Ecomm Breakthrough

In this episode, the host interviews Harry Joiner, a top executive recruiter in marketing and e-commerce. Harry shares his selective approach to working with clients, emphasizing the need for clear business strategies, strong financials, and a commitment to e-commerce. He compares recruiting top talent to casting star actors, noting that A-level candidates seek companies with compelling stories and solid economics. The discussion highlights the importance of business leaders knowing their numbers, defining their vision, and welcoming candidates who ask tough questions to build high-performing teams. The episode concludes with actionable advice for attracting and retaining top talent.Chapters:Introduction to Harry Joiner and His Credentials (00:00:00)Host introduces Harry Joiner, his background, and notable companies he’s worked with.How Harry Selects Clients (00:01:04)Harry explains his criteria for choosing which companies to work with, comparing it to Hollywood actors picking scripts.Evaluating Client Business Fundamentals (00:02:20)Discussion on analyzing a client’s business economics, strategy, and suitability for top-tier candidates.Attracting Top Talent: The Hollywood Analogy (00:03:41)Harry compares recruiting top talent to attracting star athletes or actors, emphasizing the need for a strong business foundation.The Importance of Smart, Challenging Candidates (00:05:28)Harry shares his preference for candidates who ask tough questions and challenge him, indicating high-caliber talent.Recognizing Top Candidates by Their Questions (00:06:25)Harry describes how the best candidates demonstrate their value by probing deeply into business metrics and strategy.Hiring Lessons from Personal Experience (00:08:41)The host reflects on his own hiring experiences, noting that the best hires are those who challenge leadership and require preparation.Three Actionable Takeaways for Business Leaders (00:10:33)The host summarizes three key action items: define your exit strategy, know your numbers, and cast a clear vision for recruits.Harry’s Process and Final Advice (00:12:50)Harry emphasizes having a simple, practical process for business planning and offers to share it with listeners.Episode Wrap-Up and Thanks (00:15:35)The host thanks Harry for his insights and closes the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools, Websites, and LinksLinkedInBooks and ArticlesSuccessWall Street JournalBusinessweekUSA TodayInternet RetailingVideosShark TankEntourageTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Harry Joiner. Harry is described by Search Engine Watch as a dominant recruiter in client side multichannel, the in multi-channel e-commerce space. He is an executive recruiter for marketing and eCommerce. He has been interviewed by success magazine and he has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, marketing, Sherpas, Great Minds in Marketing series, Businessweek, USA, TODAY.com, Internet Retailer, and many more. He has closed dozens of manager, director, VP and C-level ecommerce searches for some of the following companies. A&E television. Adidas American signature brands. Ashford. Com. Backcountry. Com. Boot barn. Com Columbia Sportswear. And many, many more. So welcome to the podcast, Harry.Harry 00:00:48  Thank you so much. Great to be here, Harry.Josh 00:00:50  I think what's interesting there, you mentioned, you know, you have a small firm, right? You're well experienced. Your results speak for themselves. If people go check out your LinkedIn profile, there's raving reviews of people that have worked with Harry.Josh 00:01:04  so, Harry 150, you know, companies are going to apply to kind of hire your services. What what are you looking for is you kind of determine what are the 50 you're going to work work with. What's the difference between those that you say no to versus the ones that you say yes to and why?Harry 00:01:22  Sure. It's a great question. well, so when people pitch us on a deal, so they pitch me into Alan and it's a little bit like if you've ever seen a concept pitched on Shark Tank, it's a little bit like that. Alan and I are very particular about the deals that we take, and I think I learned this watching entourage back in the, you know, 2000, 2008 through 12 or something that in Hollywood, the richest actors aren't the richest actors because they're the best actors. They're the richest actors because they get the best scripts. It's a lot like that as an e-commerce recruiter. So we like searches that can be closed on the back of a single story, right? So the brand, the you know, the client, they know what their business is about and who their business is for and what their unique selling proposition is.Harry 00:02:20  So why should anyone do business with them versus any option available to them? including doing nothing. we look for the underlying economics of the client's business. So do we understand how they make money? Do they understand how they make money? Do they understand how they're going to make money in the future? We tend to take a good hard look, at things like size and scope of a 12 month file. We'll look at things like average order value. We'll look at things like recurring revenue and order frequency. We'll look at, what it takes to actually bring that concept toe to life. You know, the purpose and values and viewpoint of the brand, and we'll look at a variety of different factors to try and determine whether our audience, which is the top 3% of people in the e-commerce industry. I mean, 97% of the candidates that watch this podcast aren't going to they're not we wouldn't represent them on a deal anyway because we're out there looking for load bearing walls. I mean, this sounds super salesy, but the fact of the matter is, when people come to me and Alan, they expect us to be in the organizational transformation business, right? You come to us looking for a Steph Curry, a Michael Jordan, a Tom Brady.Harry 00:03:41  That's that. And it is like being an agent in Hollywood and the best candidates in the industry, the people who are capable of plugging and playing and being a load bearing wall in our client's business, they want to make sure that they can do reputation enhancing work. That's really what it boils down to. And that means that in terms of the search, the client has the budget, the authority, the need, the timeline and the hiring process to knock good candidates in versus knock them out. And, the business has favorable underlying economics that the client has clarity and ability and resolve, you know, commitment towards e-com. And those are the things, honestly, that you need for an a player to do reputation enhancing work in your business.Josh 00:04:30  Yeah, I love the, the strategy that or the analogy that you made there with, you know, hiring like the Michael Jordan's or Steph Curry's right. If you think about that. You know, as a business owner. Right. If you want to attract a Michael Jordan or a Steph Curry.Josh 00:04:46  Right. If you're an NBA owner, you've got to have a good team. Right. And you've got to have a good vision and say, hey, here's the teammates that you'd be working alongside. ...

Joe Hides, Co-Founder of Affluent.co, a performance-driven agency that’s helped DTC brands generate over £200 million in revenue through strategic execution across Meta Ads, email marketing, and conversion rate optimization.Joe is a master of Shopify scale, building omni-channel growth systems that turn bold Big Ideas into real, repeatable results. His team is obsessed with ROI, and their strategies are designed to increase brand reach and grow sales exponentially..Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Differences between selling on Amazon and Shopify, focusing on traffic generation and customer intent.Importance of paid advertising, particularly Meta ads, for driving traffic to Shopify stores.Strategies for scaling Shopify brands, including competitor analysis and understanding customer acquisition costs.The significance of creating compelling ad creatives and the need for high volume and diversity in ads.The role of email marketing and retention strategies in increasing customer lifetime value.Utilizing tools like the Facebook Ad Library for competitor research and ad performance analysis.The necessity of a customer-centric approach in Shopify branding and marketing.The impact of ad fatigue and the importance of continuous testing and iteration of ad creatives.Recommendations for starting a Shopify brand, including identifying competition and understanding ideal customer personas.The integration of various marketing channels, including Google Ads and email marketing, for a holistic growth strategy.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Joe Hides, co-founder of Affluent Co, about scaling DTC brands on Shopify versus Amazon. Joe shares his journey from pro skier to e-commerce expert, emphasizing the need for demand generation, competitor research, and high-volume Meta ad testing on Shopify. They discuss the importance of customer personas, owning customer data, and leveraging user-generated content. Actionable takeaways include identifying competitors, understanding your ideal customer, and sourcing diverse ad content. Joe also highlights the theory of constraints as a key business philosophy and shares his favorite AI research prompt.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Study competitors – Identify your competition, analyze their funnels, and track ads that have been running long-term to spot proven winners.Know your customer – Define your ideal customer persona (ICP), understand their pain points, and use competitor research to refine your targeting.Scale content fast – Build a creator/affiliate program to generate large volumes of UGC content (e.g., 1,000+ pieces monthly) to test, learn, and avoid ad fatigue.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comFacebook Ads LibraryForeplay.coShopifyGoogle AdsChatGPTAffluent AgencyThe E-Myth by Michael GerberThe Goal by Eliyahu M. GoldrattSpecial 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 AreaJoe Hides 00:00:00  The first thing is like trying to figure out, are there competitors in your space that are making any of these platforms work on, you know, a different level that is typically like the earliest indication of the the chance that you have to be successful and like is the difference between like, okay, I've got this product and I can't see any Facebook ads selling it. That's going to be potentially more of a warning sign rather than a sign of opportunity. And so it's like figuring out with the product that you have is there actual legs behind it. And I think.Intro 00:00:34  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 Hadley 00:00:47  Are you ready to learn how to start your own Shopify store, or are you ready to scale your Shopify and e-commerce brand to the next level? Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales.Josh Hadley 00:01:03  And now my mission is to take it to nine plus figures on my journey to nine figures. I bring you unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael Gerber, author of The Myth, and Brandon Young. I'm giving you the real strategy systems and the mindset to help entrepreneurs like you scale from 7 to 8 and even nine figures. Today I'm joined by Joe Hides, the co-founder of Affluent Co, a performance driven agency that has helped DTC brands generate over 200 million in revenue through strategic execution across meta ads, email marketing and conversion rate optimization. Joe is a master of Shopify scale building omnichannel growth sy...

Matt Altman, marketplace lead at Right Side Up, shares his wealth of experience in scaling brands on Amazon. He discusses the critical importance of launching non-competing products to avoid cannibalization while expanding a product line. Budgeting for launches and optimizing PPC campaigns by focusing on conversion rates are also key topics. Matt emphasizes gathering pre-launch data through search query reports and highlights strategies for maintaining keyword relevancy. Practical takeaways for sellers looking to grow include aggressive launches and effective optimization techniques.

Fernando Campos, the Co-Founder and CEO of HiveHQ, the #1 profit and analytics platform built specifically for TikTok Shop sellers. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by TikTok’s fragmented backend—with data scattered across Ads Manager, Seller Center, and Affiliate Center—HiveHQ is the solution that brings it all together into one powerful dashboard.Fernando isn’t new to the e-commerce world—he’s also the Co-Founder of MarketplaceOps, where he’s helped manage and scale brands to over 9-figures in revenue. Now, with HiveHQ, he’s giving sellers the visibility and insights they need to understand true profitability, optimize at the SKU level, and scale smarter and faster on TikTok Shop—and soon across multiple channels.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Opportunities and challenges of selling on TikTok Shop.Strategies for scaling e-commerce businesses from seven to nine figures.Importance of product selection for TikTok Shop success, focusing on visually demonstrable and impulse-friendly items.Role of shoppable videos and their impact on TikTok's algorithm.Building and managing relationships with creators and affiliates for content generation.Effective use of flash sales and discounts to drive genuine demand.Importance of data analytics in tracking performance and profitability.Strategies for leveraging live streams and giveaways to boost engagement and sales.Recommendations for brands transitioning from Amazon to TikTok Shop.Insights on building a robust affiliate marketing strategy for sustainable growth.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Fernando Campos, co-founder and CEO of Hive HQ. Fernando shares his journey from overcoming financial struggles to building multi-million-dollar e-commerce brands. The discussion centers on strategies for scaling on TikTok Shop, including leveraging shoppable videos, creator partnerships, affiliate marketing, and data-driven decision-making. Fernando emphasizes the importance of focusing on one growth pillar, building strong affiliate relationships, and using analytics to optimize performance. The episode offers actionable insights for e-commerce entrepreneurs aiming to capitalize on TikTok Shop’s rapid growth and evolving opportunities.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Expand to TikTok Shop once Amazon is stable – Focus on Amazon first, then scale to TikTok Shop once operations are solid (especially if doing $5M+ in sales).Go big on affiliate sampling – Treat TikTok as a volume game. Send out large quantities of product samples (hundreds to thousands) to creators to find what works.Build relationships, not transactions – Treat affiliates like an MLM-style sales force. Keep them engaged, incentivized, and excited to continuously promote your products.Resources mentioned in this episode:Here are the mentions with timestamps arranged by topic:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comHive HQKalo DataDiscordFastmossTikTok Seller CenterRead AIChatGPTSteven PopeFernando CamposJared Mortensen's Underwear BrandJordan WestHIVEHQ Discount Code: HADLEY 15Special 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 AreaFernando 00:00:00  Will generate the consensus right is more videos per day. Shoppable videos are like tagged with the product is going to perform better, right? Just because it's sending more signal to TikTok saying, hey, this product is like having a moment, like people are talking about it, and so then they're going to push that to more people and your GMV max will run more efficiently.Intro 00:00:28  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 00:00:41  So you want to learn how to make money on TikTok, or you just want to learn how to basically sell on TikTok shop. Welcome to the Ecom Breakthrough podcast. I'm your host at Josh Hadley, where I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to nine plus figures on my journey to nine figures, I bring you unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in e-commerce.Josh 00:01:05  Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of The Emeth, and Stephen Pope. I'm giving you the real strategy systems and the mindset to help entrepreneurs scale from 7 to 8 figures and even nine. Today, we're going to dive deep into why TikTok shop is the next big opportunity in e-commerce, how to cut through the noise of scattered data, and what it really takes to build a sustainable,...

In this episode, the host interviews Kelcey Lehrich, founder of 365 Holdings and co-founder of the HoldCo Conference. Kelcey shares her journey from traditional business to e-commerce, the growth of 365 Holdings, and the challenges of acquiring and integrating multiple brands. He discusses the purpose of the Holdco Conference for multi-business entrepreneurs, strategies for stable acquisitions, and the realities of shared services. The episode offers practical advice on self-awareness, focusing on key business levers, and learning from experience in scaling and managing holding companies.Chapters:Introduction to Kelcey Lehrich and Holdco Conference (00:00:00)Kelsey introduces himself and explains the origin and purpose of the Holdco Conference for multi-business entrepreneurs.Kelcey's Journey into E-commerce and 365 Holdings (00:02:22)Kelcey shares how he and his partner entered e-commerce, acquired their first businesses, and built 365 Holdings.365 Holdings’ Structure and Focus (00:03:30)Discussion of 365 Holdings’ current scale, vertical integration, and future focus on food, baby, and consumable brands.Growth Strategies: Product Launches and Acquisitions (00:04:28)Comparison of launching new products versus acquiring businesses, and the importance of consistent experimentation.What to Avoid When Acquiring Businesses (00:05:52)Kelcey outlines lessons learned and what to avoid when evaluating acquisition opportunities.365 Holdings’ Core Strengths and Incremental Improvements (00:07:04)Exploration of the company’s strengths, vertical integration, and focus on small, compounding operational improvements.The Reality of Shared Services in a Holdco (00:09:54)Kelcey discusses the challenges and realities of sharing services across multiple brands in a holding company.Three Actionable Takeaways for Entrepreneurs (00:11:44)Host summarizes three key lessons: self-awareness, vision and action, and learning through experience in M&A.Kelcey’s Book Recommendation (00:14:03)Kelcey recommends "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz for entrepreneurs managing growing teams.Favorite Productivity Tool (00:14:40)Kelcey shares Superhuman as his favorite email productivity tool.Influential Figures in E-commerce (00:15:25)Kelcey discusses the many people who have influenced him, mentioning Gary Vee, Roland Frazier, and others.How to Connect with Kelcey and Learn More (00:16:59)Kelcey provides ways to connect with him and learn more about Holdco Conference and 365 Holdings.Links and Mentions:Tools and ResourcesSuperhumanWebsitesHoldco Conference365 HoldingsBooksThe Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz on AmazonInfluential FiguresGary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee)Roland FrasierTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Kelcey Lehrich. Welcome to the podcast, Kelcey.Kelcey 00:00:05  Thank you for having me. Great to be here.Josh 00:00:06  Kelcey I attended Holdco conference. You did a fantastic job. That was your first ever Holdco conference. Tell our guests a little bit more about this Holdco conference, because I think it's really unique. And you're kind of one of the first to kind of come up with this type of holding company conference.Kelcey 00:00:24  Yeah. So I appreciate your kind words and glad you could come. And we'll see you there next year. date's coming soon. so I have a friend in town named John Wilson. you can find him on the internet. He's pretty public. he and I met, and we both have, 50 to 100 employees, multiple tens of millions of revenue, and we have multiple businesses. And we knew a few other people that had similar circumstances. And there really was no event, no conference, no, kind of home base or hangout place for people like us.Kelcey 00:00:56  And one day I'm like, hey, like, why don't we go ahead and we'll host the party. and so John and I partnered on that project, and, from January, when it was kind of hatched with the tweet to July, it was a bit of a wild ride, but it was a lot of fun. We're really proud of the first year. And, yeah, it's meant to be the place that multi business entrepreneurs called the holding company, meet, learn, scale and grow. But the kind of niche there is that if you're in software and you're venture backed, there's a conference for you. If you are in real estate, there's a conference for you. If you are in insert any industry, sales, metal stamping, mobile home parks, whatever it is, there's a conference for you. If you're a Holdco entrepreneur, there really wasn't a place to call your own. And our vision for Holdco is to be kind of that home base for people like us.Josh 00:01:43  Yeah, I love that.Josh 00:01:44  I love what you guys have started there. And I think we'll dive into that a little bit in more detail later in this podcast. But Kelcey, you've got a vast experience in e-commerce. Obviously you have a holding company that has multiple brands. You've acquired multiple e-commerce brands, you've grown them, you've scaled them. So you have a wealth of knowledge. And for our listeners that have established businesses, they're looking to take things to the next level. I think they're going to be able to learn a lot from you. So why don't we rewind the tapes a little bit? Kelcey? And why don't you tell us a little bit about how you got into the e-commerce world to begin with, and then what led to the formation of 365 holdings?Kelcey 00:02:22  So six years ago, my partner and I, his name is Justin. I'm kind of the ideas guy, and he's kind of the executor. She's familiar with iOS. I've got the kind of visionary CEO role and he's kind of the integrator or CFO, and he and I have worked there for a long time.Kelcey 00:02:37  And prior to e-commerce, it was kind of like, the same idea. However, instead of ideas and strategy and like execution, it was like I was the sales guy and he was like the ops guy and all of our prior businesses, but we weren't online. We've never, never run ads, never shipped products. But we had sold a business for just enough money to make a down payment on an SBA loan. We had sold a business for $100,000, which was a lot of money. We did not hold any of it aside for taxes. We put all 100 grand down on the $900,000 loan to buy the million dollar first business. That was how we got started. 60 days later, we drained the checking account and maxed out the line of credit and bought another one. And thus begins the compounding. So, Yeah, six years ago. by by two that that, spring and summer, we had always had a vision of back to the old topic, wanting to run many businesses. We wanted to have diversity.Kelcey 00:03:30  I guess that's like, hey, what if you focused? What if you just did one thing? Could it be bigger? And my answer is like, I don't know, probably. But this is the business I want to have. I want to do many things. one of the things financially from a diversification perspective. two, I think it's fun. It's like what I want. So like, yes, this is what I'm doing. I'm sure it's like slightly less optimal than, I don't know. but six years have elapsed and today we've got 80 some employees. Six brands. we're in Akron, Ohio, and heavily vertically integrated. So we do in-house customer service, in-house ...

Jason Boyce is one of the true veterans of the Amazon marketplace. He started selling on Amazon back in 2003 and went on to build a top 100 seller account before founding Avenue7Media, a full-service agency dedicated to helping brands outperform their categories through smart, scalable strategies.He’s the co-author of The Amazon Jungle and a recognized expert in areas like Amazon Ads, Amazon DSP, ASIN strategy, account reinstatement, and product safety compliance. His agency supports clients across both Amazon and Walmart, focusing on profitable growth and cutting-edge solutions like Bottom-Up Audience Building for CTV.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges faced by e-commerce sellers on Amazon, including shrinking margins, tariffs, and increased fees.The impact of black hat tactics on legitimate sellers.Opportunities presented by connected TV (CTV) advertising and generative AI for brand growth.Introduction of the "stair step to the cloud" marketing strategy, focusing on a full-funnel approach.Importance of optimizing bottom-funnel PPC advertising and leveraging Amazon Marketing Cloud data.The role of creative content and high-quality marketing materials in justifying premium pricing.Strategies for retargeting and prospecting new customers using demand-side platform (DSP) advertising.The significance of building brand trust and credibility through TV advertising.The "seven avenues" strategy for comprehensive brand growth, covering presence, financials, traffic, customer knowledge, creative, product quality, and rivals.Predictions for the future of e-commerce, particularly the influence of AI on organic ranking and customer engagement.In this episode of the E-Comm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Jason Boyce, Amazon marketplace veteran and founder of Avenue Seven Media. Jason discusses the challenges facing Amazon sellers, including shrinking margins and increased competition, but highlights new opportunities in connected TV (CTV) advertising and generative AI. He introduces his “seven avenue strategy” for brand growth, emphasizing the importance of strong foundations in presence, financials, traffic, customer knowledge, creative, product quality, and competitor analysis. Jason also predicts AI-driven commerce will soon revolutionize online shopping, urging brands to adapt and leverage emerging technologies for long-term success.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Expect challenges and embrace change – Ecommerce is tough; lean into hard times as opportunities to innovate.Fix weak business foundations – Tackle at least one of the seven core areas (Amazon presence, finances, traffic, customer, creative, product, competition) and improve it step by step.Leverage new channels like CTV – Test connected TV ads as a cost-effective way to scale brand awareness and reach targeted audiences.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comAvenue Seven MediaLift AIChatGPT  Grok AI  GeminiPerplexity AIThe Amazon Jungle (by Jason and Rick Cesari)The Five Dysfunctions of a TeamJason Boyce on LinkedIn  Jason Boyce on X (formerly Twitter) Special Mention(s):Steven Pope 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 AreaJason 00:00:00  We have what we call this stair step to the cloud. What's in the cloud? Your brand is famous now, right? And we in the old days, you. You couldn't do this if a client came to us and they had no brand search volume on Amazon. They had no brand search volume really to speak of on Google were like, hey, don't do Amazon right now because there's nothing. We're bottom funnel here, man. We're a sales channel. We can't do much to improve your brand or do anything. Those are the old days. But now you can actually build a brand. But we start by inverting the old advertising funnel a little bit.Intro 00:00:36  Welcome to the E-comm 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 00:00:50  Ready to learn the best PPC strategies working on Amazon today? Or are you ready to dominate as Amazon shifts into AI optimized rankings.Josh 00:01:00  Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales. And now my mission is to take it to nine figures on my journey to nine figures. I bring you the unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds of eCommerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of the E myth, and Stephen Pope. I'm giving you the real strategies, systems, and the mindset that help entrepren...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley conducts a live strategy audit with eCommerce brand owner Charlie Mckenzie. They discuss advanced Amazon sales strategies, including keyword optimization, targeted PPC and product targeting ads, and leveraging Google Ads to custom Amazon Store pages for higher conversions. Josh emphasizes the importance of product innovation, catalog expansion, and understanding customer intent. Charlie receives actionable advice on improving ad efficiency, refining product listings, and sourcing new product ideas from platforms like Etsy. The episode offers practical tips for boosting Amazon performance and sustainable brand growth.Chapters:Introduction and Brand Overview (00:00:00)Josh introduces Charlie and outlines the brand’s focus on a single main product with size variations.Keyword Research and Organic Ranking (00:01:05)Discussion on keyword research, current rankings, and strategies to move up to top organic positions.Amazon PPC and Product Targeting Ads (00:02:07)Advice on using PPC, especially exact match campaigns and product targeting ads against same-color competitors.Leveraging Google Ads and Storefront Landing Pages (00:03:11)Strategy for using Google Ads to drive traffic to custom Amazon store landing pages to improve conversions.Reducing Competitor Distraction and Conversion Optimization (00:04:41)Importance of removing competitor distractions on landing pages to increase conversion rates from external traffic.Charlie’s Takeaways and Action Items (00:05:40)Charlie shares his main takeaways, including storefront creation and renewed focus on product targeting campaigns.Testing and Optimizing Product Targeting (00:06:51)Guidance on setting rules for product targeting ads and turning off underperforming campaigns.Product Innovation and Brand Expansion (00:07:34)Discussion on the importance of ongoing product launches and not relying solely on “home run” products.Marketplace Research and Arbitrage Opportunities (00:09:49)Charlie discusses using marketplace research and arbitrage to identify new product opportunities.Finding Trends Outside Amazon (00:10:48)Advice to look for trending products on other platforms (Etsy, DTC sites) and bring them to Amazon.Keyword Research and Listing Optimization (00:12:06)Charlie emphasizes his focus on keyword analytics and listing optimization for organic ranking.Focusing on Customer Needs in Sales Copy (00:12:53)Advice to highlight the root problem the product solves, not just compare features with competitors.Actionable Strategies Recap (00:13:46)Summary of key strategies: product innovation, customer-focused sales copy, and price testing for profit.Closing Remarks (00:15:47)Final thanks and well wishes as the episode concludes.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  Amazon PPC (Pay-Per-Click Advertising) Google Ads Amazon Store Builder Data Dive Podcast Episodes  Tyler Gregg of Ampd on LinkedIn  Transcripts:Josh 00:00:00  Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in ecommerce. Today I'm speaking with Charlie Mckenzie, and we have recorded a live strategy audit session for you today. Charlie, welcome to the podcast. Thank you very much for having me on, Josh. I'm excited to be here. Awesome. At this point with Charlie Charlie's brand, he's got one skew. Well, he's got multiple skews because he's got some size variations in there, but he's got one product that is generating the sales for this brand. One of the first things that we looked at, for your brand, Charlie, was keyword research. And you're doing a great job of implementing the right search terms in your product title. In fact, you're crushing, you know, the competition in terms of the exact match keywords that you've got implemented in your title, and therefore you're actually ranked on the first page for many of those keywords. However, you're not in the top five positions right on most of those keywords.Josh 00:01:05  And so we then went through and discussed. All right. So what are some strategies that we can employ to. You've already got traction. You're obviously indexed for some of these big keywords. How do you move them up into that 1 to 5. You know organic ranking position? One of the things that we talked about was PPC. And Charlie, you know, you've started dipping your toes in the PPC waters. Initially we talked actually a couple of months ago, and you were not running ads on Amazon. And, you know, I told you like, hey, you should definitely start running some ads on Amazon because it is going to impact your organic ranking. You've been dabbling a little bit in that. My recommendation to you from our session was that, you know, create some exact match, keyword campaigns for those keywords that you're trying to rank for number one. But then number two, one of the things that we've found a lot of success with in our business is product targeting ads on Amazon.Josh 00:02:07  And so rather than just throwing it up against because with your particular product, there's there's other competitors that have different design variations, right. And so rather than just saying, hey, mine's beige, I'm going to go advertise on this pink one or this blue one. You the customer that's looking for a pink, product. They have a specific thought in mind. Right. Same thing. If somebody's looking for blue, like there's a reason why they clicked on the blue listing. So when it comes to setting up your product targeting ad campaigns, one of the things I would definitely recommend is only targeting those competitors that have the exact same color that you have, and you're going to get better performance that way. And what Amazon loves to see is if you can steal sales from those competitor listings, you will shoot ahead of them, on the organic ranking side, and that will allow you to increase your ranking a little bit faster there. In addition to that, we talked about some external marketing that you could be using and that is Google Ads.Josh 00:03:11  I know you've tested this in the past, had about a 200% ACOs there, which isn't great, obviously, but we talked about an additional tactic that you could use that could increase that performance because Amazon is definitely rewarding external traffic, right? in my prior one of the prior podcast episodes, we had Tyler Gregg of Amped on the episode, and he shared some fantastic strategies of how to create Google ads and the best way to maximize, you know, the return on investment on those. One of the big takeaways from that episode is that rather than just driving traffic to your current Amazon detail page, it's going to be better to create a store landing page for yourself. But in that store landing page, you recreate almost the exact way that your detail page looks on Amazon, and there's a specific section on the store builder page that allows you to basically recreate that detail page. That's exactly what you're going to want to do. And the beauty of driving that traffic to your store landing page that is literally identical to your detail page, is that you're able to remove all of your competitors because one of the tips, or I guess, one of the statistics that Tyler shared ...

Damon is a powerhouse in the world of wellness and e-commerce — someone whose leadership journey combines global experience, deep product expertise, and a relentless commitment to quality. I’m thrilled to welcome back Damon Sununtnasuk, the founder and CEO of Natural Cure Labs — the company behind the Palmara Health and VitaTails brands, known for their research-driven, USA-manufactured supplements for both people and pets. Crushing it on Tiktok, Walmart, Target.com & Amazon.comHighlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Strategies for scaling wellness brands in the e-commerce space.The role of social commerce and its impact on brand visibility.Marketing techniques specific to TikTok and other social media platforms.The growing influence of AI-generated content in marketing versus human-created content.Cost analysis and return on investment (ROI) for AI versus human content creators.Community management and creator engagement strategies.The importance of feedback loops in content creation and quality improvement.Technical challenges and solutions for content publishing on TikTok.Data-driven approaches to understanding target demographics and creating relevant content.Predictions for the future of e-commerce, including the rise of AI agents in consumer purchasing decisions.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Damon Sununtnasuk, founder and CEO of Natural Cure Labs. They discuss strategies for scaling wellness brands using social commerce, with a focus on TikTok and the balance between AI-generated and human-created content. Damon shares insights on leveraging AI for cost-effective, compliant marketing, building and managing global creator teams, and the technical challenges of scaling content. The episode concludes with actionable tips, book and tool recommendations, and reflections on the future of e-commerce and AI-driven commerce.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Embrace AI, But Don’t Abandon Human CreatorsUse AI for scalable, compliant, and cost-effective content.Maintain a human creator program for authenticity, community, and brand storytelling.Prioritize Volume and ConsistencyVirality is a bonus, not a requirement.Consistent, high-volume content (hundreds of videos daily) creates compounding brand awareness and sales.Invest in Data-Driven Personas and Prompt EngineeringLeverage your own sales data to inform AI personas and scripts.Use tools like Prompt Cowboy to refine AI prompts for better output.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comYukaElevenLabsKlaviyo  TikTok Affiliate CenterWhatsAppGeeLarkPerplexityGeminiGrok AIChatGPT  Flux AI  Veo4  Amazon Brand AnalyticsManychat  QuoraRedditPrompt Cowboy  Alex Hormozi on LinkedIn  Matt Altman on LinkedIn  $100 Million Offers$100 Million Leads$100 Million Money ModelsDamon Sununtnasuk on LinkedInSpecial 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 AreaDamon Sununtnasuk 00:00:00  Again, like of the 8000 cleaners, we have 90% of dormant. Right. And who's in charge of, like, keeping these guys engaged and educated and enthusiastic? You kind of need someone to sort of be that cheerleader, but also to help and like, understand, like, okay, this person, you know, needs requires a little bit of extra attention here. Or, you know, I think that's that's a big bet we've made. And we just brought the person on within the last 30 days.Intro 00:00:24  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 Hadley 00:00:37  Everybody wants to know the secret how to go viral on TikTok, how to make money on TikTok shop and ultimately, how to get more views on TikTok. Today's guest has done exactly that scaling a wellness brand from a tiny startup to an Amazon bestseller and even trending on TikTok.Josh Hadley 00:00:55  You're about to hear exactly how he's done it. Welc...

In this episode, host Josh interviews Rafael, founder of Share It Studio and a 3x Telly Award-winning Amazon marketing expert. Rafael shares strategies for building a successful brand on Amazon, emphasizing the importance of understanding your target audience, leveraging Amazon’s brand analytics, and creating high-quality, authentic content. The discussion covers Amazon’s evolving brand-building tools, including A+ content, brand stores, and social features like Posts and Live. Rafael offers actionable tips for optimizing listings and highlights the value of investing in content to boost trust and sales. Listeners also receive a special discount on Share It Studio services.Chapters:Introduction & Rafael’s Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Rafael, his achievements, and Share It Studio’s success with Amazon listings.Mentorship & Entering Amazon Marketing (00:00:38)Rafael discusses the value of mentorship and how he transitioned into Amazon marketing.The Importance of Brand Building (00:02:36)Josh highlights Rafael's results and asks where sellers should start with brand building and content.Identifying Your Amazon Audience (00:03:09)Rafael explains the need to analyze data and understand the differences between Amazon and other e-commerce audiences.Using Amazon’s Brand Tools (00:04:02)Discussion on Amazon’s brand analytics, content tools, and the importance of creating a brand experience.Amazon’s Social Features & Custom Content (00:05:22)Rafael emphasizes using Amazon’s social features (Posts, Live, Follow) and creating custom content for holidays and trends.Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:06:57)Josh summarizes three key actions: analyze data, update content based on findings, and prioritize/testing content types.Content Quality Reflects Product Quality (00:10:03)Rafael stresses that high-quality, authentic content signals product quality to buyers, especially for sensitive categories.Final Thoughts & Influences (00:11:17)Rafael shares his admiration for Gary Vee and Carlos, and the importance of helping others in the e-commerce space.How to Connect with Share It Studio (00:12:55)Rafael provides contact info, offers a complimentary consultation, and a special discount for podcast listeners.Closing Remarks & Bonus Offer (00:14:00)Josh and Rafael wrap up, highlighting the 15% discount for listeners who mention the podcast.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites:  Share It Studio  Amazon Brand Registry  Amazon Live Videos  Instagram  Contact Information:  Email: hello@shareitstudio.comInfluential Figures:  Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) on LinkedInTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I am super excited to introduce you to Rafael. Rafael is the founder of Share It Studio. He is A3X Telly Award winning entrepreneur in marketing and film. He has 13 plus years of marketing experience, five of which are specialized in Amazon marketing. Sherritt studio sets itself apart as a boutique agency with a high level, data driven approach and bespoke full package services. The studio boasts 500 plus successful Amazon listings, with an average sales increase of 77% within the first month of launching. So welcome to the show, Rafael.Rafael 00:00:38  Josh, thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. What you were saying about finding somebody to help you. it's the best way I found out. I did the exact same thing with my mentors. Is Josh Nelson right here? Okay, so what you're offering is actually very, very, very good. I highly recommend that anybody that's, you know, listen to this. I met Josh in person. Super cool guy. you should definitely at least talk to him.Rafael 00:01:02  maybe you're not ready, but maybe within a month, you know you'll hit the target and you'll be ready to to to, you know, reach out to Josh and he can help you scale your business. But if if somebody has a blueprint, why would you want to, like, go sideways if somebody knows what it's going to happen? He's going to tell you, like, hey, you might run into this and this is what you have to do instead of you bouncing your head against the wall, you know?Josh 00:01:27  So true. Rafael, I guess I need to pay you that $100 now. Slide that under the table there.Rafael 00:01:33  No, this is not paid advertising. In no way whatsoever. It's just that I really I was I was super I am so stubborn that I, when I had my company, I was working for Nickelodeon at the time, and, I was, coordinator for post-production for Latin America. And I'm like, you know, at that time, my ego was just stupid.Rafael 00:01:55  and I was like, no, I don't need anybody's help with this. I can do myself, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm just gonna apply for all the awards. I'm just gonna get all the awards and, you know, blah, blah, blah blah. And at some point I was like, oh my God, I'm really struggling, I need help. And a friend told me, a friend who's very much more successful than me with an agency. He's like, hey, man, I reached my million dollar mark, but I can't. I can't grow anymore. I don't seem to be growing. And he does completely different marketing. He does marketing for cleaning companies. I met this dude, and I really think you should meet him, and, you know, yada yada, yada. And Josh is the the the one of the reason why I went into the Amazon space.Josh 00:02:36  Well, Rafael, you've got a lot of experience obviously, in marketing. I mean, the statistics that you shared that, you know, as you've worked with over 500 different Amazon listings, you've been able to increase sales by 77%.Josh 00:02:50  That's a large amount. What should an Amazon seller or just an e-commerce seller? They're on the on board with you in terms of like they know they need to build a brand, but where do they even begin right to in terms of building out their content? They believe that brands are important. So like where do you start with all of this?Rafael 00:03:09  yes. That's a great question. It's a great, great question. it depends on the at what stage of your Amazon journey you're at. but if, let's say you're a seven figure seller, so you definitely have some, some, some data. even if you're selling an e-commerce or Shopify, you have data there. social media, which are your top followers? The tricky thing is that the the people who buy off of Amazon are not the exact same people who buy somewhere else. So even though you kind of simulate, some of my clients actually have a complete buyer persona on Shopify, then they have on Amazon.Josh 00:03:46  Interesting.Rafael 00:03:47  Yeah, it's super interesting.Rafael 00:03:48  Interesting. So if you have a seven figure seller on Amazon, you definitely have brand registry, which gives you brand analytics. Now let's understand the actual consumer. Who's the consumer who's buying from you. is it is it a male or is it a female?Josh 00:04:02  The first step is for you to identify who this audience is, right? Like who is the buyer for this particular product, because then that's going to change the way that you're merchandising your product, right? The images that you're creating. And then you also kind of dove into, you know, utilizing those tools, that Amazon has now done, I think, over the last two years, like Amazon has been...

Joanna Lambadjeiva, founder and CEO of Amazing Wave Digital, an agency that helps Amazon and e-commerce businesses unlock scalable growth through practical AI solutions. From AI-powered business process audits to tailor-made strategies, team training, and streamlined operations, Jo and her team help brands identify inefficiencies and build custom systems that actually move the needle.With a proven track record of helping brands increase productivity, scale creative output, and build more agile teams, Jo is here to show you how to stop dabbling in AI and start integrating it in a way that’s strategic, sustainable, and wildly profitable.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. The rapid integration of AI in e-commerce and its transformative effects on shopping behaviors.The importance of adapting business strategies to remain competitive in a changing landscape.The role of AI agents in making purchasing decisions for consumers.The significance of user-generated content and community engagement for brand visibility.Strategies for optimizing product listings and enhancing brand content using AI tools.The shift from traditional SEO to AI-driven recommendation engines.The necessity for brands to diversify beyond platforms like Amazon to mitigate risks.The potential for AI to enhance internal operations and improve team productivity.The importance of building authentic brands that meet customer needs in an AI-driven market.Practical steps for e-commerce businesses to start leveraging AI tools effectively.In this episode of the EComm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Jo Lambadjieva, founder and CEO of Amazing Wave Digital. They discuss how AI is rapidly transforming e-commerce, from changing consumer shopping behaviors to the rise of AI-powered agents making purchase decisions. Jo shares actionable strategies for brands to adapt, including leveraging AI tools for product optimization, building authentic engagement on platforms like Reddit, and preparing for an AI-driven marketplace. The episode offers practical advice for e-commerce businesses to stay competitive and thrive as AI reshapes the industry landscape.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Start Your AI Habit NowSpend 10 minutes a day using AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to brainstorm, test prompts, or analyze data. Small, consistent use compounds fast.Optimize for AI DiscoveryPublish helpful content on Reddit, Wikipedia, and reputable media—these are the sources AI models trust and pull recommendations from.Test Fast, Iterate FasterUse AI to A/B test images, copy, and listings weekly. Treat AI as your “rapid testing lab” to stay ahead of slower-moving competitors.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comGummy SearchSEMrushPressXAnthropicPerplexityChatGPTClaudeGoogle Creative SuiteGemini 2.5Gen SparkCustom GPTsSiddhartha by Hermann HesseMetaJon Derkits NewsletterKevin King's NewsletterSpecial 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 AreaJo Lambadjieva 00:00:00  If you really just start putting all of this into like one neat package of what this means, it means that, yeah, shopping is going to be very soon, very AI powered. And for that reason, you have to start making some smart decisions about how to, like, pivot your business and sort of diversify your risk. If you are just like basically focus on just one platform, e.g. Amazon.Intro 00:00:28  Welcome to the E-com 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 Hadley 00:00:41  AI is rewriting the rules of e-commerce in real time. Agents shopping is coming when AI agents are buying for your customers. Will your brand even show up in their cart? If you're not adapting now, you are already behind. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley. I scaled my own brand from 0 to 8 figures in sales, and now my mission is to take it to over nine figures on my journey to nine figures, I bring you unfiltered conversations with the smartest minds in e-commerce.Josh Hadley 00:01:12  Past guests include Kevin King. Michael E Gerber, author of the E! Myth. And Brandon Young from Cellar Systems and Data Dive. Today's guest is someone that is at the forefront of one of the biggest shifts happening in e-commerce right now the integrati...