Empire Flippers Podcast

The entrepreneurial journey is an adventure filled with twists and turns. It's normal to try different paths before discovering what brings out the best in you – be it the right niche, a lucrative business model, or a monetization strategy. Yet, the allure of rapid growth can tempt entrepreneurs to abandon their hard-earned lessons and happiness for the sake of expansion.  Aware of this common pitfall, Jesse Hanley has prioritized calm over growth when building his new business, Bento. Bento was born out of Jesse’s desire to learn how to code and to solve common problems he saw firsthand through his marketing agency. What began as analytics and ad tracking software soon morphed into an email automation platform as Jesse pulled threads, experimented, and refined his vision.  As the business grew, Jesse sold his agency so that he could devote all of his time and energy to Bento.  In this episode, we explore the organic growth of Bento and dive deeper into Jesse’s desire to keep his business small. Jesse explains the dangers of a growth-at-all-costs mentality and walks us through how he has structured Bento to remain small but powerful in a competitive niche.  Lastly, Jesse explains that his “keep it simple” philosophy also extends to email marketing. According to Jesse, “If you want to grow your business, send more emails. The people who make the most money are those who are sending emails every single day with simple, well-communicated offers. Just send more emails, run your ads, and keep it simple.” This episode goes beyond the usual business and marketing techniques, taking a closer look at the entrepreneurial mindset and how goals and ideologies shift over the course of your business journey.  This no holds barred, honest discussion is one for the books. Enjoy! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Jesse’s background and entrepreneurial journey so far (02:40) How the sale of Jesse’s agency spurred on the growth of Bento (03:17) Building a “calm” business that doesn’t chase growth at all costs (10:20) The origins of Bento and how it stands out from the crowd (21:09) How Jesse structured Bento’s pricing as the company grew (33:55) The marketing techniques Jesse uses to brow Bento’s brand awareness (43:17) Why Jesse wants to keep Bento small (45:17) How to get better at email marketing (57:14) Jesse’s advice to aspiring digital entrepreneurs (59:44) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter Bento Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the benefits of growing your business at a sustainable and steady pace.

Wouldn’t it be great to travel back 10 years into the past and take advantage of a younger SEO market with all the knowledge you have now? Well, as it turns out, Azedine Djedid has figured out how to do exactly that.  Azedine is an SEO expert who has built and grown more than 20 successful websites in Italian, French, and Spanish. According to Azedine,  “The non-English SEO market is 10 years behind the English market in many cases, so it's easier to get into and it's easier to rank for keywords or rank for topics, even when it comes to eCommerce.” In this episode, Azedine joins us to reveal the blueprints for success when it comes to creating a foreign language content strategy.  He explains how consumer habits differ in various parts of the world, and how to adapt your content strategy to suit these cultural differences. He also reveals the best emerging markets for foreign SEO, including Brazil, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.  Azedine explains why he chooses to build many of his sites on expired domains, and why he focuses on strong branding and a high DR when shopping for these domains.  Azedine has also sold five of his foreign language sites so far and sheds light on the process of selling a non-English site and the benefits of using a broker to help you sell your online business. With the SEO market becoming more saturated and competitive by the day, foreign language sites present a unique opportunity to enter emerging SEO markets and take advantage of their future growth. If you’re searching for ways to get ahead in the world of SEO, then don’t miss a minute of this informative episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Azedine’s background and the opportunities in foreign SEO (02:16) Azedines advice for starting a site in a foreign language (08:50) How to maximize CTAs on a foreign language site (17:00) How different consumer habits impact monetization and strategy (21:02) The challenges of foreign SEO (25:07) The characteristics Azedine looks for in an aged domain (28:50) Where foreign audiences go to search for products to purchase (37:58) How to use AI to grow your foreign language site (40:25) The process of selling a foreign language site (46:40) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Azedine’s LinkedIn Ahrefs Awin Google Keyword Planner Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create high-performing content for foreign language websites!

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. Many business owners feel like it's them against the world, and that they alone should have all the answers. But as the saying goes, “many hands make light work”, and partnerships are often an overlooked secret to success when it comes to growing your business. As promised Ace Chapman is back, and this time he joins us to discuss the many benefits of joint ventures. According to Ace, “Everything you want for your business, somebody else already has. They've got customers that you want, they have talent that you want, they have the technology, the income, whatever that thing is.  By structuring partnerships with those people or buying their business from them, you can gain access to the things you want without having to create them from scratch yourself.”   Ace shares how he has used joint ventures to reduce costs in his businesses. He explains how to identify and build relationships with valuable investors and partners, and how to establish trust when negotiating a partnership. We discuss how strategic alliances can help business owners buy and own important resources like traffic sources and audience data, instead of simply “renting” them from a third party.  Ace also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what he has been up to in the private equity space and his goal of “investing like the wealthy.” Ace Chapman is a wizard when it comes to business acquisitions and strategic growth partnerships, so don’t miss a second of this insightful interview! Topics Discussed in This Episode: The hidden benefits of joint ventures (04:45) The differences between joint ventures and affiliate/ referral programs (15:20) How to establish trust in a joint venture (18:15) What Ace has been up to in the fundraising and private equity space (21:07) How Ace has structured his private equity fund (29:57) Ace walks us through an example of reducing costs through joint ventures (40:53) Ace’s advice to beginners who want to start their own private equity fund (43:15) The bigger the business the bigger the opportunity (46:09) The average hold length for the businesses in Ace’s fund (50:40) How to source investors for your own private equity fund (1:00:08) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account SoloConglomerate.com Predator’s Ball by Connie Bruck Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing by Dean Wesley Smith Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how joint ventures can accelerate your business growth!  

The keyboard is mightier than the sword.  AI-powered writing tools are making it easier than ever to create quality content at scale. Yet, with the market flooded by a deluge of AI-backed software, finding the perfect tool for your needs can be tough. Plus, once you discover a tool that suits your needs, mastering how to use it effectively is often a roadblock to success. It was while he was learning the ins and outs of one of these tools that Matt Zimmerman was inspired to create an AI writer of his own. Matt is the founder of ZimmWriter, a unique, AI-powered tool that allows you to harness the power of AI in thousands of applications and websites, whether it be WordPress, LinkedIn, or Google Docs.  In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to create an AI writer from scratch. He discusses the difficulties he ran into with backend prompting, and what separates ZimmWriter from all of the other tools on the market. Matt has built a strong community around ZimmWriter, and this open line of communication has shaped the tool's evolution. Through the community, he receives invaluable feedback about what his audience likes and dislikes, bugs they’ve spotted in the software, and suggestions about new features that they would like to see added to the tool. Matt also discusses the pros and cons of using AI writers and explains the best way to use AI to enhance your content creation. According to Matt, “AI is like a hammer. It’s just another tool in your toolbox. It can help you do your job faster, and you can do a lot of fine craftsmanship with it. But, like any other tool, you have to learn how to use it properly. You need the right training before you can expect good results.”  In a world where the keyboard reigns supreme, learning how to effectively leverage AI in your content creation is crucial, so don’t miss out on a second of this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Matt walks us through his background and the inspiration behind ZimmWriter (03:19) What sets ZimmWriter apart from other Ai writing tools (11:08)  How community feedback influenced the development of ZimmWriter (16:55) The difficulties of backend prompting for AI tools (19:58) How Matt is slowly growing his Zimmwriter team (28:34) Marketing ZimmWriter and growing a Facebook community (30:58) Matt’s plans for the future of ZimmWriter (34:07) The pros and cons of using AI writing tools (40:18) Matts's thoughts on AI replacing people’s jobs (48:29) The best way to incorporate ZimmWriter into your writing workflow (51:05) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account ZimmWriter Matt’s GetPrompted newsletter Sit back, grab a coffee, and peek behind the curtain to see what goes into creating an AI-powered writing tool!  

As a rule of thumb, larger businesses tend to be more established, more stable, and come with better infrastructure than smaller businesses.  But they also cost more, creating a barrier to entry for entrepreneurs who are looking to make the most of the benefits of buying large businesses.  However, Roland Frasier discovered that the barrier can be overcome with some clever, creative financing.  Roland is a serial entrepreneur who is renowned for his unique approach to leveraged buyouts and no-money-down financing. In fact, he has created 226 creative financing strategies that buyers can use to purchase a business with little or no money down.  In this episode, Roland joins us to discuss the various levers buyers can pull to reduce the amount of cash they need to put into their acquisitions.  He starts off by breaking down the characteristics buyers should look for in a business, and the common mistakes that often trip buyers up. He then outlines a few of his no-money-down strategies, including seller financing, supplier financing, using the business’ credit card reserves, inventory consignment, asset-based lending, management financing, and many more.  He also explains the importance of setting up an SPV to protect your personal assets and credit when structuring these deals. Roland also reveals how to spot a good deal and the best way to approach negotiations. According to Roland, “The biggest thing people do wrong when negotiating is that they think of it as a win or lose. I like to think of it as a collaboration. We, the buyers, are collaborating to get you, the seller, the best price we can get you. Or at least as close to the price you want in a way that also works for me. So we're on the same team.” If you want to learn how to gain access to bigger business acquisitions without having to put more money down, then you’ve come to the right place! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Roland shares his background and entrepreneurial journey (02:34) How to identify a good business from a bad business (05:51) Remaining involved in a business that you’ve sold (11:43) The common mistakes people make when buying businesses (19:33) How representations and warranties are used in acquisitions ( 22:04) The strategies Roland uses for creative no-money-down deals (27:19) Why business owners shouldn’t be afraid to raise their prices (39:07) How Roland juggles all of the businesses he has acquired (41:32) Buying media business to gain more leads (43:35) Roland’s tips for being an effective negotiator (50:20) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Business Lunch with Roland Frasier Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to get creative with no-money-down financing!

The early bird catches the worm.  This is particularly true when it comes to investing. Early adopters often reap the biggest rewards. But if spotting a good investment before the business really takes off was that easy, everyone would do it.  You need to find a business with a first-mover advantage. One that operates in a blue ocean. A business that has already established proof of concept in the short time they've been operational. A business like WebStreet.  In this week’s episode, we are joined by Kyle Kuderewski, the Operations Manager at WebStreet.Kyle joins us to discuss Webstreet’s exciting new investment opportunity - the chance to invest directly into WebStreet itself and become an early adopter of a business at the forefront of an investing revolution.  Kyle breaks down the need-to-know terms of the investment, the benefits that investors can expect to receive, and how this opportunity differs from WebStreet’s normal investment rounds. According to Kyle, “The big difference between this and investing in a normal round is it's a growth play versus an income play. With the normal rounds, you receive income through quarterly cash distributions. With this new investment, you actually own an equity stake in Web Street as a company and benefit from the growth of the business. If you think about it,  you're owning a piece of all those other businesses we’re investing in” Kyle goes on to explain how WebStreet plans to spend the growth capital raised (growing their audience and adding all the bells and whistles to their platform). He also announces the introduction of WebStreet’s WeFunder campaign, an investment opportunity that allows non-accredited investors to get in on the action. If you want to be an early adopter instead of a bystander, listen to this episode to learn how you can take advantage of this rare investment opportunity! Topics Discussed in This Episode: An update on WebStreet’s progress since separating from Empire Flippers (03:34) The exciting new investment opportunities available through WebStreet (07:39) How WebStreet plans to use the growth capital raised (10:38) The investment terms for WebStreet’s direct investment round (11:36) A closer look at how WebStreet’s funds are operated (17:54) What a liquidity event would look like for one of the investment funds (25:43) WebStreet's WeFunder campaign- a non-accredited investor crowdfunding option (30:42) The types of people who are investing in WebStreet and its funds (33:07) The ripple effects that fractional investments may have on the industry (38:43) Trends Kyle has spotted in different monetizations throughout the industry (44:45) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account WebStreet WebStreet investor application form Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how you can own a piece of the upcoming investing revolution!

Building an affiliate site is a great way to earn money online. But if you really want to maximize your profits, you need to scale your business beyond affiliate revenue. In this week’s episode, we interview someone who has done just that and has built a thriving business around teaching others how to replicate his success. Gael Breton, the co-founder of Authority Hacker, joins us to share how he turned a simple educational website into the giant that is Authority Hacker today.He shares valuable tips on how to grow your affiliate site by branching out into different monetizations, adding profit maximizers to your offering, and using the right tone in your sales messaging. He reveals why business owners should avoid becoming the face of their brand and how he is earning back his time by training AI to manage his schedule. He also explains how to adjust your pricing as your business grows. According to Gael, “In terms of pricing, charge more than you think you could. Think about what you would charge and add 30% or 40% to that. You will make less sales, but you will probably make more profit and that's all that matters in the end. Building a loyal audience is really the key. They'll be willing to pay whatever the price is for what you're selling as long as you provide value.” Finally, Geal discusses the pros and cons of building websites on expired domains, before he and Greg debate AI’s impact on the future of SEO. Gael is a fountain of knowledge, so whether you are new to the affiliate marketing space, or you’re searching for ways to grow your existing affiliate business, this episode is exactly what you’ve been looking for! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Gael shares the background story behind Authority Hackers (03:00) The obstacles Gael faced while building the Authority Hacker courses (08:38) Why business owners should avoid becoming the face of their business(10:51) Gael's new experiment: training an AI to be his new VA to gain his time back (15:44) How Authority Hacker structured their course pricing as their business grew (19:34) The effectiveness of profit maximizers and to add them to your business (25:03) Using the right tone in your sales messaging (30:04) The future of Authority Hacker (34:35)  The core elements beginners should focus on when building their first affiliate site (38:30) Gael’s experience building sites on fresh domains vs expired domains (45:02) Gael’s view on the future of SEO (54:15) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Authority Hacker Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell BrandSnap.ai Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to expand your website beyond affiliate revenue!

Did you know there are over 31 million active bloggers in the United States alone? With the growing popularity of monetizing content sites, the SEO market is becoming increasingly saturated, making it harder to achieve success. However, outside the borders of the intense competition in English language SEO, there lies a treasure trove of opportunities in foreign markets. Enter Taylor Kimball, an SEO expert who has taken full advantage of this untapped potential. Taylor operates sites in both Thai and Portuguese - two languages that he does not speak.  In this episode, Taylor guides us through the process of operating foreign language sites. We dive into the differences in audience behavior, the accessibility of reliable affiliate and display advertising partners, and why Taylor thinks backlinks are less important in foreign language sites. Taylor shares the secret to successfully operating a site in a language you don't speak: assembling a stellar team to handle site operations and content production. According to Taylor, “In my experience, buying a foreign language site isn’t so much about the site itself, but rather the team behind it. You’ll need to find people who are fluent in that language and familiar with the culture. Foreign SEO is about partnerships with key people.” With this team structure in place, Taylor can concentrate on creating growth strategies. Speaking of strategies, Taylor reveals that non-English SEO often lags behind the English-speaking market, presenting SEO professionals with access to competitive niches and the opportunity to implement techniques that might not be effective in the English-speaking realm. There’s a whole world of SEO success just waiting to be tapped into! If you want to capitalize on this opportunity, then don’t miss a minute of this episode. It is jam-packed with useful tips and tricks that you can use to replicate Taylor's success in foreign language SEO. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Taylor’s background and how he ended up in foreign SEO (02:55) Why foreign SEO gives you access to often competitive niches (07:24) How Taylor finds operators for his foreign language sites (09:39) The differences in audience behavior on foreign language sites (13:59) Affiliate opportunities and conversions on foreign vs English languages sites (17:21) How Taylor uses AI to help him write his content (21:41) The importance of backlinks in foreign SEO and how Taylor constructs his backlink profile (25:219) Taylor's advice to anyone starting or buying their own foreign language site (31:21) How to analyze a foreign SEO site (35:49) The trends Taylor sees taking place in the foreign SEO market (42:50) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Koala Writer Julian Goldie video Zimmwriter Will Tribe Foreign SEO article Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to successfully operate a foreign language content site!

Brent Beshore, founder of Permanent Equity, a PE firm that invests in family-held businesses, talks about his unique approach to private equity. He works with a 30-year time horizon, uses no debt, and takes no fees. He splits the business's cash flow with the family that owns it, allowing him to grow the businesses sustainably. The podcast covers topics such as sourcing deals, valuing businesses, and the differences between traditional private equity and Permanent Equity's approach.

Display advertising is a powerful monetization, but many website owners miss out on extra profits and growth by treating display ads as a “set and forget” addition to their site.Recognizing this untapped potential, Kean Graham created MonetizeMore, a platform that increases ad revenues by using auction technology to find the advertisers willing to pay the most for your ad placement. They also offer a suite of tools that helps publishers analyze their revenue stats and detect and block invalid traffic. In this episode, Kean joins us to shed light on the state of the display advertising industry in 2023. We discuss the challenges publishers are currently facing, including how market changes have impacted RPMS, and how AI will affect organic traffic. Kean also dives into some of the pitfalls that many publishers are unaware of. He reveals the dangers of bot traffic attacks and explains how invalid traffic can be a silent killer for your site.  Kean also explains how many black box companies gatekeep your ad inventory, and how owning that inventory is the key to unlocking exponential growth for your site. According to Kean, “Your ad inventory is a wealth of data that you can use to sell directly to advertisers, access premium RPMS, or create brand partnerships. So If you really want to grow your site to ambitious levels, it’s vital to partner with companies that believe in transparency and ad inventory ownership.” If you want to take control of your ad revenues and propel your site to new heights, then don’t miss a minute of this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Kean’s background and info about MonetizeMore(02:33) How MonetizeMore uses AI tech to detect bots and invalid traffic (04:07)  How competitors use bots traffic attacks and how to protect yourself (08:44) The challenges that publishers are currently facing (17:25) Strategies publishers can use to grow their revenue (22:33) The data points you can gain access to by owning your ad inventory (30:50) How large publishers diversify their traffic sources (33:29) Kean’s take on the effect AI will have on Google Search (36:13) The stepping stones for growth in 2023 (41:05) How Kean keeps innovating after so long in the industry (46:00) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account MonetizeMore ChatGPT Kean’s LinkedIn Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to accelerate your site’s growth using your display advertising inventory.