Podcast
Ecomm Breakthrough
Hosted by Josh Hadley · EN
Unlock the full potential and growth in your business. Join Josh Hadley, a successful 8-figure e-com business owner and investor as he interviews highly successful CEOs and business owners who share specific actions you can take today to help your business reach its full potential and leave a lasting impact on the world.
Whether you sell on Amazon FBA, Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Walmart, ClickFunnels, or Etsy you'll learn what is working for the most successful business leaders in eCommerce. Each eCom breakthrough episode is filled with strategies you can implement to help you scale to 8 figures and beyond.
Here's a small list of the topics we will cover:
- How to find new products to sell
- How to find good manufacturers
- How to manage cash flow
- Inventory management (shipping & logistics)
- Optimizing sales pages for conversion
- How to successfully launch a new product on Amazon.com
- Product ranking & optimization
- Amazon PPC management
- Implementing business operating systems
- Driving external traffic to Amazon
- Preparing to exit
- How to hire and build a team with A-Level talent
- Leadership skills
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Throwback: Heat Maps and Golden Hours - Revolutionizing Your Amazon Advertising Game
2d ago00:16:56Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Josh interviews entrepreneur Rolando Rosas about his journey from office technology to Amazon selling and founding Circuit Com. Rolando shares his advanced PPC strategy, using a year’s worth of sales data and heat maps to optimize Amazon ad scheduling for better ROAS. He offers practical tips for sellers: enhance product images, respond to customer questions with videos, and use data tools like Seller Labs Data Hub to identify peak buying times. Rolando encourages starting small with data-driven ad adjustments to boost efficiency and sales.Chapters:Introduction to Rolando Rosas and His Journey (00:00:00)Josh introduces Rolando, his entrepreneurial background, and the founding of Global Tech Worldwide and Circuit Com.Podcast Sound Effects and Stream Deck Tips (00:01:15)Rolando shares his experience setting up podcast sound effects and encourages using a stream deck.Introduction to Innovative Amazon PPC Strategy (00:01:38)Josh prompts Rolando to share his unique PPC strategy, setting the stage for the main discussion.Data-Driven Ad Scheduling and Heat Maps (00:02:13)Rolando explains using 12 months of order data and Seller Labs Data Hub to create heat maps for ad scheduling.Key Insights from Data: Golden Hours and Days (00:02:59)Discovery of optimal times and days for ads, including patterns like low Friday evening and weekend sales.Challenging Weekend Ad Spend Myths (00:04:12)Rolando debunks the idea that weekends are best for ads, showing most sales occur Monday–Friday.Impact on ROAS and Sales Performance (00:06:03)Discussion of improved ROAS and sales by focusing ad spend on high-performing days and times.Layering Day Parting and Low Bid Strategies (00:07:02)Exploring advanced ad scheduling, including low bid strategies during off-peak hours.Manual vs. Automated Campaign Management (00:08:31)Rolando discusses the manual nature of their current process and the use of portfolio grouping for easier management.Leveraging Seller Labs Data Hub for Insights (00:09:36)How to use Seller Labs Data Hub for actionable business insights, even for non-data experts.The Importance of Data Science and AI for Sellers (00:10:53)Emphasizing the future role of data analytics and AI in Amazon selling success.Three Actionable Takeaways for Amazon Sellers (00:11:56)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: main image optimization, customer Q&A engagement, and data-driven ad scheduling.Encouragement to Start Small and Test Strategies (00:15:20)Advice to implement changes gradually, testing on a few campaigns or SKUs before scaling.Closing Remarks and Appreciation (00:16:18)Josh and Rolando wrap up the episode, express mutual appreciation, and end the conversation.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"Global Teck Worldwide": "00:00:00""Seller Labs Data Hub": "00:02:59""Google Sheets": "00:10:08"Strategies and Concepts"Day Parting": "00:02:13""Heat Map": "00:02:59"Actionable Takeaways"Adjust Main Images": "00:11:56""Respond to Customer Questions": "00:12:07"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you all to Rolando Rosas. Rolando never could have predicted that a college computer, a printer, and an old school wall phone in his kitchen would lead him down the path of entrepreneurship. But that's exactly how it happened. In 2002, he founded Global Tech Worldwide with the goal of making it easy for businesses to use the right office technologies for better and frictionless customer interactions that help businesses elevate their customer interactions and turn them into rich, meaningful discussions. Fast forward to today, and after spending ten years selling on Amazon, he is on his third startup circuit. Com because he was frustrated with the lack of transparency and outdated methods of buying broadband, wireless and fiber internet for small and medium sized businesses. So with that introduction, welcome to the show, Rolando.Rolando 00:00:53 Woo! Woo woo woo woo. Woo woo. Let me try. Let me try.Josh 00:00:56 Hey, there you go. Hey.Rolando 00:00:57 There we go.Josh 00:00:58 You got the audio work?Rolando 00:00:59 I got it, I got it I got him to work.Josh 00:01:02 Rolando has his own podcast and we recorded an episode last week I was on, I was in the reverse side. I was the guest there. And that I told you, Rolando, I love the sound effects that you have going on in your podcast.Rolando 00:01:15 You know what? I'm here. You know what? Go get a stream deck, go get it and call me, and I'll help you set it up. Because it took me a while. I left it in the box for quite some time before I actually started using it, because I was a little intimidated. I'm not an Avi guy or anything like that, but, you know, I was like, all right, let me add one, two, three. And I was like, ooh. And now I've got a couple of those buttons set up for it.Josh 00:01:38 I love it, I love it. All right, Rolando, there's another really wicked smart strategy that I want you to share with our audience that you shared with me prior to hitting the record button.Josh 00:01:48 And this is your amazing PPC strategy that I have never heard anybody else talk about this other than yourself. everybody's always heard of de parting, right? And that's kind of the new hot PPC term, but this isn't Dave Harding. This is something, I think, even more intelligent than what De parting is. So I've laid out the red carpet for you there, Rolando. Give us the gold nugget.Rolando 00:02:13 Yeah, right. So de parting is just simply ad scheduling. You know, run an ad on a schedule. Nothing new there. But what if. Chad. Chad, I was just talking to Chad. What if Josh. We could map or have ads show up when we have our ideal customers on Amazon? How can we do that? Can we pull it off? And can we save money while we're doing that? That's really what we wanted to find out. Turns out there is a way to do it. Not easy, not clean. But there was. So we went and pulled data from our orders for 12 months, and we used, Seller Labs product that they have or service that's called Data Hub.Rolando 00:02:59 and it pulled in all that data, right? It's our own data. So we didn't have to do all these crazy reports from Amazon. Pulled it all in. Once they pulled that in I said, wait a minute, guys. I'm not a mathematician here. This is just a spreadsheet with a bunch of numbers. Can we do something better? So then we put together something that anybody could easily use in the organization. We put together a heat map so that you can visually see the data. And, you know, dark green means good, red is bad. And guess what? We found golden hours every day of the week. Also golden months also patterns within those months. For example summertime for our products which are mostly office related products. After 4 p.m. on a Friday, we've virtually had no orders on the summer months. So if I'm a betting man, Why would I run PPC after 4 p.m. if we're not getting any orders? Another one was when? on the weekends, you hear people say this all the time.Rolando 00:04:12 And now that I have the data for our stuff, I know it's totally wrong. You got to run ads on Saturday and Sunday because people browse Saturday and Sunday and buy on Monday. The evidence does not hold that up in our case, because in our case, most of our activity, nearly 85 to 90% of the purchases c...
Transcribe →How to Rank in Amazon’s AI Search (Rufus) Before Your Competitors Do
4d ago00:55:13Tap to summarizeAndri Sadlak is a serial entrepreneur and Founding Head of Product & Strategy at Azoma, building AI-first commerce software for the age of agentic shopping. He's been an Amazon seller since 2017, exited his own brand, and co-founded ProductPinion. Today he's part of the team behind Amazon growth and AI visibility strategies for 8 and 9-figure brands like Mars, L'Oréal, and HP. He's one of the sharpest voices on Agentic Commerce, taking the world stage to break down how brands need to show up in the age of AI shopping assistants like Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, and LLM search.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. The evolution of e-commerce from traditional search engines to AI-powered answer and action engines.The rise of AI shopping assistants and their impact on consumer purchasing behavior.The integration of AI technologies by major companies like Amazon and OpenAI to enhance shopping experiences.The concept of generative commerce and how AI can autonomously complete purchases for consumers.The rapid adoption of AI tools and their influence on product research and decision-making.The importance of optimizing for AI algorithms in e-commerce, particularly on platforms like Amazon.The role of multi-modal understanding in AI, allowing it to interpret both text and images for better product recommendations.Strategies for sellers to optimize their listings for AI-driven systems, including managing Q&A sections and enhancing product images.The significance of external citations and media presence in building trust and credibility for AI recommendations.The future of e-commerce and the necessity for brands to adapt to AI-driven changes to maintain competitiveness.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews AI-driven e-commerce expert Andri Sadlak. They explore how AI is revolutionizing online shopping, focusing on Amazon’s shift from traditional search to AI-powered answer and action engines like Rufus. Andri shares actionable strategies for brands to optimize product listings for AI, discusses the importance of image and Q&A optimization, and highlights the growing role of external citations. The episode offers practical tips for sellers to thrive in the new era of agent commerce, emphasizing the urgency of adapting to AI-driven changes in e-commerce.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Optimize for BOTH Amazon algorithms Don’t rely on just traditional keyword SEO—start optimizing for both Rufus/Cosmo (AI-driven discovery) and legacy search to stay competitive.Fix your existing listings first (quick wins) Update product images, backend fields, alt text, and listing details—these are fully within your control and can drive immediate impact.Focus on one high-impact priority: Cosmo optimization Ensure your product answers key customer questions clearly (front + backend). Nail the fundamentals first—everything else builds on this.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Technologies"Rufus": "00:02:02""ChatGPT": "00:06:01""Gemini": "00:09:33""Perplexity": "00:09:33""ProductPinion": "00:02:02""Cosmo": "00:21:04""Claude": "00:28:05""Amazon Rekognition": "00:36:30""AWS (Amazon Web Services)": "00:36:30""Azoma": "00:54:36"Studies and Reports"Accenture Study on AI Trust": "00:13:13""Bain and Company Research on AI Usage": "00:16:05""Amazon's Cosmo Paper": "00:30:32"Skills and Features"Skills for Claude": "00:28:41""A+ Content": "00:39:55"Websites"Amazon Seller Central": "00:38:14""Affiliates Media": "00:44:19""ecommbreakthrough.com": "00:54:58"Books"Building a StoryBrand": "00:54:11"Key Concepts"Listings 10, 20, and 30": "00:22:34""Optical Character Recognition (OCR)": "00:39:04"Episode SponsorThis 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 josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost!Transcript Area:Andri Sadlak 00:00:00 The shift that we're talking about is search engines are becoming answer engines plus action engines. So it's already answer engines. We're already deep in it. Most of the people at least. And action engines is what a lot of people predict is going to happen next because we're going to save our time. We're going to go for convenience and trust AI. We already do, right? The good news you're watching this. So now you know that you need to pay attention. And I'm going to share with you exactly what I need to do.MC 00:00:29 Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next lev...
Transcribe →The 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Framework I Use to Ramp Up New Hires Fast
1w ago00:43:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley tackles a common entrepreneurial frustration: hiring seemingly qualified candidates who underperform within their first few months. Josh introduces his proven 30-60-90 day onboarding framework, broken into three phases: observation, independence, and ownership. Each phase features structured communication, daily reports, and objective performance evaluations using a custom GPT tool. Josh emphasizes the importance of clear role profiles, documented SOPs, and milestone-based progression to set new hires up for success and help business owners make informed retention decisions.Bullet Points:Challenges entrepreneurs face in hiring qualified team members who underperform.Introduction of a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding framework.Breakdown of the onboarding process into three phases: Observance, Independence, and Ownership.Importance of clear role profiles and key performance indicators (KPIs) for new hires.Emphasis on frequent communication and structured meetings during the onboarding process.Use of tools and technology to enhance onboarding and performance evaluation.Strategies for assessing new hires' progress and readiness to advance through onboarding phases.Flexibility in the timeline for onboarding based on individual performance.Importance of documenting standard operating procedures (SOPs) for clarity and consistency.The impact of a structured onboarding framework on business scaling and team success.Timestamps:00:00:00 The Problem with HiringEntrepreneurs hire seemingly qualified candidates who underperform, leading to frustration and the belief that they must do everything themselves.00:00:40 Introduction to the 30-60-90 Day FrameworkA structured onboarding framework to set clear expectations and objectively evaluate whether a new team member is succeeding or failing.00:01:11 Podcast and Host IntroductionJosh Hadley introduces himself, his e-commerce background, and the Econ Breakthrough Podcast before reintroducing the 30-60-90 day framework.00:02:19 Why Onboarding FailsMost entrepreneurs fail by having unclear expectations and assuming new hires can immediately perform miracles without proper guidance or systems.00:04:29 The Entrepreneur's Hiring MindsetEntrepreneurs must hire people smarter than themselves for both their weaknesses and strengths to compound business growth effectively.00:05:34 The Importance of a Clear Onboarding SequenceA dedicated onboarding process is crucial for clarity, speed, and objectivity, increasing a new hire's success rate significantly.00:06:41 The Role Profile TemplateBefore onboarding, a clear role profile defining KPIs, success metrics, and tasks is essential to avoid ambiguity for everyone.00:09:49 Using AI to Create Role ProfilesLeverage a custom GPT to quickly generate a comprehensive role profile template, completing 80% of the work for you.00:11:24 Overview of the Three Onboarding PhasesA high-level look at the three phases: Observance (Days 1-30), Independence (Days 31-60), and Ownership (Days 61-90).00:12:21 Phase 1: The Observance Period (Days 1-30)New hires watch, follow, and re-document existing processes to demonstrate understanding before making any changes or executing tasks.00:16:02 Meeting Cadence for Phase 1The communication schedule includes daily 15-minute huddles, a weekly 45-minute one-on-one, and a daily end-of-day report.00:18:50 The 30-Day Checkpoint GPTUsing a custom GPT to objectively evaluate a new hire's performance by answering questions about their impact and ownership behaviors.00:23:11 Phase 2: The Independence Period (Days 31-60)The new hire begins executing tasks in "draft mode," requiring manager approval before anything goes live, with reduced meeting frequency.00:29:25 Phase 3: The Ownership Period (Days 61-90)The team member takes full ownership, executing their role independently while the manager verifies work behind the scenes.00:35:10 Onboarding Framework SummaryA recap of the meeting cadences and work expectations for each of the three 30-day phases in the framework.00:36:33 Milestone-Based ProgressionThe 30, 60, and 90-day timelines are arbitrary; progression is based on milestones and demonstrating readiness to advance.00:39:03 The Role of HR and Pre-Onboarding PrepBefore day one, ensure the role profile is complete and existing SOPs are documented to set the new hire up for success.00:40:07 Why This Framework Matters for ScaleThis system increases your hiring "batting average," ensuring new team members succeed more often, which is critical for scaling.00:41:35 Call to Action and Access to ResourcesJosh asks listeners to review and share the podcast in exchange for access to the presentation slides and resources.Links and Mentions:Role Profile Creation"Role Profile Template": "00:07:38""Custom GPT for Role Profile Creation": "00:09:49"Hiring and Team Evaluation"YouTube Video on Hiring A+ Talent": "00:10:49""Custom GPT Checkpoint": "00:19:29"Process Documentation"Loom": "00:39:30"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00 Have you ever gone through an in-depth interviewing process to find A-level talent? And then you get the right person who has an incredible resume. They've passed all of your interviews and maybe even a case study or test project that you've given them. And then ultimately 30 days within the job, 60 days within the job. They're not performing. And you're frustrated, they're frustrated. And then you chalk it up to say, hey, I think I just need to go do this myself. Nobody can do this better than me. Screw it. With all of this hiring, if you've ever said that yourself, then this is for you. I'm going to walk you through the 30 60 90 day framework that we use to onboard every single new team member onto the team. That allows us to gain clarity not only from their perspective in terms of understanding their role, but from our perspective of understanding what the expectations are at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days to where we know whether that new team member is winning or losing in their new role, and whether we should keep them, or if it's best to cut ties and free them back up to the marketplace to allow them to go do something that they are going to succeed at.Josh Hadley 00:01:11 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 I am also the father of four children. I have been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and doing multi-million in revenue on different sales channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, and that's ecomm breakthrough. Today we are going to be diving into the 30 60 90 day onboarding framework. This is the framework that we live and die by. Any new team member that joins the team, whether they are a entry level team member or whether they're a senior level, a leadership level hiring decision for us.Josh Hadley 00:02...
Transcribe →Throwback: Mastering Licensing and Exit Strategies - Insights from a Shark Tank Entrepreneur
1w ago00:16:27Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Josh interviews Pat Yates, M&A advisor at Quiet Light and owner of Happy Feet Slippers. Pat shares insights from his Shark Tank experience, discusses the realities of TV deals, and explains the complexities of licensing with major brands like Disney and the NFL. The conversation covers the importance of intellectual property protection, strategies for evaluating and managing licensing agreements, and actionable advice on preparing an e-commerce business for a successful exit. Listeners gain practical tips on building value, protecting their brand, and planning ahead for future business transitions.Chapters:Introduction and Guest Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Pat Yates, his background, and the episode’s focus on licensing and business exits.Shark Tank Experience (00:02:06)Pat discusses his Shark Tank appearance, the process, and what it was like pitching on the show.Reality of Shark Tank Deals (00:03:36)Pat explains how deals on Shark Tank often differ from what is shown, and his ongoing relationship with Robert.Behind the Scenes of Shark Tank (00:04:45)Pat shares details about the filming process, post-show counseling, and the impact of the experience.Licensing Audits and Financials (00:05:44)Discussion about licensing agreements, financial audits by licensors like Disney, and the importance of accurate documentation.License Renewal Challenges (00:07:01)Pat explains how license renewals work, what licensors look for, and the challenges with companies like Disney.Transitioning and Subcontracting Licenses (00:08:57)Pat describes how some licenses are transitioned to subcontracted arrangements and the benefits of this approach.Direct vs. Subcontracted Licensing (00:09:18)Explanation of the differences between holding a direct license and working through a subcontracted licensee.Branding and Labeling in Subcontracted Licensing (00:10:27)Clarification on branding, labeling, and legal requirements when selling products under a subcontracted license.Actionable Takeaways for Business Owners (00:11:42)Josh summarizes three actionable tips: IP protection, evaluating licensing, and preparing your business for exit.Final Advice on Business Growth and Exit Preparation (00:15:11)Pat offers final advice on analyzing business performance, seeking help, and preparing early for a successful exit.Episode Wrap-Up (00:16:13)Josh thanks Pat and encourages listeners to reach out for further advice on exiting their business.Links and Mentions:Consulting and Strategy"Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:00:00""Email for Strategy Audit": "00:01:08"Shark Tank and Related Experiences"Shark Tank": "00:02:04""Robert Herjavec": "00:02:15"Licensing and Partnerships"DreamWorks, NCAA, NFL, Disney": "00:02:31""Licensing and IP Protection": "00:12:04""Consider Licensing": "00:13:12"Intellectual Property"IP Protection": "00:12:04"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00 Today, I'm speaking with Pat Yates, an M&A advisor at Quiet Light and owner of Happy Feet Slippers. And today we're going to be talking a lot about licensing and preparing your business to exit. This episode is brought to you by Ecom Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Pat, I started my E-comm business back in 2015, and it took me seven years to grow it to an eight figure brand. There were a lot of times that I struggled with the challenge of knowing whether my business could actually succeed financially, or if my brand could actually become a real well-known brand, or even myself as a leader. Whether I had the abilities and capabilities to lead a team and actually manage a group of people? Sure. For our listeners that have had similar experiences or hit similar plateaus, go to Ecom Breakthrough Comm and that's ecom with two M's. And you can learn a little bit more about how I can help you. And to our listeners, this month I'm giving away one $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost.Josh 00:01:08 All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecom breakthrough.com. And in your subject line just say strategy audit and then tell me why I should choose your business as the business to do the strategy audit for this month. And don't worry if you don't win this month because you'll be entered to win for future months to come. But I'm super excited to introduce you all to Pat Yates. Pat, as a seasoned entrepreneur with a focus on eCommerce, in 2014, he struck a deal with Robert Herjavec on the Emmy Award winning show Shark Tank. Pat grew a single slipper kiosk business into a multi-million dollar, e-commerce focused business. During that time, Pat has done licensing deals with Dreamworks, the NCAA, the NFL and Disney, and in 2015, he struck up a relationship with Mark, the founder of Quiet Light Brokerage, and continued, eventually leading him to becoming an M&A advisor. So welcome to the show, Pat.Pat 00:02:04 Thanks. I appreciate you having me.Josh 00:02:06 Pat. I watched your Shark Tank episode and loved, you know, everything you kind of went through in that episode.Josh 00:02:15 You ended up doing a deal with Robert who who first kind of went out pretty early on, at least in the episode. And then he comes back in and kind of swoops up the deal. And at the last moment, how was that experience being on Shark Tank and going through that?Pat 00:02:31 Yeah, it's something I've talked a lot about it over the past few years because, as one of the people that likes on the speaking circuit with me likes to call me the one of the OGs in Shark Tank because I'm on season five. They have so many seasons now, I'm like, I can't be old at everything. I hate that, but, I mean, it's it's a difficult process in the very beginning. You have to submit several videos and a lot of written documentation, a lot of due diligence. And, you know, I was turned down in season one or season two or something like that. And then they called me back as season five was coming because they were ramping so much, and I was one of the people that came down to the very end and had to fly out there and do my pitch in front of the producers to even see if they could keep me.Pat 00:03:09 So, I did that. And then it aired in 2014 and it was awesome. I mean, the show was going, I mean, my, my time was going poorly in there for like 80% of it. The, you know, you're in there like an hour and 15 minutes. Most people don't realize that. And it's cut to eight. So for most of the time it wasn't going very well. But the end was pretty good. Yeah.Josh 00:03:27 Yeah, that's that's amazing. How was it, you know, doing a deal with Robert and what kind of his involvement been since you did that deal with him?Pat 00:03:36 Well, the deals that you do on Shark Tank and are are definitely theory and practice things. You know, one of you come up with a deal and then it closes or it doesn't. I mean, a lot of people that I talk to and I'm involved in a pretty deep Shark Tank group. You know, most of those deals don't close as you see them. And really, truly most deals don't close, period.Pat 00:03:55 you know, our deal. We did not do the financial terms we saw on the show. We just did a relationship and we didn't do any kind of money transfer, just a small equity portion to be able to help. So the relationships been mor...
Transcribe →Claude, OpenClaw & Custom GPTs: The New AI Stack Winning in 2026
2w ago00:40:04Tap to summarizeOren Michels is the founder and CEO of Barndoor.ai, the first and only Control Plane for the agentic enterprise. Previously, he co-founded Mashery in 2006 and served as CEO until Intel acquired the company in 2013. When it was acquired, Mashery-powered APIs were used by over 350,000 active developers in over 100,000 active applications, and counted among its customers many of the largest e-commerce, media, and data companies in the world. He is an entrepreneur, investor, board member, and advisor to technology startups in the US and Europe and has made angel investments in several successful companies including Uber, Pebble Post, Addy, Navdy, and eero.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Rapid evolution of AI agents in e-commerce and business operations.Definition and functionality of AI agents that perform actions on behalf of users.Importance of governance and trust in deploying AI agents to prevent errors and misuse.Introduction of Barndoor AI and its role in providing connectivity and governance for AI agents.Practical use cases of AI agents in managing tasks across various platforms (e.g., Shopify, JIRA, QuickBooks).The necessity of setting strict policies to control AI actions and ensure safety.Integration of AI tools with existing software systems and the potential for low-code/no-code solutions.The significance of problem-solving and process design skills in effectively utilizing AI agents.Recommendations for starting small with AI and learning through practical application.Continuous evolution of AI tools and the importance of staying informed and adaptable.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Oren Michels, founder and CEO of Barndoor AI, about the growing role of AI agents in business operations. Oren explains how AI agents can autonomously perform tasks within systems like Shopify, Amazon, and Slack, while emphasizing the critical need for governance and trust. He introduces Barndoor AI as a control plane that enables secure connectivity and policy-based guardrails, preventing unintended actions. Practical use cases include email management, JIRA ticket handling, and financial forecasting. Oren advises listeners to start small, experiment with multiple AI tools, and develop strong problem-solving skills.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Start with low-risk automation Deploy AI agents on simple, non-critical workflows first (e.g., email summaries, reporting) to test value and build internal trust before scaling. Enforce strict governance from day one Define clear permissions, rules, and guardrails—never give blanket access. Every AI action should be controlled, logged, and auditable. Design processes before deploying AI Break workflows into clear steps and craft precise prompts. Strong process design + prompt clarity = better, safer AI performance.Timestamps:00:00:00 The Problem of AI GovernanceOren discusses lack of governance in current AI systems and the risks of AI agents forgetting instructions.00:00:30 Podcast Introduction & Guest BackgroundPodcast is introduced, and Oren Michels’ background and achievements are highlighted.00:00:44 The Rise of AI Agents in E-commerceJosh frames the future of e-commerce as dominated by AI agents and introduces Oren as the guest.00:02:06 Oren’s Perspective on AI Agent AdoptionOren explains the rapid and slow pace of AI agent adoption, especially beyond coding tasks.00:03:02 What is Barndoor AI?Oren introduces Barndoor AI, focusing on connectivity and trust for AI agents in business systems.00:03:40 How Barndoor AI WorksDetails on how Barndoor AI enables granular control and governance over AI agent actions.00:05:45 Security and Guardrails for AI AgentsDiscussion on security risks, both from bad actors and unintended consequences by legitimate users.00:06:33 Difference Between Barndoor and Other AI ToolsOren explains how Barndoor adds governance missing from tools like OpenClaw and Claude.00:09:24 Use Case: Email Management with AI AgentsOren shares how he uses AI agents to manage and triage his daily email load efficiently.00:12:04 Why Governance Matters in AI ActionsExplains the importance of restricting AI actions to prevent mistakes, especially in sensitive tasks.00:13:00 Custom Rules and Granular PoliciesBarndoor allows highly specific rules for AI actions, such as price-based restrictions in e-commerce.00:13:58 Use Case: JIRA and Finance AutomationExamples of using AI agents for JIRA ticket management and automated financial reporting via Slack.00:16:48 Enterprise Use Cases & E-commerce OptimizationBarndoor’s enterprise clients use AI for handling sensitive data and optimizing Amazon listings seasonally.00:19:08 Customer Service and Contextual CommunicationAI agents help draft personalized emails by pulling context from Salesforce and previous communications.00:20:40 AI Agent Adoption is Still EarlyOren emphasizes that AI agent use is in its infancy and encourages experimentation in low-risk areas.00:22:40 Personal Use Cases for AI AgentsJosh and Oren discuss personal productivity applications, like sports team management and scheduling.00:24:14 The Evolving AI Tool LandscapeDiscussion on the rapid evolution of AI tools, the importance of using multiple models, and specialization.00:27:47 Future of AI in Business OperationsSpeculation on the future: specialized AI tools for each business function, governed by platforms like Barndoor.00:31:00 The Importance of Problem-Solving and Prompt EngineeringSuccess with AI depends on defining problems and giving clear instructions, akin to prompt engineering.00:33:46 Actionable Takeaways for ListenersJosh summarizes three action items: start experimenting, document processes, and stay flexible with tools.00:36:44 Book Recommendation: Why Computers ThinkOren recommends a book that explains the probabilistic nature of AI and why it sometimes fails.00:37:34 Favorite AI Tool and Personal UseOren shares his favorite AI tools and how he uses them for both work and personal learning.00:38:49 Who to Follow: Aaron LevieOren recommends following Aaron Levie for insightful commentary on AI and business.00:39:28 Where to Learn More About Barndoor AIOren directs listeners to Barndoor AI’s website and their personal product, Zenni, for hands-on experience.00:39:45 Podcast Wrap-UpPodcast concludes with thanks and a call to subscribe and leave a review.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"OpenClaw": "00:00:00""Barndoor AI": "00:03:14""
Transcribe →The One Weekly CEO Habit That 10x’s Your Team’s Output
2w ago00:29:34Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley shares a powerful weekly habit for CEOs: a 15-minute asynchronous video newsletter sent every Monday. Drawing from his ecommerce experience, Josh explains how this tool combats team misalignment, competing priorities, and the "founder's trap." The newsletter follows a four-part structure: celebrating weekly wins, identifying the key business constraint, recognizing core value exemplars, and reinforcing the company vision. Josh also highlights common mistakes to avoid, such as inconsistent messaging and vague praise. His core message is that consistent, structured communication transforms scattered teams into aligned, motivated, and proactive organizations.Bullet Points:Importance of consistent leadership communication for team alignmentIntroduction of a weekly CEO newsletter as a communication toolChallenges of team misalignment and competing prioritiesThe "founder's trap" and its impact on team understandingBenefits of asynchronous communication over live meetingsStructure of the CEO newsletter: wins, current constraints, core values, and visionCelebrating team wins to boost morale and motivationIdentifying and addressing key business constraintsRecognizing team members who exemplify core valuesReinforcing the company's mission and vision to maintain engagementTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to the CEO's #1 Weekly HabitJosh Hadley introduces the concept of a weekly CEO newsletter to improve leadership, clarity, and team performance.00:01:50 The Problem: Team Misalignment and Lack of CadenceDiscusses why teams feel scattered and reactive, highlighting a cadence problem, not a communication problem, in leadership.00:03:40 Why Teams Get ScatteredExplains that teams lose focus because they forget the mission, have competing priorities, and lack the CEO's full perspective.00:06:22 The Solution: The Weekly CEO NewsletterIntroduces the asynchronous weekly newsletter, recorded via Loom, to maintain clarity and momentum without adding more meetings.00:07:19 The Power of Asynchronous CommunicationAdvocates for asynchronous updates over meetings to avoid wasted time, task switching, and to increase team agility and output.00:08:58 How to Create the Newsletter ContentDetails the process of using Loom's transcription feature and an AI tool like Claude to draft the email content.00:11:05 The Four-Part Newsletter AgendaOutlines the four key sections of the weekly update: wins, the primary constraint, core value shout-outs, and the vision.00:12:45 Agenda Part 1: Sharing WinsExplains the importance of sharing wins to build morale and make the team feel like they are winning.00:16:42 Agenda Part 2: Stating the ConstraintFocuses on naming the single most important bottleneck to align the entire team's energy and focus weekly.00:21:05 Agenda Part 3: Core Value Shout-OutsDescribes how to use specific examples of employees living the core values to embed and reinforce company culture.00:25:00 Agenda Part 4: The Vision ReminderEmphasizes connecting daily work back to the company's long-term mission to create meaning and build endurance.00:26:00 The CEO Update FlywheelSummarizes how wins, vision, constraints, and core values work together to create belief, meaning, focus, and culture.00:26:40 Five Mistakes to AvoidLists common pitfalls that can kill the newsletter's effectiveness, such as brain dumps and only sharing problems.00:27:48 Your First CEO Update PromptProvides a simple, four-part prompt for creating the first newsletter, covering a win, a constraint, a value, and the vision.00:28:20 The Leadership LessonConcludes that leadership is about creating a rhythm and clarity, not just more meetings, to magnify team output.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"Loom": "00:06:22""Claude": "00:09:51"Key Concepts and Practices"Weekly CEO Newsletter": "00:01:50""Asynchronous Communication": "00:07:19"Leadership Principles"Core Values": "00:21:05"Summary of the Four-Part Agenda for the Newsletter"Wins from the Previous Week": "00:11:31""Identifying the Constraint": "00:17:20""Core Value Shout Outs": "00:21:05""Vision Reminder": "00:25:34"Mistakes to Avoid"Random Brain Dump": "00:27:27""Only Sharing Problems": "00:27:27""Generic Praise": "00:27:27""Changing the Message Weekly": "00:27:27""Making it About Yourself": "00:27:27"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00 If your team is always busy, they're a little scattered and unclear the direction the business is heading. They don't need more meetings. They need you to step up to be the true CEO and the leader that you are meant to become. In today's episode, I'm going to share the number one weekly habit that CEOs need to implement to be able to ten x their leadership output, increase the clarity inside the business, and get everybody rowing in the same direction so that your team maximizes their performance and output in the overall 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. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife.Josh Hadley 00:00:56 I've been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in revenue annually. And I'm selling multi-millionaires in three different sales channels Shopify, TikTok shop and Amazon. And I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs. And that's E-com breakthrough. So let's face it, your team is busy, they're scattered, and they're unclear with the direction that the business is heading and specifically the role that they play inside the overall direction that your business is heading. They don't need additional meetings. What they do need from you is they need you to actually lead. So today, that's exactly what we're going to be diving into. And I'm going to share with you the number one habit that you need to adopt every week as the CEO. And that is the weekly CEO newsletter. Let's talk a little bit more about this. This is a 15 minute habit that you can do at the very beginning of every single week. So this is something that I've implemented in my own business every single Monday.Josh Hadley 00:01:50 It's a 15 minute habit that keeps your team aligned, focused and connected and moving in the same direction, making sure that we are all building to achieve that overall mission and vision that you have established for the business. So let's talk about what the problem actually is. The problem isn't necessarily just like a lack of communication, because hopefully you already have existing meetings and you've been communicating with these team members. But what's happening is your team feels scattered. They're quiet. Maybe they're a little reactive. You wish they would be more proactive in solving problems in the business. They feel a little disconnected from the overall mission. Or maybe they even question like, why are we in business? Maybe they just feel like they're just there to collect a paycheck for you, and they're not really tied into the overall purpose and mission that your company is servi...
Transcribe →Throwback: Unlocking the Secrets of Global Sourcing - From Negotiating to Warehousing
2w ago00:15:10Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Josh interviews Nathan Resnick, founder of Y-Combinator a sourcing platform. Nathan shares expert advice on negotiating with manufacturers, building strong supplier relationships, and managing payment terms. He discusses the importance of understanding your value to factories, balancing primary and backup suppliers, and regularly re-evaluating product costs. Nathan also offers practical tips on warehousing outside the U.S. to save on tariffs and improve cash flow. The episode wraps up with actionable takeaways for business owners looking to optimize their supply chain and sourcing strategies.Chapters:Introduction to Nathan Resnick and Sourcing (00:00:00)Josh introduces Nathan Resnick, his background, and the Sourcing platform’s mission and achievements.Negotiation Tactics and Understanding Factory Value (00:01:00)Nathan explains how to assess your business’s value to a factory and leverage it for better payment terms.Factory Cash Flow and Forecasting (00:02:01)Discussion on factory cash flow challenges, importance of forecasting, and mutual understanding in negotiations.Choosing the Right Factory and Negotiation Leverage (00:02:58)Advice on evaluating if you’re the right customer for a factory and when to consider switching.How to Find Out Your Importance to a Factory (00:03:55)Nathan shares practical ways to determine your share of a factory’s business and the value of building relationships.Building Relationships and Guanxi (00:05:27)The importance of personal, transparent relationships with manufacturers, especially in Chinese business culture.Balancing Primary and Backup Suppliers (00:06:19)Strategies for maintaining a primary manufacturer while having backup options and when switching is worthwhile.Re-evaluating Product Costs and Sourcing Quotes (00:08:31)How to revisit product pricing, get competitive quotes, and the realities of sourcing platforms like Alibaba.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:10:42)Josh summarizes key takeaways: building relationships, revisiting unit costs, and warehousing outside the US.Warehousing and Tariff Strategies (00:13:43)Advice on warehousing in Mexico to save on tariffs and improve cash flow, including 3PL recommendations.Closing and Contact Information (00:14:30)Nathan shares how listeners can connect with him and learn more about Sourcing.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites "Sourcify": "00:08:47" "Alibaba": "00:10:23" "Global Sources": "00:10:23" Key Concepts "Guanxi": "00:05:35" Actionable Takeaways "Build a Relationship with Your Manufacturer": "00:11:29" "Revisit Product Unit Costs Regularly": "00:12:33" "Start Warehousing Products Outside the U.S.": "00:13:43" Contact Information "Nathan Resnick" on LinkedIn: "00:14:44"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00 Today I am super excited to introduce you all to Nathan Resnick. Nathan is the founder of Sourcify, the fastest growing sourcing platform backed by Y Combinator that helps hundreds of companies manufacture products around the world. In the past, Nathan has brought dozens of products to market, ran three e-commerce companies. He's even sold one of them and has been part of projects on Kickstarter, raising over seven figures. He writes for media outlets like entrepreneur, The Next Web Business. Com, and can frequently be seen on CNBC. Nathan also used to live in China and he speaks Mandarin fluently. So with that introduction, welcome to the show, Nathan.Nathan 00:00:41 Josh, thanks so much for having me on.Josh 00:00:43 I'm sure with your experience you have probably some good negotiation tactics. you've probably have a few case studies of people that you've helped, navigate getting better payment terms with their manufacturer. So would you mind just kind of diving in and sharing more there?Nathan 00:01:00 Yeah, totally. I mean, I think first off, you got to understand how valuable your business is to your factory.Nathan 00:01:06 Right. So I would do that by really trying to understand, you know, you make up most of their production output, you know, of all the factories, production volume that you work with, what percentage are you? Is it 30%, 10%, 50%, 80%. You know what? What is it? And then you kind of understand where you're at from a negotiation position, right? Because if you're a brand that makes up the majority of a factory's output, obviously you have a much stronger lever to pull if you're a kind of minority customer for them or a smaller customer for them, then, you know, maybe that's not even the right factory for you to be working with because you don't have a strong lever to pull. So I think, you know, number one, you've got to see eye to eye to eye with them in terms of forecasting and helping them better understand. Well, hey, you know, this year, this is how many units I'm planning to produce. And I think there's a big disconnect between supply chain teams and factories when it comes to forecasting, because a lot of supply chain team members don't understand.Nathan 00:02:01 There are a lot of brand owners don't understand. You know, that factory has to go purchase raw materials to produce your products as well, so they have their own cash flow challenges when it comes to, you know, making sure they have enough factory workers to produce your product, making sure they have the raw materials to produce your product, and then they aren't getting paid, you know, for 30 or 60 days to produce your product if you're negotiating your terms. Well. And so you've got to understand it from their standpoint as well of, you know, hey, how is this going to help their factory grow? Because it can also put them in a cash flow position, which is challenging. And so that's something you need to be aware of when you go into your negotiations. So I think number one, I would just make sure you're seeing eye to eye with that factory that you're working with to understand, you know, how big of a customer am I for them? You know, what does their cash flow look like? And have I done a good job making sure they understand my forecast? And that's when I would go into the negotiation of saying, hey, you know, we're trying to grow and to grow.Nathan 00:02:58 We need more, you know, cash flow to scale up our ads, to get more customers right. And so that's how I would approach it. I think if you're a brand that is, you know, a smaller customer like sub 10% of a factory's output, it's going to be really hard for you to negotiate that. And honestly, in that position, I might actually, you know, kind of take my option to of, you know, trying to ask yourself, am I the best customer for this factory? And can I find a factory where I'm, you know, a much larger customer that I can grow with more? so that's that's another kind of question that I would ask of, trying to understand, like if you already know your small customer for this factory, are they even the right factory for you? and then, you know, it's just.Josh 00:03:41 Real quick, before you continue on that, my question would be on that. How do you have that conversation to say, hey, by the way, how much of your business do I make up, right? Like, that could be an awkward conversat...
Transcribe →AI Is Replacing Your Product Research… Here’s What Smart Brands Are Doing Instead
3w ago00:47:37Tap to summarizeJoining us today is Sean Travis. Sean is a 14-year veteran of the LA County Fire Department turned eCommerce entrepreneur and founder of Ecom for Heroes, a coaching and training company that helps ambitious entrepreneurs, many of them first responders, build profitable eCommerce brands. His programs have helped graduates average $131K in revenue within 18 months. Sean is also the creator of Kaldon, an AI-powered eCommerce platform that takes someone from product idea to fully launched, branded, marketing-ready business in days instead of months. He lives in Southern California with his wife Lindsey, brand new son Jett, and their dog Nala.Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Challenges of scaling seven-figure e-commerce brandsImportance of differentiation and unique value propositions in the marketLeveraging AI to manage complexity and accelerate growthThe "10-80-10 rule" for product development and executionEvaluating when to persist with a project or pivotProduct discovery process and its three modesUtilizing AI for comprehensive marketplace analysis and product viabilityStrategies for expanding existing brands and launching complementary productsEducating the market for unique or nascent productsFinancial and operational metrics for informed decision-making in e-commerceIn this episode of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," host Josh Hadley interviews Sean Travis, a former LA County firefighter turned e-commerce entrepreneur and founder of Ecom for Heroes. Sean discusses his journey, the challenges of scaling seven-figure brands, and the importance of differentiation in today’s market. He introduces "Kaldon," his AI-powered platform that streamlines product development, branding, and marketing. The episode features a walkthrough of Kaldon’s capabilities, practical strategies for leveraging AI, and actionable advice for entrepreneurs aiming to build profitable, scalable e-commerce businesses efficiently and effectively.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Apply the 10-80-10 Rule Own the first 10% (idea) and final 10% (strategy/polish), and delegate or automate the middle 80% using your team or AI. This is how you scale without burning out.Prioritize Revenue-Generating Activities Focus only on work that drives growth—new products, new markets, new channels. Avoid getting distracted by “shiny” AI tools unless they directly increase revenue.Audit Your Time Ruthlessly Track where your time goes. If you’re stuck in low-value tasks or optimization work, you’ll stay stuck. Shift your time toward high-impact activities that push you past the $1M–$5M “swamp.”Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Hello Frank": "00:11:15""Jungle Scout": "00:21:39""Helium 10": "00:21:39""Data Dive": "00:21:39""SEMrush": "00:21:39""ChatGPT": "00:22:29""Alibaba": "00:35:52""Nano Banana 2": "00:38:45""Veo 3": "00:39:31""Freepik": "00:45:15""Higgsfield AI": "00:45:15""Claude AI": "00:45:15""Perplexity AI": "00:45:15"Books"The E-Myth by Michael Gerber": "00:01:04""Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell": "00:45:01"People"Steve Jobs": "00:04:45""Dan Martell": "00:09:36""Ezra Firestone": "00:01:04""Kevin King": "00:01:04"Videos"Steve Jobs Movie (with Ashton Kutcher)": "00:06:16"Concepts and Frameworks"108010 Rule": "00:04:45""AI Chatbots": "00:12:06""Customer Avatar": "00:27:23""Pain Points": "00:27:23""Blue Ocean Strategy": "00:32:31"Product Ideas"Shift Force": "00:20:44""Wooden Cocktail Smoker": "00:24:04"Analysis and Reports"Product Viability Score": "00:35:08""Market Opportunity Summary": "00:35:08""Competitive Landscape": "00:35:08"Contact Information"Sean (Email: sean@ecomforheroes.com)": "00:46:00""Ecom for Heroes": "00:46:00"Episode SponsorThis 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 josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost!Transcript Area:Sean Travis 00:00:00 But if you want to do this grassroots or you want to do this with actual skill, because any fool can sell something for less. You need to be creative. And that's where 1080 ten rule AI is coming in hard. Helping with that. So like I said, billions of data points. I can't analyze that. So that's what we're super excited about is getting that piece of success.MC 00:00:25 Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've alr...
Transcribe →You’re Selling Millions in Revenue Online… So Why Are You Still Broke?
3w ago00:21:48Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley explains why distributable cash is the most critical metric for e-commerce business health. He clarifies the difference between net income and distributable cash, warning against reinvesting all profits and leaving yourself financially vulnerable. Josh recommends distributing roughly one-third of net income while retaining working capital for growth. He also shares his personal wealth-building framework, allocating distributable cash across life insurance, S&P 500 index funds, turnkey real estate, and speculative assets, helping entrepreneurs build lasting personal wealth independent of their business's uncertain future.Links and Mentions:E-commerce Platforms "Shopify": "00:00:00" "Amazon": "00:00:00" "TikTok Shop": "00:00:00" Financial Concepts "Distributable Cash": "00:01:02" "Net Income": "00:01:02" "Cash Conversion Cycle": "00:02:09" Investment Recommendations "Life Insurance": "00:13:29" "S&P 500 VOO Index Fund": "00:15:24" "Roth IRA": "00:16:18" "REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts)": "00:18:14" Books and Videos "Podcast Episode with Mike Olson": "00:14:31" "Podcast Interview with Dew Wealth": "00:17:18" Additional Notes "Speculative Investments": "00:19:55" "Oil Investment Opportunities": "00:20:39"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Host BackgroundJosh introduces himself, his e-commerce experience, and the purpose of the E-com Breakthrough Podcast.00:01:02 The #1 Business Metric: Distributable CashExplains distributable cash, how it differs from net income, and why it's crucial for business health.00:02:09 Importance of Working Capital vs. Owner DistributionsDiscusses the need to balance reinvesting in the business with distributing profits to owners.00:03:17 When to Reinvest vs. Distribute CashDescribes scenarios for high reinvestment and sets a 33% distributable cash target for most businesses.00:04:31 Why Distributable Cash Matters for EntrepreneursExplains the risks of relying on a future exit and the benefits of building wealth through regular distributions.00:05:30 Risks of Operating in Others’ SandboxesHighlights the vulnerability of e-commerce businesses to platform changes and the importance of diversifying wealth.00:07:23 Psychological Benefits of Distributable CashDescribes how having cash outside the business reduces stress and enables better decision-making.00:08:51 Common Mistake: Confusing Net Income with Distributable CashShares a cautionary story about an entrepreneur who misused net income, leading to debt and financial trouble.00:10:36 Key Lessons: Annual Distributions & Retaining Working CapitalEmphasizes the importance of annual cash distributions and not treating all net income as distributable.00:11:29 What To Do With Distributable Cash: Josh’s FrameworkIntroduces Josh’s personal strategy for allocating distributable cash to build long-term wealth.00:13:29 Bucket 1: Life InsuranceExplains using life insurance for creditor protection, steady growth, and as a financial safety net.00:15:24 Bucket 2: S&P 500 Index Funds & Retirement AccountsAdvocates for steady, long-term growth via index funds and maximizing tax-advantaged retirement accounts.00:17:18 Bucket 3: Real EstateRecommends turnkey single-family homes over short-term rentals to avoid creating another business.00:19:55 Bucket 4: Speculative InvestmentsAllocates a small portion to speculative assets like crypto or individual stocks for potential upside.00:20:39 Bonus: Oil Investment OpportunitiesMentions investing as a limited partner in oil drilling for tax benefits and passive income.00:21:32 Conclusion & Call to ActionEncourages listeners to share the episode, leave reviews, and spread the word.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00 Do you want to know whether your business is healthy or not? Whether you're going to be succeeding over the next five years or whether you're going to be struggling? Today? I'm going to be sharing with you the number one business metric that tells you the exact health of your business and whether you're about to continue to grow or decline. 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 first and foremost. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. I'm a man of faith. I am a father of four and a husband to a beautiful wife. I've been in the e-commerce space for over ten years, and I'm doing over $20 million and doing multi millions on Shopify, TikTok shop and Amazon as well. And also the host of the Ecom Breakthrough podcast, which is the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce.Josh Hadley 00:01:02 Let's talk about what the number one business metric is that allows you to know whether your business is healthy and that is distributable cash. Let's talk about what distributable cash is because it's actually different from net income. Net income is what is left over after you have, you know, basically run the business over the course of the month or over the year, right. So you're going to take out your cost of goods. You're going to take out fulfillment costs. You're going to take out advertising, your overhead expenses, salaries, etc.. What's left over is your net income. Here's where a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners go wrong. They mistakenly think that, oh, I netted whatever that net income amount is. And then they think that's my personal money. That's all distributable cash. And the reason why this is so important to delineate between distributable cash and actual net income is for the following reason. Your business needs working capital in order to grow. And so working capital is what allows you to go hire that next person, or to go invest into a new product that you have never released, or to reorder additional products that are already selling well, that are maybe growing quickly.Josh Hadley 00:02:09 And so it's important that you do not a starve the business for the working capital that it needs, but be it is also very important that you are actually able to distribute a profit or distributable cash to the owner of the business. And here's why I argue that this distributable cash is the number one metric for a healthy business. If you have to take, let's say it's it's 90% of your net income and reinvest it into the business just to keep it afloat. It means a you probably have a really bad cash conversion cycle, which if you want to learn a little bit more about that, go check out some of my other podcast episodes where I do talk about the cash conversion cycle and how to optimize it so that you have a very healthy cash conversion cycle, even a negative cash conversion cycle where you get paid even before you've had to outlay any money for generating that revenue or that cell. It is possible, even inside a...
Transcribe →Throwback: The Art of Incremental Hiring - Building Your Dream Team Without the Headaches
3w ago00:17:09Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Josh interviews Yoni Kozminski, co-founder of South Col, Escala and Multiply Mii, about building scalable businesses to increase valuation multiples at exit. Yoni shares strategies for developing strong operating systems, clear organizational structures, and empowering leadership teams. They discuss the org chart of a $20 million e-commerce business, incremental team building, and the importance of structured meetings like EOS Level 10. Yoni also highlights the role of project management tools such as ClickUp for SOPs and workflow management, offering actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to scale and maximize business value.Chapters:The Value of Operating Systems and Organizational Structure (00:00:00)Yoni explains why strong systems and structure increase business value and exit multiples.Building Leverage and Empowering Leadership (00:00:36)Discussion on creating leverage by empowering teams and implementing clear systems for business growth.Incremental Team Building and Org Chart Planning (00:02:23)Advice on hiring incrementally based on KPIs and performance, with an example org chart for a growing business.Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Hiring Approaches (00:04:24)Comparison of hiring strategies and the importance of hiring subject matter experts to build out teams.Org Chart Walkthrough: Roles and Reporting Lines (00:05:28)Detailed breakdown of a $20M e-commerce business org chart, including management structure and reporting lines.Creative and Siloed Team Structures (00:06:36)How to structure creative teams for efficiency, and the pros and cons of siloed versus shared resources.Management Cadence and Preventing Silos (00:07:46)Importance of management reporting cadence and strategies to avoid siloed functions within teams.Level 10 Meetings and EOS Traction (00:08:47)Introduction to the Level 10 meeting from EOS, its value for alignment, and how it supports scaling.Operations, Launch, Brand Management, and Supply Chain (00:10:59)Breakdown of operations function, including launch, brand management, supply chain, and their respective team structures.Shopify/DTC vs. Amazon Team Distinctions (00:13:17)Explanation of separate teams for Shopify/DTC and Amazon, and the use of external resources for specialized tasks.HR and Admin Functions in Scaling (00:14:26)The growing importance of HR and admin roles as the business scales.Technology for Scalability: Project Management Tools (00:15:18)Emphasis on the critical role of project management tools like ClickUp for SOPs, training, and workflow management.Less is More: Focusing on Essential Tech (00:16:46)Advice to focus on essential technology that moves the needle, rather than adopting every available tool.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"YouTube": "00:03:32""EOS Traction": "00:08:47""ClickUp": "00:15:41"Concepts"Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)": "00:01:08""The 80/20 Principle (Pareto Principle)": "00:02:09""Level 10 Meeting": "00:09:08"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00 Today I am super excited to introduce you all to Yoni Kozminski. Yoni is the co-founder of South Col, Escala and Multiply Mii. Yoni, you talked about seeing an opportunity to, increase the multiple when it comes time for exit because of the processes and team that you've built into a business. So why is it so important to focus on the operating system and organizational structure of a business in order to increase? And how does that increase the multiple that you will get? Yeah. Great question.Yoni 00:00:36 Josh. So the way I would approach this, the way that I look at it, taking a step back before we get into the nitty gritty details here, is that what any potential acquirer is looking for or what all of us really are looking for in life, when when you really strip it back is more time, more money and more freedom. And if you can build leverage where you are not a critical part in the delivery and execution of what is happening inside of your business, and then that is a high value form of leverage.Yoni 00:01:08 And so when you sort of bring that back into what SOPs, standard operating procedures, and I would say like more importantly, systems are inside of the business. If you can effectively achieve that in in a meaningful way, then ultimately, you know, I would say like, I'm not the poster child, but but I'm a I'm a product of what I preach in that I'm able to, you know, be involved in three businesses that are each growing at different rates with very different business models attached to them. And that's because we have really empowered the leadership team. We have real clear systems. And so coming back to it for an e-commerce business, the only way for you to grow is to get out of your own way. And so the reality is building systems, building processes, and empowering people to make the decisions. Most of the decisions. You know the predator principle. 80-20. And getting you out of your own way becomes fundamental in your ability to grow your business.Josh 00:02:09 Here's what some different businesses in their organizational or their yeah, their or charts kind of look like for the audience just to spark some ideas.Josh 00:02:18 And as they start to plan out, hey, how do I build up my team and and really scale?Yoni 00:02:23 Yeah, absolutely. Well, actually, before we even dive into that and I'll share as much as I can, you know, there's only a certain number of slides, decks that I have where we've wiped out, like any client references and, and things like that. So I'll share gladly what I can. But you brought up a really important point, Josh, and I think this is where people get things are often really wrong, and I'm guilty of it myself. probably more times than I would care to admit. But you don't want to hire everyone at once, and you want to build incrementally based on the performance and the KPIs. And, you know, you really you keep that up perfectly, because what we're looking at right now on the screen is an org chart back in 2020 of a business that was looking to grow over the course of 2021 into a whole number of proposed roles here.Yoni 00:03:16 So on the screen you can see existing roles, outsource roles, proposed roles and shared existing resources. So geez, I mean, I'd have to like sit here and list out every single person. I would just say, check out the YouTube and you can actually see.Josh 00:03:32 Let's yeah, let's go through just yeah, high level. I mean, even just talking through the org chart, I think that the listeners would find this very, very valuable because again, that was the number one question at Camp Comm is what is your team look like? What is your team look like? so let's let's dive in and spend the time here. Yoni.Yoni 00:03:51 Okay. I'm happy to do that. What I'll also say, and, you know, putting my multiply me hiring hat on, I turn so many people away from working with us as a business. And, you know, while that's not great for our business revenue and profitability growth, I think it's a smart move because if you haven't done this before, if you don't have the right experience, exposure, mentors the right people around you that you can turn to, you're likely going to get it wrong.Yoni 00:04:24 So if you're building out a function or a team for the first time and you don't hire, you know, I like to hire a top down, whereby I'm loo...
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