The Ecomcrew Ecommerce Podcast

This is Mike and welcome to Episode 324 of the Ecomcrew Podcast, and greetings from Virginia!  Today on the podcast, we have a treat for you; a really close friend of mine that's been with me since the early days, and even when I first went to China! Today's guest is Ian Sells! Ian's known for being the CEO and Founder of RebateKey, one of the most widely used marketing platforms for ecommerce entrepreneurs of all experience levels.  He's also the CEO and Founder of a private community called MillionDollarSeller, where verified Million Dollar Sellers share strategies and news while also getting support from other experienced sellers.  Today on the podcast, we talk about the power of community in the world of ecommerce, and why its important to always surround yourself with other like-minded sellers. We share some of the benefits of being in the MDS group, and why it can also save you a few thousand dollars in the long run.  We also share the benefits of RebateKey and why not being on the platform is keeping you from being on Page #1 of your keywords. We touch a bit on the experience of starting RebateKey, the idea behind it all and why it can benefit you.  Lastly, we talk about what's next for Ian, while also recalling some great memories when we went to China together and I think that you guys will enjoy some of my personal experiences with Ian. If you want to hear more about Ian Sells, head over to his community via ecomcrew.com/MDS. Also, visit RebateKey on the way there to take advantage of it while you still can!  If you guys enjoy the podcast, we'd love to hear your feedback! Head over to ecomcrew.com/survey to let your thoughts be heard. 

Entrepreneurs don't start an ecommerce business with accounting as their first priority. Unless they're an accountant, or if they're really into numbers, there's simply just more exciting things to look forward to in ecommerce, whether it's launching a new product or brainstorming launch strategies to get more and more sales. It's only human to go after the more exciting things in business. However, we can't ignore the numbers forever. At some point, we'll be looking at our sales reports for the quarter and worrying about whether we paid that one SaaS program, or that trusty supplier, when in reality, the sales reports for the quarter were actually fantastic. I know I'm not the only one that's felt that way. So today on the podcast, I brought on my dear friend Isaac Smith from Summit Ecommerce to talk about his personal experiences with accounting and some of the struggles that he's been through because of it. It just goes to show how important it is to look at your numbers on a constant basis, and why we as entrepreneurs, should ignore it no longer. Here's a list of topics that we talk about, with timestamps: 5:22 –– How Mike and Isaac met, and how this episode came to be. 7:04 –– Accounting in ecommerce, and why you shouldn't ignore it anymore. 8:56 –– Why Isaac prioritises his bookkeeping, and some of the experiences he went through. 9:42 –– The breaking point when Isaac knew he had to get an accountant. 10:45 –– Some real life examples of the stress caused by not knowing your numbers. 11:38 –– Where it got really painful for Isaac. 14:33 –– What was the difference between your accounting and your bookkeeper's accounting? 16:41 –– What are the things that you look for to get a good understanding of your business? 17:41 –– Why it's important to know your profitability by SKU. 20:19 –– Why most entrepreneurs ignore their numbers, and the dangers of going 100% all the time. 22:45 –– The most dangerous outcome of not knowing your numbers 26:44 –– Why you should reward yourself and not put 100% back of your profits into the business all the time. 27:08 –– The "Profit First" system and how it can protect your business. 29:14 –– How Mike handled debt back in the days of ColorIt. 30:08 –– A case in support of putting 100% back into the business. 33:08 –– The benefits of the "Profit First" system. If you guys are interested in the Summit that Isaac and Mike were a part of earlier this year, or Isaac's podcast, head over to surviveandthriveecommerce.com to see recordings of great entrepreneurs (including Mike!) give their talks. If you want to learn more about cash management and need help in learning the books of your ecommerce business, Isaac is holding a special cash strategy session that'll give you 3 actions to survive this pandemic for absolutely free. If you have any questions for Isaac, you can contact him through his email: isaac@summitecommerce.co. We're holding a special Public Q&A Webinar on July 15th, 10am PST where you guys can ask us any ecommerce related questions about your businesses or our businesses! Sign up now to secure your seat and the opportunity to ask your questions live during the webinar! Happy Selling! 

One of the toughest niches to be in right now is the travel niche. Because of COVID-19, airline companies and ecommerce sellers have seen a huge drop in sales now that everything's closed. If you were in the travelling niche right now, what would you do to maximize your business potential?  That'll be the question that we're answering on this episode of the Ecomcrew podcast. We're joined by my dear friend Salo Mizrachi from Ezpacking to talk about how COVID-19 has affected his brand, affiliate sites, and whether it'd be wise to dive into a new, different niche. Together, we'll be weighing the pros and cons of each choice while also considering Salo's end goal for his business, and how much time he's willing to put into his business.  In this episode, we talk about:  Branching off from the travelling niche. Starting an affiliate website for Salo's current niche.  The Importance of Location Independence to Salo and his wife.  The New Normal for Salo after COVID-19. Having an Emergency Income Source in times like these.  Why Amazon slashed Affiliate Commissions. The Advantages of the Subscription Plan Model.  If you want to hear more about where I think we'll be after COVID-19, check out the episode I did with Andrew Youderian and Drew Sanocki here. If you wanna check out our Free Amazon Domination book, check it out here!  Stay safe, and happy selling! 

Welcome to the Ecomcrew Podcast! Today on the podcast, we have another fellow podcaster in the Ecommerce space — Robyn Johnson! Robyn's been in the ecommerce game for 9 years now, and is known for her no-BS actionable advice in optimising your Amazon listings. She started off in ecommerce by following some of Dave Ramsey's advice, after feeling stuck with endless medical fees and bills. We'll be discussing some strategies on how to Cash Flow Management, and more importantly, keeping your business alive during these crazy COVID times. Specifically, we go over the importance of a 13 Week Rolling Cash Flow, cutting off unnecessary expenses, and why you, as the owner of your brand, owe it to everyone in your business to make the hard decisions. Robyn, thanks for being on the Ecomcrew podcast today, I really appreciate it. If you guys want to hear the episode that I did with her on her podcast, you can do so here!  If you want to hear more of Robyn and what she does, head on over to Marketplace Blueprint to support a fellow ecommerce entrepreneur and podcaster!

This is Mike and welcome to Episode 320 of the Ecomcrew Podcast! So glad to have you with us today. In today's episode, we've got a treat for you guys because we're joined by a dynamic duo who have been in the ecommerce industry for almost as long as I have. Ken, Kasey, welcome to the Ecomcrew podcast! Ken and Kasey have started and exited their fair share of businesses; running a site for the trucking niche, the Yoga Space, and even in Tutoring so it's safe to say that these guys are definitely experienced in their entrepreneurship. After their latest exit, Ken and Kasey ventured into the Tennis niche — something that they both have a passion for and put their ten thousand hours in, and started Hit Happy Tennis. So in today's podcast, we'll be helping them in figuring out solutions to their struggles in Cash Flow Optimisation, Supplier Diversification, and Increasing their Product Catalogue in higher prices. Ken and Kasey still have a long way to go in Hit Happy Tennis, but I definitely believe that these strategies will be able to really help them move the needle in growing their business. For all you guys out there, today's podcast is definitely packed with value. You'll learn why you shouldn't be afraid of selling higher priced items, how to protect yourself when making custom made products, and the dangers of diversifying into a niche that you're not passionate for.  

Welcome to Episode 319 of the EcomCrew Podcast! In today's episode, we're going Under the Hood with our friend Troy Thomas, a graphic designer and entrepreneur who's been selling t-shirts for more than 26 years! We'll be taking a look at his business to discuss strategies that will take his brand to the next level.  I rarely get to interview people on the podcast who experienced when the Internet first came out, so today's episode is a fun one because it's not everyday where I get a guest who's older than I am.  What sets Troy and I apart though, is that Troy saw the internet as the world's next big thing, and so, Troy made the choice to start a website selling t-shirts that were geared towards his love of the outdoors.  He ran Fishface, his t-shirt brand, both online and offline for awhile but as he started to see some success selling t-shirts in fairs and festivals, his online sales struggled to keep up.  Troy's come to a point now where he realised that things could be so much easier, and so much more profitable if he picked up the online aspect of his business and really started focusing on it, and so, this is where we are today.  In today's episode, we talk about:  The Importance of Shipping Fees in Today's Business Model, How Blogging and Content Creation Can Boost Your Sales in the Long Term, How Facebook Ads' Targeting Work, and Why They're Perfect for Troy's Business Building an Audience through Email Lists  Today’s the LAST day of Premium! Subscribe to EcomCrew Premium for one-on-one support with your business, access to a private Facebook group, two webinars every month where you get to ask us questions and learn from experts, and also discussing strategies on how to improve your ecommerce business. Subscribe now before prices go up next quarter!  Finally, if you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling! Happy Selling!

Welcome to Episode 318 of the EcomCrew Podcast, and greetings from Wichita, Kansas! It feels great to finally be out of the house for awhile, especially after being cooped up in the house for a few months now. Leave a comment down below on where your first destination will be after this lockdown, we'd love to read your answers. Today on the podcast, we're doing something we've never really done before because we've got more than 2 guests on the same episode! Today, we're joined by Michelle, Zeb and Dan, the 3 members of Team Pomona which is one of the moderated mastermind groups that we run here at EcomCrew Premium. If you're new to the podcast, Masterminds are basically moderated groups of ecommerce entrepreneurs that will help keep each other accountable to their yearly, quarterly and monthly goals for their business.  I wanted to get them on today's podcast to talk about the various advantages of being part of a Mastermind group, because being an ecommerce entrepreneur in itself can be quite lonely. The journey feels like a tough one because it'll feel like you're the only one going through difficulties with Amazon, manufacturers or customers. That's where our Mastermind groups come in, because being part of a group of like-minded people who understand what you’re going through can really make the difference between getting burned out or enjoying life as an entrepreneur. It also means that you'll be getting access to a network of experienced sellers who can give you useful advice whenever you run into problems that you just can't solve yourself. Personally, joining a mastermind group has probably been one the best decisions I’ve made for my business, and I really hope that you'll see how advantageous it is to be part of one. Below you'll find a list of reasons (with timestamps!) that we talk about in today's episode:  Mike's personal experiences with Mastermind groups – 4:38  How each guest joined Ecomcrew Premium, made their way into the Mastermind and how it helped their business – 5:27 The rarity of accountability in ecommerce and why calling on someone's BS is important – 12:12 How diversity in ecommerce businesses can help you grow your own business – 20:01 The most valuable thing to come out of the Mastermind for each guest – 24:05 The format of each Mastermind, and what they consist of – 31:28 Today's the first day of Premium! Subscribe to EcomCrew Premium for one-on-one support with your business, access to a private Facebook group, two webinars every month where you get to ask us questions and learn from experts, and also discussing strategies on how to improve your ecommerce business. Finally, if you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling! Happy Selling! 

Welcome to the 317th episode of the Ecomcrew Podcast! We've got an exciting podcast lined up for you today. Almost a year ago today, we released our famous Ecomcrew Roadshow, a new segment where we help ecommerce entrepreneurs come up with a plan to take their businesses to the next level. We visit and spend a few days with them at their office, go over everything and come up with a plan to grow your business. If you're an Ecomcrew podcast veteran, you'll know that our first lucky participant to the Ecomcrew Roadshow is my dear friend and buddy, Lance Robinson from Wallcharmers. I spent a few days with him and actually filmed a Roadshow with him, but that didn't get released because we were still at the testing phases of everything. At the end of the Roadshow, we gave him a list of things to work on that I knew would grow his business at an exponential rate. It's been a year since I went up to meet him, and now Lance is back on the podcast to talk about how the changes that he made really impacted the business.

Welcome to the 316th episode of the Ecomcrew Podcast! Isn't it crazy how half the year has already gone by? Not to mention that we've been in quarantine for almost a quarter now, but things are starting to open up, so that must mean some good is finally going to come around. Since half the year has passed, I felt like it was a great time to go over some interesting data that was released by my friends over at JungleScout. They recently released some data about who the Amazon Seller is, how their Amazon businesses are doing and their concerns and challenges for the future. If you're interested in reading the full report, you can find it here.  Today's episode is definitely an interesting read for every seller out there, and I definitely think that there's some changes that you should make after listening through this episode. If you have no idea if your Amazon business is profitable or not, I suggest that now is the time to take control and really dive into the inner workings of your business.  Register now for our FREE Public Webinar on June 4th, 2020! Dave and I will be talking about Redirecting External Traffic for Amazon Sellers. You'll learn about why external traffic can make or break your product launches, how to drive external traffic to your Amazon listings and how to increase your chances of getting your product to #1 and keeping it there.  Thanks for listening to this episode!  Until the next one,  Happy Selling and stay safe out there. 

This is Mike and welcome to the 315th episode of the Ecomcrew Podcast! We haven't done these in awhile, so this week, we're joined by a guest who's an absolute powerhouse when overcoming any challenge that comes her way. Today's episode is an Under the Hood with our friend, Lori Howard from Skintech! Lori is a pharmacist and entrepreneur who decided to break into the Skin Care industry after she decided that she was done with the endless routines, and the immense amount of options to choose from. If you know anything about the Skin Care industry, it's a very overwhelming niche to a new customer and Lori was one of those new customers. She mentions how it was so frustrating having to buy and apply so much product, only for them to end up not working for her. And because of that frustration, she decided that she could do better. She researched endlessly, and after numerous formulas and testing experiments, Lori created the perfect skin care product and decided to share it with the world. Lori and I touch on a variety of topics on today's episode, and there's definitely some lessons out there for everyone. If you're starting off on your ecommerce journey, these customer acquisition strategies are definitely something that you should remember and if you're an experienced seller, a quick recap on some of these marketing strategies would definitely be helpful.