Ecommerce Conversations

It sounds like a movie script. A gay entrepreneur in Guatemala launches a cookie company in 2012 from his mom's kitchen. He meets another Guatemalan entrepreneur, also gay, who joins the business. They get married, immigrate in 2019 to the U.S., and, overcoming a slew of obstacles, relaunch the company from their base in Austin, Texas, achieving success. The company is called Wunderkeks. The entrepreneurs are founder Hans Schrei and his co-owner husband, Luis Gramajo. I recently spoke with them. Our conversation addressed much more than selling cookies.

Folks who grind their teeth while sleeping rely on custom-fitted guards for prevention. For sellers of those guards, the complication is the custom-fitting. It requires an exact teeth impression, which presumably calls for an in-person visit. But not if the seller is Pro Teeth Guard, a San Diego, California-based online dental lab that sells made-to-order teeth guards via ecommerce. Its impressions-by-mail process facilitates custom manufacturing — and satisfied customers. I recently spoke with JP Ji, Pro Teeth Guard's president, on production challenges, customer service strategies, marketing, and more.

Host Eric Bandholz's company, Beardbrand, recently completed a migration to Shopify 2.0 and a new premium theme, the fourth since its inception in 2013. Jenny Durre, Beardbrand's in-house designer, managed the entire 2.0 process — selecting the theme, customizing pages, streamlining the layout, and ultimately going live with the new version. She describes it all in this conversation.

Search engine optimization for ecommerce boils down to four buckets. That's according to Jeff Oxford, founder of 180 Marketing, an Oregon-based firm.

Apple's iOS 14 privacy changes have created a windfall for direct mail providers such as PostPilot. Owners Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein explain how modern postcard programs mimic email campaigns.

Apple's iOS 14 privacy changes have created a windfall for direct mail providers such as PostPilot. Owners Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein explain how modern postcard programs mimic email campaigns.

Chris Harrison co-founded Liber & Co., a maker of cocktail syrups, in 2012. The Austin, Texas-based company thrived by selling mostly to bars and restaurants. Then Covid hit.

Joel Runyon launched Impossible, a fitness and performance company, in 2010. The company sells digital training programs, apparel, and nutritional supplements. "Sleep," a powder drink, is the latest. It helps high performers recharge and recover via deep sleeping.

Molson Hart launched Viahart, a manufacturer of educational toys, in 2010, selling mainly on Amazon. The company experienced repeated intellectual property theft, which prompted his launch of a second company, Edison Litigation Financing.

Thanh Pham, the founder of Asian Efficiency, a productivity training company, once focused on efficiency to help folks get more done. Then he realized the real driver of productivity is happiness, not time management or focus.

In 2018 Sarah Moret, an accountant and athlete, couldn't find a suitable aluminum-free deodorant. So she made her own. Fast forward to 2022, and that deodorant business is now Curie, a thriving direct-to-consumer seller of personal care and lifestyle goods.

Supply.co, a DTC seller of shaving supplies, endured a tough 2021, as did its founder, Patrick Coddou. By year's end, he was exhausted, burned out. He turned to the Entrepreneurial Operating System, a management framework. The results? "It has changed the company, and it’s changed me."

Joshua McKee founded Atlas Staffing 11 years ago. The company now has five locations in the western U.S., serving a light industry niche. McKee advocates core company values and communicates them to his staff. "Embrace growth," his favorite, refers to personal growth, not financial.

Lea Richards founded Pig of the Month, a DTC seller of barbeque, in 2011. After Apple's iOS 14 privacy change, she shifted to direct mail for customer acquisition — to good results. She explains that switch, the logistics of shipping perishable goods, and more.

Christopher Silvestri is an ecommerce copywriter and UX designer who launched Conversion Alchemy, an agency, two years ago. The key to high-converting copy, he says, is researching the target audience. He explains how he does that, including his go-tool tools and common merchant mistakes.

Ravi Kurani is an engineer and former venture capitalist who launched Sutro, a water sensor manufacturer, in 2012 in India. His initial go-to-market strategy failed. So he moved to California, his home, and shifted to measuring swimming pool water from the drinking kind.

Ayman Al-Abdullah joined AppSumo, the daily deals site for digital goods, in 2015. Annual revenue was $3 million. When he left the company in 2021, revenue was a whopping $80 million. How did he do it? "People development," he said.

Kamil Banc is co-founder with his brother Jeremy of Fragrance One, a direct-to-consumer seller of colognes and perfumes — entirely online. Sales are booming despite buyers never smelling the fragrances. He explains how in this conversation with host Eric Bandholz.

In 2009 Judi Fox began networking on LinkedIn, having lost her job early that year. She now, in 2022, has nearly 39,000 LinkedIn followers. Her business advises companies and professionals on marketing strategies for that platform.

Jon Shanahan is the co-founder of Stryx, the pioneering direct-to-consumer seller of men's cosmetics. The company is soon to launch its products in 950 Target stores. The decision comes with risks. Shanahan discusses those issues and more with host Eric Bandholz.