The Unofficial TikTok Shop Podcast with Jordan West

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Challenges of running a business, the evolving perspective on marketing, and the significance of understanding marginal costs and operational readiness when scaling a business.

In this episode, Jordan West and Nathan Vazquez, shared the significant mistakes he made in selecting a 3PL company and an ERP system, resulting in six-figure losses. The discussion covers the importance of partnerships with agencies, the inevitability of business mistakes, and the value of learning from them. 

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Key takeaways from this episode:

• Conduct thorough research before investing in an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to avoid costly errors.
• Ensure close collaboration with agencies and partners for shared success.
• Explore licensing deals for business growth and revenue generation.
• Understand marginal costs and operational readiness for effective business scaling.
• Adaptability and creativity are essential in marketing strategy due to unpredictable elements.

Recommended Tools/App:

Klaviyo: https://www.klaviyo.com/ 

Sendlane: https://www.sendlane.com/ 

MailChimp: https://mailchimp.com/ 

Recommended Podcast/Audiobook:

Econ Talk: https://russroberts.info/econtalk/ 

Bill Simmons: https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast

Today’s Guest:
Nathan Vazquez, CEO of Pipsticks spent 15 years working in finance as an options trader and market maker at Citibank. His wife, a graphic designer, started a sticker curation company called Pipsticks while she was a stay-at-home mom. Nathan supported her as she built the business, and they worked together to ship out sticker subscriptions.

Connect and learn more about Nathan and Pipsticks:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pipsticks/

Email: [email protected] 

Website: https://www.pipsticks.com/ 

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Whether you're eyeing the UK, Germany, France, or other European markets, the strategic advice shared here is invaluable.

In this episode, Jordan West and Stef Van Boekel, discuss the ins and outs of entering the European market. The conversation covers everything from the complexities of selling on Amazon in Europe to the potential pitfalls and secrets to successfully scaling in the European market. 

Listen and learn in this episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Companies aiming to enter the European market need to prioritize the operational setup to focus more on advertising and professional sales.
• Conducting market research, analyzing profit margins, country-level receivables, and developing a timeline for market entry is crucial for a successful expansion into the European market.
• It's important to focus on top sellers and scale to a pan-European level strategically.

Recommended Apps/Tool:

Monday.com: https://monday.com/


Recommended Podcast/Audiobook:

Smart Scout: https://www.smartscout.com/smartscout-amazon-directory/podcasts

Million Dollar Business:
https://www.milliondollarbusinesspodcast.com/

Today’s Guest:
Stef van Boekel, Co-Founder of Operator One is a knowledgeable and experienced professional in international trade and commerce. With expertise in serving as an importer of record and merchant of record, Steph assists companies in expanding their business into Europe by navigating the complexities of regulations, borders, currencies, and local operations. With his guidance, companies can successfully enter new markets and start selling their products without the traditional time and cost barriers. 

Connect and learn more about Stef and Operator One:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefvanboekel/ 

Website: https://www.o1.eu/

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Million Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

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Whether you're a die-hard Klaviyo fan, a Sendlane advocate, or still undecided, Jordan's  insights will provide you with valuable information to help make the best choice for your business.

In this episode, Jordan West takes on the ultimate battle royale – Klaviyo vs. Sendlane. He shares his own experiences and insights, offering a transparent and valuable comparison of the two platforms. As a special treat, he also provides a glimpse into the world of software, discussing the importance of choosing the right tools for your ecommerce business. 

Listen and learn in this episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• The impact of customer support on the overall experience and efficiency of using a platform, and the significance of swift and responsive customer service.
• The role of pricing models and how they can impact the overall cost and scalability of using an email marketing platform.
• The value of ongoing development and the ability of a platform to adapt and innovate, as well as the importance of integrations and ease of use for email marketing and automation.
• The importance of taking a holistic approach when evaluating software, considering factors such as reporting, analytics, and functionality, as well as the significance of the company's vision and approach.
• The impact of proactive guidance and support from the platform provider, especially during times of industry changes or transition. This emphasizes the role of personalized and hands-on support in decision-making.

Recommended link:

Sendlane: https://www.sendlane.com?fpr=8qg3m

Klaviyo: https://www.klaviyo.com/

MailChimp: https://mailchimp.com/
Amped.io: https://www.amped.io/

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Million Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

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Shopify's Winter release major enhancements to improve the customer experience. From enhanced product merchandising to an updated rich category attributes API, these updates are set to revolutionize the way you do business on Shopify.

In this episode, Jordan West dives into the latest winter update from Shopify, uncovering the top 10 takeaways that will directly impact merchants. From enhanced product merchandising to AI-powered semantic search, Jordan explores how these updates will revolutionize the customer experience and simplify inventory management. Get ready to learn how these changes can benefit your e-commerce business and stay tuned for valuable insights on leveraging Shopify's new features.

Listen and learn in this episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Enhanced product merchandising for improved customer experience.
• Combined listings app for simplifying inventory management.
• Rich Category attributes update to support 2,000 variants.
• Introduction of semantic search for AI-powered search functionality.
• Enhanced Shopify subscriptions app for streamlined subscription-based business models.
• Increased limit for bundling products, now allowing bundles of up to 30 products.
• Update to draft orders with discounts and meta fields involved.
• Introduction of new discount types, such as free shipping.

Recommended link:

https://www.shopify.com/editions/winter2024

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Million Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

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The risks of outsourcing to a 3PL and the importance of in-house fulfillment for brand control and customer experience. 

In this episode, Jordan West and Jared Ward, Founder and CEO of Luminous, delve into the world of e-commerce fulfillment and scaling. From funny parenting stories to the nitty-gritty of supply chain management, they cover it all. Jared shares insights into the challenges of forecasting and purchasing decisions for e-commerce companies, emphasizing Luminous expertise in multi-warehouse replenishment forecasting, wholesale, and EDI. 

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Key takeaways from this episode:

• Focusing on top-of-funnel spending rather than excessive spending on branded keywords, emphasizing the need to understand consumer behavior and the discovery process.
• A shift in advertising spend from Google to Amazon due to Amazon's effectiveness in driving incremental revenue.
• The "why" method and first principles thinking as essential for deeply understanding and solving customer problems in software and for overall problem-solving and growth.
• The importance of having an analytics platform for multichannel e-commerce, particularly for tracking the performance of a 3PL provider, and the specific inventory-related metrics to track.

Today’s Guest:

Jared Ward, CEO and Founder of Luminous, started his first e-commerce company when he was 23. Years later, after helping countless DTC brand optimize their supply chain by running Made-in-China's sourcing division, he noticed major issues in the way e-commerce companies used software in operations. He built and sold an RFQ management system that helped DTC brands optimize their purchasing. Then, moved on and became the CEO of a DTC brand at 28. His experience running Qualtry showed even more the gap in the market of software solutions in e-commerce that address the entire supply chain.

Connect and learn more about Jared and Luminous:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-luminous/

Website: https://www.joinluminous.com/

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Million Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

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The importance of defining the problem before implementing solutions and aligning the team on problem-solving, providing tangible advice for those aiming to scale their own e-commerce brand.

In this episode, Jordan West and Reza Khadjavi, CEO of Motion delve into the evolving landscape of creative analytics for e-commerce brands, exploring the pivotal role of Motion in driving high-quality, high-volume creative output. With insights on industry trends, the impact of iOS updates, and the changing dynamics of media buying and creative collaboration.

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Key takeaways from this episode:

• The importance of bridging the gap between media buying and creative sides in brand organizations as spend goals increase.
• Understanding the primary metrics for an ecommerce brand is spend, followed by secondary metrics like ROAS or cost for purchase.
• Identification of soft metrics for the creative team, and providing relevant information and context to the team was emphasized.
• Recognizing the advantage of specialized companies focusing on specific problems, leading to higher quality software for solving those problems.

Today’s Guest:

Reza Khadjavi, CEO of Motion App, is a software enthusiast who has spent a lot of time engaging with various brands and agencies to understand their pain points in the ecosystem. He is passionate about finding and solving the biggest problems that customers might have, leading him to delve into customer discovery calls and creative solutions. During the pivotal iOS update, Reza was deeply involved in his work and dedicated to making a difference in the software industry.

Connect and learn more about Reza and Motion App:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reza-khadjavi-46802918/

X: https://twitter.com/rezakhadjavi

Website: https://motionapp.com/

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Whether you're an established brand or a growing business, prepaid subscriptions could be the missing piece in your growth puzzle. 

In this episode, Jordan West, Shanda Hurst and Nikita Richard of Ordergroove discuss the game-changing impact of prepaid subscriptions. This underexplored topic sheds light on how prepaid subscriptions can revolutionize the way business owners think about cash conversion cycles and customer retention. The conversation dives deep into the nuances of prepaid subscriptions and how they offer an inventive way to elevate customer experience and drive revenue growth. 

Listen and learn in this episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• The commitment aspect of prepaid subscriptions can be an effective marketing tool where creating a value experience for the customer is crucial.
• From a financial perspective, prepaid subscriptions can help improve the cash flow cycle for ecommerce brands.
• When considering implementing prepaid, it's important to carefully structure the incentive offers, potentially offering tiered discounts for different prepay periods.
• Prepaid subscriptions can also offer an opportunity to provide a VIP experience for customers and introduce new products or services.

Recommended Apps/Tool:

Ordergroove: https://www.ordergroove.com/

Strava: https://www.strava.com/

Going.io: https://www.gong.io/

Fireflies: https://app.fireflies.ai/

Today’s Guest:

Nikita Richard, is an expert in the world of subscription-based businesses. With her knowledge and experience, Nikita continues to be a leading voice in the subscription industry, helping businesses navigate the complexities of this popular business model.

Shanda Hurst, is passionate about crafting and implementing ecommerce strategies. She brings a proven track record of driving results through meticulous data analysis, qualitative research, and impactful AB testing. 

Connect and learn more about Shanda, Nikita and Ordergroove:

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanda-hurst/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikitarichard/

Website: https://www.ordergroove.com/

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The pressure in the industry to spend on advertising without achieving profitability leading to irresponsible guidance for many direct-to-consumer companies and a lack of financial literacy among business owners.

In this episode, Jordan West and  Priti Kapoor,  share insights into the importance of profitable growth and sustainability in the retail industry, emphasizing the impact of intuitive decision-making. The conversation delves into the challenges of achieving profitability and intuition in business decision-making.

Listen and learn in this episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• The importance of financial support and sustainable growth in the retail industry, particularly in e-commerce.
• Emphasizing customer lifetime value and retention strategies, not just acquisition, in building a brand.
• The decision-making balance between data-driven and intuitive approaches in business.

Recommended Apps/Tool:

Cohort Analysis on Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/

Lifetimely: https://www.lifetimely.io/

Recommended Audiobook:

Paris by Paris Hilton: https://www.audible.com/pd/Paris-Audiobook/B0BCHBZDPX

How I Built This: https://www.audible.com/pd/How-I-Built-This-Audiobook/B08BSZHW17

Today’s Guest:

Priti Kapoor, VP of Finance and Operations at Jenny Bird began her career in the apparel business, where she gained valuable experience in brick and mortar retail. Her first foray into online retail was with Jenny Bird, where she worked as an online retailer and wholesaler. With five and a half years of experience, Priti has become adept at navigating the complex world of e-commerce and digital advertising.

Connect and learn more about Priti and Jenny Bird:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priti-kapoor-cpa-ca-97a86b17/

Website: https://jenny-bird.com/

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

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Let's explore the future of direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses, expressing optimism and stressing the significance of building a brand rather than just selling products online. 

In this episode, Jordan West and  Ben Leonard, delves into the difference between businesses with strong customer experience and those without, emphasizing the value of building an ecommerce brand over just an ecommerce business. They weigh in on the economic situation, offering optimistic viewpoints and discussing potential opportunities in the M&A market. 

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Key takeaways from this episode:

• The threat of Amazon creating knockoff versions of products, leading to the downfall of original businesses, and the difficulty of competing with Amazon.
• Building a sustainable business with a loyal customer base for long-term success and business sustainability, and finding potential opportunities in the M&A market.
• The economic situation and potential growth in 2024, the challenges faced by agencies during tough times, and the importance of persistence and focusing on future growth.
• The challenges and successes in the E-commerce industry, particularly related to mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on not just financial aspects but also the value of brand and nimble business strategies.

Recommended Book:

Quit Stalling and Build Your Brand: www.quitstallingbook.com/jordan

Today’s Guest:

Ben Leonard, Author of Quit Stalling and Build Your Brand, is a UK-based entrepreneur who made the switch from the oil industry to e-commerce in 2016. With a background in mergers and acquisitions, Ben now helps others in the e-commerce industry navigate their own business ventures. Based in northeast Scotland, Ben continues to be a leader in the e-commerce world.

Connect and learn more about Ben:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjleonard/

Website: https://quitstallingbook.com/jordan

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Million Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

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The transformative experience taught Adriaan the importance of nature, simplicity, and human connection, leading to increased honesty with oneself and others.

In this episode, Jordan West and Adriaan Zimmerman, a serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience. Adriaan shares his journey from initial business intentions to unexpected success and the personal and professional challenges he has faced, leading to a deeper understanding of life and business. Together, Jordan and Adriaan delve into the importance of values, stress management, and the transformative power of natural remedies. 

Listen and learn in this episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• The significance of stress management, lifestyle choices, and evidence supporting stress reduction through nature-based activities.
• Recognizing and addressing feelings of helplessness, burnout, and the need for personal reevaluation.
• Prioritizing filling a market need and creating products that people want and need before figuring out monetization.
• The importance of surrounding oneself with good people and maintaining a focus on values, vision, and mission in running a business.

EOS System: https://www.eosworldwide.com/eos-model

Today’s Guest:

Adriaan Zimmerman, Co-Founder of Ned, began his career in venture capital in Hong Kong, focusing on sustainable development and agriculture. However, he quickly realized his passion lay in being on the other side of the table as an entrepreneur. Coming from a family of business owners, it was a natural path for him to follow. At the age of 22, he launched his first business and has since gone on to start several successful ventures, earning him the title of a serial entrepreneur. Adriaan's diverse career and experience in various industries have shaped him into a dynamic and successful business leader.

Connect and learn more about Adriaan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaanzimmerman/

Website: https://helloned.com/

Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Million Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow