00:00:00 Today I am excited to introduce you to Kris Gramlich. Kris is a professional FBA seller, a podcast host and an account executive at Sellozo. Kris has always been entrepreneurial and enjoyed the thrill of selling items, from selling items at garage sales as a kid to mowing yards and then selling clothes on eBay. Kris learned how to sell physical products on Amazon in 2013, starting out by selling things around the house. He learned the basics of retail arbitrage and started sourcing his own products. Kris launched his first product in 2014 after watching YouTube videos and listening to podcasts. Currently, Kris has four brands and enjoys helping other sellers on Amazon. Kris hosts a podcast with Dustin, another seller, where they talk about industry leaders and other sellers. So welcome to the podcast today, Kris. Kris 00:00:52 That's quite the intro there. Josh. That's pretty good. I'm gonna have to take a couple notes there and kind of implement those on our own podcast. That was really good. Josh 00:01:00 Hey. Well, you have, you have a good bio yourself. Josh 00:01:03 I think that's that's why it sounds so good to you. So I want to dive in a little bit more with, how you're building that audience with insert cards. You know, we do the same thing with our brand. I don't know that I necessarily see that as, like, overly gray. I mean, you look at like a box of, you know, grab some Clorox wipes. Right. What's on the product label for Clorox wipes? it's the P&G website. Right. So like and they have like a, you know, they're not saying like, hey, come register your warranty per se, but like they have links to their social media, right? They have their icons, they have their website on there. So like I don't think people need to be as scared about that. Right. But what are you seeing working really well when it comes to product inserts? Kris 00:01:49 Well if anything good out of Covid came, it's that people were more adapted to QR codes. So people like start to they know what that is now. Kris 00:02:00 And so QR code like that just not people realize, oh I can scan that. So a QR code insert that is has some type of messaging messaging like so thank you. you know, get your free gift. there's, there's things that, that I'm doing now where, somebody scans it, they go to a landing page. in that landing page, they give name, email address, order ID number, and that just kind of verifies that the order matches with Amazon order. So we're not just getting spammed for free gift. Yeah. And they scan it and we just give a free gift out. And, all they got to do is provide us with their name and their email address. we're think about adding their mailing address there, just to kind of have that for like a backup plan to do postcards. I get a random side note here, but I bought something Amazon like literally 60 days later, I got a gift. Like a postcard in the mail. Really? How'd this? How'd this guy know to send me this postcard for another item? So, like, reverse engineering? That's kind of fun for me. Kris 00:03:07 So I'm trying to figure that out, but, Yeah, the insert scan, QR code landing page. Basic information. No first name, last name, email address, and then the order ID. we're using a tool called, It's going away from me. Zapier or Zapier, however you want to pronounce. Okay, that that, links up order IDs so that, when they type in your ID, it matches correctly with the order ID inside your account. and then from there, we send them a free sample and the free sample. You know, it's just something to, like, get them to engage with us, maybe try another product that we're thinking about launching down the road. it also just allows them to, like, feel warm and fuzzy. So maybe that when that review request does come and that that review request is done by Amazon, we're not sending any more like, hey, give us a five star review. We're just leaving it more like providing value. And whenever they get something from Amazon that says, how would you rate your experience with so-and-so brand? Maybe they think, hey, that was a good brand. Kris 00:04:06 I'll leave a five star review, so we're leaving that alone. Josh 00:04:09 So you're not even touching reviews. You're not. Kris 00:04:11 Even to touch. Josh 00:04:12 It. Yep. Kris 00:04:13 Yeah. Just leaving like just value. Josh 00:04:15 Yeah. I agree 100% with the, you know, not even touching reviews. We we've made the same decision because we have opt in flows and all of that. And everybody's like why don't you ask for a review? And it's like, I'm not even touching it with a ten foot pole. Kris 00:04:28 Because not anymore. Josh 00:04:29 That's that's the one thing that like is if Amazo... | |||
| The Hidden Money Leaks Killing Your Business with Bill D'Alessandro | 16 Dec 2025 | 01:08:48 | |
Bill is a 4x founder, a serial entrepreneur, and currently the VP of Corporate Development at FoodScience, LLC, a leading provider of science-based wellness solutions for both humans and pets. With a strong focus on quality, innovation, and trust, FoodScience has been quietly building and acquiring some of the most exciting wellness brands in the market today. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Bill D’Alessandro, VP of Corporate Development at Food Science and a seasoned e-commerce entrepreneur. Bill shares insights from building and selling the Natural Dog Company, discusses common financial pitfalls in e-commerce, and stresses the importance of clean accounting, cash flow forecasting, and management-level talent. He also explores strategic uses of AI, long-term financial planning, and team building for scaling businesses. The episode offers actionable advice for founders on profitability, financial literacy, and preparing for sustainable growth or acquisition, with a special focus on the pet wellness industry. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Special Mention(s): Related Episode(s):
Episode Sponsor This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more. Transcript Area Bill D'Alessandro 00:00:00 A lot of brands aren't thinking about it that way. And then they're also not really disciplined around looking at their PNL with a contribution margin and then kind of a fixed cost section. And like trusting their numbers when they get their QuickBooks file at the end of the month, that that number in the QuickBooks file actually represents how they did, and they feel confident in that number, and they manage the business according to that number. That is like less than 10% of brands. So that's actually a lot of what I do. MC 00:00:32 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level. Josh Hadley 00:00:46 Ever wonder why you don't have enough money in your bank account, or wondering why you have to continue to take out loans on an ongoing basis? Today's guest is going to teach you why and how to see it coming in advance. Vance, welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. Josh Hadley 00:01:00 I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my journey to nine figures, I bring you unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in eCommerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of the E! Myth, and Brandon Young. Today, I am giving you the real strategies and systems we I am well, I'm pleased to welcome a powerhouse in the CPG and wellness space. Bill D'Alessandro. Bill is a four time founder and serial entre... | |||