In this episode, Richard and Taylor explore what it truly means to be a change agent within an organization. Drawing from their experiences at Common Thread Collective (CTC), they dive into the challenges and rewards of driving meaningful change without relying on external crises. Key Topics Discussed: Embracing Conflict: Understanding why willingness to engage in healthy conflict is essential for initiating change. Building Trust and Authority: Strategies for developing trust through consistenc...
Sep 17, 2024•42 min
In this episode, Richard and Taylor dive into a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of business success: the relationship between entrepreneurs and their accountants. Taylor shares insights from his recent talk at an accounting conference in Toronto, where he explored how accountants can bridge the gap with marketers and become invaluable strategic partners for business growth. We discuss practical tips on how entrepreneurs can set the right expectations, demand faster financial reporting, and u...
Sep 12, 2024•28 min
This episode is unlike any other — we’re excited to introduce you to CTC's first ever AI bot guest! Join Taylor as he sits down with Jacob Posel, who is a real human, designed to revolutionize the way we think about creative strategy in ecommerce. From discussing how AI is streamlining creative workflows to understanding the impact of machine learning on ad production, this conversation dives deep into the future of ecommerce. Learn how AI is helping brands create high-quality content quickly, e...
Sep 11, 2024•45 min
Get ready for the holiday season with essential Google Ads strategies that will help you maximize your sales and profitability! In this episode, Richard is joined by Tony Chopp to discuss the six critical steps you need to take to optimize your paid search campaigns for the upcoming holiday rush. From mastering promotional visibility to understanding search demand, Tony shares actionable insights and proven tactics to ensure your Google Ads strategy is holiday ready. Learn about effective use of...
Sep 05, 2024•46 min
In this episode, Richard and Taylor discuss how to navigate the complexities of a distressed business. They dive into three critical steps for de-stressing a struggling business, from cutting costs to optimizing customer acquisition strategies and narrowing down focus areas to regain profitability. Drawing from their experience at CTC and real-world examples, they provide practical advice on how to reset and thrive, even in challenging times. Whether you're facing financial challenges, managing ...
Sep 03, 2024•30 min
In this episode, Richard is joined by Tony Chopp, CTC’s VP of Paid Media, to talk holiday media buying strategies for Q4. They discuss the critical role of incrementality in paid media, how to prepare your ad accounts for the busiest season of the year, and the 7 C’s of CTC’s media buying principles that can elevate your campaigns on Meta and Google. Discover how to build high-performing evergreen campaigns, the importance of clean conversion tracking, and why catalog and calendar campaigns are ...
Aug 28, 2024•45 min
In this episode, we talk about what could be the most consequential Meta update of all time. Richard and Taylor break down Meta's latest ad optimization changes and what they mean for your business. We explore the two key updates: optimizing for third-party measurement tools like Google Analytics and Northbeam, and the introduction of optimization for incremental conversions. Taylor explains why these updates are game-changers and how they could either make or break your ad strategy. Is optimizi...
Aug 27, 2024•24 min
Welcome to the official kickoff of the 2024 holiday season! In this video, we're diving into what's shaping up to be a weird and challenging Q4 for ecommerce brands. Our VP of Strategy at CTC, Luke Austin, joins us to break down the three big reasons why this holiday season is so unusual and what you need to do to navigate it successfully. Cyber Monday in December? Yep, that's happening, and it’s throwing off all our usual planning and forecasting. A shorter holiday period: Thanksgiving and Blac...
Aug 22, 2024•21 min
Welcome to the July edition of the State of the Industry podcast. In this episode, we talk about the influence of political spending on direct to consumer (DTC) businesses. Join us as we explore how the upcoming presidential election could impact advertising costs, consumer behavior, and overall business performance. We’re joined by industry experts Jeremiah, Yarden, and Steve, who provide valuable insights from data and trends across Meta, Google, and other platforms. We'll also revisit key dat...
Aug 20, 2024•40 min
In this episode of the podcast, we’re thrilled to welcome a special guest from the Google empire, Ginny Marvin, Google Ads Liaison. With years of experience in paid search and digital advertising, Ginny shares her journey from the early days of Yahoo to becoming the bridge between advertisers and Google’s internal teams. Join us as we dive deep into all things Google Ads, including the role of an Ads Liaison, the challenges and opportunities facing advertisers today, and the latest updates on pr...
Aug 15, 2024•43 min
In this episode Richard and Taylor discuss a common challenge faced by ecommerce brands today: spending more to acquire the same number of customers. Taylor breaks down the key reasons behind this issue, exploring topics like channel diversification, media spend allocation, and the complexity of optimizing ad performance. They discuss how expanding into platforms like Amazon or diversifying media channels beyond Meta can lead to inefficiencies if not measured and managed correctly. Taylor also o...
Aug 13, 2024•30 min
This episode is a blend of Taylor's passions: baseball and ecommerce. We're joined by Josh Shapiro and Bill Rom of Baseball Lifestyle 101, two legends who have just pulled off an extraordinary marketing feat during the off-peak season for ecommerce. How did they do it? In this episode: Josh shares his journey from starting a baseball focused Instagram account at 15 to building a multi-million dollar ecommerce business. Bill, Josh's mentor and co-founder, talks about his transition from a strengt...
Aug 08, 2024•36 min
In this episode, Richard and Luke Austin go deep into the concept of incrementality. They discuss how CTC helps brands answer three critical questions for a predictable and profitable ecommerce growth plan: What should my total budget be to maximize profitability? How should this budget be allocated across channels for the most incremental outcome? What is the campaign-level media plan and expected profit outcome? Luke shares insights into CTC's partnership with Measured, a platform offering bes...
Jul 30, 2024•25 min
In this episode, we are thrilled to have Nick Stoltz, Chief Strategy Officer at Measured, as our guest. Join us as we jump into the world of ecommerce measurement, focusing on the critical topic of incrementality. Nick shares his extensive experience in the industry, discussing the importance of accurate measurement and how it has evolved over the years. We explore the challenges brands face with various measurement solutions and the pitfalls of relying on a single tool to solve all measurement ...
Jul 24, 2024•50 min
In this episode of the podcast, Richard and Taylor jump into some of the hottest topics in ecommerce right now. Fresh off the July 4th weekend tweet, Taylor shares his hottest ecommerce takes that have sparked conversations and debates across the industry. Highlights from the episode: -The importance of creating more ads and why having a top-notch video editor on your team can be a game-changer. -Why the advice "test everything" might not be as effective as you think. -The shift in buying behavi...
Jul 23, 2024•36 min
Welcome back to the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! This episode is extra special because we’re revealing something groundbreaking. Back in January, Taylor tweeted about finding a "magical wizard" who learns faster and works harder than anyone we’ve ever met. Today, we unveil that wizard and share an exciting new service. Meet Joy Sharma, the genius behind our new CTC Global Accelerator. This program offers world-class growth services tailored for brands under $10 million in revenue, at a price that...
Jul 17, 2024•38 min
Welcome back to the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, State of the Industry edition! This special biannual mega episode dives deep into the first half of 2024, comparing it against the first half of 2023 to answer the burning question: How is the ecommerce industry doing? Key Topics Covered: -Year-over-year e-commerce trends for H1 2024 vs. H1 2023 -Insights into ad performance on Meta and Google -The impact of Advantage Plus and Performance Max campaigns -Consumer confidence and economic indicators -...
Jul 16, 2024•43 min
Hey everyone, Richard here! While Taylor is out of town, we're diving back into an insightful episode from October of last year titled "How to Build a Map to Profitable Growth." With the expansion of the Prophit System in Q3, this discussion on core components of forecasting and setting daily expectations is more relevant than ever. In this episode, we explore: The Prophit System and its significance for predictable, profitable growth. The importance of daily monitoring and adjustments in achiev...
Jul 11, 2024•33 min
With Q2 officially in the books, Taylor and Richard pause to reflect on the first half of the year and give advice on how to readjust expectations for the second half. Discussion points include which key metrics to re-examine, how to beat the summer slump, and the surprisingly neglected revenue lever you should take advantage of as Q3 kicks off. Show Notes: Book a call today to see if the Prophit System can transform your brand’s trajectory. https://meetings.hubspot.com/ctc/summer-24-campaign-o...
Jul 02, 2024•28 min
On this episode, Taylor and Richard sit down to further unpack what we mean when we talk about being “against” creative testing. Topics of discussion include the importance of getting everything right before you start designing an ad, the behind-the-scenes work that goes into a great piece of creative, and why Ryan Reynolds (probably) would hate iterative creative testing. Show Notes: Go to getredo.com today and Redo will waive all setup fees making the software completely free. The Ecommerce Pl...
Jun 27, 2024•36 min
Welcome back to another episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! Today, we're joined by Marshall Morris, the co-founder and president of HomeLife Brands. Marshall shares insights on how there's a hidden asset within your eCommerce business that could generate millions at an 80% margin. In this episode, we explore the innovative approach of HomeLife Brands, a hybrid eCommerce company with a diverse income stream, including flagship brands like iHeartDogs.com and The Hero Company. Marshall discu...
Jun 20, 2024•38 min
On this episode of the podcast, CTC Director of Growth Strategy Luke Austin sits down with Richard to break down a phenomenon we noted in our most recent monthly DTC Index report: Google is losing Share of Wallet to Meta. Luke breaks down why this is happening, how Google is dropping the ball when it comes to product updates, and why Meta is better for incrementality. Show Notes: Book a call with my team to see if the Prophit System can transform your brand’s trajectory. Visit Parker today to le...
Jun 18, 2024•26 min
Welcome back to another edition of the State of the Industry Report! This month, we're diving deep into the data and trends from May, brought to you by the experts at the DTC Index. Join us as we analyze key ecommerce moments and explore consumer sentiment and macro performance. Topics Covered: -Overview of May's key ecommerce moments, including Mother's Day and the start of Father's Day shopping. -Analysis of consumer sentiment and macroeconomic trends. -Year-over-year performance data showing ...
Jun 13, 2024•27 min
Last week, CTC’s media buyers flew to San Francisco to get the latest on upcoming product rollouts at the 2024 Meta Performance Summit. On this episode of the show, Taylor and Richard recap the event, highlighting three key product innovations that prove that Meta is listening to the ecommerce industry, and what those innovations mean for profit-first media buying. Show Notes: Visit Parker today to learn how to scale with a focus on profitability. https://bit.ly/4bSvSif The Ecommerce Playbook ma...
Jun 10, 2024•18 min
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard talk about a recent flap on Twitter around the best way to test creative, and dig into a controversial take: That iterative creating testing is a waste of time and money. Then they break down what really matters — building a marketing calendar that tells a unique story. Show Notes: Visit Parker today to learn how to scale with a focus on profitability. https://bit.ly/4bSvSif The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthre...
Jun 03, 2024•38 min
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor and Richard talk about our recent expansion of the Prophit system into organic and owned channels, how it gets us closer to our goal of building a complete system for Ecommerce growth, and Taylor’s reflections on turning 40. Show Notes: Get 50% off your first month of Motion when you mention Common Thread Collective to the Motion team. https://bit.ly/3VkuQ9n The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us any questi...
May 30, 2024•26 min
Welcome to another episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast! Today, Taylor is joined by Kyle Hency, co-founder of Chubbies and CEO of GoodDay Software. They dive into Kyle’s journey from Chubbies to Loop Returns and now GoodDay Software, sharing invaluable insights on: Building and scaling Chubbies, a leading ecommerce brand Creating Loop Returns to solve operational challenges The importance of effective inventory management Introducing GoodDay Software, a game-changer in ERP solutions Kyle di...
May 23, 2024•43 min
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, Taylor and Tony Chopp, the VP of Paid Media from Common Thread Collective, explore the shifting landscape of Google Ads and the challenges posed by the implementation of PMAX. With over 20 years of experience in digital advertising, Tony brings invaluable insights into how AI developments are reshaping the strategies for Google Ads, particularly with PMAX's impact on advertising effectiveness and budget allocation. Tony breaks down the complexit...
May 21, 2024•38 min
Welcome to the April edition of our State of the eCommerce Industry Report! Our experts are here to break down everything that's happening in the market right now. We’re covering everything from impressive revenue growth across different brand sizes to significant shifts in advertising strategies and the evolving roles of platforms like PMAX and Advantage Plus. Plus, we'll discuss the recent turbulence in Shopify and Meta stock values. Wondering how to adjust your digital marketing or just curio...
May 16, 2024•38 min
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook Podcast, we're diving deep into why organic revenue is essential for sustainable growth. Richard and Taylor are joined by Travis Biechele, the brand-new Director of SEO at CTC. They discuss the strategic reasons behind CTC's shift towards SEO and how we're leveraging organic growth to build a stable revenue foundation for our clients. Learn about Travis's journey from a random tweet to becoming CTC's SEO Director. Hear about his innovative approach and d...
May 14, 2024•27 min
