Today we're talking about risk and decision making. In business and life entrepreneurs and must decide to take risks (or not take risks) and live with the impacts it has. We're talking about an article from Bonobos.com CEO Andy Dunn called The Risk Not Taken and it's had a massive impact on our approach to risk and decision making and wanted to share it with you. Andy talks about everything from the role money has in risk to personal shame and embarrassment. It's something we all feel but rarely...
Oct 01, 2015•21 min
You finally found it… …the answer to your ecommerce store’s growth problem and your video marketing conundrum. At this point you know that video marketing is all the rage as YouTube and other video platforms continue to explode with opportunity to you grow your business. You know you should be capitalizing, but it feels like too big of a task to take on right now. Video marketing requires a lot of effort to outline a video marketing campaign, write the video(s), film the video(s), edit them, upl...
Sep 24, 2015•43 min
If there's any online company that completely embodies the idea of an authentic online brand, it's Ugmonk. Customer loyalty to the brand is second to none and something all ecommerce brands should seek to emulate. Jeff Sheldon, founder & designer, has taken a small side project and turned it into one of the most successful, most authentic online brands we've ever encountered or worked with. His story is truly one of the most remarkable authentic online brand building stories out there today,...
Sep 17, 2015•35 min
Tommy Walker has written some of our favorite ecommerce content for some of our favorite sites over the past couple of years including ConversionXL and now Shopify Plus. He has a wealth of knowledge about content marketing and shares with us his best strategies for establishing a system to generate a large amount of quality, effective content for ecommerce companies. He shares all in today's episode, take a listen. Not every ecommerce company needs content marketing as a crucial part of their st...
Sep 10, 2015•53 min
We talk about building systems all the time, but how well do they actually hold up when you completely leave your business? It was time for us to "put our money where our mouth is". We recently tested out how well our systems worked by sending by sending Austin to Asia and completely off the grid for 3 weeks. In this episode we talk about the results we experienced, what we learned, and what we failed at so you can make the necessary adjustments in your business and make your systems work for yo...
Sep 03, 2015•29 min
If you're not driving more ecommerce sales with Facebook advertising then you're missing out on one of the best "demand generation" systems available to your business today. Facebook advertising has been responsible for producing 2x, 3x, 4x even 10x returns on adspend for some of our clients...and if you're not getting that with what you're doing now, here's how you can start. The person responsible for helping some of our clients see those kinds of returns is Facebook advertising expert and fri...
Aug 27, 2015•45 min
The man who stops advertising to save money is the man who stops the clock to save time. If you're not driving more ecommerce sales with Facebook, you should be. If you are using Facebook to drive sales, you can do it better than what you're doing now. Facebook advertising has been responsible for producing 2x, 3x, 4x even 10x returns on adspend for some of our clients. Most of the credit can go to Facebook advertising expert and friend, Andrew Foxwell. Foxwell (we call him Foxy!) is one of the ...
Aug 20, 2015•41 min
If you've listened to parts one and two of this three-part series you should have a firm grasp on scrum, the methodology we use to help us do twice as much in half the time. The final episode in this series will cover our personal experiences using the methodology, how we've modified it to fit our business, the things we're improving as we move along, and how we think you should apply it to your ecommerce company. Plus, we also have a special guest joining us, and he goes by the name "Master Spl...
Aug 13, 2015•41 min
Getting twice as much done in half the time seems like a fantasy, but it can become a reality if you're using the scrum methodology. If you're looking for the silver bullet to increase productivity, this could be it for you, it has been for us. The Scrum Methodology was originally designed for technical projects, but now it's being applied to business and it's been a smashing success for many. Our own experience has been extremely positive. Our team is on the same page, we're doing the right thi...
Aug 06, 2015•46 min
It seems like we're all looking for the silver bullet when it comes to getting more done in our business. Look no further. There is a methodology that will help you do twice as much in half the time. Too good to be true? We thought so, too...until we implemented it. Now our team is producing more work, at higher quality, and in much less time. And so can you. The Scrum Methodology was originally designed for technical projects, but now it's being applied to business and it's been a smashing succ...
Jul 30, 2015•38 min
Warren Buffett once said that, in business, he looks for "economic castles protected by unbreachable moats." If the Oracle of Omaha was considering buying your ecommerce store, would he see an "unbreachable moat" surrounding your business? Here are the 8 essential elements for an "unbreachable moat" in ecommerce so that you can create one to help you sell your site at maximum price. In the previous two episodes, Jock Purtle of Digital Exits taught us how to value your ecommerce business and then...
Jul 23, 2015•35 min
If you listened to last week's episode about how to value an ecommerce business then you're ready to find out what you need to do to sell your ecommerce store for maximum value. Just like any other large sale there is a right and a wrong way to sell, and you definitely don't want to be leaving money on the table when it comes to selling your business. We've had a few ecommerce companies come to us recently about selling their business. They've come to us with questions about determining value an...
Jul 16, 2015•25 min
Have you ever wondered what your ecommerce business is worth? Do you know the right valuation criteria and process to make sure you don't undervalue your store, or price too high? No worries, everything you need to know is right here in this post and episode. We've had a few ecommerce companies come to us recently about selling their business. They've come to us with questions about determining value and how to sell it for max price, but we didn't' know how to answer their questions. Because of ...
Jul 09, 2015•26 min
The most successful ecommerce business owners understand the characteristics of abundance & scarcity thinking, and they know how to only think in terms of abundance. Our largest and best clients use abundance thinking to lead them to more success, joy and fulfillment, while the others with scarcity thinking tend to have more failure, fear and discontent. We’re talking about this today because it’s something we’ve been purposefully focusing on to help us maintain excitement, energy and joy wh...
Jul 02, 2015•29 min
Overachievers typically work just as much and just as hard as super-achievers but, unfortunately, they usually achieve much less. The question is, do you know the single element that separates you from the other? Last week's guest, Taylor Pearson, is someone we consider a super-achiever and he knows what it takes become one. After reading 188 books on entrepreneurship he was able to identify the one single element that separates the best from the rest, and he's explained what that single element...
Jun 25, 2015•16 min
It's another in-depth fireside chat where we discuss the mindset you need to adopt about productivity and the how this mindset will help you do more with less. Taylor Pearson, as he says it, is a “systems-obsessed entrepreneur, marketer, and philosopher” who has spent a lot of time helping companies during the growth phase by showing them what they should be focusing and what they should stop doing Taylor says that he was “built to trudge” and he'll share some of his best ideas on how anyone can...
Jun 18, 2015•1 hr
It’s time to transition out of your small business mindset and begin to see your business as an organization, segmented by roles and filled by role-specific people. Even though you’re just one person, you’re likely filling multiple roles in your business. Learn how to seperate them, how they all fit together and what to do once you figure it all out. As we’ve been growing we’ve realized some conflict in tasks we were doing and how it impedes day to day workflow. By establishing roles and underst...
Jun 11, 2015•21 min
Improving your hiring mindset, knowing what to hire for, and knowing how to hire only 'A' players are the keys to growing your business while gaining freedom at the same time. The first step is to figure out what you're currently doing day to day...and what you shouldn't be doing at all. After that you need to have the right hiring process to help you hire the right people to take over those tasks. From there it's automating, eliminating, and delegating everything that's not critical to the grow...
Jun 04, 2015•24 min
We came to the somewhat-shocking conclusion that nearly 70% of our business comes from referrals...the easiest, cheapest, and most qualified acquisition channel in any business, including ecommerce. When trying to grow your business you have to make some crucial decisions around client acquisition and where to focus. Referral marketing is often an area that is overlooked or taken for granted. And if you're not getting at least 25% of your business from referral marketing then you're leaving a lo...
May 28, 2015•22 min
Having a business partner can be the best decision you ever make for your business, or it could be the worst if you don't know how to choose wisely. We have now been formal business partners for over a year and recently we hit a rough patch in our relationship professionally and personally. But just like any great "real life" marriage that builds it's foundation on the principle of clear, constant, and honest communication we've been able to navigate rough waters and push forward to help our com...
May 21, 2015•41 min
We start a business because we want more freedom...but we often find ourselves with quite the opposite. There are a lot of easier ways to make money than starting a business, but we don't typically start a business for the money. We start them for the freedom a successful business can bring. Yet we often find ourselves just trying to make it through the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the slow times and the overwhelming times, all of which make it feel like we're always in that dreaded "survi...
May 14, 2015•16 min
The "Tim Ferriss Effect" is REAL according to Mizzen+Main's founder Kevin Lavelle. So real in fact, that sponsoring Tim's podcast has been the single greatest decision he's ever made to grow the company. Kevin Lavelle is the founder of Mizzen+Main, which manufactures American made, moisture wicking, wrinkle free dress shirts. Happy customers include pro athletes, successful CEO’s, and notable celebrities such as Tim Ferriss. Mizzen and Main received $1.2 million in funding last August and Kevin ...
May 07, 2015•35 min
The impending death of traditional retail has been predicted numerous times in recent past, but in 20 years of ecommerce in the US only two ecommerce companies of meaningful value have been created: Amazon and Ebay. Ecommerce is no longer about throwing up a quick store and sourcing from Alibaba, hoping to ride the "ecommerce gravy train" to riches. It’s about building a real business, a brand, that is going to last through the turbulence of an ever-changing internet and retail world and takes y...
Apr 30, 2015•23 min
We all understand that hiring great people is critical to your ecommerce success, yet too many businesses have a revolving door of unreliable and subpar freelancers. You can stop that revolving door today because we’re going to teach you how to hire fantastic and reliable freelancers for your ecommerce company in only 4 simple steps. An essential part of any business is the team that you surround yourself with. In the world of online business, specifically ecommerce, we’re seeing too many compan...
Apr 23, 2015•23 min
Does confidence actually mean you’re reaching a plateau? Is that uncomfortable feeling really the best place to be in your life and in your business? In this conversation we talk about the difference between confidence and courage why you need one over the other to get you where you're trying to go. We've come to a place in our business where we've had to make some tough decisions, decisions that can take us from a place we're very comfortable with to a place of discomfort but has the potential ...
Apr 16, 2015•30 min
Every single day 40 Super Bowls happen on YouTube, yet only 1% of companies know the formula to success with TrueView ads. Video is the closest thing to having a face to face conversation with your potential buyer without being there, and this interaction is your ticket to free traffic, higher conversions, and increased value per conversion...oh, and to stealing customers from your competitors. Jake Larsen’s passion for video-making lead him to TV Advertising in LA, where he worked behind the sc...
Apr 09, 2015•44 min
Have you ever wanted to take a just a week off from running your business? But you never take the time off because you're worried that you'll come back to a business ablaze with fires that stall your growth. Worry no more. Tim Francis is going to teach you how to develop systems that allow you to leave your business, sometimes completely detached, and come back to a company fully intact...and still growing strong. Tim is an expert at developing systems that actually work. In 2013, he began syste...
Apr 02, 2015•1 hr 1 min
The newest online "Gold Rush" is happening right now, and it's picking up steam. Pinterest is mysterious to some, to others its marketing potential is still to be determined. When you listen to today's episode you will no longer have any questions about the power of Pinterest marketing to bring more free traffic, generate more sales, and connect better with customers. Anna Bennett is the owner of White Glove Social Media, co-founder of True North Marketing, and is THE Pinterest marketing expert....
Mar 26, 2015•41 min
Every entrepreneur goes through it. It could be because you're getting too many sales, or it's because you're not getting enough sales. It’s that horrible feeling of being stuck, that you just can’t get through the weeds and everywhere you turn it's another dead end and you're putting out fires. It's the wrath of entrepreneurial chaos. This episode is a story from our past, but it’s a problem we've seen so many companies experience, and it's a story that you can relate to. The best part is, once...
Mar 19, 2015•49 min
If you're looking for qualified customers who are ready to buy, but you're not yet using Google Shopping, then you might be missing out on untapped traffic and the hottest potential buyers on the interwebs. Brett is an online marketer, eCommerce strategist, and speaker. The majority of his time is spent running his agency, Online Marketing Giant, and leading an amazing team of talented marketers at Classy Llama that specialize in search engine marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), web dev...
Mar 12, 2015•55 min
