Ecommerce Conversations

Adam Hendle had a dream job with Google. Then he had an idea in 2017 to launch a hygiene brand focused on men's privates. He named the brand Ballsy and launched it on Black Friday 2018. It quickly scaled. By 2021, Ballsy was an eight-figure revenue business and entertaining offers from potential acquirers. Hendle sold it that year.

He's now focused on his new venture, a laundry-detergent sheet. He shares his journey — from launching, scaling, and selling Ballsy to, now, his new company. 

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6nCZ

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

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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. http://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Andrew Foxwell co-launched Foxwell Digital, an agency, in 2012 from his base in Wisconsin. The firm now manages social media ad campaigns for brands worldwide. Having experienced much industry change, Foxwell concludes the key to a successful marketer is a nonstop desire to learn. 

He describes in this interview his agency's approach to paid social campaigns, building a team, overall paid social strategy, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6nxa

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

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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. http://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Mike Lee was once a 12-0 middleweight boxer who fought for a world title. Then anxiety and injuries took a toll. His search for a cure led to cannabidiol, the non-addictive, non-impairing marijuana extract. And that led him to Soul, the CBD brand he co-founded with his sister Angie.

He shares his story in this interview, addressing his health issues, CBD's benefits, launching Soul, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6nsg

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

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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. http://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Kevin Williams owns KDF Aegis, a U.S.-based consulting and investment firm. In 2021 he invested in Balls.co, a U.K. seller of grooming supplies for male private parts. He says, "The notion of running Balls is hilarious to everyone who knows me. But it's a gift to a marketer to work with an edgy product."

Humor ended up being the company's principal marketing vehicle when it retained comedians in Europe to ask bystanders, "Do you shave your balls?" The resulting videos produced 150 million views on TikTok.

Willaims discusses the business of male grooming in this interview.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6nkY

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

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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. http://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Kevin Stecko launched 80sTees.com in 2000 selling t-shirts imprinted with pop-culture items. The process requires obtaining permission from the rights holders, which is not easy. He says, "I started the company with designs of He-Man, a toy cartoon. I obtained that license, and then they wouldn't approve hardly any of my designs."

Fast forward to 2023, and 80sTees.com has 120,000 SKUs. It no longer warehouses and fulfills products but, instead, sends the designs to printers who then drop-ship them. 

He discusses his journey here, addressing licensing risks, competition, drop-shipping, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6nhq

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

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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. http://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Allen Walton launched SpyGuy, an online retailer of surveillance cameras, in 2014. The business quickly scaled, experiencing much success. Then Google Ads banned it. Then competitors arose, narrowing margins.

Still, Walton preserves. Google lifted the ban, and he has doubled down with a renewed focus on sales channels, customer service, vendors, and more.

This is Walton's second appearance on the podcast. The first, "Banned by Google Ads, SpyGuy.com Ponders Alternative Channels," occurred in 2020. — https://pec-ly.com/?1uAy

In his conversation, Walton shares his journey, addressing professional and personal setbacks, marketing initiatives, fulfillment changes, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6ndp

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

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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. http://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Ten years ago Ken Freeman was a drop-ship Amazon seller. The business grew beyond drop shipping to seven figures (revenue) utilizing FBA. He sold to Thrasio, the aggregator, in 2019. He now advises established companies via Full Circle, his agency. 

Amazon's marketplace circa 2023 is ruthlessly competitive, unlike in the mid-teens when, per Freeman, "you could get rich selling yoga mats." In this interview he addresses competitive tactics, black-hat sellers, and more.

For a condensed transcript with embedded audio, see https://pec-ly.com/?6n84

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

Tony Smith acquired TimberVaults, a direct-to-consumer seller of concealed gun safes, for expansion opportunities beyond firearms. He foresaw hidden storage of other valuables, such as jewelry and documents. 

That was in mid-2022. He's now learning the ropes of running an ecommerce business. In this conversation, he shares his early mistakes, operational decisions, and growth plans. 

For an edited transcript of the interview with embedded audio, see: https://pec-ly.com/?6n4d

For transcripts and embedded audio of all episodes, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

Mike Tecku sold his Amazon businesses, retired, and became bored. He's back, having just launched Momentum, a maker of nutritional shakes, which he calls "the Rolex of supplements." He describes his journey in this week's episode, addressing personal priorities and Momentum's market position, growth plans, and more.

For an edited transcript with audio embedded, see https://pec-ly.com/?6mTV

For all edited episodes with embedded audio, see https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

Isaac Medeiros's company, Mini Katana, is a direct-to-consumer seller of Samurai-themed letter openers, swords, and related accessories. Just two years old, the business produces a whopping six videos every day from a team of creators, writers, and editors. That's 3,000 videos to date.

How can a small company produce and post six videos every day? He explains that and more in this fascinating discussion.

For a condensed transcript with embedded audio, see https://pec-ly.com/?6mOJ

For condensed transcripts of all episodes, see https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts