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From 15 epsHost
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Recent episodes
He Sold to Thrasio… Then Bought His Business Back After They Wrecked It
May 25, 2026
46m 39s
How to Use AI to Clone Yourself in Your Business
May 21, 2026
26m 07s
Throwback: Heat Maps and Golden Hours - Revolutionizing Your Amazon Advertising Game
May 20, 2026
16m 56s
How to Rank in Amazon’s AI Search (Rufus) Before Your Competitors Do
May 18, 2026
55m 13s
The 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Framework I Use to Ramp Up New Hires Fast
May 14, 2026
43m 29s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/25/26 | ![]() He Sold to Thrasio… Then Bought His Business Back After They Wrecked It | In today’s episode, we’ll dive into a fascinating twist on the e-commerce journey — what happens when you buy back the very brand you once sold. Ben will share the lessons, emotions, and strategic insights behind exiting — and then re-entering — your own business. Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Ben Leonard's entrepreneurial journey with Beast Gear, from initial investment to seven-figure exit.Challenges faced after selling Beast Gear to Thrasio, including mismanagement and loss of brand identity.Importance of effective inventory management and the consequences of overleveraging.The significance of building a genuine consumer brand beyond basic Amazon tactics.The role of intellectual property protection and the impact of neglecting it.Insights on the operational difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on e-commerce.Strategies for diversifying sales channels and avoiding dependency on a single platform.The importance of quality in products and overall business operations.Marketing strategies for brand awareness, including the use of influencers and social media.Lessons learned from reacquiring and reviving a brand in a competitive market.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with entrepreneur Ben Leonard, who built Beast Gear into a seven-figure brand before selling it to aggregator Thrasio. Then buying it back after mismanagement caused revenue to collapse. Ben reveals how Thrasio abandoned the brand-building strategies that drove Beast Gear's success, mishandled inventory, and neglected intellectual property protection. He shares lessons on diversifying beyond Amazon, maintaining product quality, and building genuine customer communities. Ben also discusses his new dad-focused baby carrier brand, Tuco, and offers actionable advice on scaling e-commerce businesses sustainably.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Build a brand, not just an Amazon listing Engage customers off-Amazon (TikTok, email, events) and create a loyal community—not just traffic.Treat inventory like risk, not just growth Forecast per SKU, avoid over-ordering, and ensure sell-through within ~6 months to prevent cash flow disasters.Diversify early and protect your moat Expand beyond Amazon (Shopify + social channels) and actively enforce IP to protect your brand from copycats.Timestamps:00:00:34 Introduction to the EpisodeThe host introduces the guest, Ben Leonard, and the topic: buying back his brand after selling it to an aggregator.00:02:14 The Brand's Decline Under New OwnershipBen confirms his brand crashed after he sold it to the aggregator Thrasio due to mismanagement and operational failures.00:05:41 The "Magic" Thrasio IgnoredBen explains his original success came from building a true brand with customer relationships, which the new owners dismantled.00:09:27 The Financial FalloutBen reveals the brand's revenue plummeted from $6 million to about half a million dollars under Thrasio's ownership.00:13:13 Three Key Mistakes by the AggregatorThe host summarizes Thrasio's critical errors: inventory mismanagement, ignoring off-Amazon branding, and failing to protect intellectual property.00:19:51 Why You Must Diversify Beyond AmazonBen stresses the need for Amazon sellers to act like real brands and diversify channels to build a sustainable business.00:22:23 The Revival Playbook for Beast GearBen outlines his bootstrapped strategy to revive the brand, focusing on TikTok Shop and rebuilding community goodwill on a budget.00:27:08 Launching a New Brand: TucoThe conversation shifts to Ben's new venture, Tuco, a baby carrier startup designed specifically for dads.00:32:22 When to Implement Brand Awareness StrategiesBen and Josh discuss when a brand should start investing in top-of-funnel marketing and diversifying beyond its primary channel.00:37:40 Three Actionable Takeaways for Brand OwnersThe host summarizes key lessons: diversify with solid processes, avoid inventory leverage, and work with creators for brand awareness.00:42:13 Ben's Final Three QuestionsBen shares his most influential book (The E-Myth), favorite AI tool (Claude), and an e-commerce professional to follow.00:45:51 How to Connect with BenBen shares the best places for listeners to find him online, primarily LinkedIn and his personal email address.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Shopify": "00:03:03""Amazon": "00:03:03""TikTok": "00:09:54""YouTube": "00:19:51""TikTok Shop": "00:23:10""Meta Ads": "00:24:07""WordPress": "00:35:58""Email Marketing": "00:36:33""Claude (AI Tool)": "00:43:03""LinkedIn": "00:45:09""Ecomm Breakthrough Website": "00:46:24"Books"Quit Stalling and Build Your Own Brand by Ben Leonard": "00:01:01""Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller": "00:21:31""The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber": "00:42:25"Videos"Brand Rescue Mission": "00:08:17""Escaping the Amazon Goldfish Bowl": "00:19:51"Podcasts"Operators Podcast": "00:09:54"Other Mentions"Forbes": "00:01:01""Peregrine Commerce": "00:25:41""Sean Cowie": "00:44:09"Episode Sponsor:This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If ... | 46m 39s | ||||||
| 5/21/26 | ![]() How to Use AI to Clone Yourself in Your Business | In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his "10x AI SOP Method" for scaling businesses by using AI to clone founder judgment. Rather than automating routine tasks, Josh explains how recording real-time work, feeding transcripts into AI models, and rigorously answering hundreds of probing questions creates highly accurate SOPs that capture nuanced decision-making. Through repeated iterations, entrepreneurs can build comprehensive procedures enabling teams to execute with founder-level expertise, eliminating bottlenecks and unlocking sustainable business growth.Bullet Points:Use of AI to replicate founder's judgment and decision-making in business processes.Importance of documenting nuanced decision-making beyond traditional SOPs.Step-by-step method for creating an AI-assisted SOP.Recording real-time work processes to capture decision-making rationale.Feeding transcripts of recorded processes into an AI language model.Iterative refinement of SOP through detailed questioning and feedback.Achieving high accuracy in SOPs by rigorously interrogating the founder.Utilizing training videos effectively for onboarding new team members.Maintaining context and continuity in AI interactions for better SOP development.Emphasizing the transformative potential of AI in scaling business operations.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction: How to Clone Yourself with AIThe host introduces the concept of using AI to replicate a founder's judgment and decision-making to scale a business.00:01:48 The Founder Mindset ShiftOvercoming the belief that "nobody can do this like me" by documenting the nuanced judgment calls behind your business processes.00:02:41 The Problem with Normal SOPsStandard Operating Procedures often fail because they miss the crucial, unarticulated judgment calls and trade-offs made by the founder.00:03:38 The Lazy Way People Use AIA warning against simply asking AI to create an SOP, as it lacks the specific context and nuances of your business.00:04:33 The 10x AI SOP Method OverviewAn introduction to the host's four-step method: record your process, feed transcripts to AI, have AI interrogate you, build SOP.00:05:33 Step 1: Record the ProcessThe importance of recording yourself performing a task multiple times over several weeks to capture various scenarios and nuances.00:07:26 Why Multiple Recordings Are CrucialRecording a process over time captures seasonality and different business scenarios, creating a more robust and accurate SOP.00:08:21 How to Record Effective LoomsThe key is to vocalize every decision, explain trade-offs in real-time, and record during different business scenarios.00:09:18 Live Demo IntroductionThe host begins a practical demonstration of his AI process for creating an SOP for his product research and development.00:10:21 Step 1 of the Prompting ProcessExplaining the initial prompt that sets up the AI as an expert SOP architect and instructs it on the process.00:12:09 Steps 2-4: Feeding Transcripts to the AIHow to upload weekly transcripts and use an "SOP memory" to have the AI continuously update its understanding of the process.00:13:16 Step 5: The First InterrogationPrompting the AI to ask numerous questions to ensure the SOP captures your full judgment with 95% accuracy.00:15:06 Step 7: The Second InterrogationPushing the AI further by asking it to ask more questions to achieve 99.9% accuracy in the final SOP.00:15:33 Step 10: Creating a Training PlanUsing the AI to analyze all recorded videos and create a structured onboarding and training plan for new team members.00:17:24 Live Demo WalkthroughA screen-share demonstration showing the actual ChatGPT thread, from the initial prompt to the AI's 240 interrogation questions.00:21:17 Why This In-Depth Process MattersEmphasizing that thorough systems are what truly scale a business, preventing the frustration of team members not executing correctly.00:22:29 The AI-Generated Onboarding PlanThe AI's final output, which suggests the best order to present training videos to a new hire for maximum clarity.00:23:31 The Importance of the Loom Training LayerLeveraging the recorded videos as training assets, using AI to determine the most effective sequence for onboarding new hires.00:24:32 Key TakeawaysAn SOP is complete when someone can make the same decisions as you, which is achieved by using AI interrogation.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites "Helium 10": "00:02:36" "Cerebro": "00:02:36" "Data Dive": "00:02:36" "Loom": "00:05:29" Videos and Demos "YouTube Demo": "00:10:14" Prompts and Processes "AI Prompt Library": "00:25:09" Key Takeaways "SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)": "00:24:00"Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00 If you're a business owner, you've probably thought, hey, is there an ability for me to clone myself? Because if I just had 3 or 4 more people on my team that thought the same way I do that, execute the same way I do, and actually have the same work ethic that I do. Man, our business could be ten x bigger than it is today. Well, today I'm going to show you how to utilize AI to clone yourself in the exact process that I'm following to clone myself in my business. Welcome to the Econ 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 am a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children.Josh Hadley 00:00:49 I have been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaire on multiple sales channels including Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the E-com Breakthrough podcast, the number one business strategy podcast for eCommerce entrepreneurs. Today, I'm going to be showing you how I use AI to clone myself in my business. And this doesn't just mean I'm using AI agents to go clone myself. What I'm actually doing is following a system that allows me to replicate my same level of judgment and decision making throughout the team, whether it's a team member executing tasks for me, or it's AI executing tasks for me, the most important thing that you need to do truly is to clone the way you think and the judgment calls that you make that is ultimately what you're looking for. Most people use AI to just... | 26m 07s | ||||||
| 5/20/26 | ![]() Throwback: Heat Maps and Golden Hours - Revolutionizing Your Amazon Advertising Game | In 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... | 16m 56s | ||||||
| 5/18/26 | ![]() How to Rank in Amazon’s AI Search (Rufus) Before Your Competitors Do | Andri 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... | 55m 13s | ||||||
| 5/14/26 | ![]() The 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Framework I Use to Ramp Up New Hires Fast | In 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... | 43m 29s | ||||||
| 5/13/26 | ![]() Throwback: Mastering Licensing and Exit Strategies - Insights from a Shark Tank Entrepreneur | In 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... | 16m 27s | ||||||
| 5/11/26 | ![]() Claude, OpenClaw & Custom GPTs: The New AI Stack Winning in 2026 | Oren 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"" | 40m 04s | ||||||
| 5/7/26 | ![]() The One Weekly CEO Habit That 10x’s Your Team’s Output✨ | CEO habitsteam alignment+4 | — | — | — | weekly newsletterteam misalignment+5 | — | 29m 34s | |
| 5/6/26 | ![]() Throwback: Unlocking the Secrets of Global Sourcing - From Negotiating to Warehousing✨ | global sourcingnegotiation+3 | Nathan Resnick | Y-Combinator | — | global sourcingnegotiation+5 | — | 15m 10s | |
| 5/4/26 | ![]() AI Is Replacing Your Product Research… Here’s What Smart Brands Are Doing Instead✨ | eCommerceAI in product research+4 | Sean Travis | Ecom for HeroesKaldon | Southern CaliforniaLA County Fire Department | eCommerce brandsAI-powered platform+3 | — | 47m 37s | |
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| 4/30/26 | ![]() You’re Selling Millions in Revenue Online… So Why Are You Still Broke?✨ | e-commercefinancial health+3 | — | Life InsuranceS&P 500 VOO Index Fund+9 | — | distributable cashnet income+3 | — | 21m 48s | |
| 4/29/26 | ![]() Throwback: The Art of Incremental Hiring - Building Your Dream Team Without the Headaches✨ | incremental hiringorganizational structure+3 | Yoni Kozminski | ClickUpSouth Col+2 | — | operating systemsbusiness valuation+4 | — | 17m 09s | |
| 4/27/26 | ![]() Amazon Product Launch PPC Secrets: How to use AI to Rank Products Faster✨ | Amazon PPC strategiesproduct launching+4 | Mansour Norouzi | Incrementum Digital | — | Amazon PPCproduct ranking+5 | — | 1h 06m 25s | |
| 4/23/26 | ![]() We Had $30K Left… 30 Days From Bankruptcy✨ | ecommerce crisisfinancial forecasting+3 | — | TikTok ShopAmazon+3 | — | bankruptcyecommerce+5 | — | 18m 55s | |
| 4/22/26 | ![]() Throwback: Innovate or Stagnate - The Key to Continuous Growth on Amazon✨ | Amazon brand buildingproduct quality+3 | Shannon Roddy | Avenue Seven Media | — | Amazonbrand building+5 | — | 16m 06s | |
| 4/20/26 | ![]() TikTok Shop Secrets: Chase Chappell’s Blueprint for Scaling E-Commerce Brands With Creator Armies✨ | e-commercepaid media strategies+4 | Chase Chappell | DOE MediaChappell Digital Marketing+7 | — | e-commerce growthTikTok marketing+5 | — | 53m 24s | |
| 4/16/26 | ![]() I Lost 90% of My Sales Overnight… Here’s What I Did Next✨ | sales dropbusiness pivot+4 | — | Educational PostersPrintable Files+7 | — | sales dropCOVID-19+5 | — | 23m 25s | |
| 4/15/26 | ![]() Throwback: How to Build a Resilient Supply Chain✨ | supply chain strategiese-commerce+4 | Corey Apirian | DavinciWalmart+1 | — | supply chaine-commerce+5 | — | 16m 22s | |
| 4/13/26 | ![]() AI Strategy for Amazon Sellers: What to Automate First (And Why)✨ | AI in e-commerceAmazon sellers+4 | Lee Assoulin | StonecutterAmazon | — | AI strategyAmazon sellers+5 | — | 49m 35s | |
| 4/9/26 | ![]() The Cost of Scaling Beyond Amazon No One Talks About✨ | e-commerceomnichannel strategy+3 | — | LoomChatGPT+13 | — | scalinge-commerce+5 | — | 55m 01s | |
| 4/8/26 | ![]() Throwback: Don’t Launch Your Product Without This Audience-Building Secret!✨ | e-commerceaudience building+3 | Will Russell | Russell Marketing | — | e-commerceaudience building+5 | — | 17m 26s | |
| 4/6/26 | ![]() The #1 Mistake Ecom Brand Owners Are Making with AI✨ | e-commerce growthAI in business+4 | Ellis Whitehead | DataBrill | — | e-commerceAI+7 | — | 52m 36s | |
| 4/2/26 | ![]() The TikTok Shop Strategy No One Is Teaching (Creator Engine Framework) | In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley introduces his "TikTok Creator Engine," a structured system for turning product samples into loyal brand evangelists. Josh outlines five creator stages—Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Evangelist—and explains how to move creators through each using personalized outreach, gamification, community building, and targeted ad spend. He also details key team roles, essential KPIs, and onboarding strategies to replace the ineffective "spray and pray" approach with a scalable, relationship-driven affiliate program that generates consistent revenue.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites"TikTok Creator Engine": "00:01:12""Shopify": "00:01:12""Amazon": "00:01:12""WhatsApp": "00:09:34""CRM (Creator Relationship Management System)": "00:11:42""TikTok Shop": "00:10:40""Fulfilled by TikTok": "00:13:55""Amazon MCF (Multi-Channel Fulfillment)": "00:13:55""Beehive": "21:31""Discord": "22:31""ChatGPT": "23:39"Videos and Playlists"YouTube Onboarding Videos": "00:18:51""YouTube Playlist for New Creators": "24:27"Concepts and Strategies"Creative Briefs": "23:39""Creative Brief": "00:42:53""Bingo Card Game": "28:51""Ad Spend Strategy": "00:39:18""Performance Coach Role": "00:41:54""Affiliate Support Specialist Role": "00:41:54""VIP Program": "00:43:50""Monthly Contests": "00:44:43""Personalized Contests": "00:48:19""Weekly Creator Calls": "26:10"Metrics and KPIs"Contact Information Capture": "00:51:08""Performance Metrics": "00:52:56""Pareto Principle": "00:45:38""Gamification": "00:44:43"Timestamps:00:00:00 Introducing the TikTok Creator EngineA systematic process to turn product samples into loyal brand evangelists, focusing on consistent revenue over viral moments.00:01:12 Host IntroductionJosh Hadley shares his background as an e-commerce entrepreneur, father, and host of the E-com Breakthrough podcast.00:02:17 Core Principles of the SystemThe system focuses on inspiring creators, tracking behavior, doubling down on winners, and ignoring the rest based on performance.00:04:10 Common Problems with Creator ProgramsOutlines issues brands face, such as creators not posting, one-off videos, wasted samples, and overreliance on TikTok DMs.00:06:49 The Five Stages of the Creator EngineAn overview of the five distinct stages creators move through: Inactivated, Activated, Emerging, Performing, and Brand Evangelist.00:10:40 The Required Team StructureDetails the three essential team roles needed to run the engine: Affiliate Support Specialist, Performance Coach, and Store Operations.00:15:03 Stage 1: Inactivated CreatorsFocuses on approving samples and, most importantly, capturing the creator's contact information to move them out of TikTok DMs.00:17:53 The 30-Day Onboarding SequenceA detailed breakdown of the first 30 days of communication, including emails and WhatsApp messages for new creators.00:21:31 Tools for the Activation ProgramDiscusses essential tools for creator activation, including email newsletters, community platforms like WhatsApp, and detailed creative briefs.00:24:27 The YouTube Onboarding PlaylistOutlines a mini-course for creators covering mindset, hook strategy, lighting, audio, and success stories to build relationships.00:28:51 Gamifying Onboarding: The Bingo CardA gamified "bingo card" system that incentivizes new creators to complete key tasks like posting multiple videos.00:30:42 Stage 2: Activated CreatorsCovers the team's actions once a creator posts their first video, including congratulations and providing initial feedback.00:33:29 High ROI Move: Boosting Videos with AdsA strategy to use small, targeted ad spend on new creators' videos to generate initial views and sales.00:35:29 Stage 3: Emerging CreatorsThe goal for this stage is to build consistency with creators who have momentum but aren't posting regularly.00:40:13 Stage 4: Performing CreatorsFocuses on scaling the output of consistent creators by building a personal relationship and offering exclusive VIP program invitations.00:45:38 Stage 5: Brand EvangelistsA high-touch strategy to retain top creators through personalized contests, gifts, and exclusive access to new products.00:50:16 Collecting Creator Contact InfoEmphasizes the critical importance of capturing creator contact information and offers creative methods like auto-DMs and product inserts.00:51:58 Key Metrics to MeasureA breakdown of the essential KPIs to track weekly, including samples sent, post rates, and GMV per stage.00:54:48 Daily Roles of the TeamA summary of the daily action items for the Affiliate Support Specialist and the Performance Coach within the system.00:55:50 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsA summary of the system's benefits, emphasizing that consistent action, refinement, and focus are the keys to success.Transcript:Josh Hadley 00:00:00 That activation stage is honestly the biggest miss that I see most brands like just completely skipping and they just go from inactivated creator to somebody went viral and it's as simple as that. And and that's all they're relying upon. Whereas we're going to methodically walk all of these creators through these five different stages. 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. Today, I want to share with you all the TikTok Creator Engine. This is how we're turning thousands of samples into thousands of brand evangelists. This isn't just about like sending out as many samples as you possibly can. The spray and pray approach, just hoping that somebody will go viral. Rather, this is a systematic process that we follow to ensure that every sample we send out actually has the chance of helping some of t... | 58m 12s | ||||||
| 4/1/26 | ![]() Throwback: From China to Mexico - Revolutionizing Your Manufacturing Strategy | In this episode, Josh interviews Amy Wees, CEO of Amazing at Home E-commerce Consulting. Amy shares her expertise in product development, sourcing, and sales, emphasizing the benefits of diversifying manufacturing—particularly sourcing from Mexico as an alternative to China. She discusses Mexico’s advantages in cost, quality, and logistics, and highlights common mistakes sellers make, such as not knowing their numbers or lacking supplier contracts. Amy stresses the importance of understanding unit economics, building strong supplier relationships, and differentiating products to succeed in today’s competitive e-commerce landscape.Chapters:Introduction to Amy Wees and Amazing at Home (00:00:00)Amy Wees is introduced as CEO of Amazing at Home, specializing in private label product launches and e-commerce consulting.Why Source from Mexico? (00:00:28)Amy discusses the importance of diversifying manufacturing, highlighting Mexico’s advantages over China for sourcing and supply chain.Mexico’s Manufacturing Capabilities (00:02:04)Explains Mexico’s strengths in injection molding, electronics, labor costs, and free trade agreements compared to China.Evolving Supply Chains and Workforce Trends (00:03:25)Describes changes in China’s workforce, supply chain challenges, and the need for businesses to adapt and evolve.Discovering and Building Trade Shows in Mexico (00:05:35)Amy shares her journey in exploring Mexican factories and starting a multi-category trade show for sourcing.Common Seller Mistakes: Not Knowing the Numbers (00:07:34)Amy identifies the main mistake sellers make: not understanding their costs, margins, and unit economics.Protecting Supply Chains and Supplier Relationships (00:10:12)Emphasizes the importance of contracts, vetting suppliers, and protecting products from being copied.Josh’s Key Takeaways for Sellers (00:12:16)Josh summarizes three action items: know your numbers, build strong supplier relationships, and differentiate your products.How to Connect with Amy Wees (00:16:35)Amy offers a free listing review and shares how listeners can contact her for e-commerce advice.Podcast Closing (00:17:05)Josh thanks Amy for joining the podcast.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites "Amazing at Home": "00:00:00" "Alibaba": "00:08:59" "Free Listing Review": "00:16:35" Books and Resources "Seller Accountant": "00:12:16" Key Takeaways "Understanding Your Numbers": "00:12:16" "Supplier Relationships": "00:14:37" "Market Evaluation": "00:15:57"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00 Today I'm super excited to introduce you to Amy Wees. Amy is the CEO of Amazing at Home E-commerce consulting, a world renowned company that has helped thousands of brands launch private label products on Amazon and beyond. Amy's knowledge in product development, sourcing, marketing and sales have enabled her to help countless entrepreneurs develop their own successful businesses. So welcome to the show, Amy.Amy 00:00:25 Thank you for having me, Josh. I'm so excited to be here.Josh 00:00:28 I love what you talked about in terms of, you know, diversifying your risk with manufacturing and supply chain, and you've been able to find a lot of that in Mexico. So why don't you tell us more about Mexico? Why have you been so invested lately into, you know, sourcing from Mexico?Amy 00:00:49 Well, you know, it's really we used to go to China all the time. You can go twice a year during canton fair times. And and I still sourced from China. I, I love my manufacturers in China. They're wonderful people. They're very efficient.Amy 00:01:04 Really great. So I don't think that there's anything wrong with China. But at the end of the day, one of the biggest things that all of us have to realize is that we have options and, and that, you know, we don't ever whether it comes to only selling on Amazon, putting your eggs all in that one sales channel basket or only using FBA. What happened during the pandemic? Everybody who is only using FBA, their stuff got stranded. Meanwhile, we tripled our sales because we were able to merchant fulfill. so that's that's, you know, a huge learning thing. And so many people are learning that the restock limits, we talked about that, you know, like, hey, maybe we need to start digging more into these other sales channels so that we are able to drive more traffic to Amazon and have even greater restock limits now that things are changing. Right. so I think it's important to never put all your eggs in one basket and to always know what your your options are.Amy 00:02:04 And so Mexico was a natural, solution. Potential solution. If we look at injection molding and manufacturing around the world. Mexico's number two in injection will be right behind China. So, you know, when we look at even electronics, Latin America is just as high in electronics manufacturing as China is. And a lot of people don't realize that. One of our speakers on the Mexico trip, he's he's an engineer and he specializes in helping electronics companies move their supply chain from China to Mexico. big companies like Seagate have completely moved manufacturing to Mexico. Chinese factories, major factories in China are now reopening new facilities in Mexico. Why? It makes sense, right? It makes sense. You've got free trade. As long as your product is 70%, produced in Mexico. You've got the free trade. So that's a wonderful opportunity there. You actually have lower labor costs in Mexico than you do in China. China labor costs have risen. and you have a highly educated and motivated workforce in Mexico, which that is also changing in China quite a bit.Amy 00:03:25 We're all finding with our factories and, you know, talking with my factory owners, every year after Chinese New Year, a lot of their employees do not return. It's very hard for them because e-commerce has really taken off in China. And so a lot of these, you know, it used to be you can walk through a factory in China a few years ago, and they didn't have, you know, they didn't sell it in e-commerce. Nowadays, that's nearly impossible to find a factory that doesn't sell. And so the workforce is evolving in China, and it's causing some, some issues in terms of supply chain, not only for labour. for quality control, you know, so there's even the Chinese are looking for alternatives to different places to open up factories and things like that. So I think that all of us have to evolve. We look at any company that does not evolve with the times what we find. You know, we look at like the toys R us stories and we look at, you know, the top 50 retailers in the United States of America.Amy 00:04:30 Also on the e-commerce websites. So it's very important for us to pay attention and make sure that we're looking at, okay, what's next. And also when we look at, you know, how many. Issues did we have with, with, ports being backed up and with our. With our supply chain just being at a complete stoppage. and we were all talking about men. For Q4 this last year. You better get your stuff in by August, because there's no way the October timeframe is dead. because there was so much, you know, caught back up and everything prior to this Q4. So this year it was a little bit better. We had some catch up, but we really need to be paying attention. And so for me, I'm right here in San Antonio, Texas. I traveled to Mexico a lot. I love Mexico, and I always see all these things,... | 17m 11s | ||||||
| 3/30/26 | ![]() Kevin King Reveals the Future of E-Commerce, AI, and TikTok Shop | Today’s guest is someone our audience already knows and respects — and I’m excited to have him back on the show. Kevin King is not just a veteran Amazon seller… he’s one of the most connected and influential figures in the entire Amazon ecosystem. He’s been selling online for decades, has built and exited multiple brands, and continues to operate in the trenches — not from theory, but from real-world execution. When Kevin speaks, it’s not just his own experience — it’s insights gathered from the top 1% of sellers globally. So if you’re a 7-figure or 8 figure seller looking to break into the next level, you’re about to hear from someone who has a front-row seat to what the best in the world are actually doing right now. Highlight Bullets> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. Current state and future of e-commerce for seven-figure sellersImpact of AI on e-commerce operations and marketingDecline of traditional private label Amazon business modelRise of social commerce platforms, particularly TikTok ShopImportance of building authentic brands and customer relationshipsNetworking opportunities at events like Market MastersChallenges sellers face, including confusion and fear about the futureNecessity of adapting to new technologies and automation toolsStrategies for effective sourcing and increasing profit marginsThe significance of prioritizing efforts and focusing on specific channels for growthIn this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews veteran Amazon seller Kevin King about the future of e-commerce for established seven-figure sellers. They discuss the growing impact of AI, the decline of traditional private label models, and the rise of social commerce platforms like TikTok. Kevin emphasizes the importance of building real brands, leveraging automation, and focusing on human relationships with creators. The episode also highlights actionable strategies for scaling, the value of strong systems, and Kevin’s upcoming Market Masters event for networking and learning.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:1. Focus on What Matters MostDon’t chase every new tool, channel, or strategy. Pick the highest-priority opportunity, focus your resources on it, and scale it before moving to the next.2. Build and Document SystemsGrowth requires clear systems and processes. Whether tasks are done by humans or AI, success depends on how well you document and structure the workflow.3. Hire Smart People to Run the SystemsAI alone won’t build a $100M brand. You need talented leaders who can design, manage, and improve systems while using AI as a tool to enhance results.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comBillion Dollar Seller SummitASM (Amazing Selling Machine)Helium 10 Freedom TicketShopifyTikTokEcom Mastery AIOpen ClawClaudeChatGPTWooCommerceCopyCoderUpwork/FiverrAndrew EricksonSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInAlex Hormozi on LinkedInRyan DeissPerry Belcher on LinkedInDan KennedyRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode 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 AreaKevin King 00:00:00 And there is no it's not like ranking in Google in the old way of backlinks where you rank. And basically you can if you type in podcast microphones and you're in Dallas, you can see pretty much the same results as I see down here in Austin with AI, my past search history and your past search history changes that completely. So no, there is no ranking in AI. It's being the answer for what questions people asking to be in the authority.MC 00:00:22 Welcome to the E-com 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 level.Josh Hadley 00:00:36 Do you want to know what's wor... | 49m 57s | ||||||
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