Are you overlooking YouTube ads in your marketing strategy? On today’s podcast, we’re breaking down why most brands are significantly underestimating YouTube and how it’s quietly becoming the hidden gem driving real, profitable growth for smart advertisers.

Joined by Rachel Kwon (Head of Paid Search) and Tony Chopp (VP of Paid Media) from Common Thread Collective, we dive into:

• Why YouTube ads are misunderstood and undervalued by most brands

• Key insights from recent incrementality studies that reveal YouTube’s true potential

• Practical strategies for integrating YouTube ads effectively into your current marketing mix

• A step-by-step approach for testing and scaling your YouTube investment

If you’re serious about unlocking your next level of profitable growth, you can’t afford to ignore YouTube any longer. 

Show Notes:

• 
  
• Go to https://your.omnisend.com/CTC to get 20% off your first 3 months with code CTC20.
• 
  
• Explore the PROPHIT System: prophitsystem.com
• The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

The future of ad creative just changed forever. In this episode of the Podcast, we break down the latest ChatGPT model update that literally broke the internet — and why it’s the biggest shift in AI-generated creative since GPT-3.5.

Jacob Posel joins to explain how this update unlocked a wave of AI ads so good… you can’t deny it anymore. From viral Twitter threads to wild reactions from the creative world, this is the moment where AI became a real force in advertising.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the new GPT update is a game-changer for ad creative

• The exact moment Jacob realized AI had “solved” ads

• What happens when media buying meets infinite creative

• Why most brands still don’t believe this is real — and what that means

• How you can prepare for the future of AI-generated video, creative, and strategy

For marketers, creators, and founders: This is your wakeup call. The game just changed. Get obsessed or get left behind.

Show Notes:

• 
  
• Go to Opensend.com/book-a-demo and start your 2-week trial for just $1.
• 
  
• Explore the PROPHIT System: profitsystem.com
• The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

Are you stuck at six figures, unsure how to scale without burning your budget on expensive agencies or freelancers? You’re not alone. Most growing ecommerce brands face the same struggles—limited resources, information overload, and the stress of choosing the right growth strategies.

In this episode of the podcast, Richard and Grant Zanini, VP of Education at CTC (and founder of our ADmission program), break down how to break through from six to seven figures—without hiring an expensive marketing agency.

You’ll discover:

• Why hiring agencies often fail at this growth stage—and what you should do instead.

•  How to find the RIGHT advice in a world full of “gurus” and misinformation.

•  Practical ways to get direct, actionable support for your brand at a fraction of agency prices.

• Common pitfalls most entrepreneurs face at this critical stage and how to avoid them.

Ready to level up your ecommerce brand? Let’s dive in.

Show Notes:

• The ADmission portal is now only $97/mo. — check it out here.
• Go to Opensend.com/book-a-demo and start your 2-week trial for just $1.
• The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

Meta just flipped the script on media buying — and if you’re still running ads the old way, you’re already falling behind. In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, Taylor breaks down everything you need to know about Meta’s new AI-powered advertising engine: Andromeda.

We’re talking about:

• The death of cost caps and the rise of AI optimization
• Why Advantage+ Shopping is the new default
• How to structure your ad account for 2025 and beyond
• Why creative volume (yes, 5,000 ads, not 5) is the key to winning
• The future of profit-optimized campaigns, incrementality testing, and more

This is the biggest shift in Meta ads since iOS14, and it’s already live. Whether you’re a media buyer, brand owner, or performance marketer — this is essential listening.

Watch to learn how to restructure your Meta ad account and take full advantage of what’s coming.

Show Notes:

• Go to Opensend.com/book-a-demo and start your 2-week trial for just $1.
• Meta Andromeda: Supercharging Advantage+ automation with the next-gen personalized ads retrieval engine
• Explore the PROPHIT System: profitsystem.com
• The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we sit down with Jack Zamichides, CEO of D Louise, to explore the journey from a small, scrappy startup to a fast-growing jewelry brand on the path to eight figures.

Key Topics Covered:

Trusting the Process – How D Louise committed fully to CTC’s creative volume methodology — and saw results almost immediately.

Building Stability – Why relying on big product drops or seasonal moments is risky, and how D Louise shifted toward a more predictable growth model.

From Side Hustle to Full Commitment – The pivotal Black Friday moment that convinced Jack to go all-in on the business.

If you’re an e-commerce founder looking for actionable insights on scaling efficiently, this episode offers valuable lessons on embracing proven strategies and building a stable foundation for growth.

Show Notes:

- Get your first 100 chargebacks handled absolutely free! Just visit chargeflow.io and enter the code "CTC100" after activation.

- Explore the Global Accelerator: https://commonthreadco.com/pages/accelerator

- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we sit down with Jack Zambakides, CEO of D Louise, to explore the journey from a small, scrappy startup to a fast-growing jewelry brand on the path to eight figures.

Key Topics Covered:

Trusting the Process – How D Louise committed fully to CTC’s creative volume methodology — and saw results almost immediately.

Building Stability – Why relying on big product drops or seasonal moments is risky, and how D Louise shifted toward a more predictable growth model.

From Side Hustle to Full Commitment – The pivotal Black Friday moment that convinced Jack to go all-in on the business.

If you’re an e-commerce founder looking for actionable insights on scaling efficiently, this episode offers valuable lessons on embracing proven strategies and building a stable foundation for growth.

Show Notes:

In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we’re diving into the crucial role of accurate forecasting in driving e-commerce growth — especially during challenging times.

Inspired by our upcoming Sharpen Your Skills episode, this discussion unpacks why many brands struggle with overly optimistic forecasts and how an unbiased, data-driven forecast can provide the reality check needed to reset and rebuild.

Key Topics Covered:

- The E-Commerce Intervention – Why many brands today need a forecasting “intervention” to identify the cold, hard reality of their current state.

- Rooting Forecasts in Reality – How unbiased, third-party forecasting exposes overestimations and reveals realistic growth targets.

- The Power of Data-Driven Forecasting – Why accurate forecasting starts with data, not desire — and how this truth can save your business.

- Aligning Ambition with Attainability – How to set aggressive yet achievable goals using accurate forecasting models.

- Forecasting as a Growth Lever – Why your forecasting process can be the difference between stagnation and sustainable growth.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to set meaningful growth targets, this episode will help you reset your approach and build a forecast rooted in reality.

Show Notes:

- Get your first 100 chargebacks handled absolutely free! Just visit chargeflow.io and enter the code "CTC100" after activation.

- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we’re diving into influencer marketing and seeding—a foundational strategy that often gets overlooked in the rush to optimize ad accounts.

This episode is a prelude to our new Sharpen Your Skills episode dropping tomorrow (Season 2, Episode 3) - which covers this even more in depth!

Key Topics Covered:

- The Influencer Foundation – Why influencer marketing was my starting point in marketing and why it still matters today.

- Beyond Paid Media – How influencer-driven distribution impacts brand growth beyond just running ads.

- Seeding Strategies – The importance of getting products in the right hands and how top brands execute seeding effectively.

- Influencers as Growth Levers – Why influencer relationships, not just transactions, drive sustainable demand.

- Rethinking Brand & Distribution – How the best-performing brands integrate influencers into their broader marketing strategy.

If you’re relying too much on paid media and want to unlock new growth levers, this episode is for you.

Show Notes:

- Access Postscript:⁠ ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4h2v0Lb⁠- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

In this episode of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast, we’re diving into influencer marketing and seeding—a foundational strategy that often gets overlooked in the rush to optimize ad accounts.

This episode is a prelude to our new Sharpen Your Skills episode dropping tomorrow (Season 2, Episode 3) - which covers this even more in depth!

Key Topics Covered:

- The Influencer Foundation – Why influencer marketing was my starting point in marketing and why it still matters today.

- Beyond Paid Media – How influencer-driven distribution impacts brand growth beyond just running ads.

- Seeding Strategies – The importance of getting products in the right hands and how top brands execute seeding effectively.

- Influencers as Growth Levers – Why influencer relationships, not just transactions, drive sustainable demand.

- Rethinking Brand & Distribution – How the best-performing brands integrate influencers into their broader marketing strategy.

If you’re relying too much on paid media and want to unlock new growth levers, this episode is for you.

Show Notes:

- Access Postscript: https://bit.ly/4h2v0Lb
- The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm

This episode isn’t just about a viral Tecovas ad—it’s about the bigger picture of authentic marketing. We sit down with Krista Dalton, CMO of Tecovas, to break down the full story behind their marketing success.

From understanding the customer to building the right product, finding the ideal distribution channels, and crafting memorable ads—this episode dives into how great marketing is built from the ground up.

We cover:

-How deeply understanding your customer and product can unlock new marketw

-Why the best campaigns don’t always rely on direct response—they can thrive by tapping into identity

-The strategy behind Tecovas’ marketing success and what it reveals about growth marketing and TAM

Krista Dalton shows us how authentic marketing extends from a brand identity, to the final ad unit. Don’t miss this one. 

Show Notes:

-Go to https://your.omnisend.com/CTC to get 20% off your first 3 months with code CTC20.

-Explore the PROPHIT System: prophitsystem.com

-The Ecommerce Playbook mailbag is open — email us at [email protected] to ask us any questions you might have about the world of ecomm