Ecomm Breakthrough

Josh Hadley
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Oct 7, 2025 • 31min

What Happens When You Test Applicants Like Navy SEALs?

Josh started his career at American Airlines (AA) and spent 5 years in their MBA leadership development program. Josh’s experience at AA further refined his leadership abilities and strategic decision making skills. While employed at AA Josh and his wife Becca started Hadley Designs. As the CEO of Hadley Designs, Josh led the business to gross $100,000+ in revenue within it’s first year and in 2022 Hadley Designs crossed the eight figure mark, grossing over $10,000,000 in revenue.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Leveraging AI tools for hiring management-level staff globally.Conducting a time study to identify hiring resource allocation.Creating a clear role profile and scorecard with defined expectations and KPIs.Attracting top talent through detailed job descriptions and hidden tasks.Sourcing a large pool of candidates to ensure quality selection.Implementing AI recruiting tools for streamlined candidate sourcing and application management.Establishing a rigorous vetting process, including assessments and test projects.Conducting group interviews to evaluate candidate interactions and dynamics.Performing thorough reference checks to verify candidates' past performance.Setting high performance standards for new hires to enhance team effectiveness.In this podcast episode, the speaker, an experienced entrepreneur and host of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," shares a detailed seven-step process for hiring management-level staff using AI tools. The speaker emphasizes the importance of conducting a time study to allocate hiring resources effectively, creating detailed role profiles and scorecards, and leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT for efficiency. They discuss innovative techniques such as group interviews and AI-driven resume screening to streamline the hiring process. By implementing rigorous vetting processes and thorough reference checks, the speaker provides actionable insights for scaling businesses to eight figures and beyond.Here are 3 short, actionable takeaways from the podcast summary:Start with a Time Study: Track your daily activities in 15-minute increments for two weeks to identify tasks you can delegate—this sets the foundation for hiring the right management-level support.Use AI to Streamline Hiring: Leverage tools like ChatGPT to quickly generate tailored role profiles and scorecards, and platforms like Workable to automate resume screening and candidate sourcing.Vet Rigorously, Hire Deliberately: Implement group interviews, test projects, and reference checks to assess both skills and culture fit—only hire candidates who raise the bar for your existing team.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough YouTubeeComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comOdesk (now known as Upwork)Criteria Corp (for assessments)Workable.phChatGPTSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Today, I'm going to be walking through how we're going to be leveraging AI to hire management level staff anywhere in the world. Okay. And I'm going to be showing you guys kind of the filters, everything that we've set up. There's a lot to dissect in 20 minutes. So we're going to be flying through all of this. But the good news is Jim and Mimi, those two things that you talked about AI and hiring leaders, like, that's exactly what I'm talking about today. All right. So this is the easy way to use AI to find incredible management level contractors overseas. as Bryce mentioned. Who am I? So first and foremost, father of four, husband to a beautiful wife. We had a baby six months ago. Five months ago. His name is Harvey and Harper. She's the one here. She's a she's my second and she's six years old. So happy to have her with us. And then we started our brand on Amazon back in 2016. We've been an eight figure brand on Amazon for three years straight now and then.Josh Hadley 00:00:49  I'm also the host of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, where I share strategies to scale from 7 to 8 figures and beyond in the e-commerce world. All right. So first up, I want to share a story. So all of us have heard the amazing opportunity to go higher $3 an hour. Filipinos that can revolutionize our business, right? Everybody's talked about that. Okay, so this was me back in 2017 being like, oh, everybody's hiri...
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Oct 2, 2025 • 16min

Throwback: Don’t Let Copycats Steal Your Thunder: The IP Protection You Need!

In this Throwback episode, host Josh interviews patent attorney Rich Goldstein about the importance of intellectual property (IP) protection for businesses, especially e-commerce sellers. Rich explains the differences between copyrights, design patents, utility patents, and trademarks, highlighting why registering trademarks in China is crucial for those sourcing products there. They discuss how IP protection helps prevent copycats, increases business value, and is essential for a successful exit. Rich also shares actionable tips for building an IP strategy and recommends resources for further learning. The episode concludes with advice on connecting with top experts in the Amazon and e-commerce space.Chapters:Introduction to Rich Goldstein and His Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Rich Goldstein, his experience, and his role in helping businesses obtain patent protection.Josh’s IP Mistake and the Importance of Early Protection (00:01:39)Josh shares his mistake of not getting IP protection early and discusses the risks of product copying on Amazon.Copyrights vs. Design Patents for Product Protection (00:02:56)Rich explains the difference between copyrights and design patents, and when each is applicable for product protection.The Importance of Registering Trademarks in China (00:04:33)Discussion about the risks of not registering trademarks in China and the potential consequences for e-commerce sellers.Understanding Utility Patents (00:06:16)Rich explains what utility patents are, what they protect, and how they differ from design patents.Three Actionable IP Takeaways for Entrepreneurs (00:08:44)Josh summarizes three key IP action items: trademarks, patents, and the value of IP for business exits.The Value of an IP Budget and Learning About IP (00:10:25)Rich emphasizes budgeting for IP as a business grows and the importance of entrepreneurs educating themselves about IP.Recommended Thought Leaders in E-commerce (00:12:06)Rich shares names of influential people and groups in the e-commerce and Amazon seller space.Where to Find Rich Goldstein and His Resources (00:14:32)Rich provides information on where listeners can find his website, book, podcast, and event updates.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesGoldstein Patent LawBooksThe ABA Consumer Guide to Obtaining a PatentPodcastsInnovations and Breakthroughs PodcastNotable Individuals and GroupsKevin KingBrandon YoungTitan GroupNorm FarrarDanny McMillanTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm excited to introduce to you Rich Goldstein, who is on a mission to connect, protect, and educate. He helps small businesses, startups, and in e-commerce and digital marketers and inventors in their quest to obtain patent protection. Along with his team of attorneys. He counsels individual inventors and startups regarding the best steps to take for patent protection and when patent protection is available. Over the past 28 years, he has obtained more than £2,000 for his clients. And Rich is the host of the Innovations and Breakthroughs podcast and is the author of The Consumer Guide to Obtaining a Patent, published by the American Bar Association. So Rich, welcome to the podcast.Rich 00:00:46  Thanks so much, Josh. Thanks. Thanks for the warm introduction. And and really great to be on your podcast.Josh 00:00:51  Rich, I'm happy to say that we are a part of that number of 2000 plus, you know, patent successful patterns that you've been able to obtain and counting. Right.Rich 00:01:03  And counting.Josh 00:01:03  Yep. So thank you for your help and helping us get some of those design patterns that we've received for our business.Josh 00:01:10  So rich. Absolutely is the man.Rich 00:01:12  Absolutely. My pleasure. It's really exciting to see kind of what we're creating there in your company in terms of, asset value and protection, you know, against competitors. So, it's really cool. And someday we'll, we'll do a, you know, a Harvard business case study of some kind, to, you know, to take a look at what we've created here. I think it's pretty awesome.Josh 00:01:39  Well, I think that's the hope for both you and I that we're creating some significant value in the long run. Now, Rich, I shared this on previous podcast episodes as I shared some of the mistakes that I've made along my journey. One of those mistakes that I've made was not getting IP protection whatsoever for many of our products for four years, right? We literally went for in our business for four years before, you know, you and I fortunately met. And you're like, dude, you've got to start doing something here. And we had a great conversation.Josh 00:02:13  And now that we started getting copyrights issued for all of our products and then design design patents for some of our products, it's allowed us to actually protect more of our products, because prior to that, as many sellers know, as soon as you launch a product on Amazon, it's months, you know, sometimes as quick as a month later, sometimes 3 to 6 months later, you've got somebody copying your idea and being able to have something to protect yourself and even potentially get some of those other people knocked off or, you know, shut down their listings, I think is essential, especially as Amazon and e-commerce in general becomes more and more competitive. Would you agree with that, Rich?Rich 00:02:56  Yeah, absolutely I agree, and it's funny you mentioned that, like, you, you could put something up there for a month and then you'll find the competition and it's, it's almost as if. Well, I mean, it is as if there are tools that say, you know, copy this or copy that.Rich 00:03:10  There are analytics tools that, that, that point people in the direction of you when you're doing well. And so it's it's almost as if you're the software telling people, copy this guy, you know, and and so it really is, important to create as much of a moat as possible around, around what you're doing to prevent other people from, from copying you. and, you know, it's interesting to, like, in your case, like, a lot of your products are kind of content oriented, that copyrights are an option. for a lot of product ideas, copyrights are not really an option. They don't really provide, you know, covers don't provide protection for ideas. They provide protection for content type expression and then design patents, which you mentioned. Two are for the ornamental appearance for a product. The the look of a product. and I'd say the design patents are an issue for a lot are not an issue or an option for a lot of, sellers. Like if you have a product that has a unique look to it, then design patents are a good way to prevent other people from knocking you off by making a product that looks just like yours.Rich 00:04:24  So, you know, they're both effective tools, for protecting you on Amazon. So, yeah, I agree with all of that.<...
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Sep 30, 2025 • 60min

The 3 Data Points That Predict Ecommerce Success (or Failure)

Andrew co-founded Reason Automation after years at Amazon, working on their retail and vendor businesses. There, he learned data wasn’t just a resource—it was the backbone of every decision being made. To be successful, you had to dive into the numbers yourself, without a team of analysts to rely on. That hands-on experience shaped his approach to data and inspired him to create a company that helps other businesses tap into the power of their own analytics.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of data analytics in e-commerce decision-makingChallenges of data overload and how to manage it effectivelyPrioritization of tasks for entrepreneurs to drive growthUnderstanding SKU-level profitability and its impact on businessThe significance of real-time data for informed decision-makingIdentifying trends and opportunities in the marketOvercoming fear of data analysis and making timely decisionsThe role of feedback in leadership and personal growthStrategies for monitoring key metrics to enhance performanceAdapting to changing consumer behavior and market dynamicsIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Andrew Hamada, co-founder of Recent Automation. They discuss two pivotal factors for scaling e-commerce businesses: effective data analytics and task prioritization. Andrew, leveraging his experience at Amazon, emphasizes the importance of transforming data into actionable insights without getting overwhelmed. He advises entrepreneurs to focus on key tasks that drive growth and to understand product-level profitability. The episode also highlights the necessity of regular monitoring and the value of constructive feedback in leadership. This conversation offers invaluable guidance for scaling seven-figure brands to eight figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prioritize What Matters Most Start each day by identifying your top 5 high-impact tasks and eliminate or delegate the rest to maintain focus and momentum.Track SKU-Level Profitability Regularly analyze product-level data to uncover hidden losses—especially from advertising—and adjust pricing, spend, or inventory accordingly.Act Fast with Real-Time Data Set up dashboards to monitor 3–5 key metrics in real time and make quick, informed decisions to stay agile and competitive.Resources mentioned in this episode:Here are the mentions with timestamps arranged by topic:Ecomm BreakthroughJosh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough YouTubeeComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazonAmazon Seller CentralSelling Partner APIData KioskMidjourneyLinkedInJason BoyceSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInNeil Patel on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordovez, and Michael E Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today I am speaking with Andrew Hamada, and today we are going to be talking about the two things that are going to set you and your business apart from the competition and allow your brand to be able to scale and win in today's competitive environment. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure ecommerce brands to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a partner or coach who can help take your business to the next level, reach out to me at Ecomm Breakthrough. Com. That's ecom with two ends and let's turn your dreams into reality. Today I am excited to introduce you all to Andrew Hamada. Andrew co-founded Recent Automation after years at Amazon working on their retail and vendor businesses. There, he learned data wasn't just a resource, it was the backbone of every decision being made.Josh Hadley 00:00:52&nbs...
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Sep 25, 2025 • 16min

Throwback: The Best Advanced Content Strategies for Dominating Amazon Sales

In this Throwback episode, host Josh interviews Steven Pope from My Amazon Guy about advanced strategies for Amazon sellers, especially those with mature or seven-figure brands. Steven details the importance of focusing on SEO, PPC, merchandising, and design, and explains why SEO should be continuously optimized. He shares a case study on using Amazon’s search query performance report to find untapped keywords, and discusses practical tactics like updating product images and A/B testing. The episode wraps up with Steven’s favorite business resources and advice to take action and keep improving your Amazon business.Chapters:Introduction & Episode Overview (00:00:00)Josh introduces Steven Pope and sets up the discussion on advanced Amazon content strategies for mature brands.The Four Pillars of Amazon Success (00:00:40)Steven outlines the four key areas: SEO, PPC, merchandising, and design, emphasizing their importance for traffic and conversion.Challenges Facing Amazon Sellers (00:02:10)Discussion of increased competition, shrinking margins, and the need to focus on fundamentals instead of hacks or blackhat tactics.Deep Dive: SEO is Not Set-and-Forget (00:03:51)Steven explains his multi-phase SEO approach and stresses the importance of continuous optimization.Case Study: Using Search Query Performance Report (00:04:12)Steven introduces the ICAP marketing funnel and demonstrates how to use Amazon’s search query performance report to find valuable keywords.Market Share Growth Example (00:06:18)Steven shares a real-world example of tripling market share for a previously overlooked keyword using data-driven SEO.Image Optimization & A/B Testing (00:08:15)Discussion on improving product images (e.g., adding age ranges) and the impact on click-through rates, with a live example.Implementing Data-Driven Content Changes (00:09:59)How to use search data to inform content updates, including A/B testing and targeting specific demographics.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:11:30)Josh summarizes key steps: analyze search query data, implement keyword-driven content changes, and A/B test main images and A+ content.Favorite Business Book (00:13:17)Steven shares his most influential book, "The Road Less Stupid," and its impact on his decision-making.Favorite Productivity Tool (00:13:48)Steven discusses his upcoming productivity tool, Hybrid, and mentions the value of tools like Calendly.Recommended Ecommerce Influencer (00:14:33)Steven recommends following Harry Joiner for unique ecommerce insights and strategy frameworks.Final Words of Wisdom (00:15:18)Steven encourages listeners to take action and shares his contact info for feedback and stories.Podcast Closing (00:15:41)Josh thanks Steven for joining the podcast and wraps up the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools and Resources  Seller Central Pickfu   Calendly Books  The Road Less Stupid  Traction Scaling Up People to Follow  Harry Joiner on LinkedInTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm speaking with Steven Pope of my Amazon guy, and we will be talking a lot about content, strategies and how to uplevel your game on Amazon to capture more traffic and drive more revenue. We talked about this prior to recording Hitting the record button on this podcast, but I want to learn from you. And our audience is going to be interested, Steven, to learn. What would you recommend? Seven figure sellers and those that are maybe experienced on Amazon? They have a mature brand, so to speak. What should they be focusing on? Amazon, especially knowing where, you know, kind of the puck is going in the future with Amazon where things are going. What strategies would you recommend sellers be implementing right now?Steven 00:00:40  Anything that generates traffic and improves conversion rates. Full stop. That's it. That's all you got to focus on those two basic parameters. Now I can break those two down one layer deeper. Yep. Under traffic there's PPC and SEO and under conversion there's merchandising and design. So those four pillars make up E-commerce on Amazon.Steven 00:01:01  And so as we continue to go down even a layer further. Content production is the most underrated, easiest thing to do. As an Amazon seller that is being abandoned. Now, obviously there's a lot of cardinal rules of Amazon. Like never go out of stock. That's cardinal rule number one. And cardinal rule number two is kind of like cardinal rule number one. Don't go out of stock. Right. And so like those are important concepts. But when we look down to the very basics of how to sell more products to more people, more often for more money, it comes back to those four pillars SEO, PPC, design and merchandising. And if you were ignoring 1 or 2, maybe even three of those protocols, you're in a world of hurt right now. You are losing to the Chinese who are hacking your accounts and your listings. You are losing to Amazon's policies, who are clamping down and making it harder to be on the platform. You are losing to your Are competitors who are in a death spiral with margin problems, but are still lowering their prices because consumer demand is down and inflation is like 27%, despite what the government claims.Steven 00:02:10  Whatever the government says, triple it. That's the true inflation rate. And so people's margins are shrinking. Policies are harder. Competition is steeper. Let's throw aggregators into the mix too. They're buying up all the brands and then, you know, really messing with the marketplace. And and so like all of these things make it so that Amazon is entering the maturity phase. So it was a seven figure Amazon seller. You need to get back down to the basics. Ignore all of the hacks. Do this two step URL. Everything will be fine. Yeah. Then your next hey do rebates and then all of a sudden you're you're banned right. Or or incentivized reviews. And then what happens. Right. All of these things are against policy and they are blackhat tactics. Stick to the basics SEO, PPC, design, merchandising. If you're trying to violate the basics by overcoming them with alternative options, you're going to reap alternative benefits. And those are not good benefits.Josh 00:03:11  That's a fantastic breakdown. I love that you, you know, gave us a layer deeper there.Josh 00:03:15  You know, you have the traffic and then the conversion. Then you gave us basically four kind of areas that seven figure sellers or anybody in general on Amazon should be focused on. So, Steven, I would love for us to dive in to each of these, you know, individually. Let's talk about SEO. What are some quick wins that we could do with SEO, PPC, you know, and then we can really dive into the merchandising and the design, because that's where I think a lot of that content strategy that you talked about is going to make a big impact. But let's start at SEO. What are some quick wins and things that we should be focused on?Steven 00:03:51  SEO has, in my opinion, a multiple phase approach. It's not SEO is not set it and forget it. SEO is not set it and forget it. SEO is in fact the opposite of that. SEO is. Let me optimize it continuously. Therefore, if you buy that paradigm, it'll shift how you make content.Ste...
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Sep 23, 2025 • 53min

The Ecom Survival Blueprint: Thriving Despite Tariffs, Competition & Rising Costs with Brandon Fuhrmann

Brandon is a seasoned Amazon entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Innovate, and he is the driving force behind a successful Kitchenware Brand with years of experience building and scaling e-commerce businesses. Brandon brings a unique perspective, shaped by both his entrepreneurial journey and his background as an attorney. Today we're going to be diving into his business. What is he doing with the challenges we're all faced with tariffs and Amazon fees and increasing competition? He's going to be sharing his journey and his tips and strategies he's implementing in his business today.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Journey and experiences of an Amazon entrepreneur in e-commerce.Challenges faced in 2025, including tariffs, Amazon fees, and competition.Importance of pricing strategies and ad spend management for profitability.Insights on product listing optimization and inventory management.Growth and significance of the Innovate conference for e-commerce sellers.Strategies for navigating sourcing challenges and diversifying manufacturing locations.The role of customer feedback and product testing in successful launches.Legal considerations in e-commerce, including trademark and patent issues.Importance of continuous product innovation and optimization for sustained success.Recommendations for leveraging tools and resources to enhance e-commerce performance.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Brandon Fuhrmann, Amazon entrepreneur and co-founder of Innovate. Brandon shares advanced strategies for scaling e-commerce brands, including optimizing pricing, ad spend, and product listings amid rising tariffs and fierce competition. He discusses leveraging international markets, building a lean team, and the importance of continuous product innovation. Brandon also offers actionable insights on legal protections, customer feedback, and multichannel expansion. Listeners gain practical, high-level tactics to drive profitability and resilience, plus an exclusive invitation to the Innovate conference for elite sellers aiming to reach 8 figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Play the Price–Ad Spend Game: Adjust pricing & PPC together. Drop prices to rank faster, then raise and boost ads to keep momentum.Keep Listings Fresh: Constantly update images & copy based on split tests and customer feedback. Have backups ready to pivot fast.Diversify or Die: Sell in multiple marketplaces (EU, CA, Walmart, Shopify) so you can shift inventory when tariffs or demand change.Resources mentioned in this episode:Insiders Agency: 00:16:10Helium 10: 00:27:14Jungle Scout: 00:27:14Shopify: 00:23:55Walmart: 00:22:26Faire: 00:24:41SellaMetrics: 00:33:58Amazon: 00:03:33FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon): 00:03:45PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising: 00:18:42E-myth by Michael E. Gerber: 00:00:37Grit by Angela Duckworth: 00:44:49Deep Work by Cal Newport: 00:50:13Jabran Niaz on LinkedIn: 00:51:30Innovate Conference: 00:52:16Special Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorThis episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.Transcript AreaBrandon 00:00:00  When you look at profitability, there's the two biggest levers are really pricing and ad spend. Right. So you can you can price your product cheap and have lower ad spend and make the same amount as having a price that's expensive. But you've got to pump the ad spend, right. So it's kind of a fine balance between the two and kind of seeing, you know, can I lower ad spend here but keep pricing the same? Can I lower pricing and then lower AD spend to make up for that.Host 00:00:24  Right. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.Josh 00:00:37  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast...
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Sep 18, 2025 • 15min

Throwback: Why Your Slow-Moving Stock is Like a Bad Ex

In this episode, host Josh interviews Steve Simonsen, CEO of SYMO Global, about strategies for private label sellers and brands facing economic challenges like inflation, rising Amazon fees, and shrinking margins. Steve shares actionable advice on SKU-level profitability analysis, disciplined inventory management, negotiating with suppliers, and liquidating slow-moving products. He emphasizes the importance of understanding financial statements and maintaining financial discipline. The conversation offers practical tips for navigating uncertain demand and highlights the need for proactive, data-driven decision-making to thrive during tough economic times.Chapters:Introduction & Economic Context (00:00:00)Josh introduces Steve Simonsen and sets the stage: inflation, rising Amazon fees, squeezed margins, and a pending recession.State of the Economy & Inventory Focus (00:00:55)Steve discusses the reality of the recession, economic slowdown, and the importance of managing inventory on the balance sheet.SKU-Level Profitability & Declining Unit Sales (00:02:03)Emphasis on granular SKU-level profitability analysis and the impact of declining unit sales despite higher top-line revenue.Supplier Negotiations & Cost Control (00:04:04)Strategies for negotiating with suppliers, leveraging currency shifts, and pushing back on costs to improve margins.Inventory Valuation & Trash to Cash (00:05:58)Advice on devaluing inventory, taking write-offs, and converting slow-moving inventory into cash.Liquidation Strategies & Q4 Considerations (00:07:21)How to liquidate inventory, use Q4 for retail-value sales, and categorize inventory for effective action.Actionable Takeaways Recap (00:08:46)Josh summarizes three actionable takeaways: SKU-level analysis, turning trash to cash, and cautious inventory forecasting.Financial Discipline & Mindset (00:11:06)Steve stresses the importance of understanding financials, cash flow, and developing discipline during tough economic times.Closing Thoughts & Contact Info (00:13:44)Final advice on mindset, encouragement for entrepreneurs, and where to follow or contact Steve.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesParsimonyAdditional ResourcesSteve Simonsen on LinkedInTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm speaking with Steve Simonsen, owner and CEO of SYMO Global. Steve, you've got such great experience. You have. It sounds like a great network in terms of supplier relationships. Because of your vast experience with SYMO Global, you've already got so many different contacts in those different countries as we were in a difficult economic period right now. Right. We have inflation that's been going up. Amazon fees continue to go up, right. margins are getting squeezed. And then we have this pending recession on our hands where consumers are starting to pull back on some of the consumer spending. I think we're seeing that. I want to ask what you're seeing from your perspective. And then for our audience that are established brands that want to take it to the next level. What should they be doing? What strategies should they be employing over the next little while?Steve 00:00:55  Gosh, yeah, that's there's a lot in there. And the truth is, like we're already in a recession, right? It doesn't matter what the politicians say.Steve 00:01:04  It matters only what the numbers say. And the numbers are very clear, right? There is a slowdown, not just a slowdown, a reduction of economic output. And that doesn't mean the world's coming to an end. It just means there are some economic, reasonable laws that have to be dealt with. Right. It's like gravity. You can't argue whether gravity exists or not. It's there and you have to deal with it. So, what that means to us is like dealing with, you know, a reducing kind of economy and an increasing level of inflation. This is the ultimate squeeze. Nobody wants to see it, but where it's upon us. So we're we're we approached this from a very disciplined mathematics perspective. Like we especially we look at the balance sheet. It's like what is the biggest thing on the balance sheet we need to manage. And for private label sellers it's all about inventory, right? There's nothing bigger on your balance sheet typically that inventory. You know, maybe you got some cash here and there.Steve 00:02:03  But if you're a growing business, inventory is dominating that balance sheet. And that means that inventory, which, you know, may exist as a single line item on your financials, I don't know. But we get granular. We want to know every line item. We want to know every Asin, every SKU. However you refer to it and we want to know its profitability. We want to know what people are going to do when it comes to crunch time, right. If demand goes down, I'm here's a little insider secret. It's already gone down, right? Yeah. Units sold are already down the the cost or the pricing. In other words, the sell through may be higher, but that's that's a misleading stat. Yeah. Even if sales are up 8%. You got inflation units are down for sure. Correct. It's not in every category but many categories are experiencing it. So we've got to get scrutiny to level ten on every, every line item on that inventory sheet.Josh 00:02:57  Yeah, I think that's words of wisdom right there, because we are also seeing that from our perspective.Josh 00:03:03  You know, a lot of our products are more in the, you know, consumer discretionary items here. And so they're not essential for people. But we have also started to see year over year sales declines in the number of units that are being sold. Now our, you know, top line revenue looks good. Well, that's because we've increased prices to make up for the increase in Amazon fees and inflation and all of that. So to your point like don't just look at you know, hey, this aggregate number amount of money that's being sold or whatever, you know, Washington wants to, you know, state publicly, you know, with, oh, things are just fine. Like, look at these numbers. At the end of the day, there are fewer numbers of fewer units being sold. you know, the consumers are starting to pull back. So, Steve, what is something that you do as you work with, you know, your suppliers? Is there a way that you can reduce, you know, whether it be your Cogs or reduce like your mocks for certain products.Josh 00:04:04  Like how do you navigate this delicate balance of like, I don't know how big of a pullback this is going to be, but I don't want to just I'm not going to order and say, hey, whatever we did in 2021, let's let's do that because that's what's going to happen.Steve 00:04:17  Well, it is it's the ultimate question, but it's it also just goes back to the most simple, basics. It's like, you know what? Every controllable variable you better push on. Right. So currency is wildly shifted year over year between China and the US as an example. You better take advantage of that and at least understand that many times if you try to just call your supplier and go, hey, great news. There's been a 10% shift in currency. That means I get a 10% discount on my products. Now they'll go, no, no, no, we had a cost increase of labor and the cost increase of Covid. You know, there are plenty of reasons they want to they want to fight against you.Steve 00:04:54  but I'm telling you proactively that every point, whether it is the inputs of raw materials and checking those commodity prices, whether it's currency, like every piece of that puzzle you need to push back ...
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Sep 16, 2025 • 39min

The Real Strategies Top E-commerce Businesses Use To Scale Past 8 Figures

Athena is the mastermind behind the mastermind. Founder of China Magic - a 12-Day Sourcing Trip for Amazon Sellers, she helps Amazon Sellers scale to 7-8 figures through unique Events, Sourcing Trips and Masterminds to make life and business changing shifts towards more profit, prosperous relationships, and ultimate freedom.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of leadership and having a clear vision for business growth.Necessity of breaking down large goals into actionable steps.Emphasis on implementation over mere learning for business success.Mindset shifts required for transitioning from seven-figure to eight-figure businesses.Significance of networking and building relationships within the e-commerce community.Value of hiring quality talent over seeking the cheapest options.Role of masterminds and events in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.Strategies for sustaining growth after reaching significant revenue milestones.Importance of continuous learning and adapting to challenges in the business landscape.Encouragement to view challenges as opportunities for innovation and growth.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Athena Severi, co-founder of Titan Network. Athena shares her expertise on scaling e-commerce businesses from seven to eight figures, emphasizing leadership, goal clarity, and the power of networking. Key insights include the importance of actionable steps, perseverance, and continuous learning. Athena also highlights the value of meaningful relationships and hiring the right talent. The episode provides practical advice for business owners aiming for sustainable growth, encouraging them to embrace challenges and focus on high-impact activities.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prioritize Your Rate of Learning:Focus on learning that is directly applicable to your current business challenges. Seek out resources that address specific issues and implement what you learn immediately.Embrace Perseverance:View challenges as opportunities for growth. Understand that even established brands face difficulties and must adapt to survive. Cultivate resilience and a willingness to pivot when necessary.Engage in Meaningful Networking:Attend industry events with the intention of building relationships. Focus on the conversations that happen outside of formal presentations, as these interactions can lead to valuable insights and connections.Resources mentioned in this episode:Here are the mentions with timestamps arranged by topic:Ecomm BreakthroughJosh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough YouTubeeComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazonTitan NetworkChina Magic TripWho: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart on AmazonReady, Fire, Aim on AmazonBillion Dollar Seller SummitNordicTrack on AmazonLeyden Smithers on InstagramSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInNeil Patel on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Aaron Cordovez and Michael E Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today I am speaking with Athena Severi, the co-founder of Titan Network. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing and scaling seven figure ecommerce brands to eight figures and beyond. If you're an ambitious e-commerce entrepreneur looking for that coach or consultant who can help take your business to the next level, reach out to me directly at Josh at Ecomm Breakthrough. Com. That's E-comm with two M's. And let's turn your dreams into reality. Today I'm excited to introduce you all to Athena Safari. Athena is the mastermind behind the mastermind. She is the ...
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Sep 11, 2025 • 18min

Throwback: Four Game-Changing Strategies You Need to Know

In this Throwback episode, Chad Franzen interviews business leader Josh, who shares his proven framework for rapidly enhancing business performance. Josh outlines four key drivers of growth: product innovation, hiring talented people, sales and marketing, and implementing effective operational systems. Drawing from his own entrepreneurial journey, Josh provides practical examples and actionable advice for each area. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on these core levers to achieve quick, sustainable results. The episode offers valuable insights and resources for entrepreneurs looking to improve their businesses, with Josh inviting listeners to connect for further guidance.Chapters:Introduction and Framework Overview (00:00:00)Josh introduces Chad as the interviewer and outlines his four-part framework for enhancing business performance.Product Innovation (00:01:50)Josh discusses the importance of unique product innovation, sharing an example of educational posters during COVID-19.Hiring Smart People (00:05:29)Josh explains why hiring talented people is crucial, with examples of improving processes through expert team members.Sales and Marketing (00:10:54)Josh emphasizes sales and marketing as the lifeblood of any business, necessary before scaling other areas.Operations and Implementing an Operating System (00:11:59)Josh details the importance of operational systems for scaling, describing their meeting structure and management processes.Getting Started with Operating Systems (00:15:47)Josh gives advice on how to begin implementing an operating system, recommending resources and offering help.Conclusion and Farewell (00:17:23)Chad and Josh wrap up the episode and say goodbye to listeners.Links and Mentions:Meetings and FrameworksL10 Meeting4-1-1 MeetingsEOS FrameworkWebsitesEcomm BreakthroughRise25BooksThe E-MythTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  I have Chad Franzen here of rise 25, who has done hundreds of interviews with successful entrepreneurs and CEOs. We have flipped the script and he's going to be interviewing me today. Welcome, Chad.Chad 00:00:12  Hey, Josh, thanks. It's great to be here. today, I would love to talk about your approach to, enhancing the performance of a business in your years as a business leader. What kind of framework have you developed where you can just step in and kind of implement ways to enhance the performance of a business pretty quickly.Josh 00:00:28  Over the last few years, I think, as our own business has continued to grow in scale, and I needed to build out a leadership team, I needed to myself write down what I felt were the biggest drivers, needle movers, biggest levers that I can pull inside the business. And so it forced me to kind of like narrow it down to like, there's a million different things that I could be working on with inside the business, right? I could be working on just HR in and of itself.Josh 00:00:59  I could be working on marketing, social media. I could be working on, you know, accounting, finance. There's the list goes on and on and on. Right. So what I decided to do is just create like four areas where if we focus on these four areas within our business and we make strategic decisions, this should be able to make an impact if we pull this particular lever. So that's how I kind of identified these. And I have specific examples here that I'll share with you that that walk through kind of why I decided like this is a core area of the business rather than, you know, maybe accounting for example, and finance, although important, you know, these are the four core things that I can move into a business, make changes, and then be able to see growth happen real quick. Does that make sense?Chad 00:01:50  Yeah, absolutely. So the first one that you listed, of the four was product innovation. Tell me a little bit more about you know obviously it's very important, but tell me a little bit more about your thoughts on it.Josh 00:02:00  Yeah. In one of our earlier podcast episodes, I shared this as one of my biggest mistakes that I've made in a business, and that is kind of creating me two products or looking at the market and saying, well, they're doing well with this type of product. So obviously I should just introduce something similar and I'm going to have similar results. What I have learned from launching over 1300 different products at this point is that you need to bring something unique to the table. creating meta products is never going to serve you in the long run. If if you do stumble upon something and it works. It's going to be a short term win in my opinion. So one of the examples that I would give you is, you know, one of the products that we launched during Covid, was educational posters. Okay. So obviously with homeschool, becoming more of a thing during Covid. Back in 2020, we our business had to pivot. We looked at, you know, different home school supplies and different things that we could launch to cater to that market because it was such a it was an expanding market at the time.Josh 00:03:11  We looked at one of the most competitive niches on Amazon itself, and we saw educational posters as one of those. What we decided to do is we decided to throw our hat in the ring, but what we noticed is that nearly all of the competitors and most of these competitors were overseas competitors, right? So what we noticed, though, is they all look very, very similar. You know, Chad, I would argue that it those posters that you saw on Amazon were probably the exact same posters that we grew up with in the classroom, you know, just kind of your standard, you know, vanilla educational poster, so to speak. And we're talking about like, ABC to, you know, all the letters of the alphabet. Counting from 1 to 100. Things like that. So what my wife decided to do, though, is she. You know, she's just so good at design. But she looked at what was trending on Etsy, what was trending on Pinterest, what was trending on Google, and what did she see on social media that teachers, how teachers were decorating their room, or how parents were decorating their homeschool rooms, so to speak.Josh 00:04:21  And after kind of gathering all of that information, she decided to design something that I don't think anybody else has ever seen before. So number one, she has a very creative mind. But we went into an overlay like, again, if most people would look at that niche, they'd say, that's a saturated market, don't go into it. There's no way you're going to make any money. And instead what we did is we launched the product in August of 2020. We became the number t...
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Sep 9, 2025 • 56min

This One Strategy Frees Your Brand From Amazon’s Grip

Brian Williams, and he leads Primal Power, a new energy bar company, the first grass fed, pasture raised beef liver energy bar that tastes amazing. He is known for using a unique tripwire sales funnel to build DTC brands and large qualified lists of buyers. Prior to Primal Power, Brian ran then exited G-Sight a firearms accessories company and has invested a lifetime career in eCommerce dating back to 1997 when he was the CMO for an early eCommerce company uBid.com.  Brian Williams, Brian is a member of the MDS (MillionDollarSellers.com) community of 7, 8 and 9 Figure eCommerce Founders. He is also an Investor Owner in Health, Wellness and Fitness CPG brands.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Importance of scaling e-commerce brands beyond Amazon.Strategies for generating demand off Amazon.Use of tripwire sales funnels in direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing.Challenges of competing on Amazon and the need for diversification.Grassroots marketing techniques to understand customer preferences.Subscription models for enhancing profitability and encouraging repeat purchases.Effective pricing strategies and upselling techniques.Utilizing social media advertising and conversion tracking for customer acquisition.Building a customer list for ongoing marketing efforts and retargeting.The significance of community support and collaboration among entrepreneurs.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Brian Williams, leader of Primal Power and an e-commerce veteran since 1997. Brian shares his expertise on scaling e-commerce brands beyond Amazon using tripwire sales funnels and strategic demand generation. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, leveraging grassroots marketing, and creating compelling offers to pre-qualify leads. The discussion also highlights the benefits of subscription models for recurring revenue and the use of social media advertising to drive traffic. Brian's insights provide a roadmap for 6-7 figure business owners aiming to scale to 8 figures and beyond.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Diversify Beyond Amazon – Relying solely on Amazon is risky due to increasing competition and rising fees. Build a direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy by focusing on demand generation and external traffic sources.Leverage Tripwire Sales Funnels – Offer a low-cost or free product to capture leads, qualify potential customers, and upsell them to higher-value purchases, increasing overall revenue.Implement a Subscription Model – Choose products that encourage repeat purchases and introduce a subscription option to improve customer retention and boost profitability.Resources & Links SectionHere are the mentions with timestamps arranged by topic:Ecomm BreakthroughJosh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough YouTubeeComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAmazonShopifyKlaviyoWooCommerceChatGPTCostcoWhole FoodsTarget“Don't Believe Everything You Think" by Thomas E. Brown on AmazonMeta (Facebook and Instagram)Special Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin Keene, Aaron Cordovez and Michael E Gerber, author of the E-myth. Today I am speaking with Brian Williams, and we're going to be talking about how to scale off of Amazon using tripwires and sales funnels that are going to create a massive moat around your Amazon brand. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough, where I specialize in investing in and scaling seven figure companies to eight figures and beyond. If you're an a...
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Sep 4, 2025 • 17min

Throwback: Creative Marketing Hacks to Build Customer Loyalty

In this Throwback episode, Amazon brand-building expert Kevin shares advanced strategies for established sellers aiming to scale to eight figures and beyond. He emphasizes the shift from selling generic products to building authentic brands, leveraging Amazon as a distribution channel rather than the sole platform. Kevin discusses creative tactics for collecting customer data—like compelling insert cards and personalized experiences—and highlights the importance of nurturing an engaged email list. The conversation covers email marketing best practices, the challenges of today’s Amazon landscape, and actionable steps for long-term brand growth both on and off Amazon.Chapters:The Shift to Real Brand Building on Amazon (00:00:00)Discussion on the end of "me-too" products and the need for genuine brand building to scale on Amazon.What Makes a Real Brand (00:01:41)Explains the difference between a product and a true brand, using search volume and customer recognition as benchmarks.Owning Customer Data & Creative Inserts (00:02:37)Importance of collecting customer data, using creative insert cards, and leveraging off-Amazon channels for customer relationships.Pet Brand Example: Insert Offers & Birthday Campaigns (00:03:27)Detailed example of using free sample offers, pet registration, and birthday postcards to build loyalty and collect data.Email Marketing Challenges & Deliverability (00:07:40)Covers issues with email engagement, deliverability, and strategies to stay out of spam folders.Email Frequency & Value-Driven Content (00:09:18)Best practices for email frequency, balancing value and promotions, and the importance of testing.Testing Offers & Audience Warmth (00:10:42)The need to test different offers and tailor messaging based on audience familiarity with the brand.Actionable Takeaways for Amazon Sellers (00:12:01)Summarizes three key actions: build a real brand, create an email list, and provide value to your audience.Top Billion Dollar Seller Summit Speakers (00:13:45)Kevin names top speakers/attendees to follow for Amazon growth insights: Brandon Young, Casey Goss, and Josh Hadley.How to Connect with Kevin (00:16:33)Kevin shares the best way to contact him—primarily via Facebook.Links and Mentions:Tools and WebsitesShopifyWooCommerceAmazon Prime now Prime VideoTaxJarBillion Dollar Seller SummitRecommended SpeakersBrandon Young on LinkedInTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  You talked a lot about how important brand building is on Amazon now, as our audience primarily has established Amazon businesses, they've already found success, but they're looking to go to eight figures and beyond. You know, what do you see going on in the Amazon space right now? And some of the advice and strategies that you would recommend to establish sellers right now?Kevin 00:00:23  Yeah, that's a tough one because some of them are going to need to pivot, and it's going to be a little bit of a hard pivot because in the past on Amazon, there's a lot of people that built successful businesses and even exited successful businesses just basically finding opportunities. Sticking a name on it, you know, on a label on it and selling it, then selling that to an aggregator. But that's those days are pretty much over. I'm not going to say it doesn't happen. It could still happen here and there. And then there's a lot of people, as you know, that may have started with a small amount of money, and that's way more difficult now.Kevin 00:00:52  Not that you can't do it, but, you know, I always say, I always hear stories that people say, yeah, I started with 500 bucks and now I got an eight figure business. And I always say, RBS, you might have started with $500. That may be true. But two weeks later, your uncle gave you ten grand. Or somebody. You got a credit card or you did something. There's just no way it did. That just flat out does not happen. from 500. There was something else along the way. It might not be the money out of your pocket, but there's something else along the way in those days are much more difficult now. And as Amazon's you know Amazon's everything is more towards rewarding brands. You know the brand registry the brand analytics the all the different you know the advertising thing. Everything is there trying to reward those brands. It's because they're trying to clean it up as well. They don't want just this hodgepodge, flea market on there. They want, you know, people.Kevin 00:01:41  They're coming for brands. And a lot of people think they're a brand and they're really not. I say that if you don't have at least 3000 searches a month on your brand name on Amazon, on Amazon, because Amazon is so big, you're not a brand. If people are not looking for you, buy that that brand name and typing that in and you can see it in brand analytics and it's got like 3000 searches a month or more, then you're actually not a brand. You're just a product. And so that's where a lot of people get confused. And a brand is not a logo. A brand is not a name. That's part of it. But a brand is what emotion is a feeling. It's an evolution of something that people feel identity towards this or a passion towards this, or it represents something that they believe in or that they feel. And that's where a lot of big sellers are making mistakes. you know, you see all these, these, Chinese brands on Amazon, that strange brand names like Z, X, T, Y, or whatever can even pronounce a damn thing, right? That's not a brand.Kevin 00:02:37  I mean, they're doing that because it's easy to get a trademark on that. They can. Those things can fly through, the trademark process really easy so they can get the brand registry and all that. But those aren't aren't really brand names. so I think you need to switch more toward brand and you need to switch to more towards they need to they need to own their customer lists. you know, on Amazon, you don't get that data anymore. You used to be able to download that data. And so if you're selling, FBA, FBA on Amazon, you don't get that data. If you're doing FBM, you can still get it. And there used to be a loophole like with tax jar that got, I think just recently got shut down. A lot of privacy issues there. But you need to figure out ways to actually get that data and whether that's switching over, you know, if you're selling on Shopify or WooCommerce, start using Amazon Prime. the new, ship with Prime, whatever it's called Shopify shipping.Josh 00:03:25  Shop with Prime. Yeah.Kevin 00:03:27  Yeah. Where the Amazon will fulfill it for you off your, Shopify store. So you get that extra customer service level. Plus you get the customer data, plus anything you're selling on Amazon. It's just a huge market. You've got to figure out ways to try to get them into your ecosystem with, creative inserts and creative marketing stuff. I mean, like, one of the things that we do with one of my brands, for example, I have a pet brand of dog treats, and whenever someone buys these dog treats off of Amazon, you know, they spend 30 bucks to buy these dog treats. We will have a really cool. It's not just like a business card, but like something that really gets their attention. into the in the package and it says, hey, get a sample of all of our treats and we'll do a zero plus free plus shipping offer. So it's like if we have, for example, if we're selling bully sti...

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