Honest Ecommerce

Chris Timmer is the Chief Executive Officer of Linnworks. As a respected CEO and industry veteran, Chris brings three decades of leadership experience spanning sales, marketing and operations in supply chain management and software. 

He is responsible for leading the company’s overall operations, with direct oversight of sales, marketing, professional services, research, development and strategy.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:53] Intro
• [01:40] Understanding backend commerce operations
• [02:43] Leveraging Linnworks for marketplace connections
• [03:44] Integrating business processes with marketplaces
• [04:12] Tapping into multi-channel growth opportunities
• [06:13] Adapting strategies to business size and growth
• [07:43] Exploring MVPs on established marketplaces
• [08:56] Understanding customer personas through Amazon
• [10:17] Evolving with customers as they scale globally
• [11:32] Building a recognizable brand from ecommerce roots
• [12:23] Managing costs & scaling with automated solutions
• [14:02] From manual processes to scalable systems
• [15:07] Simplifying multi-marketplace management processes
• [16:07] Suggesting optimal marketplaces through analytics
• [16:45] Managing inventory with legal pads vs. software
• [18:26] Balancing vision with practical financial tracking
• [19:45] Customer relationships as part of brand ethos
• [21:03] Monitoring shifting customer buying experiences
• [22:26] Explore Linnworks with a demo request

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Optimizing how Ecommerce works linnworks.com/
• Follow Chris Timmer linkedin.com/in/chris-timmer-019996/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Shawn brings over ten years of fashion retail experience to the table. He is the Co-Founder of Electric Eye–our Shopify design and development agency, and a Partner at Feel–a brand studio where art meets commerce.

A specialist in design, Shawn has worked with the likes of Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap Inc, Nike, Homage and Only NY. His time in the retail industry, from digital experience to product design, has exposed him to many facets within the business. 

This has given him an undeniable ability to identify his clients’ needs; guaranteed to provide a unique experience and to deliver increased engagement across all channels of your business.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:44] Intro
• [01:07] Overseeing design and development excellence
• [02:01] Prioritize impactful changes before Black Friday
• [04:07] Avoid site relaunch from hurting holiday sales
• [05:26] Straightforward discounts for holiday sales
• [06:33] Maintain clarity with daily Black Friday deals
• [07:19] Optimize gift cards for efficient holiday gifting
• [09:00] Offer direct gift sending for Q4 sales
• [10:41] Use data to craft effective product bundles
• [13:31] Create custom landing pages for holiday marketing
• [15:33] AIDA formula for landing page optimization
• [17:10] Episode Sponsors
• [20:23] Boosting revenue with upsells and cross-sells
• [22:14] Avoid overkill with subtle upsell placements
• [23:22] Strategize pre and post-purchase upsells effectively
• [25:05] Maximizing upsell tools within your theme
• [25:43] Implement app-based discounts for big sales
• [26:24] Refine image optimization and code efficiency
• [28:35] Improve mobile navigation and usability 
• [31:00] Gaining insights from real users' interactions
• [32:47] Optimize sales with early split tests and feedback
• [34:24] Confirm remarketing pixels and data flow
• [35:22] Electric Eye’s expertise for Black Friday prep

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Shopify expert design and development agency electriceye.io/
• A brand studio where art meets commerce feel.studio/
• Follow Shawn Khemsurov linkedin.com/in/shawnkhemsurov/
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Rob Schutz is the founder of Snagged, where he helps entrepreneurs, startups and established businesses acquire premium domain names. 

Rob is also co-founder of Ro, the DTC health platform, and employee #7 + former VP of Growth at Bark, where he helped grow the company from $0 to a $100M in run rate. He started his career in healthcare consulting, helping hospitals transition to digital EMRs. 

Rob then started a daily deal company called What’s the Deal that he sold to kgb, where he transitioned to his career in marketing and user acquisition. 

To date, Rob has snagged domains for Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer, Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, ex-Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, Pinterest co-founder Ben Silberman, Capser co-founder Philip Krim, and many more.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:49] Intro
• [01:38] Pivoting from healthcare tech to digital marketing
• [02:33] Entering growth marketing with Bark in 2012
• [03:13] Navigating early paid search and social channels
• [04:03] Learning from early Facebook ad strategy mistakes
• [04:45] Tapping into Instagram communities for traction
• [05:33] Priorities that led to a new startup journey
• [06:23] Meeting co-founders with complementary skills
• [07:57] Starting Ro with a mission to break taboos
• [09:42] Adapting proven strategies to new health market
• [11:04] Overcoming hurdles with Google & Meta ad policies
• [12:37] Balancing confidence with product market challenges
• [13:54] Episode sponsors
• [17:07] Overcoming privacy policies in healthcare startups
• [19:23] Transitioning to domain expertise with Snagged
• [21:52] Establishing trust with high-value domain names
• [22:51] Balancing domain costs with business stage
• [24:03] Flexible domain deal structures and outcomes
• [26:14] Creative domain acquisition strategies with Rob

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Industry leading domain services snagged.com/
• Follow Rob Schutz linkedin.com/in/robschutz/
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Nikita Vakhrushev has spent the last 7 years immersed in the digital marketing world. After starting his own ecom brand and quickly pivoting into the agency model, he found his place in ecommerce advertising services. 

After amassing all the marketing skills needed to scale brands, he found great success in email and SMS marketing, which is what he specializes in today! 

Now after working with over 100+ DTC brands, having the knowledge behind all marketing channels, but sticking with email as his bread and butter, Nikita has a unique perspective on how to get the most out of a brand's retention channels.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:41] Intro
• [01:12] Transitioning from retail to agency building
• [02:49] Transforming solutions into paid expertise
• [03:27] Learning vs paying to get things done
• [04:26] Implementing DKIM & DMARC for email security
• [06:01] Maintaining deliverability with record updates
• [06:51] Steep learning curves in email configuration
• [08:04] Navigating DNS zone editor for email verification
• [09:47] Understanding dynamic and static domain settings
• [10:51] Navigating edge cases in complex DNS setups
• [11:46] Creating DMARC records for Shopify and Klaviyo
• [13:15] Adding DMARC & DKIM to improve email reach
• [15:07] Suppressing email addresses for better deliverability
• [17:54] Remove unengaged emails for domain reputation
• [19:11] Implementing effective list cleaning strategies
• [20:10] Focusing on email & SMS services across platforms
• [21:30] Signs you need to seek email marketing help
• [22:43] ASPEKT: Free audit for your email strategy
• [23:42] Keep track of your email open rates consistently

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Email marketing agency for Ecom and DTC brands aspektagency.com/
• Secure your domain dmarcian.com/  
• Follow Nikita Vakhrushev linkedin.com/in/nikita-v/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Kris Kaiser and Stephen McCaul met at a pub in Santa Monica, California, and hit it off immediately. A shared interest in sound brought them together. Kris and Stephen's professional paths were quite different, but audio was a common thread throughout their lives. 

Kris's PhD dissertation studied the effects of urban noise on the breeding behaviors of frogs. Stephen developed audio software for video games. Both shared a love for spreadsheets, food, and the glorious sound and invitingly impenetrable interface of the Yamaha DX7 synthesizer. 

A few years later, Kris was a professor and Stephen worked on increasingly complex audio problems in his day job. As an escape, they began experimenting with home-built synthesizers and wild DIY noisemakers. Stephen developed a Eurorack module over a weekend after a dare from a friend, and the synth community took notice. 

That was the beginning, and in 2016 they quit their jobs and took Noise Engineering full time. Now a staple boutique developer, their hardware and software products are used and adored by hobbyists, composers, artists, and producers around the world. 

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:59] Intro
• [01:26] A hobby into a full-time endeavor
• [02:18] Turning hackathon ideas into tangible products
• [03:26] Navigating the challenges of early manufacturing
• [04:25] Finding solutions through industry connections
• [06:13] Collaborating within a niche community
• [07:42] Gaining traction using marketing platforms
• [09:50] Episode sponsors
• [13:04] Balancing quality & price in a competitive market
• [15:35] Attracting early customers through trade shows
• [17:06] Educational content as top-of-funnel strategy
• [18:05] Connecting with people via face-to-face outreach
• [19:29] Tapping into LA's vibrant music community
• [20:00] Showing prototypes & gathering real-time feedback
• [21:50] Attending trade shows for customer interactions
• [22:33] Finding success with in-depth blog content
• [24:54] Expanding into software for flexible compositions
• [26:45] Developing innovative guitar products
• [27:53] High-quality instruments at Noise Engineering

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Boutique musical instrument firm dedicated to making tools for any artist https://noiseengineering.us/
• Follow Stephen McCaullinkedin.com/in/stephen-mccaul-10842b1/
• Follow Kris Kaiser linkedin.com/in/kris-kaiser-77b345203/
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Johnny Russo has over 17 years of Digital Marketing, Ecommerce, and Brand experience. He is the Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Lamour, where he leads the Direct to Consumer division for 4 Ecommerce brands and numerous Ecommerce sites. 

He also handles marketing for over 20 licenses. Previous to Lamour, Johnny was at The Kersheh Group as the Vice President of Ecommerce and Marketing, and also spent time with Mark’s/Canadian Tire as AVP of Ecommerce and Digital Marketing. 

He has also worked at multi-channel retailers like Buffalo Jeans, Bentley, and globally for Mexx. 

Johnny is a published author. His book, Mastering Mindful Leadership: 105 Ways to Become the Leader Your Employees Need You to Be, was published in October 2022.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:40] Intro
• [01:48] Embracing digital change in a family business
• [02:29] Career shifts: From writing to marketing
• [03:45] Finding inspiration in Guerilla Marketing
• [05:00] Guerrilla Marketing: Action Over Talk
• [06:45] Learning from different companies & managers
• [08:15] Embracing larger brand challenges
• [09:06] Scaling career with strategic insights
• [09:52] Restructuring digital marketing channels
• [11:31] Planning incremental improvements
• [12:33] Strategizing flexible team dynamics
• [13:57] Adjusting strategies based on KPIs
• [15:15] Episode sponsors
• [18:27] Navigating brand storytelling challenges
• [20:02] Adapting to evolving demographics and interests
• [21:11] Experiencing success after strategic efforts
• [22:12] Inspired to write a leadership playbook
• [24:46] Addressing real-life leadership challenges
• [26:04] Transforming leadership through practical insights
• [27:15] Navigating talent retention & employee loyalty
• [28:16] Adapting to shifting fulfillment strategies
• [29:34] Evaluating revenue vs digital marketing metrics
• [30:48] Dealing with turnover & keeping a positive attitude
• [33:08] Making personal development a priority
• [34:05] Get in touch with Johnny Russo

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Choice for hosiery, intimates, and apparels lamour.com/en.html
• The Original Padded Sock thorlo.com/
• Follow Johnny Russo linkedin.com/in/johnnyrusso/
• Mastering Mindful Leadership: 105 Ways to Become the Leader Your Employees Need You to Be amazon.com/Mastering-Mindful-Leadership-Become-Employees/dp/1988058848
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Bob DeMars is the founder of Blind Barrels, a blind whiskey tasting subscription disrupting the industry’s current distribution model by showcasing American craft distilleries, ones which rarely get the shelf space they deserve. 

The recent quarantine brought about blind whiskey tastings with friends, and DeMars saw an opportunity for a startup unlike any other in the alcohol industry. 

These blind tastings are all about discovery, education, removing brand bias, and, of course, supporting smaller distillers that are making some amazing handmade products. 

Each quarter, subscribers get to test their senses by tasting and discovering hard-to-try-or-find craft whiskey brands - ones that deserve to be discovered.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [01:17] Intro
• [02:16] Understanding the appeal of whiskey samples
• [03:12] Exploring the stages of whiskey tasting
• [05:13] Navigating the three-tier system regulations
• [06:49] Raising funds through friends and family 
• [07:49] Handling startup stress and responsibility
• [09:00] Leveraging influencer partnerships effectively
• [10:46] Learning PR pitfalls and self-promotion
• [12:08] Launching the business & attracting subscribers
• [13:23] Overcoming initial tech hurdles
• [14:20] Learning the tasks before delegating
• [16:28] Multi-channel touches for brand conversion
• [18:08] Episode sponsors
• [21:21] Focusing on qualified traffic before CRO efforts
• [22:19] Avoiding affiliate fees with strategic gift codes
• [23:27] Unexplained SEO boosts in industry niches
• [24:34] Micro influencers for brand saturation & sales
• [25:36] Evaluating micro influencers by genuine engagement
• [27:38] Managing inquiries directly for brand credibility
• [28:28] Creating connections with whiskey box shipments
• [29:20] Hosting events with interactive whiskey giveaways
• [31:30] Finding joy in simple whiskey moments 
• [32:02] Discover Blind Barrels & support local distillers
• [33:18] Balancing sales with community building online
• [34:01] Keeping investor energy through consistent updates
• [35:47] Valuing hard lessons during difficult times

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Blind whiskey tasting subscription blindbarrels.com/
• Follow Bob DeMars linkedin.com/in/bob-demars-975bba5
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Adam is the founder and CTO of Intelligems, a profit optimization engine for ecommerce brands. 

He and Drew Marconi started Intelligems 3 years ago after spending 4 years building dynamic pricing in the ride sharing industry in order to bring that level of sophistication around pricing and economics to DTC ecommerce. 

Intelligems today enables brands to A/B test content, pages, discounts, shipping fees, and prices on their storefronts. It also enable brands to build tailored experiences and personalizations informed by the learnings of those tests.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [01:12] Intro
• [02:04] Transitioning from ridesharing to Ecommerce
• [03:09] Testing product prices for big impact
• [04:41] Benefiting from Google's unexpected move
• [05:44] Gaining traction with early adopters
• [06:44] Clarifying CRO basics and misconceptions
• [08:04] Balancing conversion rate and AOV
• [10:04] Adopting a testing mindset
• [11:56] Exploring test win rates and client mindset
• [13:45] Iterating quickly after test failures
• [14:36] Trusting data over intuition
• [15:55] Embracing non-winning test results
• [16:33] Assessing business lifecycle impact
• [17:10] Balancing orders with profit margins
• [19:18] Understanding statistical significance basics
• [21:04] Evaluating probabilities in test outcomes
• [22:23] Considering risks in statistical test outcomes
• [23:16] Moving on when tests reach clear results
• [24:52] Balancing creativity and analytics in a CRO
• [25:44] Psychological insights to optimize conversions
• [27:24] Leveraging psychology in Ecommerce strategies
• [28:18] Consumer behavior with key readings
• [29:04] Testing price strategies for bigger impact
• [30:24] Integrating brand education into conversion tactics
• [31:50] Optimizing landing pages for high traffic
• [33:20] Prioritizing first impressions on landing pages
• [34:06] Running advanced tests with Intelligems

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Price A/B testing for Ecommerce intelligems.io/
• Follow Adam Kitain linkedin.com/in/adamkitain/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Adam is the founder and CTO of Intelligems, a profit optimization engine for ecommerce brands. 

He and Drew Marconi started Intelligems 3 years ago after spending 4 years building dynamic pricing in the ride sharing industry in order to bring that level of sophistication around pricing and economics to DTC ecommerce. 

Intelligems today enables brands to A/B test content, pages, discounts, shipping fees, and prices on their storefronts. It also enable brands to build tailored experiences and personalizations informed by the learnings of those tests.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [01:12] Intro
• [02:04] Transitioning from ridesharing to Ecommerce
• [03:09] Testing product prices for big impact
• [04:41] Benefiting from Google's unexpected move
• [05:44] Gaining traction with early adopters
• [06:44] Clarifying CRO basics and misconceptions
• [08:04] Balancing conversion rate and AOV
• [10:04] Adopting a testing mindset
• [11:56] Exploring test win rates and client mindset
• [13:45] Iterating quickly after test failures
• [14:36] Trusting data over intuition
• [15:55] Embracing non-winning test results
• [16:33] Assessing business lifecycle impact
• [17:10] Balancing orders with profit margins
• [19:18] Understanding statistical significance basics
• [21:04] Evaluating probabilities in test outcomes
• [22:23] Considering risks in statistical test outcomes
• [23:16] Moving on when tests reach clear results
• [24:52] Balancing creativity and analytics in a CRO
• [25:44] Psychological insights to optimize conversions
• [27:24] Leveraging psychology in Ecommerce strategies
• [28:18] Consumer behavior with key readings
• [29:04] Testing price strategies for bigger impact
• [30:24] Integrating brand education into conversion tactics
• [31:50] Optimizing landing pages for high traffic
• [33:20] Prioritizing first impressions on landing pages
• [34:06] Running advanced tests with Intelligems

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Price A/B testing for Ecommerce intelligems.io/
• Follow Adam Kitain linkedin.com/in/adamkitain/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Tanya Mykhaylova is the Director of E-Commerce at Casa Di Luce, a premier designer lighting and home decor brand based in Toronto, Canada. 

For two decades, Casa Di Luce has been a cornerstone of Toronto's design scene, embodying family values and entrepreneurial spirit. Operating multiple showrooms throughout the city, the company eventually established a firm presence in Toronto's design district by inaugurating a spacious flagship showroom. 

Five years ago, Tanya made the decision to leave her corporate consulting job and join Casa Di Luce full-time, driven by a desire to leverage her expertise and propel her family business into the digital age. Tanya has adeptly stayed ahead of the latest e-commerce trends, guiding Casa Di Luce through the dynamic online marketplace to sustain growth and expansion. 

Today, the company carries over 200 brands and ships to customers across North America.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:51] Intro
• [01:27] Operating a managed marketplace
• [02:18] Joining the family business strategically
• [03:34] Gaining helpful skills for website development
• [04:30] Transforming outdated ecommerce platform
• [05:57] Handling ecomm migration during covid boom
• [07:36] Learning from UX: failing fast and iterating
• [09:47] Overcoming setbacks for future growth
• [10:49] Episode sponsors
• [14:01] Avoiding unnecessary custom solutions
• [16:04] Growing pains of increased online presence
• [17:51] Building custom features based on feedback
• [19:11] Refining site navigation through feedback
• [21:06] Outpacing competitors through agile innovation
• [22:25] Pioneering untested innovations in industry
• [23:38] Challenging client beliefs with data
• [24:23] Taking action and testing ideas in real-time
• [25:19] Get your modern and design lighting at Casa Di Luce

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Modern lighting and design lighting Canada www.casadiluce.ca/
• Follow Tanya Mykhaylova linkedin.com/in/tanyamykhaylova/
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com/

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!