"Built to Scale" eCommerce Show

https://podcast.btsshow.com/feed.xml

A few years ago we were broke university students. Living in a place of Eastern Europe nobody knows - Lithuania. Fast forward a few years, we’re founders of AdKings Agency. An industry-leading boutique eCommerce growth agency responsible for one of the fastest-growing US eCommerce brands and taking it from $0.5M to $26M in a single year without any external funding. Now we’re working on helping to grow and scale a dozen other eCommerce businesses to 8 or 9-figures. Managing over $18M in paid media ad spend a year and delving deep into sophisticated eCommerce exits, investments, and acquisitions world. Our world is intense, crazy, ever-changing, and challenging. This podcast is simple. Every week we, Darius, and Justin are going to open up our & our agency lives. We’re going to share behind the scenes insights about what makes our clients' businesses grow at the speed they are growing. We’re going to share our best-learned marketing methods, channel insights, and growth hacks that took us millions of dollars to figure out. And we’re going to open up insights from our client's business development strategies from operations management to raising capital that supported this growth. Nothing held back to help you transform your business into an 8 or even 9-figure powerhouse. Are you ready to click play? - Darius Kunca & Justin Gecevicius 👉 We're releasing new episodes every Monday, Wednesday & occasionally Friday.

Episodes

Thursday Apr 25, 2024

Fast Growth Fiasco: The Raw $80M Truth Behind our DTC Success (and how we almost lost it all)

Thursday Apr 25, 2024

Welcome to this gripping podcast episode—' Fast Growth Fiasco: The Raw $80M Truth Behind Our DTC Success.' Today, strap in as we uncover the rollercoaster ride of our explosive journey, where we scaled to $80 million in record time. But it wasn't all smooth sailing; we teetered on the brink of disaster. From nail-biting market shifts to harrowing payment processor mishaps, learn how we navigated through the chaos and what it truly takes to thrive in the cutthroat world of direct-to-consumer sales. Stay tuned as we reveal our near-catastrophic success story's hard-earned secrets and close calls!

On this episode:

Choose a business model that aligns with macro trends and has consistent market demand growth.
Focus on markets with low competition to offer something new and build market loyalty.
Play to your strengths and use them to create a competitive advantage.
Diversify your channels to avoid reliance on one platform.
Prepare for challenges and be cautious with resources when starting a business.
Fast growth can lead to a period of intense challenges and problem-solving.
Payment processor issues can arise for new businesses, causing cash flow problems.
Stay persistent and communicate with payment processors to resolve issues. Cash flow is a major challenge for e-commerce businesses, and frozen funds can severely impact operations.
Delays in production and fulfillment can lead to unhappy customers and damage the brand's reputation.
Founder alignment is crucial for the success of a business, and open communication and vulnerability are key in resolving conflicts.
Choosing the right third-party financial firm is important for maintaining clean books and preparing for future growth.
Managing expenses and continuously optimizing costs is essential for sustainable growth.

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➤ Want us personally to help to grow your eCommerce business to 8 or even 9-figures? Book a call for a free audit https://www.adkings.agency/application-page

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Our Other Resources:

www.adkings.agency/memos - Our best case studies, real test results, and bi-weekly actionable insights on what is working RIGHT NOW for our clients in their journey to 8 & 9-figures. Curated for business owners, CEO's, CMO's and delivered straight to your inbox. Must join if you love our content on the podcast!

www.adkings.agency/careers - Are you living and breathing everything marketing & FB advertising? Extremely ambitious in driving tremendous results, love challenges, and want to help manage a portfolio of 7 & 8-figure eCommerce clients? Apply now.

Monday Oct 18, 2021

Networking for eCom Founders: Positive Effects, Finding Potential Partners & Sponsoring

Monday Oct 18, 2021

Are networking events worth the effort? We’re discussing the benefits, our recent experiences, and the biggest takeaways we’ve gotten from our recently attended events in this episode. If you work in an agency or are an eCommerce business owner, you’ll want to know if you should or shouldn’t attend these types of events.

On this episode:

Whether or not digital business owners should attend networking events.
The short-term, positive effects of networking.
When does it make the most sense to attend in-person events?
Our recent mastermind and networking experiences.
The biggest takeaways we’ve had from networking events this year.
Why you should network with people at your level or higher.
How smaller networking events facilitate better connections.
The valuable insights you can gain from other attendees.
Why self-improvement-oriented people will benefit from networking.
How can these events help you find potential partners?
Whether it’s beneficial or not to sponsor an event.
The types of sponsors we see at networking events.

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Apply for a Discovery Call With Us:

➤ www.adkings.agency/intro - Want us personally to help to grow your eCommerce business to 8 or even 9-figures? Then check out our Boutique eCommerce Specialized Facebook Ads & Omni-channel Funnels Growth Agency - AdKings.

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Our Other Resources:

www.adkings.agency/memos - Exclusive AdKings Memos Newsletter. Our best case studies, real test results, and bi-weekly actionable insights on what is working RIGHT NOW for our clients in their journey to 8 & 9-figures. Curated for business owners, CEO's, CMO's and delivered straight to your inbox. Must join if you love our content on the podcast!

www.adkings.agency/community - Free eCommerce Community With 2000+ Members. Would love to chat, ask us some questions, or maybe even help us decide the next podcast topic? Join our free Facebook community of over 2000+ other eCom Entrepreneurs, CEO's, CMO's, and marketers.

Friday Oct 15, 2021

10x Your Productivity: How To Make Sure Meetings Don’t Kill Your Time

Friday Oct 15, 2021

Ineffective meetings are a problem arising more often in our organization recently, so we’re implementing strategies to improve that. During this episode, we’re sharing how you can improve your own business by having better, more productive meetings.

On this episode:

What makes a meeting ineffective.
What people use meetings for versus what they should be used for.
Why should all meetings be in one place?
Why meeting preparation is essential.
Where you should add more context in your meetings.
The importance of a meeting agenda and when it should be reviewed.
Strategies that can make meetings more streamlined and easy.
The two defined roles in meetings.
Why you should empower your team members to lead meetings.
The benefit of implementing action steps to follow up a meeting.
Why every meeting should follow up on those previous action steps.

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Monday Oct 11, 2021

$16M With A Four People Team: Planning Ahead, Outsourcing Work & Effective Hiring

Monday Oct 11, 2021

An acquaintance of ours got to 16 million in revenue with only 4 people on their team. While this is a great situation to be in, there are also a lot of things that could go wrong. The growth stage is always exciting, but as quickly as a business can grow, it can also burn out. Today, we’re sharing tips on how business owners can avoid this crash and burn.

On this episode:

A little background about the business owner in this situation.
What we have seen happening in the industry with new competitors.
Why it pays to think ahead.
The next step this owner should take in his business.
The biggest issue he is facing due to this growth.
The benefit of having a bigger team.
How skilled team members can help you avoid mistakes.
How people can misrepresent themselves in the hiring process.
Why you shouldn’t put too much on one person in your team.
Why some businesses crash quickly.
The benefit of putting a person or story behind your business.
Ways you can increase your average order value.
When you should outsource your work and utilize outside resources.
What we’re always looking for in our agency and why.

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Friday Oct 08, 2021

AdKings October Special: Building An ‘A’ Level Team To Fuel Growth, $100M Brand Update & Investors Mindset

Friday Oct 08, 2021

In this episode we’re covering three takeaways that we’ve made in the past month at AdKings. Our perspectives on hiring have changed a lot recently, which is an aspect we’ll be focusing on heavily today.

There’s a project ongoing that we are aiming to build up to $100,000,000 a year, so you’ll hear the details on that too. Lastly, we’ll reveal why we’ve changed from being active investors in projects to being passive investors.

On this episode:

The differing outlooks that the two of us have on projects.
Why the approach we took to hiring our newest employee was different.
Realizing that we shouldn’t always be pushing our personal preferences in the business.
The reason why you need to give employees freedom.
What do businesses that focus on sales often forget about?
How to let go of things in your business, and how we have at AdKings.
Letting go of your ego compared to letting go of your business.
The decision we made regarding our new project that will cut down learning time.
Why we’re able to work together efficiently at AdKings.
A skill to look for in team members that is highly critical to long-term success.
Why is it sometimes difficult to show people just how extensive marketing is?
What will happen if you split your attention through non-passive investments.
Why we’ve always been thinking about how to become passive investors.
The breakthroughs we have made over the years and new ones we plan to make.
Questions to ask business owners who are a few steps ahead of you.
Why you need to be open to hearing solutions and implementing them.

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Friday Sep 24, 2021

9 Figure DTC Innovation: What The Origin of eCom Can Show You About Building Powerhouses

Friday Sep 24, 2021

We’ve got an interesting thought about how many direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands the world needs. This idea was sprouted from research I was doing as we worked to start our eCommerce brand.

Listen to the episode to learn what DTC means, what new brands need to do to see more tremendous success, and how we’re implementing some of these lessons in our own business.

On this episode:

What is inspiring me to think outside the box?
One of the most recent realizations about DTC brands.
Why it can be challenging to build a successful business.
What original direct-to-consumer brands did right.
Examples of DTC brands that have been successful in their approach.
How can companies get back to their direct-to-consumer roots?
Why it’s essential to keep innovating in any industry.
What one skincare brand is doing that’s innovative and new.
The takeaway thought from this episode.
How we’re implementing some of these methods at AdKings Agency.
The results we see in the past few months of testing.

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Monday Sep 20, 2021

Bootstrapping Vs Venture Funding: Which Path Will You ChooseFor Your eCom Brand?

Monday Sep 20, 2021

We have been considering getting venture capital ourselves lately, so in this episode we’re sharing all of the different pros and cons that we have found. There’s a lot to think about when deciding if looking for funding makes sense for your business or not.

On this episode:

The biggest benefit of venture capital.
How hiring A-level players can support your business goals.
How does venture capital influence your growth goals and milestones?
What you can do to inflate your business evaluation.
Why you shouldn’t rely on getting connections and support when you receive money.
The impact that bureaucracy can have on your business.
What should you keep in mind when considering venture capital funds?
What businesses may expect to continue funding you.
What to be thinking about if you want to get into the venture capital game.
Why you need to have big ambitions to seek out venture capital.
The type of product that entices other businesses to invest.
Why you need to think about your exit if you’re considering raising money.

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Friday Sep 17, 2021

10X Your Business With Mentors: The Most Powerful Question To Break Through Plateaus

Friday Sep 17, 2021

When you’re growing a business, you inevitably reach a point where you hit a plateau or the business becomes stagnant. When this happens, you may be wondering why this is happening and what you can do about it. Having a mentor and knowing the right questions to ask is the solution. Their wisdom and support can help you to continue to grow your business.

On this episode:

How hitting a bottleneck in your business is inevitable.
Why you need mentors if you don’t already have them.
How many mentors should you have?
The number-one question you should ask your mentors.
Why this question produces the most helpful answer.
What your mentors have that you may not (but can benefit from).
Commonalities you may see among your own mentors.
Where we are in terms of growth right now at AdKings.
The response we got when we asked our mentors this question.
How this next level of thinking influenced our vision for the business.
What we’re doing in our private coaching group.

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Monday Sep 13, 2021

$10K Mastermind Experience: 10-Figure Networking & Why Entrepreneurs Need Masterminds

Monday Sep 13, 2021

Would you be willing to pay 10K for a mastermind? Many people would struggle to part with this amount of money for a five-day event, but after a recent experience, we’ve had a change in perspective. Listen to this episode to learn more about the benefits of a mastermind and why it makes sense to pay 10K now without even batting an eye.

On this episode:

The three main benefits you can get from a mastermind.
Possible networking opportunities that are presented.
How this type of opportunity can help you reach your own business goals.
The most interesting part of attending a mastermind.
How masterminds benefit entrepreneurs specifically.
Upcoming plans to pay for another 10k mastermind.
The inspiration and mindset shifts are taken from previous masterminds.
Why are smaller masterminds a better option than larger ones?
How smaller masterminds can help you create a friendship group for life.
What kind of growth can a marketing agency contribute to?
What to do if you want to join or learn more about Accelerator.

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Friday Sep 10, 2021

Scaling From $0.5M to $26M In A Year: How To Build An eCom Business That Can Scale With Kyle Hunt

Friday Sep 10, 2021

Let’s welcome our guest Kyle Hunt to the show. Kyle is an American entrepreneur and investor with 8 years experience in starting, scaling, buying, and selling eCommerce companies. Currently, he is the CEO of Family Gifts Co, an 8-figure business with accelerated growth.

Listen in as we discuss how to grow and scale your eCommerce business, managing your business through periods of growth, and what investors are looking for in eCommerce businesses.

On this episode:

[3:45] About Kyle and how he got into the eCommerce space.
[5:44] Kyle’s biggest takeaways from his previous companies.
[7:30] Getting out of your comfort zone to learn from failures.
[8:25] How Family Gifts Co went from its beginnings to 8-figures.
[11:40] The importance of understanding the psychology of your customer base.
[14:00] Understanding CPMs and making money on the first sale.
[15:10] What are the biggest challenges of running an 8-figure business?
[16:00] Why you need to have the right people in the right places.
[17:43] What was the biggest hiring pool Family Gifts Co had to do at once?
[19:49] Lessons Kyle has learned in regard to hiring operations from the last year.
[22:11] What does the onboarding process at Family Gifts Co look like?
[24:57] The biggest challenges Kyle experienced on the backend while scaling.
[30:40] What is the number-one thing holding back companies from scaling?
[33:18] The most valuable learnings Kyle has taken away regarding advertising.
[36:34] What Kyle likes and dislikes about different ad channels.
[39:00] The importance of planning ahead instead of just looking at monthly outcomes.
[43:54] How to balance your business and personal life.
[49:23] What Kyle looks for as an investor.

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Monday Sep 06, 2021

Problem Solving Framework That Resulted In 7-Fig Agency, $100M In DTC Sales & 20 People A-Level Team

Monday Sep 06, 2021

There is just one thing that brought me from being bullied and struggling to talk to people as a child to building a 7-figure agency: problem solving framework. The “superpower” outlined in this episode will enable you to believe that anything is possible, no matter where you’re starting from.

On this episode:

Making hard problems simple.
How playing video games taught an important lesson.
Why the problem-solving framework used in gaming is applicable in life.
Splitting your time across two different aspects to improve your skills.
How should you approach a huge goal that you have identified?
Breaking down your goal into multiple small ones and how this can be done in eCommerce.
Being able to focus on the right things.
What life-changing impact can be achieved from failure?

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Friday Sep 03, 2021

From CEO to Business Owner: Building A Team Of Only 3 Roles And Reaching Your Next Mindset Level

Friday Sep 03, 2021

Darius recently had his own personal enlightenment, and it changed the way he views AdKings. This shift in perspective allowed him to zoom out and get a high-level view of the business. From there, the solutions to the problems he was encountering became clear. He now has a different vision for what his role in AdKings Agency will look like, and he explains what that is in this episode.

On this episode:

The personal shift Darius is experiencing right now.
Levels of thinking in business and finance.
How you can create more time while running a business.
What happened when we left our business without management for a week.
Why does detaching yourself from a business help improve impact?
The role transformations that Justin and Darius are going through currently.
How detaching from your business can help you see opportunities.
Making this business vision work.
The three positions that need to be filled in any business.
What being a board member may look like and why it’s powerful.
How Accelerator has played a role in this mindset shift.
The two things that can lead you to a lightbulb moment.

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Monday Aug 30, 2021

How To Hire Top Performers Part 2:Practical Tasks, Attention To Detail & Task Evaluation

Monday Aug 30, 2021

This episode continues our discussion about hiring by getting into Justin’s process for second stage candidates. For AdKings, the second stage of hiring is more based on technical skills. We will be discussing some of the tasks Justin sets prospective hires, how to gauge skill, and how they are best evaluated. There are some other candidate skills to examine as well to make sure we get an accurate impression of them.

On this episode:

How Justin and his team evaluate candidates.
Effectively communicating tasks and expectations to candidates.
Creating a deadline for tasks.
Gauging how communicative candidates are.
Creating structured tasks to evaluate how well candidates follow instructions.
Making accessible answer sheets for tasks so other team members can evaluate candidates.
What type of practical tasks does AdKings set for potential hires in various roles?
Tasks that are set for potential Juniors.
Evaluating if candidates can structure ad accounts and if they notice discrepancies.
Testing their knowledge of funnel issues.
Tasks for Senior Advertisers.
Analyzing data and pinpointing problems in accounts.
Looking for logical thinking.
Setting a case study for candidates to show their working process on.
Tasks presented to video editors.
Creating a video of specific length and technical specifications.
Tasks for finance and legalities, and looking at how they organize their work.
Tasks for creative managers.
Creating spec scripts for ads based on information given.
Ad reviews in video format to gauge their industry knowledge.
How AdKings evaluate practical tasks.
Did the candidate go the extra mile?

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Friday Aug 27, 2021

How To Hire Top Performers:Getting Applicants, Questions To Gauge Interest & Evaluation Process

Friday Aug 27, 2021

Hiring is often seen as one of the biggest challenges an entrepreneur can face. Today we’ll be talking about hiring SOP, what Justin looks for in new hires, and what the first stage of hiring looks like. Let’s learn the types of questions to ask prospective hires and why it’s important to gauge how invested they are in your company.

On this episode:

How Justin has created SOP for his team to be able to take over part of his work.
What hiring looks like for Justin and his team.
Utilizing softwares to streamline your process.
What software Justin and his team use and the features it has.
What type of questions to ask prospective hires and why.
Tailoring your application process for the available roles.
The importance of establishing motivation and passion in prospective hires.
Questions and tasks to set for gauging technical knowledge.
Criteria for evaluating first stage candidates.
Critical questions to ask candidates and why asking about salary expectations is important.
Diving into specific Ads experience and spend.
Tailoring critical questions for specific roles.
When to overlook critical question answers.
Why Justin looks at descriptiveness in candidate answers.
How to ensure your potential hires are invested in you and your team.
How the way candidate thoughts are structured on paper can be an indicator of work.
Moving candidates to the second stage of hiring.
Why you need to be checking grammar and spelling in applications.
How candidates represent themselves on their CV and social media.

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Monday Aug 23, 2021

Generating $75 Million+ With Emails: How To Maximize eCom Sales Using Email Marketing With Chase Dimond

Monday Aug 23, 2021

Chase Dimond is an email marketing wizard. Today, we're covering several topics related to email marketing, including the most significant challenges, best opportunities, and must-have workflows and practices.

On this episode:

[3:06] Chase's experience with Crohn's disease and how it influenced his interest in marketing.
[5:32] His educational background and how he ended up in the eCommerce space.
[7:45] When Chase's entrepreneurial journey started.
[11:44] Chase's agency experience and the ceilings he's reached along the way.
[13:13] Why being specific and intentional is key to a successful business.
[15:44] What a "productized" service is and what the benefits are.
[16:52] The "holy grail" of marketing.
[17:26] How email marketing has changed over time and where it's going.
[19:42] The biggest challenges in email marketing.
[26:23] The main issues Chase sees in their clients' email marketing.
[30:04] A breakdown of the repeatable process that their clients go through.
[32:31] When does it make sense to hire an agency email marketing team?
[36:34] What an agency can bring to the table that you may not have in-house.
[40:19] The biggest value-producing practices in email marketing.
[42:25] What kinds of content should be included in email marketing outside of sales?
[43:58] The inside scoop on direct mail and SMS marketing.
[46:55] The non-priority flows can help you build your business once the foundational flows are in place.
[49:26] The most rewarding parts of Chase's journey with Boundless Labs.
[50:49] What accelerated Boundless Labs' opportunity to grow.
[52:05] The foundations that allowed their business to scale quickly.

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Friday Aug 20, 2021

Making the Most Out of Your Traffic: Conversion Rate Optimisation with Sanmeet Walia

Friday Aug 20, 2021

Our team member Sanmeet is here with us to talk about CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization). Alongside him, we’ve seen a lot of interesting activity in this area through the thousands of tests we’ve run. There are differences and similarities between markets, which has been quite fascinating to see.

On this episode:

Sanmeet’s previous education and business experience.
When Sanmeet joined AdKings Agency and why.
Why CRO has gained in popularity in the past few years.
How Sanmeet describes CRO from his perspective.
The best way to go about CRO if your website already gets good traffic.
What types of data are being gathered for CRO?
What CRO is actually about at the end of the day.
Why finding a good analyst is crucial for value.
What good marketing cannot overcome.
Groups that will benefit from a better customer experience.
Why the need for this kind of optimization will never disappear.
Why continuous improvement through CRO is so important.
What happens when you start a business without considering the user experience.
The reason why most CRO suggestions for improvement are so basic.
How CRO ensures your website stays up to date.
One common misunderstanding about conversion rate optimization.
What is involved with CRO behind the scenes?
What needs to be in place before you invest in CRO.

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➤ www.adkings.agency/intro - Want us personally to help to grow your eCommerce business to 8 or even 9-figures? Then check out our Boutique eCommerce Specialized Facebook Ads & Omni-channel Funnels Growth Agency - AdKings.

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Our Other Resources:

www.adkings.agency/memos - Exclusive AdKings Memos Newsletter. Our best case studies, real test results, and bi-weekly actionable insights on what is working RIGHT NOW for our clients in their journey to 8 & 9-figures. Curated for business owners, CEO's, CMO's and delivered straight to your inbox. Must join if you love our content on the podcast!

Monday Aug 16, 2021

AdKings August Special: Adapting to iOS14, AdKing’s Next Evolution & 9-Figure eCom Brand

Monday Aug 16, 2021

Today we’re discussing the latest trends and changes in the eCom space, an industry being impacted greatly right now by waiting times, supply chain issues, and cost of materials.

We’ll also dive into something you might have noticed in the eCom space recently: how big businesses are booming while smaller ones are struggling. We’re going to share how this has informed our plans for the future of AdKings Agency.

On this episode:

The importance of being agile in business.
Current issues with ad reporting and how it impacts optimization.
What type of clients are seeing growth right now?
How the market is evolving with the latest in iOS.
How AdKings will be approaching Facebook differently and why.
What actually goes into building a brand?
The ideal solution that all brands should be working towards.
The natural evolution happening in the eCommerce space.
What will happen to businesses that don’t innovate right now.
How to ensure success with an omni-channel approach.
The biggest bottleneck in a business.
How solving problems in real time will play a big role in the future of AdKings Agency.
When it pays off to be straightforward and strict with clients.
Where can AdKings Agency bring the most value to their clients today?
What AdKings will be introducing as we build up the community.
Ideas for launching a future eCommerce brand.
The best way to find high-value potential business partners.
The secret to evolving your thinking to the next level.

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Friday Aug 13, 2021

The Right Way To Fire Someone: Setting Expectations, Aligning Responsibilities & Giving Feedback

Friday Aug 13, 2021

One of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make in your business is when to fire someone. It might feel like you’re disappointing that person or yourself, but it’s crucial to always be clear about what standards you expect to be met.

By listening to this episode, you’ll learn when and how to do it, as well as what has been learned from firing situations that AdKings has been involved in.

On this episode:

The most absurd type of firing situation.
Owning the agreement that was made in the first place, whether as a client or team member.
How different reactions to getting fired can show that you made the right decision.
Taking steps to prevent getting to the point of firing in the first place.
How to set expectations and responsibilities from the start.
Why is it good to put a lot of pressure on new hires?
Providing a task as a challenge with no context.
Why you must take part of the blame if an employee is not working out.
How to bring up issues to employees that are not performing.
Problems that can spread to other team members from an underperforming member.
Personal traits that are looked for within AdKings.
Why communication is everything.
Wanting to have team members that don’t ask too many questions.
What is more important: process or output?
The best reaction to see from a team member when they make a mistake.

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Monday Aug 09, 2021

We’re Evolving As AdKings: Hiring a Performance Head, Starting An Accelerator & AdKing’s DTC Brand

Monday Aug 09, 2021

AdKings is moving into its next stage. Businesses should not be scared to make radical changes when the time is right, and that’s the point we are at. It’s not going to be easy, and failure is very possible, but in this episode you’ll learn why it’s a necessary step to take.

On this episode:

Being able to evolve as a business every few years.
Things happening in the market that make change exciting and scary.
The five stages that AdKings’ vision was initially split into.
What happened during a recent 3-day vacation that Darius took.
Why is AdKings considering hiring high-level positions?
Having a culture that empowers freedom to make strategic decisions.
What Darius has experienced to make him realize he can live a limitless life.
What is the #1 reason why eCommerce businesses get stuck?
Why mindset is so crucial, based on coaching that Darius has done.
Why failure is likely for some aspects of AdKings and why that’s completely fine.

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Friday Aug 06, 2021

The Other Side of Leadership: You Must Be a Good Follower to Make a Good Leader

Friday Aug 06, 2021

How can you get the most out of your team? Justin is going to share the philosophy of this question at AdKings, what books say about this topic, and advice that can be applied to your business. If you have a strong team surrounding you, you’ll go way faster and way further.

On this episode:

One of the values that AdKings has right from its inception.
Lessons learned from Jocko Willink books.
Why leaders must be willing to lean on ideas from other people.
The importance of always having a bigger picture in mind.
Why does AdKings provide ownership to team members?
Giving input while letting team members do their thing.
Trusting team members as much as possible, but intervening when needed.
Knowing when to follow as a leader and not interfere.
“The team is as good as their weakest member in the squad.”
Achieving the goal of working on the business instead of in the business.
An exercise to determine what would happen if you were unable to run your business.

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Monday Aug 02, 2021

AdKing’s DTC Brand: Our Approach To Build a 9-Figure eCom Brand in the Next 5 Years

Monday Aug 02, 2021

We’re starting our own DTC brand, and we have set a very ambitious goal for it. In business and life, you’ve got to get out of your comfort zone, and creating this brand is going to accomplish that. The way we’re approaching this goes against the grain compared to other popular brands, so listen in to find out why we chose this path.

On this episode:

Why very few businesses make it to 5 figures.
What the inspiration was to set such an ambitious goal for this new brand.
A lesson learned about why it’s better to take action and fail than not take action at all.
The decision to make the goals of the DTC brand public.
Reasons why Darius believes that if he can do this, anyone can.
Why you must fail multiple times to get where you want to go.
Identifying problems in the market that aren’t perfectly solved yet.
The importance of collecting feedback from your customers.
Going to the market the opposite way of most large ecommerce brands.
Other upcoming launches at AdKings.
What you need to have if you want to find success as a DTC brand.

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Monday Jun 21, 2021

Business Partners: How To Make Sure You Grow (And Not Ruin) Your Business

Monday Jun 21, 2021

Some partnerships can be beneficial, while others can be a complete catastrophe and ruin the momentum of a business. When the partnership is a right fit, it helps the business thrive. You have to choose wisely when determining a business partner, and hopefully the information in today’s episode will help you.

On this episode:

The biggest issue of having a bad business partner.
Who you should not create a business with and why.
What your business partner needs to cover for you.
Why the business partners behind AdKings Agency work together so well.
Why so many business partnerships fail.
What do you need to talk about with your potential business partners?
Why you may need to have a pre-planned exit strategy.
What having a partner or a few partners can help you with.
Advice for testing out how well a partnership could work before you commit.
The most difficult part of finding a partner.
What most business partners are looking for in a new venture.
How can you enter a business partnership in a prepared way?

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Monday Jun 14, 2021

Story of A Wolf & A Bear: How Not To Mess Up Your Business

Monday Jun 14, 2021

Today we’re sharing an unfortunate story about one of our clients. This story is really about how the path to success is full of difficulty and hardships. Learn what one of our clients did during their hardship, what happened as a result, and what they should have done differently.

On this episode:

How one of our clients is facing hardships right now.
The first lesson this client encountered when they hit the first level of revenue.
The result when you don’t continue to introduce new products in your business.
What happened to their ROAS (return on ad spend).
The client’s reaction to this hardship and what happened to them as a result.
What happened to the business scale and ROAS afterwards?
The lesson the audience should take from this example.
Why it’s important to test instead of signing a long-term contract with an agency.
The number-one lesson you need to learn from businesses that are failing.
The kind of growth that happened last year in the eCommerce field.
What competitors in the eCommerce space are innovating right now?

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Monday Jun 07, 2021

Scaling Your eCom Brand Globally: Countries to Consider, How To Position Yourself & Localizing

Monday Jun 07, 2021

If you are only selling in the US right now, you may want to think about scaling your business to other countries. A lot of considerations should be made first, including the best way to approach scaling in a different country. It’s not easy to understand other markets, but you’ll learn some tips that can help you in this episode.

On this episode:

Why you should consider scaling your eCommerce brand internationally.
How CPMs have changed in countries outside the US.
The most important thing to understand about scaling internationally.
Economic microshifts to expect in the near future.
Why you should expect the best but prepare for the worst.
Countries to consider when expanding internationally.
What to know about expanding into Europe specifically, and what you’ll need.
What markets have the most potential right now?
Why you should create a unique domain for each specific country.
The benefit of using localized versus non-localized ads.
The importance of not forgetting local payment providers.
Countries that have potential and problems to expand in their space.
What to do if your target audience is sensitive about price.

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Friday Jun 04, 2021

Failing To Meet Revenue Targets? Ignoring These 3 Areas Can Prevent Your eCom Business From Scaling

Friday Jun 04, 2021

Why do some eCommerce brands start regressing three to nine months after finding stability? We’ve seen this time and time again with businesses - they’re fine for a few months after a scale up, and suddenly, the next month, they start to regress. Today we’ll talk about what is causing this to happen, how to avoid it, and what you can do to overcome it.

On this episode:

Why a regression can sometimes be part of the process.
What can you do to avoid regression?
The psychological reaction when you scale successfully.
Why you shouldn’t let the market evolve above you.
Why developing products should be a priority in your business.
The rate at which you should be introducing new products.
The process you should have in place when introducing a new product.
Three key areas of eCommerce growth.
The role that testing plays when introducing a new product.
The main thing you need to start doing now to keep your business from regressing.

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Monday May 31, 2021

Branding Ads vs Performance Ads: How To Avoid This Common Mistake eCom Owners Make

Monday May 31, 2021

What are the differences between branding ads and performance-focused social media ads? We’ll analyze this based on recent personal experiences and revelations, but it also does tie into the work we’ve done with our clients. Listen to learn more about which ad tends to be more effective and why.

On this episode:

What it was like watching a TV ad when you haven’t seen one in a long time.
What are branding ads missing compared to social media ads?
One of the biggest pitfalls eCommerce business owners fall into.
Why branding ad strategy doesn’t always transfer over to social media the same way.
The goal of performance marketing.
Why you need to have an emotional hook in your social media ads.
The types of ads that tend to do better overall.
How we know performance-based ads are more effective than branding ads.
How ads tie into the shelf space you get inside a store.
Why some brands are rethinking their ad strategy.
Where you may have the advantage over bigger brands and how to use that in your ads.
When branding ads make the most sense to focus on.

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Friday May 28, 2021

Dealing With The Inevitable: Copycat Businesses, Lawyering Up & Turning Your Brand Into A Community

Friday May 28, 2021

As a growing business, copycats can be a big problem, especially once you start hitting eight figures a year. We’re seeing 2-3 copycats for new businesses every week. It’s kind of crazy to think that a company can come in and steal all of the hard work you put into your marketing right out from under you.

On this episode:

What happened when our own business was copied.
The importance of having a community in dealing with copycats.
The first step in dealing with copycats.
Three main things you can do when you notice a copycat of your business.
The solutions available to you if the copycat is on Shopify.
Reactive actions and preventive actions against copycats.
How can you stay a step ahead of your competitors?
How to make your business more difficult to duplicate.
What can you ramp up to deter copycats?
Where copycats make their biggest mistake.
How having a brand purpose and mission beats copycats every time.
How building trust and being irreplaceable can protect you.

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Monday May 24, 2021

How to Target a Broader Audience & Scale Your Ad Spend Without Developing a New Product

Monday May 24, 2021

The strategy we’re sharing today might be the biggest finding we’ve made this year for our clients. If your business is focused on increasing paid acquisition sales, you’ll find out exactly how to do it effectively in this episode.

On this episode:

What happened when we were looking for new ideas last month to boost sales.
What is bundle scaling and how can it be done?
The simple approach you can take towards bundling.
How small tweaks help you focus your bundles to specific audiences.
What early data says about bundling scaling for paid acquisition scales.
Generic approaches to bundling and how you can take it a step further.
What are the benefits of bundling for different audiences?
Why you don’t need to overcomplicate the product side of creating bundles.

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Monday May 17, 2021

How to Align a Remote Team To Reach Next Level Performance Using OKRs

Monday May 17, 2021

A lot of today’s topic breaks down to OKRs (objectives and key results), and how you can utilize this goal-setting framework in your business. This is not only useful for managing activities in your business, but can also translate into your personal life. In this episode, you’ll learn about OKRs in detail, from what they are to how to implement them. Plus, we’ll be sharing some examples as well as what not to do when creating your OKRs.

On this episode:

A background on the team at AdKings Agency, and how the team has grown.
Goals of the agency last year versus now.
What they implement but sometimes fail to follow through on.
What you must do to set your team up for success.
The best way to go about goal setting with a team.
What the OKR framework is and what it’s intended to do.
How many key results should you aim to have?
The difference between key results and tasks.
The benefits of OKRs and how they help improve collaborations between teams.
How OKRs support bold and challenging (stretch) goals.
Examples of good objectives and key results.
Common mistakes that are made when setting key results.
The difference between KPIs and OKRs.
The process by which you should use to go about creating company OKRs.
When to check in on your results.
What to do at the end of a cycle and the easiest way to do it.
A few guiding activities for checking in.
How long you can expect it to take to get the hang of this process.

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Wednesday May 12, 2021

Future Trends of eCom: How to Predict the Next Leap For Your eCom Business & Stay Relevant

Wednesday May 12, 2021

We are diving into a topic most listeners might find relatively scary to think about. If you’re curious about how eCommerce may be evolving and you want to stay ahead of the game by knowing how to adapt your business, the information shared today is going to have great value for you. Let’s talk about the macro-trends and micro-trends coming in the eCommerce space.

On this episode:

What kind of trends you should focus on right now.
The trend Amazon started on and how it has changed.
Major trends in eCommerce a few years ago versus today.
Ways to categorize trend phases in order to analyze them.
What a trend saturation phase typically looks like.
Why it’s more difficult to be successful in eCommerce now.
The phase that eCommerce is entering.
The golden phase of trends and when this phase takes place.
Examples of oversaturated trends in various industries.
The best way to conduct market research to identify trends.
Why it’s important to think ahead and anticipate trends in eCommerce.
Two strategies to prevent your business from becoming irrelevant.
Trends to look for if you’re starting a business now.
The main takeaways you should get from this episode.

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Monday May 10, 2021

AdKings May Special: Impact of iOS14 Update, Facebook’s Revenue Up 48% in 2021 & How to Scale Your eCom Business Beyond $100K-$300K/m

Monday May 10, 2021

Let’s welcome my business partner Justin. We’re covering a whole bunch of interesting topics with him today, including iOS 14, how it’s affecting our clients, and what’s going on with Facebook's rising CPMs. We’ll also hear about why we’re seeing some clients get stuck between $100K-$300K, and the differentiators between those businesses and the ones that grow further.

On this episode:

[2:31] CPM rises in the market, specifically with Facebook.
[3:55] Why should you invest in conversion rate optimization?
[4:56] What is just as important to monitor as CPMs.
[6:25] Why you need to focus on the aspects you can control.
[8:05] LTV-focused marketing and how we’re using that with our clients now.
[9:10] How clients are being impacted by the recent iOS roll out.
[11:56] What you need to be utilizing year-round to boost sales.
[15:51] Why some clients get stuck below $300K and how they can overcome this.
[18:13] The biggest hurdle these “stuck” clients have in front of them and why.
[20:15] Why it’s important for businesses to innovate in their products and marketing.
[22:10] What happens when businesses fail to focus on product development?
[28:06] The interesting marketing tactic we want to try with our clients.
[30:05] Why you need to track repeat purchases and look for benchmarks.
[33:10] The benefit to us of interacting with different business owners at different levels.
[33:43] One thing that the most successful businesses are doing right now.
[36:32] The kind of testing we’re currently doing with our clients.
[37:14] What kind of inputs you need to consider.
[37:44] What we’re always trying to improve on as an agency.
[42:58] The book we’re writing and what it will help people with.
[43:50] When we will be onboarding clients again.

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Friday May 07, 2021

How To Use Real Storytelling To Create An Unforgettable DTC Brand Positioning

Friday May 07, 2021

Today we’re joined by Darius Lukas, a master of writing and brand positioning. Darius has interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs and has helped them create their own brand story, telling it in a voice that really positions their brand.

We’re diving deep into branding and positioning for eCommerce brands, and defining what separates mediocre eCommerce brands from the ones that see real success and make an impact.

On this episode:

[1:39] Darius introduces himself and elaborates on what he does.
[2:49] What branding is and why it’s important.
[4:47] Examples of creating a narrative around a brand.
[5:54] Why people resonate with the story aspect of branding.
[7:15] Why using stories to deliver important branding information works.
[8:18] How to tell a story as a brand (versus an individual).
[9:36] Why your brand needs to be about more than the product.
[11:08] Examples of brand origin stories.
[13:03] How to come up with an authentic brand story.
[14:50] Why it can take time to figure out your story, or even that you have one.
[15:18] Helpful practices and resources for creating your story.
[17:13] The next step after creating the brand origin story.
[19:32] Who is your origin story is actually for?
[20:29] How you translate your origin story into positioning your brand and marketing.
[24:04] Why Darius emphasizes the importance of storytelling in your business.
[26:10] Recommended reading if you want to learn about storytelling.
[26:41] The experience that underlies everything that Darius does now.
[28:06] The services that Darius is offering now.

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Wednesday May 05, 2021

Building a Process-Focused Team: Why it is the Key For Producing Quality Output

Wednesday May 05, 2021

How can you keep your focus and keep your team from getting distracted? This is important if you want to maintain or increase your quality of operations and ensure your team members are being held accountable. We recently had our own experience with this, so we’ll be sharing that with you. If you want to improve your focus and get back to basics, this is going to be a super helpful episode for you.

On this episode:

When losing focus effected the AdKings team and why.
What needs to be clear so you don’t lose momentum.
Why you need to track the progress of your teams or team members.
How the team members in our office ended up decreasing work efficiency.
The nature of people that often gets revealed in these situations.
What we learned from this experience.
What we’ll be doing differently as a result of this experience.
How can you approach tasks that are inevitable but also must be done?
Why it took some time to identify these process issues.
How we made improvements so this doesn’t happen again.
Why is standardization so important in processes?
Using SOPs (standard operating procedures) to increase efficiency and work quality, as well as avoiding manual work.

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Monday May 03, 2021

The Art of Pre-Launch Marketing: Why You Should Be Pre-Launching Products & How To Do It

Monday May 03, 2021

While some people may see pre-launches as gimmicky, everyone should take a close look at this strategy and evaluate the possibilities this might open for their business. In this episode we’re discussing how to pre-launch, why you should, and then we’ll provide some additional tips on how to execute a pre-launch effectively.

On this episode:

Why pre-launching is not just a gimmick.
The client that changed how we thought about pre-launching.
What we were expecting to work, and what worked even better with pre-sales.
How pre-launching works and what makes people buy in.
Expectations versus reality using pre-launching with a client.
Using scarcity in pre-launching and other effective strategies.
How pre-sales diminish risk in your business.
How should you use pre-sales to support cash flow?
Implementing different landing pages for cross-industry pre-launches.
Details on an upcoming podcast about using the pre-launch strategy.

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Friday Apr 30, 2021

How Martyn Cook Builds 7 Figure eCom Businesses: Creating a Board of Advisors & Benefits of Having Charitable Cause

Friday Apr 30, 2021

Martyn Cook is a serial entrepreneur responsible for multiple seven-figure eCommerce brands and owner of a well-known, high-level digital entrepreneur mastermind.

He also hosts the Smarter Destiny podcast. Today, we’re talking about Martyn’s experience as an entrepreneur, how his values have changed as an entrepreneur over time, and also how to successfully create a board of advisors within your business. He also tells us about the newest brand he’s working on, Noobru.

On this episode:

[1:47] Martyn’s background and what led to the work he does now.
[5:05] What influenced Martyn to start his newest business, Noobru.
[10:59] The kind of business he was looking to build at the time.
[13:59] Why and how Martyn eventually landed on the concept of Noobru.
[21:49] The best format for supplements (tablets, capsules, liquid).
[23:04] About Martyn’s podcast, Smarter Destiny, and media publication.
[24:32] Why Martyn believes that charity is an important part of a business model.
[26:42] What it means to make the charity component quantifiable.
[29:50] Why Noobru products come with a cost.
[32:01] How can having a charitable component boost your business?
[36:08] Why the effects of making money are diminishing.
[37:26] Tips on successfully creating a board of advisors.
[41:20] How this board of advisors has lent itself to building brand legitimacy.
[42:18] How to decide what amount of compensation should be given to the advisors.
[44:15] Where to find Martyn’s free book “1% Secret.”
[45:26] Where to find Martyn to connect with him.

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Wednesday Apr 28, 2021

Awful Management Mistakes That Costed Us At Least $150K & What They Taught Us

Wednesday Apr 28, 2021

There are a few books I’ve read that are related to what we’re talking about today, including “Dichotomy of Leadership” and “Extreme Ownership”. This episode is all about sharing what I learned from these books, and what exactly happened that led to a major mistake. Plus, I’ll be sharing what we’re doing differently at AdKings now as a result.

On this episode:

Why you need to communicate goals to all stakeholders.
Monitor progress with clients, but don’t elaborate on execution.
What a leader needs to do, good or bad.
Why empowerment and trust are important in team relationships.
Two things effective leaders always do.
What happens to a team when a leader micromanages them?
Negative results from a team leader being too hands-off.
How you can inspire your team to make their own decisions.
How and why we lost two clients in 2020.
What happened with the team member involved with these two lost accounts.
What we do differently with our clients now.
The process we have in place to focus on profitability and keep the clients happy.
Why you should read “Dichotomy of Leadership” and “Extreme Ownership”.

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Monday Apr 26, 2021

Story of How I Burned my First Successful eCom Business to the Ground in 2-Years

Monday Apr 26, 2021

In this episode, I’m sharing a personal story about how I built my first successful eCom business. This business quickly became one of the biggest businesses in its category, but that all went away within two years. Let me explain the situation to you so that you can avoid anything like this happening to your own eCommerce business.

On this episode:

The value of the lessons I learned through this experience.
A little bit about my past experience in school and university.
What I had when I started my first business.
What the first eCommerce business that I started was.
Where I invested my time in this first business.
When I got my first sale and how it felt.
How long this business took to become one of the biggest in its category.
What happened when the business gained traction and started getting results?
The main lesson that I learned during this time.
Why I decided to start another business, and what happened with it.
The vicious cycle that kept my new business from growing.
What happened with the first business I started while my focus was elsewhere?
Why I finally understood the value of focus at AdKings.
Our goal at AdKings this year.
Where I see my place in AdKings in the future and why.
Why education in the eCommerce space is even more important.
The two key lessons to take away from this episode.
Tips on building a business that is resistant to trends.

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Friday Apr 23, 2021

20/80'ing Productivity: Biohacking, Optimizing Workouts & Supplements That Actually Work

Friday Apr 23, 2021

Kilian Markert is here for this episode. He is a go-to high-performance coach who helps business owners scale to new heights without neglecting themselves, their health, and their performance.

Kilian loves supporting business owners with their continued success while ensuring at the same time they don’t get burnt out. If you’re interested in wellness and biohacking, you’ll get a lot from this discussion. He talks about performance, injuries, dieting, and also shares his favorite supplements.

On this episode:

[1:12] Kilian introduces himself and what he does.
[3:08] The concept of anti-productivity and how it can affect you.
[3:50] What Kilian believes performance encompasses.
[5:26] Why does Kilian think that restrictive diets don’t work?
[5:54] How he advises his clients to eat.
[8:20] Common nutritional deficiencies and how to combat them.
[8:50] Why Kilian recommends using the Cronometer app.
[10:59] Why should you check your vitamin D level?
[11:56] How Kilian feels about supplements and which ones he usually recommends.
[15:52] What he thinks about ashwagandha and how he typically takes it.
[17:11] The supplements Kilian recommends for supporting the nervous system.
[18:06] The argument Kilian has against multivitamins.
[21:28] How you can achieve your goals in the gym, depending on what those goals are.
[25:18] What Kilian thinks about steroids and testosterone replacement therapy.
[29:03] The tools that Kilian recommends for those interested in biohacking.
[34:42] The downside of foam rolling.
[36:57] Kilian’s personal struggle with injury.
[37:47] How a healthy posture is underrated and why it matters.
[39:32] Where to learn more about Kilian and how to connect with his community.

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Wednesday Apr 21, 2021

Our Biggest Failure of 2020 : Hiring the Right Fit, Lessons, Challenges & Insights

Wednesday Apr 21, 2021

There was a time last year when we failed in hiring the most important person for our organization. It’s a difficult topic to discuss. However, we think reflecting on this will not only help our team become stronger, but also help others listening. We can all learn how to improve our hiring processes as to not make this same mistake again.

On this episode:

The role that was supposed to be fulfilled and when.
Why we were hiring for this role at that time.
How the potential candidates didn’t work out.
COVID-19’s influence on the hiring process last year.
When hiring for this position resumed for a second time, and why this also failed.
What kind of experience we had using headhunters.
Resuming the hiring process for a third time and the challenges that came with this.
What does the hiring process look like?
What could have been done differently to make the whole process easier.
Why it’s important to define the needs for this role across teams.
Why awareness is key to improvement in general.
What can we take away from this experience and apply to hiring in the future?

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Monday Apr 19, 2021

How to Grow Your eCom Business Together With Your Audience & Why Should You?

Monday Apr 19, 2021

Why should you even grow your business with your audience? If you get to a place in your business where you feel like growth is stuck, keep in mind that the situation may not be as it seems. There is a way that you can tap into your audience to get some direction and perspective, and also to support your continued growth.

On this episode:

A personal story about this exact situation from about a year ago.
How it seems group membership has changed in Facebook over the past few years.
Why it’s tempting to come up with new ideas to better your position in the future.
What happens when you get swept up in your own perspective?
What we learned from connecting and discussing perspectives with our community.
The importance of collecting feedback and how it can help your business.
What can you do when you feel lost in your business direction?
Why personal discussions are better than forms or questionnaires.
Where to connect with our community and share your thoughts.

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Friday Apr 16, 2021

Generating $250k in Just 24 Hours With a Gated Launch Strategy With Jordan West

Friday Apr 16, 2021

Let’s welcome Jordan West, owner of Mindful Marketing and a Host of Secrets to Scaling eCommerce Podcast.

Today we will be diving deep into an eCommerce gated launch strategy Jordan employed to make over $250K in just 24 hours. We’ll also discuss how to make use of consumer psychology, make customers feel special and strategies to increase customer LTV.

On this episode:

[01:14] A little bit about Jordan’s background & how he got into marketing
[03:19] Starting a marketing consulting business
[03:59] Why it’s better to acquire a successful eCom business than to start from scratch
[06:37] Reality of acquisitions and clarifying misconceptions
[07:21] How Jordan generated $250K in under 24 hours
[11:49] How he came up with this strategy
[13:01] Preparations and measures he took before the launch.
[17:02] How to build relationships with customers and build a community.
[20:49] Making use of consumer psychology and how to get people to engage.
[27:34] Where can you find more about Jordan West

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Wednesday Apr 14, 2021

I Paid 30,000 USD/Year for Coaching and It Was Different From What I Expected

Wednesday Apr 14, 2021

When we started out in this business as Freelancers, we hired a coach for $30,000 per year. The experience was so much different than we expected.

We were promised the world, but the value that we got out of it was much different. On today’s episode, we are sharing a little bit about what this experience was like for us and if we would do it again.

On this episode:

Where we were in our careers when we hired a coach.
How we came across this coach.
Our first impressions of the coach we hired and how we feel about him today.
Why hiring a coach was a leap for us in so many ways.
The type of coaching that was offered for this price.
The promises versus the reality of the coaching experience.
What kind of value we see looking back at the experience.
How did the price of the coaching help us make it a priority?
What we learned about commitment through the coaching experience.

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Monday Apr 12, 2021

Learn From Our Failures : Plan But Don't Overplan & How Simplification is the Key

Monday Apr 12, 2021

While planning can be helpful, there are some cases in which it can actually be harmful. What is overplanning, and why is it such a bad thing? Under what specific circumstances can this be detrimental? These are the questions we are tackling in today’s episode.

On this episode:

An example of when overplanning got in the way at AdKings Agency.
Why they felt that their big-picture and detailed approach gave them an edge.
Issues and failures with planning and who was most impacted by this.
Where this can create problems during pitching.
Variables that can change (and therefore cannot be planned or overplanned).
How overplanning can be overwhelming.
What you should focus on when you are planning.
The type of planning that’s been put in practice at the agency now.
The benefit of using scrum framework in planning.
When you should reflect on your plan and adapt accordingly.
Why you need to keep in mind the aspects that you cannot control.
The time frame you should be planning within and why.

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Friday Apr 09, 2021

Decoding Facebook Ads Algorithms & iOS 14 Update With James Chadwick, Ex International Marketing Director at Facebook

Friday Apr 09, 2021

Let’s welcome James Chadwick to the podcast in this episode. James is the co-founder of Pencil, a machine-generated creative platform that generates fast and affordable ads. We’re going to hear James discuss his past work experience at Facebook, overlooked aspects of artificial intelligence, the secrets to more effective advertising on Facebook, and why creative work is the next frontier.

On this episode:

[0:51] A little bit about James’ background and how he got into digital advertising.
[2:28] When James joined Facebook and a look at the roles he had working there.
[4:18] Developments in mobile advertising.
[5:01] How James feels having worked with Facebook for several years.
[7:46] The organizational culture James experienced at Facebook.
[10:00] How will iOS 14 impact Facebook advertising?
[13:42] What James suspects about Apple’s future as a tech platform.
[15:39] Explaining discrepancies between ad agencies and Facebook.
[18:06] Why James feels that creative work is the next frontier.
[18:48] The type of businesses that will most benefit from using a service like Pencil.
[22:08] Overlooked aspects of artificial intelligence.
[24:55] The use-it-or-lose-it dynamic in budgets for advertising.
[25:50] The “lakes and rivers” analogy as a strategy for advertising.
[28:10] How does Facebook choose CPMs for certain campaigns?
[31:33] The three components to Facebook’s advertising algorithm.
[34:04] What are sone strategies for unlocking new audiences?
[35:16] The mindset with which you should approach Facebook advertising.
[36:26] What Pencil is great for and how to get a hold of James.

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Wednesday Apr 07, 2021

Why You Should Choose AOV Over Profit Margin to Scale Your eCom Business

Wednesday Apr 07, 2021

A bigger profit margin may lead you to hit the ceiling, but there are situations where it becomes a secondary metric. You must not forget the importance of AOV (average order value).

Today we’ll be talking about the situations in which a higher AOV is more important than profit margin, and how you can leverage this knowledge to improve both metrics.

On this episode:

A client’s experience as an example in comparing profit margin and AOV.
Comparing and contrasting two cases with differing profit margins and AOVs.
When it’s better to have a higher AOV.
Why having a higher AOV allows greater room for error.
Ways to increase AOV such as bundling.
The option of testing and targeting new audiences when scaling.
How can having a higher AOV helps to cover your fixed fees?
Reasons why a higher AOV can help you become more profitable as your business scales.
Specific situations when AOV becomes especially important.
What AOV you should be aiming for in your business.

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Monday Apr 05, 2021

When to Hire a Marketing Agency & How Not to Get Scammed As A Growing eCom Business

Monday Apr 05, 2021

If you’ve just started your own eCommerce business and are currently in a growth phase, you’re probably already thinking about the right time to hire a marketing agency.

As a boutique eCommerce growth agency, we are responsible for $18 million of Ad spend between our 9 clients. In the past year, we have scaled one of the fastest growing businesses in the United States from $0.5 million to $26 million in just one year of working with us.

As experts in our industry, we want to share some tips on when to hire an agency, what to look for, and how to choose the right agency for you.

On this episode:

When you should consider hiring a marketing agency.
What are some reasons to wait on hiring an agency?
How understanding the jargon can protect you from getting scammed.
Who to hire instead if you think you need an agency early on.
Why you should double-down on what is already working.
Why agencies need the owner's support in order to be successful.
When to consider diversifying your advertising.
Why should large marketing agencies be avoided?
The qualities in an agency you should be looking for.
Why you should be wary of agencies who charge based on profits alone.
Tips on how to identify a scammer.
Why you should ask the agency for client references before hiring them.

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Friday Apr 02, 2021

Lessons from the Fastest Growing Private Denim Company with Leo Tropeano, Founder of Mugsy Jeans

Friday Apr 02, 2021

Today we’re joined by Leo Tropeano, the Founder of Mugsy Jeans. His company is a Chicago-based men’s denim brand and was recently named the fastest growing private denim company by Inc. Magazine.

Leo will share how he broke into an industry he had almost no experience with and created one of the fastest growing menswear brands in only 4 years. We’ll also be discussing the methods Leo has used to become a customer service experience master.

On this episode:

[0:59] Leo shares how Mugsy was started and his previous experience in apparel before Mugsy.
[2:35] What are some of the barriers to entry in the apparel industry?
[3:37] How Leo solved his minimum order issue by using Kickstarter.
[4:57] Navigating the learning curve in the denim industry.
[6:10] Common obstacles when starting any type of business.
[8:22] Why Leo changed manufacturers in the beginning stages.
[9:12] How Leo leveraged his email list and tested what works to reach customers.
[11:16] What he tested that did not work.
[12:46] Digital advertising strategies that are successful for his business now.
[14:20] How has Mugsy Jeans evolved based on customer feedback?
[17:00] Tips for understanding what your customers really want.
[18:37] The mistakes that Leo has made along the way and learned from.
[20:55] The Mugsy Jeans strategy for getting tons of 5-star reviews.
[22:34] How to create a company culture that supports quality customer service.
[24:18] Recommendations on how to stay sane during your entrepreneurial journey.

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Wednesday Mar 31, 2021

How to Get Ahead of Your eCom Competitors by Thinking Outside the Box

Wednesday Mar 31, 2021

We will cover some concise tips which translate to very impactful techniques. During this episode we will also be sharing how you can introduce new ideas that will help you get ahead of your competitors and push past the limiting points in your industry.

On this episode:

What you are actually competing for with your competitors.
What most business owners do in a new niche.
You will eventually reach a limiting point. What can you do about it?
Where you should be looking for new ideas and innovations.
How to shake up the foundations of your niche.
Why accomplishing this edge can take some time.
Why your performance will always suffer if you continue to imitate your competitors.
Ideas for other approaches that you can try.
Why you should explore the digital products and subscriptions of other businesses.
The advantages of getting out there and investigating the strategies in other industries.

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Monday Mar 29, 2021

How Breaking Facebook Ads Text Rule Can Give You Advantage And Boost Up Your ROAS

Monday Mar 29, 2021

We’re discussing how some rules are meant to be broken. There is a Facebook ad rule that the text should not take up more than 20% of the ad space.

By breaking these rules and thinking outside of the box, you have the opportunity to grow. In this episode, we will share an example of when this worked for one of our clients and the benefits you could see in trying it for yourself.

On this episode:

What the Facebook ad text rule is.
The experience of going against this rule with a client.
How Facebook will flag these ads.
The impact seen on the cost per click (CPC).
The side benefit of using this strategy.
How this illustrates the importance of thinking outside of the box.

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Friday Mar 26, 2021

PR Nightmares & Power of Youtube : Lessons From Bili Balogun, Founder of Industry Leading Subscription Box

Friday Mar 26, 2021

Today we’re joined by Bili Balogun. She is the Founder of Tribe Beauty Box and Lashscoop. This beauty industry entrepreneur is also a growth marketer in addition to doing stock trading.

She has managed to construct two successful businesses in the subscription industry. She’s on the podcast today to discuss her experience working within this business model and the challenges and lessons she’s encountered along the way.

On this episode:

[0:17] Bili introduces herself.
[1:48] Bili’s stance on the subscription model.
[3:24] The time frames on Bili’s subscriptions and how she decided on these.
[4:32] Why you need to consider logistics issues when considering intervals.
[5:55] How important are customization features with a subscription model?
[7:01] The breakeven periods with subscription-based businesses.
[8:19] How Bili’s logistics and fulfillment process has evolved over time.
[10:32] The obstacles she faced in implementing a subscription model.
[13:31] The bad experience Bili had previously working with an ad agency.
[15:42] How a difficult public relations issue was handled.
[18:40] What methods did Bili use to create a loyal following in her business?
[20:38] Why she focused on referrals initially, and why those later got put on the back burner.
[22:11] Unique suggestions for where you can put referral codes.
[24:17] Acquisitions channels that have worked and not worked.
[27:29] Why Bili prefers YouTube influencers for her brands over Instagram influencers.
[28:10] The edge that Bili has over others in similar industries.
[29:42] What Bili does to maintain her sanity as a business owner and entrepreneur.

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