Ecommerce Conversations

Shakil Prasla once owned 12 ecommerce consumer brands generating $50 million in combined annual revenue with 50 employees. But he grew wary of the fluctuating revenue and non-stop marketing, so he pivoted during Covid to wholesale personal protective equipment.

That's when he and I last spoke. The PPE business, Gloves.com, had misgauged demand and lost, initially, a whopping $6 million. He has since recovered and pivoted again, this time to real estate and convenience-store gas stations.

He's an inspiring example of resilience, priorities, and seizing opportunities. He shared those lessons and more in this episode.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecommerce-to-real-estate-an-owners-story

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com

Michael Simpson is a New Mexico-based father of seven and a National Guard veteran. Returning from a 2021 deployment, he sought a business to acquire, hoping to avoid his previous job. A listing from a brokerage caught his attention.

Discount Catholic Products had launched in 2003 and was for sale. The company's mission appealed to Michael. Plus it was not reliant on Amazon or a single product or imports from China — all key requirements. He purchased the business.

Fast forward to 2025, and the retailer perseveres. Michael's role has evolved to part-time oversight. A single employee, his sister-in-law, runs daily operations with help from his kids.

In this conversation, he shares financing the acquisition, cash flow challenges, marketing tactics, and more.

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

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Host Eric Bandholz, a seasoned entrepreneur, evaluates good and bad reasons to sell a business.

He says that ideally, founders build a business they love, one that enhances their lives. To Eric, business is one of life's greatest gifts, offering freedom, wealth, connection, and the ability to serve, create, and leave a lasting mark on the world.

He reminds us that our possessions — the headphones we use, the tools we carry, the art on our wall — exist because someone built them. Entrepreneurs shape society. That's the power of business.

This is Eric's fifth master class on entrepreneurship, following installments on hiring, branding, profit-building, and priority-setting.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/dont-exit-for-the-wrong-reasons

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

For years Jack Oswald was a touring tennis professional. He aimed for top worldwide rankings, the key to serious earnings. The rankings never came, but constant travel exposed a nagging problem: his tennis bags kept breaking.

Thus began his passion for designing a better bag for athletes on the go. And that led to Cancha, a direct-to-consumer seller of sport and travel bags, which he launched in 2019 from his base in the U.K.

In this episode, Jack discusses his transition from tennis to entrepreneurship, including early struggles, raising capital, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/pro-tennis-player-pivots-to-ecommerce

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Sally Wilson is a lawyer turned craft entrepreneur. She's also an involved mother who shares her business and passions with two kids. She says being a great mom doesn't mean sacrificing who you are.

Sally launched Caterpillar Cross Stitch a decade ago from her home in England. Fast forward to 2025, and her company has 12 employees, selling cross-stitch supplies, courses, and events to customers worldwide.

In this episode, she addresses early struggles, leadership lessons, global selling, and, yes, raising kids.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/great-mom-builds-global-craft-biz

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com

As a kid, Brett Curry was fascinated by TV commercials. Now the owner of OMG Commerce, a leading ecommerce marketing agency, he says YouTube ads are similar. "A good TV ad often makes a good YouTube ad," he stated.

Host Eric Bandholz asked for details. What's a good YouTube ad strategy for ecommerce? How much should an advertiser spend? Which products work the best?

Brett addressed those questions and more in this episode.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com youtube-ad-secrets-for-ecommerce

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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

To host Eric Bandholz, the best companies have a purpose, and the happiest owners set priorities for business and life. 

In this episode, Eric offers another master class on entrepreneurship. It’s his fourth this year, following installments on hiring, branding, and profit-building.

He aims to help existing and future entrepreneurs based on operating Beardbrand, his direct-to-consumer company, for a decade now. He says this master class is the most important to date. He addresses the "North Star" essentials for his company, family, health, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/build-a-business-you-love

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Raphael Schneider launched Gentleman's Gazette in 2010 as a blog for men's style and apparel. He added his own product line in 2013, selling menswear and accessories.

He emphasizes quality in apparel and content. His YouTube channel, launched in 2015, remains essential for traffic and conversions, owing, he says, to the quality of the videos. "Ten years from now, someone can still benefit from a video we produce today," he stated

Raphael first appeared on the podcast in 2018. In this episode, he addresses the company's origins, Google search, and, yes, his focus on YouTube.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/gentlemans-gazette-thrives-on-youtube

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.   

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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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

For $60, Bob DeMars’s company, Blind Barrel, will ship a package of four craft-distilled whiskey samples, unmarked, with a tasting glass. Recipients can then try them and guess the whiskey type, age, and proof.

It’s a game using Blind Barrel’s app, preferably with friends. Participants can purchase entire bottles at discounted prices.

Bob launched the business in 2021 from his base in California. In this conversation, he addresses the company’s growth, marketing tactics, legalities, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/craft-whiskeys-home-delivered

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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com 

Weston Jon Bouchér is a California-based menswear brand and the name of its founder. He launched the company in 2019 after a decade as a full-time apparel and lifestyle model.

He initially sought a white-label supplier with like-minded quality standards. Unsuccessful, he opted instead for “cut-and-sew manufacturing.” The result is a network of global manufacturers, all producing apparel to Jon’s designs and specifications, and sold entirely from his Shopify site.

He joins host Eric Bandholz in this episode, addressing the brand’s launch, production challenges, marketing tactics, and more.

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

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. https://www.practicalecommerce.com