eComFuel Podcast

If you are running events in the eCommerce space, you know what a lonely world it can be. Today, I'm excited to be joined by Nick Shackelford, Co-Founder of GeekOut Events, which puts on high-intentional no-fluff events all over the world. In this episode, we're talking event planning, but we're also talking about so much more related to eCommerce, including marketing, branding, and even copywriting. Listen in as we dive into the reasons behind why Nick (or anyone, really) puts on events (hint: it's definitely not for the money), how he leverages a built-in FOMO effect with his pricing strategy, and his hack for getting critical information to his customers without relying on email or SMS. We also talk about the current digital marketing landscape, why Nick is not going all-in with TikTok (yet), and the core philosophies that he sticks to when it comes to creating a killer brand presence. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3sYnWbj Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Kurt Elster is the man behind Ethercycle.com, a Shopify agency that specializes exclusively—and very successfully—in helping Shopify store owners generate massive revenue growth. Not only does he put out some really amazing websites on Shopify, but he also hosts The Unofficial Shopify Podcast and has a bunch of really cool apps that we talk about in this episode. Listen in as we dive into all things Shopify, including what store owners need to stop asking for on their sites, the one thing that Kurt has done that has really moved the needle for his clients, and the must-haves on any Shopify site that increase conversion and engagement. Kurt also shares the top three apps that get put on every site he builds to reduce friction for consumers, and in turn, increase revenue for store owners. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3NnObQ6 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Most eCommerce owners struggle with hiring, let alone trying to hire when they're scaling at a rapid pace. Roc Pilon is a successful entrepreneur in business, real estate, and the fitness industry. He has a really interesting story coming from a trailer in Boise, Idaho dealing with the effects of the 2008 recession and going all in with $5,000 and an idea to innovate better powerlifting gear. Listen in as we dive into how Roc managed to successfully hire 30 people over the span of two years using LinkedIn as his hiring tool and how he has approached compensation with the team members he has hired, including how he handles performance incentives. Roc also shares how to best get your team to model the core values of your business, what the downsides are to having a remote team, and how hiring an Operations Manager has been a game changer for him. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3LU3EY9 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

How do you invest in innovation to stay relevant in the marketplace without starving the products that are the bread and butter of your business? Joel Heath is the co-founder of FluidStance.com and he joins me to talk all about innovation - how to think about it in a way that can keep your business relevant without sacrificing what made it successful to begin with. Tune in as we explore Joel's experience with innovating to the point of alienation and the lessons he learned through that process, what the golden ratio for innovation is, and the importance of taking care of the base first. We also discuss the challenges of selling your business and watching somebody else run and raise it and what the three boxes to check are when you're thinking of selling your business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3KnSzwV Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Adam Craft is the founder of ElevatedCraft.com, a mixology and drink product brand that is focused on designing bar tools that improve the home bar experience. He has built a pretty cool business and community on Facebook, and in this episode, we're diving into the role that community has played in growing the brand and exploring where Adam intends to take his community in the future. Tune in as we geek out about the strategy that comes into play with growing and maintaining a really great community, including when to consider hiring a full-time community manager and whether to stay on Facebook or move to another platform. Adam also shares how instrumental his Facebook group has been to growing his brand, how Kickstarter helped with his initial launch, and all the things to consider when you're thinking through how to brand your community. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3LmAGzE Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

You know him as the founder of SmartMarketer.com and the co-founder and CEO of BOOM!, but Ezra Firestone recently added another brand to his portfolio: oVertone Haircare. In this episode, we talk about how he took an established but struggling brand and turned it around in only 90 days. Listen in as we discuss the details of Ezra's oVertone takeover and optimization, which included massive cost-cutting, team re-structuring, and overhauling the marketing strategy to really focus on upsells and great content. You'll hear about the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to subscriptions, as well as how Ezra sets boundaries in his business and schedules his days to make life enjoyment a priority. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3vsg7uR Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Many of us have been in the position where we have an interesting opportunity in front of us to purchase another eCommerce business - maybe it has a complementary product line or it would make a good strategic addition to your existing business - and we're on the fence about whether we should actually pull the trigger. In this solo episode, I'm sharing the top things you should consider before committing the time, effort, and money that it takes to follow through on such a huge decision, all based on my own experience closing deals. Listen in as I dive into what you need to consider before buying that shiny new object, including whether you have the skills to diligence the deal well and the time to follow through on the deal. (Spoiler alert: It will take longer to close than you think it will!) I also discuss the financial aspects to consider, how to identify the micro and macro leverage you might have to move the deal in your favor, and why sometimes the better decision is to put a little TLC into your existing business rather than spread your energy (and capital) too thin. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3EbudEY Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

We were thrilled to hold eCommerceFuel Live at Chesapeake Bay, a place rich in history and great food. This year was especially unique, as it was the first large live event we have held since the beginning of the pandemic, and coming back together as a community was very rewarding. In this episode, we will be reviewing everything that happened during eCF Live. To help us discuss this is Bill D'Alessandro, CEO of Elements Brands. Listen in as Bill and I share how this year's event was different from the eCF Live events we have had in the past, as well as the importance of making time to do the things that make you happy. You will learn where growing companies often fail, how to build a rich company culture, and how to effectively sort your social media accounts by engagement levels to create a sales funnel. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3xckqx1 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Are you wondering where to put your money this year when it comes to paid traffic? Jesse Pujji is the founder of Gateway X, a holding company that invests in DTC brands, and the co-founder of Ampush, a growth marketing company that connects the right consumers with the right brands, and he knows his stuff when it comes to the growth space and running a business. In this episode, we get right into why Facebook might not be the devil that it is often made out to be, why TikTok might actually be the second coming of Facebook, and all the weird and wonderful ways that businesses can leverage the platform to grow their business. We also talk about why Jesse is a huge fan of affiliate marketing, how he manages his affiliates, and the details of hiring and balancing being in the business with leading the business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3NvPeib Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.

Charles Burdett is the founder of PipDecks.com, a suite of card decks that helps people do anything from brainstorming creative workshop ideas and telling better stories to designing more innovative products. It's an amazing case study on how to sell the value and the transformation as opposed to the physical product, and I'm super excited to sit down with Charles today to talk about how he scaled to a 7-figure card deck business. Tune in as we dive into the unintentional birth of PipDecks.com, as well as Charles' secret to selling his decks based on their value rather than their physical worth. You'll learn the question we should all be asking our customers to understand why they buy, what it means to have freedom, how to not lose sight of what is most important in life, and the mindset block that most entrepreneurs will grapple with at some point. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/41UFC71 Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.