The Impact of 3PLs on eCommerce Brands’ Market Value and Profit Margins With Casey Armstrong

Nicholas Weiksner is the CEO and Founding Partner of South Col, an accelerator fund partnering with e-commerce brands to maximize sale value. With experience in venture capital and private equity, his skills include finance, negotiation, business planning, and mergers and acquisitions. Before South Col, Nicholas served as the CFO for SellersFunding, a global fintech company, and worked as an Investment Banker for Thomas Weisel Partners and Bear Stearns. He also held operational roles at fast-growing tech companies and for the San Francisco 49ers, where he managed sales for their $1.2 billion stadium.

In this episode…

Many people with eCommerce companies that reach the $10-30 million mark consider selling or exiting. This can be a valuable opportunity for founders looking to kickstart their next endeavors. What should you know about getting acquired, and how can you position your business as an attractive option to potential buyers?

eCommerce M&A facilitator Nicholas Weiksner maintains that your numbers are the most valuable aspect of your business. While finances and accounting aren’t sexy, you must gain visibility into each transaction and expense to identify inconsistencies and modify your processes. Eliminating products, services, or processes that stunt growth optimizes profitability for a sale. Additionally, potential buyers evaluate your multiples, so by aligning your metrics with current market trends, you can increase them. This may involve accelerating customer engagement tactics to drive additional sales, developing models like subscriptions to generate recurring revenue, or expanding your top-line products. Aside from knowing your numbers, Nicholas encourages founders to establish a few objectives and focus solely on accomplishing them to advance acquisition prospects.

Join William Harris in today’s episode of the Up Arrow Podcast as he invites Nicholas Weiksner, the CEO and Founding Partner of South Col, to speak about preparing your e-commerce brand for an acquisition. Nicholas talks about forecasting your brand’s future, his market projections for 2024, and how his friend happened to date Jerry Seinfeld.

Kristian Hansen is the Founder and CEO of the sl∅ fashion company, which produces sustainable, functional, and handcrafted made-to-order denim. Having generated a $360,000 precede, a 100,000-person waitlist, and $10 million of projected revenue, Kristian and his team have redefined building companies through community. He grew the company from a single TikTok post to a community igniting the slow fashion revolution.

In this episode…

In recent decades, the fashion industry has relied on mass production, with thousands of garments manufactured daily, leading to massive amounts of waste and environmental deterioration. Additionally, the fast fashion model only allows for standardized sizes, limiting consumers’ choices. Slow fashion has emerged to counteract this trend, addressing sustainability and availability concerns. How can fashion brands leverage this model to expand their customer base and grow their businesses?

Fast fashion companies aim to fit as many consumers as possible into a single sizing set. By allowing customers to select their ideal size, fit, and fabric, fashion brands can offer made-to-order, tailored garments that expand accessibility while reducing potential waste from unworn products. While this model is more expensive and takes time, the products are of higher quality and last longer, saving consumers money in the long run. As an early pioneer of slow fashion, Kristian Hansen has built a loyal community and generated widespread engagement through organic TikTok content. He notes that remaining transparent and authentic about the unethical practices of traditional fashion is imperative in facilitating education and gaining valuable feedback to scale.

In today’s Up Arrow Podcast episode, William Harris chats with Kristian Hansen, the Founder and CEO of the sl∅ fashion company, about revolutionizing slow and sustainable fashion. Kristian describes how he generates a consistent feedback loop, the challenges he faced launching his brand, and the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry.

David Brier is the President and Creative Director of DBD International, Ltd., a branding consultancy that helps design and build global, regional, and local brands. As a branding expert, he is the recipient of over 330 international industry awards in branding, rebrands, design, and brand strategy. He received the Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship medallion and has been featured in Adweek, Forbes, Inc., Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and numerous podcasts. David is also the author of the award-winning book Brand Intervention: 33 Steps to Transform the Brand You Have into the Brand You Need.

In this episode…

Branding involves more than simply developing a clever name and eye-catching packaging to drive repeat sales. You must generate loyalty through post-purchase efforts and differentiate yourself from the competition. Yet 95% of brands ignore post-sale branding, blending in with the millions of other brands in their category. How can you rise above the noise to assert your dominance in the market?

Branding interventionist David Brier urges brands not to be tentative in their efforts. Instead, communicate your values, mission, and personality with a sense of conviction and be bold in your endeavors. To differentiate yourself authentically, evaluate your competitors, look ahead into the future, and pivot based on the insights you’ve gathered. When it comes to generating lifetime value, you must provide customers with compelling reasons to engage with your brand post-sale. Rather than spamming them with countless emails promoting similar products, reimagine how your brand can function in consumers’ lives beyond the initial purchase. 

On this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, David Brier, the President and Creative Director of DBD International, Ltd., joins William Harris to reveal revolutionary brand-building strategies. David shares when you should consider a brand intervention, how to develop a recognizable brand, and how to obtain buy-in from senior executives.

Stephanie Pugliese is a seasoned executive, board member, and the former President of the Americas at Under Armour. With over 30 years of retail experience, she has led high-growth international and multichannel brands. Before Under Armour, Stephanie was the CEO and President of Duluth Trading, where she grew the brand from a privately held entrepreneurial small business to an IPO.

In this episode…

The life and role of a CEO is no cakewalk. When you’re tasked with managing an entire organization’s growth, it can feel almost impossible to prioritize your endeavors, foster team trust, and balance your personal life simultaneously. How can you optimize your leadership to achieve goals for the company and yourself?

Having grown acclaimed brands and companies from the private to the public eye, experienced CEO Stephanie Pugliese has established herself as a respected and versatile leader. When undertaking considerable leadership endeavors, you must be committed to your goals and maintain optimal effort to achieve them. Yet even when trying your hardest, Stephanie says you can’t always give 100% of yourself, but you can make progress by showing up and remaining authentic. Additionally, building rapport with your team is crucial, so consider fostering genuine conversations to create personal connections and demonstrating your professional skills to gain respect.

On this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris welcomes Stephanie Pugliese, the former President of the Americas at Under Armour, to talk about how she became a respected CEO. Stephanie shares how to scale past $100 million in annual revenue, the role of authenticity in corporate settings, and how she balances her personal and professional life.

Noah Kravitz is the host of NVIDIA’s The AI Podcast, where he connects with leading experts in AI, deep learning, and machine learning. He is also the Founder and Chief Consultant at Resonant Digital, which works with VC-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies to deliver effective content strategies, development, and distribution services. As a seasoned journalist charting the rise of electronics and computing, Noah built one of YouTube’s most successful science and technology channels, served as a tech expert on various TV outlets, and wrote about society-changing technologies in media publications, including WIRED, Business Insider, and Entrepreneur.

In this episode…

With AI models taking the business realm by storm, individuals and corporations alike are strategizing methods for leveraging the tool. As buzzwords like multimodal large language models emerge, what is the current and future state of AI, and how can you prepare for what lies ahead?

With deep involvement in the AI space, journalist Noah Kravitz defines large language models (LLMs) as AI technology that uses transformers to process language. These models include ChatGPT, Google Bard, Jasper, Bing Chat, and other tools you can leverage for various content marketing campaigns. Multimodal LLMs elevate these capabilities by generating videos, images, and speech simultaneously. In the near future, AI will enhance productivity by automating repetitive tasks and workflows. Long-term uses of AI involve harnessing personalized agents that can replicate human behavior, creating a science-driven utopia. In the meantime, Noah recommends experimenting with public-use AI chatbots like ChatGPT and discovering how your skills integrate with this new technology.

In today’s Up Arrow Podcast episode, William Harris converses with Noah Kravitz, the host of NVIDIA’s The AI Podcast, about the potential of AI in the business landscape. Noah mentions AI’s role in technological advancements, how to leverage AI responsibly, and the main differences between AI chatbots.

Adam Butt is the Founder and CEO of UN/COMMON, a fully integrated e-commerce and marketing agency facilitating sustainable and profitable growth. In his role, he leads a team of over 50 people to scale $10-100 million international brands, including Liquid Death, Rare Beauty, and Beauty Blender. Adam launched UN/COMMON with only $500 in capital before growing it into a multimillion-dollar agency. He is also a serial investor in companies like American Battery Technology and Postscript.

In this episode…

With the lines between digital and physical blurred, DTC brands must capture the entire customer lifecycle. Yet these businesses often don’t consider the foundational factors that comprise the lifecycle, like content, the customer experience, branding, acquisition, and conversions. How can you prioritize and optimize the customer lifecycle to gain market share and create a distinctive brand?

According to multimillion-dollar agency founder Adam Butt, each component of the customer lifecycle must be cohesive. If you have strong acquisition and retention strategies but an inconsistent website experience, your lifecycle is likely to malfunction. However, Adam warns not to segment your efforts into a single channel. Instead, create a comprehensive omnichannel strategy by tracking the entire customer journey and adding incremental value at each stage. Building a personable brand requires cultivating a community of loyal customers through authenticity and organic connection.

On this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, the Founder and CEO of UN/COMMON, Adam Butt, joins William Harris to talk about optimizing the customer lifecycle. Adam addresses the issues with specialized agency structures, how he built and scaled UN/COMMON, and case studies of a successful customer lifecycle.

Brad Redding is the Co-founder and CEO of Elevar, which powers server-side conversion tracking for DTC brands on Shopify and Shopify Plus. With 17 years of experience in e-commerce, he has launched and optimized several businesses. Brad hosts the Conversion Tracking Playbook podcast and coaches agency owners at SaaS Academy.

In this episode…

With the rapid adoption of AI, data analytics has shifted from manual to automated, so companies must revise how they interpret and relay insights. Additionally, recent iOS updates have limited consumer data tracking, further complicating data analytics. How can you develop intuitive questions to optimize the data collection process?

Rather than arbitrarily studying data attribution or analytics tools for vague insights, e-commerce entrepreneur Brad Redding recommends gathering and reporting insights with specific business goals in mind. This involves asking pointed and analytical questions to narrow down relevant insights to accomplish the objectives. The launch of iOS 17 has modified data collection for private browsers, so Brad says to identify and transmit alternative user matching data to advertising platforms for activity metrics. 

In today’s Up Arrow Podcast episode, William Harris chats with Brad Redding, the Co-founder and CEO of Elevar, about his projections for the future of data analytics. Brad explains how Elevar promotes precise data analytics, how to navigate evolving user privacy settings, and the importance of maintaining health and longevity as a founder.

Sarah Levinger is a creative strategist, Forbes-featured consumer behavior analyst, and performance creative consultant. Having spent 10 years studying the human mind, consumer psychology, economics, and behavior science, she helps DTC brands increase paid advertising ROI using psychology-based creative. Previously, Sarah built and managed a marketing agency, where she developed social media and marketing strategies for small businesses, multilevel startups, and community associations.

In this episode…

While many marketers optimize their ads for technicalities, neuroscientific research shows that 95% of daily decisions are made from the subconscious mind, so ads must influence emotional decision-making. How can you leverage basic psychology principles to customize your ads for the consumer experience?

Rather than solely relying on demographic information to develop your ads, creative psychology integrator Sarah Levinger says to collect experiential and psychographic information about your target customer. This includes psychological fears and emotions surrounding a core issue. Sarah recommends gathering this information through a natural language processing (NLP) report, which identifies key emotional motivators. You can then incorporate these fundamental human experiences into your ads through humor and intentional language. 

In this installment of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris interviews creative strategist Sarah Levinger about implementing psychology into advertising and marketing. Sarah explains the importance of intentional ad designs, why influencing consumers’ emotions can cross a line, and how to leverage AI to tap into human psychology.

Darin Lynch is the Founder and CEO of Irish Titan, which builds and grows e-commerce channels. With experience in corporate IT, he worked for companies, including Principal Financial Group, Wilsons Leather, and the Platinum Group. Darin is also a national speaker specializing in e-commerce, leadership, culture, and entrepreneurship.

In this episode…

eCommerce trends like shoppable videos and headless integrations are sweeping the market, and brands stall their growth when trying to capitalize on them simultaneously. So what key aspects should merchants focus on, and how can they partner with an agency to accelerate growth?

As one of the early e-commerce adopters, growth leader Darin Lynch says brands must understand e-commerce basics like data management, omnichannel integrations, the path-to-purchase, and the user experience to remove growth barriers. When analyzing these areas, many merchants notice inaccurate product listings or descriptions on various channels, so updating keywords and integrating data to optimize profits is crucial. Darin also recommends partnering with an agency that specializes in areas you struggle to scale. This requires clearly articulating your business strategy, priorities, target audience, and supply chain management so the agency can build and grow your ideas.

In today’s Up Arrow Podcast episode, Darin Lynch, the Founder and CEO of Irish Titan, joins William Harris to talk about enhancing growth for stagnant e-commerce brands. Darin shares how to improve your marketing efforts, how merchants should consider e-commerce integrations, and his experience meeting Clint Eastwood and Simon Sinek.

Michael Siegel is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Decocrated, a seasonal and holiday home decor subscription box. As a serial seven-and eight-figure entrepreneur, he is also the Co-founder and Co-CEO of 1Thrive and Stratton Home Decor. With over 25 years of experience in the home decor industry, Michael has built high-performing sales and product development teams that fuel growth.

In this episode…

Customer lifetime value (LTV) is top of mind for many brands in the digital marketing space, and subscriptions are the leading choice for cultivating loyalty and retention. Yet brands with subscription-based business models require alternative methods of ensuring long-term satisfaction. How can you integrate customer insights and feedback into every aspect of your business?

Having transitioned from brick-and-mortar retail to e-commerce DTC, multipreneur Michael Siegel understands how to curate feedback to develop content and a community of loyal customers. He recommends cultivating trust by establishing an online community and offering exclusive deals. Then you can gather reviews using customized surveys with detailed questions. When analyzing the responses, many brands try to accommodate every customer, but Michael advises remaining consistent with your business model and mission, especially if you’ve already built a loyal consumer base. Once you’ve gathered feedback, develop organic content that aligns with consumer needs. For instance, you can create TikTok videos instructing customers on using your products. 

Join William Harris in this Up Arrow Podcast episode as he sits down with Michael Siegel, the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Decocrated, to talk about fostering customer lifetime value. Michael shares the value of mentorship in the DTC landscape, how sports influenced his entrepreneurial journey, and how he scaled Decocrated through customer insights.