MegaMinds — E-commerce Growth & Personal Development: Recent Episodes
MegaMinds — E-commerce Growth & Personal Development
Obsessed with marketing and entrepreneurship? Us too.
On the show, we interview leading business owners, marketing specialists, growth experts, and serial entrepreneurs — all in the name of uncovering actionable techniques to scale any business into the stratosphere.
We hear about business founders' hurdles, and how they overcame them; we deep-dive into innovation and the ever-changing world of digital marketing, and put a huge focus on learning and self-development.
Hosted by Evan Bryce, MegaMinds aims to be the go-to podcast for anyone looking to build a multi-million-dollar brand.
In this episode, we hear from Ruslan Leteyski, a self-made millionaire (at 24!) who has founded multiple successful businesses, including CheckoutX and Vanga AI (which he exited successfully). Not to mention building a VILLAGE in the countryside for business owners (Coliving Semkovo) :O
He talks about his latest venture, ZipChat AI, which focuses on driving e-commerce sales through AI-powered chat.
Ruslan delves into the details of ZipChat, explaining that it is not just a customer support tool, but an AI sales representative that can engage with customers on a larger scale.
The episode also touches on Ruslan's experience selling his previous company, Vanga AI, and he provides advice for entrepreneurs on knowing when it's the right time to sell a business.
Ruslan emphasises the importance of staying open to new technologies and tools, and shares some of his favorite resources for marketing design, video editing, and website user behavior insights.
His approach to building a personal brand and embracing new technologies in the business world is inspiring!
Enjoying the content? Share the show on your LinkedIn.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Ruslan on LinkedIn.
Show notes & Links:
MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community).
Ruslan's Twitter
Ruslan's LinkedIn
Evan's LinkedIn
Checkout X
Vanga AI
ZipChat
Talking ALL things content and marketing (and more), this insightful conversation between Evan (Content Executive at Australia's #1 digital marketing agency) and Matt (Founder of Goodo Studios) unpacks creative strategy in easy-to-digest ways.
Referencing the likes of David Ogilvy and Claude C. Hopkins, the chat is jam-packed with laughs and killer insights. The boys serve up great tips like...
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Focus on understanding the customer and producing content with intentionality.
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Look to old advertising books for timeless wisdom in creative inspiration.
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Have a core channel or activity that everything else supports and amplifies - don't try to be omni-channel too soon.
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Provide clarity to clients and turn down work that isn't a good fit.
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Hire proactively, empower your team, and learn to let go of creative control.
Great notes from Matt on building a passionate team, scaling ad campaigns, and the importance of consistency in marketing as well!
Based out of the San Francisco bay area, Dr. Kyra Bobinet combines business know-how with detailed neuroscience – giving her a truly fascinating, unique perspective on business and personal growth tactics.
Her decades in the medical field helped her understand the workings of the brain, and she's harnessed these learnings to help herself and countless professionals achieve their personal development and career goals.
She's the founder of Fresh Tri, a new-age app for health behavior change based on neuroscience principles.
Dr. Bobinet is also about to publish her second book on behaviour change and mindset called "Unstoppable Brain."
A wonderfully eye-opening chat, Evan and Kyra also dive into:
- The link between consumer psychology and buying behaviour
- Biggest myths in healthy habit formation
- How to make good habits stick
- How to STOP doing bad habits
- Strategies for regaining control of your time
- The importance of an iterative mindset and how it can be taught
- The idea of "service leadership"
Liked this episode? Subscribe and sent it to someone who you think needs to hear it.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Kyra on LinkedIn.
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What's the power of the quiz? Hint: It's significant.
How can business owners improve their time management?
How can you harness personalisation in marketing?
These are just a few of the topics we chat about with Gen Furukawa, Prior to founding Prehook, Gen was the VP of Marketing and Content at Scale, a leading AI writing tool, and also lead marketing at Jungle Scout as VP of Marketing. Now he helsp B2B SaaS brands grow profitably leveraging AI and automation!
A fascinating chat, Evan and Gen also dive into:
- How to use segmentation data
- Teelixer case study (5x revenue per lead)
- Quantifying the customer experience
- Podcasts and partnerships as marketing opportunities
- Why we shouldn’t rely on discounts to get an opt-in (profit drains)
- Successful hooks (Discovery, curiousity)
*Since recording this episode, Gen has sold Prehook and is now deep in the AI marketing space, coaching business owners on AI and marketing.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Gen on LinkedIn.
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Luis Garotti was creating graphics and designing for brands since he was old enough to work. Fast forward to today and he's helped the likes of Mercedes Benz Australia stand out in the crowded marketing landscape. How? Traditional marketing.
Luis is different to most MegaMinds guests. Why? He's old-school – he uses print media (signage, print-outs, apparel, car wraps) to help brands get loyal customers and build awareness.
And he makes a very compelling case why print is still relevant – in fact, why it's arguably MORE important than ever.
Evan and Luis also dive into:
- How putting yourself through adversity trains your brain to push through anything
- How to get new leads on socials
- How to stand out with traditional ads
- Traditional vs digital marketing
- How you should set up at a trade show booth
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Luis on LinkedIn. Or head to 292 Creative's website (and mention the MegaMinds podcast) to learn more about Luis' agency.
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His third business went from 0 to 250k customers with an initial investment of just $700.
A serial entrepreneur who mastered success by learning from failure, Bucharest-based Valentin Radu uses ultra-modern techniques to boost Customer Lifetime Value and Conversion Rate for DTC eCommerce brands.
In one of the most value-packed episodes to date, Evan and Valentin dive into:
- Other channels to help DTC brands reach customers
- How to connect with pain points
- How to understand your customer on a deeper level
- Why "They don’t buy on the gain, they buy on the pain"
- What “always” works on the Call to Action
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Valentin on LinkedIn. Or head to https://www.omniconvert.com/ or email valentin.radu@omniconvert.com to learn more about Valentin's business.
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A Shopify master who has built HUNDREDS of websites for leading eCommerce brands, Clayton Bates tells it like it is: to get sales, you need a site that isn't just beautiful, it needs to serve its PURPOSE and nothing else.
As a serial entrepreneur himself – from selling Coke cans in high school to an online Cards & Collectibles marketplace, to the award-winning web-building agency – Clayton knows the ins and outs of what it takes to make a business that works. And he's not afraid to roll back the curtain, sharing the real, honest challenges he's faced along the way – which so many of us can relate to.
Evan and Clayton also dive into:
- Is paying for a web developer necessary or a waste?
- Easy practical website upgrades that we can inplement in less than 24 hours
- The 5 biggest mistakes most companies make with their websites
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Clayton on LinkedIn. Or head to Inspire Small Business to learn more about Clayton's agency.
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Mentioned in the show:
Top Shopify apps.
- Lucky Orange
- Luke’s Reviews
- Quantity Breaks
- Klaviyo
Best Shopify themes?
- Dawn
- Impulse
- Showtime
In this jam-packed chat, Evan and Lamees talk about tech and AI, and how they're shaping the eCommerce landscape – including using AI to your advantage to get more customers, build a better customer relationship, and make them fall in love with your brand.
Plus... the golden ticket for brands right now (to get more ROI from products) AND how the biggest D2C brands boost their community engagement.
Based out of London, Lamees is a role model for women in tech; having honed her craft at Salesforce, Zoovu and Mercedes-Benz.
Lamees has more than a decade’s worth of experience in managing global partnerships and helping businesses thrive, with a focus on tech, eCommerce, and entrepreneurship.
Impressive CV aside, Lamees is passionate about improving the buyer experience and efficiently reducing employee workloads
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Lamees on LinkedIn.
With nearly 2 decades of growing 8 and 9-figure businesses, Monica Sharma-Patnekar knows a thing or two about connecting with customers.
A business coach who also knows how to cherish the important things in life, Monica has worked with Fortune500 companies across brand management, strategy consulting & global marketing. She was hired by Google to coach their premium partners, and runs Business With Monica – a specialised coaching and mentoring service for business owners and entrepreneurs.
A creative thinker, a dancer, and a mum of 2, Monica's expertise lies in KNOWING your customer and building a BRAND that INSPIRES people CONNECT with.
In this jam-packed chat, Evan and Monica talk about the biggest common challenges facing brands in 2023; how to create a lifestyle, not just a product; and the biggest opportunities moving forward. Not afraid to get vulnerable, Monica also talks about the important learnings from a separate business venture that didn't quite work out.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Monica on LinkedIn.
With 15+ years, 3,000+ projects, and hundreds of clients under his belt, Mark knows what it takes to build a brand.
Joining Evan and Ben is Mark Drager, Founder of Phanta Media, Spartan Race runner, and host of the We Do Hard Things podcast.
Together, the team chat about:
- Using "Loss Leaders" to build a brand
- Personal brands vs corporate brands - what's the difference?
- Why perception is truth (or is it?)
- Is branding just smoke and mirrors?
- What is experiential branding?
- Mark’s biggest mistakes scaling an agency
- The “Zone of Mastery”
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan, Mark or Ben on LinkedIn.
It doesn’t matter how good your ads are, or how good your product is. If your website is slow and painful, your customers will make a beeline for your competitors.
Tiny changes compound. Today, the boys deliver a special episode FULL of actionable changes you can implement for your business right now.
A 1% increase in CRO can be $1000s of dollars in new customers.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Ben on LinkedIn.
Go back and listen to Ben and Evan’s last chat about Supercharging Word of Mouth
[Interested in Hey Bud? Go back and listen to Episode #17 with Hey Bud Skincare co-founders Ollie and Alex, who went from 0 to $10 million in less than 3 years.]
"The Real Sofa King", serial entrepreneur Edgar Blazona has a no-BS take on building brands — it's all about HUSTLE, social engineering, and providing the BEST service possible.
After working at Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, he saw customers waiting MONTHS for sofas. So he went away, harnessed his entrepreneurial mind, and solved this problem in 2015 when he launched BenchMade Modern — a way to create custom hand-crafted furniture in DAYS - not months. He also previously founded Modular Dwellings and TrueModern (and has attended Burning Man 23+ times).
In this jam-packed chat, the boys talk about how to sell sensory products online (without touch and feel), how to run such a cash-intensive business, and some of the biggest lessons from over 25 years in the industry. You won't want to miss this one.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Edgar on LinkedIn.
💬 "And that’s how you turn a mediocre customer into a diehard fan for life" 💬
Today Evan Bryce is joined by Growth Marketer, Ben Gogos. As part of the Hey Bud Skincare team — Australia's #1 Hemp Skincare Brand — Ben is always on the nose of trends and growth tactics.
In this jam-packed chat, the boys talk about NPS scores, how to improve customer service, clever feedback tactics, how to quantify the customer experience, red flags that businesses should avoid, and how to minimise distractions with Deep Work.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Ben on LinkedIn.
Go back and listen to Ben and Evan’s last chat about Supercharging Word of Mouth
[Interested in Hey Bud? Go back and listen to Episode #17 with Hey Bud Skincare co-founders Ollie and Alex, who went from 0 to $10 million in less than 3 years.]
🚨 Don't sleep on high-end production 🚨
(Listen to episode #29 - part 1 - first)
Evan is joined once again by Matt, creative agency CEO and founder), Matt Gattozzi!
Together, the boys dig into themes like:
- How to THINK about content
- Pretty ads VS Ugly Ads
- Why you should invest in high-end production
- Is photography DEAD?
- Using content on your Shipping page
- Learning and working philosophies
- "Don’t work like a cow, work like a lion"
Love what you're hearing? Join the chat!
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Connect with Matt on LinkedIn
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Follow Matt on Twitter (where you'll find his newsletter Your Content Should Sell)
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Connect with Evan on LinkedIn
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Follow Evan on Twitter
🚨 And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode🚨
TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Google, UGC – what's working? What's not? Should I run "pretty ads" or "ugly ads"? Is UGC untrustworthy? 😱 Will TikTok be banned? And how can content build community?
Today Evan is joined by fellow content enthusiast and creative agency founder (and super nice guy), Matt Gattozzi!
Together, the boys explore themes like:
- Why long-form content is key
- Why TikTok could be BANNED
- Is UGC Oversaturated?
- CAC vs. LTV - what's more important?
- What’s the difference between customer and community?
- Why every brand should GO LIVE
- Using Patreon for ecommerce to boost lifetime customer value!
Love what you're hearing? Join the chat!
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn
Follow Matt on Twitter (where you'll find his newsletter Your Content Should Sell)
Connect with Evan on LinkedIn
Follow Evan on Twitter
And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode
"If it doesn’t make them smile, don’t send it."(Founder of Parrot, former Lead Software Engineer at MailChimp and Vice President at BlackRock, Osa Gaius joins Evan on the show to dive into SMS marketing, ecommerce growth, learning philosophies, and more!
After working with literally thousands of brands at Mailchimp, discovering everything about email marketing, Osa launched parrot to make SMS marketing mainstream and simple.
Today, the boys dive into:
- Optimising your marketing for mobile.
- Using SMS and texting to increase AOV, retain customers longer and boost your conversion rates per transaction.
- Easy ways to implement SMS in your strategies.
- How to stand out – branding, a feeling, an experience.
- How to ethically capture phone numbers.
- Time management and discipline.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Evan or Osa on LinkedIn (and send a message when you connect), or follow Evan on Twitter.
Book recommendations:
The Everything Store - Brad Stone
The Goal - Eliyahu M. Goldratt
Sapiens - Yuval Harari
💬 There is only ONE thing you need when making less than $35k monthly revenue... 💬 Today Evan Bryce is joined by Strategy Sprints CEO, Ted Talk Speaker, and expert in marketing, leadership, and growth hacking, Simon Severino.
- Want to know how to automate your entire business? Then FIRE yourself from operations.
- Want to find the right thing to do, and, more importantly, how do we do it the right way?
- Want to understand the difference betweeen Concept Fit and Market Fit?
- And want to protect your business through a recession?
Then listen and take notes 💪.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Simon on LinkedIn.
Footnotes:
Strategy Sprints — https://www.strategysprints.com/
💬 If you’re not doing this in 2022, you’re not being competitive 💬 Today Evan Bryce is joined by Growth Marketer, Ben Gogos. As part of the Hey Bud Skincare team — Australia's #1 Hemp Skincare Brand — Ben is always on the nose of trends and growth tactics. In this jam-packed chat, the boys talk about quantifying branding, creating "WOW" moments, supercharging word of mouth, the Ecom World conference, and implementing the inversion lifehack.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Ben on LinkedIn.
[Go back and listen to Episode #17 with Hey Bud Skincare co-founders Ollie and Alex, who went from 0 to $10 million in less than 3 years.]
Back by popular demand, Jai Howitt (Founder of Brand Boostr, Co-Founder of NTL) joins Evan on the show to dive into TikTok, ecommerce growth, and the power of building positive habits.
Last year we spoke with Jai after he generated over $40 million in sales for brands through performance-focused creatives. Since then, TikTok has taken the world by storm, and he's been at the forefront of capitalising on the mega-trend, achieving millions of views and finding the winning formulas for scaling brands.
Today, the boys dive into:
- How to use TikTok to grow brands.
- Simple, actionable techniques to accelerate your TikTok growth.
- Biggest lessons from the first year as an ecommerce brand founder.
- The 50-day challenge.
- The importance of building good habits (and where to start)
-> Missed the chat last year? Listen to Jai's last episode here(tinyurl.com/MegaMinds-Jai-Howitt-1)
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Evan or Jai on LinkedIn.
Evan is joined by William Varney, Head of SEO at Megaphone (Australia's #1 Digital Marketing Agency). As a former coding and web design expert, Will has a unique understanding of what it takes to grow a website's online footprint, and he shares plenty of actionable tips throughout this chat.
The boys explore strategies to cleverly harness SEO to grow your brand; take a step back and share why you need SEO in the first place, and unpack the most common mistakes people make when building their brand's online presence.
We also unpack topics like:— The 80-20 rule with respect to SEO
— Keys to a successful SEO strategy
— Black Hat SEO, and why it won't work anymore
— SEO misinformation and misconceptions
— Clickbait: Does it actually work, or is it a short-term solution?
— Will's approach to learning.
Enjoying the content? Then, please, share the episode on your LinkedIn and send it to the one person who you think could really benefit from hearing about SEO!
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Will on LinkedIn.
"Features are gonna tell, benefits are gonna sell."
As the CEO of Rush, Kiril Kirolov has helped hundreds of e-commerce merchants and agencies increase their AOV (average order value) & CLTV (Customer lifetime value). In this insight-packed show, your host Evan Bryce sits down with Kiril to uncover his secrets to success, unpacking topics like:
- — How to get 8x more opens and clicks with email
- — How to structure an email flow
- — How to nail your customer service
- — Tactics to improve revenue
- — What belongs in a shipping confirmation email
- — How to approach strategic partnerships & networking
... and plenty of chat about life and learning too. Kiril discusses how time management and delegation are crucial, how he uses the Pareto principle in life, and why patience is key but not patience at all costs.
Enjoying the content? Share this episode on your LinkedIn or Instagram Story and send it to that one person who will benefit most from a listen.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Kiril on LinkedIn.
Show notes & Links:
MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community)
Evan's LinkedIn
“TikTok has completely changed the way that content is made and delivered at scale. If you do not adapt, you get left behind.” — Arjun Shukla, CEO Megaphone USA
—— TIKTOK Special! ——
In today’s show, Arjun Shukla is back to chat with Evan Bryce about the social media platform that’s reinventing how we create and consume ads: TikTok.
In this insight-packed show, the boys discuss how to capitalise on this surging new platform in order to build your brand, presenting the 7 surprising common denominators among Tiktok's top ads.
Revealing industry insights and recent learnings, they also unpack topics like:
- — Converting luxury brands into the low-budget TikTok world
- — A recap of 2021’s biggest content and marketing learnings
- — Why TikTok hates products but loves peoples reactions to projects
- — Tactics to improve the bottom line of e-com brands
- — Cost-effective ways to produce ads at scale
Enjoying the content? Show your love by sharing the show on your LinkedIn and send it to that one person who will benefit most from a listen.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Arjun on LinkedIn.
Show notes & Links:
MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community).
Evan's LinkedIn
Arjun's LinkedIn
Did you know that 35% of Amazon’s revenue comes from cross-selling and upselling?
Ruslan Leteyski is an upsell mastermind, with experience increasing the bottom line of thousands of e-commerce brands. On one hand, his Shopify apps have helped him glean data from an exhaustive list of DTC companies. On the other hand, he's built his own successful 8-figure business while maintaining a 50% profit margin.
In this insight-packed show, Evan Bryce is joined by Ruslan, Founder and CEO of Vanga AI and Checkout X (former top-3 Most Downloaded Shopify App).
Over the episode, we discuss the crucial importance of incorporating upsells, and unpack fascinating topics like:
— Ecommerce trends from the perspective of a Shopify app developer
— How to differentiate from competitors
— Tips to build relationships with your audience
— Three important keys to business success
— Managing your psyche and overcoming personal challenges
— Hiring, management and personal development philosophies
Enjoying the content? Share the show on your LinkedIn.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Ruslan on LinkedIn.
Show notes & Links:MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community).
Ruslan's Twitter
Ruslan's LinkedIn
Evan's LinkedIn
Checkout X
Vanga AI
In this insight-packed show, Evan is joined by Alon Abraham, Founder of both TAG Direct (Melbourne-based marketing agency) and TheDailyRoutine.co (e-commerce brand).
Over the episode, we explore strategies to cleverly utilise organic social media content; dive into Alon's biggest learnings and challenges from working with dozens of diverse e-commerce brands; chat about his strong approach to hiring and workplace culture, and learn which two metrics he harnesses to catapult brand success.
We also unpack topics like:
— Manufacturing
— Validation of product-market fit
— Two key hiring metrics: performance and trust
— Autonomy, learning, and purpose
Enjoying the content? Then, please, share the show on your LinkedIn.
Want to join the discussion? Message Evan or Alon on LinkedIn.
Join us on our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community).
2021 Review Episode
Today we look back on the chaotic year that was 2021 and the treasure trove of learnings that came with it.
Evan sits down with Max Hertan, Megaphone Founder and Silvi co-founder, whose portfolio smashed $20 million in revenue, hiring close to 100 new people along the way in multiple cities.
In the episode we explore how he did it — we explore the changes in consumer psychology, the trends, recap the agency world and the e-commerce world, and dive into a fascinating chat about life, goals, motivation, and self-development.
Here's what to expect:
— Building a company: culture analytics, the need for data, importance of goal setting & strong leadership
— Building a brand: inventory planning; fundraising; and offer-market fit
— Life's learnings: dealing with identity, self-awareness, and time prioritization
Enjoying the show? Message Evan and Max on LinkedIn and let us know - we'd love to hear it.
Join the discussion on our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community).
Today we're joined by Hannah Gossack — Megaphone USA's Head of Business Development who, unlike most e-commerce geniuses, boasts a unique insight into two very different types of business growth: big-box retail and rapidly-scaling e-commerce.
After working with the likes of Hershey Co and Wholefoods, and then transitioning to a role where she's helped develop dozens of e-commerce brands, Hannah shares her take on:
- What moves the needle when you're looking to transition from old-school to new school -
- Marketing lessons learned from working with America's big brands -
- Fast-tracking and bootstrapping e-commerce due to Covid -
- Where to (and where not to) focus attention to grow your brand -
- How e-commerce brands can learn from retail's mistakes -
- The biggest differences between big brands and start-ups -
- How to quantify and track data in traditional forms of marketing -
- Why malleability is vital -
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message HannahorEvan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
After rocketing to $10 million in sales less than 3 years, today Evan Bryce is joined by Ollie Watts and Alex Roslaniec, two of the three masterminds behind Hey Bud Skincare — a wildly popular Australian hemp-based skincare brand.
In this episode, we find out how Hey Bud made their first $100,000, the key moments that helped scale the business, their philosophy and hiring principles; and their approach to manufacturing, product development and creative testing.
Boasting enormous learning on their journey to 100,000+ customers, the boys explore:
- The first $100k story —
- “Tripling-down” on one particular new platform —
- Deliberate expansion from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar —
- Approach to raising money —
- Process & validation when launching new products —
- The importance of both education and community —
- Ollie’s steadfast 25% COGS ratio —
- Essential manufacturing guidelines (dos and don’ts) —
- Tips for a three-founder dynamic —
Software mentioned:
— OneClick Upsell —
— Taboola —
— LinkBy —
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also messageOllie, Alex, Evan and Max on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
Ask any of the employees who work with him and they'll yell it from the rooftops: the workplace culture Arjun has created is nothing short of astounding.
Talking all things culture, Evan is joined again by Arjun Shukla, CEO of Megaphone USA whose value-led leadership style has seen him develop a team that has become the marketing industry's most enviable workplace.
Using strong philosophies as a springboard, Jun dives into:
- How to hire the right people —
- Challenging employees to unleash their greatest potential —
- The "fix fix fix" mentality —
- Importance of strong fundamentals —
- Testing candidates' personalities pre-hiring —
- Finding people who can enhance culture, not just fit in —
- Never wavering from your mission and values, even if it means losing income —
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We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Arjunand Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
A value-packed episode full of vulnerable learnings (successes, failures, regrets and reflections), Evan and Max unpack Megaphone's dramatic rise from start-up to multi-million-dollar superstar.
The boys focus on actionable techniques that move the needle, and discuss how to develop the right mindset and assess priorities as you grow. First and foremost, however, they explain how to position yourself for continuous growth from day one with strong fundamentals.
Here's what to expect:
— Biggest learnings, challenges, failures and regrets along the way
— The different stages of marketing your own business
— Expanding your product/service range (and when to know you're ready)
— Developing robust business models
— Deep dives into every business stage (start-up, rapid growth, industry leader)
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you! We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn.
Today, Evan is joined by Arjun Shukla, CEO of Megaphone USA whose fascinating journey has seen him oversee dozens and dozens of Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns and glean a truckload of invaluable insights as a result.
As we approach the most crucial time of the year, knowing where to focus our attention and how to maximise the hype is paramount to success. With that in mind, today’s discussion tackles themes like:
- Turning one-off customers into returning purchasers —
- Umbrella key dos and dont’s of BF/CM —
- Boosting Average Order Value (AOV) —
- Focusing on offer design and the sales message —
- Overcoming creative fatigue —
- Standing out from the crowd —
- The power of a thank-you note —
- The future of social media —
- Current marketing trends —
Software mentioned:
Bitclout, Unicorn Ads, Ads Library, Telegram
Jun’s favorite book:
Lessons of History by Ariel Durant and Will Durant)
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We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Arjunand Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
The key to a good scroll-stopper? "Bright, condensed, colourful, a bit of movement, product in first frame, contrast, human element." — Jai Howitt, Brand Boostr.
Having produced 1500+ video ads for e-commerce brands, generating over $40 million in sales in the last year alone, Jai Howitt is a wizard when it comes to crafting creatives that convert. Through his growth agency, Brand Boostr, he's helped to scale brands by developing data-backed strategies, focusing on fundamental conversion principles, and testing like crazy.
Full of gold from Jai (and Max and Evan), the conversation dives into:
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The changing landscape of video creatives
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How to stay up to date with trends
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Differentiating yourself with UGC in a saturated market
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Hooks, scroll-stroppers and sparking curiosity
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Key metrics for successful campaigns
Software mentioned: Adobe Creative Suite
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max, Jaiand Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
"It’s better to do it, learn, fail and try again, that to not do it."
Max Hertan and Ben Goodman have taken Silvi to 7 figures in revenue in a matter of months — expanding distribution channels, product range, and team along the way. Today, the co-founders reflect on their journey to date. They unpack the ups and the downs, the secrets to success, and the tactics that helped facilitate rapid growth.
Full of actionable insights, the conversation explores concepts like:
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Major tactics missed by most e-commerce owners
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Idea validation and focusing on the 80/20
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The three crucial learnings in growing to 8+ figures
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Importance of finding what works without reinventing the wheel
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Importance of delegation
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Developing linear growth patterns
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Finding the right business partner
Software mentioned:BigSpy, Charm.io
Books mentioned:
- $100 million offers - Alex Hormozi
- Great Leads - Michael Masterson
- Ready Fire Aim - Michael Masterson
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max, Benand Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
Following up last episode's deep dive into the wacky and wonderful world of life hacks with efficiency master, Max Hertan, today's discussion explores efficiency in the context of the workplace. How can you optimise your routine? How can you achieve more in your work day and crush your to-do list? What can be delegated and automated, and where should you hone your attention?
Drawing knowledge from the journey of growing Megaphone and Silvi, Max and Evan unpack intriguing themes like:
— The most efficient way to test creatives at scale
— The importance of putting strong processes in place (and when not to)
— Efficient hiring practices (but why you shouldn't rush)
— Focusing on things to do now that will save time in the future
— Why delegation is critical, and how to do so effectively
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
A self-proclaimed efficiency master, Max Hertan only eats 2-minute meals, cuts his own hair, can learn any skill in a month, and follows a 14-criteria self-reflection spreadsheet.
In today's fun-filled discussion, Evan quizzes Max about his fascinating journey of optimising his day-to-day efficiency — from sleeping to eating, crushing distractions, and everything in between.
Full of learning from trying every trick in the book to hack his life and his time, Max dives into intriguing themes like:
— Trying to 80/20 everything in life
— Developing highly action-orientated routines
— What to avoid; rather than what to add in
— Leading the healthiest possible life
— The #1 actionable when chasing efficiency: According to Max, it’s the conscious removal of stimulants that are toxic to your brain.
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
*Resources mentioned:*
— Try Now (Shopify)
"Move to a 3PL as fast as possible." - Max Hertan
Today in the Megaphone studio, Max and Evan explore the behind-the-scenes world of shipping, unpacking the options, processes, and research needed to best optimise your delivery experience.
Leveraging Max's first-hand experience with rapidly scaling e-commerce brand, Silvi, plus years of overseeing clients' good and bad shipping habits as Megaphone's Director, the boys get stuck into topics like:
— When to use a 3rd Party Logistics (3PL) company VS. When to run shipping in-house
— Streamlining shipping processes with 3PLs (& how to choose the right one)
— Creating the optimal customer experience
— How much shipping should cost relative to the product?
— The right and wrong circumstances to offer FREE shipping.
— Opening local, interstate and international distribution centres
— Testing and validating new markets before committing to international distribution.
*Resources mentioned:*
— Black Cart, Return Magic (for refunds), Gem Pages
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
"Worry more about quality, less about margins." — Max Hertan
In today's deep dive with Max and Evan, this episode explores the world of manufacturing, noting what to look for — as well as what to avoid — in order to give your business the greatest chance of long-term success.
Having dealt first-hand with 20+ manufacturers, Max talks about:
— The red flags and dealbreakers of prospective manufacturers
— What to do BEFORE approaching any manufacturer
— Debt and financing; when, how, and how much?
— What to negotiate, and what NOT to negotiate
— Why Max chose to AVOID Alibaba
— Intellectual property
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
*Resources mentioned:*
— Clearbanc, WayFlyer
"We push as hard as we can to get as much content as possible from influencers" — Ed Hodge
MiHigh - Australia's #1 infrared sauna blanket - reached $1 million in revenue in 4 months, continuing to rapidly expand ever since. So, how'd they do it?
In this jam-packed episode, Megaphone Director Max Hertan sits down with MiHigh Co-founder, Ed Hodge. Ed explains how MiHigh leveraged a pre-sale campaign to guarantee success, discusses the advantages of launching with a single-SKU store, shares some of his complex criteria for finding a successful product, and truckloads more.
Full of actionable value, the boys talk about:
— Dealing with a high AOV of $700
— Using the 80/20 method in business processes
— Creative testing on FB as the main driver of sales
— Influencer qualification processes
— Going international from the outset
— Omnichannel marketing to build credibility
HELPFUL TOOLS MENTIONED:
— Grin (influencer marketing for e-commerce)
— Borderless (3PL)
— Influee
— Common Thread Collective (Twitter)
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Keen to join the discussion? Join our Facebook community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to hear from you! You can also message Max Hertan and Ed Hodge on Instagram.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphone for a free strategy session.
What's the most important aspect of any business? People.
In the Megaphone studio with Max and Evan, this episode dives into the essential - yet often overlooked - world of hiring. Max has run nearly 500 interviews for both Megaphone and Silvi in his time, with a wealth of knowledge about finding the right (and avoiding the wrong) people to help grow your business.
We dive into areas like who to hire, how to hire, and when to hire; the importance of culture and personality; outsourcing VS in-house roles; salary expectations; training; candidates' red flags and green flags; management structure; interview tips; common hiring mistakes and so much more.
Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: "MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community)". You can also message Max (Maxwell Hertan) and Evan (Evan Bryce) on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphone for a free strategy session (megaphonemarketing.com.au).
*Resources mentioned:*
— Glassdoor, FreeeUp
“The fight is in people’s News Feeds. That’s where you need to attract awareness.” — Marc Abrahams
In this fascinating discussion, award-winning entrepreneur Max Hertan sits down with Erstwilder Owner, Managing Director and Creative Director, Marc Abrahams, unpacking the business' unmatched ability to grow by leveraging its community.
Marc explains why Erstwilder's mission is critical in every decision, dives into the transition from wholesale to DTC, and shares secrets about continuous customer engagement (including during COVID and post-purchase).
Here's what to expect:
— How to “launch a product and have stock in customers' hands the next day”
— Creating content programs focused on entertainment
— Why we should use a "Rewards Club"
— Successful product diversification
— Marc's preferred marketing channels: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok
— How Erst Wilder gets a 2X return on TOTF (top of the funnel) campaigns
HELPFUL TOOLS MENTIONED:
— Later for social media scheduling
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Keen to join the discussion? Join our Facebook community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to hear from you! You can also message Max Hertan and Marc Abrahamson LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphone for a free strategy session.
"The company that makes the most amount of intelligent tests wins." ...
In the Megaphone studio with Max and Evan, this episode dives into the wild world of creative testing, unpacking the processes, tactics, research, and analytics needed to test your creative ads.
The jam-packed discussion, leveraging both Max's expertise and Evan's knowledge in the creative field, dives into a range of important topics such as:
— What kind of creatives can you test? (Videos, GIFs, images, headlines, landing pages, copy, etc.)
— On the flip side, what's NOT worth the time to test?
— What is "intelligent testing", and how to build a framework around it.
— The key metrics to look out for when running A/B tests.
— The research and analytics associated with intelligent tests.
— The value of building an "Asset Library" or "Creative Bank".
— The importance of video.
The bottom line? Ultimately, if you want to scale your Facebook ads, you need to test and keep testing. As Max puts it, "It's not just volume of tests, it's the volume of intelligent tests."
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you! We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn.
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
*Resources mentioned:*
— BigSpy, Adspy, AdBox, Charm.io
In the Megaphone studio with Max and Evan, this episode dives into the processes and priorities we should consider when thinking about product development, whether it's your first or fifth product to market.
After witnessing hundreds of Megaphone clients source new products (the good and the bad), and then developing his own 7-figure e-com brand with Silvi, Max is teeming with wisdom in this space. Today, he shares this wisdom and experience, shedding light on how to not only find a winning product but how to scale it too...
With plenty of gold to unpack, here's what to expect:
* Product validation: How can you tell that your idea is a good one WITHOUT committing to thousands of dollars worth of inventory?
* Finding areas of excitement, demand, and trending topics
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How to cleverly source and manufacture products
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Consideration of COGS (Cost of Goods Sold)
* Capitalising on community: using VIP FB groups and forums as focus groups
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The balance between vision alignment VS adapting to unforeseen customer demand
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Brand Vs performance — what's more important?
Mentioned tools, software and resources:
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Import Yeti (reverse-searches manufactures based on product)
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Headless Shopify
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Books: "Billion Dollar Brand Club" - Lawrence Ingrassia; Six Pillars of Self Esteem - Nathaniel Branden; Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
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Podcasts: Noah Kagan, Masters of Scale, Finding Founders, Ecommerce Playbook, 2X E-commerce Podcast, Sugatan, Built To Scale
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you! You can also message Max and Evan on LinkedIn!
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphone for a free strategy session.
“Is this a product people want? Is this a product people need? Or is this a product that qualifies as both?” — Richard Li.
In this intriguing chat, our own Max Hertan sits down with entrepreneurial genius and friend Richard Li to dissect Rich's path to success with TWO direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies: July(luggage) and Brosa (DTC furniture).
Rich grew July from $0 to $5 million in revenue in just 1 year; offers customers a 100-day trial and lifetime warranty, and ALWAYS meets his manufacturers in person.
Focusing on Rich's most profound DTC business learnings to date, here's what to expect:
— A brief chat about Rich’s story — coming to Australia; love of earning money, and learning from relationships with names like Groupon & eBay
— Unpacking business principles & company culture
— The right time to raise capital
— How to source the best products
— The keys to negotiating with manufacturers
— Why Rich still packs his own orders (occasionally)
— Prototyping and designing
— Working with PR agencies
— The battle of Brand VS performance
— Lowering Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) via unpaid marketing channels
— Keeping travel-focused audiences engaged and staying relevant during COVID19
We hope you enjoy the conversation! Keen to join the discussion? Join our Facebook community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to hear from you! Feel free to connect with Max or Rich on LinkedIn too
Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
In the Megaphone studio with Max and Evan, this episode dives into the thought processes, tactics, and research needed to not only find a product-market fit, but to continue growing your business after it's hit the ground running — positioning yourself to smash those goals of reaching $1 million+ in monthly revenue.
Focusing on the keys to business success, here's what to expect:
- The telltale signs of success — or, on the flip side, failure
* Tangible, actionable, and easy shortcuts to success
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Why Max suggests to not stress about brand at the outset
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Key metrics to focus on
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The number of companies you should research before running ads (hint: it's more than you think)?
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In-house marketing VS. outsourcing to an agency
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Factors to position yourself for rapid growth before starting out: product-market fit; competitor research; keyword analysis; trends, and research
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The importance of community
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What to do about competitors entering the landscape
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The most important thing to consider when building a website
With years of experience running a top-tier marketing agency, Max has recently put his skills, learnings, and money where his mouth is by co-founding his own rapidly-growing e-commerce business — reaching 350k in 6 weeks — and he brings plenty of first-hand knowledge to this fascinating discussion.
Want to join the discussion? Join our Facebook Community: MegaMinds (E-commerce growth community). We'd love to chat with you!Thinking about getting some advice on how to scale your business? Get in touch with Megaphonefor a free strategy session.
Welcome to MegaMinds!
In this short and sharp 8-minute chat, Max (Director and Founder of Megaphone Marketing; Co-Founder of Silvi, and multiple-award-winning entrepreneur) and Evan (Megaphone's Content Creator and MegaMinds producer) dive into the reasons behind kickstarting the tell-all MegaMinds podcast.
Max, a Melbourne Young Entrepreneur Winner, shares a little bit about his entrepreneurial background; Evan discusses the aim to provide tangible and actionable advice to help business owners achieve growth and success, and the boys list off some of the exciting topics that will be explored over the course of the show: e-mail marketing, growth hacking, product development, manufacturing, marketing tips, ad structure, creative testing, and so much more.
If you're interested in growing your business or simply upskilling in any business, marketing, or e-commerce areas, join the discussion in the MegaMinds Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/megamindspodcast