Ecommerce Conversations

Nate Lagos is a seasoned ecommerce conversion optimizer, yet a recent A/B test surprised him.

A client used all caps in key landing page headlines. Nate, having read a tip on X, suggested they test headlines that capitalized only the first letter of each word.

The result? Conversions increased by 25%

Nate first appeared on the podcast in 2025, when he addressed Facebook ad performance. For this episode, he focuses on "bottoms-up" testing, audience targeting, and marketing male products to women.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https...

Thanks to companies such as Printful, an enterprising entrepreneur can select a product, upload an image to place on it, sync it with her ecommerce site, sell it, and then pay for it.

Print-on-demand is big business, and David Hooker is a prominent participant. He's the brand director at Printful and a long-time SaaS executive.

In this episode, he addresses POD pricing strategies, sales tactics, merchandising, and more. 

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/printful-exec-on-profitable-print-on-demand

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://w...

The last few years have been rough for Beardbrand, the direct-to-consumer company that host Eric Bandholz founded over a decade ago. He says pretty much nothing has worked post-pandemic. The business is finally seeing revenue growth, but costs are rising too.

In this week's podcast episode, Eric departs from interviewing guests to share his own experiences at Beardbrand and his evolution to a more balanced life.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/building-a-life-not-just-a-business

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag...

In 2019 Dane Witbeck had a problem familiar to parents: What were his kids doing on their smartphones?

That problem became his motivation to launch Pinwheel, an Austin, Texas-based seller of Android phones with parental controls for apps, usage limits, monitoring, and more.

Fast forward to 2026, and Pinwheel is thriving and profitable. In this episode, Dane shares his company's production process, marketing tactics, economic model, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/pinwheel-ceo-on-selling-kid-safe-phones

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce...

Florence Morin is an artist-turned-engineer-turned-entrepreneur. She graduated from Canada's Polytechnique Montréal in 2013, only to realize she disliked engineering work. She longed to earn a living from making art.

Fast forward to 2026, and Florence Art & Drawing is her online art school, launched in 2020, selling classes and instruction. Her 10-person team includes web developers, instructors, and support staff.

In this episode, she shares her tactics for course content, customer acquisition, hiring, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/engineer-quits-launches-online-art-school

For all condensed transcripts w...

For four years Eric Steckling has run two direct-to-consumer brands. Brio, the company he founded in 2014, sells beard trimmers and related goods. In 2022, he acquired Ollie, then a seller of teeth-whitening strips and now an expanded oral care provider.

Eric first appeared on the podcast in 2023. In this latest conversation, he addresses Brio's challenges of selling long-lasting goods, Ollie's opportunity with consumable items, and juggling the two.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/2-bootstrapped-d2c-brands-1-ceo

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www...

Please enjoy this repeat of a popular episode first aired in April 2025.

Mehtab Bhogal is the co-founder of Karta Ventures, a Canada-based acquirer of troubled ecommerce businesses. The firm seeks companies with "issues," such as unpaid taxes, regulatory problems, and founder disputes.

He says buying distressed companies is like salvaging a crashed car. "What are the parts worth?" he asks.

In this episode, he addresses identifying hidden value, turnaround tactics, seller concerns, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecommerce-investor-on-turnaround-tactics

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When he appeared on this podcast in 2021, Bryan Mahoney had just co-founded Chord, an ecommerce platform that separated the public frontend from the nuts-and-bolts backend. It was a "headless" structure that enabled merchants to connect with their preferred external providers rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.

The problem, Bryan says in retrospect, was a complicated setup that required replatforming. What merchants wanted was his tools that consolidated data from external vendors for a holistic view across channels, customers, and more.

So he pivoted. In 2023 Chord became an ecommerce-focused data management company, no longer requiring customers to...

We've hit a plateau at Beardbrand, the direct-to-consumer business I launched 15 years ago. Our revenue is down from its peak. We've made mistakes.

The beard care space has dried up. We've moved from a blue ocean of growth and opportunity to a red ocean of fierce competition. If Beardbrand grows, a competitor loses, and vice versa.

In this episode, I'll depart from my typical interview format and share our plans for moving Beardbrand forward. My goal is to help other merchants in similar circumstances.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio...

Contrary to much U.S. sentiment, Molson Hart sees opportunity in China. His direct-to-consumer toy brand, Viahart, sells mostly on Amazon, though growth has slowed in recent years. China, he says, offers promise.

In this our third interview (following episodes in 2022 and 2024), recorded from an X live stream, he shares his plans to sell toys in China, addressing cultural nuances, legalities, shopping preferences, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/viahart-founder-eyes-sales-in-china

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts<...

Chris Wichert is an investment banker turned direct-to-consumer entrepreneur.

His luxury shoe brand, Koio, launched in 2015 and quickly scaled. Then the pandemic hit. By late 2022, he says, the D2C hype and funding had collapsed.

He slashed costs, stabilized cash flow, and successfully exited the company. In this episode, he shares his story of boom, bust, and survival.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/surviving-d2cs-boom-and-bust

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

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Host Eric Bandholz has interviewed a slew of impressive entrepreneurs on this podcast. He says Drew Fallon is among the most versatile. Drew last appeared on the show in 2022 when he had co-founded a tattoo skincare company. Before that he was an investment banker.

He now runs Iris, an AI-driven financial modeling platform, while also tracking and reporting on consumer-focused M&A transactions.

In this episode, he shares the benefits of agent-powered financial automation, common merchant use cases, and, yes, the enterprise M&A boom in 2026.

For an edited and condensed transcript with...

For years EcomFuel has surveyed its community of ecommerce merchants about their growth, margins, tactics, and more. The company released this year's findings last week.

In this episode, founder Andrew Youderian recaps the report, addressing the state of ecommerce among 300 participating businesses — mostly seven, eight, and nine-figure brands.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecomfuel-founder-on-2026-industry-trends

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

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Practical Ecommerce helps online merchants improve with expert articles, podcasts, and webinars. Founded in...

Molson Hart is the founder of Viahart, a D2C toy brand, and Edison, a legal technology company. He says every entrepreneur should own two businesses, where one offers more opportunities to scale, is more profitable, or diversifies risk.

I'm all in on Beardbrand, my own D2C brand launched in 2014. Molson is a two-time guest on the podcast. His comment got me thinking about an attractive second company, one that would enhance my life without creating stress and headaches.

So in this episode I'll depart from my typical interviews and, instead, describe my ideal...

Dave Diederen is the founder of Syntra, a Netherlands-based conversion rate optimization agency. He encourages ecommerce brands to test product pages, ads, and, well, everything. 

He says merchants often prioritize their sites' aesthetics over copy and content, a big mistake. "Content and copy play a very big role in conversions, if not the biggest," he states.

In this episode, he shares conversion wins, product and home page tactics, A/B strategies, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/content-beats-design-says-cro-pro

For all condensed t...

Since 2013 Cherene Aubert has managed, advised, and executed ecommerce marketing campaigns. She's worked for agencies, merchants, and as a freelance consultant. Her D2C advisory firm, Growth Capital, helps scale premium, high-growth brands.

Experience guides her advice. Brands are too quick to discount slow-moving products, she says. Bundles or buy-one-get-one offers are often better. Higher-priced goods typically appeal to existing customers, not new ones. Influencers drive acquisition.

She shared those views and more in this episode. 

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/brand-strategist-ditch-the-discount

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Ray Hua is the director of ecommerce at Vessi, a Canada-based direct-to-consumer seller of waterproof sneakers. The brand launched in 2017 after its founders developed and patented breathable fabric that repels water. Ray joined the company in 2021.

In this episode, he shares the challenges of targeting the right audience, cross-border selling, diversifying, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-vessi-sells-waterproof-shoes

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

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The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help online...

In 2019 Nasrin Jafari was a middle school teacher in New York City. She had no ecommerce experience but was drawn to creating and building, which led her to sew and sell face masks during Covid.

Fast forward to 2026, and Mixed, her direct-to-consumer fashion brand, designs and produces female apparel and accessories. Referring to the company's launch, she says, "I had no idea how to make clothes." 

She does now, with multiple manufacturers, a thriving community, staff, and eager customers.

She shares her impressive story in this conversation.

For an edited and c...

Kaleigh Moore is a 12-year freelance writer and editor. She has contributed to Shopify, Forbes, Vogue, Adweek, and various B2B providers, among others. She's now grappling with the promise and limits of AI.

She calls AI a "fire hose of information" that greatly increases efficiency. She also cautions on what it cannot do, such as interview humans or learn from experience.

She shares those views and more in this episode, including her preferred AI platform, use cases for entrepreneurs, and getting started with AI-driven composition.

For an edited and condensed transcript with...

Occasionally on the podcast host Eric Bandholz departs from interviewing guests to share his own experiences running Beardbrand, the D2C company he founded in 2012.

In this episode, he addresses his favorite ecommerce tools in 2026, 18 platforms and apps essential to his business — from foundational site infrastructure to solutions for marketing, operations, creative, and more.  

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/beardbrands-top-ecommerce-tools

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts

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The mission of Practical Ecommerce is to help onli...

Chris Hall is an ecommerce entrepreneur turned media operator. His new "Ecomm Cowboy" show broadcasts live Monday through Friday on X and YouTube. The mission, he says, is twofold: deliver daily news to sellers and offer companionship to those working alone.

Chris first appeared on the podcast in 2023 as the marketing head of a D2C brand. In this our latest conversation, he addresses his goals for Ecomm Cowboy, production challenges, and, yes, the power of AI tools for one-person brands.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com...

Please enjoy this repeat of a popular episode first aired in September 2024.

David Heinemeier Hansson is the creator of the Ruby on Rails software framework, the co-founder of Basecamp, a member of Shopify's board of directors, an investor in multiple tech startups, a racecar driver, and a family man with children. He's a modern-day polymath.

Yet his workday calendar is not full of appointments and meetings. He abhors managing employees and attending meetings. His is a maker's schedule, he says, with much uninterrupted time dedicated to solving problems he cares about.

In this...

Phillip Jackson's media company, Future Commerce, focuses on trends and developments in business.

The company surveyed U.S. shoppers during the 2025 holiday season. He says one insight stood out: when AI recommends a product, 77% of respondents leave the platform to buy on the brand's site.

Phillip first appeared on the podcast in early 2024. In this, his latest episode, he addresses the downsides of optimized ecommerce sites, the outlook of traditional search, and, yes, the rise of autonomous shopping agents.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com...

Frank Kosarek is the co-founder of BizPort, a mergers-and-acquisitions marketplace launched in November 2025. Before that, he was head of acquisitions for a large ecommerce aggregator.

He says buyers of ecommerce businesses today focus on discretionary earnings, not revenue, and seek recurring sales, such as subscriptions.

He addresses those items, the state of ecommerce M&A, and more in this episode.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ma-advisor-on-ecommerce-valuations

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tag/podcasts


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Chris Harrison says it all started with a single pot on a stove. He and two high school buddies launched Liber & Co., a manufacturer of premium cocktail syrups, with that tiny test batch in 2011 in Austin, Texas.

Fast forward to 2026, and batches are now in 1,500-gallon tanks and sold worldwide to restaurants, bars, and consumers. But the culture remains hands-on, do-it-yourself, and learn-by-doing.

Chris first appeared on the podcast in 2022. In this latest episode, he shares the company's origins, sourcing tactics, growth plans, and more. 

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded a...

In his previous appearance on the podcast, in November 2022, Jai Dolwani was the CMO of a wine subscription company that would shortly declare bankruptcy. It was his third struggling startup, he says, prompting "serious self-reflection."

He pivoted to entrepreneurship and launched The Starters, a marketplace for fractional ecommerce talent, in late 2023. The company has thrived, having attracted more than 600 freelancers and 500 client brands.

In this episode, Jai addresses the demand for ecommerce talent, tips for hiring freelancers, and plans for 2026 and beyond.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see:  https://w...

Please enjoy this repeat of a popular episode first aired in January 24, 2025.

According to Will Nitze, founder and CEO of IQBAR, success in a competitive market requires finding its uncompetitive niches. He did that with his flagship protein bar, which is plant-based, low-sugar, and plainly labeled.

That was seven years ago when he launched the company with a $75,000 Kickstarter campaign.

Fast forward to 2025, and IQBAR also makes IQMIX (hydration) and IQJOE (coffee). All promote brain health without competing against each other.

Will shares his journey in this episode — from his initial ca...

In this episode, host Eric Bandholz reflects on his business and life at year-end.

He reviews what worked for Beardbrand in 2025, what didn't, what was painful, and what made it all worth it.

It's a reminder, he says, to take stock of our own priorities — how we allocate time, energy, attention — and whether they align with the life we're trying to build.

Longtime listeners know that 2023 and 2024 were extremely challenging for Eric personally and for Beardbrand. The good news is that the company became profitable again in 2025.

For an edited and cond...

In "How to Leave the U.S.A.," the venerable New Yorker magazine recently addressed what many residents have apparently considered.

Yet Mikkel Thorup has lived outside of his native Canada for 25 years. He's visited 120 countries and resided in nine of them. His business, Expat Money, helps others do the same while protecting assets and lifestyle.

Why relocate overseas? What are the risks and the rewards? Mikkel addressed those questions and more in this episode.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/expat-money-ceo-on-moving-abroad

For...

Abir Syed is an accountant turned marketer turned chief financial officer. He says ecommerce marketing success largely depends on creative volume, and few merchants have exhausted any channel, much less Meta.

Abir is co-founder of UpCounting, an accounting and fractional CFO firm in Montréal, Canada. In this episode, he shares common financial mistakes of merchants, key metrics to monitor, and, yes, how to grow ecommerce ad revenue on Meta.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/cfo-brands-rarely-max-out-meta-ads

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://w...

Jeff Oxford is our go-to interview for ecommerce SEO. The founder of Oregon-based 180 Marketing, an agency, Jeff first appeared on the podcast in 2022 when he addressed SEO's "four buckets." We invited him back late last year to explain AI's impact on search traffic and how merchants can adapt.

In this our latest interview, he shared optimization tactics for ChatGPT, with a caveat: Google's AI Mode could eventually dominate.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/will-googles-ai-mode-dominate-chatgpt

For all condensed transcripts with audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce...

Chris Elrod is a renewable power entrepreneur. His company, Treaty Oak Clean Energy, builds massive solar projects that provide electricity for large corporations and utility firms.

It's boom times for electricity generators as the likes of Google, ChatGPT, and Amazon scramble for reliable sources.

How, exactly, does a company build a solar-generating plant and then sell the electricity to end users? Eric asked Chris those questions and more in this conversation.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/solar-power-developer-on-fueling-the-grid

For all condensed transcripts with...

Seth Spears is a Colorado-based entrepreneur who once taught consumers how to make their own non-toxic personal care products. He says customers valued the results but not the actual production process. "They kept asking us for ready-made versions," he told me.

So he launched Wellnesse, a direct-to-consumer brand producing all-natural self-care goods, in 2020. Toothpaste quickly became the dominant item.

In our recent conversation, Seth shared the origins of Wellnesse, the demand for holistic oral care, marketing challenges, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com...

Kevlyn Walsh is a Denver-based art teacher turned entrepreneur. She launched Festive Gal, an Etsy shop, in 2019 after her handmade headband was a hit among Christmas party attendees.

Fast forward to 2025, and Festive Gal is thriving, selling custom gifts and party supplies. A new second site, Bake It Fancy, on Shopify, sells cooking accessories.

Amid the growth, Kevlyn manages employees, production, and, yes, Etsy constraints. She addresses those challenges and more with host Eric Bandholz.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/etsy-merchant-eyes-shopify-dual-brands

For...

Andy Gould co-founded Batch, a Wisconsin-based D2C cannabis brand, in 2018. He says the company struggled for years until it perfected content creation and advertising. “Once we dialed in our Meta ads and built a strong creative flywheel, everything took off,” he said.

Host Eric Bandholz first interviewed Andy and his two co-founders in 2023. 

In this latest conversation, Andy addresses video production, regulatory scrutiny, and “hockey stick” growth — from annual revenue of $5 million to $50 million in two years.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/batch-cannabis-scales-to-50-million

By late 2023 Aaron Powell had become disillusioned with Bunch Bikes, the electric cargo bicycle company he founded in 2017. Costs were rising, cash was scarce, and the supply chain was chaotic.

He contemplated chucking it all, selling the business, and moving his family to Europe from his base in Texas.

Then he reconsidered. Bunch Bikes had many positives, including a sense of purpose and meaning from improving customers' lives. So he stayed.

Aaron first appeared on the podcast two years ago. In this latest conversation, he addresses business uncertainty, resilience, and more.

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Few companies have done more for global prosperity than Alibaba.com. Launched famously in China by Jack Ma, a former school teacher, in 1999, the company now connects 200,000 suppliers with millions of retail merchants. Suppliers grow, retailers diversify, and consumers have more choice for less money.

Yet the B2B giant is not perfect. Language differences, intellectual property theft, and quality control can upend a supplier-buyer relationship.

Rah Mahtani is Alibaba.com's head of commercial strategy in the U.S. In this episode, he responds to those challenges, tariffs, and more.

For an edited...

For 12 years Andrei Rebrov managed infrastructure and operations at Scentbird, a perfume subscription company he co-founded in 2013. He learned the importance of acquiring the right subscribers, those who stay for a while and generate lifetime value for the business.

The key, he says, was accurate, timely analytics to assess channels, creative, and promos. Finsi, his new company, provides those metrics, enabling merchants to predict a prospect's value over the long term.

In this episode, Andrei shares acquisition tactics, churn avoidance, product selection, and more.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio...

Jon Shanahan destroys the myth that founders make lousy employees. He co-founded Stryx, a men's cosmetics provider, in 2017 and is now the marketing head at TRX, the storied exercise equipment company. He has thrived in both roles.

He joined TRX in late 2022 amid a post-Covid hangover and a stale legacy brand. Fast forward to late 2025, and TRX is refreshed and flourishing, thanks in part to Jon's entrepreneurial mindset.

While at Stryx, Jon appeared on the podcast twice, in 2020 and 2022. In this latest conversation, he shares transitioning to a large corporation, the challenges of reviving a...

In 2020, Karim Abed was the chief financial officer for a Texas-based home builder. The job paid well, he says, but he yearned to launch his own business and reconnect with his Egyptian heritage.

Fast forward to 2025, and that business is WYR, a men's apparel brand utilizing Giza cotton, the storied fabric, and small Egypt-based factories. The company is thriving.

Karim shares his story with host Eric Bandholz, addressing WYR's initial struggles, subsequent growth, and, yes, the benefits of Egyptian cotton and craftspeople.

For an edited and condensed transcript with embedded audio, see: https...