Is retail really dead? In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with three powerhouse guests who prove otherwise, Doug Harding from Wholesaleretaildistribution.com , Kirk Hyust from Turbo Trusser (a Shark Tank deal with Kevin O’Leary), and GC Brown, founder of UpCup Koffee, a fast-growing functional mushroom coffee brand.

You’ll hear how these brands are cracking into Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, QVC, and big-box retail, even in a world dominated by Amazon. From the truth about what retailers actually want to surprising insights about shelf space, product packaging, and the growing role of AI in retail decisions, this episode is packed with must-know info.

🚨 You’ll learn:

- Why 90% of purchases still happen offline

- How Kevin O’Leary helped close a deal the same day it aired on Shark Tank

- What mushroom coffee brands must do to survive retail

- How a single $50K PR mistake nearly sunk a startup

- The power of predictive buying and how AI is changing retail strategy forever

- Why most Amazon sellers are NOT ready for retail—and how to fix that

- How to actually build brand equity off Amazon

The mindset shift every seller needs to go from ecom to retail Whether you’re an Amazon seller, brand owner, or product inventor looking to scale into physical stores, this episode is your wake-up call. Retail isn’t dead—it’s just evolved.

📍 Want to go from Amazon to big-box retail? Learn what works, what doesn’t, and who can actually help you get on shelves. Timestamps

00:00 Is Retail Dead?

01:43 Retail vs. E-commerce

03:14 Introducing the Guests

04:27 State of Retail Today

06:44 The Turbo Trusser Story

08:00 UPC Cup Coffee Journey

13:48 Marketing Strategies for Retail

24:47 Shark Tank Experience

35:07 Building an Audience

39:36 Social Media and Influencer Marketing

41:03 Financing Challenges for Small Brands

47:09 Kevin O'Leary's Involvement Post-Shark Tank

59:00 Retail Trends and AI

01:09:09 The Value of Patience in Business

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

From flipping used car parts to launching a viral Chrome extension, Kim Dang has done it all. In this episode of Marketing Misfits with Norm Farrar and Kevin King, Kim reveals how she built and sold multiple businesses including automating a wrecking yard, traveling the world while earning passive income, and building GroupConvert, a Chrome extension that turned Facebook group answers into a thriving SaaS funnel. You’ll hear how she turned a $380 Upwork job into $5M in revenue, the truth about scaling with integrators, how she avoids burnout with systemized execution, and her unique Shopify offer that’s changing the game for non-technical entrepreneurs. Kim breaks down automation, delegation, high-ticket funnels, and unconventional marketing with raw honesty and infectious energy. Whether you’re an Amazon seller, coach, course creator, or SaaS builder. This episode is PACKED with insights.

🔥 What You’ll Learn:

- How Kim turned a Chrome extension into a recurring income machine

- The importance of integrators in scaling online businesses

- Bootstrapping vs. venture-backed tools

- From car parts to coaching: Kim’s step-by-step evolution

- Why masterminds + systems = momentum

- B2C drop-shipping with a high-ticket twist

- Tips for managing global teams while traveling

- Rock climbing, Craigslist shoes, and living with freedom

📺 Watch if you’re into: Entrepreneurship, SaaS business models, Facebook groups, community building, Amazon FBA, Shopify stores, digital products, chrome extensions, high-ticket sales, automations, productivity tools, and lifestyle businesses.

🔔 Subscribe for more stories like this every Tuesday on Marketing Misfits!

Chapters

00:00 Facebook Automation Hack

04:22 Organic Growth Funnel Strategy

08:41 High-Converting Email Blast Tactics

14:00 Ebook Offer That Drove Sales

19:52 Brand Storytelling With Hook Products

24:08 Passive Income With Automation

29:10 Risks of Building on Rented Platforms

33:13 Building a Chrome Extension Business

38:14 Live Demo: Instant Scraper Tool

42:22 Buying a Resort

47:29 Client Testimonials for Proof of Concept

52:34 Hiring an Integrator to Scale

56:38 Monetizing Communities for Growth

01:02:16 Offering Shopify Services

01:07:44 Selling Digital Assets Online

01:12:19 YouTube Ads for Course Creators

01:16:44 Join the Marketing Misfits Community

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What separates boring brands from billion-dollar breakthroughs? In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with Jesse Wroblewski, author of Marketing for Supervillains, to break down the art and science of true brand differentiation. Forget chasing trends. Jesse reveals how the best brands from Liquid Death to Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey break out of the commodity trap by crafting iconic offers, mic-drop moments, and emotional bonds with customers. You'll learn how to turn your product into a movement, build loyalty that drives referrals, and create content that makes customers say, "Finally... someone gets me." Whether you’re stuck in the race to the bottom, dealing with a crowded Amazon niche, or building a lifestyle brand from scratch. This is your playbook for standing out.

What You’ll Learn:

- Why “Red Ocean, Blue Offer” beats niching down

- The 12 Differentiation Planets from Jesse’s book

- How packaging & storytelling boosted a $16 knife into a $135 product

- Liquid Death, Ginsu knives, Metallica whiskey & more case studies

- When to focus on humor, heritage, lifestyle or process

- Why less audience is often more brand power

- How to make customers obsessed (tattoos included)

- Where most Amazon sellers go wrong when trying to stand out

Subscribe for weekly episodes on misfit marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship.

Chapters

00:00 Boring Brand Mistakes

04:11 Jesse Braki Joins Show

09:13 Brand Differentiation Map

13:19 Amazon Sellerboard Tool

16:44 Aligning With a Cause

21:08 Building Lifestyle Brands

24:56 Smart Amazon Pricing Tiers

29:18 Lavanta Sponsor Spotlight

32:52 Creator Consulting Strategy

37:42 Made in USA Branding

41:49 Action Figure Branding

45:22 Influencer Tool Stack

50:48 Packaging for Profit

54:47 Liquid Death Packaging

58:24 Subscribe Callout

01:03:06 Marketing Misfits Recap

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Jay Hunter, CRO at MaryRuth Organics, breaks down how they’ve scaled to over $500M/year in supplements, how their TikTok Shop strategy feeds Amazon sales through halo effects, and why most brands get everything wrong about influencer marketing and channel diversification. This is a masterclass in real-time execution.

You'll learn:

- The $35M Amazon boost from TikTok Shop

- Why they target complementary, not competitive products

- How J’s team reaches out to 3,000 creators daily using AI

- How MaryRuth became the top supplement brand on Amazon

- What not to do with retail expansion

- Unconventional ad platforms like AppLovin & AI UGC tools

💬 Plus: Jay shares his personal brand strategy, the future of live selling, and how to win using scrappiness + smart systems.

This is a deep dive for eCom founders, TikTok Shop sellers, and 7–9 figure Amazon brands looking to scale intelligently with AI, community, and content.

00:00 $70M TikTok Halo Effect?

03:31 Who Is Jay Hunter? 07:16 What Drives

$500M Brands

11:33 How They Innovate Fast

16:12 Stealing Attention with Strategy

20:02 Retail Isn’t Dead, Unless...

23:56 Their Secret Sauce Revealed

27:39 Roblox? Yep, They’re There

31:54 3,000 TikTok Creators a Day

36:05 How AI Generates Viral Ads

44:07 Why Bilingual Content Wins

47:41 TikTok vs YouTube: Who Wins?

52:10 LinkedIn: Underrated Growth Weapon

55:45 How Top Brands Get Targeted

59:26 The Best “Start Now” Advice

01:02:43 Final Misfits Takeaways

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

AI is a tidal wave, are you ready for it? In this explosive episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with the brilliant Ritu Java (CEO of PPC Ninja) to expose why most Amazon sellers are marketing wrong and how AI is forcing a return to the fundamentals. Discover why targeting just one customer avatar is a costly mistake, and how mastering the Five Levels of Awareness (from Eugene Schwartz’s timeless framework) is now non-negotiable in 2025.

Ritu breaks down how to:

- Create content for every level of the funnel (even “unaware” shoppers)

- Use AI for personalized ads, listing content, and retargeting

- Train LLMs like Rufus and Google’s AI to recommend your product organically

- Set up Amazon storefronts with intent-specific pages

- Avoid the rookie mistake of relying solely on keyword stuffing

- Future-proof your email strategy for multiple awareness levels

This episode is a masterclass in persuasive marketing, AI content strategy, and conversion-focused ad funnels that will dominate the next era of ecommerce.

What You’ll Learn

- Why AI-powered suggestions convert 9x better than ads

- How to create high-converting content for 5 different avatars

- The mistake 90% of Amazon sellers make with their content

- How to shift from keyword-based PPC to intent-based content

- Why the best sellers will blend marketing psychology and AI

- How Ritu uses GPTs to build tailored content and ad creative

Plus: A sneak peek at her free GPT tool to create ads by awareness level! This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co - Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Chapters:

00:00 Ideal Target Audience

03:44 Kevin’s Fanboy Moment

07:58 Climbing Mt. Fuji Story

12:32 AI Content Shortage Crisis

16:31 5 Levels of Awareness

21:00 Solution-Aware Buyers Strategy

25:33 Most Aware Conversion Tactics

29:41 Organic Marketing that Converts

37:57 High-Converting Amazon Landing

41:52 Timing Your Marketing Right

46:41 Building Long-Term Brand Moats

50:33 Comparing Product Solutions

54:40 Email List Growth Stages

59:32 Email Focus Best Practices

01:03:26 Solving Buyer Problems Fast

01:07:53 Mastering Marketing Fundamentals

01:12:13 Action Steps to Implement

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if you could turn anything into a must-have product... Just by how you pitch it? In this episode of Marketing Misfits, we’re joined by the legendary Forbes Riley, the Queen of Pitch herself, who’s sold over $2.5 billion in products through infomercials, live TV, and now, social commerce. Forbes breaks down the psychology of effective selling, the power of storytelling, and why people never buy based on need, they buy because they want. Whether you're an Amazon seller, TikTok Shop creator, or SaaS founder, this episode will reframe how you think about persuasion, pitching, and product-market fit.

💥 You’ll learn:

- Why describing your product is the wrong way to pitch

- The secret to creating emotional buy-in within seconds

- Her three-yes pitch rule that converts viewers into buyers

- The difference between features vs. benefits—and why most sellers mess this up

- How her daughter turned down $100K and helped scale a funnel to $1M+

- The rise and fall of infomercials—and how to apply those lessons to TikTok Shop & Amazon Live

Why authenticity is the most powerful sales tool in 2024? This is one of the most story-driven, tactical, and motivational episodes of the year. Stick around to hear Forbes’ wildest moments, the invention that changed her life, and how a painful low point led to a multimillion-dollar fitness empire.

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

00:00 –  Intro

04:20 – Forbes’ Horror Film Debut

08:58 – Why She’s the Misfit Queen

12:49 – Winning Miss New York

17:21 – Daughter’s Viral Business Win

21:33 – Forbes Predicts Entrepreneur Future

25:55 – The Perfect Pitch Formula

29:43 – Mastering Digital Marketing Influence

34:01 – Merging Fitness with Business

38:29 – Human Nature & Sales Psychology

42:39 – Speaking to Millions on Stage

46:40 – The Viral Treadmill Story

51:29 – Selling Fitness Products at Scale

56:32 – International Debut: What Happened?

01:00:41 – Gymshark’s Surprising Backstory

01:10:10 – Free Tools via Forbes.com

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What happens when you combine private equity, AI automation, and CRM mastery? You get an unforgettable conversation with Amara Omoregie, a growth operator who just sold her agency and is now running CRO, CMO, and CTO strategy across a $400M portfolio. In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Kevin King and Norm Farrar sit down with Amara to talk about:

- Why AI will replace you if you don’t adapt

- The real difference between growth vs scale

- How to train your AI (and team) to deliver results

- Why schema is the SEO foundation no one's using right

- The truth about CRMs like HubSpot and how most businesses misuse them

- Her 30-page AI manifesto and how to futureproof your team

If you want to survive 2025 as a founder, marketer, or brand operator — you need to hear what Amara has to say.

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Chapters

00:00 AI’s Real Evolution Begins

03:10 Who is Amara?

04:39 Schema: The Secret Weapon

10:26 She Sold Her Agency

19:49 Human Experience Over Funnels

25:21 CRM Tips for Small Brands

37:30 Growth vs. Scale: Explained

40:56 AI’s Role in Scaling

41:10 Custom AI Tools Anyone Can Build

41:49 Rise of Agentic AI

43:20 Tool Stacking Like a Pro

45:23 AI Use Cases That Matter

52:41 Can AI Stay Human?

58:54 AI & Future of Work

01:08:45 Final Thoughts

🔥 Bonus: Learn how she built a fully functional AI org chart app in 2 hours, and why she's not impressed by 90% of AI use cases.

Subscribe to never miss an episode of Marketing Misfits — the show for eCommerce operators, AI marketers, and serious builders.

👉 Subscribe: Marketing Misfits YouTube

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📩 Newsletter: MarketingMisfits.co

🎥 Clips Channel: Marketing Misfits CLIPS 🧠 AI tools, SEO, CRM, newsletters, funnels, growth

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this powerful episode of Marketing Misfits, Steve Chou from My Wife Quit Her Job dives deep into the psychology behind high-converting eCommerce marketing, why most Amazon sellers are missing the mark with branding, and how the Life Force 8 framework can revolutionize your ads and brand messaging.

💡 Learn how Steve built a 7-figure DTC brand selling personalized handkerchiefs, navigated away from overreliance on Amazon, and used real emotional triggers to build a lasting brand moat. He shares the truth about TikTok Shop, why Google Search is dying, and the power of personal storytelling to dominate in a crowded eComm world. Whether you're selling on Amazon, Shopify, or building your first brand, this episode is a masterclass on sustainable growth, emotional marketing, and why community and connection are the future of commerce.

✅ What You'll Learn:

- What the Life Force 8 is and how to use it to boost ad conversions

- The real reason TikTok Shop is dying for most sellers

- Why events and podcasts still matter in 2025

- How AI is helping sellers with content, fulfillment, automation, and more

- The secrets to direct-to-consumer storytelling and repeat customer success

- The importance of authenticity and personalization for future-proof brands

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

If you're tired of chasing hacks and want to build a business that lasts — this one’s for you.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for weekly insights from the world’s top brand builders, marketers, and misfits.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:13 My Wife Quit Her Job...

9:10 Events Lose Money

16:18 Monetizing Podcasts for Profit

21:13 Are You Really Profitable?

24:58 Website vs. Amazon Sales

30:08 TikTok Paid Ad Pivot

33:59 Marketing That Moves People

38:03 Find Winning Ads Fast

42:00 AI Will Reshape Search

46:16 Why Chinese Brands Struggle

50:46 Ask Method Explained Simply

56:07 8fig: Cash Flow Tool

01:00:52 Why He Wrote the Book

01:05:11 Living Below Your Means

01:09:02 The Next Misfit is...

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Most brands chase big influencers. Then wonder why sales do not move. In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with Gracey from Deal Cheats to break down why small creators sell more, how to structure commissions and retainers, and the outreach email that actually gets replies. We cover creator vs influencer vs affiliate, how to set expectations, and how to use AI to test hooks without losing authenticity.

You’ll learn
- Why follower count does not equal sales
- Creator vs influencer vs affiliate explained
- When micro creators beat macros on conversion
- The outreach message that gets yes or no
- Commission ranges that attract creators (10% baseline, 30–50%+ to stand out)
- Retainers, bonuses, and how to build loyalty
- How to vet listings before sending traffic
- Using AI to test 100 hooks fast, then reshoot human
- The real workload behind “one short video”
- How to set expectations so both sides win

Who this helps
- Brand owners and ecom marketers on Amazon or TikTok Shop
- Creator managers and UGC teams
- Agencies running influencer and affiliate programs

Key takeaways
- Small creators can convert better than big influencers
- Clear offers and fair commission drive output
- One tight email beats a five-thread back and forth
- Treat creators like partners if you want repeat wins
- Test with AI, scale with humans

Timestamps
00:00 The Strategy Everyone Gets Wrong
04:58 Meet Gracey
09:04 How TikTok Accidentally Made Her Money
14:15 The Profit Tool Sellers Overlook
19:22 Big vs Small Creators (Who Actually Sells?)
23:35 Why Followers Trust Her, Not the Product
27:55 Saying “No” to Brands (And Why It Pays)
31:48 How Creators Really Manage the Workload
37:17 The Outreach Message That Works
42:04 Commissions That Make Creators Say Yes
46:26 How to Build an Affiliate Army
50:45 The Secret Job Brands Should Be Hiring For
55:03 Word of Mouth Beats Any Ad
59:39 The Truth About Virality (What Brands Miss)
01:03:34 The Research Most Brands Skip
01:07:52 How AI Tests 100 Hooks in a Day
01:12:37 How to Work With Gracey

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Ever wondered how a 52-year-old actress turned a homemade face cream into a multi-million dollar skincare brand and even landed on the Inc. 500 list? In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Kevin King and Norm Farrar sit down with Denice Duff, founder of In Your Face Skincare, to unpack her journey from Hollywood sets to creating a cult-favorite beauty line.

Denise reveals:

- How she went from making cream in her kitchen to running a Fortune 500 ranked company

- The unconventional marketing tactics that built a loyal fanbase (and millions in sales)

- Why TikTok Live, email marketing, and personalized packaging are game-changers for e-commerce brands

- How she maintains product quality while scaling

- The role of storytelling and authenticity in building a lasting brand

You’ll hear about the behind-the-scenes of her viral live selling sessions, her 5-hour TikTok strategy, creating discovery kits that convert first-time buyers, and why she believes email is still the #1 sales channel for DTC brands. If you’re an e-commerce seller, Amazon entrepreneur, beauty brand owner, or just love founder success stories—you don’t want to miss this.

00:00 Idea to Fortune 500

07:40 Skip the Banter

10:16 Creating “In Your Face”

14:11 Truth About Skincare Fillers

17:55 DIY Packaging That Sells

21:33 How to Win Customers

25:38 Family Inspiration

30:54 Body-Safe Ingredients

35:35 Cost-Saving Glass Filling

40:07 TikTok Sample Pack Launch

48:03 Sample Packs That Convert

52:24 TikTok Live Growth Secrets

56:23 Skincare Gift Guide Strategy

01:00:34 Google Events for TikTok

01:04:44 Fun Merch & Branding

01:08:59 Finding In Your Face Skincare

📌 Resources

🌐 In Your Face Skincare: https://inyourfaceskincare.com

📅 Join Collective Minds Society: https://collectivemindssociety.com

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.