Empire Flippers Podcast

In today’s world, almost everyone uses email. But many entrepreneurs still underestimate the power of email marketing and its ability to establish a meaningful connection with your customers.  This week’s guest is Greg Zakowicz, a veteran email marketer and the Sr. eCommerce Expert at Omnisend, an eCommerce marketing automation platform. With 15 years of experience under his belt, Greg has witnessed firsthand the transformative power that email marketing can have on eCommerce businesses. According to Greg,  “If you sell something online, you should probably be sending marketing emails. Otherwise, you’re leaving money on the table.” In this episode, Greg discusses how email has evolved over time and how to set up a successful, automated email marketing strategy. He explains how to use email marketing in each step of the buyer journey and how it can plug the holes that social media marketing can’t fill.  He also walks us through how to breathe life back into a dormant email list and some of the common email marketing pitfalls that trip up eCommerce business owners.  If your list of email subscribers is simply gathering dust, you don’t want to miss out on Greg’s valuable insights! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Greg got his start in the world of email marketing (01:16) How email marketing has evolved over time and why it remains relevant (06:49) Why email marketing is an essential tool for e-commerce businesses (14:39) The foundations of setting up a successful email marketing strategy (21:16) How to revitalize a dormant email list and reestablish a meaningful connection with existing subscribers (27:14) The common email marketing pain points that entrepreneurs encounter (34:21) What email marketing success looks like, and who is getting it right (40:58) How SMS can work hand-in-hand with email marketing (45:20) Pro tips for utilizing automations in your email marketing (51:38) Insight into any upcoming email and SMS automation trends (56:52) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Onmisend Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage the power of email marketing!

How important is SEO to your business? Great SEO is a primary factor in many online businesses’ success. But approaching it for the first time can feel like a minefield. Between out-of-date information and seemingly constant changes to Google’s algorithm, you may think SEO is an impossible game to win. But Kyle Roof knows it’s far from that. In fact, the SEO guru has obtained a US patent proving exactly how you can manipulate SEO to rank on search engines. Kyle is the lead SEO at High Voltage SEO, Founder of PageOptimizer Pro, Co-founder & SEO Instructor at Internet Marketing Gold (IMG), speaker, trainer, and all-around hub of SEO knowledge. He joined The Opportunity Podcast to dispel some of the common myths and misconceptions about SEO practices and the Google algorithm, and reveals what site owners should be doing to improve their SEO and outperform their competition. Topics Discussed in this episode: The biggest SEO misconceptions and mistakes to avoid How to get started with SEO How to get your site to rank What to do when there’s a search engine algorithm update and how to protect your site against it Kyle’s advice for more advanced SEO practitioners Why testing is key to developing your SEO skills What the future of SEO looks like Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace High Voltage SEO PageOptimizer Pro Internet Margeting Gold (IMG) Ahrefs Moz Discover more SEO insights and find out how to apply them to your site by listening to the full interview with Kyle.

What if I told you that there’s a secret ingredient that can help you sell almost any business (yes, even the declining ones) in a fraction of the time?  I’m not referring to huge discounts or expert-level negotiation tactics. I’m talking about the often underestimated element of trust.  Doron Wolffberg, SEO expert and co-founder of Cliverse, has built and sold many content sites and has made buyer-seller trust the central focus of deals.  In this week’s episode, Doron shares how transparency and trust helped him sell a content site at a full listing price to a first-time buyer in just one day! He explains how this tactic not only preserves your reputation as a seller but also equips the buyer with the necessary information to take your business to the next level. Doron also dives into the key focus areas for building a successful content site and reveals how to prepare your site for a speedy and profitable sale. According to Doron, “Before you sell your site, make sure that you fix any faults from a technical standpoint. When buyers look at your site, they look at things like page speed. So even though it’s not a huge ranking factor, if buyers see your site has a low score, it might turn them down a bit.” If you’re looking for ways to scale your content site or tips on how to market your site to sellers, this is the episode for you! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Doron got his start in the online business world (01:58) Doron breaks down the sites in his portfolio and his current projects (03:11) The benefits of being in the content site industry (04:12) Details about the business Doron recently sold on Empire Flippers (06:08)  The importance of seller transparency during an acquisition (11:54) How to market a flawed business fairly (16:09) A common factor that buyers neglect to think of during the sales process (19:22) Why quality should be the core focus for content site owners in 2022 (22:03) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Cliverse Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to set your content site up for a profitable, and fair, sale.

Spotting a promising acquisition is just the beginning. Figuring out how to make that acquisition thrive is a whole new challenge.  Dom Wells has cracked the code for both. Dom is the founder of Onfolio, a company that specializes in buying and nurturing profitable online businesses. Since Dom's last appearance on the podcast in October 2022, shortly after Onfolio went public, the company's revenue has surged from $1.2 million to nearly $6 million. In this episode, Dom returns to discuss how his acquisition strategy has evolved. He's shifted away from content sites and instead focused on acquiring agencies, WordPress plugins, and digital courses.  Why the change? Content sites are excellent traffic assets, great for cultivating audiences and communities, but they come with a notable drawback—the vulnerability to AI and algorithm shake-ups.  To mitigate this risk, Dom advises content site owners to pivot beyond SEO and affiliate revenue. They should explore innovative ways to build their audience and convert it into a thriving community or media brand. One effective approach is to channel traffic toward additional revenue streams like newsletters, digital courses, or eCommerce stores. Dom also walks us through how he goes about acquiring businesses, from the characteristics he looks for in a business to his preferred deal structure and how he sources CEOs to run those businesses.  Finally, Dom shares his insights on current market conditions for sellers.  He believes the market is unlikely to return to the high valuations of 2020/2021 any time soon. Therefore, entrepreneurs who have a large chunk of their net worth invested in their businesses are shouldering enormous risk by delaying selling their businesses in the hopes of waiting out the market.  Don't miss this episode packed with valuable insights into the world of acquisitions and the evolving landscape of online business! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A brief breakdown of Onfolio's business model and history  (02:26) The characteristics Dom looks for when acquiring businesses (05:05) Mitigating the risks of running a content site through diversification (08:37) The benefits of buying an agency (17:00) The metrics Dom looks at when valuing an agency (22:45) How Dom sources quality CEOs to run his businesses (29:13)  Dom’s approach to CEO onboarding (37:20) The characteristics of a good CEO (41:00) Dom’s ideal deal structure when acquiring businesses (45:34) Dom shares his outlook on the current sellers' market (47:53) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Dom’s previous Opportunity podcast interview Onfolio Dom’s X (Twitter) Greg Eisenberg's  X (Twitter) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how an acquisition pro approaches growing his portfolio!

Sometimes, our talents are immediately recognizable. Other times, we accidentally stumble across things we end up being incredibly good at. This is what happened to James Dooley. Initially, he worked as a project manager, seeking a reliable way to generate leads for the business he was part of. He had a website created for that business and stumbled upon the world of SEO. What followed was a whirlwind of success. Today, James boasts a staggering portfolio of over 800 clients in more than 650 diverse industries, making him a prominent figure in the rank and rent industry. He's taken things a step further by investing in many of the businesses he provides leads to. In this episode, James joins us to reveal the secrets to his success. He discusses the importance of testing and research when it comes to SEO and ranking, and the crucial role his team has played in the growth of his business. James explains, “The best investment I’ve made is in the people that work with me. Forget the content, the backlinks, the websites, the businesses we work for. If you get good quality people around you, you encourage them and give them enough space to let them grow and do their own thing, they will do everything for you.” James offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how he builds trust with clients and leverages directories to attract leads. He also debunks common SEO myths and errors while unveiling the SEO strategies he believes yield the best results. According to James,  “Parasite SEO is great for getting instant wins. Quickly build a site on a high DR domain, and hit it with a couple of tier-two backlinks. At present, that's the best way of generating quick traffic.” If you’re thinking of getting into the rank and rent or lead generation game, or simply aiming to supercharge your existing business, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss! Topics Discussed in This Episode: James briefly touches on how he has elevated the rank and rent model (04:06) A look at James’ background and how he got into the world of SEO (06:03) The importance of R&D and how James’s team is structured (12:12) James debunks common SEO myths and mistakes (15:02) How James acquires and maintains clients for his rank and rent business (20:24) James explains how he uses directories to attract leads (29:00) Building trust in a pay-per-performance business model (37:18) Why James decided to invest in many of the businesses he works with (43:46) How James attracts and retains talented employees (49:16) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  James Dooley.com Screaming Frog MarketMuse Surfer SEO AutoBlogging Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to take your rank and rent business to a whole new level!

What is the secret to creating the fastest-growing startup in Canada before the age of 24? For Blair Forrest, the answer lay in identifying the nexus between a common pain point for FBA business owners, and an untapped gap in the logistics market.  While Amazon helps out by delivering products to consumers, the onus is on the seller to receive, store, label, and transport the inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers. It was here that Blair identified an opportunity. Blair is the founder of AMZ Prep, an end-to-end fulfillment solution for Amazon FBA sellers. AMZ Prep stores, preps, packs, and ships inventory to Amazon on behalf of sellers, saving them precious time and resources.   In this episode, Blair joins us to discuss the common logistical pitfalls that FBA sellers experience and outlines the various ways FBA sellers can optimize their logistics. According to Blair, “A lot of businesses have a fragmented approach to logistics, which is often why they don’t get the valuation that they want, or why they’re not able to scale. What turns a good seller into a great seller is optimizing their fulfillment with a solid partner that has multiple warehouses, and can expand you to other marketplaces like Shopify and Walmart.”  Blair also shares insights into how he juggled starting and scaling a business while being a full-time student, and the various lessons he has learned along the way.  If you want to learn how to structure your logistics and inventory management like an FBA all-star, then this is the episode for you! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Blair walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (03:55) How Blair juggled running a business and being a full-time student (14:30) The gap in the market that inspired Blair to create AMZ Prep (18:28) Some common pain points Amazon Sellers are experiencing today (22:17) How to streamline your Amazon logistics (29:16)  The common mistakes FBA sellers make when it comes to logistics (36:50) The secret to Blair’s success (46:20) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace AMZ Prep Notion Minimalist journaling article Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a logistics strategy that will set you up for future success. 

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.

While every business faces its own unique challenges, many early-stage SaaS startups share common characteristics that can dictate their success or downfall. Figuring out what makes these startups thrive and what causes them to crumble requires years of expertise and industry knowledge. Having invested in and worked with over 450 pre-seed & seed stage SaaS startups, Marvin Liao has certainly earned his stripes when it comes to identifying and nurturing profitable and sustainable SaaS businesses. In this episode, Marvin joins us to discuss everything early-stage SaaS founders should be doing. He provides actionable tips and advice including focusing on a narrowed-down, niche audience, remembering to listen to your gut instead of relying solely on data, and waiting until your business is more established before raising growth capital. According to Marvin,  “I’ve found that, in general, bootstrap founders are better at running businesses. Money can be a crutch. You figure out business basics faster when you don’t have a lot of money. It forces you to not waste time. So, bootstrap first, and then once you’ve gained traction and have a better sense of what you’re building and who you’re targeting – that’s the time to raise funding.” Marvin also touches on the common mistakes that SaaS founders make, like modeling themselves after industry giants, spreading their focus too thin instead of doubling down on what works, and undercharging for their software while it’s still a work in progress.  If your SaaS business is still in its infancy, then you can’t afford to miss out on Marvin’s expert insights to help your business reach its full potential. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why startups shouldn’t model themselves after business giants (02:00) Marvin explains why he’s the Forest Gump of Silicon Valley (15:04) Why early-stage SaaS founders should focus on bootstrapping instead of VC funding (20:55) How to balance data-driven decisions with creative “gut-driven” decisions (28:58)  What SaaS founders get wrong when pricing their products (31:26) The benefits of focusing on a narrow, niche audience as a startup (35:34) The common mistakes SaaS founders make when trying to scale (38:54) The criteria Marvin looks at when investing in a business (40:20) It’s easier than ever to create a successful SaaS startup (45:37) The best professional advice Marvin has ever been given or heard (50:38) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao The Next Big Blue-Collar Job Is Coding Conversion Crimes Wayback Machine Justine Musk’s Quora post Sit back, grab a coffee, and listen in as we pick the brain of an early-stage SaaS expert!

Considering Google was created only 25 years ago, finding someone who has been working in the online marketing and affiliate industry for almost 18 years is rare. All the way back in 2005, Matt McWilliams created an affiliate program in a last-ditch effort to earn money for his business that was nearing bankruptcy. The affiliate program took off, growing from zero to more than $1,000,000 a month in only 18 months. Matt hasn’t looked back since.In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to run an affiliate program.  We dive into Matt’s war stories from years in the industry, the foundations of a good affiliate program, and why Matt has chosen to stay in the affiliate world for so many years. Matt explains,  “The thing I love about affiliate marketing is it's relatively risk-free because you don't pay affiliates until you make money. Whereas you have to pay Facebook before you make any money from your Facebook ads.” Matt also sets the story straight on the difficulties of creating an affiliate program, explaining that it takes time to build up a steady flow of revenue and that attracting the right breed of affiliate partners can be a trial-and-error process. If you’re thinking of joining the affiliate industry, then don’t miss out on this peek behind the curtain from an affiliate program veteran. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Matt’s background and how he got involved in the affiliate industry (02:52) The importance of having a good relationship with your affiliate partners (10:55) The type of affiliates Matt has served (23:03)  The 3-5 core elements a beginner should focus on when building their affiliate site  (28:08) AI in affiliate marketing (30:29) Should every business have an affiliate program? (37:33) How to set up an affiliate program for a small business (38:05) Matt’s funniest moment in internet marketing (53:15) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  MattMcwilliams.com/empire  Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of the affiliate program industry!

There’s a lot on the line when you buy a business, so you want to make sure you buy a business that is primed for success.  An important lesson you need to learn as a buyer is that you can’t take businesses at face value. There’s a lot going on below the surface that you need to uncover. That’s where due diligence comes in.  Few people know more about the due diligence process than Elliott Holland. Elliott is the Co-Founder and CEO of Guardian Due Diligence, a diligence solution for first-time buyers and self-funded searchers. In this episode, Elliott takes us on a deep dive into the due diligence process.  He highlights red flags buyers should look out for, the common mistakes buyers make, and he breaks down the due diligence process, step by step. According to Elliott, “There are four main buckets of due diligence in online business. Financial, Operational, Commercial, and Online metrics. In online business, 70 to 80% of due diligence is focused on financials. Financials are created through the operations of a business, and so they are a great way to really understand the story of the business.” Elliott also shared his top due diligence war stories and the lessons buyers can learn from them.If you’re in the market to buy an online business, this episode is jam-packed with useful information that could make or break your acquisition! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Elliott's background and how he became involved in business acquisitions (02:22) What is Quality of Earnings? (14:13) The best time to hire a due diligence service (21:50) The different areas of due diligence (23:09) What Elliott looks at when examining a business’s financials (25:37) How Elliott examines a business’s operations (32:19) The classic due diligence mistake experienced entrepreneurs make (41:54) Top due diligence questions buyers should ask (44:50) Elliott's favorite due diligence war stories (53:16) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Guardian Due Diligence 10 best practices doc War Stories hub Elliott’s Twitter Elliott’s YouTube channel Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how the due diligence process really works!