Minds of Ecommerce

Raphael Paulin-Daigle
  • 5.0 (7)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

You often hear stories of ecommerce companies that have grown at record speed. What's their secret? On the Minds of Ecommerce podcast find out what key strategy helped the most successful ecommerce stores scale beyond the million. Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews the top ecommerce entrepreneurs and executives to get you straight-to-the-point, no-BS insights to learn from and apply right away. Listen to Minds of Ecommerce if you want to hear from the world's most impressive ecommerce entrepreneurs and executives and learn the secrets that brought success to their ecommerce brands. Minds of Ecommerce is FOR YOU if you are: An ECOMMERCE ENTREPRENEUR looking to find new or little known strategies to increase your average order value, conversions, and online sales.... (episode #7) An ECOMMERCE EXECUTIVE looking to improve margins and lifetime value of your customers with a smarter Facebook ad strategy. (episode #6) A DIGITAL MARKETER who wants to learn marketing strategies and tactics that are rarely talked about, but that have been used successfully to grow companies to 9 figures. (episode #5) Your host, Raphael Paulin-Daigle is the founder of SplitBase, a conversion rate optimization agency that helps fashion, lifestyle and luxury brands, such as Kiehl's, Mackage and DIFF Eyewear, increase conversions. Other podcasts take 60 minutes to get their points across, and you probably find yourself frustrated that it has to take so much of your time to learn a just few things. Raphael does the same thing in 20 mins or less on this podcast. Free of pointless conversations, this podcast is all about action. Inspired by Shopify, Magento, SalesForce, eCommerce Fuel, Ezra Firestone, Business of Fashion, Loose Threads, Luxury Ecommerce. Follow Raphael on Twitter: @Rpaulindaigle Learn more about SplitBase, and get your website reviewed at SplitBase.com

  1. 2D AGO

    How Fire Department Coffee Built a Mission-Driven Ecommerce Brand With Luke Schneider

    Luke Schneider is the Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned coffee company he launched in 2016 in Rockford, Illinois. A US Navy veteran and former firefighter-paramedic, Luke built the brand to combine his passion for high-quality coffee with a mission to support firefighters and first responders. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a small roasting operation into a nationally distributed brand. Luke also founded the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation, which provides aid and resources to sick or injured firefighters and first responders. In this episode… Building a successful brand takes more than a great product — it requires a mission that resonates with both your team and your customers. When a company's purpose goes beyond profits, it can inspire loyalty, strengthen culture, and create a powerful brand identity. But what does it actually look like to build a purpose-driven business that fuels real growth? Luke Schneider's answer begins with clarity of mission. As a former firefighter-paramedic turned entrepreneur, he explains how aligning a company's purpose with a real community need can create deep authenticity and long-term motivation for teams. Rather than treating purpose as a marketing tactic, he emphasizes embedding it into daily operations, from hiring people aligned with the mission to creating content that reflects the community being served. Luke also highlights the importance of consistency: setting clear impact goals, integrating charitable initiatives into the company's budget, and staying intentional about how every initiative ties back to the mission. Ultimately, he explains that a purpose-driven brand works best when it's genuine, deeply rooted in the founder's values, and supported by a team aligned around the same goal. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle sits down with Luke Schneider, Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee, to discuss building a purpose-driven ecommerce brand. Luke discusses defining a mission-driven brand, embedding purpose into company culture and hiring, and setting measurable goals for charitable impact while scaling a growing business.

    17 min

  2. MAR 11

    The 3 Big Affiliate Marketing Mistakes Ecommerce Brands Make (And How to Fix Them) With Greg Rollet

    Greg Rollett is the Head of Growth at Grommet, a product discovery platform that helps makers, inventors, and ecommerce brands showcase new and unique products to millions of shoppers. As an Emmy Award-winning producer, Greg has helped Grommet launch over 2,000 products in the past two years to a customer base of more than 2.5 million shoppers. Beyond his role in driving Grommet's growth, he focuses on helping ecommerce brands with actionable strategies, particularly in partnership and affiliate marketing.  In this episode… Affiliate marketing is often treated like a side project by ecommerce brands — an affiliate link in the footer and a hope that sales will magically appear. But while many companies invest heavily in paid ads, they overlook one of the most powerful performance-based growth channels available. Why do so many affiliate and partner programs fail to gain traction? Greg Rollet's answer starts with a mindset shift: treat partnerships like a real marketing channel. As a growth strategist specializing in affiliate and partnership marketing, he explains that many brands make three critical mistakes: lack of focus, weak incentives, and poor support for partners. Brands often offer commissions that are too low to motivate creators and publishers, even though they spend far more acquiring customers through paid ads. Greg also emphasizes equipping affiliates with the tools they need to succeed, such as product samples, creative assets, landing pages, and ready-to-use marketing copy. When brands align incentives and make it easy for partners to promote their products, affiliate programs can become a scalable and high-impact revenue channel. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle talks with Greg Rollett, Head of Growth at Grommet, to discuss the mistakes brands make with affiliate and partner programs. They explore why many affiliate programs fail, how to structure payouts using allowable CPA, and how brands can build strong affiliate relationships through proactive outreach and partnerships.

    22 min

  3. MAR 4

    The Growth Strategy That Took Blinds.com from Startup to Billion-Dollar Exit With Jay Steinfeld

    Jay Steinfeld is the Founder and former CEO of Blinds.com, the world's largest online retailer of window coverings, which was acquired by The Home Depot in 2014. Under his leadership, Blinds.com grew from a bootstrapped startup in his home to a billion-dollar enterprise, earning a reputation for innovation in ecommerce and technology-driven growth. Jay is also a Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Lead from the Core: The 4 Principles for Profit and Prosperity and the Entrepreneur in Residence at Rice University's Graduate School of Business, where he shares business insights.  In this episode… Scaling your ecommerce business doesn't always require more ad spend or tighter funnels — it can come from forming the right strategic partnerships. Rather than battling industry giants for market share, there's an opportunity to grow by leveraging their reach and infrastructure. How can you turn major players into powerful growth engines for your brand? Jay Steinfeld's answer is the Big Brother Little Brother strategy, a partnership model where a smaller company integrates with a larger one to accelerate growth. As a seasoned ecommerce founder and technology-driven operator, he explains how building product-agnostic software creates leverage far beyond a single category. By making integration seamless and delivering unique value that larger companies lacked, he reduced customer acquisition costs and unlocked rapid distribution. He also emphasizes creating "stickiness" through private-label strategies and focusing on asymmetric risk — low downside, massive upside. The key takeaway: identify what only you can offer and make it irresistible for larger partners to say yes. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle chats with Jay Steinfeld, Founder and former CEO of Blinds.com, about the Big Brother Little Brother growth strategy. They delve into the brand's 90-day Sears integration, expanding partnerships to Wayfair and The Home Depot, and the risks of empowering competitors while creating long-term "stickiness."

    22 min

  4. 12/03/2025

    How To Scale DTC, Amazon, and Retail Simultaneously With Chad Massura

    Chad Massure is the Founder and CEO of Rosy Soil, a company creating peat-free, carbon-negative potting soils designed to nurture both plants and the planet. He grew up gardening with his grandmother, a background that sparked his passion for sustainable horticulture and inspired him to reimagine what soil could be. Before founding Rosy Soil in 2022, he worked in the impact and food space, helping build ventures focused on sustainable food access and social good. Since then, Chad has guided the brand from a small startup to a rapidly scaling company while maintaining a strong commitment to research, innovation, and environmental stewardship. In this episode… The rapid expansion of online and offline channels can create confusion around where to focus, especially when early retail opportunities reshape expectations and timelines. Brands often face challenges balancing product readiness, packaging clarity, and consistent pricing while simultaneously building demand across DTC, Amazon, and brick-and-mortar shelves. How do you maintain momentum while keeping every channel aligned? For Chad Massura, an expert in omnichannel growth, success lies in prioritizing strong packaging fundamentals to ensure performance across retail, Amazon, and DTC. He highlights the importance of launching Amazon earlier to capture high-intent demand, maintaining pricing consistency across partners, and leveraging retail presence to amplify awareness in other channels. Chad also encourages brands to embrace cross-channel customer behavior rather than resist it, noting how shoppers move naturally between retail, Amazon, and DTC. In this episode of the Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Chad Massura, Founder and CEO of Rosy Soil, about building an omnichannel brand from day one. Chad discusses how early retail adoption shaped his team's go-to-market strategy, the value of packaging optimization, launching at the right time on Amazon, and navigating cross-channel customer behavior.

    22 min

  5. 11/26/2025

    Scaling With Micro-Influencers: Lessons From Goorin's Ambassador Strategy With Nicky Cutler

    Nicky Cutler is the B2B Marketing Manager at Goorin Bros., a premium hat and apparel company known for its cult-favorite line of trucker hats featuring embroidered animal patches. A seasoned marketer, Nicky led Goorin's to over $1 million in affiliate revenue in two years by building and scaling Goorin's ambassador and influencer programs. He previously worked across sales and retail leadership at Goorin and also launched his fashion brand earlier in his career. Blending brand building, community storytelling, and retail insight, he's become known for driving culture-first marketing strategies that resonate in the fashion world. In this episode… Many brands try to launch ambassador programs only to discover that discount-driven strategies attract the wrong participants, fail to generate new customers, and create tension among community members. With rising competition for attention and the growing need for authentic social proof, the challenge becomes clear — how do you build an ambassador engine that converts, sustains engagement, and avoids turning into a chaotic or unprofitable program? For Nicky Cutler, a specialist in B2B marketing and community-driven brand building, success lies in leaning into genuine customer enthusiasm rather than follower counts. Nicky shares how he initially tapped into an eager fan base, leveraged referral codes, and later recognized pitfalls such as repeat purchasers misusing discounts and ambassadors competing against one another. He outlines practical strategies for structuring guidelines, limiting code usage, and transitioning toward a reward-based system that motivates creators through exclusive products and achievable milestones. Nicky's approach prioritizes testing multiple program designs and focusing on authentic customers who truly represent the brand. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Nicky Cutler, B2B Marketing Manager at Goorin Bros., about building a high-converting ambassador program through relatable content. Nicky discusses the power of fan-led recruiting, the risks of discount dependency, and why reward-based content systems uncover authentic creators. He also explores program design, community management, and strategies for long-term scalability.

    20 min

  6. 10/01/2025

    Inside Saalt's Playbook for High-Converting TikTok LIVE Sessions With Cherie Hoeger

    Cherie Hoeger is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saalt, a woman-owned period care brand known for its sustainable, reusable cups, discs, and leakproof underwear. With expertise in leveraging education-driven customer engagement and innovative sales channels, Cherie has led the company to become the #1 period care brand on TikTok Shop. Before Saalt, she worked as a technical writer for over a decade and launched multiple ecommerce ventures. As a social entrepreneur, she has steered Saalt's mission to donate tens of thousands of cups and underwear globally to fight period poverty.  In this episode… Turning prospects into buyers is a challenge for many ecommerce brands — especially for products that need extra explanation before customers commit. How can brands build trust quickly and address FAQs in real time? Learn how a sustainable period care company engaged both loyal fans and first-time shoppers by employing live events. What strategies, team dynamics, and content secrets contributed to its rapid increase in sales? Cherie Hoeger, an expert in sustainable period care products and live social selling, illustrates how live commerce can cut long buying journeys from months to minutes. Cherie shares how her team at Saalt used TikTok LIVE sessions to answer questions on the spot, educate new audiences, and drive over $100,000 in sales in just 90 days. She delves into the ideal product price point for success, how to find and train team members to host live events, and why pairing hero products into a branded routine increases customer lifetime value. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Cherie Hoeger, Co-founder and CEO of Saalt, about leveraging TikTok LIVE selling to fuel rapid ecommerce growth. Cherie discusses gathering customer feedback during live sessions, how to combine daily organic content with live events, and strategies for creating complementary products that boost average order value and build long-term brand loyalty.

    20 min

  7. 09/24/2025

    Scaling Brand Loyalty Through Social Impact: Lessons From Barefoot Wine With Michael Houlihan

    Michael Houlihan was the Co‑founder, President, and CEO of Barefoot Wine, an iconic brand that he and his partner Bonnie Harvey launched in a laundry room in 1986 with no money and no knowledge of the wine industry, and built one of the top wine brands in the US and in 28 countries. It was eventually acquired by E. & J. Gallo. A renowned writer, speaker, and consultant, Michael co-authored the New York Times best-selling book The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America's #1 Wine Brand. He currently divides his time between mentoring entrepreneurs and working on media projects, including Business Audio Theatre. In this episode… Many businesses face the challenge of building awareness without massive advertising budgets. How do you create genuine customer loyalty when traditional advertising channels are out of reach? Learn how one entrepreneur transformed an unknown product into one of America's most beloved brands using unconventional marketing strategies.  Michael Houlihan, marketing innovator, built brand awareness by leveraging what he calls "worthy-cause marketing." Instead of relying on big ad budgets, he donated wine to community fundraisers, giving people a social reason to choose his product over competitors and building loyalty in the process. This targeted approach created advocates, not just customers, as people felt emotionally connected to the brand's support of causes they cared about. Michael explains how this method isn't just a badge of charity for public image, but a strategic way to leverage existing networks and communication channels within communities. He also details how to apply the same principles to ecommerce businesses by aligning with organizations whose members are likely customers, which creates a scalable and loyal fanbase. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Michael Houlihan, Co-founder of Barefoot Wine and Business Audio Theater, about how unorthodox marketing can scale a brand. Michael discusses the origins of "worthy-cause marketing," how to scale the approach from startup to enterprise, and why businesses should focus on building advocates rather than customers. He also discusses how to choose nonprofits strategically and lessons learned from scaling and selling his company.

    23 min

  8. 09/17/2025

    Newton's Proven Playbook for Influencer Marketing Success With Aaron Zagha

    Aaron Zagha is the Chief Marketing Officer at Newton Baby, a company specializing in innovative, science-backed sleep products for babies and families. With a professional background in corporate finance and a data-driven marketing approach, Aaron oversees the brand's marketing strategy, branding, and growth. He previously led international ecommerce operations for Teleflora. Under his leadership, Newton Baby collected over two million pounds of ocean-bound plastic and grew the brand through impactful influencer marketing. In this episode… Influencer marketing is one of the fastest-growing channels for ecommerce brands, but too often it leaves marketers questioning what truly drives results. Should success be measured by likes, reach, or sales? And how can companies ensure their investments in creators generate sustainable growth instead of vanity metrics? According to Aaron Zagha, a seasoned marketing leader with a background in finance and analytics, the answer lies in tracking every possible data point and treating influencer marketing like a performance channel. He highlights the use of unique codes, post-purchase surveys, and custom signups to attribute revenue back to specific creators. This level of tracking ensures brands can identify which partnerships drive actual conversions and which don't. Aaron also stresses the importance of frequency aligned with customer journeys, diversifying influencer portfolios, and vetting for brand safety. These practices not only optimize budgets but also protect credibility and drive long-term results. In this episode of the Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Aaron Zagha, CMO at Newton, about building measurable and scalable influencer marketing programs. Aaron shares why tracking attribution is critical, how to balance micro and macro creators, and the role of frequency in customer journeys. He also explores agency partnerships, brand safety vetting, and why credibility outshines influencer categories.

    19 min
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About

You often hear stories of ecommerce companies that have grown at record speed. What's their secret? On the Minds of Ecommerce podcast find out what key strategy helped the most successful ecommerce stores scale beyond the million. Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews the top ecommerce entrepreneurs and executives to get you straight-to-the-point, no-BS insights to learn from and apply right away. Listen to Minds of Ecommerce if you want to hear from the world's most impressive ecommerce entrepreneurs and executives and learn the secrets that brought success to their ecommerce brands. Minds of Ecommerce is FOR YOU if you are: An ECOMMERCE ENTREPRENEUR looking to find new or little known strategies to increase your average order value, conversions, and online sales.... (episode #7) An ECOMMERCE EXECUTIVE looking to improve margins and lifetime value of your customers with a smarter Facebook ad strategy. (episode #6) A DIGITAL MARKETER who wants to learn marketing strategies and tactics that are rarely talked about, but that have been used successfully to grow companies to 9 figures. (episode #5) Your host, Raphael Paulin-Daigle is the founder of SplitBase, a conversion rate optimization agency that helps fashion, lifestyle and luxury brands, such as Kiehl's, Mackage and DIFF Eyewear, increase conversions. Other podcasts take 60 minutes to get their points across, and you probably find yourself frustrated that it has to take so much of your time to learn a just few things. Raphael does the same thing in 20 mins or less on this podcast. Free of pointless conversations, this podcast is all about action. Inspired by Shopify, Magento, SalesForce, eCommerce Fuel, Ezra Firestone, Business of Fashion, Loose Threads, Luxury Ecommerce. Follow Raphael on Twitter: @Rpaulindaigle Learn more about SplitBase, and get your website reviewed at SplitBase.com

Information

  • Creator
    Raphael Paulin-Daigle
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Minds of Ecommerce

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