Shane Barker is the Founder and CEO of TraceFuse, the first Amazon-approved system for removing fraudulent negative reviews. With more than 25 years of marketing experience supporting Fortune 500 brands, Shane is a leading voice in digital influence and e-commerce integrity. His mission now: to protect honest Amazon sellers from fake reviews that destroy small business reputations—and give power back to real entrepreneurs.

On this episode we talk about:

The dark side of online reviews and how companies like Yelp and Amazon impact small business survival

Why TraceFuse became the first Amazon Terms of Service–compliant solution for negative review removal

The two-year grind it took to “crack the code” building TraceFuse from scratch

Lessons learned from earlier startup failures and how to decide whether to quit or double down

The danger of burnout, managing personal finances, and hiring a team that can keep you grounded

How mentorship can shortcut the expensive learning curve for new entrepreneurs

Top 3 Takeaways

Review manipulation crushes small businesses—but true innovation means fixing broken systems without breaking the rules.

Entrepreneurs often mistake constant growth for success; real wealth comes from clarity, focus, and sustainable scaling.

Mentorship is a shortcut to mastery—paying for expertise can save years of trial, error, and wasted money.

Notable Quotes

“Yelp is like the mob—they’ll tell you, ‘Pay us, or those reviews stay hidden.’”

“It took two years to figure out how to do it right, but now we’ve removed over 14,000 fake reviews.”

“If you’re going to bet on something, bet on yourself. But get someone who’s already done it to help you place that bet smarter.”

Connect with Shane Barker:

Website: ShaneBarker.com

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