Podcast Summary: The Entrepreneur DNA

Episode: Why Short-Term Sales Are Killing Ecommerce Brands | Chris Brewer
Host: Justin Colby (Bleav)
Guest: Chris Brewer (Co-Founder, OMG Commerce)
Date: February 2, 2026

Overview

This episode delves into the dangers of short-term sales tactics for eCommerce brands, the pitfalls of purely transactional business models (e.g., TikTok Shop and Amazon), and the critical need for brand-building and retention strategies. Justin and Chris get personal about agency life, business fundamentals, and entrepreneurial perseverance—with actionable advice for both new founders and seasoned operators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chris Brewer’s Path to Thought Leadership

• Speaking at Industry Giants
  • Chris credits some agency success to his business partner, Brett Curry, especially their early adoption of YouTube for brands (02:21).
  • OMG Commerce became a Google Premier Partner, placing them in the top 1–2% of agencies worldwide.
  • Invited to speak at Google (5x) and Microsoft about eCommerce marketing innovation (03:15).
• Navigating Industry Changes
  • Reminisces about their first Google talk in Feb 2020, which was immediately followed by COVID lockdowns, “Of course, everybody knows the weekend after we presented... Covid hit. Amen.” (03:16).

2. The Risks of Purely Transactional eCommerce (TikTok Shop, Amazon, etc.)

• The “Dopamine Scroll” & Forgettable Purchases
  • Chris explains how sales from TikTok can be high but lack brand retention:
    “I've bought stuff on TikTok before… then like two weeks later something shows up and I'm like, what is this? I didn't even remember ordering it... because I went into my next scroll after I checked out.” (06:03)
  • Transactional sales (those without brand interaction) create zero long-term value.
• Short-Term Gold Rush vs. Building a Brand
  • Justin: “That's what I just wrote down, this cash grab… when the gold rush is over, where are you going to be?” (08:43)
  • Chris distinguishes between a business based on short-term transactions and one focused on retention, loyalty, and genuine brand building (08:50).

3. The Importance of Retention, Brand Building, and Knowing Your Market

• Agency’s Role: Nuance & Strategy
  • Don’t chase every shiny object or new channel. Instead, ask, “Who is our market?... How is this impacting our overall brand search?” (06:41)
• Transactional Platforms & Customer Ownership
  • On Amazon, brands often lose access to customer data:
    “If you're on Amazon, you don't own your customer base… you’re just relying on Amazon's machine…” (09:09)
  • On Google, visitors are more discovery-oriented, so brands need incentives to opt-in and build relationships.
  • The ecosystem is evolving (buy-with-Prime on Shopify), which requires constant adaptation (10:15).
• Creating “Brands Within Brands”
  • Example: A supplement with a product name that’s more recognized than the company itself; sometimes you need to build both product-level and company-level brand equity (11:20).

4. Working With Agencies: Vetting, Expectations, and Partnership

• Agency Fit, Vetting, and Avoiding Bad Experiences
  • Many small brands complain about agencies without due diligence. Chris:
    “How much did you vet that agency?... Did you ask them to talk to two current clients? Did you ask them to talk to a fired client?” (12:57)
  • Vet agencies like you’d vet important hires; 80% aren't strong, but those who are, make an impact.
• Internal Teams vs. Agency Partners
  • Sometimes brands use agencies to coach or supplement internal staff, while others outsource completely.
  • Agency relationships should resemble internal team relationships: “Treat them like you treat your in house team.” (21:24)
• Communication & Transparency
  • Brands often hold internal teams to a different standard than agencies, firing agencies over one error but keeping underperforming staff (23:35).
  • Openly communicate business context with agencies (warehouse investments, cash flow, etc.) for partnership and stability (24:31).

5. Who Should Work With OMG Commerce?

• Ideal Client Profile
  • Brands with high 7-figure to 9-figure revenues, often with internal teams needing to reach new heights (“what got you here won't get you there”) (27:35).
  • Prefer clients seeking omnichannel growth beyond just one platform.
  • Experience in beauty, personal care, pets, supplements, and select B2B verticals.
• Expanding Beyond eCommerce
  • Chris now runs “Brewer Group” (with his 83-year-old father!) for executive coaching and organizational consulting—even helping a petroleum engineering firm (31:00).
  • Principles of leadership, process, and people apply to any business, not just eCommerce.

6. The Execution Gap: Taking Action & Entrepreneurial Consistency

• Why Most People Don’t Follow Through
  • Chris shares how, despite giving direct access and advice, only a handful of people ever take action (35:20).
  • Cites his experience with Russell Brunson’s “.com Secrets Local” and how few participants actually executed (36:16).
• Encouragement: Perseverance
  • Justin: “If you have the 10-year span to become Mr. Beast... the 40-year span to become Tony Robbins… Who has what it actually takes to keep going?” (39:17)
  • Chris: “The bigger you are, the bigger the problems.” (39:56)
• Legacy & Mindset
  • Chris recalls his father exposing him to classic self-help visionaries (Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar), citing:
    “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” (40:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brand vs. Transactional Sales:
  “That’s really what it comes down to: transactional versus retention and loyalty… there’s nothing wrong with having a large Amazon business and not owning your customer base, as long as you’re okay with that potentially ending.” – Chris Brewer (08:50)
• On Agency Vetting:
  “If you’re not vetting out the people you hire, you’re going to be going through the washing machine of the 80% of agencies that… suck.” – Chris Brewer (13:12)
• On the Importance of Repetition in Learning:
  “If you are really wanting to learn, be sure to include repetition into your daily schedule... listen to it until you hear yourself saying those same words over calls… that’s the biggest advice I can give, especially young entrepreneurs.” – Chris Brewer (42:54)
• Entrepreneurial Advice:
  “We just want you to get in the game and last long enough to try to win the game.” – Justin Colby (42:04)
• Classic Quote:
  “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
  – Chris Brewer (recalling advice from Napoleon Hill, 40:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:21–04:21]: Chris’s agency journey and speaking at Google
• [04:21–06:41]: Rise of TikTok Shop & the “dopamine scroll” problem
• [07:39–10:15]: The short-term gold rush vs. branding, TikTok vs. Amazon vs. owning the customer
• [12:46–15:41]: Agencies vs. internal teams, the importance of vetting and proper fit
• [21:24–24:31]: Treating agencies like team members; communication and expectations
• [27:35–31:00]: Ideal clients for OMG Commerce, expansion into executive coaching
• [35:20–38:41]: Why people don’t take action, encouragement for perseverance
• [40:35–42:23]: Lessons from Chris’s father, entrepreneurial mindset and legacy
• [42:54–43:50]: Final tips for learning—repetition

Closing Thoughts

Chris Brewer offers two decades of insight on the need to move beyond transaction-driven thinking in eCommerce. Both he and Justin encourage listeners to play the long game, invest in real brand building, properly vet their partners, take persistent action, and keep leveling up as entrepreneurs. The episode is packed with honest talk, war stories, and practical advice to help brands survive market shifts and achieve lasting growth.

Connect with Chris:

• Search “Mo Marketer” or “MO Marketer” on major platforms (25:20)
• OMG Commerce (primary agency for high-growth eCommerce brands)
• Brewer Group (for executive coaching and consulting)

Final advice:

“If you really want to learn, include repetition into your daily schedule.”
— Chris Brewer (42:54)