Empire Flippers Podcast

Greg has spent the last few weeks traveling around the US attending several conferences, so he was unable to record a new episode this week. Instead, we'll be revising one of our favorite episodes where Sarah chatted to Codie Sanchez about how to build wealth the unconventional way. On their journey towards financial freedom, many investors hone in on assets like real estate and stocks, often overlooking the power of purchasing online businesses. Buying unconventional businesses is contrarian investor Codie Sanchez’s bread and butter. Codie has acquired a personal empire of cash-flowing assets across multiple business models. She teaches investors how to do the same as the founder of Contrarian Thinking, an educational resource where investors and entrepreneurs can learn about how to create an ocean of wealth through different income streams. In this episode, Codie explains why buying businesses is a great way to fast-track your way to financial freedom. She walks us through the first steps to diversifying your income through online business acquisitions and the common mistakes many entrepreneurs make when trying to achieve financial independence. According to Codie, “The number one reason people don't achieve financial freedom is they do not spend the time thinking about it, they do not spend the time learning about it, and then they do not spend the time taking action on it.” Codie also discusses the philosophy behind being a contrarian investor, and how to effectively manage a portfolio of businesses.  If you’re looking for ways to kickstart your journey to financial independence, you don’t want to miss a minute of this episode! Topics Discussed in this episode: What it means to be a contrarian investor (02:07) Why business ownership is a great way to achieve financial freedom (05:20) The first steps to achieving financial freedom through business ownership (09:53) The benefits of diversifying asset classes (14:48) Managing time and leadership across multiple income streams (19:53) Common mistakes investors make on their journey to financial freedom (22:08) Out of date investment advice that investors should be wary of (26:09) Current trends that are driving the investment industry (29:34) The lessons Codie has learned throughout her career (35:36) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Contrarian Thinking newsletter Contrarian Cashflow Unconventional Acquisitions business buying course Mint Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to diversify your income streams through purchasing unconventional businesses!

Building and acquiring websites is a great way to make money online. But growing these sites can be a slow process if you don’t know which levers to pull to improve your traffic and conversions.  Luckily for Zach Zorn, he quickly figured out which key areas to focus on - a discovery that lead to a 60% ROI on his website in under six months! After making a successful exit from that site, he decided to share his online business knowledge with the world.  Zach is the owner of Money Nomad, a website that provides digital entrepreneurs with tips and strategies on how to grow their businesses. Money Nomad also collaborated with Empire Flippers to open up an online business marketplace selling businesses that fall below our minimum valuation threshold.  In this episode, Zach joins us to discuss the origins of Money Nomad and how it evolved from a simple content site into a fully-fledged marketplace.  We dive into the techniques and frameworks Zach uses to grow his website portfolio, including making the best use of different monetization methods, and optimizing the website’s CRO to maximize profits. According to Zach, “When it comes to content sites, making sure you have the correct affiliate offerings and creating call-to-action buttons are quick wins that buyers can take advantage of. Literally adding blue, red, or green buttons that tell people what you want them to do really helps with conversions. If possible, you should also update your theme to a faster, cleaner theme.” Zach also walks us through his acquisition strategy, his experiences using the Empire Flippers marketplace, and the pros and cons of buying businesses privately vs through a broker. Whether you’re shopping around for your first website acquisition, or you’re an experienced content site owner, this episode is jam-packed full of valuable information that can help you accelerate your website’s growth. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Zach explains how he became involved with the online business industry (02:37) What attracted Zach to the first content site he bought from Empire Flippers (07:52) How Zach got a 60% ROI from his website in less than 6 months (09:56) The techniques and frameworks Zach uses to grow his portfolio of websites (16:22) The pros and cons of buying businesses privately vs through a broker (23:00) The evolution of the Money Nomad website and marketplace (26:40) The Money Nomad marketplace commission structure (32:07) The online business trends Zach foresees in the near future (35:05) Zach’s goals and vision for the future of Money Nomad (39:38) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Money Nomad Ahrefs Surfer SEO Short Pixel Rank Math Link Whisper Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover a few simple tips and tricks to increase your website’s traffic and conversions.

Sometimes, it’s an entrepreneur's ability to neutralize their weaknesses that paves the way to their success. By prioritizing important tasks and removing themselves from activities they aren’t skilled at or simply don’t like, entrepreneurs can focus their talents on areas of their business where they can make a measured difference.  Implementing systems like these helped Lauren Tickner turn her side hustle as a fitness coach into a 7-figure online business by the age of 21.  But Lauren didn’t stop there. She realized that the systems she used to grow her fitness coaching business could be applied to all industries.  This revelation inspired her to create Impact School, a 7-figure coaching company that helps digital entrepreneurs implement systems that allow them to free up valuable time and scale their businesses to new heights.  In this episode, Lauren joins us to discuss the advantages of systematization, the steps business owners should take to systematize their business, and how implementing systems has helped her own business thrive. According to Lauren, “As a business owner, you have to fill your weaknesses. I became so systems oriented through my own lack of organization. A big lesson for me was hiring someone who was my opposite, who could ensure that those systems were set up. But only by being honest about my weaknesses was I able to find the right person.” Lauren also sheds some light on the bad industry advice that entrepreneurs should avoid, how she diversifies her income streams without succumbing to shiny object syndrome, and some of the biggest challenges she faced when building and scaling Impact School. Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Lauren helps people detach their personal brand from their business (05:06) Lauren walks us through her origin story as an entrepreneur (07:55) Hiring people who compliment your weaknesses (13:48) How systemization can benefit entrepreneurs (15:10) The right time to implement systemization in your business’s lifecycle (18:03) The V.I.L.E. system Lauren uses to prioritize tasks (24:33) The bad advice Lauren has heard floating around the industry (29:41) How Lauren plans to diversify her income streams moving forward (39:35) How Lauren avoids shiny object syndrome when acquiring businesses (44:05) Why Lauren decided to exclude investors from her own business (50:35) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Impact School Notion Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how systems can help you scale your business without losing your freedom.

Some entrepreneurs are gifted with a talent for taking run-of-the-mill businesses to new heights and turning them into stable, cash-flowing assets.  Empire Flippers Capital offers a unique opportunity to these talented entrepreneurs - the chance to operate and grow businesses to generate profit for themselves and investors while EFC takes care of the behind-the-scenes logistics.   Mohit Tater was one of the first entrepreneurs to qualify for this opportunity. Mohit is the Founder & CEO of BlackBook Investments, a successful private equity firm that specializes in website investing. He has also been an operator for EF Capital for two investment rounds.  In this episode, we take a peek behind the curtain as Mohit sheds some light on his experiences as an EFC operator.  We discuss what drew Mohit to this opportunity, his acquisition strategy when building his EFC portfolio, and how his portfolio has performed over the last two investment rounds. Mohit walks us through the various tools and resources that EFC operators have at their disposal and shares the productivity hacks he uses to stay on top of his game as he juggles being a business owner and an operator for EF Capital. Lastly, Mohits reveals some of the sure-fire tactics he uses to boost content site revenue. According to Mohit, “When it comes to scaling content sites, the best-hidden growth opportunities often lie in plain sight. Focus on conversion rate optimization. It’s helped us get up to 80% more revenue from the same amount of traffic.” Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how EF Capital generates profits for its investors. If you’re inspired by Mohit’s story and would like to become an operator yourself, check out the operator interest form in the links below. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mohit shares how he became involved with online businesses (04:04) What led Mohit to become an EF Capital operator (14:53) How EF Capital operators are compensated (18:15) How raising funds differs for a Mohit’s personal business vs EF Capital (20:20) The productivity hacks Mohit uses to effectively manage his portfolio of businesses (23:50) Mohit shares insights on the type of business he operates for EF Capital (26:23) The qualities Mohit looks for in a website acquisition (29:07) How Mohit’s EF Capital portfolio has performed under his management (37:50) The milestones Mohit wants to reach as an EFC operator (42:34) Mohit’s advice to entrepreneurs looking to become operators (44:56) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Empire Flippers Capital EF Capital Operator Interest form Blackbook Investments Rich Dad Poor Dad The 4-Hour Work Week Ahrefs Surfer Copyscape Grammarly Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be an Empire Flippers Capital operator.

The 100th episode of The Opportunity podcast is finally here! To celebrate this milestone, we’re mixing things up. This extra special episode revisits a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows.  You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses. Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg's top takeaways includes, “If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.” Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far! Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07) Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30) Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07) Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33) Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43) Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45) Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Jobs to be Done Framework Featured Guests: Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87) Matt Diggity (Ep #23) Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59) John Hefter (Ep #19) Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49) Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41) Perrin Carrell (Ep #79) Alexis Grant (Ep #84) Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42) Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91) Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74) Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55) Ben Donovan (Ep #71) Bill Szabrak (Ep #6) Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

As you grow your Amazon FBA business, so too should you scale your fulfillment.  Employing a 3PL service opens up a wealth of opportunities and helps shield your business from Amazon inventory limits, stockout penalties, and supply chain delays.  But not all 3PLs are created equal, so how do you find the right 3PL to suit your business’s unique needs? Few people are better qualified to answer this question than Taylor Smits. Taylor is an Amazon seller and the Co-founder of My FBA Prep, a SaaS-based 3PL service that helps eCommerce brands scale their operations by streamlining logistics and fulfillment. In this episode, we dissect the eCommerce supply chain. Taylor explains the different fulfillment options available to FBA sellers and the common pain points sellers encounter when prepping, packing, and shipping their inventory to Amazon warehouses.   We discuss the many benefits of outsourcing fulfillment and outline the important questions sellers should ask when choosing a 3PL. According to Taylor,  “As an Amazon seller, the biggest question to ask a 3PL service is “What’s the turnaround time for getting inventory prepped and into Amazon warehouses.” That time period is going to directly affect your cash flow cycle. It’s also important to ask if they have experience working with businesses similar to yours so that you know they can meet your expectations.” This interview will provide you with the information you need to break free of your fulfillment restrictions and watch your FBA business thrive! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Taylor’s entrepreneurial journey and how he founded My FBA Prep (03:33) The difference between first, second, and third-party logistics (12:37) How Taylor got a foot in the door with large eCommerce clients (20:26)  The questions sellers should be asking 3PL service providers before hiring them (25:05) The trends Taylor is seeing in the current eCommerce fulfillment ecosystem (41:38) The biggest obstacle Taylor faced when building and growing My FBA Prep (48:13) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  My FBA Prep Netsuite Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to get the most out of your 3PL fulfillment!

It’s no secret that Amazon’s marketplace is growing incredibly quickly. With so many new brands entering the fray, how can sellers make their listings stand out in such a saturated market? For Mina Elias, a 7-figure Amazon seller, the answer lay in making efficient use of Amazon’s advertising platforms. As his expertise in this area grew, so did requests from fellow sellers asking Mina to optimize their advertising campaigns.  This inspired Mina to create Trivium Group, an Amazon advertising agency that specializes in PPC and DSP advertising campaigns, helping sellers get their products in front of shoppers, earn more money, and grow their businesses. In this episode, Mina joins us to discuss Amazon DSP campaigns, an often overlooked advertising option. He guides us through the differences between DSP and PPC campaigns, the best time for businesses to start making use of DSP, and the risks and rewards of using this promotional tool. We also dive into the secrets behind Mina’s entrepreneurial success, including how he grew his business from 3 employees to 30 in one year and the systems he uses to help him manage his team. According to Mina,  “The number one hack I’ve figured out as a business owner is that using consultants is a great time-saving shortcut that can help you grow your business incredibly fast. For example, I can learn how to do Google Ads in three months, but with just six one-hour consultations with a Google Ads consultant, I can be just as good.” If you want the inside scoop on how to create a winning Amazon DSP strategy, then this is an episode you don’t want to miss out on!  Want a free PPC audit from Trivium? Follow the link below to learn more. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mina discusses his background and how he became involved with Amazon (02:55) The benefits of attending business conferences (11:14) An explanation of Amazon DSP and how it differs from PPC (19:05) The criteria sellers need to meet in order to use Amazon DSP (24:35) How long do you need to run DSP ad campaigns before they become profitable? (30:26) How to segment your DSP marketing funnel (33:40) The success stories Mina has witnessed DSP have on Amazon brands (38:40) Why Mina grew his team from 3 people to 30 in one year (41:44) The key to hiring the right person for the job (46:04) The lessons Mina wishes he know when first starting out on Amazon (55:14) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Trivium Group Free PPC audit from Trivium CXL Digital Marketing Courses Zoom Slack Notion Salesforce Helium 10 Data Dive Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to grow your Amazon business using DSP campaigns.

International expansion is a great way to scale your Amazon business, but many sellers don’t speak the local language of the market they are trying to infiltrate.  To solve this problem, sellers use software like Google Translate to help them translate their existing sales copy, but according to Jana Krekic, this approach often hurts sellers more than it helps them.   Jana is the founder and CEO of YLT Translations, an agency that helps Amazon sellers translate their listings, sales copy, and keyword research to suit various foreign markets. Jana believes that human-based translations help sellers to better navigate the nuances of foreign languages in a way that software cannot.  In this episode, we discuss the language differences that often trip sellers up, the pros and cons of using AI to generate your sales copy, and the international rules and regulations sellers should be aware of. We also discuss the risks and rewards of international expansion, which countries to expand into first, and the steps sellers should take to ensure a smooth transition into foreign marketplaces. According to Jana, “If you want to enter an international Amazon marketplace, the number one thing you should do is market research. That is crucial. After that, you should focus on creating keyword-driven content. The Amazon content rules are less strict in Europe than in the US, so you can use that to your advantage.”  Lastly, Jana shares some insights into Amazon's expansion plans, including the new countries they will be launching marketplaces in, and the opportunities this creates for Amazon sellers around the world.  If you have set your sights on global expansion, then listen in to this conversation to find out how to conquer foreign Amazon marketplaces. Topics Discussed in This Episode: The services that YLT Translations offers Amazon sellers (03:22) Jana walks us through her background and entrepreneurial journey so far (05:34) How AI competes with human-based translations (11:13) The opportunities Amazon sellers can tap into by expanding internationally (16:55) Nuances other than languages differences that sellers should be aware of (28:39) International rules and regulations that often trip sellers up (34:14) New Amazon marketplaces that will be opening in the coming year (39:14) The foundation's sellers should have in place before they expand internationally (40:34) Risks sellers should be aware of when moving into foreign FBA marketplaces (44:43) The European countries you should expand into first (48:21) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace YLT Translations Helium 10 Data Dive Tools Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to adjust your Amazon listings to suit international marketplaces.

It’s been a tough year for the online business industry. Competition remains steep, aggregators are battening down the hatches, and Google algorithm updates continue to plague entrepreneurs.   But Greg Elfrink, the Director of Marketing at Empire Flippers, believes that these challenges hide a plethora of golden opportunities just waiting to be seized by eagle-eyed entrepreneurs.  In this episode, Greg explains how online business owners can build a moat around their businesses to help them ride out the storm and outlast the competition. He discusses how AI will impact marketing and content creation moving forward, and the best way to shield your business from pesky algorithm updates. According to Greg, “The number one thing you can do to protect your business from Google algorithm updates is to build an audience you retain. So, whether you’re growing an affiliate site or an eCommerce store - build an email list. That is your biggest asset that the algorithms can’t do anything about.” Greg also shares his expert marketing knowledge, revealing the latest clever marketing trick that caught his attention, the bad marketing advice you should avoid, and some quick wins that will take your marketing efforts from good to great. If you're looking for the inside scoop on the current state of the online business industry, then this is the episode for you. We close out the show with an exciting announcement about the future of the podcast, so be sure to listen to the end of the episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: The events that impacted the online business industry in 2022 (04:24) The opportunities to be found in the doom and gloom (08:17) What the online business landscape looks like for sellers (10:37) How to protect your business from Google algorithm updates (17:56) How AI will impact content creation (22:28) The most recent clever marketing strategy that caught Greg’s attention (27:20) The challenges online entrepreneurs are facing at the moment (30:20) The quick marketing wins business owners can use to move the needle (33:54) Bad marketing advice you should avoid (38:23) An exciting change to The Opportunity podcast (48:28) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Descript SparkToro Affiliate World Conferences Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn about the latest industry opportunities you can take advantage of!

On the surface, discounts may seem like a great way to boost sales, but over time they erode your profits and can have a negative effect on consumers’ perception of your brand. So, if not discounts, what tool can you use to entice consumers to increase their average spend? Andrew Forman believes donations are the ideal incentive. Andrew is the founder and CEO of Givz, a tool that gives eCommerce sellers instant access to hundreds of different charitable donation incentives without the endless red tape and paperwork.  In this episode, Andrew explains how replacing discounts with donations increases conversion rates and boosts average order value. It also enhances customer loyalty by helping brands to be more authentic and socially conscious. According to Andrew,   “Discounts hurt growth and come straight off your bottom line. More importantly, you run the risk of becoming known as a “discount brand” or becoming reliant on discounts to drive sales. Alternatively, donation incentives help to increase your average order value and drive social impact in a genuine and authentic way.” Andrew shares insights into the challenges brands previously faced when partnering with charitable organizations and how this inspired him to create Givz. We also discuss how the growing demand for social impact will affect the future of eCommerce, and the various tools and techniques brands can use to meet this demand.  If you want to learn how to bounce back from your discount dependency, then this is a conversation you can afford to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Andrew walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (02:36) What inspired Andrew to create Givz (06:23) Andrew explains the service that Givz provides (08:17) How Givz helps businesses increase engagement, ROI, and more (16:57) The “discount drug” and why brands should move away from discounts (21:39) Various ways eCommerce brands can be more socially conscious (23:50) How the growing demand for social impact will affect the future of eCommerce (25:45) The advice Andrew wished he had when starting out as an entrepreneur (27:46) How creating Givz has changed Andrew’s life (33:25) Real-world examples of how Givz has benefited businesses (38:39) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Givz Inveterate Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to attract new sales and increase your bottom line through the use of donation incentives!