Schedule a call to build & scale your ecommerce brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this inspiring episode, Sasha sits down with Steve Towner, founder of Voortrekka Australia, a specialized camping gear company that's revolutionizing outdoor organization. Steve, a 20-year Australian Army veteran and former Major who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, shares his incredible journey from military logistics to e-commerce success, building a thriving business around "The Cape" - a 71L modular camping duffle bag that generated over $70,000 per month within 2-3 months of launch.

You'll learn:
• How Steve sold 20 bags in 48 hours using just a Stripe link and social media (the "pirate campaign" strategy)
• Why military logistics training translates perfectly into e-commerce operations and customer obsession
• How to validate product ideas without a website and turn customer relationships into brand evangelists
• Strategic pricing and upselling tactics that can increase AOV by 20% immediately

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Connect with Sasha (Host)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Connect with Steve Towner (Guest)
Voortrekka Australia Website: https://voortrekka.com.au

--------------------------------------------------------
TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro: From Zero to $70K/Month in 3 Months
1:37 - Steve's 20-Year Military Career: From Lieutenant to Major
3:42 - Military Logistics: Managing 200 People and Combat Deployments
5:14 - The Breaking Point: Wife's Burnout and Exit Strategy Planning
6:34 - How Facebook Ads Led to Joining Ecom Capital
8:04 - Starting With Zero Experience: "No Product, No Plan"
11:02 - The Power of Community and Peer Support in Ecom
14:47 - The "Pirate Campaign": Validating Products Without a Website
19:36 - Selling $5,000 Worth of Bags with Just a Stripe Link
22:29 - Why Product Development Trumps Perfect Marketing
25:18 - Customer Obsession: Personal Video Messages for Every Sale
29:26 - Making Your First Customer Your VVIP Brand Advocate
32:38 - Live Coaching Session: Optimizing AOV and ROAS Strategy
42:12 - Referral Systems: Turning One Customer Into Two Sales
47:11 - Building Scalable Systems vs. Adding Complexity
52:15 - Future Vision: From $10K to $100K Monthly Goals
58:12 - Military Mindset vs. Entrepreneur Confidence Building


About eCom Capital Podcast
eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. Host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders and industry experts, sharing strategies on how to build, grow, and scale profitable ecommerce brands.

#ecommerce #ecom #onlinebusiness #entrepreneur #business #scaling #shopify #militaryveteran #busines

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this game-changing episode, co-hosts Sasha and Hamen dive deep into the biggest challenge facing e-commerce brands: achieving consistent profitability. Fresh from Alex Hormozi's exclusive workshop in Vegas, Sasha shares powerful insights on why profit is an "unnatural result" and the exact strategies needed to force profitability in your business.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies for founders ready to stop leaving money on the table. Sasha and Hamen break down:

• The theory of constraints and how to identify your business bottlenecks
• Why most e-commerce sellers focus on the wrong metrics
• The exact sequence of problems to solve from $0 to 8-figures
• Alex Hormozi's "Two Stakes Theory" for maximizing customer lifetime value
• How to sell at the moment of highest customer deprivation

If you're struggling with inconsistent cash flow or wondering why your business isn't naturally profitable, this episode will transform how you think about scaling your e-commerce brand.

--------------------------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

-------------------------------------------------
TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro & Alex Hormozi Workshop Insights
2:29 - Why Profit is an "Unnatural Result"
4:27 - Theory of Constraints: Supply vs Demand
7:29 - The Tree Analogy: Why Businesses Consume Everything
9:09 - Main Pain Point: Getting Profitable Sales
10:34 - Two Types of Business Constraints
12:47 - Capital Allocator vs Operational Manager
14:21 - Business Growth Sequence: Product → Audience → People
16:46 - Why You Must Never Skip Previous Activities
18:08 - Charlie Munger's Inversion Strategy
19:03 - How to Destroy Profit (And Avoid It)
20:28 - The Resource Allocation Game
22:08 - Pre-Order Business Model Strategy
25:31 - Customer-Funded Business Benefits
27:32 - Learning From the Right People at Right Level
30:10 - Personal Development = Business Development
32:17 - Focus on What You Avoid Most
37:09 - Why Businesses Plateau
39:29 - Wrong Order Example: Corporate Governance Before Product
41:08 - Alex Hormozi's Two Stakes Theory
42:38 - Selling at Moment of Highest Deprivation
44:28 - Restaurant Waiter Strategy Applied to E-commerce
46:04 - Key Implementation Takeaways
47:41 - Final Thoughts & Next Steps

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a call to build & scale your ecommerce brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this episode, Sasha sits down with Priscilla Hajiantoni, founder of the multi-million-dollar skincare brand Bangn Body, to uncover the raw truth behind building an 8-figure ecommerce empire from scratch. Priscilla shares her jaw-dropping journey of risking her entire $100,000 house deposit, losing $80,000 to a failed supplier, and still having the grit to start over—ultimately building a brand that now sells one bottle every second.

You’ll learn:
• How to make the ultimate bet on yourself when everything’s on the line
• The real cost of entrepreneurship (spoiler: it’s not piña coladas on the beach)
• How to build evangelical customers with a community-first approach
• Scaling from 100 to 2,000 orders overnight after unexpected press coverage
• Critical mistakes founders make when hiring agencies vs. going in-house
• Why gifting your entire first batch can be the smartest marketing move
• How to bounce back stronger after losing your entire team

------------------------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Connect with Priscilla Hajiantoni (Guest):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priscillahajiantoni/
Bangn Body: https://www.bangnbody.com/

------------------------------------------------
TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro
1:03 - From House Deposit to Business Investment
2:38 - The $80,000 Supplier Disaster
5:58 - Never Settling for “Good Enough”
8:18 - The Mindset That Drives Success
12:28 - Getting Feedback from Real Customers
16:13 - The Reality of Entrepreneurship
20:32 - Daily Mail Explosion: 100 to 2,000 Orders
25:16 - The Power of Strategic Gifting
28:29 - Building Community Before Product
32:50 - Overcoming Camera Fear
36:45 - Agency Disasters and Hard Lessons
42:12 - Going from 10 Staff Back to 2
46:18 - The 6-Month Grind at $8M Revenue
50:24 - Rebuilding Trust in Hiring
52:30 - Future Vision and International Expansion

About eCom Capital Podcast:
eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. Host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders and industry experts, sharing strategies on how to build, grow, and scale profitable ecommerce brands.

#ecommerce #ecom #onlinebusiness #entrepreneur #business #scaling #shopify #skincare #businessgrowth #bangnbody

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule 

In this game-changing episode, Sasha sits down with Steve Chapman, the founder building a $100 million brand in public with Hiro electrolytes. Steve breaks down his entire playbook from scaling his previous company Shine to $60M+ in sales, to now building Hiro with 50% month-on-month growth and targeting their first million-dollar month. 

This episode is packed with actionable insights for founders ready to scale, including: 
• How to leverage brand building over product optimization for explosive growth 
• The ambassador-investor model that's driving authentic partnerships 
• Why building in public accelerates growth and attracts top talent 
• Strategic approaches to international expansion (US market entry) 
• The psychology behind subscription models and customer retention Steve also shares his controversial take on Australia's tall poppy syndrome and how entrepreneurs can break through cultural barriers to build world-class businesses.

---------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host): Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Connect with Steve Chapman (Guest): 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevechapman_/ 
Website: https://www.stevechapman.co

---------------------------------
TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro 
1:03 - Building a $100M 
Brand in Public 
3:46 - The Pressure of Public Goals 
7:30 - From Shine to Hiro: Key Lessons 
12:28 - Brand vs Product: The $100K Investment 
16:13 - Consumer-Centric vs Elite Athlete Positioning 
22:12 - Go-to-Market Strategy: Dehydrated Anonymous 
26:18 - The Ambassador-Investor Partnership Model 
30:56 - Getting Credibility for Partnership Deals 
34:38 - The 16 Touch Points Rule 
39:09 - 1500% Growth: What's Driving Success 
43:36 - Live Events and Community Building 
47:30 - Speed Wins Wars: Company Culture 
51:22 - US Market Expansion Strategy 
54:30 - The Water Bottle iPhone Moment 
57:46 - DTC vs Retail: Lessons Learned 
1:02:15 - Customer Service and Founder Involvement 
1:06:45 - What Drives Steve's Mission 
1:12:30 - Key Lessons for New Founders 
1:16:20 - Final Advice 

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

#ecommerce #ecom #onlinebusiness #entrepreneur #business #scaling #shopify #dropshipping #businessgrowth

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this episode, Sasha sits down with Adam Linforth, founder of the iconic Australian swimwear brand Budgie Smugglers, to break down his incredible 20-year entrepreneurial journey from a backyard idea to a multi-million dollar business.

Adam shares the raw truth about building a brand that breaks all the rules — from working 8 years with a full-time job before going full-time, to creating a company culture built on "vibe" and remarkable storytelling. This episode is packed with unconventional wisdom for ecommerce founders ready to think differently about brand building.

Key insights Adam reveals:

• How to build authentic partnerships with athletes and influencers through genuine relationships
• The power of choosing "characters" over captains for brand ambassadors
• Why focusing on your home market first beats trying to conquer the world
• Strategic ways to create remarkable, word-of-mouth worthy marketing
• How to survive and thrive through 8+ years of slow growth
• The importance of cash flow management and getting mentorship early

If you're building a brand that stands for something bigger than just profit, this conversation will reshape how you think about entrepreneurship, community building, and long-term success.

------------------------------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host):

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Connect with Adam Linforth (Guest):

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/budgysmuggler/

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/adam-linforth-98488469

------------------------------------------------------

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

#ecommerce #ecom #onlinebusiness #entrepreneur #business #scaling #shopify #dropshipping #businessgrowth #budgysmuggler #australianbrand #swimwear #brandbuilding #partnerships #athletemarketing

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this game-changing episode, Sasha sits down with Vic Gigliotti, founder of Muscle Republic, to uncover the raw truth behind building an 8-figure ecommerce empire from rock bottom. Vic shares his incredible journey from concrete laborer to leading a global fitness apparel brand that ships to 50+ countries with a team of 50.

This episode is packed with hard-won insights for ecommerce founders ready to scale, including:

• How to build a thriving community that loves your product

• The power of listening to your customer and letting them guide product development

• Why burning the boats and going all-in is essential for success

• How to pivot from male bodybuilding market to 95% female customer base

• The real story behind surviving COVID oversells and warehouse disasters

• Building authentic partnerships with influencers like Adrian Portelli

If you're ready to learn what it takes to build a brand with heart and scale it globally, this episode reveals the blueprint.

Connect with Sasha (Host):

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Connect with Vic Gigliotti (Guest):

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vic_mscr/

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

#ecommerce #ecom #onlinebusiness #entrepreneur #business #scaling #shopify #dropshipping #businessgrowth #musclerepublic #fitnessapparel #community #brandbuilding

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this eye-opening episode, co-hosts Sasha and Hamen dive deep into the 9 deadly sins of e-commerce that have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses and painful lessons over their combined decades in the industry.

This brutally honest conversation reveals the exact mistakes that can destroy your business overnight — from $5,000 ad spend disasters to PayPal account freezes that nearly killed entire companies. Sasha and Hamen share their most painful failures so you don't have to repeat them.

Key lessons covered:

• The $5,000 ad spend mistake that taught the importance of triple-checking campaign links
• Why diversifying to multiple platforms too early can accelerate your losses
• The critical backup systems you need for ad accounts and business managers
• How hiring agencies for skills you don't understand can drain your bank account
• The PayPal tracking nightmare that can freeze hundreds of thousands in revenue
• Why scaling too fast without proper infrastructure leads to massive refunds and disputes
• The trademark and patent risks that can shut down profitable campaigns overnight
• How to avoid the "shiny object syndrome" that kills business momentum

If you're serious about building a profitable e-commerce business without making these costly mistakes, this episode could save you years of pain and hundreds of thousands in losses.

------------------------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/
------------------------------------------------

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this game-changing episode, Sasha sits down with Marin Istvanic, Head of Performance at Inspire agency, to break down his exact $100+ million Meta advertising strategy that's helped scale ecommerce brands from startup to 8-figures.

Marin shares the tactical playbook he's used across 8 years of media buying, revealing how creative-based targeting has replaced traditional interest targeting, and why your ad creative is now doing the heavy lifting in audience selection.

This episode is packed with actionable insights on:

• How creative hooks now control targeting instead of audience interests
• The exact ABO testing structure for scaling winning ads
• White-listing strategies that drive 70% of high-performing ad spend
• AI tools for creative production and campaign optimization
• Why ROAS targets must decrease as you scale (and why that's profitable)
• The compound effect of creative volume, offers, and white-listing

If you're ready to break through spending plateaus and scale your ad accounts like the pros, this episode delivers the blueprint.

------------------------------------------------
Connect with Marin Istvanic (Guest):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m17istvanic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IstvanicMarin
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marin-istvanic/

------------------------------------------------
TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro
1:20 - From Football to Media Buying Journey
3:44 - Computer Science + Sports Background
4:29 - 8 Years of Platform Changes
5:26 - Creative-Based Targeting Revolution
7:19 - Customer Research with AI Tools
10:02 - Creative Demographics Impact Delivery
11:16 - ABO vs Advantage Plus Testing Strategy
14:38 - Cost Cap Strategy for Weekends
16:25 - Scaling Blockers & Creative Volume
19:01 - ROAS Reality Check & Margins
21:27 - Subscription vs First-Order Profitability
24:04 - New Customer ROAS Strategy
26:41 - Breaking Through Spending Fear
29:22 - The Oodie Success Story
32:24 - Unlocking Growth Milestones
34:37 - White-listing Strategy Deep Dive
37:24 - White-listing Setup & Negotiation
39:24 - AI Tools for Media Buying
42:23 - Ideal Client Profile
44:03 - What Drives Marin Daily
45:24 - Final Thoughts & Contact Info

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this game-changing episode, co-hosts Sasha and Hamen dive deep into the critical elements that make landing pages convert at the highest level. If you've got great ads but poor conversion rates, this episode is your solution.

Sasha and Hamen break down the exact strategies they use to help e-commerce brands optimize their shop pages for maximum conversions. They share actionable insights on:

• The 3-second rule that determines if visitors convert or bounce
• How to structure landing pages to minimize friction and maximize sales
• Visual storytelling techniques that create perceived value
• Copywriting strategies that speak directly to customer pain points
• Why premium brands never use iPhone photos (and what to do instead)

This is Part 2 of their conversion rate optimization series - essential viewing for any e-commerce founder ready to turn their traffic into profit.

------------------------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/
------------------------------------------------

About Ecom Capital Podcast: eCom Capital Podcast is a show about scaling e-commerce businesses. The host Sasha Karabut talks to successful founders, industry experts and shares strategies on how to build, grow and scale profitable eCommerce brands.

#ecommerce #ecom #onlinebusiness #entrepreneur #business #scaling #shopify #dropshipping #businessgrowth #conversionrate #landingpages

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/

Schedule a Call here to build and Scale your Ecommerce Brand → https://www.ecomcapital.com/demo/schedule

In this game-changing episode, co-hosts Sasha and Hamen team up to break down the exact 3-lever system they’ve used to help ecommerce brands go from 1–2% to 9–10% conversion rates — turning $5K–$30K/month stores into serious profit machines.

This is Part 1 of a 3-part series for founders ready to stop leaving money on the table. Sasha and Hamen share hard-won insights on:
• Using pricing psychology to remove buyer friction
• Structuring offers that feel irresistible
• Building trust with simple but powerful social proof systems

If you’re ready to pull the highest-impact levers in your business today, this episode is your starting point.

------------------------------------------------
Connect with Sasha (Host):
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Real.Sasha.Karabut/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/
------------------------------------------------

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Follow Sasha below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_karabut/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaEcomCapital/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVhWUtWBs_Hm-FrQJot8-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashakarabut/