Lee Assoulin is the Founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency that partners with premium brands to scale profitably on the world's largest marketplace. With over 12 years of Amazon expertise, Lee has guided venture-backed startups, heritage brands, and category leaders through the complexities of the platform, combining strategic depth with operational rigor. He's currently managing over $220M in annual revenue while building AI-powered infrastructure to redefine how agencies operate. His mission is to prove that premium brands can win on Amazon without compromising on quality or brand equity with an agency they can trust.

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> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….

Integration of AI in e-commerce, particularly for Amazon sellers and brand management agencies.
Challenges and considerations in adopting AI technologies for business operations.
Importance of having solid standard operating procedures (SOPs) before automating processes with AI.
The distinction between smaller sellers as early adopters of AI and larger sellers focusing on core business functions.
The risks of "shiny object syndrome" and the need for a strategic framework when implementing AI tools.
The necessity of human oversight in automated processes, especially in nuanced areas like PPC advertising.
The role of data-driven frameworks in managing AI outputs and decision-making.
Strategies for empowering teams to adopt AI tools effectively and fostering an "AI native" culture.
The significance of maintaining brand authenticity and uniqueness in AI-generated content.
Recommendations for newcomers on starting with foundational AI tools and focusing on high-impact tasks.

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Lee Assoulin, founder and CEO of Stonecutter, a boutique Amazon brand management agency. Drawing on 12+ years of experience, Lee discusses how AI is reshaping Amazon brand management. Key topics include avoiding "shiny object syndrome," building solid SOPs before automating, keeping humans in the loop for critical decisions, and developing an "AI native" team culture. Lee also shares practical advice on recording team calls, refining documentation with AI, and empowering team members who genuinely embrace AI tools to drive sustainable business growth.

Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:

Fix your SOPs before adding AI
Document and refine your workflows first—AI should optimize proven systems, not automate messy processes.
Use AI for execution, not strategy
Automate repetitive tasks (PPC tweaks, reporting, emails), but keep humans in charge of high-impact decisions like pricing, positioning, and scaling.
Adopt AI with a clear ROI filter
Don’t chase tools—only implement AI if it solves a real bottleneck and delivers measurable time or profit gains.

Timestamps:

00:00:23 Introduction to AI in E-commerce
The host introduces the topic of AI for top Amazon sellers and teases the actionable advice from the guest.

00:01:01 Guest Introduction: Lee Assoulin
Host Josh Hadley introduces Lee Assoulin, founder of Stonecutter, highlighting his extensive experience managing major Amazon brands.

00:02:46 The Current State of AI in E-commerce
Lee discusses how AI is being adopted differently by large, established sellers versus smaller, scrappier ones in the mature Amazon marketplace.

00:04:31 AI and "Shiny Object Syndrome"
The discussion turns to the risk of entrepreneurs getting distracted by new AI tools instead of focusing on core business needs.

00:05:57 The "Aladdin's Cave" Analogy for AI
Lee uses an analogy to explain the danger of chasing countless small AI tools without a solid, overarching framework.

00:08:33 SOPs: The Foundation for AI
The importance of having proven, repeatable processes (SOPs) in place before attempting to automate them with AI is discussed.

00:10:00 The Right Approach to AI Automation
Lee explains that the best automation strategy depends on scale; larger brands require a more cautious, human-in-the-loop approach.

00:12:15 Can One Person Build a $100M Brand?
A discussion on the future of business structures, predicting small, highly-skilled teams enabled by AI will become the norm.

00:14:55 The Risk of AI Homogenization
If everyone uses the same AI strategies, there is no competitive edge. The human element provides the necessary differentiation.

00:16:27 Practical AI Use Cases for Beginners
Lee suggests starting by using AI to analyze content and rewrite copy based on frameworks like Amazon's COSMO paper.

00:19:24 The Dangers of Lazy AI Implementation
Warning against the pitfalls of lazy AI use, such as generic auto-generated emails that can damage brand perception.

00:22:23 Automating Your Executive Assistant
Lee shares a practical example of creating a virtual EA to manage his calendar, pre-meeting briefs, and task reminders.

00:24:10 Building a Company "Brain"
A complex use case is detailed: creating a central database that ingests all company communications for deep contextual analysis.

00:27:11 The Power of Personal Context for AI
The idea of feeding personal journals and thoughts into an AI to give it deeper context for decision-making.

00:29:47 How Top Brands Automate Operations
Lee shares a real-world example of automating Buy Box monitoring, where an AI agent detects losses and notifies the team.

00:32:14 Staying Compliant with Amazon's AI Rules
How to automate safely by using third-party APIs and keeping a human in the loop for actions inside Seller Central.

00:33:55 The Cost-Benefit Analysis of AI vs. Humans
A discussion on whether AI is always cheaper, concluding that building custom AI solutions can be a waste of time.

00:36:01 The Trap of "Sexy Dashboards"
Building custom dashboards is often a distraction; focus on the underlying data and analysis, which is what AI actually needs.

00:39:09 How to Onboard Your Team to AI
Lee shares his strategy of offering to pay for AI tools and courses for any team member who shows interest.

00:41:55 Three Actionable Takeaways
The host summarizes the episode's key takeaways: document skills, record everything, and enable your team to adopt AI.

00:45:26 Most Influential Book
Lee recommends "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer for its profound impact on his mindset and way of thinking.

00:45:59 Favorite AI Tool
Lee names Claude as his primary tool but highlights WhisperFlow for voice dictation as a game-changer for productivity.

00:47:01 Admired Person in E-commerce
Lee recommends following Sean Gill of Triquetra for his methodical, framework-first approach to building a successful brand.

00:48:32 How to Connect with Lee
Lee provides his email address and social media handles for listeners who want to connect with him after the show.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Josh Hadley on LinkedIn
eComm Breakthrough Consulting
eComm Breakthrough Podcast
Email Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.com

Tools and Websites
"Claude": "00:08:38"
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