Advertise on podcast: eCommerce Evolution

Most brands think they've "tried YouTube" — a few bucks a day, no real strategy, and they wrote it off. Brett Curry disagrees, and he's got the data to back it up. In this live talk from a Google NYC event packed with 8- and 9-figure D2C and omnichannel brands, Brett breaks down the seven plays that separate the 10% of brands actually winning on YouTube from everyone else still guessing. Inside the episode: Why a 190-test study across 74 brands found YouTube's real incremental ROAS runs 3.5x to 10x higher than what shows up in-platform — and why that's a competitive advantage if you're willing to measure itHow Arctic drove a 230% search lift and a 25% retail sales lift at Walmart from ads that converted zero people on Arctic's own websiteThe media mix shift (30–70% awareness/view-based spend) that beat pure demand gen in a women's apparel brand's own incrementality testsWhy Native Deodorant's run from ~$100M to over $1B in sales at 20% EBITDA leaned hard on top-of-funnel YouTube, and how Dr. Squatch's early YouTube ads set up its $1.5B exitThe "mashup" formula (think Opopop and What the Foundation) for turning your best Meta and TikTok ads into YouTube winners — and the exact checklist (30+ seconds, voiceover, clear CTA) for knowing which social ads can go straight to YouTube as-is — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro: Live from Google NYC, Brett's "7 Ways to Scale with YouTube Ads" talk and why most brands still get YouTube wrong [02:59] What is YouTube? 98% trust in creators, "TV + search had a baby," the CTV watch-time lead, unique reach, and YouTube's many viewing modes [08:08] YouTube-built brands: Dr. Squatch's $1.5B exit and Native's run to $1B in sales [10:06] Play #1, Incrementality: causal measurement, user vs. geo holdouts, branded search, and Haus's ~3.5x in-platform underreporting finding [15:52] Play #2, Omnichannel support: the extra +1x from retail, Arctic's CDI/BDI analysis, 19 test markets, 230% search lift, and 25% Walmart lift [22:00] The snack brand that paused YouTube: Amazon sales and branded search drop within days, then recover once ads resume [22:50] Play #3, YouTube-first creative: the hook, demo, social proof, CTA formula, plus UGC mashups and brand-formance ads [26:08] Creative breakdowns, Arctic: the Chase Fly ceramic demo mashup and the Walmart-only brand ad that drove zero D2C sales but big retail lift [33:18] Creative breakdowns, Native, What the Foundation & Opopop: diverse UGC, founder-led mashups, and 9x16 vs. 16x9 edits [40:48] Play #4, The creative feedback loop: view rate → hook, CTR → convince, CVR → audience, and why average watch time per impression matters [44:55] Plays #5 & #6, Campaign structure and porting social ads: Demand Gen plus awareness/view-based campaigns, and what a Meta/TikTok ad needs to run as-is [48:53] Play #7, Operationalize testing: snapshot vs. photo album, the GPA analogy, the lift trifecta, attributed brand search, and test-over-test comparisons — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Ezra Firestone has built and sold multiple 8-figure e-commerce brands, from Boom by Cindy Joseph to Overtone, and he's done it by breaking a few rules most operators are too scared to touch — leaning into fear as a marketing lever, killing "me-too" products before they launch, and building an entire brand around a founder who's no longer here to run it. In this conversation, he gets specific: the exact margin math he uses before launching anything new, the content system that's replaced single-creator dependence, and why some of his best-performing ads never mention the product at all. Inside the episode: What actually happened to Boom's ads and community after founder Cindy Joseph passed away — and the moment Ezra knew it was time to stop running her voice in every emailThe "Brittany script" experiment: how one winning paid-creator ad got remade in a British accent, and why customer ambassadors, paid creators, and influencers all need a different kind of scriptWhy Boom runs ads about menopause without selling a single menopause productEzra's margin rule for launching anything new (buy for $1, sell for $7) — and the $800K soap brand that broke itThe "novel, not better" pattern behind Boomstick, Safe Sleeve, and a dentist-branded dog dental chewThe line Ezra repeats to his team so nobody hides bad news from him: "I will never charge you an emotional price for the truth" — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro: Brett Curry on a live, wide-ranging interview with Ezra Firestone [01:43] Life gets better with age: Boom's anti "anti-aging" philosophy [03:58] Enjoying your life is a skill: Gratitude, attention, and "Be Here Now" [09:12] Why your wellbeing drives your business: Mindset as the foundation for growth [10:33] Martial arts and opening a dojo: Changing your state and serving the community [14:02] Losing a founder-led brand's face: Cindy Joseph, Boom, and finding new voices [21:41] Talk about the experience, not the product: Menopause messaging and community angles [23:03] Product and offer innovation: Boomstick, SafeSleeve, Overtone, and the 1:7 margin rule [29:10] Messaging that makes people feel: Emotion drives action, and using fear with integrity [37:29] Product company + media company: "New and fancy" and creative storytelling [40:13] Building a culture of truth: Diversity of thought, no emotional tax, and attracting the right people [44:02] Navigate, don't drive: Delegating, Bezos-style "wandering" time, and wrap-up — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Ezra’s LinkedIn: /ezrafirestone/ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

He was making $10 a post from Adidas on Instagram in 2013. Today, Bill Rom and his partner Josh are running a bootstrapped apparel brand doing $220 million this year — and projecting up to $400 million next year. Bill breaks down the exact financial wake-up call that let them scale aggressively, why they still do 10-15% of their own screen printing at $200M+ in revenue, and how they became a genuine culture moment (mascots, memes, and Aiden Ross wearing their shorts included). Inside the episode: The fractional CFO hire in 2022 that revealed they were making just $60 in profit on every first purchase — and why that clarity changed how aggressively they'd spendHow their average new-customer value climbed past $400 in the first 12 months, and why that number justified riskier channel betsThe in-person activation playbook (spin-to-win wheels, velocity challenges) they started back in 2016 that Bill calls Gen Z's biggest unfair advantage todayWhy Baseball Lifestyle 101 now outsells Nike and Adidas per square foot at Dick's Sporting Goods, and how that pushed them into a $600K/month YouTube and linear TV strategyThe "asymmetrical bet" rule Bill uses to decide when it's smart to lose money for 60 days in exchange for a 10x return in 90How building relationships with creators like Eric Sim (rather than paying for one-off deals) landed them a shoe collab with Adidas — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro — Brett Curry sets up the live NYC interview with Bill Rom of Baseball Lifestyle 101 [02:16] Meet Bill Rom — $220M this year, $340–400M projected next year across D2C and wholesale [02:40] The breakout moment — From Instagram media account to apparel brand; the College World Series fire marshal story [04:53] Knowing your numbers — The fractional CFO, $60 first-purchase profit, and scaling from $5M to $220M+ [06:51] Beyond first-purchase math — Cohort analysis, LTV climbing past $400, and running your own race [10:29] What they got right early — Building an email list, posting hourly for five years, and in-person activations [14:59] Sponsor break — OMG Commerce [16:08] Why YouTube is the future — Evergreen content vs. TikTok, 80K subscribers, and YouTube as the #1 streaming service [19:46] Going big on commercials, CTV & linear — Working with Jacques and the "spend 10x your creative cost" rule [21:33] Investing in culture & creators — Jackson Olson, Eric Sim, King Ajuko, and building content muscle in-house [25:11] The Adidas collab — How it happened and why they won't let top creators go to Nike or Adidas [27:26] Asymmetrical risk for asymmetrical returns — "Lose money for 60 days to 10X in 90" and wrap-up — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Bill’s LinkedIn: /bill-rom-54653744/ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Cody Plofker (Jones Road Beauty, Marketing Operators podcast) has run YouTube ads that stay live for two to three years without fatiguing — while most paid social creative burns out in a week. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how Jones Road builds YouTube creative that works, why incrementality is the only measurement system he trusts, and how to use it to win budget arguments with a board that only looks at last-click. Inside the episode: The YouTube creative mistake most brands make: too polished, not punchy enough — and why grittier, longer-form ads (60-90 seconds, even 2 minutes) often outperform short, clean onesWhy audio hooks matter more on YouTube than visual hooks — because half your views are happening on a TV with the sound onHow Jones Road keeps the same YouTube ad running for 2-3 years without fatigue, while Meta and TikTok creative burns out in a weekThe "16x9 conversion" trick for turning existing vertical social assets into YouTube ads without a new shootWhy incrementality is the only causal measurement system — and how Cody uses it to win budget fights with the board over channels that "don't look good" on click attributionHow Jones Road found their YouTube post-treatment window kept "exploding" over time — the opposite of Meta, where results are mostly baked in fast — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro — Brett Curry sets up the interview with Cody Plofker at OMG Commerce's NYC event [02:45] Where YouTube fits in the marketing mix — a quasi-brand, quasi-direct-response channel [03:24] Judging YouTube creative — hooks, pacing, and why longer ads can outperform [07:31] Educational content and Jones Road's creative journey — from UGC to produced TV [09:41] Foundation Stick launch — creator shoots and top-down vs. bottom-up production [12:41] Why Cody co-hosts the Marketing Operators podcast [15:30] Measuring YouTube properly — the 16x9 conversion trick and halo effects [18:22] Incrementality vs. MTA vs. MMM — the case for causal measurement [22:54] Reading individual tests and building an incrementality testing roadmap [26:18] What's next for Cody — AI, new projects, and life after Jones Road [28:37] Audience Q&A — roadmaps, baselining, and Jones Road's early YouTube hurdles — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Cody's LinkedIn: /cody-plofker/ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Andrew Youderian disappears into a cave for six weeks every year to crunch data from 300+ seven, eight, and nine-figure store owners — and comes back with the most honest read on the state of e-commerce you'll find anywhere. This year's survey has a few takeaways that sting: AI adoption hit 73% but produced zero measurable financial edge in 2025, Amazon has quietly slipped from growth engine to supplemental channel, and the single biggest profit lever isn't a tactic at all. Brett and Andrew dig into what the numbers actually say — and what operators should do about it before everyone else catches on. Inside the episode: Why Amazon's share of revenue has fallen back to 2017 levels even as more brands sell there — and the "build a brand, sell on Amazon second" shift behind itThe 92% vs. 17% gap: how store owners really feel about selling DTC versus Amazon (and why the P&L explains it — 47% COGS vs. 58%)The AI gut-check: 73% of brands "meaningfully adopted" it, so Andrew pulled their actual sales data instead of asking for ROI — here's what he foundThe financial-mastery cliff: going from a 4-out-of-5 to a 5-out-of-5 on financial fluency jumps net margins from 9.7% to 14.3% and net income growth ~50%The warehouse stat that became Andrew's most viral thread: own your warehouse and grow ~4%, lease or 3PL it and grow 30–35%The optimist vs. pessimist breakdown — conversion rate, inventory turns, and fixed overhead — and what separates the two campsWhy the future belongs to "small, durable brands" — and why the days of hacking distribution are over — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro clip — Andrew on treating AI adoption as a growth tool that didn't pan out in the data [00:26] Welcome & introducing Andrew Youderian of eCommerce Fuel [01:31] Backstory — How Brett and Andrew connected, and eCommerce Fuel's origins [03:41] Inside the annual survey — Methodology and respondent profile [05:27] Amazon findings — Declining revenue share, low seller satisfaction, and P&L economics vs D2C [11:22] The Amazon land-grab era ending — 97% of brands now use paid traffic [17:34] CAC, moats, and the Dan Kennedy quote — Spending more to win the long game [20:19] Amazon as a checkout, not a discovery engine — The 40% off-platform sales stat [24:53] AI adoption findings — No financial edge despite 75% adoption [28:26] The nuance on AI — Vibe-coding pitfalls and where AI is actually helping [31:20] Financial intelligence — Why jumping from a 4 to a 5 out of 5 skyrockets margins [39:43] 2026 outlook — Optimists vs. pessimists, and the future of durable small brands — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Andrew’s LinkedIn: /andrew-youderian-ba74a623/ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Most brands treat their subscriber portal like a settings page. Turns out, it's actually their highest-risk revenue moment — 70% of subscribers who log in are there to cancel, skip, or bail. Piyush Jain, CEO of Loop Subscriptions, has the data from 1,900+ D2C brands to prove it, and the playbook to stop it. Inside the episode: How OSEA Malibu cut churn from 10% to 5% without offering a single discount — using a free travel kit timed to the exact order where most subscribers were dropping offThe "Mystery Reward" pop-up that intercepts high-intent cancellations in real time — and reduces churn by another 23% for brands using itWhy 20–25% of cancellations happen within days of your upcoming order email — and how Four Sigmatic engineered a 40% save rate on their cancellation flowHow Good Protein drives 25% of total subscription revenue from upsells — and why second-order subscribers are worth 2x more than first-order onesNon-traditional subscription plays for brands outside consumables: from air purifier filter programs to digital membership add-ons — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro — Mystery Rewards & The Portal Churn Problem [00:22] Show Introduction & Guest Welcome — Piyush Jain of Loop Subscriptions [02:29] Why 70% of Portal Visitors Want to Cancel or Skip [04:09] Case Study: OSEA Malibu Cuts Churn in Half With Gift Rewards [06:59] Mystery Rewards — Gamifying the Portal for High-Risk Subscribers [10:55] Streaks & Loyalty Gamification — The Duolingo-Inspired Approach [14:22] Zero-Day Churn — When Customers Subscribe Just for the Discount [19:43] Cancellation Flows — How FourSigmatic Saves 40% of Cancellations [21:42] Increasing Product Consumption to Reduce Churn [25:03] Second-Order Subscribers — Why They're 2X More Valuable [29:13] Upselling as a Zero-CAC Revenue Channel — The Good Protein Story [34:20] Non-Traditional Subscriptions — Air Purifiers, Shoes & Digital Memberships [39:07] How to Increase Subscription Take Rate on the PDP [42:42] Wrap-Up & How to Connect With Loop Subscriptions — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Piyush’s LinkedIn: /piyush-jn/ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Most e-commerce brands pour everything into getting customers to checkout — and then hand them a generic, one-size-fits-all experience that quietly kills the sale. Avi Moskowitz, co-founder of PDQ, has processed millions of checkouts across top Shopify brands (including Jones Road Beauty), and his diagnosis is blunt: cart abandonment isn't a technical problem. It's an emotional one. And it's leaving $270 billion on the table every year. Inside the episode: Why your checkout is the one place segmentation goes to die — and how personalizing it by customer type (first-time, returning, high-value) can drive an 18% AOV lift or double-digit conversion jumpsThe "WISMO problem": why more than 50% of order-related support tickets arrive the same day the order was placed — and what it tells you about the trust gap you're creating at checkoutThe free shipping threshold mistake almost every brand is making (hint: they copied a competitor who also just guessed)Surprising checkout wins from PDQ's testing: why moving the economy shipping option down one slot meaningfully increased revenue per session — without a single new ad or productHow to think about every order as its own P&L — factoring in CAC, COGS, fulfillm — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: [00:00] Intro — The $270B checkout abandonment problem [00:22] Welcome & Guest Introduction: Avi Moskowitz, Co-Founder of PDQ [01:52] Avi's Background: From Craft Beer to SaaS Founder [03:23] COVID Timing & The eCommerce Wake-Up Call [05:09] The Root Cause of Cart Abandonment: Trust, Not Technology [07:27] How PDQ Solves the Checkout Confidence Gap [14:30] Reducing Friction: Shipping, Delivery Dates & Upsells [23:00] Free Shipping Thresholds & AOV Optimization [34:00] Building a Checkout That Converts Like Amazon [43:24] Thinking in Mini P&Ls: Per-Order Profit Optimization [46:26] Personalized Checkout Logic at the Customer Level [48:24] Where to Find PDQ & Get Your Free Checkout Audit — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Avi's LinkedIn: /moskowitzavi Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Chris Hall — the Ecom Cowboy, former All-American offensive lineman at UT Austin, and the guy who scaled Bruce Bolt to one of Shopify's fastest-growing stores as a team of one — is as entertaining as he is tactical. But underneath the hat and the accent is a marketer who has been thinking hard about what separates the people who survive this AI moment from the ones who don't. His take: the button-pushers are already gone. The marketers who build and manage agents — and who also make bold analog bets — are the ones who get more valuable every quarter. Inside the episode: Why the "team of one" marketer is actually more viable than ever — and the Claude-powered workflow Chris used to handle ads, email, SMS, reporting, and organic social simultaneously at Bruce BoltHow BattleBox turned Whatnot into their #2 revenue channel (surpassing Amazon) — with net-new customers, not cannibalized .com sales — and why most DTC brands are still completely asleep on itThe AI stack Chris is actually using: Claude for strategy and execution, Wideframe for agentic video editing, Kive for AI product imagery so clean that seven-figure brands are running it as their entire Instagram feedWhy "get sweaty on camera" is one of the highest-leverage moves a marketer can make right now — and the skill it builds that AI literally cannot replicateThe two anti-AI bets Chris thinks every brand and operator needs to make in 2026 — and why they work because of AI, not in spite of it — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — ‍Chapters: [0:00] Welcome & Introducing the Ecom Cowboy [1:53] Origin of the Ecom Cowboy Brand & Name [2:17] Chris Hall's Football Career at UT & Blocking Von Miller [4:43] From the NFL to Nonprofits to E-Commerce [6:45] Inside Bruce Bolt: One of Shopify's Fastest Growing Stores [9:07] The Future of Marketing Jobs in an AI World [14:26] What Marketers Must Do to Stay Relevant in 2026 [17:32] Getting Claude-Pilled: Building Your Agentic Workforce [21:44] Running an Entire Marketing Team with AI Agents [27:34] Chris Hall's Full AI Stack (Wideframe, Higgsfield & More) [31:36] AI Productivity Hacks: Daily Reports, WhisperFlow & Skills [36:40] The Anti-AI Bet: Live Streaming & IRL Activations [39:11] Why Every Brand Should Be on Whatnot Right Now [47:29] Wrapping Up & How to Find Chris Hall Daily — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Chris' LinkedIn: /chrislukehall Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Most D2C brands have tried YouTube ads. Almost none of them are getting credit for what those ads are actually doing. Brett Curry, CEO of OMG Commerce and the guy behind YouTube growth for brands like Native, Arctic, and Dude Wipes, makes the case that in-platform reporting is under-counting YouTube's real impact by roughly 70% — and that the brands leaning in right now are about to widen the gap on everyone still dabbling. This one goes deep: incrementality testing, omnichannel attribution, creative frameworks, and why your Meta winners almost certainly won't survive on YouTube. Inside the episode: Why a 1.0 in-platform ROAS on YouTube is probably a 3.4 in reality — and the 190-test incrementality study behind that numberHow Arctic drove a 25% Walmart sales lift (and 230% branded search lift) by running YouTube in select markets — measured scientifically against matched control marketsThe three creative types that actually work on YouTube: hero/brand films, single-creator UGC, and the specific criteria your Meta winners need to meet before you bother testing themHow to diagnose a broken YouTube ad using just three metrics: view rate, click-through rate, and average watch time per impression — and what each one tells you to fixWhy campaign structure for retail lift looks completely different than for D2C sales — and how to set up for both at once — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today! — ‍Chapters: [0:00] Introduction: Why Most Brands Still Suck at YouTube [1:51] Audience Poll: Who's Actually Winning on YouTube? [3:15] The Core Problem: Bringing a Meta Mindset to YouTube [4:05] YouTube as Trust: Creators, TV, and Time Spent [8:14] Incrementality 101: Measuring the Real Impact of Your Ads [11:22] How Incremental Is YouTube? The 3.4x ROAS Reality [15:28] Going Omnichannel: Using YouTube to Drive Retail and Amazon Sales [19:13] Arctic Case Study: Measuring YouTube's Impact on Walmart Sales [24:09] Creative Diversity: The Essential Elements of a YouTube Ad [27:16] Creative Breakdown: Single Influencer, Hero, and Mashup Ad Examples [38:05] Creative Story Arc: How to Hook Viewers and Drive Action [40:24] Creative Feedback Loops: What Data to Watch and Why [46:09] Campaign Structure: How to Buy Media Based on Your Goals [51:56] Measure, Model, Maximize: The Trifecta of YouTube Measurement — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

YouTube ads veteran Brett Curry (OMG Commerce) and TikTok Shop expert Jordan West (Social Commerce Club) went back and forth live on what's actually moving the needle for D2C brands right now — and some of their takes are going to sting. Most brands are still treating Google spend as a given, measuring YouTube with click-based attribution that was never built for it, and ignoring a TikTok Shop launch strategy that flips the creator dynamic entirely. Inside the episode: The YouTube Shorts formula that's working in 2026 — why Brett reversed his position, and the 4 things a video must have (including minimum length) before you waste money testing itThe Blitz methodology explained — how Social Commerce Club seeds hundreds of creators in a 24–48 hour window to manufacture momentum and make big creators come to you instead of the other way aroundWhy Jordan thinks most Google spend is a non-incremental tax — and the channel hierarchy he'd use for every D2C brand over $10MThe TikTok Shop–to–Shopify halo effect — the data Jordan's team is seeing that almost nobody is talking about yet"My brand is too premium for TikTok Shop" — Jordan's reframe on why that objection is almost always wrong, and what to ask instead Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! Chapters: [0:00] Introduction: Brett Curry & Jordan West Swap Podcasts [1:09] Why YouTube CPMs Are the Most Underpriced in the Industry [5:00] What's Working on YouTube Shorts: The Framework for Winning Creative [7:57] TikTok Shop Deep Dive: Jordan's Obsession with Demand Generation [10:01] Like, Know, and Trust: Why YouTube Is the Ultimate Brand-Building Platform [11:28] Ad Break: OMG Commerce Omnichannel Growth [12:37] The Blitz Methodology: How Social Commerce Club Concentrates Creator Signal [16:46] Moments vs. Blitzes Explained: Definitions and How They Drive Momentum [19:42] How Far Can Brands Actually Scale on YouTube? [21:53] Why MTA Tools Underreport YouTube: The Case for Incrementality Testing [22:58] The Problem with Multi-Touch Attribution: Jordan's New Halo Tracking Concept [25:17] Incrementality Explained with a Retail Store Analogy [28:43] Rapid Fire YouTube Questions: Mashup Creatives and Repurposing Creator Content [30:53] YouTube Targeting Strategy: Why You Still Need to Feed the Algorithm Signal [32:22] Which Brands Should Be on YouTube But Aren't? [33:09] Hot Take: The Right Ad Spend Hierarchy for D2C Brands [34:43] YouTube vs. Meta by Product Type: Apparel, Problem-Solution, and Omnichannel [37:15] If TV Works, YouTube Should Work: The CTV and Linear TV Connection [38:10] Is Your Brand Too Premium for TikTok Shop? Jordan's Answer [39:42] Why TikTok Shop Is a Fundamentally Different Beast Than TikTok Ads [41:05] Wrap-Up: Where to Find Brett and Jordan Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: / thebrettcurry YouTube: / @omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Jordan's LinkedIn: jordan-west-marketer/ ‍ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Most DTC brands are making million-dollar channel decisions based on attribution data that's fundamentally wrong. Olivia Kory — CSO of Haus and the incrementality expert Brett references on stage more than almost anyone — breaks down what it actually takes to know if your ads are working. Spoiler: if you've been writing off YouTube based on MTA, you owe yourself a retest. Inside the episode: Why YouTube's true ROAS is 3.4X what the platform reports — and how Haus's 190-test study across 74 brands proved it (plus why your D2C numbers alone are only half the picture)The right time to start incrementality testing — it's not when you're huge, it's when your business gets complicated enough that turning off ads won't give you a clean answerHow StockX went from barely spending on YouTube to making it their #2 acquisition channel — by running geo holdout tests and acting on the resultsWhy Meta's optimization might be too good — and how brands like Jones Road are improving their iROAS by making changes that look worse in-platformThe surprise winner: AppLovin — Olivia came in skeptical of mobile game ad inventory and got data she didn't expectHaus's new DTC Basics tier — a lower-cost entry point so more brands can stop guessing which channels are actually driving growth Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! Chapters: [00:00] Intro clip — Olivia on treating incrementality as a report card vs. a growth tool [00:22] Introductions & background — Olivia's path from Starcom → TubeMogul → Netflix → Quibi → Sonos → Haus [06:55] What is incrementality? — The randomized controlled trial analogy; geo holdouts vs. click-based attribution [10:45] When should a brand start using incrementality? — The low-to-mid 8-figure inflection point; multi-channel complexity as the signal [15:34] Native platform lift studies (Meta & Google) — Are they worth it? Signal loss, CAPI, iOS 14.5 limitations [17:25] Geo holdout vs. user-level testing — Why Haus was "born out of the ashes of iOS 14.5" and went all-in on geo [19:37] How a Haus geo holdout test actually works — Data ingestion, experiment design, market matching, results [23:20] Actioning on incrementality data — Coaching leadership, making reallocation decisions, improving channel performance over time [26:02] How long should you run a test? — Why 2-week YouTube tests fail; 4–6 week minimums and the role of consideration cycles [27:19] Incrementality as an optimization loop, not a report card — Connor from Ridge, Cody from Jones Road Beauty, and the StockX story [30:42] Key metrics defined — iROAS, iCPA, incrementality factor, and why in-platform ROAS can mislead you [32:47] Branded search — Is it incremental? Simple Modern's 5% read, when Amazon bidding on your terms changes the math [35:57] Treatment window & post-treatment window (PTW) — How Haus structures tests for YouTube, Meta, and CTV; lagged effects explained[39:36] Consideration cycles & post-purchase surveys — Why your path-to-purchase report is probably shorter than reality [41:00] Halo effects: Amazon & retail — Why omnichannel brands that only measure D2C are understating YouTube's impact [41:58] The Haus YouTube study findings — The 3.42x incrementality factor; halo effects that doubled lift when Amazon/retail pulled in; Demand Gen vindicated [44:10] YouTube vs. Meta: how the channels differ incrementally — Meta's short payback window, the "too good at intent" problem, and why YouTube wins on halo effects [46:53] Surprises from the data — YouTube (not surprising to Olivia), AppLovin (very surprising), and why TV results swing wildly based on inventory type [50:16] The biggest levers to improve incrementality — Creative first (30–50% wins), then account structure, traffic composition, and spend level [51:46] A DemandGen campaign running on Gmail — A real audit story and why traffic composition can make a channel look broken when it isn't [53:13] Haus's new DTC Basics tier — A lower-cost entry point to measure D2C and Amazon across core ad channels [54:54] Wrap-up & where to find Olivia — Part two teased around the next Haus YouTube report Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: / thebrettcurry YouTube: / @omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Olivia’s LinkedIn: /olivia-kory-50230812 Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Scaling an eCommerce brand isn’t just about ads, creatives, or new channels. Often, the biggest growth unlock comes from how you treat customers after the purchase. In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Kristin Keys, VP of Customer Experience at Baseball Lifestyle 101, to break down how CX can become a true growth engine. From empowering support teams to turning angry customers into loyal advocates, Kristin shares how great customer experience drives retention, increases LTV, and fuels word-of-mouth growth. If you’re struggling with churn, negative reviews, or rising CAC, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you turn CX into a competitive advantage. — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: (00:00) Introduction: CX as a Growth Engine with Kristin Keys (03:12) Why Good CX Drives Retention, LTV & Word of Mouth (07:00) The Baseball Lifestyle 101 Origin Story (14:02) Reducing Refunds, Chargebacks & Negative Reviews (20:04) Empowering Your Team to Resolve Issues on the Spot (24:10) Going Above & Beyond: Community Stories & Surprise Moments (30:51) Key Metrics: Return Rate, Repeat Purchases & Sales from Support (36:50) Biggest CX Mistakes D2C Brands Make (41:46) Parting Advice: Build a CX Team That Loves Your Brand — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerceWebsite: https://www.omgcommerce.com/Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Kristin’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-keys-bl101 Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Scaling paid ads isn’t just about better creatives or media buying tweaks. Often, the real unlock is what happens after the click. In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Paddy McLarnon, founder of PM Digital Designs, to break down full funnel CRO; from advertorial landing pages to value stacking to subscription optimization. If your CAC is creeping up, your conversion rate feels capped, or your subscription churn is eating margin, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you scale profitably. — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (05:01) The Biggest CRO Mistakes Brands Make (07:42) Ad-to-Lander Congruency (09:36) Advertorials & Listicles: Real Examples (16:56) Offer Stacking & Value Perception (19:55) Using Customer Surveys to Build Better Copy (25:13) Why Conversion Rate Can Mislead You (29:27) How to Hit a 72% Subscription Take Rate (36:48) Subscription Offer Breakdown: Real Examples (46:10) Buy Box Optimization & Pricing Psychology (50:13) Email, SMS & Follow-Up Flows — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Paddy’s LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paddy-mclarnon-cro-for-shopify-brands-2055ba124 Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

AI in eCommerce marketing isn’t about “better prompts” anymore, it’s about better systems. Brett sits down with returning guest Russ Henneberry (TheClick.ai, co-author of Digital Marketing for Dummies) to unpack what’s new and what’s next: Claude Cowork, agentic workflows, skills that “self-improve,” and what happens when your AI can actually use your files, tools, and data — not just chat about it. If you’re a DTC founder, CMO, or operator trying to scale performance without scaling headcount, this episode is a blueprint for how modern teams are building repeatable AI routines for content, reporting, and decision-making. — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:05) What Cowork is: agentic plans, local files, and “skills” (05:20) Skills that self-improve, plus persona + offer as core context (08:10) Cowork as a “brain” with version control, shared across workflows (10:10) Connected sources: Notion transcripts, Zoom notes, and MCP-style integrations (15:10) Parallel agents and context windows: why this runs faster than chatbots (18:05) Skill marketplaces, sharing zips, and the security caution (23:10) OpenClaw/Open-source talk: the 4 “levels” (chatbot → cowork → code → open source) (28:05) Hardware reality: Mac Minis, Apple silicon, and “processing power” as leverage (31:05) Content system: Source → Structure → Format → Polish (newsletter example) (38:30) Click.ai membership, team training, and closing thoughts on revenue/employee — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Russ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russhenneberrytheCLICK: https://theclick.ai/Digital Marketing for Dummies: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Marketing-Dummies-Business-Personal/dp/1119235596 Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Creative volume isn’t the unlock. Better messaging is. In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Nate Lagos (CMO of Adapt Naturals, former Head of Growth at Original Grain) to break down how great storytelling drives real performance. From selling wooden watches through emotional positioning… to increasing AOV by reframing gift messaging… to building ads that scale without “fatigue” — this episode is a masterclass in understanding why customers actually buy. If you’re a DTC founder, CMO, or operator tired of launching more ads without improving results, this conversation will recalibrate how you think about copy, positioning, and brand personality. — Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! — Chapters: (00:00) Intro (05:05) Nate’s origin story, and why storytelling became a “performance lever” (07:40) Selling the story behind the materials (10:30) Customer motivation deep dive: status, identity, and gift-giving (15:05) Creative quantity vs quality (19:05) Finding the real “why”: research methods (23:10) Brand as “personality” (30:10) Testing surprises + valence/intensity framework (37:15) Practical frameworks: adjective formula — Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Nate’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagosAdapt Naturals: https://adaptnaturals.comOriginal Grain: https://www.originalgrain.com/ Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D’Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more