Ten Years In The Making

Are you an eCommerce founder dreaming of an exit?

Well, today's guest, Los Silva, is here to tell you that it's a great time to sell your business.

Take it from Los, a business advisor and established entrepreneur, who says he and his team are currently in the process of selling $300M worth of companies doing between $2M - $15M EBITDA.

Today, Los talks to me about the ins and outs of the buyer and seller market. How should entrepreneurs prepare for an exit? When should they prepare? How do they know the right time to sell?

You'll also hear Los go deep on valuation metrics for eComm businesses, how much entrepreneurs can expect to sell for, and the two boxes he believes entrepreneurs can check to scale to $10M and beyond.

Key Takeaways with Los Silva

• Why Los thinks it's a great time to sell your business right now.
• he valuation metrics for how buyers look at an eCommerce business vs. a SaaS business
• The questions Los thinks 7-figure entrepreneurs should ask themselves if they want to hit the next level.
• Different EBITDA thresholds and how they translate to valuation prices when it's time to sell.
• What boxes does your business have to check if you want a bigger EBITDA?
• The thing "90% of people don't do" that Los believes will help entrepreneurs set themselves up for an exit.
• The characteristics Los would build into his "perfect business."
• The two things Los believes entrepreneurs can combine to scale to $10M.
• Why Los believes entrepreneurs should focus on individual sectors as opposed to macroeconomics.
• How far in advance of an exit Los thinks entrepreneurs should start preparing their businesses for sale.

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/11

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

After disrupting the billion-dollar men's footwear industry with his premium, Italian-crafted sneaker brand, which was sold to Steve Madden, Ryan Babenzien set out to launch another D2C business.

But this time with unmatched thoughtfulness and intentionality.

He asked himself a simple question…

What criteria does my next product need, in order for it to become a major success?

After determining that framework, he launched Jolie Skin Co.— a beauty and wellness brand that brought in more than $4M in its first year.

In today's episode, Ryan lets you in on the framework that disrupted an industry and revolutionized an antiquated product.

You'll learn about the "X-factor" that every founder should pray for, the shower subscription model he used to add $2M+ ARR, and one of the biggest mistakes he sees from first-time founders.

Key Takeaways with Ryan Babenzien

• The backstory on how Ryan founded Greats, which he says is the world's first digital native footwear brand.
• The business framework Ryan focused on to build a business that did $4M in the first year.
• The value in making a product "identifiable by its DNA" — and how Ryan used Nest as inspiration.
• How Ryan hit $2M ARR in one year by implementing a SaaS model into a product business.
• What Ryan believes is the most valuable voice you can tie to your brand.
• Getting 12 million views from a TikTok and the "magic" of user-generated content.
• The "severe" mistake Ryan made with raising capital.
• The two huge lessons Ryan learned from selling his first company that he incorporated into building Jolie Skin Co.
• Why Ryan believes founders have to "learn how to say no."
• A blunder Ryan often sees from first-time founders.
• Where Ryan thinks a lot of D2C businesses go "upside down."

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/10

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

For founders starting or growing a social media presence, making progress can often be paralysis by analysis.

Which platform should you build on? What sort of content should you post? Should you focus on a personal brand or a business brand?

In today's episode, Triple Whale's Head of Social, Tommy Clark, answers all these questions — and a whole lot more.

Tommy also shares his thoughts on the most important skill for social media growth, why blending in might make more sense than standing out, and how he recommends content creators change their strategy after scaling past 50k followers.

If you're looking to get clients and build awareness from social media — whether you're established or building from scratch — this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways with Tommy Clark

• Tommy's journey from fitness coach to full-time content creator.
• The one skill Tommy believes is most applicable to growing on multiple platforms.
• The main question Tommy thinks brands should ask as they try to grow on social media.
• The strategy pivot Tommy recommends after hitting 50k followers.
• Why creators might want to consider blending in as opposed to standing out on social media.
• How (and where) Tommy recommends growing a brand social media account from scratch.
• Should posts be designed for engagement or designed to drive business?
• The personality traits Tommy looks for in successful social media entrepreneurs.
• Where Tommy sees B2B content creators making mistakes.
• The two extremes Tommy sees from social media managers — and how he thinks the best managers balance the two.
• How Tommy went from putting out "content that sucked" to making social media his career.
• Building a personal brand vs. building a business brand.
• The advice Tommy would give to people considering a career in social media.

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/9

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

As high-flying tech companies dominate the headlines, Matt Cauble's approach to startup success took a different approach. He asked a simple question: What do people need?

Matt is the co-founder of Soylent and Kin Euphorics, food and beverage companies that solve simple problems for everyday people. Soylent offers meal replacement options, saving time for on-the-go people, while Kin Euphorics boasts feel-good non-alcoholic drinks for those who want to socialize but avoid the booze.

Today, Matt talks to me about how he uncovered the market opportunity for both companies, how he iterated the products before bringing them to market, and how he grew both Soylent and Kin Euphorics.

You'll also hear why Matt believes "no press is bad press," Matt's ideas about beta testing and Matt's thoughts on narrowing your focus to one goal at a time.

Key Takeaways with Matt Cauble

• How Soylent went from a side concept to $30 million in revenue in 3-4 years.
• How a negative article drove $80,000 in revenue for one of Matt's products.
• Why a Mark Cuban comment on Shark Tank caused Matt to raise capital instead of bootstrapping Kin.
• How Matt identified the "huge" market opportunity for Soylent.
• Matt's transition from Soylent to Kin and how both ideas are rooted in broad human needs.
• The experience Matt would try to scale if he could go back.
• How flying in the face of common thought can be an advantage for a startup.
• The importance of product iteration before landing on a final solution.
• Surrendering control and splitting up company roles based on passions.
• Does it make sense to have users pay to test beta programs?

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/8

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

Whether it's scaling businesses to $100+ million valuations or growing Twitter accounts to millions of followers, Dennis Hegstad has built life-changing income streams across the eCommerce ecosystem.

Dennis founded and exited both LiveRecover and OrderBump — companies focused on the Shopify merchant market. In today's episode, Dennis shares insights from his 14-year eCommerce journey, including how he came up with the ideas for his businesses, why he decided to bootstrap growth instead of raise with VCs, and how offer positioning can affect your perceived value.

You'll also hear about how Dennis incorporates his Twitter success into his business, including his growth to making $10,000 per day, building more than a dozen accounts to 800,000+ followers, and how he used Twitter to sell a business.

Key Takeaways with Dennis Hegstad

• How Dennis looks at the value of bootstrapping vs. raising money with VCs.
• Tips for positioning your commissions to potential customers.
• Is growing on Twitter worth it for every founder?
• Why Dennis chose not to raise at a potential valuation of $100 million.
• What Dennis would do differently with his SMS marketing business if he could go back in time.
• How Dennis built and monetized a network of 12.5 million followers through Twitter meme accounts.
• Dennis's eCommerce journey, moving from MySpace in 2008 to earning arbitrage ad revenue to selling two businesses in the Shopify merchant space.
• How other companies in his niche helped Dennis determine his product-market fit.
• The pros and cons of outsourcing work to the Philippines.
• The drawbacks of using Twitter ghostwriters to promote your personal brand.

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/7

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

Michael Wieder disrupted a $10B industry not by solving a problem, but by solving a feeling – "overwhelmed."

Michael is the Co-Founder of Lalo, a thriving D2C brand that makes modern day baby and toddler products. He started the company when he noticed a disconnect between legacy brands and consumers in the baby gear industry.

By going to stores where expecting parents shopped, Michael learned his target audience's exact feelings, allowing him to build a brand identity and product line to meet his ideal client's desires.

In today's episode, you'll hear Michael share specifics on the boots-to-ground research he did to shake up a long-standing industry, how being an outsider to your market can be a benefit, and how Lalo has raised tens of millions while primarily avoiding traditional VC funding and staying under 20 full-time employees.

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/6

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

If you're trying to build an online audience, creating content is a must. But how do you make content that cuts through the noise and actually gets noticed?

Right now, there's a big opportunity to leverage LinkedIn to gain attention—and those who are taking advantage of it, are winning BIG!

Daniel Murray, Founder of The Marketing Millennials, is a perfect example. He's amassed over 500,000 LinkedIn followers and only started posting in 2019.

He's cracked the code on how to create content that the LinkedIn algorithm loves, and today he's going to share his secrets.

If you want your content to crush it on LinkedIn, don't miss today's episode of the podcast!

Key Takeaways with Daniel Murray

• Hear how Daniel built a 500,000+ person following
• The screenshot strategy that gets crazy engagement on LinkedIn
• Understanding how the LinkedIn algorithm works
• How I leverage my team to create 18 pieces of content per week
• How to build trust with your followers before you start trying to convert them.
• The importance of making your copy stupid simple
• Why LinkedIn is the new Facebook (BIG Opportunity)
• How can you determine if you're building the right audience?
• The framework for creating a winning social media post
• How do social media platforms choose which content to show in your feed?

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/5

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

Imagine a drink that had all the benefits of booze without the hangover. Well, it exists, and today I'm talking to the founder.

Jen Batchelor is the CEO (Chief Euphorics Officer) of Kin Euphorics, which she co-founded with American supermodel Bella Hadid.

Launched grassroots in 2017, the non-alcoholic, mood-boosting beverage is made with a combo of functional ingredients (nootropics, adaptogens, and botanicals) that enhance cognition, boost immunity, and fend off stress.

Basically, the brand offers adults a clean alternative to alcohol, and I'm a BIG fan!

In this episode, I chat with Jen about how Kin Euphorics came to life. You'll hear how she teamed up with an a-list celebrity, raised over $15M of venture capital, and carved out a completely new market category.

Key Takeaways with Jen Batchelor

• Why famous supermodel, Bella Hadid, was so eager to team up with Jen to create Kin Euphorics
• How to get A-List celebrities, like Justin Bieber and Rhianna, to back your brand
• The rise of the sober curious movement
• How she got an agency to build her brand for zero money, resulting in $3M in the first year
• The formulation process for a functional beverage brand
• A rollercoaster journey to raising money
• How to position your startup for private equity
• Getting the right people on the bus so you can scale your business.
• The importance of finding the right target audience

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/4

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

Have you ever heard of a new startup idea and thought to yourself, "why didn't I think of that?"

Most of these "simple ideas" seem obvious when you first come across them, but what you don't see are all insights that lead to uncovering the perfect positioning.

Today, I'm talking with Robbie Salter. Robbie is the Founder and Co-CEO of Jupiter—a dandruff-fighting scalp care brand that doesn't look or act like one.

As it turns out, 75% of the world gets dandruff at some point in their lives. It's more common than acne! But dandruff is a stigmatized, ugly category, and what Robbie realized was that traditional brands were only focused on selling beauty.

There really weren't any brands that focused on both beauty AND scalp care, which left a major gap in the market to create something that would appeal to women.

So, Robbie and his partner formulated a holistic scalp care brand for people who want gorgeous hair without compromise.

In today's episode, you'll hear all about how they elevated a product that hadn't been innovated in 70 years!

Key Takeaways from Robbie Salter

• Building a business by solving your own problem
• The key traits of a successful entrepreneur
• A major benefit to selling your product on Amazon
• How to prioritize work when everything is urgent
• Getting people to believe in your "crazy" ideas
• Robbie's approach to work-life balance
• Raising money for a capital-intensive personal care business
• Creating a fake brand to uncover product-market fit
• How to secure the right kind of investors and strategic advisors
• Building forever vs. building to sell
• Why patience is so critical as an entrepreneur

Want the Full Show Notes?

To get access to the full show notes, including audio, transcripts, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit Retention.com/003

Rate & Review If you enjoyed today's episode of Ten Years In The Making, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device.

Connect with Adam Robinson: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtalksemail/

Get The Podcast on:

• APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/10-years-in-the-making/id1656993308

• SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LPWNrljdXFv0caHvfQUIv?si=qiHzoPUdR-6TSgUJOiwyrw

• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJe-176R0xRyfb9eBk80Yg?sub_confirmation=1

Chase Dimond is a self-proclaimed Email Marketing Nerd and Co-Founder of Boundless Labs—an eCommerce email marketing agency.

Since launching in 2018, the company has sent over 1 billion emails for their clients, resulting in $100M+ in revenue.

His email marketing course has been purchased by over 3,000 people and has made him $2M+ in passive income since building it 2 years ago.

In addition to consulting for major brands, Chase is an advisor to my company, and it's had a massive impact on the growth of my online community.

In today's chat, you'll learn the power of building your own audience and how to leverage it to increase revenue and scale your business.

Key Takeaways from Chase Dimond

• How to grow your following without having to do the work yourself.
• Creating content and consistently doing the reps to see what sticks.
• There's no such thing as an overnight success. Don't give up too quickly!
• How to measure the ROI of an online audience.
• The email marketing course that's been purchased by over 3,000 people and made Chase $2M+ in revenue in only 2 years.
• Chase shares his daily content marketing routine.
• Why building an audience gives you leverage.
• How to create content for an entire week in only 3 hours.
• Sell something magical, and watch your business skyrocket.
• Chase shares his secrets to becoming a highly sought-after advisor to major brands.
• Leveraging other people's audiences vs. tapping into your own.
• Different types of content formats for different kinds of people.