Ecom Growth Insider

6 months into your launch, the data shows you're targeting the wrong customer. Do you pivot the entire brand, or push through with what you've got?In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, Gene Oh, co-founder of day-guard, walks through how he and his best friend Felix Lee brought Korea's jelly-stick alcohol-aid category to the United States. Day Guard was featured in Forbes in February (the article went viral and drove their first NYC distribution deal across a few hundred convenience stores and bodegas). Their cap table includes Magic Spoon's Gabi Lewis and Rip Van's Marco De Leon as investors.Gene turned down a guaranteed med school spot in Brown's PLME, an 8-year combined BA/MD program, to build day-guard with Felix.Gene's category creation playbook:Anchor cultural credibility through the country of origin.Make the novel form factor the selling point.Build retention loops because the pain isn't felt at point of purchase.Pivot the entire brand the moment customer data demands it.In this episode:- How Gene tested 3 flavors with 500 sticks across Brown bars to lock down his ICP before manufacturing- Why "insurance for when you drink" outperformed every other positioning for a product he can't legally call a hangover cure- The customer data that flipped his real ICP from college students to 29-44 year old urban millennials- Why he killed the original brand and reformulated the product 6 months into launch- How one Forbes feature drove a few hundred thousand views and turned into Day Guard's first retail distribution deal- The channel mix that's actually moving the needle (Meta, Amazon, DTC) and where TikTok Shop fits next- The creative volume target: 20 ads per week minimum, around 100 active in testing at scale- Why founder-led marketing on Instagram made Meta ad performance better- Why Gene treats ROAS as a vanity metric and what he tracks instead (CAC, retention, LTV)- The 10-year vision: become America's joystick company across sleep, creatine, energy, and skinChapters:00:00 PLME dropout selling jelly sticks at 3am02:27 The instinct to build something, not just consume it04:29 How medical training shaped the formulation06:03 ICP research at Brown bars: 500 sticks, 3 flavors, 2 months09:38 Will the jelly-stick category translate outside Korea?12:17 Creating demand for a category nobody knows exists13:34 The no-pain-yet problem: retention plus retail unlock18:07 Writing copy when you can't legally say "hangover"19:43 Why they rebranded AND reformulated 6 months in24:04 The daily liver play: expanding beyond hangover25:47 What's actually moving the needle right now28:35 Should every e-com founder build a personal brand?30:38 Why they still do offline despite Meta scale32:10 How to ignore every shiny object35:38 The creative volume target: 20 ads per week36:28 The 10-year vision for the alcohol-aid market38:29 Lightning round43:48 Where to find GeneConnect with Gene:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geneo.h/Day Guard on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takedayguard/Text Gene directly: (781) 467-9870Day Guard: https://www.dayguard.com/Ecom Growth Insider is the podcast for e-commerce founders who want to scale profitably. New episodes weekly on paid media, CRO, offer strategy, and operating systems that actually move the needle.More episodes and newsletter: https://ecomgrowthinsider.comWork with HoloGrowth: https://hologrowth.com

If your ROAS or MER tanks the moment you push more spend through, this episode is for you.Carl Weische is the founder of Accelerated Agency and runs CRO for brands like AG1, Huel, Vessi, The Oodie, and 200+ more 8, 9, and 10 figure DTC companies. He joins Andrej on Ecom Growth Insider to break down the exact system he uses to turn CRO into a profit lever from the ad click all the way to the thank-you page.If your return on ad spend is dropping every time you try to scale, Carl's decision tree is simple:Fix AOV first.Fix conversion rate second.Add presell pages only when you hit a true glass ceiling.In this episode:- The 3-tier bundle SOP Carl uses to lift AOV 15 to 25%- Why revenue per user is the only CRO metric that matters, and the AOV vs conversion rate trap most founders fall into- When presell and advertorial pages actually pay off (and when they waste ad budget)- The first things Carl audits on any store before he touches a test- The four real reasons customers abandon checkout- How to raise perceived value without killing margin through discounts- Why AI is about to widen the gap between elite and average marketers- Realistic testing cadence at scale: 5 to 30+ tests per month- Carl's sample size rule: 20,000 users and 1,000 orders per variation before you call a winner- The revenue threshold where it makes sense to move CRO in-house (around $50M to $100M a year)- Rapid fire: Carl's most underrated CRO lever, most overrated tactic, and the one mistake he sees smart founders makeChapters:00:00 Why your ROAS dies when you scale00:43 The real job of CRO in 202605:04 Carl's decision tree when ROAS or MER drops06:08 Fix AOV first: the 3-tier bundle SOP07:45 Fix conversion rate: images and copy that resonate08:33 Layering in presell and advertorial pages11:00 When presell pages actually make sense15:51 Revenue per user: the real CRO north star20:19 The first things Carl audits on any store23:00 Why customers abandon the checkout26:07 How to raise perceived value without discounts29:00 Why AI is splitting great marketers from average ones35:00 When a brand is actually ready for serious CRO37:09 Testing cadence at scale: 5 to 30+ tests per month38:12 The sample size rule: 20k users + 1k orders per variant43:11 When to build a CRO team in-house46:15 Rapid fire: underrated, overrated, biggest mistake48:11 Where to find CarlConnect with Carl:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@carlweischeAccelerated Agency: https://acceleratedagency.comLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/carl-weische-2488a5198Ecom Growth Insider is the podcast for e-commerce founders who want to scale profitably. Subscribe for weekly episodes on paid media, CRO, offer strategy, and operating systems that actually move the needle.More episodes and newsletter: https://ecomgrowthinsider.comWork with HoloGrowth: https://hologrowth.com

Most brands doing $1M/month are pulling $2K from their post-purchase funnel.Nizar Abdul-Halim comes in and turns that into $100K to $200K. Same brand. Same traffic. Same products.That's not a tweak. That's a profit center that was sitting there the entire time, completely ignored.Nizar has been in ecommerce for almost a decade. He's run his own stores, built and sold an ad agency, and deployed over $100M in paid ad spend (at one point, $2.5M a month). Today his entire focus is what happens right after someone buys, and he's built the infrastructure to prove it's one of the most leveraged plays in ecom.In this episode, we get into the full post-purchase system: how it works, how to test it, and why most brands are leaving 10 to 15% of their revenue on the table at gross margin.What you'll learn in this episode:Why post-purchase revenue hits different (it's all gross margin, meaning it drops straight to profit)How Nizar structures funnels for one-time buyers vs. returning customers, and why the messaging is completely differentWhy he always upsells the most expensive product first (and why conversion rates go up down the funnel, not down)The metric most brands track wrong: RPV vs. PPV (Profit Per Visit)His 5-bucket testing framework: products, pricing and offers, angles and copy, UI, and segmentationHow advanced brands build 15 to 20 separate customer journeys inside a single post-purchase setupThe quick win you can do this week using Shopify Sidekick to find your best upsell product in 10 minutesTimestamps:00:00 Intro00:34 How Nizar discovered post-purchase as the real growth lever01:28 Why break-even brands can become cash flow positive on day one06:46 The moment he shut down the ad agency and went all-in09:27 What founders actually misunderstand about post-purchase12:00 How success metrics change depending on the business model16:07 One-time buyer strategy vs. returning customer strategy18:35 What post-purchase should realistically contribute at your revenue level21:28 The 3 layers: cart, checkout, and post-purchase (and the job of each)26:04 Addressing the "won't this make my brand look cheap?" concern29:50 How post-purchase works for premium brands that won't discount31:20 RPV vs. PPV: why tracking the wrong metric kills your profit34:22 Why the most expensive upsell goes first (with the data behind it)36:35 How to price a post-purchase sequence for an $80 AOV supplement brand41:42 The 5-bucket testing framework Nizar uses across 80+ brands44:40 Advanced segmentation: building multiple customer journeys at scale49:27 The 10-minute quick win using Shopify SidekickConnect with Nizar:Website: https://www.simpliscaled.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nizar-abdul-halimYouTube: Nizar Abdul-HalimInstagram: @nizarabdulhalim_Twitter/X: @EcomNizarEnjoyed this episode?Subscribe to the Ecom Growth Insider newsletter for weekly breakdowns on scaling ecom brands profitably: https://ecomgrowthinsider.comMore episodes: https://ecomgrowthinsider.comEcom Growth Insider is a podcast for e-commerce founders and operators serious about building profitable brands. No fluff, no theory. Just what actually works at scale.

Email is still the highest-ROI growth channel in ecommerce. But most brands overcomplicate it and leave serious money on the table.In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Max Sturtevant, founder of Wellcopy, one of the biggest email & SMS agencies in the DTC space. Max’s team supports around 130 brands with a team of roughly 80 people, and he shares the exact retention levers that consistently move revenue.We break down:Why list growth is the #1 lever in email (and what to track)Pop-up strategy: what conversion rates to aim for and how to improve themOffer testing that actually works, including the “mystery discount” approachThe biggest trap in retention: over-segmentation and overcomplicationHow to “send to engaged” without wrecking deliverabilityFlows vs campaigns: what to prioritize as you scaleWhat 7–9 figure brands do differently with emailIf you run a Shopify store and want higher LTV, more repeat purchases, and more profit without increasing ad spend, this episode is a must-listen.More episodes: https://ecomgrowthinsider.com/

Meta Ads in 2026 isn’t about campaign hacks or complicated funnel structures. The brands winning today are running a creative-led system: new messaging, new angles, and net-new concepts shipped consistently.In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I’m joined by Andrew Foxwell (Foxwell Digital, Foxwell Founders) to break down what’s actually working right now across the Meta ecosystem.Andrew has a rare vantage point: he sees patterns across hundreds of advertisers and top operators, not just one ad account.We cover:The biggest shifts from the 2021 Meta era to 2026What “creative diversification” really means (and what it doesn’t)Why messaging and niche angles are the unlock in broad targetingThe creative org chart: roles and workflow brands need to scale profitablyHow to diagnose performance plateaus and what to fix firstCreative testing in 2026: what to keep, what to retire, and how to think about consolidationHow to use creator partnerships and whitelisting to expand reach and relevanceIf you’re a DTC founder, growth lead, or media buyer trying to scale Meta profitably (without burning cash), this episode is a blueprint.Connect with Andrew:Foxwell Digital: https://www.foxwelldigital.com/Foxwell Founders: https://foxwellfounders.com/More episodes: https://ecomgrowthinsider.com/

Most ecommerce brands don’t scale past $500K/month because of bad messaging — not bad media buying.In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Sebastian Valiente, creative strategist behind $30M+ in DTC revenue, to break down how he helps brands unlock scale through performance creative, deep persona research, and net-new messaging angles.We dive into:Why brands plateau at $200K, $500K, and $1M/monthThe 3 creative levers that drive scale: Strategy, Diversity, VolumeHow to uncover 50+ new angles in 30 daysWhy new messaging outperforms new formatsHow to fix ad fatigue and reignite growthThe “static ad first” strategy for fast testingAI-generated UGC, creative myths, and real winning anglesWhether you're running Meta ads or trying to scale your DTC brand, this episode will shift the way you think about creative in 2026.🎧 Subscribe and listen now — new episodes weekly.

Everyone wants the success. But few want the responsibility that comes with it.In this raw solo episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I share a story that shook me — and a mindset shift that every entrepreneur needs to hear. It’s about why responsibility is the price of success, and how avoiding it is silently killing your growth.Inside, I cover:Why responsibility scales with your business — and how to handle itWhat most people get wrong about pressure, leadership, and growthThe truth behind managing $1M/month in ad spend for 20+ clientsWhy fear of responsibility might be the thing holding you backHow to reframe pressure as a privilege — not a problemWhy you must choose between comfort and growth (you can’t have both)If you’re building a brand, a team, or a business — and sometimes wonder if the pressure is “too much” — this is your reminder that it comes with the territory.🎧 Listen now for a perspective shift that might just unlock your next level.

Most DTC brands think scaling is about spending more.But more ad spend without the right creative, offer, or financial clarity? That’s a recipe for wasted budget and stalled growth.In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I’m joined by Sebastian Williams — one of the top Meta Ads media buyers and ecom growth operators in the space. After managing 7-figure budgets for brands like Dr. Squatch, Thrive Causemetics, and Snow, Sebastian now works directly with select DTC brands to scale fast, profitably, and sustainably.We break down:Why most brands scale backwards — and how to fix itThe new rules of Meta Ads in 2026 (Andromeda, ASC, creative systems)Why creative strategy matters more than media buyingHow to model for profit — not just ROASOffers, content systems, and how to tell if your ad account is brokenWhat founders and media buyers should stop doing to scale smarterIf you run Meta Ads or are trying to grow your ecommerce brand without burning cash — this episode is your blueprint.Listen now and learn what actually moves the needle in 2026.

Your Meta ad account isn’t underperforming because of your product. It’s because your content sucks — and your ad account is starving for better creatives.In this solo episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I break down a real client case study where one single UGC ad outperformed over 100 branded videos, slashing CAC by 20% and saving a losing ad account.Inside, I cover:Why your ad fatigue isn’t a budget issue — it’s a creative issueHow Meta’s Andromeda update has completely changed the gameWhat happened when we replaced 100 branded ads with one influencer videoWhy Meta pushed 100% of spend into a single UGC ad overnightHow we dropped CAC and frequency while boosting engagementThe new rules of scaling with volume, velocity, and creative varietyWhy engagement rate now directly impacts performance — and how to measure itThis isn’t theory — it’s a real-world breakdown of what actually works in 2025. If your ads aren’t converting, this episode will show you exactly what to fix.🎧 Listen now and get inspired to rebuild your creative strategy from the ground up.

If you’re an ecommerce founder heading into 2026… You don’t need 50 things on your to-do list. You need two.In this short solo episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I break down the only two tasks you should obsess over to drive serious revenue this year:Creative output and diversityIrresistible offers that actually convertHere’s what you’ll learn:Why most ad accounts fail before Black Friday even beginsHow to test dozens of creatives without burning outThe power of UGC, whitelisting, and creator-led ads in 2025Why your 10% off discount won’t cut it this year — and what to offer insteadHow to use ChatGPT to generate high-converting offers in minutesThe simple testing process to find your breakout combo of offer + adIf you want to crush Black Friday without overcomplicating your strategy — this episode gives you a focused plan you can actually implement.🎧 Listen now, take notes, and simplify your growth.

Most ecom brands don’t fail because of bad products or weak ads — They fail because they’re too slow.In this solo episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I break down why speed is one of the most underrated advantages in business — and how moving faster can unlock better ads, stronger positioning, and category dominance.Inside, I share 3 real-world stories:Why brands regret not scaling when their ads workedHow a designer 4x the price won the job by delivering fastThe viral product launch that gave one brand a head start — and why they must move now before the market catches upYou’ll walk away with a mindset shift around:Scaling aggressively when the opportunity is hotPrioritizing speed of execution over overthinkingHow to spot the moment to press the gas pedal (and what happens if you don’t)This isn’t just theory — it’s a wake-up call.🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: What would happen if I just moved faster?

In this solo episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I break down a simple but powerful truth: 💥 Most brands don’t need more strategies — they need more focus.Everyone wants to try the next big thing: TikTok, SEO, influencers, livestreams… but the fastest path to growth? Just double down on what’s already working.Inside this short episode, I cover:The question I ask every brand owner before anything elseWhy chasing new channels too soon kills momentumWhat to do when scaling ad spend lowers ROASWhy absolute return matters more than relative returnHow to think about resources, creative output, and testing when scalingThe mental shift required to grow from 6 to 8 figuresIf you’re stuck in “shiny object syndrome” or trying to do 10 things at once — this episode is your reset button.🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: What’s already working… and how can I 10x it?

AI isn’t just changing how people write — it’s transforming how they search, discover, and buy products online.In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Jon Mest, expert in digital discovery and founder of ChatRank, to unpack how ecommerce brands can show up in AI-driven search results — and what happens to those that don’t.We cover:Why your organic traffic is declining (and what to do about it)How the customer journey is shifting with AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and PerplexityWhy SEO and backlinks don’t work the way they used toWhat it really takes to rank in AI answers — and stay thereHow to ask AI why your brand isn’t showing up (and use the feedback to win)The role of social proof, content clarity, and “AI hygiene” in modern visibilityWhat brands must know about the future of AI-driven checkout and paid placementsWhether you're a founder, CMO, or marketing lead — this episode will completely change how you think about brand visibility, content strategy, and the future of ecommerce search.Listen now at ecomgrowthinsider.comConnect with Jon at chatrank.ai#ecommerce #AIsearch #dtcbrands #ecomgrowth #digitalstrategy #chatgptseo #aivisibility #jonmest #chatrank #conversionstrategy #ecomgrowthinsider

Episode Overview:Most ecom brands are wasting ad spend — not because their ads suck — but because they’re sending traffic to generic product pages that don’t convert.In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Jeff Park, founder of Daydreamers Design Studio, an agency helping 7-9 figure brands drive more conversions and higher AOV through high-performing landing pages.Jeff breaks down the exact landing page frameworks that consistently outperform standard PDPs — and how brands of any size can leverage them to scale profitably.What You’ll Learn:Why most brands are leaking money by sending paid traffic to product pagesThe landing page frameworks Jeff uses to double client revenueHow to create landing pages that match your top-performing ads (and why that matters)Short-form vs long-form — what converts better in 2025How to build “offer-first” landing pages that increase AOVThe role of founder-led storytelling and social proof on your landing pagesWhy aesthetics don’t matter nearly as much as clarity and copyThe most common mistakes brands make with landing pages — and how to avoid them🔗 Resources & Links:Jeff’s Twitter (X): @jeffreymparkYouTube: @jeffreymparkWebsite: daydreamersdesignstudio.comIf you’re spending money on ads… you can’t afford to skip this one.This episode is packed with tactical advice, real-world examples, and conversion frameworks that every DTC brand needs.Subscribe, share it with a founder friend, and check out more episodes at:→ www.ecomgrowthinsider.com

In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Michael Rathman, the founder of AdSumo Digital — an email & SMS marketing agency helping DTC brands add millions in revenue without increasing ad spend.We go deep on the real strategies brands are using in 2025 to turn email into a high-ROI growth channel — even if you’re just getting started.💡 What You’ll Learn:Why most brands are underutilizing email and leaving 6–7 figures on the tableThe 6 essential flow emails every ecom brand should set up todayHow to turn browsers and non-buyers into loyal customers using automationThe right time to invest in email & SMS (based on your monthly revenue)Plain text vs. designed emails — what’s actually working nowCampaigns vs. flows — how to split your focus and maximize bothReal-world strategies to build connection, drive repeat purchases, and grow LTVHow to use founder-led storytelling and voice notes to write authentic, high-converting emailsWhy building a personal brand is one of the biggest ecom growth unlocks in 2025🔗 Links & Resources:🌐 AdSumo DigitalMichael on Twitter: @MichaelRathman7Michael’s YouTubeIf you’re a DTC founder, CMO, or growth marketer looking to scale smarter — this episode is a must-listen.📩 Subscribe, leave a review, and follow the journey at EcomGrowthInsider.com

In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Camilo Castañeda, a true expert when it comes to ad creatives for e-commerce brands. Camilo is the founder of Epic Ads Lab, where he helps 7–8-figure DTC brands craft scroll-stopping ads using UGC, influencers, static visuals, and AI-powered video workflows. He’s also built the #1 video editing community online, helping editors and marketers elevate their creative game.We dive deep into the real creative problems holding brands back, the biggest mistakes most eCom founders are making, and how to think about content when you want to scale profitably through paid social.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why most DTC brands still don’t understand creative strategy (and how to fix that)The exact creative structure Camilo uses to scale top e-commerce brandsWhat makes a UGC ad actually work in 2025The most common creative mistakes that kill performanceThe role of AI in modern ad creation (and what it can’t replace)Advice for brands just starting out vs. those doing 7–8-figuresHow to stand out in a saturated creative marketWhy founders should never be the bottleneck in content productionAnd tons of tactical takeaways on hiring, scripting, editing & testing creativesWhether you’re a founder, media buyer, or creative director—this episode will give you the clarity (and creative inspiration) to level up your content and drive growth.Connect with Camilo:Epic Ads LabInstagram: @camiceesYouTube: Camilo CastañedaSubscribe to Ecom Growth InsiderReal behind-the-scenes strategies from the trenches of scaling DTC brands — with founders, marketers, and growth experts. Hosted by Andrej Tumachowitsch.

In this episode of Ecom Growth Insider, I sit down with Mario Lanzarotti — entrepreneur, speaker, mindset coach, and the co-founder of All & Sundry, a premium custom footwear brand he successfully scaled and exited without raising funding or spending a single dollar on paid ads.We dive deep into:The real story of how Mario bootstrapped a luxury e-commerce brand from a New York showroomHow he landed celebrity clients like NFL stars and the CEO of Google (yes, really)His strategy for creating strategic partnerships that replaced the need for paid acquisitionThe hidden power of in-person events, referrals, and relationship-driven growthHis journey into coaching and leadership, and why mindset is everything for foundersMario shares the behind-the-scenes of:Surviving as a lean startup in NYCThe role of referrals and real-world networking in scalingHow custom products vs ready-to-wear affect growth and exit potentialHow they prepared the brand for an acquisition and successful exitWhat he wishes he had done differently along the wayWhether you're just starting out or already running a 7-8 figure brand, this episode is packed with tangible lessons, bold insights, and uncommon strategies you won't find anywhere else.🔗 Connect with MarioLinkedInInstagramYouTubeThe Zenpreneur Method🎧 Subscribe & FollowIf you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world if you hit Follow, leave a quick rating, or share it with a founder friend.