The Andrew Faris Podcast

Andrew Faris

Andrew Faris has been growing ecommerce brands since 2014 as everything from a media buyer to the head of strategy at Common Thread Collective to the CEO of 4x400, a DTC aggregator. Join him every week to learn the nuts & bolts of how to grow ecommerce brands, always shared with refreshing candor.

  1. 3天前

    AI Made Our Agency Better — and Harder to Run

    MOVE SUPPLY CHAIN Pay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠. INTELLIGEMS Intelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20. // Most eCommerce founders are being sold a fantasy about AI — instant efficiency, zero friction, unlimited growth. The truth? For most operators, implementing AI creates new layers of complexity before it delivers real results. In this episode, Andrew Faris breaks down how his agency, AJF Growth, is actually integrating AI into their creative process — from scripting and ad generation to process design and client delivery. You’ll hear the unfiltered reality of what’s working, what’s breaking, and what every operator should know before betting their systems on automation. If you lead a 7–9 figure brand or agency and are trying to scale profitably in the age of AI, this conversation will save you months of frustration. Learn how to think like an engineer about context, process, and adoption — so you can turn AI from a shiny object into a real advantage. // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:11 - The Complications of A.I. 00:04:10 - AI First Processes 00:08:41 - Using The Tools To Scale Creatives 00:12:48 - A.I. Tool Updates & Changing Brands 00:18:56 - How To Get People To Use AI Properly 00:21:14 - Adoption of AI Long Term // SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠ // FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    23 分钟
  2. 10月27日

    This 8-Figure Brand Has A 10.68 MER And 40% Market Penetration

    INTELLIGEMS Intelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20. RICHPANEL Cut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify. // Kareem Elgendy is the CEO of Veiled, a multiple 8-figure apparel brand running at 15% EBITDA selling modest clothing primarily for Muslim women. If you're interested in working with Kareem's incubator and/or 3PL, visit https://ynkincubator.com. // Most eCommerce brands plateau at $1-3M because they chase growth without fixing unit economics. Kareem L. Gendi, CEO of Veiled, did the opposite — and now runs an 8-figure brand with a 10.68 MER and 40% penetration of his target market. In this episode, you'll learn how a bootstrapped modest apparel brand cracked profitability at scale through ruthless focus on contribution margin, supply chain innovation (including 90-day payment terms from Chinese manufacturers), and strategic retail expansion. This isn't theory — it's the playbook from a founder who survived crushing inventory debt and emerged with a business throwing off real profit. If you're stuck between growth and cash flow, this conversation will rewire how you think about scaling. Kareem breaks down the exact moment they stopped relying on gut and started using data to drive merchandising decisions, how they negotiated payment terms that changed their cash position overnight, and why GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the next frontier for DTC brands. You'll also hear about their 3PL and incubator model for operators who want to leverage Veiled's infrastructure. This is essential listening for founders running 7-9 figure brands who are tired of burning cash to hit revenue targets that don't matter. Key Takeaways: - Market penetration strategies for niche audiences - Unit economics that actually drive profitability - Supply chain negotiation tactics - How to scale bootstrapped brands without dilution - Retail expansion done right - GEO and the future of search optimization // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:07 - What Is Veiled? 00:04:11 - Product Variability 00:07:55 - Cultural Values & Marketing Strategy 00:10:34 - Veiled IS A Profit Monster 00:16:45 - Investing In OpEx 00:20:21 - Veiled’s Top Notch Logistics Strategy 00:23:33 - Looking Into The Data 00:31:57 - Outsourcing Marketing Needs 00:36:14 - Lowering Shipping Costs 00:40:13 - Profitability Hacks 00:46:50 - Wins & Losses With Supply Chain // SUBSCRIBE TO MY PODCAST FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠ // FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    53 分钟
  3. 10月23日

    Taylor Holiday Says Growth Is the CEO’s Job: Systems, Incentives, Accountability

    MORE STAFFING Recruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANEL Cut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify. FERMAT Create funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af // Taylor Holiday is the Founder and CEO at Common Thread Collective. Follow Taylor on X at https://x.com/taylorholiday. // This episode is a candid operator-to-operator breakdown with Taylor Holiday: how to structure a real partnership (50/50 vs 51/49), when and why to keep control, and the practical protections that matter: buyback rights, vesting, and incentive design. We cover how equity should reflect the actual working relationship and why “growth is the CEO’s job” when profit requires coordinating revenue, margin, inventory, and media (not just a “head of growth”). We also dig into today’s Meta reality: marketplace CAC, spend/efficiency cliffs, and why bid caps exist (and when they don’t solve strategy). We contrast “explore vs expand” as a creative system, discuss whether LLMs can pre-score ad winners, and map org design so new lines (e.g., women’s) don’t get starved by near-term KPIs. Plus: why LinkedIn may print more B2B money than Twitter, and how to build a differentiated “coaching tree” instead of copy-paste agency positioning. If you’re an eCommerce operator under margin pressure who still needs to grow, this is a sharp hour on equity, incentives, and scalable acquisition. // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:09 - Taylor Coaches Andrew On His Equity Deal 00:03:43 - Measuring A Partners Value In A Business 00:09:09 - Common Concerns From Taylor 00:20:14 - Hot Take On Peter Thiel & Creating A Monopoly 00:25:43 - Growth Strategy Discussion - Market Taker 00:34:36 - Competing With The Big Dogs In Paid Ads 00:38:15 - Type of Team At CTC 00:44:04 - The Parenting Metaphor 00:59:08 - Bound Maximizers With Ads // SUBSCRIBE TO MY PODCAST FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠ // FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1 小时 17 分钟
  4. 10月20日

    What It REALLY Takes To Build A $400M Business (With Sunil Agrawal)

    INTELLIGEMS Intelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20. RICHPANEL Cut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify. // Sunil Agrawal is the founder and CEO of VGL Group, a $400 million holding company that includes Shop LC, a $240 million/year brand. Reach out to Sunil at sunil@vglgroup.com if you want to work with him. // How do you scale a publicly traded, $400M holding company while keeping margins healthy and brand trust intact? Sunil Agrawal (CEO, VGL Group / Shop LC) breaks down the real playbook: a “deep discount” value strategy that doesn’t nuke brand equity, a vertical advantage with 60% in-house manufacturing in India, and a TV-first engine transitioning to DTC with disciplined Meta and OTT investment. We get specific on pricing architecture (e.g., “everything under $10” days), how value perception feeds LTV, and when a premium assortment can coexist with promotion without eroding positioning. For operators, this episode is a masterclass in scale mechanics and leadership: setting a goal of $500k–$1M/month per brand on Meta (and how to learn enough to hire well), allocating ~$250k/month to OTT while TV still performs, and building an org that executes—RSUs for 250 leaders, formal training hours, succession planning, and a bureaucracy-free culture built on continual learning. If you’re wrestling with profitable growth, discount anxiety, or the TV to DTC bridge, this is an hour that will sharpen your roadmap. // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:47 - Breaking Down Shop LC 00:05:45 - Setting The Right Expectations For A $400M Holding Company 00:08:24 - Significance of a “TV First” Brand 00:09:36 - Deep Discount Model 00:17:05 - Marketing Strategy For All Shop LC Brands 00:24:28 - Importance of Owning The Manufacturing & Sourcing 00:25:57 - Sunil Pinpoints This Key To Success 00:36:55 - Learning Opportunities & Work Conferences 00:39:35 - Importance of Learning & Information 00:42:16 - Goal Setting For Each Brand 00:45:41 - Why DTC Didn’t Work At First 00:47:02 - Successful Team = Successful Business // SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠ // FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    55 分钟
  5. 10月17日

    Meta vs. Margin: Why Reasonable Goals Win Long-Term

    MOVE SUPPLY CHAIN Pay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠. RICHPANEL Cut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify. // What if the biggest risk to your brand isn’t competition or CPMs - it's how you define success? In this episode, Andrew walks through a practical framework for setting reasonable, operator-grade goals using EOS (10-year → 3-year → 1-year → quarterly), then pressure-testing those goals against your real constraints: product pipeline, supply chain, hiring, onboarding, and P&L design. We dig into why “rocket ship” thinking so often creates chaos: over-hiring, over-buying inventory, and chasing vanity targets - and how durable brands actually grow: methodically, with clear success criteria and a bias toward profitability. You’ll learn how to translate vision into numbers; why returning-customer mix lowers CAC% over time; how to engineer margin through supplier work (terms, lead times, BOM interrogation); and when to seize moments without over-leveraging. Real operator cases—Born Primitive, Simple Modern, Natural Dog Company, CTC—illustrate why steady compounding beats aggressive targets that break systems. If you want a calmer calendar and a fatter P&L, this is the playbook. // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:06 - Using EOS As a Framework 00:04:10 - What Is Motivating You & Your Goals (For Your Business) 00:07:42 - How Can Your Vision Be A Constraint? 00:09:01 - Examples of Great Brands 00:16:16 - Andrew defines a Rocketship Business 00:19:10 - Good Businesses Build Steady Overtime 00:25:31 - The Secret Sauce Brands Are Using To Grow 00:28:33 - Maximizing Key Moments 00:30:34 - P&L Design 00:32:53 - Don’t Let The Promise of A.I. Fool You 00:34:49 - Goals for AJF Growth // SUBSCRIBE TO MY PODCAST FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast ⁠// FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    40 分钟
  6. 10月13日

    AI Hooks for Meta Ads: Sora 2 and a Repeatable Process

    INTELLIGEMS Intelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20. FERMAT Create funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af // Patrick Coddou is my business partner & COO at AJF Growth. He previously built, operated, and in 2022 exited Supply, a men's grooming business he co-founded with his wife. Follow him on X at https://x.com/soundslikecanoe. // Most brands don’t have a creative problem—they have a process problem. In this episode, Andrew and AJF Growth COO Patrick Kadu break down how to operationalize creative so it consistently drives profit. We cover why the message is the asset, how to build a database of messages per brand, and how to bolt on a “hook library” that accelerates iteration without bloating your stack. We also dig into Sora 2 (AI video) as a practical tool for 3–5 second hooks—where it works, where it fails, and how to deploy it without derailing your team. You’ll hear how we separate Explore vs. Expand in paid social, resist tool proliferation, and turn ideas into a repeatable process clients can trust. If you care about speed, clarity, and profitable growth (not just flashy toolS) then this is your operator’s guide. What you’ll learn: - A message-first framework that scales creative and protects margins - How to stand up a “hook library” and plug it into weekly cadences - When AI video (Sora 2) is ROI-positive for paid hooks—and when it isn’t - The agency principle: performance + trust beats everything // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:58 - Open AI & Sora 2 00:09:05 - Using AI For Content Creation For Your Brand 00:16:19 - Does Your Marketing Clients Want You To Do This? 00:19:54 - Ad Inspiration & Using Other User Content 00:22:50 - Explore & Expand 00:28:39 - Process Oriented Attack For Creatives 00:35:00 - Writing a Hook Strategy 00:39:04 - Will Meta Dox My Ad? 00:43:23 - Repeatable Process & Implementation 00:54:22 - 2 Key Aspects For Good Client Relationships // SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠ // FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    58 分钟
  7. 10月11日

    60% Price Drop: Sales Exploded, Reorders Collapsed

    MORE STAFFING Recruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANEL Cut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify. // Dan Carnat is the Co-founder and CEO of Fiera Cosmetics, a mid 8-figure cosmetics brand founded in 2020. // What happens when a fast-growing DTC brand pushes price testing too far? Dan Carnat, CEO and co-founder of Fiera Cosmetics, breaks down the actual impact of pricing on conversion, acquisition, andmost importantly: reorder rates and LTV. We dig into why a $40 customer is fundamentally different from a $16 customer, how “cheap growth” distorted channel signals and buyer mix, and why Fiera reversed course by introducing a higher-priced, improved SKU while protecting existing demand.We also unpack a pragmatic attribution stack for operators who care about truth over dashboards: platform numbers as a directional input, MMM for hypothesis generation, and incrementality tests for validation, including how Meta campaigns created measurable halo on Amazon even when the product wasn’t listed there. Dan details Fiera’s “reality testing” process for new products (closing the loop between 5-star lovers and 1-star detractors), the operational cadence required to ship 20+ products in development without eroding trust, and supply-chain tradeoffs in a color-heavy category. If you’re navigating margin pressure, price strategy, channel diversification (including performance-driven affiliates), or product-market fit at scale, this episode will give you concrete frameworks you can implement immediately. // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:29 - What Went Wrong With Price Testing? 00:08:12 - Making Mistakes Can Reveal Truth About Business 00:10:02 - Unit Economics In Your Business 00:11:20 - Introducing A New Product with High Price Point 00:19:38 - Product Development Process 00:23:56 - Dan’s Fitness Goals & Growth Hacks 00:25:03 - Operations & Supply Chain For Fiera 00:33:36 - Where Is The Value In A Cosmetics Business? 00:35:58 - Rebranding 00:39:02 - What Makes Dan Sleep At Night??? 00:41:52 - Highlight of Incrementally Testing 00:44:08 - Complexity of Lead Attribution // SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast ⁠// FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    55 分钟
  8. 10月7日

    Natural CAC & the Meta Auction: Scale Without Killing ROAS

    INTELLIGEMS Intelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20. FERMAT Create funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af // Most brands feel the Meta ceiling: spend more, ROAS drops—cut spend, volume collapses. In this episode, we unpack why that happens and how to scale profitably by understanding your natural CAC, the Meta auction mechanics, and the non-linear trade-off between efficiency and volume. You’ll learn how CPMs reflect marketplace equilibrium, why “two-to-one ROAS” shows up at scale, and what actually moves results: estimated action rate, post-click profit optimization, and business design that supports volume. We walk through a practical playbook: identify your current natural CAC; use higher-quality, message-market-fit creative to penetrate deeper at the same bid; optimize profit per click (upsells, offers, bundles, pricing tests); explore new audiences/angles; ship new products to unlock fresh demand; and engineer the P&L (opex, supply chain terms, staffing, capital) so you can win more auctions without burning margin. If you run a 7–9 figure brand and care about scaling with profitability, this is the meta-ads episode that pays for itself. What you’ll take away: • How Meta’s auction actually prices your customer and why CAC “settles.” • The marginal frontier concept and why scale/efficiency is non-linear. • The levers that raise volume without wrecking contribution margin: creative EAR, profit-per-click tests, LTV expansion, and capitalization strategy. // CHAPTER TITLES: 00:01:44 - What Is Natural CAC? 00:04:40 - High Volume Meta Ads 00:05:41 - Your Brands Natural Customer 00:08:10 - Breaking Down How Ad Auctions Work 00:12:21 - Why Meta CPM’s Have Gone Up 00:17:35 - The Value of a Specific Search Term 00:20:51 - The Importance of a Strong LTV 00:25:06 - How To Win At Cost Thresholds? 00:35:42 - Lowering Your OpEx 00:37:58 - The Best Brands DO THIS // SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS! // ADMISSION Get the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast ⁠// FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠ Email: podcast@ajfgrowth.com Work with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    40 分钟
5
共 5 分
24 个评分

关于

Andrew Faris has been growing ecommerce brands since 2014 as everything from a media buyer to the head of strategy at Common Thread Collective to the CEO of 4x400, a DTC aggregator. Join him every week to learn the nuts & bolts of how to grow ecommerce brands, always shared with refreshing candor.

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