The Ecommerce Influence Podcast: Advanced Acquisition And Retention Strategies For Fast-growing Online Brands

Thinking about starting a software company? This week’s guest is giving you a behind-the-scenes look at exactly what to expect. Michael Facchin is the ultimate bootstrapper. His digital marketing career started in freelance, then he built an agency, Search Scientists, but soon came to a daunting realization: His business wasn’t future proof. With the rise of AI and Facebook Ads becoming more intuitive, he knew manually pulling the levers for his clients’ ad spend wasn’t going to last forever. Thus, Ad Badger - a software tool designed to optimize Amazon PPC - was born.  It’s been over two years since Michael was last on the show and I’m so excited to have him back. Not only is Michael one of my closest friends, but he’s an expert at PPC and in today’s episode he’s sharing the ins and outs of starting a software company, the pros & cons of bootstrapping vs joining an accelerator, having VC funding, and a few key insights he’s learned on his entrepreneurial journey. If you’ve ever considered starting a so

If you primarily rely on pixels or cookies for conversion tracking, you need to know about Facebook's new Conversions API, or else you'll be facing some serious data tracking challenges every soon. With the increasing pressure to provide more privacy to consumers, businesses like Apple are making strides to limit consumer information and Google has announced they'll be removing the ability to use 3rd party browser cookies by 2022.  This means that eCommerce business owners who rely on pixels for conversion tracking are going to need to find new ways to stay ahead.   In today's episode, Andrew Foxwell and I talk about Facebook's new Conversions API, why you need to install it on your site, how it's been shown to increase conversion reporting by 30% and what you can do with that new information.  Enjoy! Episode Highlights 3:09 Why you need to install Facebook's Conversions API on your Shopify site 6:23 Common mistakes that prevent pixels from properly tracking 7:32 The impact of tracking all conversion event

Feeling discouraged by a slow start to your business? Mister Jones Health was in the same boat until they unlocked explosive growth that grew the business by 800% in one year. Jason Daemar spent ten years climbing the corporate ladder only to realize one day that he had enough. Since then, Jason and his wife created Mister Jones Health - an ecommerce brand that has hit an astonishing inflection point over the last year even after having a not-so-glamorous start. In this episode, Jason talks about finding their first 1,000 customers, a few marketing and Facebook advertising secrets you should know about, being a customer-centric business, and building a team. If you’re an ecommerce business owner or work in the marketing space, you are going to get a lot out of this episode. Enjoy!  Episode Highlights 6:08 The idea behind Mister Jones Health 12:32 Experimenting with marketing channels to find their first 1,000 customers 14:28 The #1 overlooked thing by Facebook advertisers  16:29 Mindsets for having a custo

The reality is most entrepreneurs won't reach the singular exit that retires them for life. So why is their strategy to build wealth rooted 100% in their business? It's common for entrepreneurs to feel the urge to go all in and invest 100% in their business. But spoiler alert: Running a business is hard and selling your business for enough to spend your retirement at the Four Seasons with a pina colada in hand is even harder. In today's episode, Andrew Foxwell and I talk about how entrepreneurs can build wealth outside of their business by focusing on three different buckets of investments, why a diversification strategy is something to consider, and how we are preparing for looming financial issues that are on many people's minds.  Episode Highlights 6:27 Establishing what financial freedom looks like for you 9:27 The three buckets of investments 10:38 How Austin and his wife got into real estate investing 16:08 Austin and Andrew's stock market strategy to build wealth 19:18 Protecting yourself from an in

Who is truly at the center of your business, your customers or your profits? Tim O'Brien's supplement company, Find Your Healthy Place, is relentless in its pursuit of customer-centricity. After in-store sales started to tank during the onset of COVID-19, Tim knew that making their customer's online experience just as personalized and memorable as the one they had in store would be critical to their survival. Today, Tim's online sales are up from 3% to 26%, and the pivots they continue to make are remarkable.  Tune into this episode to learn why Tim feels a customer first strategy works best for his business, how to create personalized experiences online and the key metrics he focuses on as his business continues to grow. Episode Highlights 5:07 How Tim got started in the wellness industry 10:00 The effects COVID has had on Tim’s brick-and-mortar and Ecommerce sales 14:19 How Tim is applying his customer first strategy online 18:55 Building your competitive advantage into your onboarding process 21:59 Choo

Many Ecommerce business owners are wondering how to reclaim their Facebook ad performance to finish on top. Ecommerce entrepreneurs saw some of their best months this spring with consumer’s response to the onset of COVID-19. However, as buying patterns started to shift, summer and fall have been incredibly challenging. In this episode, Andrew Foxwell gives us some insight into what he's learned working with a variety of clients. We dive into how user behavior has changed, what businesses across the globe are experiencing, and leave you with several tactics you can use to increase your Facebook ad performance this year.  Episode Highlights 6:27 How user behavior is impacting the current state of Facebook 10:36 A global overview of Facebook ad performance 13:59 What the Shaq Stack is and how to use it 17:12 Using bid overrides to manage volatile Facebook ad performance 19:35 User-generated content and dynamic creative testing 22:49 The All-In-One Campaign Budget Optimization when nothing else is working 24:4

Ever Feel Like A Million Bucks After A $20 Haircut? Today’s Guest Knew That Feeling, And It Led Him To Create A Product That Hit More Than $1MM In Sales In Just 12 Months.  Calvin Quallis is the Founder of Scotch Porter – a 7-figure New Jersey-based men’s grooming brand now on the shelves of major retailers like Walmart and Target.  The brand’s early beginnings trace back to his mom’s barbershop where Calvin noticed men couldn’t help but walk out with an entirely new pep in their step. Since then, Calvin has been on a mission to help men feel their best. Calvin joins us on this episode to talk about what building Scotch Porter has been like, the struggles and challenges they’ve faced, marketing strategies that have worked for them, and so much more.  If you’re an ecommerce entrepreneur interested in going into retail, this episode is for you. Enjoy!  Episode Highlights 6:34 The power of a $20 haircut: What inspired the Scotch Porter brand 10:19 Creating a mission you can get behind 12:17 Laying the groundw

If you’re one of the few people who hasn’t been impacted by the recent turmoil around Facebook ads, consider yourself lucky. For everyone else, this episode is for you.  If you're an ecommerce business owner or agency who primarily drives traffic through Facebook advertising, you’re aware of the recent challenges. Between price increases, instability on the platform, and movies like The Social Dilemma that are going to bring even more transparency and scrutiny on advertising through Facebook, it’s a difficult time to grow your business using paid social.  Andrew Foxwell and I recorded two episodes back in February of 2019 where Andrew talks about 20 questions he likes to ask clients that are feeling stuck with their Facebook ads. It's still unbelievably relevant today. If you’re having challenges or are seeing a performance drop, these are the questions and strategies that you can revisit to bring new life to your ads. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 7:29 Integrating user-generated content into your creative 8

Building an offshore business is often thought to be risky, or even illegal. However, it's now becoming a very common, and legal way, to lower your global tax rate -- as much as 42%. “Go where you’re treated best,” is Andrew Henderson’s famous tagline. A US ex-pat and founder of Nomad Capitalist, Andrew has legally lowered his global tax rate from 43% to 1%. Now he helps entrepreneurs keep more of their own money, live freely around the world, and create wealth faster through offshore strategies.   I found Andrew when searching for a way to diversify my citizenship. I quickly discovered that he's a wealth of knowledge on ways to reduce your tax burden and I’m excited for you to listen to the show.  In this episode, we talk about common misconceptions about building an offshore business, what it’s really like living a nomadic lifestyle, and the benefits it can offer to both you and your family. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 4:47 Andrew’s philosophy of viewing the world as your buffet  6:57 The history behind fl

Perfect Keto started off as a side project and then experienced massive growth -- making $100MM in just 19 months. Dr. Anthony Gustin cofounded Perfect Keto as a side project in November of 2016. He had one goal in mind: making keto easy. Within 4 hours of launching, the company made $20,000 and took off like a rocketship since. Little did he know, the creation of Perfect Keto was at the rise of one of the largest diet crazes of the past 50 years.    Anthony joins us to talk about Perfect Keto's growth, his business beliefs, and why retail is a last resort. We also discuss his experience of burnout and how entrepreneurs can best avoid it. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 4:58 The problem with copying someone else’s formula for success 7:15 Starting a multimillion-dollar company by accident 12:52 What it’s like riding the wave of one of the largest diet crazes 16:02 How to solve nearly all of the problems in your business 20:00 Perfect Keto’s science experiment approach to business 22:03 Anthony’s experience wit

Do you have a dream of building a 9-figure business? We’ve worked with Ecommerce entrepreneurs who have and here’s what they have in common. Today I’m taking you behind the scenes into the Coalition, my Ecommerce coaching community for Ecommerce entrepreneurs. Every month we have a live training that dives into one aspect of growing your Ecommerce business. In this training, we are talking about the mindset shifts needed to reach 9-figure growth. Drew Sanocki, CEO of AutoAnything and former CMO KarmaLoop,  joins us and shares his experience running multiple 9-figure businesses. If you own or work with an established Ecommerce business and want to reach for that same success, this is for you. Episode Highlights 8:31 The #1 prerequisite for building a 9-figure business 11:37 A key team characteristic at fast-growing companies 15:24 An unexpected truth about reinvention and the willingness to pivot 18:35 How to be laser-focused on your brand  20:10 Changing your philosophy around hiring and how to attract top

COVID-19 Is Presenting Opportunities For Ecommerce And For This Brand, They've Contributed To 100% Year-Over-Year Growth.  Kevin Chen is the Co-Founder and President of iRestore, a company that sells laser hair growth systems. Kevin is a long time client of the Brand Guild and when I last had him on the podcast, iRestore cracked the code on paid social and turned into an 8-figure business. Since then, Kevin's role has changed dramatically within the business, and it has continued to grow, despite unforeseen COVID-19 challenges.  In this episode, Kevin talks about creating a tight-knit organization that works remotely, increasing productivity, building company culture, team transparency, and the opportunities COVID-19 is presenting for eCommerce. Episode Highlights 6:58 What iRestore’s 100% year-over-year growth has looked like 7:36 The product launch that changed the economics of Kevin’s business 12:33 The only two skills Kevin realized he needs to help the business succeed 15:18 Lessons from COVID-19 on h

This week we're bringing you throwback that is all about the difference between brands that scale and those that don’t. Kurt Elster interviewed me on the Unofficial Shopify Podcast and after re-listening to the episode, I wanted to share it with you. Kurt asks great questions and I outline my entire philosophy on growth. In this episode, we talk about defining a growth strategy, scaling your advertising, and how to hire the team necessary to get to the next level. I also share what I’ve learned from working with some of the fastest-growing brands in the country. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 4:30 How Austin has helped many brands scale from $500k to $1MM. 7:00 Why it's so important to do almost every job in your business before turning it over to someone else. 8:27 The big differences between the Shopify brands that scale up and those that don't. 12:00 How to remove tasks from your plate so your business can scale. 14:20 The core KPI's Austin uses to understand his client's scalability. 15:56 Understanding wha

Beardbrand’s approach to content marketing has resulted in 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube. On today’s episode, I am bringing back my good friend Eric Bandholz. I first met Eric in 2014 at an Ecommerce Fuel event and he was one of our early Ecommerce Influence podcast guests. Since then, he’s been continuing to build an incredible business called Beardbrand. In this episode, we talk about being on Shark Tank, what it’s like being the face of your brand as a founder, content marketing that creates superfans and so much more. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 5:11 The stressful, year-long experience of being on Shark Tank 12:23 The difference between having business partners and owning 100% of your business 14:53 How Eric has created freedom in his life and business over the last 8 years 19:44 The pros and cons of being the face of your brand 22:27 How Beardbrand showcases different facets of their brand through multiple social media channels 25:27 Beardbrand’s approach to dealing with online haters 27:55 What Be

What if you could find the marketing formula that would double your business, and then double it again? This is the kind of growth Oral Essentials is currently experiencing as they’ve dialed in and refined their approach to marketing and paid advertising.  On today’s episode, I’ve invited Justin Madahhi, Co-founder and Head of Online Sales and Marketing at Lumineux Oral Essentials, back on the show. Justin and his team were already experiencing fast-paced growth when we started working together two years ago, and since he was on the show last fall, their growth has continued to skyrocket. In this episode, Justin talks about dialing in your messaging, the marketing formula they’ve created to drive consistent sales, how to drive subscription revenue and how to get your team into alignment during high-growth times. Episode Highlights 7:32 What Justin learned is critical for rapid, successful growth  9:43  A sophisticated approach to Facebook marketing 13:00 Expectation vs Reality: What startling fast growth a

When I met Greg Williams in the Coalition, he told me he wanted to sell his business and be a millionaire by age 40. A year later, he’s done just that. Greg started Autoimmune Institute in 2017 with the intention to sell, and in just three years, he went from $50,000 to $2,000,000 in sales. In this episode of the Ecommerce Influence podcast, Greg shares the levers he pulled to fast-track business growth, what it actually looks like to sell a 7-figure business, and how to maximize your business’ valuation. If you’re interested in building a business with the intention to sell, this episode is a must-listen. Enjoy!

The “crush-it” culture of entrepreneurship almost led to me giving up the business I have today. After two years at a fast-growing startup, I was pushed to the edge mentally and physically. I knew I had to walk away and form a vision for what I wanted my future to look like. It took eight years for me to go from burnout to freedom by building my business into what it is today, and creating that vision involved a lot of trial and error and reinvention. In this episode I talk about some of the lowest points I’ve experienced as an entrepreneur, what it was like to close down a successful marketing agency, the trials of breaking up with a business partner, and the importance of defining success so you know what you’re actually working towards.  Episode Highlights 5:22 The early foundation of Austin’s journey as an entrepreneur 8:17 Invaluable experience gained from startup life and lessons learned from burnout 10:58 Making sales while you sleep: Austin’s introduction to ecommerce and email marketing 12:49 How

Growing a team is challenging for any company. But going from two people to 90 in just 10 years with a non-traditional business model? That’s an almost unbelievable feat.   Connie Matisse, cofounder and CMO of East Fork, joins us today to talk about how she built a successful business with a 90+ person team without following the path of many traditional businesses.  Tune in to learn how East Fork created a memorable marketing engine with a self-described “laughable” budget, what they’ve found to be one of the most critical business functions that’s often ignored, and how they’ve kept their store running through the challenges of COVID-19.  Episode Highlights 4:44 How the 2008 economic recession introduced Connie to the world of craft pottery 7:00 Reinventing pottery to reach the modern household 11:16 Connie’s organic approach to content marketing and building a holistic brand 13:35 The challenge of being the voice of the brand for a fast-growing business 16:41 What East Fork leadership spends 90% of their

There are only 130 days until Black Friday. With the global economy in so much flux because of COVID-19, what are your Q4 predictions?  Are you preparing for a massive Q4 or wondering if your business is going to just get by?  In this episode, I go over a few Q4 predictions with cases in favor of and against Q4 being a thriving quarter for ecommerce, factors to consider that are in and out of your control, and most importantly, how you can prepare. Episode Highlights 3:39 Why the ecommerce industry is primed to have a massive Q4 5:59 COVID-19 effects on spending and your consumer’s potential psychological shift during Q4 8:01 How to manage your ecommerce inventory to get a leg up against your competition 9:12 If your target audience includes these people you might have a difficult Q4 10:39 The biggest case against a successful Q4 13:17 Large corporations marketing budgets and how they could impact small business’ ability to compete 14:27 Austin’s Q4 predictions and his 3 step plan for preparing for the typ

With Facebook boycotts, changing advertising policies, and channel unpredictability, it’s more important now than ever to invest in what you can control The approach to search engine optimization (SEO) has changed over the last several years, but it still remains an incredibly important component of your marketing strategy. This week’s guest is SEO consultant and expert Dan Shure. Dan’s been working in SEO for more than 12 years, and he joins us to talk about what’s changed over time when it comes to SEO strategy, the two different types of core content to focus on, what’s working in ecommerce SEO in 2020 and the tools you should be using to be successful. This episode has some great actionable tips you can start using today, and I hope you enjoy! Episode Highlights 5:16 How Dan fell into SEO while working as a professional musician 7:50 What is SEO really? Is it a channel, a traffic source, links, or something else? 13:30 The #1 thing business owners need to think about when it comes to ecommerce SEO in 2