Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth
Common Thread Collective
2020 transformed the world of ecommerce forever.
For the modern DTC brand, the rewards have never been greater. But the waters have also never been choppier, and the way forward has never been more uncertain.
So how do you navigate this dangerous new reality?
No matter how you do it, you’d better not do it alone.
That’s where the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast comes in — join Common Thread Collective’s Taylor Holiday & Richard Gaffin as they bring you guiding insights from across CTC’s portfolio of growing DTC businesses.
Whether you need a clear view on the macro issues affecting the world of ecommerce, or want to reorient your business around groundbreaking new big-picture strategies, Taylor & Richard are here to help answer the tough questions about what it takes to scale — and sustain — an ecommerce business.
For the modern DTC brand, the rewards have never been greater. But the waters have also never been choppier, and the way forward has never been more uncertain.
So how do you navigate this dangerous new reality?
No matter how you do it, you’d better not do it alone.
That’s where the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast comes in — join Common Thread Collective’s Taylor Holiday & Richard Gaffin as they bring you guiding insights from across CTC’s portfolio of growing DTC businesses.
Whether you need a clear view on the macro issues affecting the world of ecommerce, or want to reorient your business around groundbreaking new big-picture strategies, Taylor & Richard are here to help answer the tough questions about what it takes to scale — and sustain — an ecommerce business.
Episodes
Mentioned books
14 snips
May 9, 2024 • 45min
Growing Profitability ft. Steven Borrelli of Cuts Clothing
Steven Borrelli, Founder of Cuts Clothing, shares insights on post-COVID growth, supply chain challenges, and cash-based marketing strategies. Learn about liquidation, product ordering, and maximizing contribution margins. Discover how to efficiently scale an e-commerce business while avoiding costly mistakes.
May 7, 2024 • 27min
Does Brand Still Matter?
Guests Sean Frank from Ridge and Tomer Tagrin from Yotpo discuss the importance of brand equity in SaaS and DTC businesses. Topics include ethics of pricing strategies, power of brand perception, value of customer service, and building brand identity in DTC businesses.
May 2, 2024 • 34min
Everyone’s Struggling With Profitability
Sales Directors Matthew Axline and Peter Hassan discuss common mistakes brands make, organizational errors affecting profitability, and sales call challenges. Key topics include achieving financial success in e-commerce, setting clear organizational goals, balancing revenue growth with contribution margins, and the importance of aligning marketing strategies with business objectives.
Apr 29, 2024 • 1h 7min
SaaS Pricing Breakdown: A No-Holds-Barred Debate with Industry Leaders
Co-founders of Ridge and Yotpo discuss SaaS pricing in ecommerce, covering challenges, innovations, and strategies. They explore ethical pricing, brand value, offering free features, and the importance of providing real value in business growth.
Apr 23, 2024 • 37min
Unpacking Incrementality: the Nuance of Marketing Effectiveness
Dive into the world of marketing incrementality and its impact on brand growth with Taylor and Luke. Discover the nuances of allocation resources for maximizing incremental contribution. Explore measuring causation versus correlation, account structure impact on marketing effectiveness, and optimizing meta campaigns for high incrementality.
Apr 18, 2024 • 40min
Navigating the Shift: From Dream-Centric to Client-Centric Culture
Explore the shift in company culture from dreaming to client-focused at CTC. Learn about the Tell Me Your Dreams program and balancing personal aspirations with professional duties. Discover the lessons in aligning culture with business objectives and setting clear boundaries in leadership roles.
4 snips
Apr 16, 2024 • 33min
March Madness in eCommerce: Diving Deep into Meta and Mothers Day
March Madness in eCommerce episode dives deep into industry performance for March, Mother's Day trends, consumer confidence metrics, media buying trends on platforms like Meta and TikTok. Experts share insights to empower eCommerce businesses with data-driven strategies.
Apr 16, 2024 • 1h 60min
Unlocking the Secret: You MUST Grow Your Business
Andrew Faris, CTC alumni, discusses Negative Customer Acquisition Costs and turning marketing expenses into profit centers. Explore content-first businesses generating revenue from content creation, with real-world examples like Missouri Quilt Co. Revolutionizing customer acquisition strategies through strategic content creation.
36 snips
Apr 11, 2024 • 52min
Growing Profitability ft. Dimitri O of Loop Earplugs
Co-founder Dimitri O of Loop Earplugs discusses their disruptive journey in the earplug industry, highlighting market expansion, problem awareness stages in marketing, complexities of marketing strategies, hiring strategies, and empowering employees through stock options.
10 snips
Apr 9, 2024 • 30min
5 Questions to Ask When You’re Hiring an Agency
Discover the importance of asking the right questions when hiring an agency, including understanding their methodology and aligning capabilities with business goals. Dive into the impact of employee tenure on work quality and explore how market talent acquisition influences agency performance in the e-commerce sector. Learn about the flaws in traditional agency hiring practices and the value of seeking referrals for informed decision-making.
