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After recording hundreds of product-research decisions, Josh Hadley turned his instincts into a 273-rule playbook—and handed it to AI to help train his team. In this episode, he shows how he’s using AI to help his executive assistant take ownership of email, travel, and recurring workflows, while freeing Josh to focus on growth. You’ll hear how short daily check-ins capture his decision-making, how Loom videos become practical SOPs, and how one automated coaching workflow prepares follow-up emails and notes before the next call. The key isn’t asking AI to replace people; it’s giving a trusted teammate the context and judgment to use it well. Bullet Points: Using AI to increase an executive assistant’s impact and free up a business owner’s time.Delegating ownership of email, calendars, travel, follow-ups, reporting, and other administrative responsibilities.Building trust by giving team members context, autonomy, and decision-making authority.Capturing decision-making rationale through recorded conversations and voice notes.Connecting AI tools to business systems, including email, calendars, documents, project management, and meeting transcripts.Creating judgment libraries and detailed SOPs from recorded examples of real work and decisions.Using an assistant as a human review layer to evaluate and refine AI-generated results.Automating recurring tasks and workflows with AI tools.Developing team members’ judgment over time through onboarding, feedback, and calibration.Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction and Episode OverviewJosh introduces how he uses AI with his executive assistant to multiply productivity and free up the CEO’s time. 00:02:22 What the Executive Assistant OwnsHe describes the assistant’s responsibilities, including inbox triage, calendar, travel, sports schedules, follow-ups, coaching administration, and financial coordination. 00:06:40 The Goal: Own and Delete WorkDelegation should remove responsibilities from the CEO’s mind, not create more approvals, questions, or follow-ups. 00:08:45 The CEO as the Delegation BottleneckTrust, onboarding, and sharing enough context are essential to help assistants make decisions independently. 00:10:45 A Five-Step Foundation: Context and JudgmentJosh explains why team members need to understand the reasoning, trade-offs, and criteria behind decisions. 00:12:54 Connecting Business Context to AIHe outlines his AI setup, connecting tools and business information so his assistant can access relevant context. 00:15:13 Capture Thinking with Daily Check-InsShort daily meetings, voice dictation, and meeting transcripts capture decisions and help the assistant learn. 00:21:41 Build a Judgment Library with Loom and AIJosh explains how recording real work and decision-making helps AI turn examples into practical SOPs. 00:27:18 Product Research and Development ExampleHundreds of Loom recordings helped create 273 decision rules and an AI assistant for product research. 00:29:38 Family Travel Planning ExampleAn Airbnb-search process becomes a repeatable AI workflow, with the executive assistant reviewing and refining options. 00:32:47 Automate Recurring WorkJosh recommends using AI tools such as Claude Code to automate routine tasks rather than having assistants repeat them manually. 00:34:01 Automated Coaching Follow-Up WorkflowMeeting recordings generate email drafts, saved notes, and preparation materials for future coaching calls. 00:38:19 Why Executive Assistants Still MatterAI supports automation, but leaders and skilled assistants remain essential for growth, judgment, and human connection. 00:40:38 The Six-Month Delegation RampJosh outlines onboarding, calibration, and momentum stages that help assistants gradually take ownership of work. 00:43:53 Closing and Access to ResourcesHe invites listeners to subscribe, leave a review, and access his slides and AI prompts. Links and Mentions: Tools, websites, and platforms "YouTube": "00:01:09"  "Email address: [email protected]": "00:05:34"  "ChatGPT": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "Power BI": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "ClickUp": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "Email, calendar, and Google Drive": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "Fireflies": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "Slack": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "Calendly": "00:13:00–00:14:08"  "Claude": "00:14:08–00:15:13"  "Google Workspace CLI": "00:14:08–00:15:13"  "Whisper Flow": "00:15:13–00:16:20"   "Google Drive / Google Docs": "00:20:36–00:21:41"  "Loom": "00:23:56–00:25:01"    "Custom GPT / Claude skill": "00:28:23–00:29:38"  "Airbnb": "00:29:38–00:31:40"   "

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Ehud Segev, known as The Mentalist, an Amazon marketing expert and co-creator of Logie AI. Ehud shares his journey from performing as a mentalist worldwide to becoming a successful Amazon seller. He emphasizes the importance of building a genuine brand, understanding your audience through customer reviews, and leveraging influencer partnerships. The conversation highlights how Logi AI is revolutionizing e-commerce by connecting sellers with content creators. Ehud also recommends key books, productivity tools like Make and Airtable, and praises James Thompson for his contributions to the e-commerce community. Timestamps: Introduction to Ehud Segev and Logie AI (00:00:00)Host Josh Hadley introduces guest Ehud Segev, the brain behind Logi AI, and the episode's focus on influencer marketing. Ehud Segev's Background and Entry into Amazon (00:02:26)Ehud shares his journey from being a world-renowned mentalist to discovering Amazon selling through an online course ten years ago. Early Success and the Importance of Branding (00:06:11)Ehud discusses his initial, magical success on Amazon and how he immediately focused on building a brand, unlike other sellers. Three Actionable Takeaways for Sellers (00:08:58)Josh summarizes three key steps: understand your brand, analyze one-star reviews to find your audience, and partner with content creators. Most Influential Book Recommendation (00:12:07)Ehud recommends "Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution" by Uri Levine, the creator of Waze. Favorite Productivity Tool (00:13:44)Ehud suggests using no-code automation tools like Make (formerly Integromat) and Airtable to streamline business processes and save time. Most Admired Person in E-commerce (00:15:28)Ehud names James Thompson, co-founder of the Prosper Show, as someone he admires for his willingness to help others. How to Connect with Ehud Segev (00:16:54)Ehud shares how listeners can learn more about Logi AI and provides his direct contact information for follow-up. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites  "Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:01:05"  "Logie AI": "00:02:14"  "Make (formerly Integromat)": "00:13:57"  "Airtable": "00:14:59"  Books  "The Alchemist": "00:12:22"  "The Best Salesman in the World": "00:12:22"  "Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution": "00:13:31"  Influential People  "James Thompson": "00:16:03"  Contact Information  "Ehud Segev's Email": "00:17:11" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of the E! Myth, and Steven Pope. Today, I'm speaking with Ehud Segev, the brain behind the new technology Logie AI, and we are going to be talking a lot about increasing your sales on Amazon through influencer and content creators, and how it's going to fundamentally change the e-commerce game over the next decade. This episode is brought to you by Ecom Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Ehud, I started my business back in 2015 and I grew it to an eight figure brand in seven years, but I made a lot of mistakes along the way. That made the path of getting to eight figures take a lot longer than it needed to. There were times where I had a lot of self-doubt, whether I could be a leader and manage a team of people, or whether my brand could survive and become a household name, or if I could even have the financial stability to continue to stay in the game. Josh Hadley 00:01:05  I wish I would have had a guide along the way that would have helped me overcome some of those obstacles and know the next steps to take. So for our listeners that have hit stumbling blocks or roadblocks and want to know the next steps to take their business to the next level, then go to E-comm breakthrough. That's E-comm with two M's to learn more. And as a special bonus to my podcast listeners, this month I'm giving away one $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost. All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecom Breakthrough Comm and in your subject line say strategy audit and then plead your case as to why I should choose you and your business to work with for this month. But everybody, I am super excited to be introducing you to Ehud Segev. Ehud is a renowned mentalist who combines his knowledge of the subconscious mind with business and marketing. He is also known as The Mentalist. And has appeared on TV and stages worldwide. He is. He became interested in Amazon over ten years ago after publishing two bestselling books that were translated into several languages. Josh Hadley 00:02:14  He is an authority in Amazon marketing and has helped many sellers increase their income on the platform. So with that introduction, welcome to the show. Ehud Segev 00:02:24  Ed, thank you so much for having me. Josh. Josh Hadley 00:02:26  I am super excited to have you on the show today, because what you are going to share with everybody is going to be game changing, and some jaws are going to drop as people listen to this podcast episode. So if you're driving, hold on tight, because this is going to be some deep knowledge that we get into and it's going to be really exciting. So ahead, before we dive into all of that, why don't you provide just a brief background about how you, you know, got interested in the Amazon space over ten years ago and what led you to kind of where you are today in kind of helping be the brains behind this new software, Logi AI that we're going to be diving into. Ehud Segev 00:03:09  That's a great question. And, you know, I, I didn't even know what Amazon was when I was just back in Israel, in Tel Aviv, flying all over the world to perform my show as the mind reader, mentalist and all that, all these things that I did, I was performing a lot. Ehud Segev 00:03:25  I was performing, you know, all the way from Broadway to Hollywood to Bollywood, you know, and all over the world. and I just remember one day, you know, flying back to Israel, and my mother came to pick me up from the airport in Tel Aviv, and we were driving all the way to the Upper Galilee. And, as we were, doing the drive, I'm checking my emails on my phone, and I get this email. I don't even remember why or how I signed up to this list, but I'm getting some kind of an email about a course called, ASM amazing selling machines like ten years ago. Something like that. Yeah, it was literally ten years ago. and it was so expensive. It was just so super expensive. But they were so convincing by saying that, that you can make so much money from selling on Amazon. Now, that was the time after I already knew what Amazon is, because I actually wrote a couple of books and I published them, and because of my, appearances all over the place, every time I would do my show, I'd say, and guys, you know, you should definitely read my book. Ehud Segev 00:04:27  I would show my books and all that stuff, and you know how it is. I don't need to teach yo...

Sarah Carusona has spent 10 years in DTC growth behind brands you already know and love. She's managed over $250M in media and pulled just about every lever in the consumer journey, from loyalty and returns to CRO, data, and inventory. Now she runs BA Commerce, where she embeds senior operators into DTC brands to drive profitable growth that goes way beyond button-pushing on Meta. And she does it all from Buenos Aires! Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  Transitioning from Amazon to Shopify for eCommerce brandsImportance of a compelling brand story and identityStrategies for optimizing the consumer journey, including acquisition and retentionFinancial modeling based on customer lifetime value (LTV) and customer acquisition cost (CAC)Role of content strategies and authentic storytelling in marketingUtilizing influencers and creators for brand promotionTeam structure and roles focused on acquisition, retention, and conversionBalancing lean operations with growth needs in team scalingLeveraging AI for data analysis, strategy development, and content creationKey takeaways for brand owners considering eCommerce growth strategiesIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with DTC eCommerce expert Sarah Carusona about transitioning brands from Amazon to Shopify. Sarah shares her journey from dance to digital marketing, and her experience managing nine-figure brands. She explains that successful transitions require a compelling brand story, repeat purchase potential, and a clear financial model based on LTV and CAC. Sarah also discusses her agency B.A. Commerce, which embeds growth operators directly into brands, and highlights the importance of authentic content, integrated team structures covering acquisition, retention, and conversion, and leveraging AI for smarter decision-making. Here are three action items that Josh identified from this episode: Define Your Money Model and Customer JourneyTest Creative Extensively, Starting with Authentic ContentBuild a Team Covering Acquisition, Conversion, and RetentionTimestamps: 00:00:00 Qualities of a Brand Ready for ShopifySarah outlines key traits for a successful Amazon-to-Shopify transition, including brand story, content potential, and repeat revenue opportunities. 00:00:48 Podcast IntroductionThe official introduction to the E-comm Breakthrough Podcast, outlining its purpose for seven-figure business owners looking to scale. 00:01:01 Introducing Sarah CarusonaHost Josh Hadley introduces guest Sarah Carusona, detailing her extensive experience in DTC growth and managing large media budgets. 00:02:35 Sarah's Background and BA CommerceSarah shares her journey from a dance degree to DTC expert and explains the unique "embedded operator" model of her company. 00:08:35 The Challenge of Moving from Amazon to ShopifyJosh and Sarah discuss the difficulties and different skill sets required for brands transitioning from the Amazon marketplace to DTC. 00:08:51 Who Should (and Shouldn't) Move to ShopifySarah explains that brands with a strong story and content potential are ideal candidates, while commodity-like products face greater challenges. 00:12:35 The Playbook for a Shopify LaunchSarah details her strategy, which is based on an LTV-to-CAC model and blending metrics across Amazon and Shopify. 00:16:32 Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) on MetaA discussion on typical customer acquisition costs on Meta, differentiating between front-end profitable brands and subscription-based models. 00:18:25 Factoring in the Amazon Halo EffectSarah explains how to calculate a blended CAC across channels to account for the sales lift on Amazon from DTC advertising. 00:22:18 Driving Traffic to a New Shopify StoreSarah discusses strategies for generating traffic, emphasizing the power of building an organic presence before scaling with paid ads. 00:24:56 What Content Goes ViralThe most authentic, unpolished, and founder-led content often performs best, along with genuine creator content from brand fans. 00:26:55 Finding and Working with CreatorsSarah advises on building a creator pool through direct, personal outreach rather than relying solely on platforms or agencies. 00:29:05 Structuring Your DTC Team for GrowthSarah presents a framework for team building based on three core functions: acquisition, retention, and conversion, scaling as you grow. 00:33:45 The Role of AI in E-commerce GrowthSarah explains how her team uses AI, focusing on data analysis and strategy first, rather than just mass content implementation. 00:36:36 Three Actionable TakeawaysJosh summarizes the episode's key lessons: defining your money model, testing organic creative first, and structuring your core team. 00:40:24 Most Influential BookSarah recommends "Crucial Conversations" for its lessons on navigating tough conversations, a critical skill for any business owner. 00:41:21 Favorite AI ToolSarah shares that she uses Claude as her personal EA, emphasizing the importance of training it like a team member. 00:43:07 Brand Owner Shout-OutSarah gives a shout-out to Brandy from The Fidget Game, praising her passion and business acumen as a founder. 00:44:00 How to Connect with SarahSarah shares the best ways to get in touch with her, including LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and her company website. Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: [email protected] and Websites  "Shopify": "00:00:00"  "Meta": "00:00:00"  "Amazon": "00:00:00"  "BA Commerce": "00:02:49"  "TikTok Shop": "00:08:51"  "Claude (AI Tool)": "00:41:40"  Books  "Crucial Conversations": "00:41:37"  "100 Million Dollar Money Models" by Alex Hormozi: "00:20:25"  Notable People  "Ezra Firestone": "00:01:01"  "Kevin King": "00:01:01"  "Michael E. Gerber": "00:01:01"  "Brandi from The Fidget Game": "00:43:07"  Additional Resources  "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast Website": "00:44:19" Episode Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures.  I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-fig...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares how to maximize ROI from conferences through intentional networking. Using Amazon Accelerate as a case study, Josh explains how pre-planning meetings with key attendees—rather than randomly networking—led to valuable connections with high-level Amazon executives, directly benefiting his business. He emphasizes researching attendees in advance, setting clear goals, and scheduling meetings before the event begins. Josh encourages entrepreneurs to stop treating conferences as content-focused events and instead approach them strategically, turning every interaction into a purposeful opportunity for meaningful business growth. Bullet Points: Importance of intentional networking at conferences and eventsCommon mistakes people make when networkingStrategies for maximizing the value of attending conferencesPreparing in advance by researching attendees and setting up meetingsThe significance of having clear goals for networking outcomesCase study of attending Amazon Accelerate and its impact on businessBuilding valuable connections with high-level executivesThe difference between content value and networking value at eventsThe role of strategic planning in successful networkingUtilizing resources like attendee lists and AI tools for effective networking preparationTimestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to NetworkingMost people are terrible at networking. The host, Josh Hadley, introduces himself and the topic of maximizing conference ROI. 00:01:14 Maximizing Time at EventsA travel hack for conferences: take the first flight out and the last flight back to maximize your valuable time. 00:02:22 The Power of Pre-Planned MeetingsJosh shares his successful experience at Amazon Accelerate, where he pre-scheduled meetings with high-level executives and key contacts. 00:04:42 The Old Mindset: Conferences are for ContentThe initial belief that the value of conferences lies in the content, taking notes, and listening to speakers. 00:06:58 The Second Phase: Casual NetworkingRealizing content wasn't the key, the focus shifted to casual networking, which often led to unproductive and frustrating conversations. 00:07:53 The Breakthrough: Intentional NetworkingThe realization that "networking" is not a strategy, but "intentional networking" is the key to success at any event. 00:09:01 Executing an Intentional StrategyHow to prepare for a conference by researching attendees, identifying key people, and reaching out to schedule meetings beforehand. 00:10:01 The Conference is the Location, Not the StrategyThe conference is simply the venue where you execute your pre-planned strategy of connecting with specific people to solve problems. 00:11:12 Applying the Strategy at Amazon AccelerateJosh explains how he proactively reached out to speakers on LinkedIn before the event to set up valuable, targeted meetings. 00:13:04 Using an Executive Assistant for ResearchLeveraging an executive assistant and AI to create a detailed report on key attendees to target for meaningful conversations. 00:14:12 Conclusion and Call to ActionA summary of the principles for intentional networking and an encouragement to apply them to make every conference meaningful. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites  "LinkedIn": "00:11:12" Events  "Amazon Accelerate": "00:01:14" People Mentioned  "Jenna Owens": "00:12:09""Elizabeth Shiels": "00:09:01" Concepts  "Intentional Networking": "00:09:01" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Most people are terrible at networking. And today I'm going to show you how to turn one conference or event into the kind of opportunities and relationships that can change the trajectory of your business. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and a father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaire on channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And last but not least, I'm the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs called Ecomm Breakthrough. Today, I'm recording this podcast episode after coming back from a recent conference I attended Amazon's Accelerate, and to be honest with you, earlier this year I was not planning on going to Amazon Accelerate because to me, I honestly thought it was going to be a waste of time. Josh Hadley 00:01:14  I went last year and I spent three days there at accelerate, and I sat in to many of those presentations from Amazon, and I was like, this is all just scripted material that's not actually helping me change my business. And I had a complete different mindset shift that this year when I went number one, I only spent two days. My favorite hack that I want to share with you is number one. Whenever I go to an event, I get on the first flight out of the day, and even if that means I miss the event, you know, it starts, you know, maybe 30 minutes before I get there. I'm okay with that because, number one, I'm trying to maximize my time. You as the founder. Your time is the most expensive in the entire business. And if you are stacking on days in advance to go fly, to go get settled down. Quote, unquote. The day before the conference. I think you're wasting your time because for me, I'm investing all of that time into the business before I ever show up. Josh Hadley 00:02:22  And then last but not least, I always schedule my flight on the last flight of the day. And then guess what? If I ever need to bump it up because something finishes early, so be it. Like that's great. There's lots of opportunities. Same day flight change. It's same day standby that you can go on earlier flights. But I'm trying to maximize my value of time. Today I'm going to show you how to get the biggest ROI from events, because this year I got a massive ROI from Amazon Accelerate. From the moment I got off the plane and I brought my son with me this time. The moment I got off the plane, I. We immediately went to the Space Needle and we did a little sightseeing tour for 45 minutes. And after those 45 minutes, I had a meeting set up with the VP that manages all of seller support. She has 20,000 people. Okay, that's Jenna owns, 20,000 people reporting to her in her organization. Okay. She has influence. SAT down, met with her, and then guess what she did? She introduced me to some of the more significant people also that actually resolve cases. Josh Hadley 00:03:31  They're in seller support. We are able to exchange contact information, was able to share some of the challenges that we're going through and have their personal contact details so that, hey, anytime we go through this, I have a personal relationship. It's no more of this. Like, hey, how many seller support cases can I open up and how do I get through? The bots like these relationships become extre...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Mitch Russo, CEO of MindfulGuidance, about scaling e-commerce businesses to eight figures and beyond. Mitch shares three core growth strategies: increasing customers, transaction value, and purchase frequency. He emphasizes free publicity methods like podcast guesting, PR, and joint ventures as cost-effective customer acquisition tools. Mitch also highlights the CEO's role in continuously creating new products and maintaining customer communication to prevent product burnout. The episode concludes with book recommendations, including The Alchemist and The Most Important Number, and productivity tools like ChatGPT and Notion. Timestamps: Introduction to Mitch Russo (00:01:02)Host Josh Hadley introduces Mitch Russo, his background in software, work with Tony Robbins, and his multiple published books. The Three Ways to Grow a Business (00:03:14)Mitch explains the three fundamental ways to scale any company: increasing customers, transaction value, and purchase frequency. Attracting Customers for Free (00:05:25)Mitch discusses using free or low-cost publicity methods like PR and podcast guesting to attract more customers without advertising. Avoiding Product Burnout (00:09:01)The importance of creating new, complementary products for your existing customer base to maintain engagement and sales is discussed. Actionable Takeaways (00:10:10)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: using free PR, the CEO's role in creating and communicating, and leveraging your email list. Most Influential Book (00:12:47)Mitch shares his most influential books: "The Alchemist" for personal insight and "Your Most Important Number" for business operations. Favorite Productivity Tools (00:13:53)Mitch recommends ChatGPT for its comprehensive capabilities, Notion for its versatility, and his own tool, Client Folio, for coaching. Most Admired Person in E-commerce (00:15:25)Mitch names Jeff Bezos as the person he most admires in the e-commerce space for creating the industry and continued innovation. How to Connect with Mitch (00:16:22)Mitch shares where listeners can find all of his websites, products, and books online to learn more. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites"Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:01:02""Notion": "00:14:04""Client Folio": "00:15:25""Mitch Russo's Website": "00:16:22" Books"The E-Myth" by Michael E. Gerber: "00:00:00""Power Tribes: How Certification Can Explode Your Business" by Mitch Russo: "00:02:12""The Invisible Organization: How Ingenious CEOs Are Creating Thriving Virtual Companies" by Mitch Russo: "00:02:12""The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho: "00:12:50""Your Most Important Number" by Lee Benson: "00:13:47" Strategies and Techniques"Podcast Guesting": "00:06:35""Free PR Tactics": "00:10:36" Actionable Takeaways"Grow Customer Base": "00:10:36""Create and Communicate": "00:11:48""Leverage Existing Email List": "00:12:40" Transcripts: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Michael E Gerber, author of The Myth, Roland Frazier, and Kevin King. Today, I'm speaking with Mitch Russo, CEO of Mindful Guidance, and we are going to be talking a lot about how you can build profitable and scalable companies. You'll also discover the game changing strategies to attract your ideal customer and skyrocket your visibility. This episode is brought to you by Ecom Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Mitch, I started my business in 2015 and I grew it to an eight figure brand in seven years. But I made a lot of mistakes along the way. That made the path of getting to eight figures take a lot longer than it needed to. There were times where I had a lot of self-doubt in myself as a leader. Whether I could lead a team of people. I had doubt whether our brand could actually survive in the marketplace, and whether we could actually have the cash flow enough to continue to create new products and survive. Josh Hadley 00:01:02  If our listeners have hit similar stumbling blocks and obstacles and want to know the next steps to take their business to the next level, then go to Ecom Breakthrough Dotcom, that's ecom with two M's to learn more. And as a special bonus to my podcast listeners, this month I'm giving away one $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost. All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecom Breakthrough Comm and in your subject line say strategy audit and then tell me why I should choose you and your business to work with for this month. Today I am super excited to introduce you all to Mitch Russo. Mitch started a software company in his garage. He sold it for eight figures and then went on to build a company to over $25 million in revenue with Tony Robbins and Chet Holmes. He has been nominated twice for Inc Magazine's entrepreneur of the year, and he has authored multiple books, including Power Tribes How Certification can explode your business, and how it helps companies create a massive force of loyal, enthusiastic fans who actually pay for the privilege of becoming a member of your tribe, as well as the invisible organization. Josh Hadley 00:02:12  How ingenious CEOs are creating thriving virtual companies. So with that introduction, welcome to the show, Mitch. Mitch Russo 00:02:19  Thanks so much, Josh. Really appreciate it. Josh Hadley 00:02:21  Mitch, I am super excited to have you on the show. you are well known in, in I think the, the coaching space, but you've authored so many books, you've worked with so many big influencers, you know, Tony Robbins, for example. And so you have a wealth of knowledge, let alone you've built and scaled your own businesses. You've managed a team of more than 300 people. And so I'm really looking forward to the advice that you can share with our listeners who have already created successful businesses, but want to know the next steps to take their business and how they can scale it to eight figures and beyond. So, Mitch, there's a lot that we could talk about today. What are some of the things that you know are on the top of your mind right now? as you think about our audience of ecommerce entrepreneurs and how they could actually scale their business to eight figures and beyond. Mitch Russo 00:03:14  Well, let's basically start out with the fact that if you had more customers, you could probably sell more product, right? So if you had a way to increase your number of customers, that would work. And and then of course, if you increase the value of any single transaction and you had more customers, well, that would more than double the results. And let's add one more small trick there. And let's say we increase the number of times each person purchased. So that would be the frequency of transactions. So if we di...

Christian Umbach is the Co-Founder and CEO of AutopilotBrand.com, an AI brand operations platform that helps Amazon and Shopify brands manage their catalogs, optimize listings, and win in AI discovery - on & beyond Amazon. Before Autopilot, he co-founded an enterprise a data orchestration platform, built products at Uber's API Platform, co-created the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, and earned his Master's in System Engineering from MIT. He also writes The Order (theorder.press), a weekly newsletter read by 5,000+ eCommerce operators and marketplace sellers. Chris splits his time between Portugal and the US and has spoken at various Amazon industry events and the World Economic Forum. He loves to work at the forefront of what's possible with data. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  The transformation of product discovery on Amazon due to AI-powered tools.The emergence of a "third shelf" in product discovery, alongside organic and paid rankings.The limitations of traditional rank tracking for brands and the shift towards market share-based tracking.The influence of AI assistants like Alexa on product recommendations and consumer behavior.The importance of optimizing product listings for AI-driven discovery, including titles and descriptions.The need for brands to understand customer personas and seasonal buying intents.Strategies for adapting product content to align with AI interpretation and shopper intent.The significance of creating AI-friendly web presences to enhance visibility outside of Amazon.The role of structured content in improving discoverability by AI tools like ChatGPT.Actionable takeaways for brand owners to navigate the evolving e-commerce landscape.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Christian Umbach, CEO of Autopilot Brand, about the changing landscape of Amazon product discovery. Christian introduces the concept of a "third shelf" driven by AI tools like Alexa for shopping, which recommends products differently from traditional organic results. They discuss why conventional rank tracking is becoming obsolete, advocating for market share-based measurement instead. Christian advises brands to optimize listings for multiple buyer personas, update content seasonally, and build AI-friendly websites to capture traffic from tools like ChatGPT, positioning themselves for the future of AI-driven e-commerce discovery. Here are three action items that Josh identified from this episode: Shift from Rank Tracking to Market Share TrackingDeeply Understand and Continuously Update for Buyer Personas and IntentBuild an AI-Optimized Web PresenceTimestamps: 00:00:00 The Inaccuracy of Rank TrackingTraditional rank tracking is an inaccurate success metric; brands should use market share-based tracking instead. 00:00:25 Podcast IntroductionThe host introduces the podcast and guest Christian Umbach, an expert in AI, data, and e-commerce brand operations. 00:03:04 The "Third Shelf" of Product DiscoveryAmazon is entering a new phase of product discovery driven by AI like Alexa, creating a "third shelf" beyond organic/paid. 00:04:25 Alexa's Recommendations vs. Organic RankAlexa's top product recommendations are often different from the top ten organic search results, signaling a fundamental shift for sellers. 00:06:06 Why Market Share Tracking is BetterTraditional rank tracking is unreliable due to personalization. Market share tracking using brand analytics data provides a more accurate picture. 00:07:35 Alexa Shopping Study ResultsA study reveals 64% of Alexa's top ten recommendations are outside the top ten organic results, creating opportunities for challenger brands. 00:10:47 Can You Buy Your Way into Alexa Rankings?The study shows Alexa's recommendations are currently driven more by organic factors and shopper intent rather than paid advertising placements. 00:12:24 Alexa's Recommendation StrategyAlexa often anchors its top recommendation with a safe, high-ranking organic result, then diversifies with lower-ranked or off-page-one products. 00:14:46 Examples of Diverse Alexa ResultsChristian shares examples for "cotton sheets" and "picture frame," showing how Alexa's suggestions differ significantly from organic search page rankings. 00:17:36 How to Optimize for AI DiscoveryBrands should focus on optimizing their catalog, especially titles, item highlights, bullet points, and descriptions, to appeal to AI. 00:21:03 Crafting Your Listing for PersonasInstead of keyword stuffing, brands should understand their different buyer personas and reflect their specific use cases in the listing copy. 00:23:09 An Actionable First Step for BrandsAnalyze customer reviews and brand analytics data with an AI tool like Claude to identify personas and rewrite listing content. 00:26:20 The Importance of Seasonal Content UpdatesBrands should consider updating listing content seasonally to align with changing buyer intent, such as marketing nursing clogs for gardening. 00:28:57 Most Influential Content for AlexaWritten content like the title, item highlights, bullets, and description is currently most influential for AI assistants like Alexa/Rufus. 00:31:12 Ranking in External AI Search (ChatGPT, Claude)Amazon-native brands are often invisible on external AI search tools like ChatGPT, representing a massive, untapped discovery channel. 00:36:16 The Growth of AI-Referred TrafficAI-referred traffic is growing exponentially, with Shopify reporting 50% month-over-month growth, making it a critical new channel for brands. 00:37:32 Using "Agent Sites" to Win AI SearchBrands can create "agent sites"—simplified website mirrors—to feed AI crawlers with persona-specific information and improve external AI visibility. 00:44:29 Tracking and Attributing AI TrafficTracking AI-referred traffic is still evolving, but Amazon is beginning to build programs to attribute sales from external AI sources. 00:46:26 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes the key takeaways: stop tracking organic rank, optimize listings for personas, and build an external AI strategy. 00:49:22 Lightning Round: Best BookChristian recommends "Principles" by Ray Dalio for its insights on building a successful company culture through radical truth and transparency. 00:51:04 Lightning Round: Favorite AI ToolChristian's favorite AI tool is Claude, which he has integrated deeply into his personal and company workflows. 00:52:49 Lightning Round: Ecomm Operator to FollowChristian recommends following Stefan Haney, a former Amazon leader, for his deep understanding of Amazon's foundational principles. Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: [email protected] and Websites"Autopilot Brand": "00:01:14""ChatGPT": "00:05:06", "00:21:03", "00:31:10""Claude": "00:05:06", "00:21:03", "00:31:10""Google Analytics": "00:39:02""

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley reframes friction in business as a catalyst for growth rather than an obstacle to avoid. Drawing from his e-commerce experience, Josh contrasts entrepreneurs who flee challenges with those who embrace them, arguing that leaning into difficulty builds judgment, leadership, and resilience. Using analogies like video game levels and weightlifting, he illustrates how overcoming friction unlocks new capabilities at each business stage. Josh encourages listeners to identify their biggest constraints, focus their energy accordingly, and view every challenge as an opportunity for personal and professional transformation. Bullet Points: The concept of friction in business as a catalyst for growth.The distinction between founders who avoid friction and those who embrace it.The importance of perseverance, patience, and embracing uncertainty in entrepreneurship.Personal transformation through overcoming challenges in business.The analogy of video game levels to illustrate growth through overcoming obstacles.The evolution of challenges as a business scales, from product-market fit to leadership development.The necessity of discerning beneficial friction from detrimental friction.The significance of focusing on the biggest constraints in business for effective problem-solving.The idea of "growing grace for grace" in relation to personal and business development.The overarching message that business success is intertwined with personal growth and development.Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to FrictionFriction in business is not an obstacle but a necessary component for developing judgment, capacity, and leadership skills. 00:01:00 The Nature of Friction and UncertaintyBusiness owners must learn to be comfortable with uncertainty and friction, which are constant and unavoidable parts of entrepreneurship. 00:03:23 Leaning Into FrictionInstead of avoiding friction, entrepreneurs should lean into it, as overcoming these challenges often leads to massive new opportunities. 00:04:30 Two Types of FoundersA comparison between a founder who avoids friction and one who embraces it, highlighting how the latter grows personally. 00:07:02 The Second Founder's GrowthThe founder who leans into friction develops superior judgment and becomes a different person, ensuring long-term success over two decades. 00:09:25 Friction as a Growth PointFriction indicates you've reached your current capability limit, presenting an opportunity to grow "grace for grace" and level up. 00:11:33 Business as a Video GameEach level of business presents a new "boss" or challenge, requiring new skills and judgment to overcome and advance. 00:12:47 The Curriculum of FrictionFriction is the curriculum needed for the next level, forcing you to develop capabilities like judgment, patience, and courage. 00:13:55 The Weightlifting AnalogyLike lifting weights, business growth happens by encountering resistance. Removing discomfort also removes the stimulus for growth and adaptation. 00:15:55 The Purpose of Business FrictionThe business is not just something you build; it is a tool that is being used to build you. 00:18:14 Focus on the Biggest ConstraintThe speaker shares a personal story about focusing his team on the single biggest constraint to overcome friction effectively. Links and Mentions: E-commerce Platforms"Amazon": "00:00:00""TikTok": "00:00:00""Shopify": "00:00:00" Tools"Weight Lifting Machine": "00:15:00" Concepts"Friction in Business": "00:01:00""Feedback Loops": "00:05:42""Grace for Grace": "00:09:25" Podcast References"Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast": "00:00:00" Personal Experiences"Amazon Accelerate": "00:18:14" Encouragement and Mindset"Prioritizing Constraints": "00:19:25" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  What if the friction that you're trying to eliminate in your business is actually preparing the judgment, the capacity, and the leadership skills that you need to have your next breakthrough in your business? Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own e-commerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and a father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and doing multi-million on channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs called Ecomm Breakthrough. Today, I want to dive into those moments where we experience friction in the business. Josh Hadley 00:01:00  a few podcast episodes ago, I talked about why perseverance is so important in a business. We also talked about Jensen, Huang, and Nvidia, and we talked about why uncertainty never really goes away in business. And so one of the key principles that you need to be able to learn and understand as a business owner is like you're always going to feel uncertainty. And so being comfortable sitting inside of that uncertainty is actually one of the skills that you have to develop. And then likewise when your business meets friction, because most certainly it will. It may be a hiring problem, a people problem that you're having to deal with. It could be a channel level problem, it could be a sales and marketing problem. You name it. The list goes on and on and on and on. You will constantly experience friction in the business. But hear me out. Most people in this world are trying to avoid any friction at all. In fact, most of society is kind of. We're all pleasure seekers, so to speak. Josh Hadley 00:02:11  We want to find in our brain tends to do this. What's the least path of resistance? Because like, ideally, we would all just love to be, you know, hanging out at the beach, chilling and having no responsibilities. Now, some of us that are high strung and higher wired, like about ten minutes into that, I'm going to be like, okay, so what can I go do next? But for most people, they're trying to look for the easy way out, like going and doing the hard thing and rubbing up against friction is not a pleasurable activity. In fact, it's very hard and oftentimes it can feel very defeating. And I've shared this, like I'm going through a season where I'm experien...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Carlos Alvarez, CEO of Wizards of Ecom, the largest Amazon meetup group in the world. Carlos shares his journey as a nine-figure Amazon seller, discussing the importance of community building, both online and in-person, for e-commerce success. He reveals insights from launching and exiting 17 brands, managing 50+ businesses, and leading a team of 242 virtual assistants. Key takeaways include prioritizing profit over revenue, establishing clear partnership roles, and leveraging local communities to drive brand growth. Timestamps: Introduction to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast (00:00:00)Host Josh Hadley introduces the podcast, his consulting service, and today's guest, Carlos Alvarez, founder of Wizards of Ecom. Carlos Alvarez's Introduction (00:01:59)Carlos Alvarez joins the show, expressing his excitement to be featured alongside previous guests like Michael E. Gerber and Kevin King. The Passion for Community Building (00:03:29)Carlos explains his contrarian approach to business and how building in-real-life communities provides invaluable feedback and a competitive advantage. Carlos's Diverse Business Ventures (00:06:18)Carlos details his portfolio of over 50 businesses, including 17 exited e-commerce brands and his current live insects brand. Using Community to Enter Retail (00:09:09)Carlos shares a story about leveraging his local community to get his candied bacon product into brick-and-mortar retail stores. Three Actionable Takeaways (00:11:44)Josh summarizes three key lessons: prioritize profit over revenue, clarify partner roles early, and build a local, in-person community. Most Influential Book (00:14:42)Carlos names "Blue Ocean Strategy" as his most influential book for its approach to finding uncontested market space for products. Favorite Productivity Tool (00:15:03)Carlos recommends the Headspace app, which helps him transition between his professional and personal life as a father and husband. Most Respected Person in E-commerce (00:15:55)Carlos names Jeff Cohen, formerly of Seller Labs, as a person he highly admires for his wealth of knowledge. How to Connect with Carlos (00:16:45)Carlos shares his social media handle, a link to his Telegram chat, and his personal phone number for listeners. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites"Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:00:52""Wizards of Ecom": "00:01:59""Telegram Chat for Wizards of Ecom": "00:16:45" Books"The E-Myth Revisited": "00:02:10""The Founder's Dilemma": "00:13:05""Slicing Pie": "00:13:05""Blue Ocean Strategy": "00:14:42" Productivity Tool"Headspace": "00:15:03" Influential Person"Jeff Cohen": "00:15:55" Contact Information"Carlos Alvarez's Phone Number": "00:16:45" Transcripts: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of the E! Myth, and Howard Ty. Today, I'm speaking with Carlos Alvarez, the CEO and founder of Wizards of Ecom, and we are going to be talking a lot about building a community and a real brand. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Carlos, I started my business back in 2015 and grew it to an eight figure brand in seven years, but I made a lot of mistakes along the way. That made the path of getting to eight figures take a lot longer than it needed to. There were times where I had a lot of self-doubt, whether I could lead a team of people, or whether my brand could actually survive in the marketplace, or if I could have the cash flow to continue to reinvest in new products. Josh Hadley 00:00:52  I wish I would have had a guide or a mentor along the way that would have helped me overcome a lot of those stumbling blocks. And so to our listeners, those of you who who have hit similar plateaus and are looking for the next steps to take your brand to the next level, then go to E-comm Breakthrough Comm to learn more. And as a special bonus to my podcast listeners, this month I'm giving away one $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost. All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecomm Breakthrough Comm and in your subject line say strategy audit and then plead your case as to why I should choose you and your business to work with this month. Today I am super excited to introduce you all to Carlos Alvarez. Carlos is the founder of the Wizards of Ecom, the largest Amazon meetup group in the world. He is a nine figure Amazon e-commerce seller who teaches business, teaches businesses and entrepreneurs like you how to leverage the power of Amazon for financial freedom through free to attend meetup events. Josh Hadley 00:01:56  With that introduction. Welcome to the show, Carlos. Carlos Alvarez 00:01:59  Absolutely. That's an amazing introduction. Also to be part of the intro with Kevin King, Howard Tie, Michael Gerber, we're talking about the Michael Gerber like is an e myth revisited Michael E Gerber. Josh Hadley 00:02:10  Yes, sir. Carlos Alvarez 00:02:11  I didn't know that episode existed. I'm going to go back and listen to it. I also didn't know I can plead my case or a strategic business audit. Like, surprise, surprise. I'm looking forward to pleading my case there. Josh Hadley 00:02:22  There you go. So we're going to this conversation is going to go on for a while. and Carlos, I mean, we've we've chatted for a while now. I think we first we've met I, I originally met you at prosper back in 2021, attended one year workshops that you were presenting on and heard, like, I have 200 Vas and I was like blown away. I was like, how in the world is this guy doing it? and learned a lot from, you know, that class that you taught. Josh Hadley 00:02:52  And then I had been following your podcast, since then. And it was a pleasure, you know, coming on your podcast earlier this year and since then we've been, in touch and, you know, developing a good relationship. But, Carlos, I admire everything that you've been able to do in the Amazon space and everything that you offer to the community as a whole. And, you know, I mean, that's going to be the topic of our conversation today. And I'm just curious, Carlos, why are you so passionate about, like, building this community of not only Amazon sellers and e-com sellers, but like, where did that stem from? Carlos Alvarez 00:03:29  I feel like it stems from the exact answer, I don't know. I want to say it had to do with trying. I'm very contrarian. So people around me, competitors, colleagues, I'd see them doing it one way and I, I felt like there was an easier way to go about it. And an example would be a friend of mine was, this was a bazillion years ago, it feels was launching a mat, and I feel like a yoga mat should be same breadth as garlic. Carlos Alvarez 00:03:58  Garlic press, real gloves. Like the thing that everyone kind of uses an example that you shouldn't launch and was struggling with it really bad. I was like, why don't you just open? And they were into yoga, by the way. And I was like, why don't yo...

Chris Rawlings is the Founder and CEO of Sophie Society, an Amazon PPC expert, entrepreneur, and 7-figure seller who has helped brands navigate the complexities of Amazon advertising and scale their businesses. He’s also known for bringing a scientific, experimentation-first approach to PPC rather than simply following conventional Amazon advice. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  Building sustainable and scalable e-commerce brands on platforms like Amazon and Shopify.The distinction between having a trademark or website and genuinely building a brand.Challenges faced by private label arbitrage sellers on Amazon and the importance of customer retention.Understanding the customer journey and maximizing customer lifetime value (LTV).The significance of choosing the right market and vehicle for business growth.The difference between a brand and a private label arbitrage model.Strategies for creating effective offers and customer ascension paths.The importance of direct customer engagement and feedback for product and marketing improvement.The value of focusing on one business model and compounding expertise over time.Viewing business as a means for personal growth and service to others.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, Chris Rawlings from Sophie Society shares his entrepreneurial journey, from a custom wedding invitation business to building a multi-channel e-commerce brand portfolio. He highlights the critical difference between true brand building and private label arbitrage, emphasizing the importance of customer lifetime value, strategic offer design, and compounding customer growth. Chris advocates for leveraging Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Shopify together to maximize reach and profitability, while stressing that direct customer engagement and foundational work remain essential for sustainable, long-term success. Here are the a few action items that Josh identified from this episode: Be AdaptableDon’t get stuck on one product or channel. Pivot quickly based on data and customer needs.Choose Your Market WiselyPrioritize large, growing markets with recurring revenue potential.Build a Real BrandFocus on customer retention, not just acquisition. Create compounding growth.Map and Optimize the Customer JourneyDesign every touchpoint to maximize LTV and customer satisfaction.Craft Offers and Ascension PathsUse bundles, subscriptions, and upsTimestamps: 00:00:00 The Problem with Private Label ArbitrageMany Amazon sellers think they have a brand but are just doing arbitrage without compounding customer growth, facing margin compression. 00:00:55 Introduction to the EpisodeAn overview of the episode's key topics, including building a real brand, increasing customer value, and avoiding entrepreneurial mistakes. 00:01:52 The Entrepreneurial BeginningChris Rawlings shares how he and his wife started a custom wedding invitation business after graduating from college. 00:04:10 Scaling the First BusinessThe wedding invitation business grew to a six-figure income with a six-month waitlist, but it wasn't scalable. 00:04:53 Pivoting to AmazonThey transitioned from custom invitations to selling physical products like recipe cards on Amazon, hitting $1 million in their first year. 00:06:43 Surviving the PandemicWhen COVID-19 hit, their party supply business dropped 90%, forcing them to innovate with educational posters for kids at home. 00:08:18 The Power of an Unscalable ProcessThe host compares Chris's journey to Alex Hormozi's, highlighting the value of starting with an intimate, unscalable customer experience. 00:10:02 Choosing the Right Business VehicleChris discusses how the market you enter determines your potential scale and his goal of building a billion-dollar brand portfolio. 00:16:20 The Importance of Talking to CustomersThe host shares an experience from 500 Startups, emphasizing that founders must talk directly to customers to find true insights. 00:18:48 The Customer Journey MistakeChris explains that many Amazon sellers fail because they don't understand the customer journey or focus on compounding customer growth. 00:22:02 A Framework for Understanding CustomersChris recommends using TikTok Shop to understand customer pain points and hooks, which can then inform Shopify and ad strategies. 00:25:48 The Unsexy Work Unlocks GrowthThe discussion centers on how fundamental, "unsexy" strategies like understanding customer LTV and creating strong offers are key to scaling. 00:28:49 Applying Service-Based Models to E-commerceChris explains how he's applying principles from service industries to physical products by testing various offers and upsells on Shopify. 00:31:41 Knowing Your Numbers is KeyThe host shares how understanding their own business's LTV and acquisition costs allowed them to scale their agency aggressively. 00:34:38 The Power of a Great OfferThe conversation shifts to how a compelling offer is more important than ad creative for acquiring customers profitably. 00:37:51 Building a Business with IntegrityChris shares his philosophy of building a sustainable business that could be passed down, focusing on providing real value. 00:39:42 The Long Game of BusinessUnlike athletes, entrepreneurs can peak late in life, allowing time to compound lessons and master all aspects of business. 00:44:07 The Danger of Chasing Shiny ObjectsChris warns entrepreneurs against constantly jumping to new business ideas, emphasizing the power of compounding lessons in one vehicle. 00:48:42 Final Thoughts on Life and BusinessChris reflects on his long-term goals, faith, and how business serves as a tool for personal growth and service. Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: [email protected] and Websites  "Amazon": "00:00:00"  "TikTok Shop": "00:23:24"  "Shopify": "00:21:49"  "500 Startups": "00:17:17"  "Sophie Society": "00:15:27"  Books  "$100 Million Offers by Alex Hormozi": "00:35:48"  "Money Models by Alex Hormozi": "00:35:48"  Videos  "YouTube Videos on Graphic Design (self-taught)": "00:02:12"  Notable Mentions  "Alex Hormozi": "00:09:54", "00:35:48"  "Grüns (company that exited for $1 billion)": "0...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley discusses why judgment is the most valuable skill he looks for when hiring. Drawing from his experience scaling an ecommerce brand to eight figures, Josh explains that while AI can efficiently handle repetitive tasks, human judgment remains irreplaceable for making sound decisions with incomplete information. He outlines four key indicators of good judgment, shares a Steve Jobs story about ruthless prioritization, and warns against over-relying on AI for strategic thinking, emphasizing that wrestling with difficult decisions is what sharpens judgment over time. Bullet Points: Importance of judgment as a key skill in hiring team members.Distinction between judgment and execution in business success.Role of AI in handling repetitive tasks and its limitations in decision-making.Characteristics of good judgment, including decision-making with incomplete information.Indicators of individuals with good judgment, such as driving results and identifying constraints.The significance of focus and prioritization in achieving impactful outcomes.Learning from experience and feedback to develop judgment within a team.The necessity of saying no to less important tasks to maintain focus.The example of Steve Jobs simplifying Apple's product line to illustrate effective judgment.Caution against over-reliance on AI for strategic thinking and decision-making.Timestamps: 00:00:00 The Most Valuable Skill in HiringThe host introduces judgment as the single most valuable skill he looks for when hiring new team members. 00:00:58 Execution vs. JudgmentBusiness success shifts from execution to judgment, which involves making critical decisions on pricing, products, data, and team management. 00:02:09 AI's Role in ExecutionAI is excellent at executing repetitive, process-driven tasks, making human executors less necessary in modern business operations. 00:04:21 The Value of Human ExperienceHiring smart individuals brings valuable experience, including lessons learned from past failures, which builds strong judgment for the team. 00:06:57 Defining JudgmentJudgment is making solid decisions with incomplete information, unlike intelligence. It's about knowing what to do and what to ignore. 00:09:13 How to Identify Good JudgmentKey indicators of good judgment include a track record of results, identifying constraints, focusing on impactful tasks, and acting decisively. 00:13:02 Developing Judgment in Your TeamDevelop team judgment through experience, creating feedback loops for learning from wins and losses, and teaching them to say no. 00:15:23 The Importance of Learning from ExperienceTeam members must have a feedback loop to articulate why something worked or didn't, and then refine systems accordingly. 00:17:26 The Power of Saying NoGood judgment involves prioritizing the few key tasks that drive results and saying no to less important initiatives. 00:18:30 The Steve Jobs and Apple StorySteve Jobs simplified Apple's complex product line to just four core products, demonstrating judgment by focusing on what truly mattered. 00:21:59 Busyness Doesn't Equal ResultsActivity and being busy do not guarantee success. The focus must be on whether the work is producing meaningful business results. 00:26:09 The Leader's Role in JudgmentA leader's job is to ensure the team works on what matters, not just completing tasks, and to stop unproductive projects. 00:29:39 A Warning: AI Can Weaken Your JudgmentOver-relying on AI for strategic thinking and communication can weaken a leader's own judgment by removing necessary mental friction. Links and Mentions: Tools and Technologies  "Claude": "00:03:12" Concepts and Ideas  "SOPs": "00:02:09"  "AI as an executor": "00:03:12"  "Feedback loop": "00:15:23"  "411 meetings": "00:16:28" Examples and Anecdotes  "Steve Jobs and Apple": "00:20:54" Key Takeaways  "Judgment vs. Execution": "00:06:57"  "Identifying constraints": "00:10:21" Recommendations  "Hiring for judgment": "00:13:02" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  I'm going to share the single most valuable skill that I look for when I hire someone today, and more importantly, how you can develop more of it within the team that you already have. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue in multi-million on channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, Ecomm Breakthrough. Today, I'm going to share why judgment is the number one skill that you should be looking for whenever you hire someone. Josh Hadley 00:00:58  Look, at the end of the day, you can have all the SOPs, the dashboards, the data and the right team, but still make the wrong call because at a certain level of business, business stops being about execution and it starts being about judgment. Knowing when to raise prices, knowing when to kill a product, when to trust data or not, when to ignore it, and when to coach someone versus when to you need to replace them. That is where the real money is made or lost in business. So today we're going to dive into like what this skill of judgment is and why I am so adamant about hiring for this and why it's the number one skill that I am looking for in any of my team members today. The reason why I am so adamant that judgment is one of the most important skills that you should be looking for and developing in your team is because with the advent of AI, I think that execution layer in any business is almost becoming extinct. And if you are employing people that need to just go execute tasks for you, I would say you've got it completely backwards. Josh Hadley 00:02:09  And honestly, if that's the reason why you're hiring a lot of people is just because you have so many tasks and they just need to be handed off to someone else, maybe it's a virtual assistant or something like that. That can be good. Yes. I'm very proud of you for getting things off of your plate. However, with AI, that's what it's so good at. AI is a great executor. If you have a process that is always follow x, y, then z. And by the way, don't ever deviate from that. Always make sure you do x, then y, then z. I would give that to AI all day long. And honestly, that's how I started my business. The first people that I were was hiring in the business was just to go follow a very repeatable process, because that's what I needed. I needed people to take things off of my plate. And so, yes, if that's what you're used to hiring for is getting things off your plate, creating a whole bunch of SOPs and giving it to other team members, I would say yes, that's a step in the ri...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Michael Maher, founder of Cartology, an Amazon brand management agency. Michael shares his journey from managing a Starbucks to becoming an Amazon seller and agency owner. They discuss key strategies for scaling on Amazon, including the importance of product reviews, compelling visual content, and diversifying product offerings. Michael also recommends Gap Selling and My Utmost for His Highest, highlights Zapier as a productivity tool, and praises Brett Bohannon as a respected Amazon expert. The episode offers practical, actionable advice for e-commerce sellers looking to grow their brands. Timestamps: Introduction to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast (00:00:00)Host Josh Hadley introduces the podcast, his consulting service, and today's guest, Michael Maher from the agency Cartology. Michael Maher's E-commerce Journey (00:03:07)Michael shares his story of hating his job, starting with reselling on eBay, and eventually launching on Amazon. Early Challenges and Lessons on Amazon (00:06:11)Michael discusses his initial struggles on Amazon, including a near-suspension, dealing with inaccurate negative reviews, and learning by doing. Impact of Chinese Sellers and Business Failure (00:08:18)Michael explains how Chinese manufacturers entering the market led to the downfall of his first Amazon business due to competition. Actionable Takeaway 1: Product Reviews (00:09:03)Dissect customer reviews to improve your product. Fixing defective inventory is more important than short-term cash flow for long-term success. Actionable Takeaway 2: Creative Content (00:10:58)Use images to visually convey the solution your product provides. Add keyword-rich text to images for better organic ranking. Actionable Takeaway 3: Product Diversification (00:13:09)Focus on bringing new products to market to avoid dependency on a few items and ensure long-term business growth. Final Thoughts on Actionable Takeaways (00:14:28)Michael adds the importance of cutting losing products to free up cash and mental energy, and embracing controlled experimentation. Most Influential Book (00:16:10)Michael recommends "My Utmost for His Highest" for personal challenges and "Gap Selling" for improving his business sales process. Productivity Tool Recommendation (00:17:44)Michael highlights Zapier for automating tasks between different software, saving significant time on administrative work like scheduling and lead management. Respected Figure in E-commerce (00:19:37)Michael recommends following Brett Bohanon ("The Amazon Cowboy") for his practical knowledge and live learning cohort, "Amazon with Brett." How to Connect with Michael Maher (00:21:18)Michael shares the best ways to contact him, including his email, LinkedIn, and the Cartology agency website for more information. Links and Mentions: "Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:01:00"  "Ecom Balance": "00:02:00"  "Outsource School": "00:02:00"  "TierPeak": "00:05:00"  "Zapier": "00:17:54"  "ClickUp": "00:17:54"  "Calendly": "00:18:50"  "SquadCast": "00:18:50"  "Make (formerly Integromat)": "00:19:32"  "Amazon with Brett": "00:20:52"  Books  "My Utmost for His Highest": "00:16:21"  "Gap Selling": "00:16:21"  Additional Mentions  "The Longer Game Podcast": "00:02:00" Transcripts: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, author of the Emmett and Howard Ty. Today I'm speaking with Michael Maher, the owner and visionary for Cartology, a custom done for you services agency that provides full spectrum management for brands on Amazon. And we're going to be talking a lot about the experience he has in seeing what is actually working today to help scale brands on Amazon, and we're going to dive into those specific strategies. This episode is brought to you by Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Michael, I started my business back in 2015 and I grew it to an eight figure brand in seven years, but I made a lot of mistakes along the way. That made the path of getting to eight figures take a lot longer than it needed to. There were times where I had self-doubt in myself as a leader, where whether I could actually run and lead a team of people, or whether my business could actually survive on the Amazon Marketplace, or if we would have the cash flow to be able to purchase new products in order to continue to grow. Josh Hadley 00:01:11  I wish I would have had a guide along the way that would have made getting there a lot quicker and easier to help me navigate around those stumbling blocks I ran into. So to our listeners, those of you who are running into similar obstacles or you're hitting plateaus and you want to know the next steps to t...

Today, we’re joined by Kai Luttrell of Kreator.ai, an entrepreneur and innovator who has built experience at the intersection of e-commerce, subscription businesses, AI-powered marketing, and creator-driven growth. Kai has a unique perspective on what it takes to identify the right market, build a compelling brand, leverage influencers and creators, and use AI to move faster and create more effective marketing content. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  Entrepreneurial journey of starting a loose leaf tea subscription box brandGrowth strategies using Facebook ads and influencer marketingImpact of BuzzFeed coverage on brand visibility and salesChallenges and economics of running a subscription box businessCustomer acquisition costs, churn rates, and lifetime value considerationsImportance of product selection and market fit for subscription modelsRole of PR and networking in business growthFulfillment and packaging management in e-commerceInsights on personalization and customer retention strategiesDevelopment of an AI tool for content creation in e-commerce marketingIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, recorded live at Kevin King's Market Masters event, host Josh interviews Kai, founder of a loose leaf tea subscription box brand launched in 2017. Kai shares how her passion project scaled rapidly through Facebook ads, BuzzFeed features, and organic buzz. They discuss subscription business economics, including customer acquisition costs, churn rates, lifetime value, and the importance of choosing the right product and market. Kai also reveals how personalization unexpectedly increased churn and shares networking insights. She concludes by introducing her new AI content creation platform, Creator, designed to streamline marketing for e-commerce brands. Here are 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode: Explore AI tools for content, analytics, and customer service to streamline operations.Integrate AI with your ad platforms and e-commerce tools for maximum efficiency.Stay ahead of the curve by adopting new technologies early.Timestamps: 00:00:37 Podcast IntroductionThe host introduces the podcast, recorded on-the-fly at an event, and welcomes his guest, Kai, an entrepreneur. 00:01:23 Kai's Entrepreneurial JourneyKai shares how she started her loose leaf tea subscription box as a passion project that scaled rapidly after BuzzFeed coverage. 00:02:42 The Subscription Box Money ModelDiscussion on the importance of lifetime value in subscription businesses versus front-end acquisition models common on Amazon. 00:03:17 Challenges of Subscription BoxesKai explains the initial financial challenges, like not being profitable on the first few boxes, and the importance of shipping costs. 00:04:45 Understanding Customer ChurnKai discusses typical churn rates for subscription boxes and how adjusting the amount of product sent can increase customer retention. 00:05:49 The Personalization ParadoxKai shares surprising results from an A/B test, revealing that non-personalized boxes led to longer subscriber retention than personalized ones. 00:06:53 Customer Acquisition StrategiesKai details her initial customer acquisition methods, including Facebook ads, blogs, influencer marketing, and promoting within Facebook groups. 00:09:32 Packaging and Fulfillment EvolutionKai explains how unique packaging helped her brand stand out and how she scaled fulfillment from her garage to a warehouse. 00:11:39 The Economics of the Tea BoxA breakdown of the subscription box pricing, cost of goods, shipping costs, and overall profit margins for Kai's business. 00:14:59 The BuzzFeed EffectKai explains how a Cratejoy marketplace feature led to BuzzFeed coverage and how she nurtured that relationship for continued exposure. 00:16:46 Experiences with PR FirmsKai reflects on her mixed results with hiring PR firms and what she would do differently if starting over. 00:19:20 The Power of NetworkingKai discusses the importance of finding a network of fellow entrepreneurs for support, connection, and learning. 00:20:50 Advice for E-commerce EntrepreneursKai offers advice on choosing the right product for a subscription model and selecting a market with a large audience. 00:24:54 Staying in the GameThe host and Kai discuss the importance of persistence in entrepreneurship, as big breaks can happen unexpectedly. 00:28:17 What Kai is Working on NowKai introduces her new venture, Creator.ai, an AI platform that generates content for Amazon, Shopify, and Meta ads. 00:32:39 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes the key lessons from the conversation, focusing on business models, market selection, and life-goal alignment. 00:36:32 Final QuestionsKai shares her most influential book, favorite AI tools, and the e-commerce entrepreneur she admires most. Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: [email protected] and Websites"BuzzFeed": "00:00:02""Shopify": "00:02:13""Facebook Ads": "00:07:49""Cratejoy": "00:15:06""kreator.ai": "00:28:17""Helium 10": "00:29:35" Books"They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan": "00:36:42" Influencers and Personalities"Alex Hormozi": "00:38:50" Key Concepts"Lifetime Value": "00:03:15""Customer Acquisition Cost": "00:11:12""Total Addressable Market (TAM)": "00:22:04" Episode Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures.  I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at [email protected] and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost! Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  How did you know you were onto something? Kai Luttrell 00:00:02  Oh, that's a good question. I feel like I knew I was on to something when people were posting about it, without me soliciting them. Does that make sense? So people would. And then Buz...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley explores the unavoidable reality of uncertainty in entrepreneurship. Drawing from his own experiences, including a 90% revenue drop during COVID-19 and pricing pressures in 2024, Josh emphasizes that fear and uncertainty never disappear, even for industry giants like Nvidia. He shares key lessons from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's leadership through near-bankruptcy moments and offers eight practical strategies for managing uncertainty, including shrinking fears into specific problems, protecting personal well-being, and leaning on faith as a foundation for resilience and continued growth. Bullet Points: The challenge of dealing with uncertainty in business.Personal experiences of significant revenue drops and cash flow issues.The misconception that success eliminates business risks.Lessons learned from Nvidia's early struggles and resilience.The importance of calculated risk-taking and thorough preparation.Strategies for managing uncertainty in entrepreneurship.The necessity of perseverance through business highs and lows.Practical action items for entrepreneurs to handle uncertainty.The role of personal balance and identity outside of business.Embracing discomfort as a fundamental aspect of entrepreneurship.Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to UncertaintyEven Nvidia's CEO feels his business is 30 days from failure, so uncertainty is normal for all entrepreneurs. 00:01:11 The Host's Personal StrugglesJosh shares his own experiences with near-business collapse, including a 90% revenue drop during Covid and recent cash constraints. 00:03:37 The Feeling Never Goes AwayDespite massive growth, the fear of business failure persists, which can be a powerful motivator and prevent complacency. 00:05:53 The Role of FaithThe speaker discusses how his faith in God has been his anchor through every business downturn and period of uncertainty. 00:07:14 Lessons from Nvidia's CEOIntroducing stories from Nvidia's history to show how even massive companies overcome extreme obstacles and constant fear of failure. 00:08:49 Nvidia Story 1: The Wrong StrategyNvidia's first product failed, their architecture was wrong, and they had to ask a partner to pay them anyway. 00:12:19 Nvidia Story 2: One Shot at SuccessLacking funds for multiple attempts, Nvidia had to bet the entire company on a single, successful chip design. 00:16:48 Nvidia Story 3: A New Existential ThreatImmediately after a major success, Nvidia faced a new threat when industry giant Intel entered their market. 00:21:32 Action Item 1: Get SpecificTurn vague fears like "the business could fail" into specific, measurable problems you can actually start to solve. 00:22:39 Action Item 2: Control the DownsideBuild cash reserves, insurance, and contingency plans so that one bad event doesn't completely destroy your business. 00:25:12 Action Item 3: Focus Your AttentionInstead of monitoring everything, identify the one or two problems that truly matter right now and go all-in. 00:26:12 Action Item 4: Schedule Time to WorryCreate a dedicated time to review financials and problems, preventing them from invading every moment of your life. 00:27:17 Action Item 5: Build Confidence in ResponseYour confidence should come from your ability to respond to problems, not from trying to predict the future. 00:28:31 Action Item 6: Protect Your IdentityDevelop meaningful things outside of your business so your entire self-worth isn't attached to its performance. 00:29:39 Action Item 7: Accept DiscomfortUnderstand that feeling uncertain is the price of admission for building something ambitious; learn to operate within it. 00:30:58 Bonus Action Item 8: Find Your FoundationThe speaker shares how his faith in God provides a rock and foundation to stay confident during uncertain times. Links and Mentions: Tools, Websites, and Links"Amazon": "00:01:11""TikTok Shop": "00:03:37""Shopify": "00:03:37""Nvidia": "00:07:14" Books"Profit First by Mike Michalowicz": "00:24:03" Videos and Podcasts"Joe Rogan's Podcast": "00:07:14" Key Concepts and Action Items"Shrink the uncertainty into specific problems": "00:21:32""Control the downside, then stop obsessing over it": "00:24:03""Decide what deserves your attention now": "00:25:12""Create a regular time for worrying": "00:26:12""Build confidence in response, not in prediction": "00:27:17""Protect the parts of life that remind you that the business is not your entire identity": "00:28:31""Accept that some discomfort is the price of admission": "00:30:58""Faith in God": "00:32:17" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  If you're waiting for your business to get big enough that you can finally stop worrying about it so that you can go sail off into the sunset so that you can go retire or go chill out at the beach. Well guess what? Jensen Huang has some bad news for you. Nvidia is one of the largest companies in the world, and yet Jensen still talks about operating in massive uncertainty with the mindset that they are 30 days away from just going out of business. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I am a husband to a beautiful wife and a father of four children. I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and multi-millionaire on channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify, and I am also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs called Ecomm Breakthrough. Josh Hadley 00:01:11  Today, I want to talk about how to deal with uncertainty in the business world because, frankly speaking, this is something that I have had to personally deal with time and time and time again, there have been multiple instances where I genuinely felt like my business was on the brink of collapse, where we were truly going to go out of business, that the business model that we originally started was going away, and it was completely breaking, and I would have to pivot and go do something completely brand new. I shared a lot of those experiences on this podcast before back in 2020, when Covid hit, we we were in the party goods and supply space. And so when Covid hit, we watched our business decrease in revenue over 90% overnight like that was brutal. Whereas in all of the other e-commerce groups and masterminds, that was a part of everybody's biggest issue was, oh, I can't get enough inventory. I'm 300%, 500% up year over year. So number one comparison is the thief of joy. That was not my circumstance. Josh Hadley 00:02:23  And honestly, I literally was counting the number of days until we were going to go...

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Leo Sgovio, CEO of Convomat, an influencer and affiliate marketing software for Amazon sellers. Leo shares insights from his research on Amazon's A9 algorithm, emphasizing semantic relevance in product listings and competitor-based keyword strategies. Josh highlights actionable takeaways, including competitor targeting campaigns, keyword optimization in product images, and leveraging Amazon's search query performance data. Leo also discusses his productivity tool, Be Focused, recommends Rich Dad Poor Dad and Think and Grow Rich, and encourages listeners to follow industry leaders for continued learning. Timestamps: Introduction to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast (00:00:00)Host Josh Hadley introduces the podcast, guest Leo Sgovio, and the episode's topics: the A9 algorithm and influencer campaigns. Sponsor Message: Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting (00:00:44)Josh Hadley discusses his consulting services, helping seven-figure brands grow to eight figures, and offers a free strategy audit session. Introducing Leo Leo Sgovio (00:02:00)Josh provides a detailed introduction to Leo Sgovio, highlighting his extensive experience in e-commerce, SEO, and influencer marketing. Researching Amazon's A9 Algorithm (00:04:17)Leo discusses his research into Amazon's A9 patents, focusing on the "cold start" problem for new product launches. The Importance of Semantic Relevance (00:07:26)Leo explains why creating a semantically relevant listing, similar to top competitors, is crucial for ranking on Amazon. Actionable Takeaways Summary (00:09:27)Josh summarizes the episode's key takeaways, including competitor targeting, adding keywords to images, and using search query performance data. Favorite and Most Influential Books (00:12:51)Leo shares his most influential books, citing "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "Think and Grow Rich" as life-changing reads. Favorite Productivity Tool (00:13:19)Leo recommends the "Be Focused" app, a timer-based tool that helps him complete daily tasks without getting distracted. Admired E-commerce Leaders (00:14:45)Leo suggests listeners follow host Josh Hadley and also mentions Ezra Firestone as a humble and relevant industry leader. How to Connect with Leo Sgovio (00:16:12)Leo shares the best ways to connect with him, recommending LinkedIn, Facebook, and his personal website for contact. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites  "Unified Patent Scheme": "00:05:28"  "Jungle Scout": "00:12:04"  "Convomat Connect": "00:12:24"  "Be Focused": "00:13:29"  Books  "Rich Dad Poor Dad": "00:13:03"  "Think and Grow Rich": "00:13:11"  Notable Mentions  "Ezra Firestone": "00:15:01"  Additional Notes  "ChatGPT Prompts": "00:16:47" Transcripts: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Hadley, where I interview the top business leaders in e-commerce. Past guests include Kevin King, Michael E Gerber, the author of the E! Myth, and Steven Pope. Today, I'm speaking with Leo Sgovio, CEO and founder of Convomat, an influencer and affiliate marketing software for Amazon sellers. And we're going to be talking a lot about the A9 algorithm, finding hidden keywords on Amazon and how to increase your ranking and sales with influencer campaigns. This episode is brought to you by Ecom Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Leo, I started my business back in 2015 and grew it to an eight figure brand in seven years, but there were a lot of mistakes I made along the way that made the path of getting to eight figures take a lot longer than it really needed to. There were times where I doubted my abilities as a leader, whether I could actually manage a team of people and become a CEO. Josh Hadley 00:01:00  I doubted whether our brand could actually survive and thrive on the Amazon platform. And I also had concerns whether we would have the cash flow to be able to continue to grow the business. And so to all of our listeners, I wish I would have had a guide along the way. And if you're in that same boat and you want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to Ecom Breakthrough Comm, that's ecom with two M's to learn more. And as a special bonus to my podcast. Podcast listeners. This month I'm giving away one over $10,000, a comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost. All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecom breakthrough. Com and in your subject line say strategy audit and then plead your case as to why I should choose you and your brand to work with for this month. And if you don't win this month, don't worry, you'll be entered to win for future months to come. But today I am super excited to introduce you all to Leo Scorpio. Josh Hadley 00:02:00  Leo is an entrepreneur with a strong passion for digital marketing and technology. With over 15 years of experience in the e-commerce space. Leo has started his career as an SEO and pay per click advertising specialist. Throughout his career, Leo worked with technology solutions from companies such as Google and Adobe and developed automated marketing software for e-commerce sellers, leveraging chat bots to launch and scale private label brands on Amazon. After exiting one of his brands, he founded Convomat Connect, an influencer and affiliate marketing platform for Amazon sellers, and he continues to launch new products on Amazon. So with that warm introduction, welcome to the show, Leo. Leo Sgovio 00:02:45  Hey, Josh, thank you for having me. I appreciate it, Leo. Josh Hadley 00:02:48  I am super excited to have you on. We met originally at the Billion Dollar Seller Summit and that was back in 2022. And I've been following you since we've we've stayed in contact. And man, every time I hear you, whether it be on a podcast or on a stage like you just have a brilliant mind and you know, I always come away with a lot of value. Josh Hadley 00:03:11  So I personally am really excited to hear some of the new things you're going to be talking about on the podcast today, and I'm sure our listeners are going to appreciate that as well. Leo Sgovio 00:03:22  Well, that's flattering. And, you know, I have to say you were the winner last year of the the contest, the best hack contest. So I also learned something from you, which is, which was very impressive. And, so I'm really excited to be here as your guest, but also, you know, like, learn from you as well. So thanks for having me again. Josh Hadley 00:03:42  Awesome. Well, Leah, we've got a lot to dive into today. And so what I want to do, obviously, as you know, many of our listeners are seven figure sellers and they are trying to grow to that eight figures and beyond. And so we want to share with them all the actionable strategies that they can implement that is going to help them grow their brand. And what I think before we hit record here today, we talked about some of the things you have been doing recently, and you had talked about some of the research that you had been doing on the A9 algorithm that I think not many people have been talking about. Josh Hadley 00:04:17  You know, some of the things that you discovered during your re...

Today's guest is Jason Termechi. He is a former TikTok employee as a live account manager. He was in the world of all things live selling on TikTok, and he helped generate over $14 million of revenue through those live strategies. Now, he's working with other brands as a consultant to help them formulate their own live selling strategy and implement the playbook that he's seen work. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  Importance of live selling on TikTok for brand awareness and customer engagement.The concept of a "cold start" period specific to live selling and its implications.Strategies for effective product selection and pricing in live selling.The role and qualities of a successful live host.The significance of scripting and structured presentations during live sessions.The impact of auctions on live selling dynamics and brand growth.Techniques for driving traffic and awareness to live selling events.The balance between traditional selling methods and gamified approaches like auctions.Success stories and case studies of brands that excelled in TikTok live selling.Recommendations for brands to build in-house live selling teams for sustainable growth.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Jason Termechi, a former TikTok live account manager who helped generate over $14 million in revenue. Jason shares his expertise on TikTok Shop live selling, covering key topics such as navigating the platform's "cold start" period, selecting the right host, product assortment, pricing strategies, and scripting techniques. He also discusses driving traffic to live sessions, balancing auctions with traditional flash sales, and building sustainable brand growth through consistency and engagement. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode: Choose Your Growth Strategy EarlyDecide whether you’ll prioritize aggressive growth (even at lower margins) or profitable customer acquisition from day one. You can’t do both—pick one strategy and track your numbers closely.Take a Clear, Polarizing Brand StandDefine the “hill you’re willing to die on.” Stand firmly for a specific belief or value so your brand resonates emotionally and your ad creative doesn’t try to appeal to everyone.Focus on Retention, Not Just AcquisitionBuild a real brand by creating repeat customer experiences across multiple products. The goal is to deepen trust and increase lifetime value—not just drive one-time sales.Timestamps: 00:01:03 Introduction to Jason TermechiHost Josh Hadley introduces guest Jason Termechi, a former TikTok live account manager and now a consultant for live selling. 00:02:18 Why Brands Should Use TikTok LiveJason explains that live selling is a great discovery tool for brands to reach new audiences and deepen customer relationships. 00:04:32 The "Cold Start" PeriodA discussion on the initial period where brands must build momentum, regardless of their follower count, to succeed on live. 00:06:33 Brand vs. Creator Live SellingJason clarifies his focus is on helping brands go live on their own accounts, rather than using affiliate creator strategies. 00:08:55 Case Study: Noel FarhaJason shares a success story of a shapewear brand that grew from $10k to over $400k per live session. 00:12:06 The TikTok Live PlaybookAn overview of the essential components for a successful live selling strategy, starting with commitment and having the right resources. 00:14:15 Choosing the Right HostThe importance of the host, discussing the pros and cons of using a founder, employee, or a paid spokesperson. 00:18:28 Product Selection and PricingHow to select products for your live, including best-sellers and new arrivals, and pricing strategies to attract initial buyers. 00:22:25 The Importance of ScriptingJason details his eight-part scripting system designed to educate, build trust, and create urgency to drive sales during a live. 00:28:14 Gamifying Your Live SessionStrategies to make live sessions more engaging and entertaining through interaction, giveaways, and creating a fun, dynamic atmosphere. 00:30:06 Flash Sales vs. AuctionsA comparison between using flash sales and the current trend of auctions, and the potential pitfalls of gimmicky auction tactics. 00:34:15 Raising Awareness for Your LiveTips on how to promote your live sessions using in-app scheduling, pre-promotion content, and TikTok's CRM tool. 00:37:23 Final Advice and Getting StartedJason's final tips emphasize consistency, practice, and clearly communicating value to convince viewers to make a purchase. 00:39:36 Three Actionable TakeawaysThe host summarizes the key action items: identify your host, perfect your script, and raise awareness for your live sessions. 00:42:53 Most Influential BookJason shares the story and lessons from a book by Bobby Hundreds, founder of the streetwear brand The Hundreds. 00:45:17 Favorite AI ToolJason explains how he uses ChatGPT for data analysis, client pitches, and improving his scripting for live sessions. 00:47:04 Who to Follow in E-commerceJason recommends following Alex Hormozi for his ability to simplify complex business challenges and provide clear, focused advice. Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: [email protected] and Websites  "TikTok Shop": "00:01:44"  "CRM System": "00:35:22"  "ChatGPT": "00:45:17"  "Perplexity": "00:46:42"  Books  "How to Start a T-Shirt by Bobby Hundreds": "00:42:57"  People Mentioned  "Ezra Firestone": "00:01:03"  "Kevin King": "00:01:03"  "Michael Gerber": "00:01:03"  "Brandon Young": "00:01:03"  "Alex Hormozi": "00:47:13"  Case Studies  "Noel Farha (Shapewear Seller)": "00:09:43"  Key Concepts  "Three E's of Live Selling: Entertainment, Engagement, Education": "00:28:32"  "Cold Start Period": "00:39:03" Episode Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures.  I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If ...