Ecomm Breakthrough

Josh Hadley
  • 3.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated weekly

Unlock the full potential and growth in your business. Join Josh Hadley, a successful 8-figure e-com business owner and investor as he interviews highly successful CEOs and business owners who share specific actions you can take today to help your business reach its full potential and leave a lasting impact on the world. Whether you sell on Amazon FBA, Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Walmart, ClickFunnels, or Etsy you'll learn what is working for the most successful business leaders in eCommerce. Each eCom breakthrough episode is filled with strategies you can implement to help you scale to 8 figures and beyond. Here's a small list of the topics we will cover: - How to find new products to sell - How to find good manufacturers - How to manage cash flow - Inventory management (shipping & logistics) - Optimizing sales pages for conversion - How to successfully launch a new product on Amazon.com - Product ranking & optimization - Amazon PPC management - Implementing business operating systems - Driving external traffic to Amazon - Preparing to exit - How to hire and build a team with A-Level talent - Leadership skills

  1. 2 days ago

    How to Spot an A-Player Before You Hire Them

    In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley, an ecommerce entrepreneur who has scaled his brand to eight figures, shares nine mental frameworks for hiring senior-level managers. Drawing from over a decade of experience, Josh covers key principles including trusting your gut, starting the hiring process early, looking for clear green flags, using contractor trial periods, ensuring culture fit, verifying a track record of success, staying genuinely excited about candidates, accepting minor imperfections, and learning from hiring mistakes. His goal is to help ecommerce entrepreneurs make smarter hiring decisions and avoid costly errors. Bullet Points: Importance of trusting gut feelings in the hiring processStarting the hiring process early to avoid rushed decisionsIdentifying clear positive indicators (green flags) in candidatesUtilizing contractors or consultants for initial trial periodsEnsuring alignment of personality and company cultureVerifying candidates' patterns of career success and technical competenceFeeling genuine excitement about potential hiresAccepting imperfections while avoiding overanalysisGaining experience and learning from hiring mistakesDeveloping a comprehensive approach to hiring senior leaders in ecommerceTimestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to Hiring FrameworksJosh Hadley introduces the nine mental frameworks he uses before extending a job offer for senior-level roles in his business. 00:01:05 Framework 1: Gut FeelingTrust your intuition and gut feeling about a candidate, as it's often the most reliable indicator of a good hire. 00:03:15 Framework 2: Start Hiring EarlyBegin the hiring process as soon as possible to attract a large pool of applicants, aiming for 1000 per position. 00:04:20 Framework 3: Don't Succumb to Business PressureAvoid letting the immediate needs of the business force you into making a hasty or less-than-ideal hiring decision. 00:06:18 Framework 4: Look for Green FlagsA-level talent consistently presents "green flags" in their case studies and interviews; a lack of them is a red flag. 00:07:28 Framework 5: Use Contractors FirstHire new team members as contractors for 30-90 days to prove their fit before committing to a W-2 employee. 00:09:26 Framework 6: The Three CheckboxesEnsure candidates are a personality fit, align with core values, and have a proven pattern of success in their career. 00:12:33 Framework 7: Be Excited About the HireIf you have to convince yourself to hire someone, it's a warning sign. You should be genuinely excited about them. 00:13:33 Framework 8: Accept ImperfectionsNo candidate is perfect. Ask yourself if you would regret not hiring this person, despite their minor, non-deal-breaking flaws. 00:14:39 Framework 9: Get Experience Through RepsYour ability to recognize and hire A-level talent will improve with practice, so don't be afraid to make mistakes. Links and Mentions: Hiring Process "Gut Feeling / Intuition": "00:02:09""Hiring Process Timing": "00:03:15""Case Study Evaluation": "00:06:18""Contractor/Consultant Hiring": "00:07:28" Assessment Tools and Methods "Culture Index": "00:10:22""Core Values Assessment": "00:11:15""Pattern of Success Evaluation": "00:12:33" Hiring Concepts "Excitement for Hire": "00:12:39""Flaws vs. Deal Breakers": "00:13:33""Experience in Hiring": "00:15:38" Conclusion "Conclusion": "00:15:38" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Today, I'm going to share with you the nine different frameworks that I use before extending an offer to somebody that I'm about to hire in the business. Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I am a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children. I have been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade, doing $20 million a year annually and selling multi-millionaire on Amazon, TikTok, shop and Shopify. I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, and that's E-com breakthrough. Today, I'm ultimately just going to share with you something that's on top of my mind as I'm looking to add some senior level managers and leaders into my business right now. Josh Hadley 00:01:05  And to be honest with you, I've gone through like multiple different people that I've been considering extending some invitations and offers to come join the business. However, I've come back full circle and I've decided that none of them are the right fit. And so I want to walk you through the different frameworks that I use. There's nine different ones to help me come to this realization that, hey, honestly, this is kind of the warning signals. These are not the right people for the business. And this comes after hiring people for the last decade. And because I've been hiring people for the last decade, like my pattern recognition has only gotten better and better over time. And in addition, I have more examples of what it looks like when somebody is not a great hire and what it looks like when somebody is an exceptional team member. So let's go through framework number one. And this is going to be the gut feeling. This is that gut check. And most, like so many people say, well, what is your gut say? What does that even mean? Right. Josh Hadley 00:02:09  What does that mean? I truly believe, like there we all have a soul inside of us, and there's something about that spiritual energy inside of us that I think is leading and guiding us on a daily basis. We just don't even know it like. But I think it does teach us things on a regular basis. And so it is that light and light is attracted to other light. And so I believe that when we make those gut decisions, it's really our conscious, that soul that is speaking into us, whether this is the right fit or it's not. And oftentimes this has been the number one indicator for me as to whether, like, somebody is going to be a great hire or not. Is that feeling that I get from the moment that I watch their case study that they put together for the business, and also the interview that I conducted What? That team member. If I'm getting that good, like, gut feeling, so to speak, those are very positive signs. But if I'm ever getting that feeling of, like, an uneasiness or like maybe that's the warning signal. Josh Hadley 00:03:15  So that's framework number one is like right down the gut feeling, your intuition that comes to you almost immediately because your brain is going to be able to begin rationalizing almost anybody, and you can rationalize anybody into almost any different role, but don't let your brain do that. And so often I've had that happen to me. Framework number two is start the hiring process as soon as you possibly can. And the reason why you want to start the hiring process as soon as you possibly can is because guess what? Finding the right person is going to take time. And so first off, I'm going to go through my framework. And before I ever extend an offer to somebody I'm going to ask myself, how many applicants have I even seen? How many people even applied to this job? My goal is that I've got 1000 applicants for every single one of my positions....

    16 min

  2. 3 days ago

    Throwback: Building a Remote Dream Team - How to Hire and Train Effectively

    In this episode, Josh interviews Nathan Hirsch, CEO of Ecom Balance and Outsource School, about hiring overseas talent, especially for senior management roles. Nathan shares strategies for promoting from within, the pros and cons of direct hiring, agencies, and marketplaces, and key legal and tax considerations. He outlines Outsource School’s step-by-step hiring and training process, emphasizing the importance of leadership potential and strong financial management. The episode concludes with actionable tips for team building and scaling, plus resources for listeners interested in effective online hiring. Chapters: Introduction to Nathan Hirsch (00:00:00)Host introduces Nathan Hirsch, his entrepreneurial background, and current ventures. Challenges of Hiring Senior Management Overseas (00:00:49)Nathan discusses the difficulties and risks of hiring senior/managerial staff from overseas. Promoting from Within & Key First Hires (00:01:11)Nathan explains the importance of promoting internally and hiring initial team members with leadership potential. Examples of Internal Promotions (00:02:09)Nathan shares real examples of promoting team members to management roles in his companies. Coaching and Poaching Management Staff (00:04:09)Nathan addresses whether he has experience poaching or coaching management-level staff from other companies. Transitioning Part-Time to Full-Time Hires (00:04:53)Nathan describes negotiating with part-time hires to become full-time and exclusive. Legal & Tax Considerations for Overseas Hiring (00:05:02)Discussion on legal and tax implications of hiring overseas contractors and the importance of consulting a CPA. Hiring Methods: Direct, Marketplace, Agency (00:06:26)Nathan outlines the pros and cons of hiring direct, via marketplace, or through an agency. Risk Management When Hiring Direct (00:07:41)Tips for reducing risk when hiring direct, such as collecting identification and emergency contacts. High-Level Hiring Process Overview (00:08:47)Nathan provides a step-by-step overview of the hiring process taught at Outsource School. Training, Onboarding, and Problem Solving (00:10:25)Details on training, onboarding, and handling issues with new hires. Outsource School Resources & Offer (00:11:31)Nathan plugs Outsource School and its resources for business owners. Three Actionable Takeaways Recap (00:12:16)Host summarizes three key actionable takeaways from the episode for listeners. Where to Find Nathan Hirsch (00:15:08)Nathan shares where listeners can connect with him and learn more. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites"Free Up": "00:01:11""Podcast Outreach Formula": "00:09:35""Outsource School": "00:11:31""VA Calculator": "00:11:31" Additional Resources"Hiring Packet": "00:11:31""Case Study": "00:11:31" Social Media"Nathan Hirsch" on LinkedIn: "00:15:15" Transcript: Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm super excited to introduce you to Nathan Hirsh. Nathan is a lifelong entrepreneur and currently the CEO of Ecom Balance and Outsource School. Nathan is best known for co-founding Free Up Net in 2015 with an initial $5,000 investment, then scaling it to $12 million in yearly revenue and then having it acquired in 2019. Today, he leads Ecom Balance, an online bookkeeping service for e-commerce and digital businesses, and Outsource School, a membership teaching business owners how to hire effectively online. Nathan has appeared on over 400 podcasts and is a social media personality. Him and his wife live in Denver, Colorado with their two dogs where they are foster parents. So welcome to the show, Nathan. Nathan 00:00:47  Josh, thanks so much for having me. Excited to be here. Josh 00:00:49  What's your experience with hiring, like senior management level staff? do you have any advice or recommendations as to how do you go find like a C level or director level position overseas. Nathan 00:01:05  It's tough. It is by far one of the hardest things to do. So this is kind of how I look at it. Nathan 00:01:11  You can hire managers and senior people to come in. There's a lot of things working against you. Not only do you have to find someone with the right skill and the right managerial experience, but it's also a very tough thing to test for. But you also have to find someone that instantly fits in with your team and that your team will respect. So if I already have five VA's and I'm bringing in Bob to manage these five Vas, I need to know that those five Vas are going to like Bob, trust Bob, and that Bob's going to be able to handle it, and it takes a little bit of time to actually figure that out. So you could go a month or two before actually knowing if someone's a good manager. My strong preference, and this is what we've really been able to do at all our companies, is to always promote from within for managerial roles. And it also makes it so that your first hires at any company are unbelievably key. If you're making your first four hires of your company, you want to hire people that have management experience, that have leadership experience that wants it, that a lot of people don't want to be leaders, don't want to be managers. Nathan 00:02:09  So these are conversations you want to have with your initial hires. You don't want to just hire the data entry VA. You want to hire someone who's maybe overqualified for that initial role and let them know if they prove themselves. You're going to be looking for a leadership role in the future, and we did a great job with that. At Free Up, we had chicken, who was on our Amazon team, who we promoted from within there, and she became head of recruitment. We hired a bookkeeper and then made him the head of bookkeeping. Marius, like I said. And then we had two people, Jane and Layton, who started off just doing like customer emails and then eventually became the two heads of customer service. We needed two of them because we had 24 over seven customer service, but that's kind of how we've always done it. And with econ balance, the initial bookkeepers we hired, we made sure they had leadership and management experience. And they're now the senior bookkeepers and the team leaders of econ now. Nathan 00:02:59  And so it's always easier to promote from within. It's less risky. It's usually cheaper leads to less issues. There are situations where you're not able to do that, but my personal preference is to always promote from within. Josh 00:03:12  That makes a lot of sense. And I would echo 100% what you said there in terms of those key, those initial hires are key hires. Same thing. Even when we've hired a customer service role for our business, or an Amazon assistant or an Amazon specialist or supply chain specialist, it's not just to do the the data entry or the current tasks that we have assigned to them. Each one of them, I have wanted to see that they have management level talent with inside them, that they've had that experience managing other people. They've been promoted consistently in the past in the hopes that you're going to fill this role and then be able to fill even more roles in the future. So I think that's super important. Nathan, is there any experience that you have then with coaching at all, like management level staff. Nathan 00:04:09  no, I don't think I've ever poached like that. I'm trying to think there have been situations whe...

    15 min

  3. 5 days ago

    He Sold to Thrasio… Then Bought His Business Back After They Wrecked It

    In today’s episode, we’ll dive into a fascinating twist on the e-commerce journey — what happens when you buy back the very brand you once sold. Ben will share the lessons, emotions, and strategic insights behind exiting — and then re-entering — your own business.  Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  Ben Leonard's entrepreneurial journey with Beast Gear, from initial investment to seven-figure exit.Challenges faced after selling Beast Gear to Thrasio, including mismanagement and loss of brand identity.Importance of effective inventory management and the consequences of overleveraging.The significance of building a genuine consumer brand beyond basic Amazon tactics.The role of intellectual property protection and the impact of neglecting it.Insights on the operational difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on e-commerce.Strategies for diversifying sales channels and avoiding dependency on a single platform.The importance of quality in products and overall business operations.Marketing strategies for brand awareness, including the use of influencers and social media.Lessons learned from reacquiring and reviving a brand in a competitive market.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with entrepreneur Ben Leonard, who built Beast Gear into a seven-figure brand before selling it to aggregator Thrasio. Then buying it back after mismanagement caused revenue to collapse. Ben reveals how Thrasio abandoned the brand-building strategies that drove Beast Gear's success, mishandled inventory, and neglected intellectual property protection. He shares lessons on diversifying beyond Amazon, maintaining product quality, and building genuine customer communities. Ben also discusses his new dad-focused baby carrier brand, Tuco, and offers actionable advice on scaling e-commerce businesses sustainably. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode: Build a brand, not just an Amazon listing Engage customers off-Amazon (TikTok, email, events) and create a loyal community—not just traffic.Treat inventory like risk, not just growth Forecast per SKU, avoid over-ordering, and ensure sell-through within ~6 months to prevent cash flow disasters.Diversify early and protect your moat Expand beyond Amazon (Shopify + social channels) and actively enforce IP to protect your brand from copycats.Timestamps: 00:00:34 Introduction to the EpisodeThe host introduces the guest, Ben Leonard, and the topic: buying back his brand after selling it to an aggregator. 00:02:14 The Brand's Decline Under New OwnershipBen confirms his brand crashed after he sold it to the aggregator Thrasio due to mismanagement and operational failures. 00:05:41 The "Magic" Thrasio IgnoredBen explains his original success came from building a true brand with customer relationships, which the new owners dismantled. 00:09:27 The Financial FalloutBen reveals the brand's revenue plummeted from $6 million to about half a million dollars under Thrasio's ownership. 00:13:13 Three Key Mistakes by the AggregatorThe host summarizes Thrasio's critical errors: inventory mismanagement, ignoring off-Amazon branding, and failing to protect intellectual property. 00:19:51 Why You Must Diversify Beyond AmazonBen stresses the need for Amazon sellers to act like real brands and diversify channels to build a sustainable business. 00:22:23 The Revival Playbook for Beast GearBen outlines his bootstrapped strategy to revive the brand, focusing on TikTok Shop and rebuilding community goodwill on a budget. 00:27:08 Launching a New Brand: TucoThe conversation shifts to Ben's new venture, Tuco, a baby carrier startup designed specifically for dads. 00:32:22 When to Implement Brand Awareness StrategiesBen and Josh discuss when a brand should start investing in top-of-funnel marketing and diversifying beyond its primary channel. 00:37:40 Three Actionable Takeaways for Brand OwnersThe host summarizes key lessons: diversify with solid processes, avoid inventory leverage, and work with creators for brand awareness. 00:42:13 Ben's Final Three QuestionsBen shares his most influential book (The E-Myth), favorite AI tool (Claude), and an e-commerce professional to follow. 00:45:51 How to Connect with BenBen shares the best places for listeners to find him online, primarily LinkedIn and his personal email address. Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Shopify": "00:03:03""Amazon": "00:03:03""TikTok": "00:09:54""YouTube": "00:19:51""TikTok Shop": "00:23:10""Meta Ads": "00:24:07""WordPress": "00:35:58""Email Marketing": "00:36:33""Claude (AI Tool)": "00:43:03""LinkedIn": "00:45:09""Ecomm Breakthrough Website": "00:46:24" Books"Quit Stalling and Build Your Own Brand by Ben Leonard": "00:01:01""Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller": "00:21:31""The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber": "00:42:25" Videos"Brand Rescue Mission": "00:08:17""Escaping the Amazon Goldfish Bowl": "00:19:51" Podcasts"Operators Podcast": "00:09:54" Other Mentions"Forbes": "00:01:01""Peregrine Commerce": "00:25:41""Sean Cowie": "00:44:09" Episode Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures.  I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If ...

    47 min

  4. 21 May

    How to Use AI to Clone Yourself in Your Business

    In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley shares his "10x AI SOP Method" for scaling businesses by using AI to clone founder judgment. Rather than automating routine tasks, Josh explains how recording real-time work, feeding transcripts into AI models, and rigorously answering hundreds of probing questions creates highly accurate SOPs that capture nuanced decision-making. Through repeated iterations, entrepreneurs can build comprehensive procedures enabling teams to execute with founder-level expertise, eliminating bottlenecks and unlocking sustainable business growth. Bullet Points: Use of AI to replicate founder's judgment and decision-making in business processes.Importance of documenting nuanced decision-making beyond traditional SOPs.Step-by-step method for creating an AI-assisted SOP.Recording real-time work processes to capture decision-making rationale.Feeding transcripts of recorded processes into an AI language model.Iterative refinement of SOP through detailed questioning and feedback.Achieving high accuracy in SOPs by rigorously interrogating the founder.Utilizing training videos effectively for onboarding new team members.Maintaining context and continuity in AI interactions for better SOP development.Emphasizing the transformative potential of AI in scaling business operations.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction: How to Clone Yourself with AIThe host introduces the concept of using AI to replicate a founder's judgment and decision-making to scale a business. 00:01:48 The Founder Mindset ShiftOvercoming the belief that "nobody can do this like me" by documenting the nuanced judgment calls behind your business processes. 00:02:41 The Problem with Normal SOPsStandard Operating Procedures often fail because they miss the crucial, unarticulated judgment calls and trade-offs made by the founder. 00:03:38 The Lazy Way People Use AIA warning against simply asking AI to create an SOP, as it lacks the specific context and nuances of your business. 00:04:33 The 10x AI SOP Method OverviewAn introduction to the host's four-step method: record your process, feed transcripts to AI, have AI interrogate you, build SOP. 00:05:33 Step 1: Record the ProcessThe importance of recording yourself performing a task multiple times over several weeks to capture various scenarios and nuances. 00:07:26 Why Multiple Recordings Are CrucialRecording a process over time captures seasonality and different business scenarios, creating a more robust and accurate SOP. 00:08:21 How to Record Effective LoomsThe key is to vocalize every decision, explain trade-offs in real-time, and record during different business scenarios. 00:09:18 Live Demo IntroductionThe host begins a practical demonstration of his AI process for creating an SOP for his product research and development. 00:10:21 Step 1 of the Prompting ProcessExplaining the initial prompt that sets up the AI as an expert SOP architect and instructs it on the process. 00:12:09 Steps 2-4: Feeding Transcripts to the AIHow to upload weekly transcripts and use an "SOP memory" to have the AI continuously update its understanding of the process. 00:13:16 Step 5: The First InterrogationPrompting the AI to ask numerous questions to ensure the SOP captures your full judgment with 95% accuracy. 00:15:06 Step 7: The Second InterrogationPushing the AI further by asking it to ask more questions to achieve 99.9% accuracy in the final SOP. 00:15:33 Step 10: Creating a Training PlanUsing the AI to analyze all recorded videos and create a structured onboarding and training plan for new team members. 00:17:24 Live Demo WalkthroughA screen-share demonstration showing the actual ChatGPT thread, from the initial prompt to the AI's 240 interrogation questions. 00:21:17 Why This In-Depth Process MattersEmphasizing that thorough systems are what truly scale a business, preventing the frustration of team members not executing correctly. 00:22:29 The AI-Generated Onboarding PlanThe AI's final output, which suggests the best order to present training videos to a new hire for maximum clarity. 00:23:31 The Importance of the Loom Training LayerLeveraging the recorded videos as training assets, using AI to determine the most effective sequence for onboarding new hires. 00:24:32 Key TakeawaysAn SOP is complete when someone can make the same decisions as you, which is achieved by using AI interrogation. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites  "Helium 10": "00:02:36"  "Cerebro": "00:02:36"  "Data Dive": "00:02:36"  "Loom": "00:05:29"  Videos and Demos  "YouTube Demo": "00:10:14"  Prompts and Processes  "AI Prompt Library": "00:25:09"  Key Takeaways  "SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)": "00:24:00" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  If you're a business owner, you've probably thought, hey, is there an ability for me to clone myself? Because if I just had 3 or 4 more people on my team that thought the same way I do that, execute the same way I do, and actually have the same work ethic that I do. Man, our business could be ten x bigger than it is today. Well, today I'm going to show you how to utilize AI to clone yourself in the exact process that I'm following to clone myself in my business. Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. Who am I? My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I am a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife and the father of four children. Josh Hadley 00:00:49  I have been selling in the e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and selling multi-millionaire on multiple sales channels including Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. And I am also the host of the E-com Breakthrough podcast, the number one business strategy podcast for eCommerce entrepreneurs. Today, I'm going to be showing you how I use AI to clone myself in my business. And this doesn't just mean I'm using AI agents to go clone myself. What I'm actually doing is following a system that allows me to replicate my same level of judgment and decision making throughout the team, whether it's a team member executing tasks for me, or it's AI executing tasks for me, the most important thing that you need to do truly is to clone the way you think and the judgment calls that you make that is ultimately what you're looking for. Most people use AI to just...

    26 min

  5. 20 May

    Throwback: Heat Maps and Golden Hours - Revolutionizing Your Amazon Advertising Game

    In this episode, host Josh interviews entrepreneur Rolando Rosas about his journey from office technology to Amazon selling and founding Circuit Com. Rolando shares his advanced PPC strategy, using a year’s worth of sales data and heat maps to optimize Amazon ad scheduling for better ROAS. He offers practical tips for sellers: enhance product images, respond to customer questions with videos, and use data tools like Seller Labs Data Hub to identify peak buying times. Rolando encourages starting small with data-driven ad adjustments to boost efficiency and sales. Chapters: Introduction to Rolando Rosas and His Journey (00:00:00)Josh introduces Rolando, his entrepreneurial background, and the founding of Global Tech Worldwide and Circuit Com. Podcast Sound Effects and Stream Deck Tips (00:01:15)Rolando shares his experience setting up podcast sound effects and encourages using a stream deck. Introduction to Innovative Amazon PPC Strategy (00:01:38)Josh prompts Rolando to share his unique PPC strategy, setting the stage for the main discussion. Data-Driven Ad Scheduling and Heat Maps (00:02:13)Rolando explains using 12 months of order data and Seller Labs Data Hub to create heat maps for ad scheduling. Key Insights from Data: Golden Hours and Days (00:02:59)Discovery of optimal times and days for ads, including patterns like low Friday evening and weekend sales. Challenging Weekend Ad Spend Myths (00:04:12)Rolando debunks the idea that weekends are best for ads, showing most sales occur Monday–Friday. Impact on ROAS and Sales Performance (00:06:03)Discussion of improved ROAS and sales by focusing ad spend on high-performing days and times. Layering Day Parting and Low Bid Strategies (00:07:02)Exploring advanced ad scheduling, including low bid strategies during off-peak hours. Manual vs. Automated Campaign Management (00:08:31)Rolando discusses the manual nature of their current process and the use of portfolio grouping for easier management. Leveraging Seller Labs Data Hub for Insights (00:09:36)How to use Seller Labs Data Hub for actionable business insights, even for non-data experts. The Importance of Data Science and AI for Sellers (00:10:53)Emphasizing the future role of data analytics and AI in Amazon selling success. Three Actionable Takeaways for Amazon Sellers (00:11:56)Josh summarizes three key takeaways: main image optimization, customer Q&A engagement, and data-driven ad scheduling. Encouragement to Start Small and Test Strategies (00:15:20)Advice to implement changes gradually, testing on a few campaigns or SKUs before scaling. Closing Remarks and Appreciation (00:16:18)Josh and Rolando wrap up the episode, express mutual appreciation, and end the conversation. Links and Mentions: Tools and Websites"Global Teck Worldwide": "00:00:00""Seller Labs Data Hub": "00:02:59""Google Sheets": "00:10:08" Strategies and Concepts"Day Parting": "00:02:13""Heat Map": "00:02:59" Actionable Takeaways"Adjust Main Images": "00:11:56""Respond to Customer Questions": "00:12:07" Transcript: Josh 00:00:00  Today I'm super excited to introduce you all to Rolando Rosas. Rolando never could have predicted that a college computer, a printer, and an old school wall phone in his kitchen would lead him down the path of entrepreneurship. But that's exactly how it happened. In 2002, he founded Global Tech Worldwide with the goal of making it easy for businesses to use the right office technologies for better and frictionless customer interactions that help businesses elevate their customer interactions and turn them into rich, meaningful discussions. Fast forward to today, and after spending ten years selling on Amazon, he is on his third startup circuit. Com because he was frustrated with the lack of transparency and outdated methods of buying broadband, wireless and fiber internet for small and medium sized businesses. So with that introduction, welcome to the show, Rolando. Rolando 00:00:53  Woo! Woo woo woo woo. Woo woo. Let me try. Let me try. Josh 00:00:56  Hey, there you go. Hey. Rolando 00:00:57  There we go. Josh 00:00:58  You got the audio work? Rolando 00:00:59  I got it, I got it I got him to work. Josh 00:01:02  Rolando has his own podcast and we recorded an episode last week I was on, I was in the reverse side. I was the guest there. And that I told you, Rolando, I love the sound effects that you have going on in your podcast. Rolando 00:01:15  You know what? I'm here. You know what? Go get a stream deck, go get it and call me, and I'll help you set it up. Because it took me a while. I left it in the box for quite some time before I actually started using it, because I was a little intimidated. I'm not an Avi guy or anything like that, but, you know, I was like, all right, let me add one, two, three. And I was like, ooh. And now I've got a couple of those buttons set up for it. Josh 00:01:38  I love it, I love it. All right, Rolando, there's another really wicked smart strategy that I want you to share with our audience that you shared with me prior to hitting the record button. Josh 00:01:48  And this is your amazing PPC strategy that I have never heard anybody else talk about this other than yourself. everybody's always heard of de parting, right? And that's kind of the new hot PPC term, but this isn't Dave Harding. This is something, I think, even more intelligent than what De parting is. So I've laid out the red carpet for you there, Rolando. Give us the gold nugget. Rolando 00:02:13  Yeah, right. So de parting is just simply ad scheduling. You know, run an ad on a schedule. Nothing new there. But what if. Chad. Chad, I was just talking to Chad. What if Josh. We could map or have ads show up when we have our ideal customers on Amazon? How can we do that? Can we pull it off? And can we save money while we're doing that? That's really what we wanted to find out. Turns out there is a way to do it. Not easy, not clean. But there was. So we went and pulled data from our orders for 12 months, and we used, Seller Labs product that they have or service that's called Data Hub. Rolando 00:02:59  and it pulled in all that data, right? It's our own data. So we didn't have to do all these crazy reports from Amazon. Pulled it all in. Once they pulled that in I said, wait a minute, guys. I'm not a mathematician here. This is just a spreadsheet with a bunch of numbers. Can we do something better? So then we put together something that anybody could easily use in the organization. We put together a heat map so that you can visually see the data. And, you know, dark green means good, red is bad. And guess what? We found golden hours every day of the week. Also golden months also patterns within those months. For example summertime for our products which are mostly office related products. After 4 p.m. on a Friday, we've virtually had no orders on the summer months. So if I'm a betting man, Why would I run PPC after 4 p.m. if we're not getting any orders? Another one was when? on the weekends, you hear people say this all the time. Rolando 00:04:12  And now that I have the data for our stuff, I know it's totally wrong. You got to run ads on Saturday and Sunday because people browse Saturday and Sunday and buy on Monday. The evidence does not hold that up in our case, because in our case, most of our activity, nearly 85 to 90% of the purchases c...

    17 min

  6. 18 May

    How to Rank in Amazon’s AI Search (Rufus) Before Your Competitors Do

    Andri Sadlak is a serial entrepreneur and Founding Head of Product & Strategy at Azoma, building AI-first commerce software for the age of agentic shopping. He's been an Amazon seller since 2017, exited his own brand, and co-founded ProductPinion. Today he's part of the team behind Amazon growth and AI visibility strategies for 8 and 9-figure brands like Mars, L'Oréal, and HP. He's one of the sharpest voices on Agentic Commerce, taking the world stage to break down how brands need to show up in the age of AI shopping assistants like Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, and LLM search. Highlight Bullets > Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….  The evolution of e-commerce from traditional search engines to AI-powered answer and action engines.The rise of AI shopping assistants and their impact on consumer purchasing behavior.The integration of AI technologies by major companies like Amazon and OpenAI to enhance shopping experiences.The concept of generative commerce and how AI can autonomously complete purchases for consumers.The rapid adoption of AI tools and their influence on product research and decision-making.The importance of optimizing for AI algorithms in e-commerce, particularly on platforms like Amazon.The role of multi-modal understanding in AI, allowing it to interpret both text and images for better product recommendations.Strategies for sellers to optimize their listings for AI-driven systems, including managing Q&A sections and enhancing product images.The significance of external citations and media presence in building trust and credibility for AI recommendations.The future of e-commerce and the necessity for brands to adapt to AI-driven changes to maintain competitiveness.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews AI-driven e-commerce expert Andri Sadlak. They explore how AI is revolutionizing online shopping, focusing on Amazon’s shift from traditional search to AI-powered answer and action engines like Rufus. Andri shares actionable strategies for brands to optimize product listings for AI, discusses the importance of image and Q&A optimization, and highlights the growing role of external citations. The episode offers practical tips for sellers to thrive in the new era of agent commerce, emphasizing the urgency of adapting to AI-driven changes in e-commerce. Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode: Optimize for BOTH Amazon algorithms Don’t rely on just traditional keyword SEO—start optimizing for both Rufus/Cosmo (AI-driven discovery) and legacy search to stay competitive.Fix your existing listings first (quick wins) Update product images, backend fields, alt text, and listing details—these are fully within your control and can drive immediate impact.Focus on one high-impact priority: Cosmo optimization Ensure your product answers key customer questions clearly (front + backend). Nail the fundamentals first—everything else builds on this.Resources mentioned in this episode: Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Technologies "Rufus": "00:02:02""ChatGPT": "00:06:01""Gemini": "00:09:33""Perplexity": "00:09:33""ProductPinion": "00:02:02""Cosmo": "00:21:04""Claude": "00:28:05""Amazon Rekognition": "00:36:30""AWS (Amazon Web Services)": "00:36:30""Azoma": "00:54:36"Studies and Reports "Accenture Study on AI Trust": "00:13:13""Bain and Company Research on AI Usage": "00:16:05""Amazon's Cosmo Paper": "00:30:32"Skills and Features "Skills for Claude": "00:28:41""A+ Content": "00:39:55"Websites "Amazon Seller Central": "00:38:14""Affiliates Media": "00:44:19""ecommbreakthrough.com": "00:54:58"Books "Building a StoryBrand": "00:54:11"Key Concepts "Listings 10, 20, and 30": "00:22:34""Optical Character Recognition (OCR)": "00:39:04"Episode Sponsor This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures.  I started my business in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years. I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks. If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then email me at josh@ecommbreakthrough.com and in your subject line say “strategy audit” for the chance to win a $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit at no cost! Transcript Area: Andri Sadlak 00:00:00  The shift that we're talking about is search engines are becoming answer engines plus action engines. So it's already answer engines. We're already deep in it. Most of the people at least. And action engines is what a lot of people predict is going to happen next because we're going to save our time. We're going to go for convenience and trust AI. We already do, right? The good news you're watching this. So now you know that you need to pay attention. And I'm going to share with you exactly what I need to do. MC 00:00:29  Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough Podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next lev...

    55 min

  7. 14 May

    The 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Framework I Use to Ramp Up New Hires Fast

    In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley tackles a common entrepreneurial frustration: hiring seemingly qualified candidates who underperform within their first few months. Josh introduces his proven 30-60-90 day onboarding framework, broken into three phases: observation, independence, and ownership. Each phase features structured communication, daily reports, and objective performance evaluations using a custom GPT tool. Josh emphasizes the importance of clear role profiles, documented SOPs, and milestone-based progression to set new hires up for success and help business owners make informed retention decisions. Bullet Points: Challenges entrepreneurs face in hiring qualified team members who underperform.Introduction of a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding framework.Breakdown of the onboarding process into three phases: Observance, Independence, and Ownership.Importance of clear role profiles and key performance indicators (KPIs) for new hires.Emphasis on frequent communication and structured meetings during the onboarding process.Use of tools and technology to enhance onboarding and performance evaluation.Strategies for assessing new hires' progress and readiness to advance through onboarding phases.Flexibility in the timeline for onboarding based on individual performance.Importance of documenting standard operating procedures (SOPs) for clarity and consistency.The impact of a structured onboarding framework on business scaling and team success.Timestamps: 00:00:00 The Problem with HiringEntrepreneurs hire seemingly qualified candidates who underperform, leading to frustration and the belief that they must do everything themselves. 00:00:40 Introduction to the 30-60-90 Day FrameworkA structured onboarding framework to set clear expectations and objectively evaluate whether a new team member is succeeding or failing. 00:01:11 Podcast and Host IntroductionJosh Hadley introduces himself, his e-commerce background, and the Econ Breakthrough Podcast before reintroducing the 30-60-90 day framework. 00:02:19 Why Onboarding FailsMost entrepreneurs fail by having unclear expectations and assuming new hires can immediately perform miracles without proper guidance or systems. 00:04:29 The Entrepreneur's Hiring MindsetEntrepreneurs must hire people smarter than themselves for both their weaknesses and strengths to compound business growth effectively. 00:05:34 The Importance of a Clear Onboarding SequenceA dedicated onboarding process is crucial for clarity, speed, and objectivity, increasing a new hire's success rate significantly. 00:06:41 The Role Profile TemplateBefore onboarding, a clear role profile defining KPIs, success metrics, and tasks is essential to avoid ambiguity for everyone. 00:09:49 Using AI to Create Role ProfilesLeverage a custom GPT to quickly generate a comprehensive role profile template, completing 80% of the work for you. 00:11:24 Overview of the Three Onboarding PhasesA high-level look at the three phases: Observance (Days 1-30), Independence (Days 31-60), and Ownership (Days 61-90). 00:12:21 Phase 1: The Observance Period (Days 1-30)New hires watch, follow, and re-document existing processes to demonstrate understanding before making any changes or executing tasks. 00:16:02 Meeting Cadence for Phase 1The communication schedule includes daily 15-minute huddles, a weekly 45-minute one-on-one, and a daily end-of-day report. 00:18:50 The 30-Day Checkpoint GPTUsing a custom GPT to objectively evaluate a new hire's performance by answering questions about their impact and ownership behaviors. 00:23:11 Phase 2: The Independence Period (Days 31-60)The new hire begins executing tasks in "draft mode," requiring manager approval before anything goes live, with reduced meeting frequency. 00:29:25 Phase 3: The Ownership Period (Days 61-90)The team member takes full ownership, executing their role independently while the manager verifies work behind the scenes. 00:35:10 Onboarding Framework SummaryA recap of the meeting cadences and work expectations for each of the three 30-day phases in the framework. 00:36:33 Milestone-Based ProgressionThe 30, 60, and 90-day timelines are arbitrary; progression is based on milestones and demonstrating readiness to advance. 00:39:03 The Role of HR and Pre-Onboarding PrepBefore day one, ensure the role profile is complete and existing SOPs are documented to set the new hire up for success. 00:40:07 Why This Framework Matters for ScaleThis system increases your hiring "batting average," ensuring new team members succeed more often, which is critical for scaling. 00:41:35 Call to Action and Access to ResourcesJosh asks listeners to review and share the podcast in exchange for access to the presentation slides and resources. Links and Mentions: Role Profile Creation"Role Profile Template": "00:07:38""Custom GPT for Role Profile Creation": "00:09:49" Hiring and Team Evaluation"YouTube Video on Hiring A+ Talent": "00:10:49""Custom GPT Checkpoint": "00:19:29" Process Documentation"Loom": "00:39:30" Transcript: Josh Hadley 00:00:00  Have you ever gone through an in-depth interviewing process to find A-level talent? And then you get the right person who has an incredible resume. They've passed all of your interviews and maybe even a case study or test project that you've given them. And then ultimately 30 days within the job, 60 days within the job. They're not performing. And you're frustrated, they're frustrated. And then you chalk it up to say, hey, I think I just need to go do this myself. Nobody can do this better than me. Screw it. With all of this hiring, if you've ever said that yourself, then this is for you. I'm going to walk you through the 30 60 90 day framework that we use to onboard every single new team member onto the team. That allows us to gain clarity not only from their perspective in terms of understanding their role, but from our perspective of understanding what the expectations are at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days to where we know whether that new team member is winning or losing in their new role, and whether we should keep them, or if it's best to cut ties and free them back up to the marketplace to allow them to go do something that they are going to succeed at. Josh Hadley 00:01:11  Welcome to the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, I'm Josh Hadley. I've scaled my own ecommerce brand from 0 to 8 figures, and I'm actively building towards nine figures in sales. This podcast is where I document that journey and share the systems, the strategies, and the lessons learned in real time so that you can learn what actually matters and scale your own business. My name is Josh Hadley. First and foremost, I'm a man of faith. I'm a husband to a beautiful wife, and I am also the father of four children. I have been selling into e-commerce space for over a decade now, doing over $20 million in annual revenue and doing multi-million in revenue on different sales channels such as Amazon, TikTok, Shop and Shopify. I'm also the host of the number one business strategy podcast for ecommerce entrepreneurs, and that's ecomm breakthrough. Today we are going to be diving into the 30 60 90 day onboarding framework. This is the framework that we live and die by. Any new team member that joins the team, whether they are a entry level team member or whether they're a senior level, a leadership level hiring decision for us. Josh Hadley 00:02...

    43 min

  8. 13 May

    Throwback: Mastering Licensing and Exit Strategies - Insights from a Shark Tank Entrepreneur

    In this episode, Josh interviews Pat Yates, M&A advisor at Quiet Light and owner of Happy Feet Slippers. Pat shares insights from his Shark Tank experience, discusses the realities of TV deals, and explains the complexities of licensing with major brands like Disney and the NFL. The conversation covers the importance of intellectual property protection, strategies for evaluating and managing licensing agreements, and actionable advice on preparing an e-commerce business for a successful exit. Listeners gain practical tips on building value, protecting their brand, and planning ahead for future business transitions. Chapters: Introduction and Guest Background (00:00:00)Josh introduces Pat Yates, his background, and the episode’s focus on licensing and business exits. Shark Tank Experience (00:02:06)Pat discusses his Shark Tank appearance, the process, and what it was like pitching on the show. Reality of Shark Tank Deals (00:03:36)Pat explains how deals on Shark Tank often differ from what is shown, and his ongoing relationship with Robert. Behind the Scenes of Shark Tank (00:04:45)Pat shares details about the filming process, post-show counseling, and the impact of the experience. Licensing Audits and Financials (00:05:44)Discussion about licensing agreements, financial audits by licensors like Disney, and the importance of accurate documentation. License Renewal Challenges (00:07:01)Pat explains how license renewals work, what licensors look for, and the challenges with companies like Disney. Transitioning and Subcontracting Licenses (00:08:57)Pat describes how some licenses are transitioned to subcontracted arrangements and the benefits of this approach. Direct vs. Subcontracted Licensing (00:09:18)Explanation of the differences between holding a direct license and working through a subcontracted licensee. Branding and Labeling in Subcontracted Licensing (00:10:27)Clarification on branding, labeling, and legal requirements when selling products under a subcontracted license. Actionable Takeaways for Business Owners (00:11:42)Josh summarizes three actionable tips: IP protection, evaluating licensing, and preparing your business for exit. Final Advice on Business Growth and Exit Preparation (00:15:11)Pat offers final advice on analyzing business performance, seeking help, and preparing early for a successful exit. Episode Wrap-Up (00:16:13)Josh thanks Pat and encourages listeners to reach out for further advice on exiting their business. Links and Mentions: Consulting and Strategy"Ecomm Breakthrough Consulting": "00:00:00""Email for Strategy Audit": "00:01:08" Shark Tank and Related Experiences"Shark Tank": "00:02:04""Robert Herjavec": "00:02:15" Licensing and Partnerships"DreamWorks, NCAA, NFL, Disney": "00:02:31""Licensing and IP Protection": "00:12:04""Consider Licensing": "00:13:12" Intellectual Property"IP Protection": "00:12:04" Transcript: Josh 00:00:00  Today, I'm speaking with Pat Yates, an M&A advisor at Quiet Light and owner of Happy Feet Slippers. And today we're going to be talking a lot about licensing and preparing your business to exit. This episode is brought to you by Ecom Breakthrough Consulting, where I help seven figure companies grow to eight figures and beyond. Listen, Pat, I started my E-comm business back in 2015, and it took me seven years to grow it to an eight figure brand. There were a lot of times that I struggled with the challenge of knowing whether my business could actually succeed financially, or if my brand could actually become a real well-known brand, or even myself as a leader. Whether I had the abilities and capabilities to lead a team and actually manage a group of people? Sure. For our listeners that have had similar experiences or hit similar plateaus, go to Ecom Breakthrough Comm and that's ecom with two M's. And you can learn a little bit more about how I can help you. And to our listeners, this month I'm giving away one $10,000 comprehensive business strategy audit session at no cost. Josh 00:01:08  All you need to do is email me at Josh at Ecom breakthrough.com. And in your subject line just say strategy audit and then tell me why I should choose your business as the business to do the strategy audit for this month. And don't worry if you don't win this month because you'll be entered to win for future months to come. But I'm super excited to introduce you all to Pat Yates. Pat, as a seasoned entrepreneur with a focus on eCommerce, in 2014, he struck a deal with Robert Herjavec on the Emmy Award winning show Shark Tank. Pat grew a single slipper kiosk business into a multi-million dollar, e-commerce focused business. During that time, Pat has done licensing deals with Dreamworks, the NCAA, the NFL and Disney, and in 2015, he struck up a relationship with Mark, the founder of Quiet Light Brokerage, and continued, eventually leading him to becoming an M&A advisor. So welcome to the show, Pat. Pat 00:02:04  Thanks. I appreciate you having me. Josh 00:02:06  Pat. I watched your Shark Tank episode and loved, you know, everything you kind of went through in that episode. Josh 00:02:15  You ended up doing a deal with Robert who who first kind of went out pretty early on, at least in the episode. And then he comes back in and kind of swoops up the deal. And at the last moment, how was that experience being on Shark Tank and going through that? Pat 00:02:31  Yeah, it's something I've talked a lot about it over the past few years because, as one of the people that likes on the speaking circuit with me likes to call me the one of the OGs in Shark Tank because I'm on season five. They have so many seasons now, I'm like, I can't be old at everything. I hate that, but, I mean, it's it's a difficult process in the very beginning. You have to submit several videos and a lot of written documentation, a lot of due diligence. And, you know, I was turned down in season one or season two or something like that. And then they called me back as season five was coming because they were ramping so much, and I was one of the people that came down to the very end and had to fly out there and do my pitch in front of the producers to even see if they could keep me. Pat 00:03:09  So, I did that. And then it aired in 2014 and it was awesome. I mean, the show was going, I mean, my, my time was going poorly in there for like 80% of it. The, you know, you're in there like an hour and 15 minutes. Most people don't realize that. And it's cut to eight. So for most of the time it wasn't going very well. But the end was pretty good. Yeah. Josh 00:03:27  Yeah, that's that's amazing. How was it, you know, doing a deal with Robert and what kind of his involvement been since you did that deal with him? Pat 00:03:36  Well, the deals that you do on Shark Tank and are are definitely theory and practice things. You know, one of you come up with a deal and then it closes or it doesn't. I mean, a lot of people that I talk to and I'm involved in a pretty deep Shark Tank group. You know, most of those deals don't close as you see them. And really, truly most deals don't close, period. Pat 00:03:55  you know, our deal. We did not do the financial terms we saw on the show. We just did a relationship and we didn't do any kind of money transfer, just a small equity portion to be able to help. So the relationships been mor...

    16 min
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About

Unlock the full potential and growth in your business. Join Josh Hadley, a successful 8-figure e-com business owner and investor as he interviews highly successful CEOs and business owners who share specific actions you can take today to help your business reach its full potential and leave a lasting impact on the world. Whether you sell on Amazon FBA, Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Walmart, ClickFunnels, or Etsy you'll learn what is working for the most successful business leaders in eCommerce. Each eCom breakthrough episode is filled with strategies you can implement to help you scale to 8 figures and beyond. Here's a small list of the topics we will cover: - How to find new products to sell - How to find good manufacturers - How to manage cash flow - Inventory management (shipping & logistics) - Optimizing sales pages for conversion - How to successfully launch a new product on Amazon.com - Product ranking & optimization - Amazon PPC management - Implementing business operating systems - Driving external traffic to Amazon - Preparing to exit - How to hire and build a team with A-Level talent - Leadership skills

Information

  • Creator
    Josh Hadley
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    256
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ecomm Breakthrough (c) 2022
  • Show Website
    Ecomm Breakthrough

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