eCommerce MasterPlan
Trying to work out how to acquire more customers? Need to improve customer retention? Or just looking for some reassurance you’re on the right track? That’s what the eCommerce MasterPlan is here for. Every week we interview an e-Commerce business person (owner, manager or marketer) with a fascinating insight into successful online retailing. Their business might be a UK mail order retailer, an online-only store from Australia, or a brick and clicks business from the USA – but every one of them is doing something we can all learn from. Many of our guests are using Shopify & Klaviyo, but we als...
How Sole Responsibility is Building a Fast-Growing Business from Fashion Returns
Simon Payne is the co-founder at Sole Responsibility, a sustainable retail business specialising in the resale and takeback of seconds in the footwear and clothing space. They resell 10,000s of sub-prime shoes and garments a year with growth at 30% year on year.
In this episode, Simon joins Chloe Thomas to explore how resale commerce, changing consumer behavior, AI, and upcoming sustainability legislation are reshaping the future of fashion retail. They discuss why secondhand is becoming mainstream, what ESPR means for brands, and how retailers can turn returns and resale into long-term opportunities.
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Uncle Matt’s Hats: Using Storytelling, UGC, and Mission to Grow an eCommerce Brand
Steve Willicott is the founder at Uncle Matt's Hats, selling baseball caps and supporting men’s mental health. Founded in 2024, they sell via their Shopify store, and are about to launch their second range.
In this episode, Steve explains how Uncle Matt's Hats has built every part of the business around its mission — from product design to packaging to customer acquisition. It’s a smart look at how purpose-led brands can create stronger differentiation, generate organic content, and grow without relying on big ad budgets.
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🎯 How Steve Willicott built...How Moon Phase Studios Scaled to £1M with Email Marketing & Seasonal Strategy, with Hayley Jones
Hayley Jones is the Artist and Founder at Moon Phase Studios. The studio exists to empower its customers to become more attuned to the moon through art, books, and rituals. It was founded in November 2020 when they went from zero to £200k in 8 just weeks! Now they sell via their Shopify store & Etsy store doing over £1million a year.
In this episode, Hayley shares how the business has evolved from a fast-growing startup into a mature, highly seasonal brand with a loyal customer base. She breaks down the strategies behind their success today—from email-first market...
From DTC to B2B: How Moyu Scaled to €1.5M by Shifting Its Sales Strategy with Roel Schatorjé
Roel Schatorjé is the Founder of MOYU, sellers of erasable stone paper notebooks, designed to reduce single-use paper and reforest the planet. Founded in 2019 they now sell via wholesale, and their Shopify store, in total sales are €1.5million a year.
In this returning guest episode, Roel shares how the business has evolved over the last three years – shifting from DTC to B2B, streamlining the team, and expanding internationally in a far more sustainable way. It’s an honest look at what it really takes to scale an eCommerce brand without burning cash or adding complexity. <...
How to Grow Profits in 2026
In this special episode of the eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast, Chloe Thomas shares a panel discussion from a recent webinar focused on one big question: How can eCommerce brands grow both sales and profits in 2026?
Chloe is joined by three expert voices from very different areas of eCommerce – promotions, CRO and experimentation, and growth strategy – to explore what’s really driving performance right now.
From intelligent offers and smarter discounting to experimentation, retention, and measuring what truly matters, this is a practical, insight-packed conversation designed to help you grow more efficiently in 2026.
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How Beevive Built a Multi-Million Pound Brand from a Single Product Idea, with Faye Whitley
Faye Whitley is the co-founder and managing director of Beevive creators of The Original Bee Revival Kit, and recent Dragon’s Den stars. Founded in 2018 they’ve sold over £2million of product via their Shopify store and over 350 wholesale customers selling their products in the UK.
In this episode, Faye shares how a simple idea turned into a fast-growing, purpose-led eCommerce brand. We explore how Beevive scaled through community, crowdfunding, and smart channel strategy – while staying true to its mission of helping bees and educating customers.
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🐝 How a single moment sa...How Sticking to One Core Product Drove Project Repat’s $12M eCommerce Success, with Nathan Rothstein
Nathan Rothstein is co-founder of Project Repat, who turn your favourite old t-shirts into quilts. Founded in 2012 they now sell via a Shopify site and do $12million a year.
Returning to the podcast a decade after his first appearance, Nathan shares how staying focused on one core product, building trust, and adapting to challenges like COVID and iOS changes have powered their long-term growth – while continuously refining their marketing and operations.
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How they built a $12M eCommerce brand by not launching new products 🚫 The “triple down” strategy that turn...From 1795 to Shopify: Building a £12M eCommerce Toy Brand, with Joe Jaques
Joe Jaques is the CEO at Jaques of London, inventors of croquet, ping pong and chess as we know them, and championing play as the foundation of learning. Founded in 1795 (yes over 200 years ago) Joe is the 8th generation toymaker to lead this family business, winning multiple awards in recent years. Now selling via their Shopify site and Amazon they are on track for £12million this year.
In this episode, Joe shares how he transformed a centuries-old games company into a modern eCommerce brand. He talks about pivoting into educational toys, building a highly data-driven marke...
Fashion and Sustainability - what do consumers want now, and how can brands benefit from it?
Bhavishya Ramchander is the CEO at Reloom, a platform where conscious consumers meet verified, sustainable fashion brands. Founded in 2025 they’ve been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Vogue Europe and at the Drapers Conscious Fashion Summit, they already have over 20 verified brands on the platform.
In this episode, Vishy shares what today’s fashion consumers really want when it comes to sustainability—and why good intentions alone aren’t translating into purchases. She breaks down the key barriers holding shoppers back, and reveals how brands can turn transparency, data, and circular models into real commercial advantage.
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From Market Stall to £25M: How Valentte Built an 8-Figure eCommerce Brand with Luke Bream
Luke Bream is the Chief Executive and Co-founder at Valentte, sellers of organic skincare and home fragrance. Founded on a market stall in 2011, they now do £25 million via their WooCommerce store and some on Amazon.
In this episode, Luke shares the story behind Valentte’s journey from a small market stall to an 8-figure eCommerce brand, including the pivotal decisions that accelerated their growth. He explains why the team keeps marketing in-house, how they approach scaling paid ads and creative testing, and what founders must change in their leadership to grow a business from millions to $100M...
Growing eCommerce Sales with Values, Strategy, and Multi-Product Innovation at Microbz with Katie Ward
Katie Ward is the Managing Director at Microbz, a natural microbial solutions business. Founded in the 2000s and rebranded in 2024, they are on track for around £1million this year across their Shopify store & partner network.
In this episode, Katie shares how they’ve grown in one of the most competitive supplement markets by focusing on real customer pain points, building trust before pushing subscriptions, and expanding lifetime value through a “probiotic life” strategy. It’s a candid conversation about balancing mission and margin, managing multiple channels, and scaling sustainably without compromising your values.
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WWYD if you were starting a new job as CEO at an 8-figure fashion brand? Rich Chapple, former CMO of Gymshark
Rich Chapple was previously the CMO at Gymshark and the CEO at THG Ingenuity, part of The Hut Group, scaling both companies to unicorn valuations. He is now the co-founder at The Growth Foundation, helping eCommerce and DTC brands grow the right way.
In this What Would You Do episode, Rich shares exactly what he’d do in his first 90 days as the new CEO of an 8-figure fashion brand. From finding the real “truth” in the numbers to sharpening strategy, building the right team, and focusing on profitable growth, this conversation is packed with practica...
How Seep Scaled eCommerce Growth to £10M: Meta Ads, Retention & Hero Product Strategy with Ed Hamilton
Ed Hamilton is the Head of Growth at Seep, a certified B Corp selling eco house cleaning tools. Founded in 2020 they are now on target for £10million in sales this year, via their Shopify store, Amazon and wholesale.
In this episode, Ed shares how Seep is turning a surge of awareness into sustainable, long-term growth. We explore the strategies behind scaling acquisition, improving retention, diversifying beyond Meta, and building a growth engine designed for lasting success—not just short-term wins.
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How Seep turned a Dragons’ Den spike into...What Would You Do if you were embarking on a replatform in 2026? – with James Gurd
James Gurd is The Digital Juggler, and host of the Inside Commerce Podcast. He has over 20 years’ experience helping B2C and B2B brands deliver eCommerce growth, primarily through tech stack optimisation. From agency and tech selection through to team training and project leadership.
In this WWYD episode, James dives deep into what it really takes to replatform successfully in 2026 — from building the right business case and aligning your leadership team, to navigating Shopify decisions, managing friction, and avoiding expensive mistakes.
If a replatform is on your horizon, this episode is packe...
Want to be in a Keep Optimising Podcast episode?
A quick update from Chloe on what’s happening for episode 300 on our sister show Keep Optimising, AND how you can be involved.
Get involved >> https://keepopt.com/300
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From £3k to £80m: The Bootstrapped Must Have Ideas Growth Story with Amy Knight
Amy Knight is the Founder at Must Have Ideas, a UK based eCommerce brands that sells problem solving household products. Must Have Ideas is a bootstrapped business, started with just £3,000 in 2018 that are now on track for £80million in 2026 via their custom in-house website.
In this episode, Amy shares how obsessive cash-flow control, customer-first thinking, and owning their tech stack helped Must Have Ideas scale at speed without outside funding. It’s a candid, practical conversation packed with lessons for eCommerce founders looking to grow sustainably, stay in control, and stand out in a crowded market...
Driving Profits Through Customer Service with eDesk’s Gareth Cummings
Gareth Cummings is the CEO at eDesk, the AI powered customer support helpdesk for eCommerce. Used by eCommerce stores around the world, their client CarParts.com has just been named in USA Today’s list of America’s Best Customer Service 2026.
In this episode, Gareth explains how eCommerce brands can use customer service, AI, and automation to increase conversion rates, improve retention, and turn support teams into profit-driving growth engines.
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How faster replies can lift conversion rates by 50–60% ⚡ Why 30–40% of customer service queries happen before checkout 🛒 The real reason 9–5 support is killing your even...What Would You Do If You Wanted to Grow Physical Store Sales in 2026? – with Melissa Moore
Melissa Moore is “The Retail Advisor”, and the host of The Retail Tea Break Podcast. She’s an expert in all things retail with over 25 years working with national brands, and she’s been a Rethink Retail Top Retail Expert for the last 3 years AND Named in Retail Technology Innovation Hub's Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List for 2025.
In this What Would You Do episode, Melissa shares practical strategies to grow physical store sales in 2026, combining real-world retail experience with fresh insights from NRF in New York.
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Why physical...How to Grow Sales in 2026
In this special episode of the eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast, Chloe Thomas shares a panel discussion from a live webinar focused on one big question: what’s really going to move the needle for eCommerce brands in 2026?
Chloe is joined by three expert voices from very different corners of eCommerce – growth, consumer behaviour, and AI – to unpack what’s working, what’s not, and where brands should be focusing their time, energy, and budgets this year.
From TikTok growth and AI-powered customer experience to brand trust, tech stacks, and surviving economic pressure, this is a practical, wide-ranging...
From Chaos to Clarity: Building Tracking that Actually Works with Carwow’s Roman Petrochenkov
Roman Petrochenkov is the Head of Growth & Media Analytics at Carwow, so yes we’re going to be getting DEEP into tracking, attribution and all that juicy stuff. Carwow has grown from a review site, to be a one-stop shop for changing your car – offering customers the ability to a buy a new or used car, or sell their existing vehicle. Founded in 2013 they now operate in the UK, Germany and Spain. In 2024 they grew 50% with nearly £3 billion worth of cars bought on the site, and £1.8 billion of cars listed for sale through the Sell My Car service.
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What Would You Do About AI Search in eCommerce? – with Miracle Inameti-Archibong
Miracle Inameti-Archibong is an online marketer who’s been deep in SEO since 2010. Now working at a very large UK retailer, after stints in other verticals and agency side.
In this WWYD episode, Miracle tackles one of the biggest questions facing eCommerce right now: what would you do as AI search reshapes visibility, traffic, and growth? She shares a clear, practical view on where brands should focus, what still works, and how to move forward with confidence.
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Why good SEO still wins in an AI-search world 🤖 What GEO re...The Xero Shoes 10x Growth Story with Steven Sashen
Steven Sashen is the co-founder and Chief Barefoot Officer of Xero Shoes. Selling via their international Shopify stores, Amazon, and wholesale. They launched in November 2009 and in 2024 did just under $68 million.
Steven returns to the show to reveal how Xero Shoes jumped to nearly $68M — and the real decisions behind that growth.
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How Xero Shoes leapt from $6M to $68M — and why it still feels like a startup 🔥 The real reason they moved from WooCommerce to Shopify (and what went wrong 👀) Why “best practices” are often bad practices — and w...The Trust-First Approach Behind Carter Eve Jewelry’s Rapid Rise
Carter Eve is the founder and designer at Carter Eve Jewelry, a brand committed to sustainability and ethical practices creating delicate fine jewelry and distinctive designs. Founded in 2020 they now have annual sales of $1.2M with a 25% year-over-year growth rate. Selling exclusively via their Shopify site.
In this episode, Carter reveals how she scaled her luxury jewelry brand to $1.2M using a made-to-order model, high-touch service, and smart offline pop-ups. A must-listen for anyone selling high-value products online.
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⭐ How Carter scaled a $1.2M luxury jewelry brand with ze...The Cards2Cash Growth Story: SEO, Payments & Smart Scaling – with Caleb Slater
Caleb Slater is the managing director at Cards2Cash a platform enabling customers to sell unwanted gift cards. Founded in 2022 (when Caleb was just 16) it operates on a custom website, has recently expanded into Ireland, and has already grown to over £500k in annual sales.
In this episode, Caleb reveals how he scaled Cards2Cash with smart SEO, clever payment optimisation, and a huge focus on trust and customer experience. It’s a fast, practical conversation full of insights any eCommerce brand can apply right away.
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🚀 How a 16-ye...eCommerce Meets High Street: How Wardrobe at The Cross Wins with Personalization and Trust, with Hilary Large
Hilary Large is the owner at Wardrobe at The Cross, a women’s fashion boutique. Launched in 2023, they sell via their physical high street store, and via their Shopify website and have already built to 100s of orders a week.
In this episode, Hilary shares how she’s blending the best of in-store service with online scale — from personally calling first-time customers to building a brand rooted in trust, experience, and genuine connection.
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💡 How Hilary Large built a women’s fashion brand that blends bricks and clicks...
How Flare Audio Survived Meta Ad Chaos and Still Grew to £5M+
Davies Roberts is co-CEO and co-founder of Flare Audio, the sound technology company who retail headphones, earplugs, and ear tools. Founded in 2010 they now sell globally via their Shopify store, Amazon, and a few retail partners, and are achieving around £5million in sales a year.
Back on the show for the third time, Davies shares the biggest challenges and breakthroughs Flare Audio has faced — from Meta ad chaos to game-changing sound innovation. A fast-paced episode packed with sharp lessons on resilience, product focus, and scaling a standout eCommerce brand.
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Behind Dorwest’s Success: Trust, Systems, and a Smarter Way to Scale Online
Ben Boughton-White is the Operations Director at Dorwest, experts in herbal pet care since 1948. Selling globally via wholesale, marketplaces, Crufts! and their own Shopify store, they now do over 50,000 order a year, and were recently named Online Business of the Year at the Pet Industry Federation Awards.
Ben shares how Dorwest — a 75-year-old family-run pet care brand — brought its heritage into the digital age. From a smart Shopify migration to building efficient systems and strong partnerships, he reveals how they’ve kept quality, trust, and growth at the heart of their eCommerce success.
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The Power of Focus: How Neve’s Bees Grew by Doing Less, Better – with Julie Macken
Julie Macken is the Deputy Queen Bee of Neve’s Bees a family business turning the produce of their bee hives and local beekeepers into products that are now certified 100% natural. Founded in 2017, they switched focus to eCommerce in 2021. They now sell via their WooCommerce store, wholesale, and a couple of events, and have now reached £100,000 a year and have just sold their 80,000th product.
She shares how focusing on what truly works — and saying no to what doesn’t — helped her turn a local gifting brand into a six-figure sustainable skincare business. Hear how she refined her eComme...
What Would You Do as Head of eCommerce tasked with massively improving operational efficiency? – with Jaime Hill
In this WWYD episode, eCommerce Director Jaime Hill – whose career spans Monsoon, FatFace, Jack Wills, Oak Furnitureland, Hurtigruten, and more – joins host Chloe Thomas to share how she’d approach one of the biggest challenges facing eCommerce leaders today.
Jaime dives into where to start, how to prioritise quick wins vs. long-term impact, and why real efficiency begins with your people, not your processes.
Expect practical ideas, real-world examples, and plenty of inspiration for anyone trying to do more with less.
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🎯 How Jaime wo...
From Bedroom Startup to £15 Million: The Cheeky Panda Story with Chris Forbes
Chris Forbes is the co-founder at Cheeky Panda, leading the bamboo revolution selling toilet paper, period products, kitchen roll and more. Founded in 2016 they now sell via multiple international Shopify sites, and a plethora of wholesale and marketplace locations. Turnover is now £15,000,000 a year, and did I mention they’re a B Corp?
In this episode, Chris Forbes reveals how The Cheeky Panda turned a bold eco idea into a £15M brand loved by customers and retailers alike. From smart scaling moves to making sustainability fun, Chris shares the mindset and marketing strategies behind their incred...
Growing a Fashion Brand: Lavender Hill’s Approach to PR, Sustainability, and Profitability with Isobel Ridley
Isobel Ridley is the founder at Lavender Hill, a women’s fashion brand focused on ethically made luxurious staples. Founded in 2013 then now sell exclusively via their Shopify store, turning over around £500,000 a year.
In this episode, Isobel shares how she built a profitable, sustainable fashion brand by focusing on what works—core products, smart use of AI, and old-school PR that still delivers.
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💡 How focusing on fewer products made Lavender Hill more profitable 🧠 The clever ways Isobel uses AI (including ChatGPT!) to run her store smarter ...
How MUD Jeans Built the World’s First Circular Denim Brand — and What eCommerce Can Learn from It
Bert van Son is the founder at MUD Jeans, the first and only circular jeans company in the world. Founded in 2012 they’ve been a BCorp since 2013. Selling via their Shopify store, their own store in Amsterdam, and over 250 stockists across Europe.
In this episode, Bert shares how MUD Jeans is redefining what it means to be a sustainable fashion brand — from leasing jeans to turning old denim into new. Get ready to learn how circular design, smart eCommerce strategy, and genuine purpose can work together to build a brand that lasts.
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What Would You Do if growth at your eCommerce brand has stalled? – with Janis Thomas
Janis Thomas is an eCommerce & Subscriptions Expert, recently named in the Top 100 UK Marketing Influencers list.
In this episode of the special WWYD? (What Would You Do?) series, Janis answers the big question:
What would you do as a Head of eCommerce tasked with massively improving operational efficiency — especially when growth at your brand has stalled?
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🚨 Why stalled growth is actually a wake-up call for your eCommerce brand 🧾 The ruthless audit every Head of eCom should do on costs, teams & tech ⚡ Quick wins that free up c...
Multi-Channel eCommerce Made Simple: Lessons from Charles Bentley’s £30M Strategy with Andrew Steel
Andrew Steel is the eCommerce Director at Charles Bentley. Founded 160 years ago as manufacturer of chimney sweeping brushes, they now balance selling brushes and cleaning products via wholesale and dropshipping to some of the UK’s largest retailers and running their own home and garden eCommerce store. Annual Sales are now at around £30million across the group.
In this episode, Andrew shares the hard-won lessons behind managing 20+ sales channels, mastering stock control, and scaling a heritage brand in today’s competitive eCommerce landscape.
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🎯 How Charles Bentley sells on 20+...How COOK Became a £150 Million Food Retailer with James Rutter
James Rutter is the Chief Strategy Officer at COOK, home of award-winning frozen meals and puddings. Founded in 1997, and a BCorp since 2013! COOK now sell via their bespoke website, 111 shops across the UK, and via wholesale. And in the last 15 years they’ve grown from £30million to being on track for £150million in annual sales this year, of which about 1/5 are online.
In this episode, James reveals the three pillars that power COOK’s incredible growth — and how you can apply them to your business.
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💡 Why culture is the u...iFIT’s 4-Bucket Framework: How to Build a Subscription Business That Lasts
Jeremy McCarty is the Chief Subscription and Content Officer of iFIT, a global leader in connected fitness via their NordicTrack, Pro-form, and Freemotion brands.
In this episode, Jeremy reveals the proven framework he uses to build and scale subscription success at iFIT — a strategy that helps attract the right customers, keep them engaged, and grow loyalty over time.
He shares how iFIT blends product, content, and customer insight to create a subscription experience that keeps people coming back month after month.
Listen in to discover the key pillars behind his approach (including the 4-Bu...
Making Conversational Commerce Work for You — GoKwik’s Abhishek Chandra Explains How
Abhishek Chandra is the Chief Revenue Officer at GoKwik. Founded in 2020 their focus is on helping eCommerce brands unlock their growth by solving crucial challenges across the eCommerce funnel. Which is exactly what he’s here to help us all with in this episode!
Listen to discover why WhatsApp is the future of eCommerce — and how to use it to boost sales before your competitors catch on!
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💬 What conversational commerce really means (and why it’s a game-changer for DTC brands) 📲 How WhatsApp can take customers from “Hi” to “Buy”...WWYD? Ian Leslie on Achieving Hockey Stick Growth in a $10–25M eCommerce Brand
Ian Leslie is an eCommerce CMO who’s also done stints in SaaS marketing, journalism, and education. Probably best known for his 10 years driving 15x eCommerce revenue growth at B2B eCommerce furniture brand Industry West, where (as regular listeners to this show will know) he was always up to something different with his marketing budget – that usually paid off!
WWYD is a brand new format for the show - where we ask some of our favourite and most knowledgable eCommerce friends... "What would you do?".
In this new WWYD? episode, Ian shares his roadmap for sc...
Scaling an Amazon-First Brand: Joey’z Journey to $10M with Charles Chakkalo
Charles Chakkalo is the Founding partner of Joey’z, an Amazon-first homewares brand. Since 2010, he’s been building a lean, everything-in-house Amazon operation focused on practical, everyday consumer goods. They also now sell across Walmart and eBay and even have a Shopify store too. In total, annual sales are now over $10million with growth at 20% year on year.
In this episode, Charles shares the real behind-the-scenes of scaling on Amazon—covering the wins, the struggles, and the lessons every eCommerce owner can use to grow smarter and faster.
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...Fast-Tracking Growth: Community, Niching Down, and Multi-Channel Strategies from Dood Woof
Elina Panteleyeva is the founder of Dood Woof, a dog brand focused on Doodles. Founded in 2023, they hit $600k in year one, and are on track for sales of $2million this year. They’re already multichannel selling on their Shopify store, TikTok Shop, and Amazon.
In this episode, Elina reveals the exact strategies she used to grow fast, build a loyal community, and sell premium products without competing on price.
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🚀 How a first-time founder turned a layoff into a $2M eCommerce brand in under 2 years 🐶 The...