Unscripted Small Business

Dave Gulas on Customer Service, Entrepreneurship & E-commerce Logistics

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Episode from the Unscripted Small Business Podcast

Host: Jeremy Rivera — SEO Arcade Founder & Freelance SEO Consultant

Guest: Dave Gulas — President & Co-Founder of EZDC 3PL

Sponsored by: Cookeville Sunroom Company

About the Guest

Dave Gulas is the president and co-founder of EZDC 3PL, providing warehousing, fulfillment, and transportation services for manufacturers and e-commerce brands. With 20 years in medical/pharmaceutical sales and over three years in logistics, Dave brings a customer-first approach to the 3PL industry.

Dave also hosts the Beyond Fulfillment Podcast, featuring real stories from entrepreneurs — available on the EZDC Blog and all major podcast platforms.

Episode Summary

In this conversation, Dave shares how he and his partner identified a gap in the 3PL market — legacy providers weren't delivering the customer service that growing e-commerce brands needed. Three years later, EZDC has built a reputation for responsiveness and genuine care.

Key Topics Covered:

  • Why e-commerce brands reach a "graduation point" where outsourcing fulfillment makes sense
  • The importance of warehouse management systems (WMS) and automated integrations
  • Common mistakes when scaling a business — saying yes to the wrong customers
  • Bootstrap vs. funded startups: which succeed more often?
  • The unglamorous reality of entrepreneurship
  • Why personal branding matters more than ever in 2026
    • Resources & Links Mentioned
    About EZDC 3PL
    • EZDC 3PL Homepage
    • About EZDC
    • Packaging and Kitting Services
    • Retail Logistics and Warehousing Services
    • The Kentucky Advantage: Why a Central Hub is Key for Nationwide 3PL
    • EZDC Blog & Beyond Fulfillment Podcast
      • Connect with Dave Gulas
      • Dave Gulas on LinkedIn
        • SEO & Marketing Resources

        From SEO Arcade:

        • SEO Forecasting 101: Methods, Metrics, Tools, and Challenges
        • The Revenue-First SEO Strategy That's Actually Working
        • Opportunity Sizing in SEO
        • How a Podcast Generates Links, Content, Audience, Citations & Authority
        • White Label Podcast Service

          • From Jeremy Rivera SEO:

          • SEO Basics for Small Business
          • Simple, Effective Link Building
          • SEO ROI
          • Developing a Style Guide for Your Personal Brand
          • Jeremy Rivera's SEO Resume & Experience
          • Hire Jeremy Rivera
          • SEO Services & Pricing
          • Cookeville SEO Services
            • Also Mentioned
            • Michael McDougall — Right Thing Agency: What to Do When SEO Rankings Drop After a Site Launch
              • Key Quotes from This Episode

              "We saw a vast amount of complacency within the market to where legacy big box 3PLs were just not providing the proper service to e-commerce brands." — Dave Gulas

              "Our guiding principle is we want to treat our customers as if it's our business in terms of we're gonna operate with urgency." — Dave Gulas

              "Entrepreneurship has been glamorized so much in recent years... But let's be real about what it's really like to be an entrepreneur." — Dave Gulas

              "Having a personal brand is more important than ever. People do business with people and faceless nameless brands are really losing ground." — Dave Gulas

              "Struggle creates strength... It's really nature's way of making you stronger. Certainly entrepreneurs can relate to that." — Dave Gulas

              Key Takeaways
              1. Customer service is a competitive advantage — In industries plagued by complacency, responsiveness and genuine care can differentiate your business from legacy competitors.
              2. Know when to say no — Chasing every deal and trying to be everything to everybody can hurt your business. Niching down and being selective about clients leads to better outcomes.
              3. Content marketing creates inbound leads — Podcasting, blogging, LinkedIn posting, and appearing on other shows creates a flywheel effect that brings customers to you when they're ready.
              4. Bootstrap companies often outperform funded ones — Patience and consistent daily actions beat rushing to scale before you're ready.
              5. Personal branding matters more than ever — In an age of AI-generated content, people crave authentic human connection. Founder-led companies with visible leaders are winning.
              6. Struggle creates strength — Like the fable of the premature butterfly, entrepreneurs need to go through challenges to develop the resilience required for success.
                7. Subscribe & Follow
                • Podcast: Unscripted Small Business Podcast
                • Host: Jeremy Rivera on LinkedIn | SEO Arcade | JeremyRiveraSEO.com
                • Guest: Dave Gulas on LinkedIn | EZDC 3PL

                  • Have questions about e-commerce fulfillment? Reach out to EZDC 3PL for a quote.

                  Need help with SEO strategy for your business? Contact Jeremy Rivera for consulting

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                  Unscripted Small BusinessBy Abbey Crane