In this podcast episode, Nathan discusses the prevalent issue of the 'death spiral' that many e-commerce brands are facing in 2024. He explains how rising customer acquisition costs, coupled with a reliance on returning customers, can mask underlying financial problems. The conversation delves into the importance of cohort analysis, understanding c…

In this episode, Nathan and Josh Tay discuss the importance of accountability in agency relationships, the challenges of forecasting retention and sales, and the necessity of setting realistic goals. They delve into financial transparency, especially during Black Friday, and the impact of offer structures on consumer behaviour. The conversation hig…

In this episode, Nathan and Val dive into a P&L teardown of a business that operates multiple D2C brands. They discuss the importance of accurately structuring the P&L to understand the business's activities and potential to generate profit. They highlight the need to separate and track components of net revenue, such as gross revenue, discounts, r…

In this episode, Nathan shares nine lessons learned from working with brands and running a digital marketing agency. The lessons include the importance of cost of delivery, marketing, and operational efficiency, the value of omni-channel distribution for brands approaching $10 million, the ability to fix P&L exports in accounting software, the effe…

In this episode, Nathan and Valentin dive into a real P&L and discuss the importance of understanding accounting principles and how to read a P&L. They highlight the limitations of a basic P&L structure and the need for a more comprehensive breakdown of revenue and costs. They discuss the impact of discounts and refunds on the business's profitabil…

In this episode, Nathan and Josh discuss the incremental revenue available through email and SMS marketing. They emphasise that while email and SMS are important communication channels, the true drivers of retention and revenue are merchandising and operations. They explore the concept of purchase intent and how it affects the effectiveness of emai…

In this episode, Nathan discusses 10 brutal truths of e-commerce for DTC brand owners. The first truth is that reducing ad spend is not the solution to higher operating expenses. Understanding how the P&L works and the flow of revenue is crucial. The second truth is that most accounts are either overspending or underspending, and finding the right …

In this episode, Nathan and Caden discuss various topics related to Google Ads and agency land. Caden shares his background in marketing and how he got into the digital marketing industry. They dive into the concept of Google's Performance Max and its purpose in reducing the barrier of entry for small businesses. They also discuss the challenges an…

Carla Penn-Kahn shares her experience in the e-commerce space, from working in investments at Credit Suisse to starting her own e-commerce businesses. She discusses the challenges of launching perishables by delivery when delivery was primarily for letters, and the operational complexities involved. The conversation then shifts to the importance of…

In this podcast episode, Nathan and Val discuss the topic of 3PLs (third-party logistics providers). They cover the factors to consider when deciding whether to use a 3PL, such as cost, volume, and customer service. They also explore the differences between in-house fulfillment and outsourcing to a 3PL, and the considerations for brands with low vo…

In this episode, Nathan answers questions from listeners about budget allocation for retention, the growth of BlueSense Digital, the effectiveness of Advantage Plus, TikTok advertising, server-side tracking, and the importance of creative testing. He emphasises the importance of merchandising in driving lifetime value and suggests that technical co…

In this episode, Nathan discusses how to align Google and Meta campaign builds with business and financial goals. He emphasises the importance of understanding the incentive structure of big tech advertising platforms, which is to maximise advertiser revenue. He also highlights the complexity of customer journeys and the need to allocate budgets st…

In this episode, Nathan shares his advice for ecommerce brands aiming to reach $100k a month. He covers the fundamentals of scaling, customer acquisition, resource allocation, and the benefits of being under $100k per month. Nathan emphasises the importance of understanding the business equation, effective resource allocation, and the role of creat…

In this episode, Nathan interviews Michael Nadalin, the founder of Market Lead, a niche Google Ads agency in Australia. They discuss Michael's background and the growth of his agency, as well as the importance of expanding scope beyond Google Ads. They also delve into the effectiveness of Google's Performance Max campaign type and the challenges of…

In this episode, Nathan interviews Brendan Gillen, an e-commerce expert and founder of Fight Gear Direct and the e-Commerce Academy. They discuss the performance of e-commerce in 2024 and the importance of innovation and adaptation in the industry. The conversation highlights the need for e-commerce operators to understand their numbers, focus on p…

In this episode, Nathan, Sebastian and Kasim discuss what it takes to build a world-class successful agency. They touch on topics such as the importance of talent acquisition, the transition from artisan thinking to systems thinking, and the challenges of scaling the sales portion of the agency. Kasim shares his experience of scaling Solutions 8 an…

In this episode, Nathan and Val discuss the importance of first-order profitability in e-commerce businesses. The podcast is structured into three sections, firstly setting the scene, secondly how to become first order profitable, and finally how to operate a repeat purchase model. Takeaways First order profitability is crucial in e-commerce busine…

In this episode, Sebastian and Nathan discuss the ego-driven mistake that most service providers make. They emphasise the importance of putting clients above oneself and maintaining an orientation towards the client. They highlight the dangers of pride and self-orientation, such as neglecting client needs, losing trust, and ultimately losing client…

In this episode, Nathan interviews Matthew Banks, the founder of Merchants of the Sun, a sustainable jewellery brand. They discuss the story behind the brand, the importance of creative direction and branding in the jewellery industry, and how Merchants of the Sun stands out in a crowded market. They also talk about the brand's sustainability initi…

Summary In this episode, Nathan and Sebastian discuss the two levels of value within an agency and the three major problems that arise during scaling. They emphasise the importance of understanding the agency business model for any business owner who may work with or be approached by an agency. They explain how value is generated through the soluti…

In this episode, Nathan and John Ivanco (founder of Formtoro) discuss the concept of D2C as a channel, the cost of retail and ad costs, the commoditisation of products, the role of media figures in pushing brands, the value of zero-party data, and the overhyped KPIs in marketing. They also delve into the challenges of attribution and the limitation…

Chris Daly, an expert in database marketing and retail, discusses various topics related to marketing data, customer segmentation, and customer-generated offers. Chris emphasises the importance of understanding customer value and purpose, as well as the challenges faced by retailers in pricing, targeting, and audience building. Daly also highlights…

In this episode, Nathan interviews Valentin Kuznetcov from Optimizator, a fractional CFO specialising in finance, analytics, and operations for e-commerce businesses. Val shares his background and how he became an expert in the field. They discuss the common mistakes made by e-commerce brand owners and the importance of understanding unit economics…

In this conversation, Nathan and Thomas (from StoreHero) discuss the importance of contribution margin in e-commerce businesses and the shift away from relying solely on ROAS as a metric. They also delve into the impact of operational issues on marketing performance and the need for businesses to understand their true gross margin and operational e…

In this episode, Sebastian and Nathan discuss why most agencies aren't right for e-commerce brands. They emphasise the importance of identifying the problem you want to solve with an agency and being specific about the outcomes and expected ROI. They also highlight the need to consider the type of relationship you want with an agency and validate t…

In this episode, the hosts discuss the 10 biggest wastes of spend for e-commerce brands. They emphasise the importance of focusing on profitability and tracking cash flow. The first waste of spend they discuss is huge website builds, recommending that brands start with a simple and cost-effective website on platforms like Shopify. They also caution…

This conversation discusses the choice between Google Ads and Facebook Ads for e-commerce brands. It covers considerations for choosing the platform based on search volume, novelty, and CPA targets. The conversation also explores the importance of testing both platforms and setting up initial campaigns. It provides insights into the potential of ad…

Summary In this episode, Sebastian and Nathan discuss the 10 biggest mistakes e-commerce brands make. They cover topics such as shiny object syndrome, poor negotiations with suppliers, neglecting average order value, neglecting retention, lacking a blue ocean selling proposition, joining agencies too quickly, churning agencies, and taking on too ma…