New post from The eCommerceFuel Blog : We were inspired by one of our favorite podcasts, Start-Up, to kick off a new series this week. Over the course of the next year, we'll be following Kyle Goguen, founder of Pawstruck, to see what it's like for a successful business to try and take their company to the next level. We'll be checking in with Kyle every few months to see if he's ticking all the boxes off his 2016 "to do" list. Today Kyle lays out his key goals for 2016 along with his worries ab...
Mar 25, 2016•17 min
New post from The eCommerceFuel Blog : It's everyone's new favorite social media platform and for some business owners, it's a gold mine. Lily Jade is a multi-million dollar diaper bag business and they've generated seven figures alone through Instagram. eCommerceFuel community members and founders of Lily Jade, Landon and Meggan Wood, along with their Instagram manager, Ashley McGleary, share the secrets behind using influencers and creating engagement to create buzz (and lots of sales) using I...
Mar 18, 2016•37 min
New post from The eCommerceFuel Blog : If you can't beat them, join them. Amazon FBA is a natural next step to help you grow your business. But sending out your first shipment can be ripe with potential problems. On today's episode, we've got a novice and a pro weighing in on the intricacies behind FBA, including the differences between a UPC, FNSKU, and an ASIN, along with expert tips for optimizing your FBA experience and nailing it right from the get go. Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher (With you...
Mar 11, 2016•33 min
The Affordable Care Act has been in effect for five years now. We decided to check in with small business owners to see how well it's worked for their families and employees. Today we're hoping to answer this question: is it possible to find affordable heath insurance for your small business under ObamaCare? Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1LIzKjr
Mar 04, 2016•14 min
In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about Kickstarter, Amazon, creating proprietary products, as well as a plethora of other eCommerce-related topics. We wrap up the show with some trivia to see how well Lars can remember some of the things that he may or may not have shed light on in terms of funny stories and comments in the forum. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1QdUNLL
Feb 26, 2016•33 min
Jason brings a unique perspective to our tribe of independent 6 and 7-figure merchants and shares some takeaways that we can glean from some of those bigger organizations. He shares a lot of great insights on the future of eCommerce and talks about some of the innovative things that retailers are doing today. Jason also shares some predictions about what may happen with mobile, messaging commerce, and Amazon. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1SxkugX...
Feb 19, 2016•47 min
This episode is a prime run of all things storytelling for your business from a guy who has the background and authority to speak on the topic. Michael and I chat about how you can use storytelling to grow your business, build your brand, and connect with customers. Don’t miss Michael’s gems about what goes into building a good story and the exact formula for writing compelling stories to help you promote your brand and your products. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/...
Feb 12, 2016•33 min
Jeff is here today to talk about how he created Ugmonk and infused it with his personality and style. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1KwEKqG
Feb 05, 2016•27 min
Today, we take a slightly opposite approach to an often-discussed topic - instead of talking about how to find a mentor we dig into the ins and outs of being a good mentor in business. Tune in to check out our reflection on our experiences with mentorship as well as our best tips for being a great mentor. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1SWJxbW
Jan 29, 2016•17 min
The author of the New York Times bestselling book, Essentialism (one of my top book picks for 2015 ), Gregory McKeown, joins me on this episode to help answer those questions. Greg shares some key concepts outlined in his book and imparts some game-changing advice that you can start applying today to become more productive and efficient in your life and business. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1OjdlKv...
Jan 22, 2016•24 min
If you’re in the eCommerce field, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Peep Laja from ConversionXL.com , one of the most respected conversion blogs online. I invited Peep to join us on the eCommerce Fuel podcast to discuss some of the best practices for increasing your eCommerce conversion. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1RheCGh
Jan 15, 2016•30 min
On this follow-up, Clayton and I chat about how things panned out – did everything go well, did things fall apart and so on. We dive into what it’s like to buy your first eCommerce business, as well as how TrollingMotors.net is doing now, what has changed since Clay’s purchase of the store and the biggest “a-ha” moments of the process. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1QSOJh8
Jan 08, 2016•31 min
Apart from being a great eCommerce writer on Medium.com, Andy is the founder of Bonobos.com, a menswear clothing online store that he’s grown into a highly-respected company over the past few years. We chat about how Andy got started and his experience in men’s clothing space. And, he also shares some stories from his own experience. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1mtA4MV
Jan 01, 2016•22 min
If you haven’t heard this interview with Michael before, or even if you have, then you are in for a real treat. While I first aired this interview over two years ago, the incredible knowledge and lessons that Michael shared with me is still something I know all of us can learn from and use in our businesses today. Enjoy! You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1Z9c3Zu
Dec 25, 2015•16 min
Joining me to talk about our top 10 favorite (or perhaps only) books from 2015 is the man behind NerdMarketing.com , Drew Sanocki. This year we have a good mix of business, personal development, diet and fiction books that you might want to check out if you’re looking for a next good read. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1OmlLjJ
Dec 18, 2015•23 min
The man who’s currently recovering from frostbite after standing in line all night looking for Pokémon deals on Black Friday, Bill D’Allesandro of RebelCEO.com , is here today to help answer those questions. Here are some tips for optimizing your eCommerce business for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and, ultimately, making them the best sales days of the year. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1Nc8ryd...
Dec 11, 2015•22 min
Joining me on this Q & A episode is none other than the Oracle of Time Square, the man with all of the answers, Drew Sanocki of NerdMarketing.com . We dive into a wide range of topics from why certain markets aren't great for eCommerce and what the best Shopify apps for analytics are, to whether Drew's dreamy salt-and-peppered look is natural. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1MDiXSi...
Dec 04, 2015•27 min
This episode features Mr. Drew Sanocki’s talk from the recent eCommerce Fuel Live event. He talks about the best practices for finding and attracting those customers that can drive a huge part of your business and really growing by focusing on and delivering value to those folks. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1X57dPg
Nov 27, 2015•33 min
Bill joins me today to discuss which shipping carriers will save your business the most money. We look at the strengths and weaknesses of each carrier and what you need to do to negotiate the best possible deals. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1LZ5fYo
Nov 20, 2015•24 min
Finding the answers to those questions can be considerably overwhelming for entrepreneurs, so today, joining me to tackle the salary topic is Bill D'Alessandro from Rebel CEO. We cover everything you need to know about the topic from paying yourself a salary without starving your business to separating your business and personal financials, as well as the rule of thumb for reinvesting your profits. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/1kf0Rf3...
Nov 13, 2015•21 min
Today, we are diving into the anatomy of a perfect business... The business you would create in an ideal world where you were you able to wave a magic wand and anything you wished would come true. What would it look like? What would be the different components of your business that would maximize profitability, minimize the headaches and create a continuous stream of customers. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1Q244KK...
Nov 06, 2015•27 min
In today’s day and age, the previous option of being able to thrive in ecommerce based solely on reselling items is quickly coming to an end. As eCommerce is becoming more and more competitive, the need for new and unique products is becoming an absolute necessity. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1MSTDUC
Oct 30, 2015•27 min
This week, as we are just recovering from ECF Live, Bill and I recap our favorite moments from the event. If you didn’t get the chance to go, or even if you did, this episode covers some of the highlights that made the event an incredible success. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1ZOVsv9
Oct 23, 2015•33 min
Fraud prevention can be a tricky road to travel. So how do determine which order is a possible fraudulent order? Listen in as we talk fraud prevention techniques. And while they are never 100% foolproof, they can surely help you make decisions that could save you thousands You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1L5ppke
Oct 16, 2015•20 min
Growing the marketing plan of your eCommerce business can be a difficult task, especially if you are a first-time entrepreneur. Knowing the right steps to take can be daunting even for an experienced business owner, but, with help, you can navigate the tricky steps to marketing success. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1FyJcIg
Oct 09, 2015•19 min
Growing your business alone can be a daunting task; one thing that entrepreneurs can do to alleviate the stress of the workload is outsource different aspects of their operation. From hiring freelancers to hiring a warehouse to store and ship your products, outsourcing can become a huge part of your business. While I outsource a large amount of my business, I have learned, as most entrepreneurs will over time, that some things just have to be kept in-house. You can find show notes and more infor...
Oct 02, 2015•27 min
Ben Camerota joins me today to share his experiences with the B2B sales world, both in the traditional, corporate world and in his own businesses. We take a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of B2B sales and get an inside look at how to set up your business and your team for business-to-business sales. In today’s episode, Ben shares his methods of harnessing the potential that B2B brings to ramp up your order size, overall volume and profits. You can find show notes and more information by click...
Sep 25, 2015•23 min
Debt. As an eCommerce business, that word can either be singularly the most terrifying word or a powerful business tool. Depending on your beliefs and willingness to take on extra debt, you can learn to harness it to grow your business faster than ever before. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1LbAxrM
Sep 18, 2015•33 min
Drew Sanocki joins me to talk about how to pick a service agency to help you run and expand your business. We have both had the good, the bad and the downright ugly experiences in the past and have learned some hard lessons. We share our methods of finding, evaluate and hiring an agency that will become one of the greatest investments you have ever made in your eCommerce business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1JsBP3z...
Sep 11, 2015•18 min
I knew that I had to talk with David after hearing his story in the forum, not only as a vagabond but as a formidable eCommerce entrepreneur. He was able to create a huge Facebook following, along with several successful eCommerce stores. David shares his tips for creating a strong, engaged audience and talks about how he runs his businesses while seeing the world has to offer. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1PssRot...
Sep 04, 2015•27 min
