Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth
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.
Latest episodes
Feb 23, 2022 • 58min
Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned as CEOs
What would your boss say about your mistakes? In this episode, Andrew brings in Common Thread Collective CEO Taylor Holiday to “evaluate” his performance as CEO of 4x400. “It was such a gift to me, to get put into a position that I wasn’t ready for, and then to go and make a bunch of mistakes.”
Feb 9, 2022 • 24min
Honest Reflections for Recruiters
What’s in it for the candidate? In this episode, Andrew shares his feedback on what he is seeing from recruiters during his job search. “My hope is to help you attract great talent, as well as to attract the right kind of people to your organization.”
Feb 2, 2022 • 34min
6 Honest Reflections For Job Seekers
Do you really know what you want in a job? In this episode, Andrew shares candid thoughts about his next steps in the current job market. “If you’re at a stopping point and you’re not sure what the next step in your career is, the best thing you can do is slow down and take a step away.”
Jan 27, 2022 • 42min
Why Bambu Earth: An Antifragile Analysis
What’s the best use of your investment? In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Andrew dives into the specifics of 4x400’s decision to go all-in on Bambu Earth. “If you’re like me and you love solving problems, it’s really hard to cut bait on stuff that has a lot to like about it.”
Jan 20, 2022 • 1h 7min
21 Antifragile Ecommerce Tactics (Roundtable)
Resilience is often the key to success. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Common Thread Collective executives Orchid Bertelsen, Taylor Holiday, and Aaron Orendorff to discuss the seven characteristics of an “antifragile” ecommerce brand + 21 tactics.
- Read the full article on developing an antifragile ecommerce brand: https://commonthreadco.com/blogs/coachs-corner/antifragile-ecommerce
- Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6BkM1vbTYSM
Jan 13, 2022 • 31min
“Aggregator Madness” and Major Changes at 4x400
Transitions are on the horizon. In this episode, Andrew provides his assessment of the aggregator model, the landscape for aggregators as a whole, and how that assessment informs incoming changes at 4x400. “We are now about four years into this journey of running an aggregator, and we have learned a lot.”
Dec 14, 2021 • 19min
Black Friday Results & Lessons Learned
Lose, win, and draw. Three brands with three different outcomes. In this episode, Andrew follows up on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the lessons he’s bringing into 2022. “I’ve done Black Friday a lot of times now, and every year there’s more to learn.”
Dec 7, 2021 • 14min
Expectations for Black Friday, Cyber Monday
The supply chain, inflation, product volume — a multitude of factors went into ecommerce planning for the holiday season. In this episode, recorded prior to the big weekend, Andrew shares his expectations, offers, and reasoning behind each of his brands’ Black Friday, Cyber Monday strategies. “Like everything related to the time that we live in, it is so hard to forecast.”
Nov 11, 2021 • 1h 3min
Ecommerce Data from ~230 Businesses & $2.3B+ in Revenue
In this bonus (dare we say, “emergency”) episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Andrew is joined by CTC’s VP of Marketing, Aaron Orendorff, and CEO, Taylor Holiday. Go behind-the-scenes as they share, benchmark, and examine the DTC metrics that matter most.
“What we’re hopeful to do with this information is to help add another layer of context to your questions and struggles in a way that provides a richer narrative than an individual anecdote or response.”
📊 Full article with all the data
https://bit.ly/3quFFXF
🎥 YouTube video to watch
https://bit.ly/3qz1SUj
📩 Ecommerce data newsletter
https://bit.ly/3qvhGrd
Nov 9, 2021 • 25min
The Anatomy of a Well-Executed Product Launch
How do you create products that generate value over time? In this episode, Andrew shares the what, why, and how of a recent Modern Fuel launch. “When you launch a product, you need to keep the fundamentals in front of you and keep moving forward.”
Link to Legends Collection: https://modernfuel.com/pages/legends
