chase clymer

Isaac Hyman is the founder of HiFlyer Digital, an email & SMS marketing agency for the fastest-growing e-commerce brands in the world, as well as a featured e-commerce speaker and new author of The Ultimate Ecommerce Email & SMS Playbook. 

Isaac is on a mission to help brands level the playing field with the top e-commerce brands and unlock the true revenue potential of every customer on their email & SMS list.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:07] The smart things that HiFlyer Digital does
• [02:16] Percentage of customers that just buy one time
• [03:49] Books and shows that help with post purchase
• [04:32] Customer relationships doesn’t end with the sale
• [05:58] Don’t just focus on the sale
• [06:53] The smart way to run post purchase strategies
• [08:10] 4 stages of the hourglass mindset
• [09:53] How to get Isaac’s free playbook
• [11:07] Relationships around Isaac helped his perspective
• [11:57] Isaac is gonna go back before Q4 and BFCm
• [12:23] Focus on the person behind the email/phone number

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Award-winning email marketing agency, SMS and CRM for Ecommerce brands that knows how to unlock the revenue from every customer on your list hiflyerdigital.com
• Connect with Isaac linkedin.com/in/isaachyman
• Never Lose a Customer Again book joeycoleman.com/books
• Get The Ultimate Ecommerce Email & SMS Playbook, just pay for shipping and handling. Use coupon code HONEST hiflyerdigital.com/playbook

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Keith Eshelman is the co-founder & CEO of Parks Project. Parks Project, founded in 2014, came from the idea that we can all do more to support America's parklands. 

In the early days, Keith volunteered at trail days in local national parks—through this, he realized that there was a huge lack of participation from the next generation. 

To change that, he created collections of apparel and accessories that would further connect consumers with parks to raise awareness of the projects taking place daily around the country and give folks a story to wear that supports outdoor conservation.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:01] What are Parks Project’s products?
• [01:33] Where the idea of Parks Project came from
• [03:00] The progression of Parks Project products 
• [04:59] Finding customers through organic influence
• [07:00] Knowing that “We’re onto something”
• [08:17] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [09:13] Sponsor: Sendlane sendlane.com/honest
• [10:39] Insider perspectives for launching a brand
• [12:33] Ecom vs wholesale buyers
• [14:01] The evolution of the brand
• [15:30] Advice for founders finding product-market fit
• [17:30] Manage your relationships with your customers
• [18:39] Getting featured by Fast Company
• [19:18] There’s still much to do and learn
• [19:54] The wellness aspect of Parks Project
• [20:44] Where to find Parks Project
• [21:08] Keith’s tips when going to parks

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Celebrating America's National Parks with a line of apparel, accessories and home decor parksproject.us
• Connect with Keith linkedin.com/in/keith-eshelman-a972473
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Schedule your free consultation with a Sendlane expert sendlane.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Scott Crumrine is the co-founder and CEO of Guava Family, a high-performance design company creating baby gear that treats parenting like the extreme sport that it is. 

Previously a designer for Motion Water Sports with a specialty in wakeboard design, Scott found parents in his life frustrated with the poor performance of strollers and other family gear. 

Before even becoming a parent himself, Scott teamed up with fellow designers Asa Giffin and Reed Schmidt in 2009 to bring Guava Family to life with the mission to make gear more efficient, simple, and elegant to meet their needs and the needs of people like them, particularly those with active lifestyles. 

Guava Family's products are loved by active parents across the country, and have received prestigious innovations awards such as TIME Best Inventions, Fast Company's Innovation by Design, and a Red Dot. 

Scott holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BS Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University. 

He holds several patents in the Action Sports and Juvenile Products industry. 

He lives with his wife and 3 kids in Carlsbad, CA where, when not working, he loves spending time in the ocean, and teaching his little ones to surf and ski.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:01] What are Guava Family’s products?
• [01:30] Where the idea of Guava Family came from
• [03:07] Getting the first customers and initial sales
• [04:50] Guava Family’s first platform on 2013
• [05:27] Experiencing Ecom at its “infancy”
• [06:28] Guava Family’s marketing platforms and channels
• [07:38] How Scott balances Amazon and D2C
• [08:07] Guava Family’s customer service ethos
• [09:31] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [10:28] Sponsor: Sendlane sendlane.com/honest
• [11:55] Scaling a business without taking capital
• [13:09] Word-of-mouth marketing in the baby industry
• [15:49] Determining if a product line is worth doing
• [16:45] Selling commodity product online might be harder
• [17:35] Know what your business model is and stick to it
• [18:21] Where to find Guava Family products

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Award-winning, portable travel cribs guavafamily.com
• Connect with Scott linkedin.com/in/scottcrumrine
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Schedule your free consultation with a Sendlane expert sendlane.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Khierstyn Ross is the founder of Launch and Scale™, an e-commerce digital marketing firm that specializes in fast, early-stage growth for online physical product brands. 

Through Khierstyn’s work, she’s helped launch and scale multiple 7-figure brands such as Jamstack.io, Aberlite.com, CeresChill.com, and many others. 

Khierstyn believes in empowering online product creators to build a business that gives them the freedom to fund and create the lifestyle they want to live on their terms.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:58] What Launch and Scale™ does
• [01:31] Launch and Scale is the question Chase always asks
• [01:55] How Khierstyn ended up launching her own business
• [04:47] The crowdfunding landscape is very different today
• [05:19] From crowdfunding to pre-orders/Shopify launches
• [05:58] Clarifying that “Kickstarter” means crowdfunding
• [06:29] Why is product validation important?
• [07:27] Validate products before crowdfunding
• [08:23] Product validation: Small runs
• [09:34] Product validation: VIP programs
• [10:56] The duality of interviewing podcast hosts
• [11:21] Shopify vs Kickstarter on product validation
• [12:04] Weighing in on Shopify and Kickstarter
• [13:11] The downside of Kickstarter being popular
• [15:50] Shopify provides a more controlled launch
• [16:16] Breaking down the expenses on Kickstarter
• [17:37] You essentially run 2 campaigns on Kickstarter
• [17:55] If Khierstyn would choose, is it just Shopify?
• [18:47] Don’t use the Kickstarter model on Shopify
• [20:13] Kickstarter is viable, just know the risks
• [20:39] When should you reach out when you have an idea?
• [21:38] Where to find Khierstyn

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Subscribe to Launch and Scale™ @LaunchAndScale
• Connect with Khierstyn linkedin.com/in/khierstyn
• Using a proven growth system to quickly test, launch, and scale your product through Kickstarter and Shopify, profitably launchandscale.co

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

David Gaylord is the current Chief Executive Officer at Bushbalm, a skincare and technology brand focused on improving the quality of products used for hair removal. 

After spending 7+ years at Shopify he took his ecommerce expertise to launch Bushbalm. 

The brand is now expanding its channel strategy with over 2,000 waxing salons carrying the product, and over 900 Ulta Beauty stores in the United States.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:54] What are Bushbalm’s products?
• [01:55] Where the idea of Bushbalm come from
• [03:19] From an idea to an actual product
• [04:19] Finding product-market fit
• [05:09] How long it took for David to go full-time
• [06:25] Succeeding in Facebook ads in this difficult time
• [08:20] When did Bushbalm pivot into paid ads?
• [09:53] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [10:50] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [12:17] Just run your business and don’t worry too much
• [13:22] Exploring B2B and retail
• [15:03] The percentages among Bushbalm’s channels
• [15:37] Where to find Bushbalm products

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Connect with David linkedin.com/in/davidagaylord
• Formulated to soothe redness, reduce the look of ingrown hairs, dark spots, razor bumps, soften body hair + more bushbalm.com
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Mikey Goldman is part of the over-prescribed generation directly impacted by the ease at which serious drugs were “handed” out to kids and teens before natural alternatives were even discussed. 

He grew up with a racing mind, always struggling in school to focus and sit still. 

Formally diagnosed with severe ADHD and math dyslexia (dyscalculia) in highschool, he was later prescribed Vyvanse in college which led to severe side effects that resulted in a snowballing of prescription drug use including daily prescriptions from his doctor of Vyvanse, Adderall, Klonopin, Ambien, and Xanax.

Through a brutal withdrawal period, Mikey eventually got off all prescriptions, and sought to find a natural solution for his ADHD + racing mind. 

After experimenting with dozens (if not hundreds) of wellness products, experiences, and drug alternatives, Mikey was mesmerized by the benefits of Deep Touch Pressure and weighted technology, but like many people with ADHD, he found weighted blankets uncomfortable. 

Quiet Mind solves for those areas of discomfort with an alternative in the form of the first-ever Original Weighted Pillow, a convenient and reliable solution for people like me - and it's only the beginning. 

Prior to launching Quiet Mind, Mikey worked in marketing and social media in the tech industry for companies like GreenPark Sports, Insightly, and Zuora. 

Quiet mind is his ticket to a joy-filled and purpose-driven career to help people never feel that way.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:59] What are Quiet Mind’s products?
• [01:40] Where the idea of weighted pillows come from
• [03:26] The weighted blankets trend during the pandemic
• [03:53] Weighted blankets are cumbersome
• [04:27] Weighted pillows might be the solution
• [05:31] The next step after getting the idea
• [06:30] How Mikey performed “prototyping”
• [06:52] Finally telling others about the idea
• [07:11] Figuring the target demographic
• [07:26] What pushed Mikey to dive in
• [07:45] What’s next after deciding to pursue the market
• [08:32] Phase 1 for Quiet Mind: Prototyping
• [09:06] The importance of starting with the right people
• [10:05] Put your own money in to condition yourself
• [10:47] Mikey’s tiered approach to outside investors
• [11:45] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [12:42] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [13:59] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [14:51] Using an adjacent product to get feedback
• [17:11] Getting the word out there while still under wraps
• [17:58] Meeting the Gravity Blankets founder
• [18:34] You need to be careful if you have a novel idea
• [19:14] The secret to founders’ peace of mind
• [19:56] The product, the founder, and the story
• [20:50] Why PR is the number one choice for Mikey
• [21:36] Quiet Mind’s SEO strategy
• [21:52] The timing for SEO and PR
• [22:39] The biggest challenge for a new product
• [22:50] Educating audiences with your new product
• [24:35] Why should get the product to market ASAP
• [26:12] Lessons with overseas manufacturing during Covid
• [27:52] Where to find Quiet Mind products

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Connect with Mikey linkedin.com/in/mikeygoldman
• A wellness brand offering clever solutions to help people suffering from common disorders like ADHD, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and loneliness onequietmind.com
• Follow Quiet Mind on Instagram @quietmind
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Shawn Khemsurov is a Designer and Co-founder of Electric Eye, a Shopify Expert agency. 

He brings over fifteen years of fashion retail and ecommerce experience to the table and has worked with the likes of Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap Inc, Nike, The Black Keys, Barton Perreira, Homage and Only NY. 

When he's not building websites or designing, he's investing in and advising for other small businesses, listening to heavy metal, and playing golf and ice hockey.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:11] Off-the-shelf theme vs custom theme
• [03:05] Advantages of off-the-shelf themes
• [05:19] Don’t buy themes outside the Shopify store
• [07:04] When you should consider a custom built theme
• [10:06] Custom theme drawback: Less flexibility
• [10:41] Why you would go custom beyond design
• [12:23] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [13:20] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [14:37] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [15:29] Recapping the pros and cons of off-the-shelf themes
• [16:16] Customers wouldn’t notice if you use similar themes
• [16:50] Off-the-shelf themes are way cheaper than custom
• [17:14] Set up off-the-shelf themes, then customize later
• [18:34] Custom was the way to go, a year or two before
• [20:42] The pros and cons of going custom
• [21:23] The budget for custom, off-the-shelf, and hybrid
• [22:06] Hybrid approach works best for most Ecom stores
• [23:25] Off-the-shelf themes has a great foundation
• [24:37] Custom solutions are recommended more for Plus
• [25:13] Shawn’s recommendations: Switch Themes
• [27:52] Shawn’s recommendations: Maestrooo
• [28:37] Shawn’s recommendations: Archetype
• [29:02] Shawn’s honorable mention: Mode Theme
• [29:24] Out of the Sandbox and Pixel Union
• [29:54] Themes are getting better and better
• [31:07] Looking forward to the future of themes
• [32:30] Try out off-the-shelf themes for yourself
• [32:44] What we do at our agency

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Follow Shawn on Twitter @shawnkhemsurov
• A typography theme designed for the unconventional switchthemes.co/shopify-themes/baseline
• A retro inspired them for energetic brands switchthemes.co/shopify-themes/shapes
• A bold grid-style theme, perfect for lifestyle and product imagery themes.shopify.com/themes/focal/styles/carbon
• A colored, typography-oriented theme for impactful brands themes.shopify.com/themes/impact/styles/home
• Flexible, fashionable, proven design with powerful promotions archetypethemes.co/products/shopify-theme-impulse
• Feature-packed and fast, hand-crafted for growth and large inventories themes.shopify.com/themes/mode/styles/solar
• Award-winning ecommerce design and development company outofthesandbox.com/collections/themes
• A leading design agency known for creating premium themes for the world's best brands and creators pixelunion.net
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Katie Bilodeau is the President of Ring Concierge, the leading luxury jeweler committed to designing forever pieces that are both inspirational and obtainable. 

Katie began her time at Ring Concierge as a consultant in 2017 and became President of the company in 2020 working closely with Nicole Wegman, Founder & CEO, to strategize and manage overall company initiatives. 

Katie's focus is on overall company strategic direction, including oversight of the operational, employee and financial departments ensuring maximum efficiency and a scalable platform for growth. 

Prior to her time with Ring Concierge, Katie worked in the Human Resources department as a Business Partner at Barclays Capital Investment Bank and later working at King Street Capital Management. 

After leaving King Street Capital Management, Katie began consulting on her own with various startups helping with their business strategy from a human capital standpoint. 

As a 2009 Clemson University alum, her Bachelor’s in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Resource provided her the extensive knowledge and in depth understanding of how imperative the human capital strategy is to the foundation of any company.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:58] What is Ring Concierge?
• [03:49] Customer feedback led Ring Concierge to D2C
• [04:22] Ring Concierge 2.0 and when Katie stepped in
• [06:06] Selling other brands to selling their own products
• [08:16] In-house products for better margins
• [08:50] Engagement rings vs fine jewelry sales
• [10:11] From organic to social media
• [12:58] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [13:55] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [15:12] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [16:08] Did Ring Concierge incentivize word-of-mouth?
• [16:28] Ideal customer for Ring Concierge’s bespoke side
• [18:05] Marketing to 2 different customers
• [19:11] The challenges that Ring Concierge faced
• [21:35] Hiring is really crucial for business growth
• [22:31] Where to find Ring Concierge

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Fine jewelry for women, by women ringconcierge.com/collections/fine-jewelry
• Follow Ring Concierge on Instagram @ringconcierge
• Connect with Katie linkedin.com/in/katieorourke
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

As a marketing expert with over 15 years of experience in Ecommerce, Andrew Maffettone (Maff) has not only owned and managed multiple marketing companies in the Ecommerce space but has also worked in-house at multiple online selling companies, driving brands to new heights.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:23] How Andrew end up in Ecom
• [02:53] Chase automated himself out of a job
• [03:36] Andrew tried to save his dad’s company
• [04:21] The factors that Andrew is currently focusing on
• [04:53] BlueTuskr’s approach to omnichannel strategy
• [05:39] Raising budgets does not affect just one channel
• [07:11] Amazon’s “Buy with Prime” button
• [08:01] Andrew already implemented “Buy with Prime” before
• [09:33] Let your customers shop how they want to shop
• [10:57] A big gap between Amazon and your own website
• [13:18] How Bluetuskr approaches Amazon to Ecom
• [15:02] Don’t “half-ass” your website
• [16:45] Attribution across multiple platforms
• [18:23] Looking at budget and revenue holistically
• [19:19] Explaining the ad performance to clients
• [20:11] Determining ad spend through MER & ROAS
• [21:15] Proper budget allocation makes stuff fluid
• [22:43] Where to find Andrew and BlueTuskr

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Marketing company for e-commerce sellers ready to accelerate their growth with robust omnichannel strategies, targeted media-buying, & data-driven analysis bluetuskr.com
• The latest industry news, strategies, tips, and advice to help grow your business ecommshow.bluetuskr.com
• Connect with Andrew linkedin.com/in/andrewmaff
• Chase’s guest episode on The E-Comm Show ecommshow.bluetuskr.com/how-to-scale-your-shopify-brand-through-effective-web-design-electric-eye

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

In 2006, Ryan Alovis started Magazine Discount Center (MDC). Within a few years, Alovis bootstrapped MDC into the largest destination online for consumer magazine subscriptions. In 2016, MDC was acquired by Time Inc. 

In 2009, with the cash flow MDC was yielding, Alovis was able to purchase LensDirect.com, a struggling online retailer of name-brand contact lenses that was previously owned by his family. 

Under his leadership, LensDirect.com has grown revenues over 13000%, and has evolved into a leading online retailer of vision care products. 

LensDirect.com has earned continuous placement in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the United States, and has been selected as one of the top online retailers by Internet Retailer..

In 2012, Alovis co-founded Go Answer, a 24/7 outsourced contact center solution. Originally an answering service, it has blossomed into an award-winning full-service contact center handling tele, web chat, and emails/ticketing for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

In 2016, with the proceeds from the MDC sale, Alovis started Pulse Health (formerly known as InTouchMD), a healthcare technology company. 

Pulse Health's marquee product is the Pulse Engagement Cloud - a powerful cloud-based SaaS platform that helps pharmaceutical companies better reach, engage and understand physicians & patients on an individual level. 

Pulse Health's client list ranges from emerging biotech to global pharmaceutical companies. 

In 2016, Pulse Health was selected as the most innovative company in healthcare and in 2018, Pulse Engagement Cloud was selected as the most innovative product in healthcare. 

The companies have evolved into multi-industry leaders, landing placement in the coveted Inc. 5000, Internet Retailers Top 1000, Long Island Business News’ 40 under 40 and a finalist in the New York Enterprise Small Business Awards. 

Alovis has been featured in top media outlets including Forbes, Reuters, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, Inc. Magazine, Internet Retailer, and The New York Observer. Alovis’ companies have been the subject of multiple success stories featured in American Express, Microsoft, Trustpilot, UPS, Twilio, and Visa. 

At the heart of Alovis is his passion for doing good, and has managed to bring that same entrepreneurial energy to his fundraising committee, The Silver Lining Society. 

This New York based non-profit, which Alovis co-founded in 2006, raises money for Hope & Heroes Pediatric Cancer Fund and has raised nearly a million dollars since inception.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:59] What is LensDirect.com?
• [01:58] The early days of Ryan’s Ecom journey
• [03:00] The “not sexy” businesses are the one that work
• [04:05] Was Ryan the first one to use subs online?
• [04:46] Competitors mean that there is a market
• [05:44] When LensDirect came into the picture
• [07:24] From mail order to Ecommerce
• [08:11] Why Ryan bought back LensDirect
• [10:45] How Go Answer came into the picture
• [12:05] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [13:02] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [14:19] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [15:11] The advantages of human communication
• [17:26] What’s cooking on LensDirect and Go Answer
• [19:48] Another amazing brand from Ryan: Pulse Health
• [20:22] Where to find Ryan’s brands?

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Your one stop shop for all things optical lensdirect.com
• The #1 24/7 full service answering service 1888goanswer.com
• The industry leader in cloud-based engagement software and services for the life science industry pulsehealth.tech
• Connect with Ryan linkedin.com/in/ryanalovis
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Michael Kuech Michael is half of the powerhouse team behind Your Super, one of the biggest superfood brands in the U.S. and Europe. 

In just over 8 years, Your Super transformed from zero to hero, with a whopping $200 million in revenue and a successful exit in October 2022. But this wasn't an ordinary business venture. 

This was personal. Michael's cancer diagnosis at age 24 inspired him to consider the power of food as medicine. 

After his recovery, he started experimenting with superfood mixes to boost his immunity and, with the help of his partner and now wife, Kristel de Groot, they created Your Super. 

From humble beginnings in Amsterdam, Michael led the company as CEO to quickly spread across six continents, 60+ countries and was named the fastest-growing Food & Beverage company in 2021 by Inc. Magazine. 

With headquarters in the U.S., Your Super has helped millions of people to change their lifestyles and feel better with the power of plants. Formerly employed by big names like Accenture and Deutsche Bank, Michael is today a sought-after industry leader, CEO, speaker, author, and e-commerce expert and is regularly featured in Forbes, TED, Inc., Cheddar TV, Good Day L.A., and The Doctors. 

Kristel and Michael recently published their newest book Your Super Life, and you can keep up with them on the top-ranking Your Super Life Podcast, their site kristelandmichael.com, and on social @kristelandmichael.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:53] What are Your Super’s products?
• [01:31] Why Your Super is personal for Michael
• [04:17] Personal solution to business potential
• [05:50] Michael’s advice to someone scared to start 
• [06:38] How Your Super got its first customers
• [08:06] Feedback becoming a crucial factor for Your Super
• [10:42] The importance of emotional connection
• [12:17] Focus on simplicity and what you’re good at
• [13:26] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [14:22] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [15:40] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [16:31] Max out your working channels before expanding
• [18:17] The channels that Your Super was focused on
• [19:35] Michael’s book: Your Super Life
• [20:49] Find your passion, build your business around it

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Get the Your Super Life book at your favorite book store: Barnes & Noble, Booksamllion, Target, Amazon, Walmart, etc 
• Follow them on IG on @kristelandmichael and @yoursuperfoods
• Learn more on kristelandmichael.com and yoursuper.com
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Chris is a serial entrepreneur who has successfully invested in and launched eight businesses, two of which have been acquired. 

As one of the creators of the wildly popular and recently acquired Gentleman's Box, a high-end subscription box for men, Chris has spoken to aspiring entrepreneurs and established industry professionals at events like Digital Summit, SubSummit and several academic institutions such as Columbia Business School and George Washington University. 

His strong business acumen and understanding of the role of marketing and branding solidify him as a leading force in the realm of entrepreneurs. 

Propelled by the notion that you can always give back, Chris regularly supports emerging brands by investing in and mentoring individuals and companies that lead with purpose over profit.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:51] What is SubSummit?
• [01:22] The start of Chris’s entrepreneurial journey
• [02:32] The tech they used for Gentleman’s Box
• [03:10] Launching own brand vs launching on a marketplace
• [04:20] Relationships and experiences before platforms
• [05:19] Amazon is always your competitor online
• [06:19] 3 things you should provide as a subscription
• [06:44] Finding the initial customers for Gentleman’s Box
• [07:45] Identifying the customer most likely to purchase
• [08:27] Figuring out where your customers attention is
• [09:17] Being “obsessed “ at your customer
• [09:47] Entrepreneurs should ask what the customers want
• [10:38] The point where you let the customers decide
• [11:51] How to implement a recurring revenue model
• [13:21] Example: subscription for a streetwear brand
• [13:53] An example from the customer’s perspective
• [14:39] Things to look forward to SubSummit 2023
• [15:50] SubSummit’s Hosted Buyer Program
• [17:05] Learn all about subscription models in SubSummit
• [17:54] There are so many resources to help you grow
• [18:19] Sometimes, the only barrier you have is yourself

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• The world’s largest meetup of subscription, membership, & recurring revenue brands subsummit.com
• Get your Tickets to SubSummit subsummit.com/tickets
• Connect with Chris linkedin.com/in/chrisgcertified

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Corey Hackett started working in retail at 14. He started guerrilla marketing for Top of the World at 19.

He went back to school for marketing and advertising at 21 to try and figure out exactly what he was doing.

After school, he worked at traditional marketing agencies for 10 years while helping Top of the World advance their brand on the side.

He took over ownership of Top of the World in 2011.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:59] What products does TotW offer
• [01:43] Having been around for quite some time
• [03:02] Corey’s retail background and education
• [04:12] How Corey transitioned into owning TotW 
• [05:33] Envisioning owning the place someday
• [06:54] Buying TotW vs starting over
• [08:09] Advantages of buying an established brand
• [09:45] Opportunities to improve in TotW
• [12:51] The big projects in Corey’s first year owning TotW
• [14:30] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [15:27] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [16:44] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [17:36] Being at talks with the early days of Shopify
• [18:18] Corey has met Tobi before adopting Shopify for TotW
• [19:55] What happened after launching TotW’s Shopify site
• [21:35] Becoming an unofficial QA for Shopify
• [22:00] Finally transitioning to Shopify
• [23:13] Experiencing the weird era of online ads
• [24:00] Being an early adopter of Instagram
• [25:17] Witnessing and realizing the habit of “pre-shopping”
• [28:02] Before starting and going all-in, have an end goal
• [28:48] Where to find Top of the World

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Ottawa's oldest and largest independent skate and snow shop topoftheworld.com
• Follow Top of The World Skate and Snow on Instagram @totw
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Henry Murray is the co-founder and CMO of waterdrop. With an impressive educational background, Henry is waterdrop’s resident jack of all trades. 

After working for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Henry joined his brother, Martin Donald Murray, and friend, Christoph Hermann, to co-found the beverage-industry disrupting company, earning him a spot on Forbes prestigious 30 under 30 list. 

Henry is currently in charge of overseeing waterdrop’s global expansion, with a focus on the U.S. Murray holds a Master of Science from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), an exchange semester in Business Administration and Management, General from Seoul National University, and a Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration from WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business). 

waterdrop, the fast-growing hydration brand based in Vienna, has been shaking up the beverage industry since 2016 with its innovative waterdrop® Microdrink and global hydration platform. 

The company's mission is to encourage people to drink more water in a more sustainable way. Its sugar-free, flavored cubes, which dissolve in water and enrich it with natural fruit & plant extracts and valuable vitamins, have been praised by consumers for supporting them to Drink More Water. 

waterdrop significantly reduces plastic use and CO2 emissions. The 98% saving in plastic compared to traditional bottled drinks is achieved through the individual recyclable packaging of each cube: the plastic contained in a single cap of a traditional bottle is equivalent to 10 Microdrinks. 

In partnership with Plastic Bank, waterdrop pledges to collect one plastic bottle for every 12-pack sold, meaning consumers can not only drink more sustainably, but they can also support waterdrop's cause for a better environmental future. 

Now established for six years, the company has grown to having more than 2 million online customers and over 300 employees, as well as product listings in over 20,000 retail outlets and more than 40 waterdrop stores in Europe, America and Singapore.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:00] The products of waterdrop
• [03:46] The R&D process and the initial launch
• [05:00] How the team validated the product
• [06:05] The duration from R&D to product launch
• [07:01] Launching a CPG is quite a process
• [08:21] Acquiring new customers for waterdrop
• [10:11] The budget range to move the needle
• [11:20] Limiting your budget is a limiting belief
• [12:07] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [13:04] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO jsonld.app
• [14:21] Sponsor: Retention.com retention.com/honest
• [15:12] Why did waterdrop chose tennis specifically?
• [17:24] waterdrop’s innovative hydration bench
• [17:58] Why waterdrop chose top-tier tennis athletes
• [18:59] US vs EU markets
• [21:48] The perspective of an EU brand coming to the US
• [24:07] Where to find waterdrop

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Helping you drink more water with bursts of delicious flavors made from real fruit and plant extracts — anytime, anywhere waterdrop.com
• Connect with Henry linkedin.com/in/thomas-henry-murray-00578a55
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Mroue is a self-taught marketer that learned through trial and error. He learned the ins and outs of customer service, email marketing, product marketing, content creation, video editing, advertising, data analytics, web design, and shipping and logistics. 

After a few failed business attempts, Mroue launched his first successful ecommerce business in September of 2020, generating $150,000+ in sales in a little over a year.

In April of 2022, Mroue started a new brand—Cloudsharks. In less than a year they've gone from zero to multi-seven figures in revenue and continue to grow month over month.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:57] What are cloudsharks?
• [01:34] Where the idea of cloudsharks come from
• [02:21] Trying to find a product that works and sells
• [03:18] Launching a product with no proof of concept
• [04:04] From feeling a winning product to selling it
• [05:08] Can anybody mimic Rayan’s success?
• [06:10] Getting the product into people’s hands
• [07:29] Differentiating from similarly sourced products
• [09:10] cloudsharks’ TikTok budget
• [10:23] Sponsor: Electric Eye https://electriceye.io/connect
• [11:20] Sponsor: JSON-LD For SEO https://jsonld.app
• [12:37] Sponsor: Retention.com https://retention.com/honest
• [13:28] Would Rayan’s strategy work today?
• [15:00] Keeping up with finances when scaling too fast
• [17:09] What’s next for cloudsharks?
• [18:45] Be on top of your operating expenses
• [22:27] Great product + good marketing = growth
• [23:00] Community and networking

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• The shark slides made for comfort and style cloudsharks.co
• Connect with Rayan linkedin.com/in/rayanmroue
• The best community for 7, 8 & 9+ figure Ecommerce operators workspace6.io
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app
• Book your demo today and get 20% off the annual commitment fee retention.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Umaimah Mendhro is the Founder of VIDA, a global platform offering unique, sustainable, and beautifully design-driven products that aim to positively impact people's lives and overall well-being. 

Umaimah grew up in rural Pakistan and Saudi Arabia - with no access to formal education most of her life - but a deep passion for design and art and a drive to make a difference in the world. 

She paved her way to Cornell University and later Harvard Business School, and built a career in technology, working with a highly select portfolio of game-changing tech companies and managing and growing million dollar businesses. 

Umaimah is also the Founder of thedreamfly.org, a global initiative connecting communities in conflict around common causes with presence across four countries touching over 5,000 lives. 

dreamfly kickstarts seed initiatives that are 100% financially sustainable within one year.

Currently, Umaimah is the Founder and President of One League, a global education institution connecting the world’s highest potential talent with the world’s best opportunities by offering an Ivy League Plus quality education, irrespective of financial means. 

Umaimah has an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar, and a BSc from Cornell University in Human Development with coursework in Computer Science.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:04] The types of products Vida brings to market
• [02:15] The idea of VIDA goes way back
• [02:56] Creating her own products initially
• [03:58] Noticing the divide between creators and brands
• [05:04] The impetus of VIDA
• [06:16] How Umaimah got started with VIDA
• [08:25] How VIDA achieved product-market fit
• [10:01] How VIDA takes advantage of economies of scale
• [11:34] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [12:30] Sponsor: JSON-LD for SEO jsonld.app
• [14:15] How VIDA does “digital manufacturing”
• [15:02] Getting customers for VIDA’s designers
• [15:55] COVID affecting VIDA’s manufacturing process
• [18:25] VIDA pivoting to health care because of COVID
• [19:30] Other health-related products developed during COVID
• [21:25] How VIDA products evolved over time
• [22:45] Investing in education and empowerment

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• A collaboration between designers and makers around the world that brings original, inspiring apparel and accessories to you - creating beauty every step of the way shopvida.com
• Connect with Umaimah linkedin.com/in/umaimah
• Take the first step towards Shopify success electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Amanat Anand grew up in New Delhi, India and met her co-founder while pursuing her undergraduate degrees in Industrial Design at the Parsons School of Design in New York. 

After graduating, they entered the concept of SoaPen to the UNICEF Wearables for Good Challenge. 

SoaPen teaches kid's personal hygiene habits through their fun and innovative products. 

She has been featured on Shark Tank and is a listmaker on the Forbes 30 under 30 list.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:03] Where the idea of SoaPen came from
• [02:26] Explaining how SoaPen works
• [03:32] What’s next after winning the UNICEF competition?
• [05:22] The first marketing strategies for SoaPen
• [06:50] Realizing that SoaPen has a market
• [07:34] Having traction before the pandemic
• [09:37] Sponsor: Electric Eye https://electriceye.io/connect
• [10:34] Sponsor: JSON-LD for SEO https://jsonld.app
• [11:49] The main channels for SoaPen
• [12:07] Amanat was apprehensive to go to Shark Tank
• [13:11] What’s different about the Shark Tank process
• [14:10] The Shark Tank bump in sales
• [14:54] What has changed since Shark Tank?
• [16:07] Where to find SoaPen

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Soap-filled pen that kids can draw with before scrubbing up! soapen.com
  Use code HONEST20 at checkout to get a 20% off coupon.
• Connect with Amanat linkedin.com/in/amanatanand
• Take the first step towards Shopify success electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Lynn Power spent much of her 30 year career running and transforming agency brands. 

Lynn has expertise in transforming organizations from top to bottom – including capabilities, organizational structure, talent and culture. 

She recently left the big agency world to launch two brands: MASAMI, a premium clean hair care brand which launched in February 2020 and Isle de Nature, bee-powered home fragrance which launched in September 2020. 

Prior to her entrepreneurial move, Lynn was CEO of J. Walter Thompson NY, responsible for the flagship office of WPP’s $1.5B iconic agency (the oldest advertising agency in the world). 

Throughout her career, Lynn has had the great fortune of working on some of the world’s most well-known brands including: LISTERINE, American Express, Clinique, Hershey’s, Pizza Hut and Wild Turkey. 

Lynn believes that business success relies on building a team that respects and nurtures ideas as well as the people who create them. 

She believes in moving at the speed of culture, eliminating barriers and helping women find their voices.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:53] MASAMI and Isle De Nature
• [01:56] Lynn’s cool history in Ecommerce
• [03:49] How Lynn justifies having no degree
• [04:32] Agency background = brand success?
• [07:24] The boring side of the business is crucial
• [08:04] Will the go-to-market strat years ago work today?
• [10:27] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [11:23] Sponsor: JSON-LD for SEO jsonld.app
• [12:38] Tactics that weren’t worth the hassle
• [13:47] Facebook is a difficult and expensive route
• [14:50] Advertising is like gasoline
• [16:18] Pros and cons of naivete in business
• [17:25] There are not tricks or silver bullets
• [18:01] The fun in business is figuring stuff out
• [19:30] Consumer impatience is a big factor
• [19:59] Black Friday and beyond for Lynn’s brands
• [22:07] Where the Conscious Beauty Collective came from
• [24:45] Connect with Lynn if you have further question

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Premium hair care line designed for superior hydration, texture, and shine lovemasami.com
• Bee-powered home fragrance with the belief that nature is luxury isledenature.com
• Connect with Lynn linkedin.com/in/lynn-power-02b8904
• Take the first step towards Shopify success electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Alvania A. Lopez, Founder / CEO Alvania always had a love (and talent) for arts and crafts, creating greeting cards and candy jewelry, through childhood. 

She delighted in the joys of gift-giving, and still does! Celebrating diversity and building strong relationships is her personal mantra. 

Alvania’s mission is to make the art of gifting, convenient, exclusive, and almost effortless.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:56] What are Peachbox Co’s products?
• [01:29] Where the idea of Peachbox Co came from
• [02:19] Validating if an idea is worth taking the time
• [03:47] Getting the first batch of customers
• [06:15] The problems that Peachbox Co is trying to solve
• [06:53] Using tech to make processes easier for customers
• [08:17] The Shopify ecosystem’s advantages for Peachbox
• [09:19] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect
• [10:16] Sponsor: JSON-LD for SEO jsonld.app
• [11:31] Peachbox’s customer targeting strategy
• [13:05] Resources should not be a barrier to success
• [13:57] Where to find Peachbox Co

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Send gift boxes for any occasion peachboxco.com
• Connect with Alvania linkedin.com/in/alvania-a-lopez-86064946
• Take the first step towards Shopify success electriceye.io/connect
• Get your free structured data audit for your store jsonld.app

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Ilana Davis is a Shopify Superhero who works with e-commerce shops to remove friction from the buying process. She’s the owner of JSON-LD for SEO, a Shopify app that gets you more organic traffic through Rich Results.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:59] Pros and cons of consulting vs app development
• [03:26] Using structured data to produce rich results
• [04:25] Themes have structured data but are incomplete
• [05:30] Is JSON-LD updated with Google’s algorithms?
• [06:18] The full process of structured data
• [07:41] Structured data is like a cheat sheet
• [08:50] Does structured data affect Merchant Center?
• [10:25] Google search enhancements to benefit from JSON-LD
• [11:15] Rich results vs featured snippets
• [12:40] Does your Shopify store need to be technical?
• [14:07] Similar apps but not as updated
• [15:03] Connect with Ilana if you have questions
• [16:05] Where to find more info about the topic & JSON-LD

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Connect with Ilana support@ilanadavis.com
• Learn more about rich results and structured data ilanadavis.com/blogs/articles
• Safely & effectively earn qualified traffic to boost conversions jsonld.app

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!