Merch Minds Podcast: Recent Episodes
Glen Zubia, Yong Jae Chong
The Merch Minds Podcast is hosted by Glen and Yong. The podcast is all about the Merch by Amazon business and the print on demand industry.
This week I had the opportunity to talk to the lovely and talented Ashten White. She is a singer who recently got into Merch by Amazon. She shares her journey into POD and how she is trying to scale her account.
She talks about how she designed a shirt for herself and was then approached by her friends to make them one. If you want to see her shirt, the link is below. Buy one for yourself, and let's make this shirt go viral.
Titty Tee
https://amzn.to/3EOz8L8
Instagram
@ashtenwhite
This week I got a chance to talk with Ryan Hogue. Ryan has a very successful YouTube channel where he has been documenting his POD journey. Regardless of whether you like him or not, he's been making an impact in the POD community.
Ryan talks a lot about his automation process. While he's a one-person operation, he does have tools to help him scale his account. Make sure and subscribe to his channel below.
https://www.youtube.com/c/RyanHoguePassiveIncome/videos
https://bit.ly/PODSunsets
Glen Zubia makes his return to the Merch Minds Podcast. After answering why Glen stopped doing Merch by Amazon to a few listeners, I invited him back on the show. Glen and I had a blast catching up and talking POD.
Make sure and subscribe to his channel if you're looking for other ways to make money. Glen has made a career of reselling sneakers for a profit. The link to his channel is below.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ0-Bx2Vt3xGAPC8oCze2g
As a small business owner and being involved POD, this will be the most important episode. Dave Cadoff joins me this week to discuss trademarks. If you don't take trademarks seriously, it can get you banned from Amazon and other platforms.
Dave shares a lot of information, so please pay close attention. If you want to get involved, then make sure and join the Trademark Watchdogs Facebook group. The link is below.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/461932877541687
Kelli Roberts, a long time friend of the Merch Minds Podcast, returns to catch us up in her POD journey. Kelli is no longer publishing low-content and no-content books on KDP. As many of you know, Kelli was my mentor when it came to KDP Publishing.
Kelli discusses why she is no longer publishing on KDP and primarily focused on Merch by Amazon. She discusses her strategies and what she is expecting for Q4 this year. Make sure and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/c/KelliPublish
Dean and Courtney Jayroe return and talk about their own printing business. They were initially on the show back in 2018 on episode 108. A lot has changed for them since they were originally on the show.
They have scaled their business and purchased a second DTG printer. They also have employees now, so they could focus more on running their business instead of printing shirts. If you would like to contact them, their website is listed below.
https://teeduel.com/
This week I talk to Jeff Davidson from San Diego, CA. Like many of us, Jeff started his side hustle career in reselling and then got into print-on-demand. Jeff is on various platforms such as Merch by Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
Jeff also does a lot of woodwork where he creates custom pieces for his customers. He also does vinyl and 3-D printing. The one important lesson we can learn from my interview with Jeff is that we can all benefit from multiple income streams.
This week I had Hella Bella on the show, and we had a long conversation about anything and everything. At the age of 26, she has accomplished more than people her age. She's an entrepreneur, homeowner and has a popular YouTube channel.
Bella documents her journey on Merch by Amazon and is very transparent about her journey. Like myself, she openly shares her numbers and doesn't sugarcoat anything. Make sure and subscribe to her YouTube channel and follow her journey as she becomes a Merch by Amazon rock star.
Hella Bella YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BellaStayFly
Hella Bella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellastayfly/
This week I talk with Myrna Gomez. Myrna is a great ambassador for Merch by Amazon in the Hispanic community. She runs a very successful Facebook group and has a YouTube channel for Spanish speakers interested in print on demand.
We talk about how she leverages her culture to make designs for the Hispanic community. Myrna understands the importance of her heritage and manages to make positive designs. Make sure and subscribe to her YouTube channel to show her support.
Merch by Amazon and Print on Demand in Spanish (Facebook Group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/154974618390311
KDP in Spanish (Facebook Group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/182894192583009
Myrna Gomez YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/MyrnaGomez/featured
Love him or hate him, Filthy Phil is making more money than most of us on Merch by Amazon. Having been on Amazon for four years at the time of recording this episode he's now making an average of $15k per month. That's more than what most of us make at our day jobs.
Filthy Phil shares his story on how he got started and how he was able to scale his account. He was able to teach himself design and Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. From there he never looked back and is now sitting pretty at the 200,000 tier and continues his hustle.
Make sure and check out his YouTube channel.
https://bit.ly/37Lv3ZM
I was introduced to Eric Patrick Thomas last year. Unfortunately, we never recorded his episode due to COVID-19 and the issues I was dealing with in my personal life. Today I had the privilege of talking to Eric and this might be the most inspirational episode to date.
In 1997, Eric suffered a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the neck down. While most people in his situation might have made excuses Eric decided to make the best of his situation and thrive. He now runs a successful apparel brand and design business. Get "Inspired" by Eric Patrick Thomas.
Personal:
https://twitter.com/ericpthomas
https://www.facebook.com/ericpatrickthomas
https://www.instagram.com/ericpatrickthomas/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2zRwUnVJ2jj5uiSAhSz_GQ/featured?view_as=public
inspire brand: #inspire #inspireFriday #alctw
https://linktr.ee/inspireshirt1
https://twitter.com/inspireshirt
https://www.instagram.com/inspireshirt1/
https://www.facebook.com/inspireshirt
www.inspireshirt.com
http://inspireetsy.com/
https://www.amazon.com/inspireshirt
EZ Awareness by Design: #withoutawarenessyourinvisible
https://www.instagram.com/ezawareness/
https://ezawareness.com/
https://twitter.com/ezawareness
https://www.facebook.com/ezawarenessbydesign/
Hello, all you cool cats and kittens! What a year it has been since my very last episode. A lot has happened since then, and there have been some significant changes on Merch. So I invited my good friend Ken Reil to come and talk Merch with me on my return episode.
I apologize in advance for the quality of the audio. I'll be honest with you. It's been so long that I almost forgot how to record my very own show. I promise that it will get better. In the meantime, ignore the clicking sound and enjoy my conversation with Ken Reil.
In this episode, I talk about the hardest working man I've ever known. Rest in peace, abeoji.
I read your emails and messages, and in this episode, I talk about why I haven't been putting out much content. I am going through some changes in my personal life, which I reveal in this episode. Listen to this episode, and you will understand why there hasn't been much content from me.
I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. I am still under quarantine and going through some changes in my personal life. Everything is fine, and I'm making some changes which I will explain in the near future.
In this episode, I interview Nancy Badillo. She has a popular YouTube channel and makes a full-time living selling digital products on Etsy. I know this podcast is about print-on-demand, and technically digital products are print-on-demand products. Listen to the episode, and Nancy explains more.
The two best POD platforms are behind on production, and many of us suffered the past few months. Now is the time to rethink our strategy and diversify our income streams. Learn more about Nancy's new course in this episode. I am not an affiliate for her course.
https://art-printable-course.teachable.com/
In the last episode, my good friend Greg Johnson and I talked about the importance of having different income streams. We're literally in a recession, and a lot of people are out of jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, don't let that stop you from providing for your family.
I wanted to hold myself accountable and decided to sign up for Postmates, which is a food and grocery delivery service. Just a couple of days ago, I started my career as a food and grocery courier. In this episode, I recap my first experience as a driver for Postmates and how much I made.
RJ Martinez joined me as we talk about diverse income streams and being a courier for various food delivery services. Also, it's great entertainment while most of us are in quarantine. Finally, if you want to sign up for Postmates, make sure and use my promo code. From my understanding, we both get a signup bonus if you use it.
Postmates
https://pmfleet.app.link/5qFgJuRFq5
These are uncertain and confusing times since the COVID-19 virus became a global pandemic. We went from a stable economy to be in a recession overnight. With a few states being under the place in shelter order, many businesses are closes, and more states will follow.
In this episode, I invited Greg Johnson back to the podcast. He is a small business owner who is also suffering, just like most Americans. However, over the years, he created multiple income streams for himself and have that extra cushion to support him and his family.
Greg recently created a free Facebook group called Extra Income Opportunities. It's a small group where he brings together like-minded individuals to brainstorm and talk about how to make money on the side. Many of us might be out of jobs, but there are other opportunities that we can take advantage of.
If you're one of the many Americans that need direction and encouragement, I highly recommend you join this group. You can learn a thing or two outside of print-on-demand and create various income streams for yourself. These are challenging times, but with support, we can make the best of it.
Extra Income Opportunities
https://www.facebook.com/groups/211846800171433/219500686072711/
I heard you loud and clear. I've read your messages and emails. You have been asking when I was going to come back, blaring into your earbuds. Well, here I am with another episode of the Merch Minds Podcast.
I initially met Joseph Gallegos back in 2017. He was getting his feet wet with Merch by Amazon, and his journey has paid off. He is now making a full-time income with Merch, and there is no turning back for him. He surpassed me and is looking to grow his account further.
So how did he do it? In this episode, I pick Joseph's brain and ask him for suggestions on how to get more sales. You will be surprised by his answers. In short, he owes everything to hard work.
This week Helen Kinson from Merch Money and I discuss how to start a podcast. It might seem complicated, but it's actually pretty easy. You can start a podcast for free or even on a very tight budget.
We discuss everything about what services we use, types of equipment, the questions we ask, and even about affiliate marketing. Anyone can do it, and Helen and I compare notes. Helen is so humble, but she is a force to reckon with as a content creator.
Also, this is your final chance to sign up for Pixel Pod Studio and its bonuses. We heard you loud and clear! We are now offering PowerPoint files with all our interiors. Because of this special announcement, we extended the signup date to 11:59 pm this Sunday, February 9, 2020.
While you can sign up anytime, the bonuses won't last long. Let's review what you're getting below.
- Ten ready to upload KDP interiors (PDF) including INDD, IDML, and now PowerPoint files
- 50 Transparent PNG custom line drawings
- Facebook group for support
- Weekly live calls
- InDesign tutorials on how to customize and resize interiors
- Keyword and listing optimization tutorials
The bonuses are:
- Ten additional ready to upload KDP interiors (PDF) including INDD files and IDML files (Total of 20 for signing up)
- 100 Transparent PNG custom line drawings (Total of 100 for signing up)
There are no long term contracts so you can cancel at any time. Again, the subscription is only $24.97 per month. Sign up today and separate you from the rest of the competition.
https://pixelpodstudio.podia.com/
Happy New Year! This episode is all about my latest venture. My good friends, Manny, RJ, and I decided to start offering KDP interiors for people in the low-content publishing business.
If you don't like being marketed to, I suggest that you don't listen to this episode. However, if you're interested in high-quality interiors for your low-content and no-content publishing business, please proceed. We're proud to announce the launch of Pixel Pod Studio.
So what is Pixel Pod Studio? I teamed up with my friend Manny who has a very successful design career both in corporate and freelance. We decided to team up and offer the KDP community interiors that have never been offered until now.
We're providing premium interiors that Manny and I are personally designing ourselves. Nothing is being outsourced. All interiors are designed in Adobe InDesign and not PowerPoint using premium fonts. In return, you get the highest quality interiors on the market.
Listen to the podcast and hear for yourself what you're getting.
- Ten ready to upload PDF interiors for KDP, including INDD and IDML files
- 50 transparent PNG custom line drawings
- Facebook group for support
- Tutorials on how to personalize and customize each interior using Adobe InDesign
- Keyword & Listing Optimization Tutorials
As a special bonus offer. If you get sign up before January 31, 2020, you will receive the following bonuses.
- Ten ready to upload PDF interiors for KDP, including INDD and IDML files
- 50 additional lined drawings
Sign up today before the bonuses are gone.
http://bit.ly/2NTM36x
This is the very last Merch Minds episode of 2020. Since I started the year with a Spanish co-host, it's only fitting that I end the year with a Spanish co-host. RJ Martinez joins me to recap some of the highlights and lowlights of 2020. Thank you everyone for your support, and I'll catch up with you next year.
Happy Holidays everyone! This week I speak with the very talented Juna Duncan at Detour Shirts. Juna comes to us from Salt Lake City, which is where the next Merch by Amazon Conference will be held. Juna also happens to run one of the most popular and active Instagram accounts for POD.
Juna also talks about the popular style of designs that are resonating with the youth. He talks about the unique Kawaii style of design that originated in Japan. The best way to describe the Kawaii style is that it has a lot of pastel colors, and everything is CUTE.
Make sure and follow Juna and Detour Shirts on IG. He breaks down his designs and shows how they can be made with just simple shapes. He also shares a variety of niches, so make sure and show him support on IG.
Detour Shirts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detourshirts/
Every episode is a special episode, but this episode is extra special. This week my father Ken Reil stops by, and we discuss licensing agreements and DesignerCon. We had the opportunity to attend DesignerCon in Anaheim a few weeks ago, and we recap our experience.
Ken also drops some valuable nuggets on how to succeed on Merch by Amazon. We're very fortunate that Ken has connections with the staff at Merch by Amazon, and he's always sharing what he can with the community. Ken drops some hints on what's coming in 2020.
I was always very vocal about how saturated the Merch by Amazon marketplace is. However, Ken reassured me that there is still money to be made. Let's all start making goals for 2020 and make sure to share your goals with us in the comments.
This week I talk to the talented artist and illustrator Jay Reed. Jay resides in Southern California, specifically in Orange County. He's been doing print on demand long before Merch by Amazon even existed.
Jay makes a full-time living doing print-on-demand and commission work. It's obvious that he knows what makes a good design and understands how to be successful. Jay shares on how he comes up with concepts and other strategies that we can all implement.
Check out Jay's work for yourself.
Website: https://artistjayreed.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jreedart
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistjayreed/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/artistjayreed
Michael Webster represents the struggle. He is your average guy with big goals. Like most of us, he's seeking financial freedom. He wants his wife to be able to retire and be able to support his five children.
How can you not support him? For Michael, it's not about him but more about his family. He talks about his journey into POD and as always he gives my audience a little surprise on how he makes money with local sales.
Make sure and support Michael and his podcast, the Strugglepreneur Podcast. He documents his journey and struggles as an entrepreneur. Let's encourage him to put out more episodes by subcribing!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strugglepreneur-podcast/id1463313952?ls=1
Duy Truong from Portland is starting a new venture with POD. He originally started Merch by Amazon back in early 2017. He's now starting a new journey into building his own brand and selling on his own platform.
Duy started Portland Squad to pay homage to the city he absolutely loves. Being born and raised in Portland he hopes the city can help with his new business venture. Portland Squad is a brand that all of us can relate to because he's building his business from the ground up. Follow Duy's journey and show him some love on IG.
Portland Squad
https://portlandsquad.com/
Portland Squad Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/portlandsquad/
It seems like it's been forever but finally, Glen and Yong are back. It's been two months since the last episode and we heard your voices. It's time to listen in and see what we have been up to. Make sure to listen to the very end to hear a special announcement.
Hi everyone! It's Yong here. I hope everyone is doing well. I sincerely apologize for the lack of content. This is just a quick update on why we have been absent but we promise to be back soon.
Merch is dead! That's why, for the past several weeks, I put my efforts back into rebuilding my Etsy store. And it's paid because in less than two months I'm already at $600 in sales with just a little over 400 products live.
This week Matt and RJ are back on the show. They are back to talk about their new 30-Day Etsy Challenge, which will motivate you to build your Etsy store. Joining them in the challenge is Dionne Baker and Jay De Souza, who are successful Etsy business owners.
There are many reasons to get started on Etsy. You get better margins and analytics that you don't get on Amazon. Not just that but you have more control. While Etsy still isn't our platform, it attracts the people who are willing to spend more money.
I'm excited about the challenge because as I stated earlier, I been scaling my Etsy store. I'm also enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with Matt, RJ, Dionne, and Jay. With their support, I'm looking to double my numbers by the end of October.
If you're interested in joining the challenge with I encourage you to use my affiliate link. Here's the great thing about purchasing the challenge through me. I will include the following bonuses for free:
- Typography Dissected Poster (PDF Version)
- Understanding Typography for Merch by Amazon eBook
- Understanding Typography for Etsy Workshop
The workshop will be presented after the challenge is over. I don't want to overwhelm everyone because a lot of information will already be presented to us. I will let you guys know the date soon.
You get all this for just $97! Who's onboard to take the challenge with me?
https://etsychallenge.com/etsy-challenge-funnelxqx9ndaf?affiliate_id=1939795
Greg Johnson is a successful entrepreneur. He's married and has six beautiful kids that he supports and raises. With that said, it was a matter of time before we got him on the show.
I'm not going to lie. I had a whole list of questions to ask in regards to Local Merch because that was something we both experimented with back when it was still new. However, the conversation completely took a left turn, and a whole new topic came up.
As entrepreneurs sometimes we need to be innovative and think outside the box. And that's exactly what Greg did. He took his best selling design on Merch by Amazon and had it printed on shirts through a local printer. He then sent them into Amazon to have them fulfilled through their FBA program.
Also, as mentioned in the podcast, we are trying to raise money for Dave Cadoff. He is having surgery later this week, and his colleagues in the POD community are trying to raise money for him. Whether you care about trademarks or not, Dave has committed to fight trademarks trolls on our behalf behind the scenes.
I talk about how special the POD community is. If there is one time we need to come together, it is now. We may have our differences, but I think we can all agree that Dave is the one person who needs our support.
Anyone that supports a minimum of $10 will get a set of five KDP interiors. Just message me with the invoice that you donated. Even if you don't donate, I'll give them to you regardless. I only ask that you give me a couple of weeks to make them.
Dave Cadoff GoFundMehttps://www.gofundme.com/f/dave-cadoff-heart-surgery-fund?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
This week we talk to the very talented Drew Pocza. We had the privilege of meeting Drew back in September 2018 at the Merch by Amazon Conference in Seattle. His journey on Merch is young, but his skills speak years of experience.
Merch by Amazon is no longer what it used to be. It has evolved a lot since the platform was launched back in 2015. The advice I gave Drew was to keep at it. No matter how frustrating the platform, the best thing he can do is not to quit and keep uploading quality work.
Check out his Instagram as he does amazing work. His Instagram is listed below. What do you guys think? What else should Drew be doing to up his POD game?
Pocza Websitehttps://pocza.com
Pocza Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/dpocza/
Teresa Rose from Pin Traffic Power stops by to talk with the boys again. If you're suffering from slow summer sales, this could be the perfect episode for you. Teresa has tested and refined the art of leveraging Pinterest to drive traffic to blogs and listings.
I said this many times, and some of you might disagree, but I feel Merch by Amazon is dead. There are just too many people on the platform, which cause niches to be saturated. Even running AMS ads to my products, I get no conversions.
Teresa's new and updated program will help you build your Pinterest presence. I have taken the course, and it's a well put together program. To start leveraging Pinterest for your products, make sure and sign up for her program below by the end of the month. The price will go up on September 1st.
Pin Power Traffic
https://pintrafficpower.thinkific.com/courses/pin-traffic-mastery?ref=c87e98
We have an awesome episode this week. Houman and Rosie from Living List Journey talk to Yong in a very rare interview. Both of them normally don't like the exposure but was gracious enough and sit with Yong in a fun interview.
Houman, who is from the Bay Area decided to travel the world after building a successful Etsy store. With Merch by Amazon being too competitive these days he decided to try the Etsy marketplace and it paid off big time. With the success of his shop, he's now able to live his dream life and travel nine months out of the year.
Houman and Rosie are living the life that we all should be living. Get inspired. If this episode doesn't motivate you to start and scale your print-on-demand business then all hope is lost for you.
Make sure and follow their journey on Instagram.
Instagram: @livinglistjourney
After a two week break, both Glen and Yong are back with another Merch Minds episode. Glen had been traveling attending conferences, and Yong's day job had been pretty demanding. They are finally back to catch up and talk print-on-demand.
A lot has happened since the last episode. Yong had relaunched his Etsy store by deleting and relisting everything from scratch. This destroyed his algorithm, and he was hardly getting any traffic. After a couple of weeks, he's finally starting to get sales once again.
Now that they're both back what have you been up to? How is your POD business running? Let them know in the comments below.
This week we go back to the basics. No guests. Instead, we talk about what we learned in the three years of doing Merch by Amazon.
A lot has changed since the launch of Merch by Amazon. Yong keeps plugging away and continues to work on his account. Glen has taken a hiatus from working on his account because of the constant changes implemented by Amazon.
How about you? What have you learned during the last 2-3 years being on Merch by Amazon. Are you rolling with the punches and complying with all the changes made by Amazon? Let us know in the comments.
Amy Nicholas stops by to talk to the boys this week. In the last few years, Amy has made a career in the digital market space. She started with Kindle and then made the transition into apparel sales.
Amy talks about everything from how she left her corporate job to becoming her own boss. She talks about the struggles of hiring a VA. She’s also very big on mindset and talks about some of the people that she follows.
Amy is a good example of how to succeed by diversifying the marketplace. Why Merch by Amazon is the king of print-on-demand, she understands the importance of spreading out your portfolio. Check out Amy on her YouTube channel listed below.
Amy Nicholas YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx0uFpGln_Qt6w_SGY3DF2g/videos
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week let's go back to the basics. The foundation of the Merch Minds podcast is based on graphic design. This week the boys talk to a talented designer in Danielle Podeszek.
Danielle is a graphic designer who started her print-on-demand career on Zazzle. She then moved on to Merch by Amazon and has done relatively good for herself. Her experience as a corporate designer has given her the freedom to explore opportunities outside of a day job.
Danielle's approach to design is straightforward. She uses basic shapes and color schemes, which is a throwback to the retro look. The boys said it a thousand time by now. Simple and clean designs are always the best, and Danielle has proven that with her portfolio.
Pod Design Shop
https://www.instagram.com/poddesignshop/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Many people say Canadians are some of the nicest people on earth. This week the boys put that theory to test by interviewing Dionne Baker and Jay DeSouza. They are business partners and successful Etsy shop owners.
Dionne comes from a marketing background, and Jay is a graphic designer by trade. Together they were able to build profitable Etsy and Shopify stores. They talk everything on the show from how they got into business to the importance of marketing.
When it comes to Etsy, I'm sure you heard their names throughout the print-on-demand community. They both have close to 100,000 sales under their belts, and that number continues to grow. With that many sales, I'm sure we can learn something new about Etsy and the platform.
It's been said a thousand times now. Build and grow a business outside of Amazon. While Merch by Amazon is a great platform to make some quick money the stability of Etsy can generate a long-term income stream. Make sure and purchase their Etsy Crash Course, which will get you started on the right path.
And it is true, Canadians are very nice!
The Etsy Crash Course
https://shopboss-secrets.teachable.com/p/etsy-crash-course/?affcode=174186_lzk1fyk1
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
There was no show last week because it was Memorial Day weekend. This week the boys are back, and they interview Johnathan Grzybowski from Penji. Johnathan stopped by and announced the new and improved Penji 3.0.
Penji is a full design agency that delivers Merch designs and just about anything else you can think of. Other Merch agencies are just that. They just deliver Merch designs. With Penji you can scale your Merch account, KDP, Local Merch and just about any other business you want to get into.
Johnathan showed us the new and improved dashboard for Penji. The new interface provides a better way to communicate with the designers on Penji. You can also add your own virtual assistant to help manage your account. mo codeThere are other new features that will blow your mind.
https://penji.co/
Johnathan is giving us three ways to get Penji.
Original Plan: You can still get the original plan, which is $369 per month. However, make sure to use the promo code "merchminds" and get 10% off every month. You won't find this deal anywhere else. With the original plan, you can get designs for just about anything you can think of. This is the perfect package for anyone doing Merch and KDP Publishing.
Merch Plan: With the Merch plan, you can get unlimited designs just for your Merch by Amazon account. At a lower rate, you can now focus on growing your Merch by Amazon account. Penji just released their new Merch program for just $244 per month. Make sure to use promo code "merchforever" when checking out.
Year of Merch: If you don't want to deal with monthly payments then this is the plan for you. Use the promo code "YEAROFMERCH" and get the pro plan for just $2688. That's a saving of a whopping $1740.
https://penji.co/
You may or may not have heard of this week's guest, Christina Romero. She is quiet and in the shadows. Don't let that fool you though because she is putting up significant numbers with print-on-demand.
Christina talks about how she is experimenting with other POD platforms besides Merch by Amazon. She's been in the game since 2015 when she first opened her Zazzle account. From there she expanded her business including Etsy where she now has her wife involved with the POD business.
Christina is finding success because she's a hard worker. You won't find complaints or negative comments from her. She's just a hard working individual and her numbers clearly reflect her efforts. We can all learn a lesson from her.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Helen Kinson from the Merch Money show was gracious enough to make an appearance on this week's episode. Like many of us, Helen started her online entrepreneur journey selling on eBay and Fulfillment by Amazon. She's now finding success on Merch by Amazon and marking her place in the community as a leader and influencer.
Helen is one of the nicest and sweetest members of the Merch community. She is drama free and enjoys helping other members of the community. Make sure and check out your YouTube channel listed below.
Also, Jacob Bates just released his Key to KDP Success Workshop. Make sure and sign up for his workshop today for $97 before it's gone. There are bonuses but you will also get additional bonuses from me, which are all listed below and valued at $42.
Additional Bonuses:
- Storyboard Interior Templates
- Password Log Interior Templates
- Church Niche Interior Templates
- Variety Interior Bundle
Key to KDP Success Workshop
https://thekeytosuccessworkshop.com/signupz7vjmwxp?affiliate_id=1704629
Merch Money YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrMd1rnFintXu1CHIg03t2g
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
In this week's episode, the boys interview Tyler Dooley who is an up-and-comer in the POD community. He attended the private mastermind event that was held in Orange County back in March. He met Yong there for the first time and it was a match made in heaven.
Like most of us, Tyler's Merch numbers have tanked. However, he has been diligently working on Etsy and now has five stores. With a system in place and leveraging his VA's, Tyler is expected to open his sixth store by the end of the year.
We will keep in touch with Tyler and keep up with his journey. If you haven't started an Etsy business it's not too late. There is no better time than now to start leveraging the same designs you have on Merch on different platforms.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Amazon Merch sales are hard to come by these days. We're told to drive traffic to our products to see results. Matt Sheeran stops by this week to talk to the boys about Amazon Advertising.
While some of us might be runnings ads to our products we're still not seeing results. Matt talks about how running ads isn't just about conversions. Sometimes the data and analytics are what we need to make our listings better.
If you're thinking about running ads then this is the perfect episode to listen to. Matt provides some great nuggets that you can apply to your Amazon ads. It's all about testing to see what works and what doesn't.
Also, make sure and sign up for their Top Secret Research Project. If you're sick of the Facebook drama then their private Slack community might be just what you need. Besides the group and research list you also get the following:
- Two live webinars
- A set of unique monthly design elements
- 3-5 Trunk Studio Mockups
Top Secret Research Project
https://gumroad.com/a/957592691
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week the man with the most well-known name in New York City stops by the Merch Minds Podcast. Zach Knickerbocker started his Merch journey just a year and a half ago and he's already making on average $5k per month. Zach is obviously making moves and stamping his name in the community.
Some argue that he might have a slight edge over others because he actually works for Amazon. But Zach's day job has nothing to do with Merch. He told the boys that he has no direct connection with the people at Merch by Amazon.
So how did he scale his account? It was through hard work and determination. He wanted to build an income stream outside of his day job and as a developer, he was already comfortable being in front of a computer. This allowed him to be able to design his own shirts and scale at a rapid rate.
Make sure and subscribe to Zach on his YouTube channel, which is listed below. He promised to put out more content on his channel in the near future. Also, make sure and show him some love on Instagram.
Zach Knickerbocker YouTube
http://bit.ly/2ZiRMXy
Zach Knickerbocker Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/zachknickerbocker/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
You may or may not heard of Reyes the Entrepreneur. He is a hard working individual based in Fresno, CA. The guy has worked his ass off to the point now where he is a public figure making good money.
In this week's episode, Reyes talks about how he went from being homeless to now having multiple income streams. There are no smoke and mirrors when it comes to Reyes. He documented everything on his YouTube channel on how he went from being broke to now being a successful public figure.
Reyes has done it all. He also had his own successful apparel printing business doing it the old school way. He fulfilled local orders silkscreening and using heat transfers.
Make sure and subscribe to Reyes the Entrepreneur on YouTube. He's full of energy and has a positive mindset. He will inspire you to work harder and go after your dreams.
Reyes the Entrepreneur
https://www.youtube.com/user/cencalroyalty
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Neil Lassen needs no introduction in the Merch community. As the founder of Merch Informer, he has provided more value to the community than most people. He's back on the Merch Minds Podcast to introduce us to Book Bolt.
What is Book Bolt? Book Bolt is the most comprehensive software to help you through every step of the no content book process. You can perform market research to help you discover profitable niches. It also comes with a cover design maker and a batch uploader.
Neil promises more features will be added including keyword search, which he is currently working. If you're diving into the no content publishing business then you probably want to take advantage of this deal now. He's now giving you Book Bolt at the price of only $99.99 for the lifetime plan.
Take advantage of the deal today and make sure to use the promo code "yong70" when checking out. You will get an amazing $70.00 off the original price!
Book Bolt
https://bookbolt.io/117.html
Promo Code: yong70
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Merch by Amazon is getting harder and harder. For the past few weeks, the boys were talking about how we all need to explore other platforms. This is why this particular episode is very important.
Zac Folk is the Founder and CEO of Nymbl. Chances are you never heard of Nymbl. Nymbl is a new platform but very innovative. Nymbl is like Squarespace, Printful, and Shopify all in one box.
On Nymbl, you can literally have an e-commerce site up and running in less than 30-minutes. The beauty of Nymbl is that they will do everything for you. They can host your site, fulfill your orders and take care of all your customer support.
If you're ready to start building a business outside of Amazon then this is the perfect opportunity. You can sign up for Nymbl in less than 30 seconds. They will also give you a $20 credit just for signing up using our link below. You will not find this deal anywhere else.
Nymbl
https://nymbl.io/merchminds
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Nick Eden from the 45/54 podcast stops by and chats with Glen and Yong. Nick talks about how he got started with Merch by Amazon. He also talks about how he took all his skills he learned outside of POD and applied it to Merch.
As mentioned previously Nick is the host of the 45/54 podcast. While there are tons of content out there about Merch by Amazon his podcast is more catered to the individual just getting started on the platform. He has been on a hiatus from the show but he promises more episodes will be released in the near future.
Merch is getting harder and harder but Nick has some great tips for the beginner. Let's give him some love and subscribe to his podcast. The link to his YouTube channel and podcast is listed below.
45/54 Podcast
https://apple.co/2HxJ2qS
Nick Eden YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/stepchylde
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This is the best feel-good episode ever of the Merch Minds Podcast. This week the boys talk to Mitch Fairfield from Texas. Unlike most of us who are in the business of POD for ourselves, Mitch is teaching special needs students the skills to be a designer.
Glen and Yong originally met Mitch back in 2017 at the Denver seminar. Mitch drove all the way from Austin, Texas to attend the seminar and afterward drove back home immediately. Excited about what he learned he went back home and launched a program that teaches kids to design but more importantly the lesson on being entrepreneurs.
We support Mr. Fairfield with everything he has done for the kids. We are encouraging everyone to please support him by subscribing to his channel where he showcases his students and their work. In addition to his YouTube channel make sure and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. All the links are listed below.
Student Like a Boss
https://www.youtube.com/studentlikeaboss/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/studentlikeaboss/
Instagram
@studentlikeaboss
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
With so many people on the KDP bandwagon, Glen and Yong discuss if it's a sustainable business. While journal publishing is considered print-on-demand it is different compared to Merch. The main difference is the products are not removed due to no sales because each journal is assigned an ISBN number.
The boys break down on what they think about the KDP business model. Obviously, people are making good money on KDP such as their good friend Kelli Publish. They believe as long as you focus on quality and have a long-term plan that KDP can be a profitable business.
What are your thoughts? Are you venturing into KDP and do you think it's a profitable and sustainable business? Let the boys you know with your comments and opinions.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week Kelli Roberts better know as KelliPublish returns to the show. The boys catch up with her and see how her businesses are doing. She discloses her numbers for December 2018 publishing low-content books on Amazon.
If you remember Kelli made $17k in the month of December 2017. She had set her goal to do more than double that but unfortunately, she wasn't able to meet her goal. However, she's staying positive because she knows that she still made more in month than some people make in a year.
She's working on other projects as well. She talks about hiring ghostwriters and working on audiobooks. Make sure to subscribe to her YouTube channel because she gives great advice and her channel is growing.
Kelli Publish YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtIrgxIAX9x6nu3rJ_vfGiQ
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
The boys are back with a fresh new episode after having technical difficulties last week. With no significant news in the POD community, they just have a casual conversation. The year is flying by quick and the boys are trying to figure out a way to get back on track.
Yong talks about how he is scaling his KDP account publishing no-content books. As you may have heard he is leveraging his shirt designs into journal covers. Glen is now back on a regular schedule on Merch by Amazon since he no longer works for his parents.
What are you doing to grow your business? Leave a comment or send the boys a message and let them know what you are doing. As a community, we can all grow together to meet our goals.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Rob Cubbon is an entrepreneur living the good life. After creating multiple income streams for himself he moved from London to Chiang Mai, Thailand. He moved to greener pastures where he lives a stress-free life while making money online.
Rob scaled his KDP account to where he is making well over $1000 per month with low and no-content books. He also does a little Merch by Amazon. While his numbers might not be mind-blowing in the sense that over six-figures per year he's living in a place where the cost of living is ridiculously low.
Rob has a course on how you can build and scale your KDP account. He is offering the listeners of the Merch Minds Podcast a generous offer of $49 for his Selling Notebooks & Low Content Paperback Books On Amazon course. There are no expiration dates and no coupon is needed for this exclusive offer.
Selling Notebooks & Low Content Paperback Books On Amazon
http://bit.ly/2Bcb1HM
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week the boys interview their good friend Elena Saris. Elena is a criminal attorney turned an entrepreneur who found success in just about everything she's done. She's done private label, wholesale, Merch, and recently dropshipping on Shopify.
Every entrepreneur will tell you to have a diverse income stream and that's exactly what Elena has done. Just about everything she's done she found success. So she comes by and shares her story with the boys.
Elena is also having an event for all entrepreneurs in Las Vegas. On Sunday, March 17, 2019, Elena is giving you an opportunity to rub elbows with some of the most successful entrepreneurs from print-on-demand to dropshipping. Make sure to reserve a spot today and everyone listening to this episode make sure to convince Yong to attend!
Ecomm Elite
http://merchmindsetc.com
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Happy New Year! Glen and Yong are finally back with their very first episode of 2019. In this episode, they talk about what they were doing the past few weeks.
Q4 is officially over. A lot of people made good money over the holidays. It's now time to focus on the new year and the boys discuss their strategy.
For Yong, Merch is still his priority but he is also uploading on KDP. With three years under his belt on Merch, he finds it very competitive these days. Glen no longer works for his parents so he now has a schedule that helps with his Merch business.
SponsorsMerch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
With 2018 coming to an end Glen and Yong recap the past year. They go over some of the more popular episodes of the year. They had some great guests and memorable moments.
For the next couple of weeks, the boys will be taking a break from the show. In the meantime enjoy Q4 and the success it had brought to some people. We wish you a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year Eve celebration!
During the break feel free to go back and listen to some of the previous episodes. Let the boys know what your favorite episode was. As always, they will be available by email and messages.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week Glen and Yong discuss 2019 goals and predictions. It's fair to say that we all want to scale and grow our numbers next year. The boys talk about how they can scale their Merch and other POD platforms.
Yong is going to focus on quality as he always has. Glen talked about getting back on a schedule and getting his wife more involved in his eBay business. Either way, they agreed that it's important to not give up and to try and scale in 2019.
What are you guys doing to try and scale next year? Will you focus more on filling up your slots or marketing? Either way, let us know what your strategy is to grow in 2019.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Do you guys want another option to run your own POD business? This week the boys talk to Dean Jayroe and Courtney Cramer. This powerhouse couple purchased their own DTG printer to fulfill their own shirts outside of Amazon and business is booming!
The boys talk a lot about building income streams outside of Amazon and that's exactly what they did. With the purchase of their DTG printer, their margins on Etsy have skyrocketed and they now control their fulfillment schedule. They no longer have to rely on Printful and other fulfillment companies.
Would you guys ever consider buying your own DTG printer? It can certainly be rewarding but you must be committed. Let the boys know if purchasing your own DTG printer is a viable option or not.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
The boys apologize for the audio quality in this episode. What do you expect when RJ Martinez joins them for an episode of the Merch Minds Podcast? He brings bad mojo and bad audio quality.
As mentioned RJ Martinez joined Glen and Yong to talk possible throttling. Despite what Amazon is saying Yong strongly believes that Amazon is throttling everyone across the board. This is all to reduce chaos in the forums and to reduce emails being sent to Amazon.
On Thursday, November 15, 2018, both Yong and RJ experienced an unusual day of sales that went through the roof. Yong sold five times more than what he normally does. Then the whole ASIN removal on Cyber Monday really was what made them believe that there is throttling even though Amazon denies it. What do you guys believe?
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Glen is becoming a superstar and he seems to be too good to hang out with Yong. Glen was in San Jose, CA visiting the eBay headquarters and ignored all of his Yong's messages. First Time magazine and now eBay Live!
On this episode, Glen and Yong talk about the importance of good communication with your designer. Unfortunately, people are still not communicating with Yong when purchasing custom designs even though he provides clear instructions. This is causing unnecessary revisions and causing more work for Yong and his designer.
This is something that has been discussed on the show before. Always give a full and detailed description of what you want regardless of who you hire. The better you communicate the better relationship you will develop with your designer.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Yong is upset. In fact, he's quite pissed. Once again, Glen has hogged the spotlight.
Our very own Glen Zubia was featured in an article by Time magazine. Since Glen found early success on Merch by Amazon, he was contacted by Time magazine for an interview. Glen tells the backstory on how he was contacted and interviewed by Time.
Congratulations to Glen for the exposure and a great article. Also, our good friend Michael Essany from Merch Momentum was also featured in the same article. You can find the URL to the article below.
Time/Money Magazine featuring Glen Zubia Jr.
https://ti.me/2QqDLSL
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
You might recognize the names Jose Fernandez and Ruben Lopez from the Merch community. Jose has made a career of designing shirts for well-known companies from Disney to Old Navy. Ruben has been scaling his Merch account under Jose's tutelage and they both been stellar members primarily in the Spanish Merch groups.
Because of the lack of information in Spanish they recently came out with a course for the Spanish community. It was well received, and it was only a matter of time before they came out with a course in English. They announced the pre-launch of the course exclusively on the Merch Minds Podcast.
So how does the course differ from dozens of other courses out there already? Jose has mastered what he's now calling the "Organic Rabbit Hole Research Method." He will teach you how to do research and find the perfect niche without any paid services or products. He will teach you how to find micro-niches that leads to other valuable discoveries. This is a good thing because if you discovered a niche by accident chances are others won't find their way there.
For the next 48 hours, you can pre-purchase their course for $147. That means that at 11:59 pm on Wednesday the course will be back to its original price of $197. Don't miss out on this deal and make sure to purchase the course at the discounted price today.
Merch Academy in English
https://mbaacademy.thinkific.com/courses/merch-academy-english?ref=ccb6d8
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Glen is out of town this week as he was attending eCom Chicago. Dale Roberts, aka Kelli Roberts husband, stops by to talk with Yong. Dale has been a staple in the print-on-demand community especially with self-publishing.
Dale talks about how he got into his entrepreneurial lifestyle. He talks about how tough it was in the beginning but with hard work and perseverance, he's able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He's also doing a little Merch by Amazon to help him diversify his income portfolio.
Dale is also very big on branding and content creating. He's been scaling his YouTube channel and is experimenting with Twitch. Also, be on the lookout for his course in January 2019, which will help everyone that wants to learn about self-publishing.
Self-Publishing with Dale
https://selfpublishingwithdale.com/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week the boys talk to the very talented BeeJay DeLong. BeeJay is a designer and illustrator who got into Merch by Amazon just this year. In his tenure on the platform, he's quickly catching up to the Glen and Yong's numbers.
The most heartwarming thing about BeeJay is he'd taken his talent and teaching graphic design in Ohio. However, his students aren't just regular students. His students are special and have impairments that affect their life activities.
BeeJay is a true talent and his story needs to be heard. The community needs more people like BeeJay and his services. Make sure and check out his work on his website.
BeeJay DeLong
https://www.beejaydel.com/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Amazon Merch launched two new updates to their content policy. You can now have designs that contain profanity, drugs, alcohol, violence, and sexual content in adult sizes. However, they will not be allowed on youth sizes.
This was a surprising move considering Amazon was quick to pull the plug on these content. If you were on Amazon Merch from the beginning you know that almost everything was allowed back in the wild west. Make sure and review the content policy before starting to upload the new designs.
Glen and Yong discuss how this will open up new niche markets. They talk about what they believe is allowable and their plan of action. What about you? What do you think of the new policy and will you be uploading in these new niche markets?
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
The 100th episode of the Merch Minds Podcast was a huge success! Thank you to all our loyal listeners and the Merch community. What started as a podcast to share our personal journies evolved into a show where listeners tune in for advice and a little entertainment. Listed below are the winners of the prizes. If the prizes are not claimed a winner will be drawn.
- Dale L. Roberts - Winner for Local Merch Course
- jhrennie - Winner for No Content Book Publishing
- goudj230178 - Winner for Design Bundle from Merch Design Factory
- ric60640 - Winner for Lifetime License for Pretty Merch Pro
- aquadocpools - Winner for Lifetime License for Pretty Merch Pro
- goudj230178 - Winner for Lifetime Subscription to Merch Momentum Strategy Guide
- yazide79 - Winner for Lifetime Subscription to Merch Momentum Strategy Guide
- verdammt - Winner for Lifetime Subscription to Merch Momentum Strategy Guide
- klee - Winner for One Course of Choice from Pin Traffic Power
- aquadocpools - Winner for One-Month Subscription to Merch Informer
- driscolli - Winner for One-Year Subscription to RJ Martinez and Matt Sheeran's Research List
- littlebinky51 - Winner for 50 Shirts Designs, 50 PopSocket Designs, and 50x50x50 Training Method from Design 4 Dollars
- optimumlifeusa - Winner for the Etsy Book
- Duy Truong- Winner for the Etsy Book
- shuying - Winner for the Etsy Book
- blankman1869 - Winner for Private Coaching with Ken Reil
- sonicfokx - Winner for the POD Squad Graphic Design & Photoshop/Illustrator Training
- uintatrading - Winner for One Month of Penji Design Service
- Paul Chang - Winner for Custom Design from Eric Rosner
- glassgowdesign - Winner for One Hour Coaching and Five Designs from Merch Juice
- dino_bintangku - Winner for Merch Wizard
- sonicfokx - Winner for Both of Michael Essek's Books
- terry.welch@live.co.uk - Winner for DIY Publishing Course
- rahmounemlila - Hamza Iqbal - Winner for Design Bundle from Merch Designs Club
- patriotictwist - Winner for a Custom Design from BeeJayDel
- pdxshredguy - Winner for Amazon Backpack with Goodies from Merch by Amazon Conference
- barracine - Winner for a Custom Design from Detour Shirts
- ih8h8 - Winner for Q4 Strategy Guide from the 45/54 Podcast
- jutta2222 - Winner for Q4 Strategy Guide from the 45/54 Podcast
- alpinemed - Winner for Lifetime License for MerchCreate
- gouadjeliayazid - Winner for Lifetime License for MerchCreate
- soroos.gunnar - Winner for Merch and the World of Print on Demand
- normaltshirts - Winner for Merch and the World of Print on Demand
- danieldennis - Winner for Merch and the World of Print on Demand
- sonicfokx - Winner for Merch and the World of Print on Demand
- mitchmauldin - Winner for Merch and the World of Print on Demand
- yazide79 - Winner for a Custom Design from CJ Johnson
With days away from the Merch by Amazon conference in Seattle, Glen and Yong talk about what to expect at this year's conference. The boys attended last year and they both agree that all the talks last year were great. This year they will be both presenting but they are more excited about the networking.
They probably said this about a thousand times by now. Networking is important for all business models. Even if you can't attend the conference they encourage you to reach out to other members of the Merch community and network.
If you are attending the conference make sure and say hello to the boys. They love meeting other members of the Merch community. And who knows, you can be working with them in the near future.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
What would you do if you lost your Merch account today? What other platforms are you selling on? Would you be able to survive without a paycheck from Merch by Amazon?
Yong recently had multiple conversations with people who had their Merch by Amazon accounts suspended. It is one of his biggest fear in the Merch community. Whether it was an honest mistake or not the Amazon is not our platform and everything that we worked for can be taken away.
The boys the importance of a diverse income stream. Besides Amazon, everyone should be selling on other POD platforms. There are countless platforms out there that can bring in a nice revenue outside of Amazon Merch.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Chances are you are using the Pretty Merch Chrome extension in your Merch by Amazon dashboard. It is the number one extension when it comes to Merch. It's only right that Haris Petrasitis is a guest on the Merch Minds Podcast.
Haris is the developer of the Pretty Merch Chrome extension. While selling shirts is fun and for some profitable Amazon doesn't give us any data. With Pretty Merch Pro you get sales update and lifetime analytics of the 100 shirts you sold. In the business of e-commerce this is very important because you need to what sells and what doesn't.
Haris also puts the conspiracy theory of stealing your data to rest. There is some conspiracy theorist in the community that claims that extensions like Pretty Merch are stealing their data. While it is possible to steal your data Haris is running a legitimate business with the Pretty Merch extension. He wants everyone to know that none of your data is being stolen and invites anyone to take a look at his code.
Pretty Merch Pro
https://gumroad.com/a/874296435
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Q4 is almost here. Labor Day is officially over and the leaves are starting to change. That means that Halloween is creeping up on us real soon.
This week Glen and Yong talk about their Q4 predictions and expectations. On a previous episode, Glen even hinted maybe doing FBA again because he thinks there will be another freeze or throttle. Yong agrees. With Amazon having launched Merch Collab, PopSockets, Merch UK/DE, and Merch AMS all in one year there is a great chance of some kind of freeze this Q4.
Also, if you're publishing on CreateSpace take note that they are officially merging to KDP. For a while, there have been rumors about the move but Amazon announced last week that the move will happen. Make sure and learn the ins and outs of KDP!
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Matt Carlett from Merch Design Factory joins the Merch Minds Podcast this week. Matt was one of the original members of the Merch community and experienced early success on Merch. He comes from the reselling community and talked about how he transitioned from doing Amazon FBA to Merch by Amazon.
Matt agrees that we need to drive traffic to our listings. He talked about how he leveraged Pinterest to drive traffic and for the most part, it worked. Driving traffic to our listing is important because Amazon likes it when we drive traffic to their site.
Make sure and check out Merch Design Factory. They offer unique designs that are ready to be uploaded on to Merch by Amazon. All designs are sold once and have been checked for trademarks.
Merch Design Factory
https://merchdesignfactory.com/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
First off, both Glen and Yong apologize for the technical issues that they had last week. Unfortunately, they don't see or notice any technical issues on their end until it's uploaded. Yong thinks RJ Martinez hijacked the show somehow.
This week the boys talk CreateSpace in depth. For the past couple of months, they have briefly mentioned CreateSpace and how the platform complements Merch by Amazon. And the popularity of Kelli Robert's course created a buzz in the Merch community.
So is CreateSpace worth publishing on? While Yong is on board with CreateSpace Glen is uncertain about it. Many have already found success after taking Kelli's course, and some are already making over $1k per month.
What do you think? Have you found early success on CreateSpace? If so let drop us a message and let us know how you're doing.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
This week Matt Sheeran and RJ Martinez from Real Talk stop by on the Merch Minds Podcast. While RJ had been on the show, this was Matt's first time on the podcast. This was a fun show because you never know what will happen when all four guys get together to chat about Merch.
They don't disappoint. They talked about everything from Merch to running Facebooks efficiently. While most of you know RJ from his YouTube channel, Matt is known for his writing. Make sure and sign up for their Merch Newsletter.
Also, all four guys will be speaking in Seattle at the Merch by Amazon Conference. Seats are limited to just 150 people, and that's including the speakers. Make sure and register today to reserve your seat.
Merch Newsletter
https://merchnews.email/
Merch by Amazon Conference
http://www.merchconference.com/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Glen and Yong discuss UK and Germany marketplace. While they both don't have access to the marketplace they discuss the potential. They also discuss the new policy changes because of the new marketplace.
While the new marketplace has the potential to bring in more income we all have to be careful. As we all know Amazon is notorious for making policy changes without making any official announcements. So this episode is a reminder to keeping checking the content policy on a regular basis.
Let the boys know if you have the international marketplace yet? If so how is it and have you started making sales yet?
Typography Dissected Poster Digital Download [Free]
https://gum.co/eAFbD
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Spencer and Shannon from the Merch Lifestyle Podcast stop by this week to talk to the boys. They are ex-neighbors from Cincinnati that got into e-commerce together. Spencer now lives in Mountain View, CA not too far from Yong.
They talk everything about print-on-demand. They discuss how difficult it is to scale on Merch by Amazon. They also talk about how they're scaling they're Esty store, which they have more control of.
They are two smart guys building their online career. They're creating multiple income streams and creating sustainable income on multiple channels. Make sure and subscribe to their YouTube channel listed below.
Merch Lifestyle Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aEvn11t35Eboo0qKqGSSQ
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
We talked about how saturated the Merch by Amazon is these days. With more and more competition our products are getting lost in hundreds if not thousands of the same type of listings. While some are still finding success with the organic traffic on Amazon most of us are getting frustrated with the lack of sales.
Yong hinted in the past about creating niche affiliate websites around his best selling shirts. This way we control the traffic and the data. So this week they talk to Alex Park who has made a career of creating niche affiliate sites.
Yong met Alex back in May and they discussed how niche sites can help with Merch sales during the slow times. It's more than Merch sales. When you pick the right niche you can double dip on other products through the Amazon Associates program.
This isn't for everyone. If this is the route you're going to take you won't see results immediately. Depending on your niche and products you might not see results for up to a year.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Yong is back! He may sound like he's better but he's still coughing. The good thing is his fever is down and he's able to continue with the show.
This week Glen and Yong are catching up. Glen was out of town visiting his brother in Austin. Yong was in beautiful in Morro Bay on a workcation and to just get out of town to rest.
They are catching up with their lives and Merch by Amazon. Yong talks about his frustration with Merch. Although he's grateful for the opportunity he's finding that it's getting harder to scale as more people are being approved for Merch.
While he won't give up on Merch he discusses how he will focus more on how to drive traffic to his listings. Creating an affiliate website is one of the ways he's planning on driving traffic to his shirts. He also talks about how he will revamp his Etsy store since he has more control over it.
Yong also talks about a potential private label opportunity. He was given an opportunity to mass produce a skin oil by a guy who is retiring at the end of the year. This could be a gold mine as the only other competitor has a BSR of 300 on Amazon.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
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Merchinator
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Iron Man has finally broken down. Since starting the podcast, Yong has never missed an episode. Unfortunately, he missed episode 88 because he was coughing up his lungs all last week.
Glen holds down the show and interviews the young entrepreneur Jacob Bates. Jacob is a young guy but light years ahead when it comes to running online businesses. They talk about everything about print on demand and even Createspace, which happens to be the hottest trend right now outside of Merch.
His portfolio of running print on demand business range from Merch to the Etsy Printful integration. He also runs a design service company where you can purchase pre-made designs. How many millennials do you know that run multiple online businesses like Jacob?
Merch Ready
https://merchready.com/
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https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
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With AMS dead what are you doing to drive traffic to your listings? Most of us know that Amazon has great organic traffic but they also control our listings. That's why it's important to utilize platforms like Pinterest to drive traffic to our shirts.
Glen and Rose talk to Teresa Rose who has done just about everything from eBay to having her own Shopify store. One thing she learned during her business endeavors is how important it is to drive traffic to your store and listings. She found that Pinterest is a great platform to utilize to get more potential customers in front of our products.
Teresa offers a comprehensive course that teaches us how to leverage Pinterest efficiently to get the most traffic to our products. The number one lesson learned from her interview is "keyword." Remember that and make sure and check out her course below.
Pin Traffic Power: Pinterest For Merch By Amazon Bundle
https://pintrafficpower.thinkific.com/bundles/pinterest-for-merch-by-amazon?ref=c87e98
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Yong is back from VidCon and HustleCon! He reviews each conference and they both get very different reviews. In a nutshell, VidCon was a bust and HustleCon was weird but very interesting.
PopSockets are officially here. After a week into uploading designs for PopSockets the boys talk about how they did. Also, are you guys making edits to your listings since Amazon said we need to describe the design? Let the boys know if you are and what changes you're making.
Also, Kelli Roberts released her course No Content Book Publishing. This is the same course that both Glen and Yong paid for to learn how to publish blank journals. Kelli is making $6k per month and in December of 2017, she made a whopping $17k!
Kelli's course will complement your Merch by Amazon business. You can take your Merch by Amazon designs and use them for your cover on Amazon. And since we're not writing anything the work is half done already. You can purchase Kelli's course by going to the URL below.
No Content Book Publishing
https://gumroad.com/a/628929651
This is a late post but it's better late than never. It's been a crazy week for the boys. Yong is currently in Anaheim attending VidCon in hopes of learning from Merch by Amazon as they will be there.
This week the boys talk about the PopSockets that was just announced by Amazon. Amazon will be releasing them on a rolling basis and it's not clear who all has them so far. Glen and Yong have them and they been slowly uploading their designs. In fact, Yong already has a few sales for PopSockets already.
While they are no experts they discuss possible strategies. Amazon said they released PopSockets because their data stated that they are good sellers. Let's hope their data is correct.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
On Episode 81 Yong had the opportunity to briefly talk to Manny about his Etsy business. Yong invited Manny back on the show so they can have a more in-depth conversation about what he's doing. Manny, who is a graphic designer, hadn't found much success on Merch so he focused his efforts on Etsy and it's paying off.
Manny admits he's doing parody designs in a certain niche. However, he's working on eventually branching out to his own platform and creating a Shopify store. That way he's not solely relying on Etsy's marketplace.
The good thing about Manny is that he was able to start and leverage social media early on. He created a huge following for his apparel line on Instagram. His stuff is so hot that he only does a pop-up shop one week per month and he clears $6k every time.
Sponsors
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Merchinator
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This week's episode is out a little early. With so much going on the boys decided to release the episode before the weekend. And as promised Yong delivered on his promise.
Yong mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he was going to interview his personal CPA. So this week Abe Saghieh talk to the boys and provide general tax advice. As a disclaimer please talk to your own personal CPA because everyone's situation is different.
Abe and the boys discuss everything from Amazon to eBay. Abe tells the boys why he thinks collecting royalties is a good business model. He recommends what bookkeeping software are the best. He even answers the question about the evil VAT.
Also, Yong has been beta testing the Pretty Merch Pro Chrome extension for the past several days. While most people know about Pretty Merch the developer recently added the Auto Re-Login feature. Imagine a whole day without being logged out of your Merch account!
However, Auto Re-Login will be available exclusively to Pretty Merch PRO users. The subscription fee is normally $9.99 per month. Make sure to use my promo code: 20FORLIFE to get 20% off your Pretty Merch Pro subscription. This is a limited time offer so click the link below to subscribe today!
Pretty Merch Pro
Promo Code: 20FORLIFE
https://gumroad.com/a/874296435
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Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
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After almost a two week hiatus the boys are back. Glen was in Washington DC to film his Outhustled series on YouTube. As much as he hates going there Yong was in Las Vegas for the Licensing Expo.
In this episode, they recap what Yong experienced in Las Vegas. Amazon gave a keynote presentation on Tuesday morning and they introduced Merch Collab. What exactly is Merch Collab? It's an opportunity for REAL graphic designers to collaborate with influencers such as Shane Dawson, Rick & Morty, Crossfit and more. As a designer, you submit a design and the influencers will accept or deny them to be sold on Amazon.
Yong also talks about some of the vendors at the expo. He talks about how overwhelming it was. There were some huge companies such as WWE, Dr. Seuss, Mattel, and Playstation at the expo. In order to talk to them you had to set up a meeting but also have deep pockets to even shake their hands. So Yong stuck to his strategy of talking to small vendors and he had some very interesting conversations.
Also, the staff at Merch by Amazon had a pop-up meetup for some of the people that attended. It was an opportunity to meet some of the people at Merch and have a conversation. Content creators and the staff at Merch by Amazon had a nice Q&A, which ended up being the highlight of the whole trip for most people.
Not just that, as he always preaches Yong was able to network. He met so many other content creators in the Merch community. Yong plans on attending again next year now that he has a clear understanding how everything works.
Sponsors
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Merchinator
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This week the Merch Minds Podcast comes to you live and direct from Las Vegas. Yong is in the Sin City for the Licensing Expo where Amazon Merch gave a keynote presentation. Fellow graphic designer Manny Pinedo and RJ Martinez accompanied him during the trip.
They have a funny story that they share in this episode. While Yong was aboard a plane Manny and RJ were trying to check into their Airbnb. It's a funny and unforgettable story that will have all listeners laughing.
All three of them talk about what their strategy going to the Licensing Expo. They agreed that a good strategy for smaller players like them would be to approach small vendors. Big companies like WWE and Disney require deep pockets so they agreed they would approach the smaller companies.
Yong also talks to Manny about his Esty business. While Manny's Merch business has been subpar his Etsy business is booming. He's doing parody in a particular niche that brings in tons of traffic and sales. In fact, business is so good that he does a pop shop once a month on Etsy and he makes over $6k every time.
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The past couple of months Yong has been beta testing an app that allows him to upload his designs across several POD platforms outside of Amazon. Finally, the boys talk to the man responsible for introducing the app to them. Dennis Duncan has been consulting with a couple of developers who developed Orbitkit.
So what makes Duncan special that he was one of the consultants for Orbitkit? Well, he's been in the POD business for years, and he's on the 20k tier on Merch. He not only scaled his Merch account but he's leveraging all PODs including Etsy Printful integration.
In fact, Duncan developed an app that can help with your Etsy Printful integration. He created Printsy that will help streamline your uploads without a VA. You can now automate your uploads to your Printful & Etsy uploads with Printsy. Printsy is only $9.99 per month and will save you hundreds of dollars if not more.
As for Orbitkit, the webinar is for this Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 1 pm PST. I was told they are capping the release to just 100 people. While more than a 100 people registered, you might get lucky and be able to reserve yourself a spot.
Orbitbit Webinar Registration
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/7515251037749/WN_fYiBWSqLSlKU0HEdJiVUoA
Printsy
http://paykstrt.com/4531/19107
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/s/e66c4a55
Yes, it's true! The boys finally have their first female guest of 2018. This week Kelli Roberts get interviewed by Glen and Yong. Kelli is now the official "First Lady of 2018" of the Merch Minds Podcast.
Kelli has been around for a while. She's pretty quiet in the groups, but she is a go-getter and successful in her own right. While her numbers on Merch are average shes makes a killing on Createspace.
Kelli talks about how she operates her Merch by Amazon business. Like the boys, she is a one-man operation, and she explains her routine when it comes to Merch. She also talks about her Createspace business and how she made $21,000 in December of 2017.
She recently started her own channel so make sure and subscribe. While the channel is new, she has a lot of experience under her belt. So make sure and check out her channel below.
KelliPublish YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtIrgxIAX9x6nu3rJ_vfGiQ/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
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Merchinator
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If there is one conference we should attend this year, it's the Rocky Mountain Reseller Conference. Travis Ross, the founder of the conference, stops by and talk to Glen and Yong in this week's episode. And don't let the name fool you. This conference will have plenty of Merch topics and experts.
Travis talks about he founded the conference just a few years ago. Between him and his co-founder, he was able to scale the conference in only a few years where it attracts some of the biggest players in the reselling and the Merch community.
He has a very impressive lineup this year. Check out some of the speakers that will be present at this year's Rocky Mountain Reseller Conference.
- Eddie Levine
- Casey Gauss
- Anna Hill
- Amit Desai
- Robyn Johnson
- Edward Ruffin
- Garland Sullivan
- Neil Lassen
- Harvey Spectre
- Anthony Busciglio
- Kevin Levonas
- Rachel Greer
- Assad Siddiqi
- Ashlin Hadden
- Tim Jordan
- Luke Humbrecht
- Ken Reil
Make sure and register today before it sells out. Also, the fee will go up on May 1, 2018. Use our promo code listed below and get $50 off today.
Promo Code: merch50
http://resellerconference.com
Sponsors
Merch Informer
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Merchinator
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This week Glen and Yong talk to the million dollar man! In case you haven't heard Mike Gual has been the focal point of the Merch community the past few weeks. He made over a million dollars in royalty since starting Merch with just a little over 160 shirts live.
So how did he do it? He did by implementing what's now being called the Local Merch Method. He's targeting local businesses in his town and offering them an opportunity to get customers with his t-shirts. Not just that but he's creating another source of income stream for them.
The boys talk with Mike and pick his brain for a whole hour. This is an episode you don't want to miss out on. Mike explains how with the Local Merch Method there is no competition. You don't have to worry about copycats or keywords.
Out of all the guests the boys have interviewed Mike is probably the most humble person they have ever met. Even after making a million dollars the guy continues to work his day job. Not just that but he absolutely loves helping people in hopes that they can also succeed.
This is what we don't want you to do. Even though he would be more than happy to answer your questions, please don't bombard him with 100 questions. Instead, purchase his course to support him and get direct access to Mike and his private Facebook group.
There is a lot of action already taking place in his group. Mike is providing actionable content and guidance with his course and group. Through Mike, Yong has already landed a potential client within two days of talking to him. Take action today!
Local Merch by Mike Gual
http://bit.ly/2HnfxEq
Sponsors
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Merchinator
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Are you guys using Merch Lister Pro? If so, this is going to be an exciting episode as the boy's interview, Johnny King, the creator of MLP. And if you're not using MLP, then you will after this episode.
If you follow the podcast, you know Yong had a difficult time filling up his slots because he's a one-man operation. However, Yong gives credit to Johnny and MLP as the primary reason why he was able to scale so fast from the 2k tier to the 4k tier in a matter of months. Yong spoke very highly of MLP and invited Johnny to be on the show.
Johnny talks about why he created MLP. He talks about how he's also a one-man operation and how the uploading process on Merch is tedious. He wanted to streamline the uploading process, and with that he created MLP.
MLP is no longer available for a one-time price. It is now available as a monthly subscription, but even then it is worth every penny at $9.97. It will speed up your uploading process and save you some serious time. If there is one tool you need for your Merch by Amazon business, then it's the Merch Lister Pro.
MLP isn't just a one-time buy it and forget it tool. Johnny continues to improve it, and the support is exceptional. If you ever have questions or concerns, Johnny is quick to respond. Check out MLP today!
Merch Lister Pro
https://gumroad.com/a/68465779/aVpu
Merch Guild Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MerchGuild/
Sponsors
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Merchinator
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Finally, Brother Hacks is on the show! This week Anthony Zubia, brother of Hustler Hacks, and a Jeremy Piven lookalike is a guest on the show. Anthony is also a graphic designer based out of Austin, Texas.
Anthony talks about how he had his Merch by Amazon suspended. Since the suspension, he's not capitalizing off of other POD sites such as Etsy and TeePublic. He is also offering courses now on Skillshare that is relevant to the Merch by Amazon community.
Anthony also talks about how he is available to do freelance work. If you're interested in hiring Anthony, you can find all his information below.
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/anthonymzubia
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/anthonymzubia/
Skillshare
http://bit.ly/2HtAJd7
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
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Eric Rosner is an internationally beloved illustrator based in Los Angeles. He started his career working in animation, but he's now trying to launch his Merch career. The guy is so talented his work has been featured in CB2 and various publications. He's also done work for celebrities such as Jeff Bridges, Alec Baldwin, and Ed Begley Jr.
As talented as he is why is he struggling on Merch? The boys talk with Eric and give him an honest critique on how he can improve his numbers. After hearing his story both Glen and Yong gave him the following advice.
He should follow trends and current events. As great as his artwork is people tend to purchase items that are currently trending.
Eric should build a brand under his name. Eric is already an established artist. His style is so unique it will be difficult for people to copy his work without Eric taking action.
Yong suggested he focus more on his Etsy store. The style of work Eric puts out has the potential to attract a large audience on Etsy.
What do you guys think? What else can Eric do to improve his numbers? Check out his work, and if you have any suggestions, please let us know. We will relay your suggestions to Eric.
Website
http://erosner.com/
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/erosnerart/
Sponsors
Merch Dojo
https://www.merchdojo.com/go?affiliate_id=1020263
Merch Informer
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Merchinator
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Glen might have his groove back! His editing skills seem to be back on point. Thank goodness because the people were demanding his head on a platter.
This week Glen and Yong discuss what it takes to make $10k in royalties on Merch by Amazon. After talking to Michael Essek who makes double-digits in royalties almost every month, they were inspired and try and dissect what people can do to make $10k.
Making $10k has been Yong's goal for some time now. However, he was never in a rush. His approach to Merch was to put out quality designs, and for the most part, it has worked for him. Tune is as the boys discuss what it takes to make $10k per month on Merch by Amazon.
Sponsors
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Merchinator
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Maybe Glen should be fired! It seems as if he's losing his mojo. His editing skill has been subpar, and the quality of the podcasts have been mediocre. That's okay, we still love him, and he promises the audio quality will get better.
In the meantime, try and listen to this week's episode of the boy's interview with Michael Essek. Michael is one of the few people who found success early on Merch by Amazon. As a designer in the U.K., he utilized his skills to scale his account to where he's making significant income.
Michael talks about he scaled his account to where now he's at the 16,000 tier. He has hired both his sister and brother-in-law to help him with his business full-time. He also hired two designers, and he's now playing the role of project manager and no longer designing.
Make sure to follow Michael on his blog. It's a little outdated, but the content on there is still relevant today. His ebooks are also available for purchase on his site.
Michael Essek
https://www.michaelessek.com
Sponsors
Merch Informer
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Merchinator
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Glen was out of town and couldn't record this week's episode. Yong argues that he's lazy, but Glen was actually at a reselling event in Kansas. So Yong called upon the presence of the always reliable Chris Avalos aka The Thrift Hustler.
There wasn't much Merch news this week. Amazon did post a video in the dashboard that clarifies their content policy. They also added Guideline 2.6, which discusses the promotion of violence on Merch by Amazon.
So Yong and Chris took over Glen's YouTube channel. They talked Merch and POD in general. Chris has a unique strategy for his account. Instead of chasing trends and current events he just cruises along and is in no rush to scale his account.
Make sure to subscribe to Chris's YouTube channel. He talks about all kinds of things on his channel from reselling to print on demand. Tell him Yong sent you and say "hello."
Thrift Shop Hustler YouTube Channel
http://bit.ly/2DlgyKD
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/h/e66c4a55
In Episode 70 Glen and Yong talk about Saint Patty's Day shirts. If Saint Patty's day is anything like last year, then the shirts will sell. Hopefully, the listeners have designed some as well.
Yong is one week into using Penji, which is a design agency that offers unlimited designs. While he can't compare it to other services, he gives Penji an honest review. So far he is very impressed by the designs that they have submitted.
They also talk more about Glen's suspension. Glen is positive that he was suspended for some kind of IP address issue. He's confident that it had nothing to do with his design or trademark violations.
Penji
https://penji.co/
10$ Discount Code: n0va (The "O" is the number zero)
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
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Yes, you read the title correctly. Glen's Merch account was suspended. His account was actually suspended a month ago, and it was finally reinstated last week. While Glen was open to talking about it, he wanted to wait and see how it played out.
First off, we should all be grateful for Glen being transparent and sharing his experience with everyone. Not everyone would be open to talking about what their suspension. However, Glen not only talks about it but he was open to answering questions that were thrown his way.
So what happened? Glen received an email from Amazon asking questions about his IP address. There was a list about five to six questions. After Glen and Yong reviewed the questions, they concluded that the there was some issue with his IP address,
While they're not certain, that was the conclusion they came to. Maybe there was a trademark violation but Glen always careful about the type of his designs. So there is really no way to know for sure.
There is no way to be certain why Glen's account was suspended because Amazon is always vague in their emails. The one thing we can learn is that Amazon has full control of everyone's account. While the boys are grateful for the opportunity, they wish Amazon was more explicit about what mistakes were made so they can learn from it.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/h/e66c4a55
This week the boys talk to Johnathan Grzybowski from Penji. Johnathan is the co-founder of Penji, which is a design agency that offers high-end designs from in-house graphic designers. Unlike other agencies, they focus more on quality instead of quantity.
Penji is unique because they have a streamlined back-end where you can communicate with your designer. They are also capping off their services to only 300 clients. Currently, there have 200 clients, but the spots will be filled up fast.
Johnathan talks about how he hires students and graduates primarily from Rutgers University. He specifically hires students going through a design program. He also puts them through extensive training before they can be hired as a designer at Penji.
You can submit unlimited designs and get unlimited revisions. Most of their work is completed within 48 hours. Their convenient month to month plan makes it easy to join with no contracts. You also get the original source files and have complete ownership of them.
The best thing about Penji is you get real in-house designers that sit in the office with Jonathan. You don't get people online who claim they are designers. And Johnathan is generous enough to give the Merch Minds listeners a 10 percent discount. Just use the discount code listed below.
Also, check out Johnathan's podcast where he interviews entrepreneurs from various backgrounds. Make sure and subscribe to his podcast, which is also listed below. The podcast is called the Blind Entrepreneur.
Penji
https://penji.co/
Discount Code: n0va (The "O" is the number zero)
The Blind Entrepreneur Podcast
http://theblindentrepreneur.com/
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/h/e66c4a55
Passive income is a term that is being thrown around in the Facebook groups. Many content creators are claiming that they are earning passive with Merch by Amazon. While it's been discussed by Glen and Yong in the past, they discuss in-depth in this week's episode on whether Merch is really passive income.
By definition, passive income is when you do all the necessary work up front resulting in cash flow on a regular basis. Glen argues that Merch is the closest thing to passive income. However, Yong strongly believes that you have to constantly work on your Merch account.
What do you guys think? Merch by Amazon is not hard labor, but it does require effort. Whether you are a designer or not Merch can bring in a nice income stream. Regardless of whether you believe Merch by Amazon is passive income or not let the boys know what your thoughts are.
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/h/e66c4a55
Didn't Yong mention in a previous episode that he hasn't had a cold in over ten years? Well, he jinxed himself when he made that comment. He caught a cold, and he suffered big time. However, like Michael Jordan in the epic "flu game" Yong came and performed.
This week Michael Essany from Merch Momentum stops by to talk to Glen and Yong. Michael shares his journey into Merch, but he also discusses his new weekly Merch Momentum Monday Strategy Guide. Guys, this isn't your typical guide. Michael goes in-depth on his own best-selling niches, but he also shares niches you could have never even thought of.
Every week you get over 15-plus pages of Michael's insight of the Merch business. In fact, Yong is so certain that you will find value in the guide that he is doing something no one else dares. He is personally putting up his own ten dollars that you will find value in Michael Essany's strategy guide.
Within two weeks of your initial subscription if you don't find value in Michael's guide Yong will personally you the ten dollars out of his own pocket. After your refund, your subscription will be canceled. This really is worth the price so sign up today.
Merch Momentum Monday Strategy Guide
https://gumroad.com/a/660780147
Sponsors
Merch Informer
https://merchinformer.com/223.html
Merchinator
https://merchinator.com/h/e66c4a55