In 2019 Nasrin Jafari was a middle school teacher in New York City. She had no ecommerce experience but was drawn to creating and building, which led her to sew and sell face masks during Covid.

Fast forward to 2026, and Mixed, her direct-to-consumer fashion brand, designs and produces female apparel and accessories. Referring to the company's launch, she says, "I had no idea how to make clothes." 

She does now, with multiple manufacturers, a thriving community, staff, and eager customers.

She shares her impressive story in this conversation.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/from-teacher-to-fashion-brand-founder

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts


******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Kaleigh Moore is a 12-year freelance writer and editor. She has contributed to Shopify, Forbes, Vogue, Adweek, and various B2B providers, among others. She's now grappling with the promise and limits of AI.

She calls AI a "fire hose of information" that greatly increases efficiency. She also cautions on what it cannot do, such as interview humans or learn from experience.

She shares those views and more in this episode, including her preferred AI platform, use cases for entrepreneurs, and getting started with AI-driven composition.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-a-pro-writer-uses-ai

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Occasionally on the podcast host Eric Bandholz departs from interviewing guests to share his own experiences running Beardbrand, the D2C company he founded in 2012.

In this episode, he addresses his favorite ecommerce tools in 2026, 18 platforms and apps essential to his business — from foundational site infrastructure to solutions for marketing, operations, creative, and more.  

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/beardbrands-top-ecommerce-tools

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Chris Hall is an ecommerce entrepreneur turned media operator. His new "Ecomm Cowboy" show broadcasts live Monday through Friday on X and YouTube. The mission, he says, is twofold: deliver daily news to sellers and offer companionship to those working alone.

Chris first appeared on the podcast in 2023 as the marketing head of a D2C brand. In this our latest conversation, he addresses his goals for Ecomm Cowboy, production challenges, and, yes, the power of AI tools for one-person brands.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecomm-cowboy-talks-ai-and-underdogs

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts


******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Please enjoy this repeat of a popular episode first aired in September 2024.

David Heinemeier Hansson is the creator of the Ruby on Rails software framework, the co-founder of Basecamp, a member of Shopify's board of directors, an investor in multiple tech startups, a racecar driver, and a family man with children. He's a modern-day polymath.

Yet his workday calendar is not full of appointments and meetings. He abhors managing employees and attending meetings. His is a maker's schedule, he says, with much uninterrupted time dedicated to solving problems he cares about.

In this episode, Heinemeier Hansson addresses the rise of Rails, Basecamp, and, yes, time management.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/save-time-by-managing-less-says-dhh.

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

Listener reviews of Ecommerce Conversations elevate visibility and help others experience the lessons of online entrepreneurs. We invite you to leave a review on this channel.   

******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Phillip Jackson's media company, Future Commerce, focuses on trends and developments in business.

The company surveyed U.S. shoppers during the 2025 holiday season. He says one insight stood out: when AI recommends a product, 77% of respondents leave the platform to buy on the brand's site.

Phillip first appeared on the podcast in early 2024. In this, his latest episode, he addresses the downsides of optimized ecommerce sites, the outlook of traditional search, and, yes, the rise of autonomous shopping agents.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ai-product-discovery-drives-brand-traffic

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

******

The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Frank Kosarek is the co-founder of BizPort, a mergers-and-acquisitions marketplace launched in November 2025. Before that, he was head of acquisitions for a large ecommerce aggregator.

He says buyers of ecommerce businesses today focus on discretionary earnings, not revenue, and seek recurring sales, such as subscriptions.

He addresses those items, the state of ecommerce M&A, and more in this episode.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ma-advisor-on-ecommerce-valuations

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts


******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Chris Harrison says it all started with a single pot on a stove. He and two high school buddies launched Liber & Co., a manufacturer of premium cocktail syrups, with that tiny test batch in 2011 in Austin, Texas.

Fast forward to 2026, and batches are now in 1,500-gallon tanks and sold worldwide to restaurants, bars, and consumers. But the culture remains hands-on, do-it-yourself, and learn-by-doing.

Chris first appeared on the podcast in 2022. In this latest episode, he shares the company's origins, sourcing tactics, growth plans, and more. 

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/diy-approach-fuels-craft-cocktail-brand

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts


******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

In his previous appearance on the podcast, in November 2022, Jai Dolwani was the CMO of a wine subscription company that would shortly declare bankruptcy. It was his third struggling startup, he says, prompting "serious self-reflection."

He pivoted to entrepreneurship and launched The Starters, a marketplace for fractional ecommerce talent, in late 2023. The company has thrived, having attracted more than 600 freelancers and 500 client brands.

In this episode, Jai addresses the demand for ecommerce talent, tips for hiring freelancers, and plans for 2026 and beyond.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see:  https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecommerce-success-with-fractional-talent

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

******
The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com

Please enjoy this repeat of a popular episode first aired in January 24, 2025.

According to Will Nitze, founder and CEO of IQBAR, success in a competitive market requires finding its uncompetitive niches. He did that with his flagship protein bar, which is plant-based, low-sugar, and plainly labeled.

That was seven years ago when he launched the company with a $75,000 Kickstarter campaign.

Fast forward to 2025, and IQBAR also makes IQMIX (hydration) and IQJOE (coffee). All promote brain health without competing against each other.

Will shares his journey in this episode — from his initial capital raise to scaling revenue, adding products, and managing wholesale channels.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/protein-bar-founder-thrives-in-a-crowded-field

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

Listener reviews of Ecommerce Conversations elevate visibility and help others experience the lessons of online entrepreneurs. We invite you to leave a review on this channel.   

******

The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online merchants improve their businesses. We do this with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. We are an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and unaffiliated with any ecommerce platform or provider. https://www.practicalecommerce.com