Since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI has been the talk of the town among affiliate marketers. Some hail it as a hero that will usher in a new age of efficiency and money-making opportunities. Others see AI as their downfall and are ready to grab their torches and pitchforks to defend their livelihood.  So, is AI the beginning of the end for affiliate marketing?  That is the question that Greg seeks to answer in this week’s episode. Greg assesses the most common fears content site owners have when it comes to AI. These fears include Google punishing AI content, and AI-powered search killing organic SEO. Greg counters these arguments by breaking down the many uses of AI in affiliate marketing and explains that Google can’t afford the financial costs of deploying AI-powered search or the resulting loss of paid advertising revenue. Even if AI were to reinvent SEO, Greg doesn’t believe it will happen any time soon. He explains, “SEO as we know it will change… after a while. The overnight destruction of content websites as we know it won’t happen in the span of weeks. At lightning speed, we might see a significant shift in 2 years, more than likely we’re over 5 years away from a significant change.” Lastly, Greg takes a closer look at Bing’s role in the AI revolution and explains how Bing could use AI as a weapon against their oldest foe Google.So, what do you think? Will AI be a bridge to greener pastures for affiliate marketers, or is this the end of the line for SEO? Topics Discussed in This Episode: Will AI be the death of search engines? (01:50)  How to use AI to boost your online business (03:40) Why SEOs are nervous about the impact of AI (17:07) Why Google search and Bing won’t be replaced by AI (22:16) How Bing could use AI to bring down Google (29:05) Why AI shouldn’t put you off buying a website (33:54) How to hedge your bets against search engines by owning your data (38:00) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Greg’s Did AI Just Kill Affiliate Marketing? article  ZimmWriter semianalysis.com Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn more about the role AI will play in the future of affiliate marketing.

For many years, an inability to code has held aspiring SaaS founders back from success. Now, no-code and low-code tools are lowering the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs looking to enter the software and tech industries.  But what exactly are no-code and low-code solutions? In this episode, Lola Ojabowale gives us a thorough overview of this exciting technology. Lola is the founder of Lunch Pail Labs, a full-service digital product studio that helps clients research, build, and maintain platforms and apps using no or low-code solutions.  Lola provides a definition of what no-code and low-code actually refer to, and outlines the skills and experience entrepreneurs will need in order to use no-code tools. We discuss the various projects no-code can be used for and the limitations and downsides of choosing no-code over traditional coding solutions.  Lola also explains why she is so passionate about economic equity, and how no-code applications help to further the pursuit of this goal. According to Lola, “What’s so interesting about no-code and low-code is this “permissionlessness” that it enables. Even as a non-technical founder, you don’t have to have anybody’s say-so or permission. And that enables more folks to empower themselves and build solutions that are authentic to themselves.” If you want to dive deeper into the world of no-code, listen carefully to this conversation as Lola shares a long list of tools, educational platforms, and communities that you can use to further your no-code journey. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lola shares insights into how she became involved with no-code platforms (03:58) An explanation of what no-code and low-code really mean (06:42) The type of projects that no code solutions could be used for (08:06) The skills and requirements needed to build no-code platforms (12:26) How LunchPail Labs assists businesses in creating no-code solutions (14:41) The downsides and limitations of no-code (18:31) Changes within the no-code space that are exciting Lola right now (23:34) The best no-code communities for beginners (26:26) The catalyst that inspired Lola to start her own business (28:10) The unique way that Lola approaches risk (33:20) Lola explains why she is so passionate about economic equity (37:43) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Lunch Pail Labs Shoutout Atlanta interview Webflow Zapier Airtable No Code Founders 100 Days of No Code  No Code Family No-Code Cheat Sheet Bubble GitHub CoPilot Makerpad On Deck No-Code Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover the many benefits of no-code and low-code solutions!

In today's tough economic climate, building a passive income has become more important than ever. With that in mind, we thought we'd revisit a popular previous episode that focuses on just that. Enjoy! Affiliate sites are a fantastic way to boost your passive income, but how do you start and scale an affiliate site from nothing? Doug Cunnington is an expert affiliate marketer and the founder of Niche Site Project, where he empowers people with systems and templates to create and scale their own affiliate sites. He is also the host of The Doug Show and a self-titled YouTube channel where he talks about his affiliate marketing journey so far. In this episode, Doug shares a behind-the-scenes look into what works and what doesn’t in affiliate marketing. He talks candidly about the Amazon affiliate program, when and how to scale an affiliate marketing business, and his top tips for driving traffic to your site. Topics Discussed in this episode: Diversifying an affiliate marketing portfolio The love/hate relationship with Amazon Affiliates Why scaling too early could be problematic How to implement the Keyword Golden Ratio How a gap analysis can help you get unstuck The benefits of outsourcing to build a team How to retain and scale freelancer roles within your business Doug’s top three productivity hacks What it takes to stay ahead in affiliate marketing Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Doug’s Podcast Niche Site Project Niche Site Project Templates Trello Tropical MBA podcast Allintitle.co Mile High FI Podcast Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the secrets to building a robust affiliate business of your own!

Kevin Espiritu, Founder of Epic Gardening, shares his journey of building a multi-million dollar gardening brand. Topics include content creation strategies, the future of Epic Gardening, and the value of outsourcing labor. They also discuss the shift to e-commerce, the limitations of money in achieving happiness, and the importance of staying true to one's values. Additionally, they touch upon hidden growth opportunities in building and optimizing websites, funny moments while building the gardening website, and wrap up the conversation by promoting Epic Gardening.

AI is poised to revolutionize the marketing and online business industries. It can increase your revenue, decrease your costs, and according to Mike Kaput, it could 100x your output in the next few years.  Despite these benefits, many marketers and entrepreneurs are still hesitant to embrace AI. In this episode, Mike, the Director of Marketing at the AI Marketing Insitute, joins us to discuss the misconceptions, untapped potential, and use cases of AI in online business. He breaks down the various ways business owners can use AI to optimize their business, including how AI can help take solopreneurs to previously unachievable heights. We dig into how rapidly the AI industry is evolving and the steps entrepreneurs and marketers can take to ensure they don’t get left in the dust. According to Mike, “No matter who you are, or what you do, you’re going to have to start experimenting with AI.  Otherwise, you're going to see some pretty serious existential risks in your career, and in your business. The first thing to do is figure out how to make your content different than what a machine can output. Then, take that unique perspective and scale it using AI tools.” Mike also provides actionable advice on how to write killer AI prompts and how to use AI to improve your email open rates. We also address the common concerns surrounding AI, including the legal and ethical concerns surrounding the technology, and the various jobs that AI is likely to replace. Though there are some uncertain times ahead as we navigate an AI-influenced world, Mike maintains that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to integrating AI into your online business.  This episode is full of useful tips, advice, and insider knowledge to make sure you don’t get left behind during the coming AI revolution! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mike introduces himself and shares what the AI Marketing Institute does (02:21) How AI can reduce costs and increase revenue for online businesses (05:24) The Genius in the Room method for writing a great AI prompt (08:30) How to use AI to improve your email open rates (11:49) How to really take advantage of AI as a solopreneur (14:31) What marketers can do to become irreplaceable in the face of AI (20:30) Why Mike believes search engines will become extinct (28:32) How entrepreneurs can stay up to date with rapidly evolving AI (37:12) The ethical concerns involved with using AI (42:23) Mike puts to rest some common myths and misconceptions about AI (47:40) Interesting findings from the AI Marketing Institute state of the industry report (52:57) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  AI Marketing Institute Mike’s LinkedIn Marketing Artificial Intelligence book  State of the Industry report Hubspot Seventh Sense Emad Mostaque’s Twitter Allie K. Miller’s Twitter Robert Scoble’s Twitter Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage AI to reduce costs and increase your ROI!

Amazon sellers need to be flexible to adapt to market fluctuations, changes in consumer behavior, and supply chain disruptions. But one area where they tend to remain rigid is in their pricing.  Chad Rubin believes this is a fatal flaw for FBA business. This flaw inspired him to create Profasee, a dynamic repricing tool that helps sellers maximize profits without sacrificing their product ranking on Amazon.  In this episode, Chad joins us to discuss the origins of Profasee and walks us through his experiences as the founder of Skubana and co-founder of the Prosper Show. He shares why he chose to exit those businesses, and the challenges of being a multi-disciplined entrepreneur running eCommerce, agency, Saas, and event businesses. Chad explains how Profasee was born out of his need to revive his flagging eCommerce business, and how pricing is an often overlooked growth opportunity by Amazon sellers. According to Chad, “Your price should never be static. Especially in a fast marketplace like Amazon. Your competitors are changing prices. Your inventory, stock positions, your positioning on Amazon, your BSR, your ad spend - everything is changing. So your price should always change too. It's the quickest lever to pull that nobody's pulling on Amazon.” Chad also debunks some common misconceptions about Ai in SaaS and shares how he integrated Ai into Profasee to forecast optimal pricing. We dig into the signals and data that his Ai uses to calculate dynamic pricing, and how his data science team co-pilots the Ai.  Plus, Chad shares his predictions on upcoming trends that will shape the Amazon FBA industry in the coming years, including how embracing Ai is the key to ensuring the longevity of your brand.  This episode is overflowing with information on how to maximize your profits, stay ahead of the competition and secure the long-term success of your online business. Don’t miss out! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A brief look into Chad’s background and entrepreneurial journey (02:11) How Chad manages multiple brands simultaneously (04:50) How an Integrator can help businesses grow (07:41) The mistakes and obstacles Chad faced when building Skubana (10:12) Chad sheds some light on his exit from Skubana (13:40) How Chad became involved in the creation of Prosper show (23:51) A breakdown of Profasee and how it uses Ai to calculate optimal pricing (30:27) The most common mistakes FBA sellers make when it comes to pricing (42:51) The trends Chad foresees in the Amazon FBA industry moving forward (50:29) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create your own Empire Flippers account Profasee Prosper Show Chat GBT Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to gain the upper hand on Amazon by using dynamic pricing!

In this episode, Jason Akatiff, network founder and ambitious entrepreneur in the affiliate marketing industry, shares his unique insights into the industry. He discusses the challenges and successes he's experienced while scaling his affiliate network, A4D. Jason also reveals how pivoting away from the supplements niche into lead generation, mortgage, and insurance helped to save A4D. He outlines the characteristics affiliates need to make a name for themselves in the industry and discusses his passion for AI and how affiliates can use it to boost their businesses.

When it comes to eCommerce success, profitability is only one piece of the puzzle. The other, often overlooked piece, is having the time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and focus on the parts of the business that bring you the most joy and satisfaction.  But how can one achieve this balance in the fast-paced world of eCommerce?  For Ronnie Teja, the answer lies in the power of delegation.  Ronnie is a brand aggregator and the founder of Branzio watches, a business he grew to over 7 figures, all while acquiring and scaling his portfolio to include 15 different eCommerce brands. In this episode, Ronnie opens up about the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey. We discuss the challenges he faced, including a lack of startup capital, getting banned by Google and Facebook, and having to fire dishonest employees. He also reveals how mental discipline and perseverance are qualities that have helped him succeed where others have failed. We then discuss how bootstrap entrepreneurs often struggle to justify the costs of outsourcing tasks, preferring to do all of the work themselves and retain 100% control over all aspects of their business. Having fallen prey to this mindset himself, Ronnie reveals the massive improvements he saw in his business and his lifestyle when he learned to trust in the skills of specialists. According to Ronnie, “Delegating is extremely important. It was only when I started giving away control and hiring people who are actually specialists in their field that I became successful. To give away your power and ask the right questions is the most important thing I’ve done in the past few years.“ If you want to know what it’s really like to run a large eCommerce portfolio, then this no hold barred interview with an industry titan is exactly what you’re looking for! Topics Discussed in This Episode: How a magazine article inspired Ronnie’s 7-figure watch brand (02:36) The challenges Ronnie faced with his Branzio (08:30) The secret sauce that helped Ronnie succeed and expand his business (13:22) What inspired Ronnie to branch out and start expanding his portfolio (17:18) Greg’s take on the current market (23:00) How Ronnie manages his time across his portfolio (30:26) A typical week in Ronnie’s life (37:07) Why Ronnie outsourced hiring to ensure the right people are hired for the job (40:39) The tools Ronnie uses to manage his teams (44:48) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Branzio Watches Ronnie’s LinkedIn Ronnies Twitter Nik Sharma’s E-commerce in DTC newsletter Chase Diamond’s Email Marketing newsletter Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn why delegation is the key to unlocking a new level of online business success!

Every investor dreams of spotting the next unicorn business. But it takes a seasoned pro with a wealth of industry knowledge to identify the unique characteristics that make or break an early-stage SaaS business.  Artem Gassan is one of these experts, having scaled and invested in over 50 SaaS companies, including a unicorn business now worth over $2 billion. He not only knows how to identify SaaS businesses with huge potential, but he also knows how to take early-stage SaaS companies from zero to hero. In this episode, we soak up Artem’s expert advice as he joins us to discuss the building blocks of a successful SaaS business.  We dissect why almost 70% of early-stage SaaS companies don’t reach their second round of funding as well as where businesses go wrong when trying to engage with customers on LinkedIn. Artem explains why trust is a vital part of attracting and retaining customers, and he breaks down the core operational differences between B2B and B2C SaaS businesses. We also dive into the importance of calculating and tracking your sales velocity and Artem outlines a step-by-step guide to creating a powerful go-to-market strategy. According to Artem, “There are four key elements to a great go-to-market strategy. First, build trust through thought leadership content. Second, create product-led growth elements. These are things like calculators or diagnostic tools that give consumers value and a sneak peek into the product without purchasing the product. Third, optimize your pricing and make it clear, and transparent. Finally, simplify your onboarding process and measure everything that you do.” Whether you’re an investor looking for the next big thing, or a SaaS founder trying to accelerate your growth, you are sure to find bucketloads of helpful tips and tricks in this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A rundown of Artem’s background and entrepreneurial journey so far (03:00) Why the SaaS industry resonates with Artem (05:05) The unicorn business that Artem became an early investor in (08:53) Sales velocity is the most critical metric to the health of a SaaS startup (12:11) The differences between B2B and B2C SaaS (20:25) How B2B SaaS business should build trust with enterprise customers (24:45) Common mistakes people make when engaging with customers on LinkedIn (32:25) The building blocks of an effective go-to-market strategy (36:54) When to use gated content vs ungated content (47:33) Why 70% of early-stage SaaS companies never reach round 2 of funding (52:56) Emerging trends in the SaaS industry (1:0020) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Lead Impact Artem’s LinkedIn Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs - book by Larry Keeley The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company - book by Steve Blank You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar : The Sandler Sales Institute's 7-Step System for Successful Selling - By David Sandler Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn about the key metrics that make up a successful SaaS business. 

Running a big online business can be like captaining a large ship. As the business grows, it can become less nimble and harder to adapt to new trends and changes in the industry.  But, with the right kind of foresight and knowledge of the online business landscape, you can steer your business to even greater heights.  This is where Joel Stevenson thrives. With his experience as Vice President of Wayfair and now as CEO of Yesware, an email outreach software, he's helped take multiple industry giants to new heights of success. In this episode, Joel gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at his approach to growing businesses and explains some of the unique challenges that large businesses face as they scale. We discuss the differences between growing eCommerce vs SaaS businesses, and how to navigate the competitiveness of mature markets.  Joel also shares details of Vendasta’s recent acquisition of Yesware, explaining how the acquisition came about, and how he worked to make Yesware an attractive asset for interested buyers. According to Joel, “I really tried to rebuild the company in such a way that it would be acquisition friendly. We tried to have a minimal overhead cost structure. We tried to be very efficient. We paid down a ton of tech debt. My goal was for somebody to see our product, and see that the business itself is in good shape, and know that it would be easy to take it over and really accelerate it.”   We also dive into why Yesware opted for a stock sale over an asset sale and discuss the appropriate use cases for each option.  If you want to peek behind the curtain to learn more about the operational intricacies of large online businesses, then look no further! Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Joel achieved incredible business growth at Wayfair (03:02) Joel’s approach to growing businesses and solving problems (05:49) The differences between growing eCom vs SaaS businesses (13:51)  The roles that SEO and SEM played in the growth of Wayfair and Yesware (17:12) How Joel navigates mature markets (22:40)  The story of Yesware’s growth and an explanation of the product (29:15) Vendasta’s acquisition of Yesware (34:46) The differences between a stock sale and an asset sale (44:44) The common mistakes people make when sending out cold emails (48:10) The best piece of professional advice Joel has ever been given or heard (53:37) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Yesware The Hard Sell podcast The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt Winning by Design Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover what it takes to operate and grow a large online business!