Up Arrow Podcast

Ross Beyeler is the VP of Business Intelligence at Zaelab, a B2B digital consultancy that helps manufacturers and enterprise organizations modernize the customer experience. In his role, Ross leads data, analytics, and business intelligence strategy, helping organizations translate complex operational and financial data into actionable insights that improve profitability and decision-making. With experience in e-commerce, agency operations, and data-driven growth, he also founded and led multiple companies. In this episode… Most companies assume growth is just a matter of getting more customers, but the real story is often buried inside their numbers. Revenue can look strong while profitability quietly erodes through hidden costs, misaligned incentives, and decisions that don't show up on a surface-level dashboard. If your business is growing but margins aren't improving, what are you missing? According to profitability expert Ross Beyeler, the key is learning to read a business through its contribution margin rather than top-line revenue alone. He emphasizes separating new customer acquisition from retention-driven growth, since each carries very different cost structures and long-term impact. Ross also advises leaders to scrutinize return rates, software spend, and fixed-versus-variable cost decisions, because these often determine whether scaling improves profit. Leaders should remain close to the organization through skip-level conversations and direct visibility into teams, so they don't lose touch with operations. The companies that win are the ones that understand what drives profit, not just what drives activity. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Ross Beyeler, VP of Business Intelligence at Zaelab, about how to uncover hidden profit drivers in growing businesses. Ross discusses P&L analysis beyond revenue, customer acquisition versus retention economics, and why over-optimization can distort decision-making. He also breaks down post-acquisition integration challenges and how founders can stay connected to the operations.

Jess Chan is the Founder and Executive Chair of Longplay Brands, a full-service retention and lifecycle marketing agency for DTC e-commerce brands. She is also the Founder and CEO of Backbone, an email strategy automation tool. As a former CMO of a multimillion-dollar DTC e-commerce company, Jess bootstrapped Longplay to seven figures in revenue within the first 18 months. She is a sought-after speaker, podcast guest, product developer, and consultant on topics like retention, lifecycle marketing, and progressive agency business modeling. Rachyl Neidecker is the CEO and Partner at Longplay Brands. She specializes in turning complex or broken business operations into scalable systems. Previously, Rachyl served as the COO and interim CEO of an eight-figure e-commerce brand, the Director of Operations at COO Alliance, and has consulted for companies with $10M–$100M+ in revenue. In this episode… E-commerce brands often chase stronger channels, faster tactics, or higher revenue goals without identifying whether the company's foundation can support the growth. When trust, profitability, and operations are misaligned, even strong marketing can amplify the wrong problems. So how can founders diagnose what's holding their business back? With expertise in lifecycle marketing and operational leadership, Jess Chan and Rachyl Neidecker point to a more disciplined way to scale. They recommend looking beyond surface metrics to identify root causes, such as brand inconsistency, product-market fit issues, over-discounting, weak customer education, bloated org structures, and hidden logistics costs. Instead of moving fast on foundational decisions, brands should slow down, inspect the full customer journey, build trust at every touchpoint, and optimize for profit and enterprise value — not just revenue. Sustainable growth comes from diagnosing the system before prescribing the tactic. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris sits down with Jess Chan and Rachyl Neidecker of Longplay Brands to discuss diagnosing e-commerce growth problems. They cover DTC brands' costly misdiagnoses, lifecycle metrics that reveal root causes, and the difference between scaling revenue, profit, and enterprise value.

Logan Bird is the President and CEO of Mephisto, a France-based premium footwear brand known for handcrafted comfort shoes. Previously, he served as Mephisto's Vice President of Omnichannel Sales, where he helped advance the brand's digital, retail, wholesale, and DTC strategies. With experience in e-commerce, strategic partnerships, and omnichannel growth, Logan held senior roles at Lands' End and Zappos. In this episode… Scaling a brand can feel like a paradox: the faster you grow, the easier it becomes to lose the craftsmanship, culture, and customer trust that made the business work in the first place. In a market obsessed with speed, automation, and shortcuts, how can leaders grow without becoming generic? Logan Bird's answer is to build around product-market fit, craftsmanship, and people who can execute with focus. As an e-commerce and omnichannel growth leader, he maintains that durable growth starts with knowing your customer, protecting product quality, and creating consistent brand experiences across channels. Leaders should replace manual processes before they break, trust teams enough to let them learn through execution, listen for patterns in customer feedback rather than reacting to the loudest complaint, and hire through trusted networks to find people aligned with the company's vision. The result is a business that scales with stronger systems, clearer priorities, and a deeper connection to its customers. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Logan Bird, President and CEO of Mephisto, about scaling premium brands without losing craftsmanship. Logan discusses product-market fit, omnichannel growth across retail and DTC, and leadership lessons from Japan and Zappos.

Lindsey Johnson is the Co-founder and CEO of Weezie Towels, a modern luxury bath brand. As CEO, she leads the company's product development, customer experience, and brand vision. Lindsey began her career in finance, working for firms including Morgan Stanley and BlackRock before co-founding Weezie to address a gap in the towel market. In this episode… Building a consumer brand today takes more than a clever idea; it demands clarity, discipline, and the willingness to swim against the current. Many founders chase rapid scale, but intentional growth often wins in the long run. How can you build an enduring business while staying true to your values? According to entrepreneur Lindsey Johnson, the answer lies in obsessing over product quality and listening closely to customers. She emphasizes validating a legitimate market gap before building your business, developing deep operational expertise, and growing sustainably rather than chasing flashy milestones. Lindsey highlights practices like rigorous customer surveys, disciplined spending, and systems that keep teams aligned on vision and accountability. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Lindsey Johnson, Co-founder and CEO of Weezie Towels, about intentional brand-building. Lindsey discusses shifting from finance to consumer goods, how she navigated early operational chaos, and tips for developing a disciplined growth philosophy.

Johnny Persón is the Founder of Aug11, a lifestyle and apparel brand built on a foundation of resilience. Self-taught in e-commerce, marketing, and product design, he built Aug11 from the ground up. Johnny began his career in crypto and blockchain before owning and managing multiple companies. In this episode… When creativity meets commerce, what separates a fleeting brand from one that endures? From viral moments to saturated markets, entrepreneurs must balance authenticity and attention. How can a founder cut through the noise without losing the soul of their brand? Fashion and e-commerce trailblazer Johnny Persón explains that true success comes from consistency, discipline, and taste. He emphasizes building systems that turn creativity into sustainability, like treating every design or campaign as a repeatable process and investing in platforms that deliver measurable results. Johnny advises entrepreneurs to keep showing up, stay adaptable, and let clarity come through action, not motivation. In today's episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Johnny Persón, Founder of Aug11, about how personal growth fuels creative entrepreneurship. Johnny explains why consistency of effort beats talent, the importance of taste in brand building, and the power of authentic marketing to scale without losing meaning.

Dr. Giancarlo Licata is the Founder and Director of Vital Brain Health, a Los Angeles–based center specializing in evidence-based neurofeedback and applied neuroscience. Having supported thousands of clients with chronic pain, migraines, and post‒concussion challenges, he specializes in EEG, qEEG, and functional neurology. Dr. Licata also speaks about anxiety, autism, sleep, and ADHD on national health and wellness podcasts. In this episode… Many business leaders work hard to improve performance through enhanced tools, systems, and habits, yet still face burnout, poor focus, and mental fatigue. Despite their efforts, their ability to make clear decisions or stay consistent often declines as pressure increases. How does brain function impact decision-making and performance? According to neurofeedback and brain mapping expert Dr. Giancarlo Licata, professionals can improve mental performance by targeting brain activity. He recommends starting with a brain map to identify which regions are overworked or underperforming, then using neurofeedback to retrain those areas through short, focused sessions. Dr. Licata also emphasizes daily practices that protect and strengthen brain function — such as consistent sleep, focused breathing, limiting overstimulation from technology, and recognizing when anxiety is reducing focus. By addressing brain performance, leaders can make clearer decisions, sustain attention longer, and reduce stress without relying solely on external systems or tools. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris talks with Dr. Giancarlo Licata, Founder and Director of Vital Brain Health, about how brain mapping and neurofeedback improve performance. Dr. Licata explains how brain scans uncover hidden issues behind focus problems, how personalized training rewires neural pathways for lasting results, and how modern habits and AI tools can strengthen or weaken brain function.

Akash Nigam is the Founder and CEO of Genies, Inc., an avatar-technology company building personalized 3D avatars and digital identities for consumers, creators, and brands. Under his leadership, Genies has established partnerships with celebrities and major brands, including Unity, Warner Music Group, Justin Bieber, Cardi B., and Shawn Mendes. Akash is also the Founder of Humans, an AI-native venture studio. In this episode… As online interactions evolve, brands must build connections with their customers. Traditional tools like email campaigns or social media posts fall short in creating meaningful relationships. How can companies create a more personal, two-way experience that feels less like marketing and more like a genuine conversation? According to interactive digital experience designer Akash Nigam, AI avatars can become the next user interface of the internet. Brands can create emotionally intelligent AI companions that gather user insights and build authentic relationships through natural conversations, games, and shared experiences. By leveraging AI to capture personality traits for personalized experiences and designing guardrails that prevent emotional dependency on chatbots, companies can turn followers into engaged users. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris speaks with Akash Nigam, Founder and CEO of Genies, Inc., about how AI avatars are reshaping brand relationships. Akash explains why avatars will replace mobile apps as the primary interface, how Unity's integration with Genies brings these companions into games, and the ethical concerns of emotional dependence on AI.